Cincinnati Bengals
Final: Bengals 18, Steelers 12
By C. Trent Rosecrans, CNATI.com Posted November 15, 2009 11:35 AM ET
PITTSBURGH -- The Steelers and Ravens have the reputations, but for the second week in a row, the Bengals have made their case as the best defense in the AFC North, beating the Steelers 18-12 at Heinz Field.Ben Roethlisberger couldn't complete a pass when they Steelers needed it and Michael Johnson forced Roethlisberger into an incomplete pass on fourth down. With the ball just after the 2 minute warning, the Steelers didn't gain a yard, giving the Bengals a 5-0 mark AFC North.
*They've done it for 58 minutes, but the Bengals need to hold on for two more.
Shayne Graham hit his fourth field goal of the day with 1:56 left to give Cincinnati an 18-12 lead.
* Field Goal Fest 2010 is in full effect.
Shayne Graham's 32-yarder put the Bengals ahead 15-12 with 7:29 left in the game.
Cincinnati once again got in the red zone, but couldn't convert.
There has been no offensive touchdowns in this game.
* The Bengal defense once against stepped up in the red zone, forcing the Steelers to kick another field goal after a first down on the Cincinnati 11.
Reed kicked a 34-yard field goal with 11:20 left in the game.
* The Bengals have found it tough to convert a third down. After converting three of their first four third downs, the Bengals have missed on their last five third-down attempts.
Still, Cincinnati was able to use good field position and a long run after the catch by Bernard Scott to set up a 32-yard Shayne Graham field goal and give the Bengals as 12-9 lead with 6:41 remaining in the third quarter.
* Frostee Rucker corralled an interception off the deflection from Morgan Trent and returned it 26 yards to the Steelers' 14.
However, the NFL's best red zone offense was stifled in the red zone, as the Bengals settled for a 23-yard field goal from Shayne Graham to tie the game at 9.
Bengals running back Cedric Benson, who entered the game as the second-leading rusher in the NFL, suffered a hip flexor injury and will not return.
* The Bengal defense was able to stop the Steelers in the red zone at Heinz Field on Sunday, but the offense hasn't made it there.
The Steelers were limited to three field goals after having the ball twice inside the 5 and inside the 10 three times.
The Bengals' only score came on Bernard Scott's 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, the first Bengal kickoff for a score since Nov. 4, 2007 when Glenn Holt went 100 yards. Punter Kevin Huber dropped the extra point attempt, for the team's fourth botched PAT of the season.
Carson Palmer was off the entire first quarter, completing 8 of 17 pass for 80 yards. Ben Roethlisberger is 13 of 21 for 112 yards, but much of that came on screens and scrambles, as the Bengals' cornerbacks have blanketed the Steeler receivers. Mike Wallace, the rookie who torched the Bengals earlier this year, has been thrown to twice but hasn't caught a pass. Santonio Holmes leads the Steelers with five catches for 65 yards. He has been thrown to 10 times.
The Bengals offense gained just 94 yards in the first half and only 24 yards rushing.
* Bengals safety Chinedum Ndukwe was called for a 43-yard pass interference penalty on Pittsburgh's Mike Wallace on an overthrown ball, setting up a 35-yard field goal by Jeff Reed with 12 seconds remaining in the half.
The Bengals cornerbacks had been stout all day, but Ndukwe made a critical mistake after the 2-minute warning as the Steelers were backed up to a 2nd-and-20 from their own 24, before getting it on the Bengals' 30 as a result of Ndukwe's penalty.
The Bengals' fourth sack of the day -- the first by Robert Geathers Jr. -- made the Steelers settle for a field goal instead of a touchdown.
* Jonathan Fanene's second sack of the game caused Pittsburgh to settle for 3 points and tie the game at 6.
After a 1st-and-goal from the 5, the Bengals stuffed the run on first down, Morgan Trent snuffed out a pass on second and Fanene sacked Ben Roethlisberger on third down.
Jeff Reed made the 33-yard field goal.
Through most of the first half, Roethlisberger completed 10 passes, four were screens and two more were on scrambles, as the Bengals' conrerbacks have been very good.
* The Bengals may have found a return man.
Rookie Bernard Scott returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, but the Benglas missed the extra point attempt. Bengals punter Kevin Huber dropped the snap on the extra point.
* The Steelers made their field goal, while the Bengals did not. Jeff Reeds' attempt was 23 yards shorter than Shayne Graham's attempt.
Reed made a 28-yard field goal after an 11-play, 49-yard drive by the Steelers.
The big play came on third-and-13 scramble by Ben Roethlisberger for 15 yards to the Bengal 15.
The entire drive, the Steelers were unable to find a receiver downfield, but didn't need to with the combination of Rahard Mendenhall.
* Shayne Graham hit the upright and missed a 51-yard field goal on the Bengals' opening drive after the Bengals couldn't convert their third third-and-long at the Steelers' 33.
After incompletions on his first two plays, Carson Palmer found Chad Ochocinco for 16 yards and later Laveranues Coles on a 12-yard pickup that appeared to be reviewable, but was not reviewed by the Steelers.
* And here we are at the very yellow Heinz Field. No real surprise that both Evan Mathis and Keith Rivers are not active. Here's the inactives...
Bengals
QB Jordan Palmer (3rd QB)
FB Fui Vakapuna
LB Keith Rivers
OG Evan Mathis
OT Andre Smith
TE Chase Coffman
WR Jerome Simpson
DT Orien Harris
Steelers
QB Dennis Dixon (3rd QB)
CB Keiwan Ratliff
FB Carey Davis
OG Kraig Urbik
OT Tony Hills
DE Sunny Harris
WR Shaun McDonald
DE Travis Kirschke
* Bengals lineup changes: Nate Livings starting at LG in the place of Evan Mathis, Brandon Johnson starting at WLB in place of Keith Rivers and Chinedum Ndukwe starting at SS in place of Roy Williams.
* Steelers lineup changes: David Johnson starting at FB in the place of Carey Davis. Nick Eason starting at DE in place of Travis Kirschke
Categories: Cincinnati Bengals, Featured Stories, News
Tags: Bengals, Evan Mathis, Keith Rivers, Steelers
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