Joe Burrow threw four touchdown passes to Samaje Perine as backup running back, and the Cincinnati Bengals won. Pittsburgh SteelersOn Sunday, 37-30
The Bengals (6-4).Perine won the win for the fourth consecutive time in five games. Perine thrived as starter Joe Mixon was unable to play the second half due to the NFL’s concussion protocol.
Burrow completed 24 out of 39 passes, for 355 yards. On that day, he became third fastest player in NFL history to surpass 10,000 career yards passing. Perine ran for 30 yard and caught four passes for 52. Perine raced to the end zone three more times, despite the fact that the defenders trying to protect him tried to chase him.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON FOXNEWS.COM SPORTS COVERSAGE
Cameron Sutton (20), of the Pittsburgh Steelers, tackles Tee Higgins (Cincinnati Bengals) during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Nov. 20, 2022.
(Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Pittsburgh (3-7) lost its chance to repeat the September Week 1 upset in Cincinnati. The lead of 20-17 was lost in the second period. Kenny Pickett, a rookie, passed for 265 yard and a touchdown. Najee Harp ran for 90 yards and two scores. But the NFL’s second lowest scoring offense was unable to sustain itself for the majority of the second half.
Burrow spent the first part of his timeThe Steelers are not what they seem underneath. Pittsburgh adjusted by having its front defensive throw its hands up in order to tip passes or disrupt Burrow’s timing. It worked sometimes, with Levi Wallace intercepting a pass from Burrow on a deflection and T.J. Watt making a strange snare in quarter three.
The Bengals retaliated by asking Burrow to look deep and connecting with Tyler Boyd (practice squad call-up Tyler Irwin) for long gains. This led to an eight-play, 993-yard drive in quarter four that saw Tyler Boyd and Tyler Boyd connect for long gains. Perine was able to drag Wallace across the goal line for a 6-yard touchdown that made it 34-23 at 4:35.
Cincinnati has won four of the five matches against Steelers. The Bengals have dropped 14 of 15 previous games against their long-time AFC North foe.
Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers, attempts to pass against the Cincinnati Bengals during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Nov. 20, 2022.
(Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Burrow made up the difference in all but one of those losses. His combination of poise, accuracy, and swagger have lifted the fortunes a franchise and changed the balance in a rivalry that Pittsburgh has dominated for a long time.
NFL GREAT EXPLAINS WAITING A YEAR TO REVEAL CANCER DIAGNOSES: ‘I DIDN’T WANT PITY’
Burrow was not able to get there without going through some learning curves in 2020. Pickett is in the same position after he was given the keys to offense in Week 3.
While the Steelers showed progress during a back-and-forth first half — Pittsburgh’s 20 points matched the most points it had scored in regulation this season — the momentum stalled in the second half.
Joe Burrow (left) of the Cincinnati Bengals embraces Trenton Irwin following Irwin’s touchdown in the third quarter against Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium, Nov. 20, 2022 in Pittsburgh.
(Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET FOX NEWS APP
Burrow was able to take advantage of all the space available to him and effectively ended any possibility that Pittsburgh would be a factor in the division race.
