Cincinnati dropped a 44-38 decision to the Steelers on Sunday at Paycor Stadium. It was the Bengals’ seventh loss by seven points or less and likely ended their playoff chances as they fell to 4-8.
Chase wasn’t sure how to answer when asked if he was surprised by how much the defense has struggled this season.
“I don’t know,” Chase said. “They need to find a way. We need to find a way.”
Time is running out, though, and the offense can only do so much.
Here are five takeaways from Sunday’s loss:
1. Defense getting worse?
The Steelers’ offense this season has been good, but nothing outstanding. It’s their defense that has put them atop the AFC North. Yet, the Bengals made Russell Wilson look like he was still leading the 2013-14 Seattle Seahawks to back-to-back Super Bowls.
Cincinnati had not allowed more than 41 points in a game, but Pittsburgh scored a season-high 44 points Sunday. That includes a defensive touchdown, but the Steelers finished with 520 yards and 37 points on offense, and Wilson had a season-high 414 yards passing and three touchdowns. It was just the third 400-yard performance of his career.
Missed tackles seemed to be an issue once again, but linebacker Germaine Pratt downplayed that.
“They were just getting the ball out quick,” Pratt said. “It was a quick game in the screens. That’s all it was.”
Absences are taking a toll, but the defense has been struggling all season and depth has always been a concern. The Bengals were without defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (illness) for a second straight game, and linebacker Logan Wilson was out with a knee injury. Jordan Battle started ahead of Vonn Bell in a notable change at safety, and Josh Newton replaced D.J. Turner, who went on injured reserve with a broken clavicle.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
2. Offense needed to be perfect
Even Chase said he’s come to expect the Bengals need to score a lot of points to win games, but that hasn’t been enoughs. A turnover-free game might have produced a different outcome Sunday, though.
Joe Burrow lost two fumbles on strip sacks, including one Pittsburgh’s Payton Wilson returned 21 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, and he also threw an interception in the final period.
The mistakes might be a sign of building pressure on Burrow to make plays. The Steelers had a 10-point lead going into the fourth quarter, and the defense’s inability to get stops down the stretch likely weighs on players’ minds.
“I feel it,” Burrow said. “You know, I feel the pressure on me to be great. That’s part of playing quarterback in the NFL. I just have to play to the absolute peak of my ability every week for us to go and win. Some games I’ve done that. Some games I haven’t. And so, you know, I’m just trying to be as consistent as I can for the team, try to take care of ball better and go from there.”
Asked if that is sustainable, Burrow said he feels like he “can do anything.” He can’t play defense, though. No other team had scored more than 27 points against the Steelers.
3. Bad call made an impact
With 2:05 left in the second quarter, the Bengals faced a fourth-and-1 situation from their own 39-yard line and should have gotten a first down when Elandon Roberts jumped offside. Instead, the officials only saw Alex Cappa’s reaction and called a false start.
The Bengals then had to punt, and Chase said that was the turning point in the game. Perhaps they could have scored that drive and either tied it up or taken a lead into halftime. Instead, Pittsburgh drove down and tacked on a field goal for a 27-21 advantage going into the break.
Burrow felt like the officials got that call wrong as well.
“That was a disappointing call,” Burrow said. “I’ve got a lot of respect for that crew, but they missed that one.
“That was a big play in the game,” Burrow added. “Big play in the game. … That’s a first down for us. Maybe we go get points, maybe we don’t. But then they get the ball and they go get three, and I don’t think they do that if the call is correct in that situation. A lot more went wrong than that, but that was a big call in the game.”
4. Steelers defense lived up to expectations
The Steelers had limited opponents to 16.9 points per game this season, and although the Bengals shattered their season-high points total allowed, they did make it difficult on Burrow. Pittsburgh pressured him 21 times, which is the third-most pressures he faced this season, and he was sacked a season-high five times.
T.J. Watt had 2.0 sacks, including the strip sack for Burrow’s first fumble in the second quarter, and Cam Heyward added a sack and had the tip on the interception Burrow threw in the fourth quarter.
“The first one (strip sack), I would say I probably held onto it a little long,” Burrow said. “I could have found the tight end early, especially at that point in the game. You know, the second one, I felt like I was getting the ball out pretty quickly on that one. And the guy made a good play.”
Burrow was limping coming off the podium at the end of his press conference, but said he got cleated on the first play of the game on his right leg and had a little gash. He said other than that, he felt good, but sometimes things come up a couple days after a game.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
5. Playing for pride
There’s a difference in playing for a playoff spot and playing for pride, but the Bengals sound like they will be doing more of the latter now. Burrow long ago said he stopped thinking about the playoffs and just tries to keep improving and doing what he can to help the team maybe still be in it at the end. He’s reminding players that their game film will matter at the end of the season when roster decisions are made.
Cornerback Mike Hilton said playoff chances look “a lot more slim” but the Bengals can only be made at themselves because of the hole they put themselves in. After Sunday’s loss, the best the Bengals can hope for is a 9-8 finish. That wasn’t good enough to make the playoffs last year and likely won’t this year either.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor said his message to the team is to “stick together” and “take accountability.”
“That’s three games in a row now that have all been one-possession games,” he said. “We haven’t done enough to earn the win. It’s as simple as that. … So now, there’s still opportunity in front of us to get some momentum for ourselves. I don’t know what the outlook is for the season, but I know that we’re playing Monday Night Football at the Dallas Cowboys. I expect our guys to respond the right way and have a great week and get ready to go and find a way to get on a winning streak.”
NEXT GAME
Monday, Dec. 9
Bengals at Cowboys, 8:15 p.m., ESPN, 700, 1530, 102.7, 104.7
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