Steelers had no answer for backup running back Perine

The Bengals have one of the more talented offenses in the NFL, but it was a backup running back who gave the Steelers fits on Sunday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium.

Samaje Perine scored three touchdowns, all on screens or swing passes out of the backfield, to help the Bengals beat the Steelers, 37-30.

Perine stepped into the spotlight after starting running back Joe Mixon suffered a concussion in the first half and did not return.

Defensive end Cam Heyward called it “mind-boggling” that a running back would score three times on passes.

“You have to have something to counter that, and we have to be a defense that adjusts” Heyward said. “If they do one thing, they can’t keep going back to the well. We did not clean that up today.”

Perine was not touched on his first touchdown — a 29-yard screen pass.

On his second, he broke a Robert Spillane tackle and scored from 11 yards out. On his final touchdown, he once again fought his way into the end zone from 6 yards out.

“It was a lack of execution,” linebacker T.J. Watt said. “They had a good game plan for us, clearly. They were able to move the ball down the field. We weren’t able to hold them to field goals to help our offense out. We just need to finish plays. Personally, I only get so many one-on-ones during a game. When I get them, I need to execute, and I need to finish on the quarterback. And I wasn’t able to do that tonight.”

Bengals hit on big plays

One of the defense’s biggest weaknesses this season is allowing big plays, and the Bengals became the latest team to victimize the Steelers in that way.

Six Bengals receivers had catches of 21 yards or more.

Many of those catches came in key moments, too, such as Tyler Boyd’s 27-yarder when the Bengals were backed up on their own 10yard line in the fourth quarter.

The Steelers also gave up catches of 32 and 15 yards on the drive that put the game out reach.

“I think it comes down to our defense as a whole,” Heyward said. “To know more than one receiver was doing that, we need to hit home more. We need to be glued to our guys. It comes down to assignment football. It comes down to everyone executing at a high level and being ready when the ball is thrown their way. Obviously, the rush has to hit home, and the secondary has to be tight to them. And we can’t give up yards after the catch. A lot of times, we gave up yards after the catch that set up their drives.”

Injuries mount

Three players left the game in the first half and did not return. Starting center Mason Cole injured his foot late in the second quarter, and J.C. Hassenauer finished the game. Coach Mike Tomlin said Cole had a mid-foot injury.

Backup running back Jaylen Warren left in the game in the first quarter with a hamstring injury, and receiver Miles Boykin did not come back after suffering an oblique injury.