Bengals Earn First Win, Avenge Week 1 Loss to Steelers

Cincinnati, OH – The Cincinnati Bengals finally put one in the win column, taking down the division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers 34-27 in a thrilling Week 4 matchup at Paycor Stadium. After falling to the Steelers in Week 1, the Bengals flipped the script behind a dominant performance from Joe Burrow, who threw for over 400 yards and three touchdowns to lead Cincinnati to its first win of the season.

Game Recap

The Bengals came out strong in the first quarter, setting the tone early. Joe Burrow opened the scoring with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins, followed by a 6-yard rushing touchdown from Burrow himself to give Cincinnati a 14-0 lead. Pittsburgh struggled to get anything going in the first quarter but found their footing in the second.

The Steelers responded in the second quarter with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to Jaylen Warren. A field goal from Chris Boswell cut the deficit to 14-10, but Cincinnati extended its lead before halftime with a 36-yard field goal from Evan McPherson, sending the teams into the break with the Bengals ahead 17-10.

The third quarter saw more back-and-forth action. McPherson added another field goal from 41 yards out to put Cincinnati up 20-10. However, Pittsburgh responded in the closing moments of the quarter as Darnell Washington hauled in a 4-yard touchdown pass from Wilson, making it a three-point game heading into the final quarter.

With the Steelers threatening to complete the comeback, Burrow took over in the fourth quarter. He launched a 65-yard touchdown strike to Ja’Marr Chase to push the lead to 27-17. The Steelers answered back with a 1-yard touchdown run from Najee Harris, bringing the score to 27-24.

With the pressure on, Burrow and the Bengals delivered once again. A perfectly placed 42-yard touchdown pass to Mike Gesicki extended the Bengals’ lead to 34-24. Pittsburgh managed a late field goal, but Cincinnati’s defense held strong, securing the 34-27 victory.

Key Stats

Joe Burrow was nearly flawless, completing 30 of 35 passes for 410 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. His top targets were Ja’Marr Chase (six receptions, 129 yards, one touchdown), Mike Gesicki (eight receptions, 127 yards, one touchdown), and Tee Higgins (four receptions, 91 yards, one touchdown).

On the ground, Tim Tate led the Bengals with nine carries for 53 yards, while Burrow added a rushing touchdown. Evan McPherson remained perfect, hitting both of his field-goal attempts.

For the Steelers, Russell Wilson threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns, completing 23 of 44 passes. Najee Harris was a key contributor in the passing game, hauling in eight receptions for 94 yards. On defense, Joey Porter led the Steelers with five tackles and a pass deflection.

Up Next

The Bengals will look to carry this momentum into next week when they hit the road for a crucial AFC North showdown against the Baltimore Ravens. Meanwhile, the Steelers return home for an interconference matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, aiming to get back in the win column.