As December rolls around, it’s time to separate the contenders from the pretenders. And although the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals started the day sitting in the two Wild Card slots for the AFC, the Steelers emerged as a contender while the Bengals are looking like pretenders.
The Steelers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 35-7 in a dominating performance, where the Steelers scored 28 points in the second quarter and never looked back.
The Steelers dominated in all phases of the game. They racked up 136 yards rushing, led by Rashard Mendenhall, with 60 yards rushing and 2 rushing touchdowns. Ben Roethlisberger had an efficient day passing the ball going 15 of 23 for 176 yards with 2 TDs and no INTs. The defense gave up only 232 yards and forced 2 turnovers. They even scored on special teams as Antonio Brown returned a punt for 60 yards for a TD as part of the second quarter explosion.
The Steelers advanced their record to 9-3 with the win, securing their position for at least the first Wild Card slot, and staying in pace for a run at the AFC Central title. The Bengals have now lost 3 of their last 4 games to fall to 7-5, making their chances at a playoff spot significantly more murky.
Although the Bengals have played well all season, they have only beaten one team with a winning record (the Tennessee Titans), and their wins have come against teams with a combined record of 23-44. They still have a shot at a playoff berth, but their schedule is not forgiving, as two of their remaining games are against the Texans and the Ravens, which look like two very tough games. If the Bengals go 2-2 down the stretch, they will finish with a 9-7 record, and likely miss the playoffs.
