The Pittsburgh Steelers are moving on to Denver. The Cincinnati Bengals are still looking for their first playoff victory since 1991.
Thanks in no small part to an epic meltdown over the final two minutes by the team who has found every possible way to lose over that span, the team who has made a living finding a way to survive and advance is another step closer to another Super Bowl title.
Chris Boswell kicked the game-winning 35-yard field goal with 14 seconds remaining to help the Steelers (11-6) overcome a Ben Roethlisberger injury in an improbable 18-16 win Saturday night over the Bengals (12-5) at Paul Brown Stadium.
With Roethlisberger out, the Bengals rallied for 16 fourth-quarter points, capped by an A.J. Green 25-yard touchdown catch that gave Cincinnati a 16-15 lead with 1:50 left in the game. When Landry Jones was intercepted by Vontaze Burfict on the subsequent possession, it looked like the Bengals would get head coach Marvin Lewis his first playoff win in seven tries.
However, Ryan Shazier forced a Jeremy Hill fumble that would be recovered by Ross Cockrell and Roethlisberger would come back for the final game-winning drive that will be remembered for a sequence of inexcusable personal foul penalties by Burfict and Adam Jones that set up the Boswell game-winning field goal.
Toussaint and Todman to the rescue – No DeAngelo Williams? No problem for the Steelers thanks to the combined efforts of running backs Fitzgerald Toussaint and Jordan Todman. The duo combined for 123 yards on 28 carries while Toussaint added four catches for an additional 60 yards. Toussaint in particular was solid throughout in all phases and did tremendous work on blitz pickup. The Steelers ground attack would amass 167 yards on the night despite of being without Williams.
Conversely, the Bengals were unable to get their dynamic duo of Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard going much of the night as the backs combined for 78 yards on the night and had two critical fumbles.
Mental errors and miscues a theme throughout – The Bengals will look back on this game and point to their four costly turnovers and eight penalties, including the two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on the final drive as to why they have lost their third straight playoff contest to the Steelers at home.
The Burfict shot on Antonio Brown was ugly and should command a hefty fine and a suspension. Add the Jones meltdown in reaction to the penalty, and this might be enough to cost Lewis his job as the Bengals coach.
The Steelers amassed 10 penalties for a whopping 142 yards and had two turnovers themselves but somehow were able to overcome it.
Roethlisberger guts it out, status up in the air for Denver – Injuries have been a constant theme with the Steelers this season, and Roethlisberger has dealt with his fair share. Once again the injury bug bit Roethlisberger but he found a way to come back for the final game-winning drive. It was obvious he was not close to 100 percent, and his ability to throw the ball downfield was gone, but still he willed his team into position to get the win.
With the Steelers set to play the Broncos at 4:25 p.m. next Sunday, Roethlisberger will have a full week to get healthy enough to try and lead the team to the AFC Championship game.
Shazier and the Steelers defense comes through – Ryan Shazier showed the world why he was a first-round pick with a 13-tackle game that included two forced fumbles. Shazier’s strip of Hill with less than two minutes remaining was huge and gave the Steelers life late. He also had a number of big plays in the passing game with two big pass breakups.
Jarvis Jones had a sack and a forced fumble, Antwon Blake had an interception and Cameron Heyward had another massive game for the Steelers defense.
Up Next – The Steelers will now travel to Denver to face the Broncos in the AFC Divisional playoff next Sunday with kickoff set for 4:25 p.m.
