Report card

RAY FIT TIP AL DO GRADES THE STEELERS ON THE SATURDAY GAME VS. CINCINNATI

Quarterback

In his first start since the 2021 season, Mason Rudolph showed no rust and played better than any Steelers quarterback had all season. On his second snap of the game, Rudolph threw an 86-yard TD pass to George Pickens, leading him perfectly on a short slant. Rudolph finished the game with 290 yards passing, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 124. The Steelers remain alive for a playoff berth, and Rudolph earned the right to start next week’s game in Seattle.

Offensive line

One week after perhaps their worst game of the season, the line turned in one of its best performances against the Bengals. The pass protection kept Rudolph clean, and Harris and Warren had plenty of room to operate in the running game.

Secondary

With Minkah Fitzpatrick and Damontae Kazee out of the lineup, the Steelers had two new starting safeties and both of them had interceptions. Patrick Peterson and Eric Rowe intercepted Browning in the first half. Rowe was later out of position when Tee Higgins scored on an 80-yard touchdown in the third quarter, but for a secondary that has been decimated by injuries, they did more than enough to help the Steelers win this game.

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Running backs

The Steelers like the Najee Harris matchup against the Bengals. Harris got the bulk of the carries and led the Steelers with 78 yards on 19 carries. He also had 99 yards against the Bengals one month ago in the victory in Cincinnati. Jaylen Warren had five catches for 30 yards and had a devastating block on Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt that sprung Calvin Austin III on his 7-yard touchdown run.

Defensive line

It was a quiet day statistically for Cam Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi, but they did a nice job shutting down the running lanes of the Bengals running game. The Bengals finished with just 59 yards rushing. By controlling the line of scrimmage, the Steelers forced quarterback Jake Browning into a number of bad throws and two interceptions.

Special teams

Chris Boswell booted two field goals, including a 50-yarder. He’s 25 for 27 on the season. Pressley Harvin pinned the Bengals inside the 20-yard line once, but he was inconsistent and finished with just a 38.8-yard average on five punts.

Receivers

George Pickens had his best game of the season, finishing with four catches for 195 yards. He had touchdowns of 86 and 66 yards. After a week of adversity, Pickens showed some resolve. Six players had receptions for the Steelers, including three from Allen Robinson.

Linebackers

It was a dominant game for the outside linebackers. Alex Highsmith had a sack and an interception. T.J. Watt had his 17th sack of the season and applied pressure on Browning all game. He finished with four QB hits. Elandon Roberts had five tackles before he left the game in the second quarter with a pectoral injury. The Steelers could be in trouble if Roberts’ injury is season-ending, but it was encouraging to see Mykal Walker play well as a run defender.

Coaching

Mike Tomlin’s decision to play George Pickens drew criticism during the week, but his faith in Pickens paid off big-time. The Steelers were aggressive on offense from the get-go. Mike Sullivan’s play calling was excellent, but his job readying Rudolph for the opportunity shouldn’t be overlooked. The defensive coaches did a better job preparing backups for more prominent roles. Three reserves started and a few others played in sub-packages.