Joe Burrow throws 3 TDs as Cincinnati Bengals top Pittsburgh Steelers 40-18 in Week 3

Pittsburgh, PA - Joe Burrow completed 26 of 32 passes for 360 yards and three touchdowns, and the Cincinnati Bengals paired his efficient performance with five sacks and three interceptions in a 40-18 Week 3 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cincinnati finished with advantages across several of the game's most meaningful statistical categories. The Bengals produced 479 offensive yards, including 360 passing and 119 rushing, while Pittsburgh finished with 352 offensive yards. Cincinnati also recorded 24 first downs to Pittsburgh's 17.

Burrow's 131.7 passer rating reflected an afternoon in which he averaged more than 11 yards per attempt and completed better than 81% of his passes. He threw one interception, but Pittsburgh's defense did not record a sack. Burrow also contributed 39 rushing yards on four carries, including a 29-yard run.

"There was a lot to like about how consistently we moved the ball," Burrow said. "I would like to have the interception back, but completing that many passes and getting production from different guys gives us a strong picture of what the offense can be."

Darius Slayton supplied Cincinnati's biggest receiving totals, catching four passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns. His 68-yard reception was the longest completion of the game for Burrow. Tee Higgins added six receptions for 77 yards, giving the Bengals another steady option in the passing game.

Chase Brown contributed in both phases of the offense. He rushed 20 times for 84 yards and a touchdown, with a long run of 26 yards, and caught two passes for 27 yards and another score. Brown's 111 yards from scrimmage complemented a Cincinnati passing attack that spread its production beyond one target.

"I want every touch to have value, whether it's a run or a catch," Brown said. "We had a lot of different players involved, and it feels good to finish with this kind of result on the road."

Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 24 of 34 passes for 343 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions and finished with an 85.7 passer rating. Germie Bernard caught three passes for 78 yards, while Darnell Washington turned his lone reception into a 44-yard touchdown.

Rico Dowdle accounted for Pittsburgh's other receiving touchdown among his three catches for 14 yards. On the ground, Dowdle carried eight times for 28 yards as the Steelers finished with 54 rushing yards as a team.

"You can move the ball and still come away disappointed," Rodgers said. "I have to be better with the football, and we need more from our opportunities in the red zone. The yardage doesn't change the final score."

The efficiency figures presented another clear contrast. Cincinnati converted four of eight third downs, while Pittsburgh went 2-for-10. The Steelers converted one of two fourth-down attempts.

Inside the red zone, the Bengals made six trips and recorded three touchdowns and two field goals. Pittsburgh reached the red zone five times but finished with one touchdown and one field goal from those possessions.

Cincinnati's defensive production featured a dominant individual line from Dexter Lawrence II, who recorded four of the Bengals' five sacks. In the secondary, Dax Hill intercepted two passes and totaled 19 interception return yards. Kader Kohou added Cincinnati's third interception.

"Five sacks as a defense is the kind of production we expect from ourselves," Lawrence said. "I was able to finish four of them, but that number belongs to the whole group. There are always things to clean up, and there is also a lot we can build on."

Hill's two interceptions stood out in a game where Cincinnati finished plus-two in that category. Pittsburgh's defense intercepted Burrow once, but the Bengals came away with three interceptions of Rodgers.

"The biggest thing is finishing the opportunity," Hill said. "If the ball comes your way, you have to secure it. Getting two is something I'm proud of, especially in a win like this."

The Bengals left Pittsburgh with a 22-point victory, 479 offensive yards and major contributions from Burrow, Slayton, Brown and a defense that filled the stat sheet. The Steelers generated substantial passing production, but their three interceptions, third-down numbers and red-zone results remained among the defining statistical contrasts.

Up Next

Cincinnati returns home in Week 4 to host the Jacksonville Jaguars and look to follow up the victory. Pittsburgh will try to rebound on the road against the Cleveland Browns.