Cincinnati
Bengals
0-2
24
FINAL
16
Pittsburgh
Steelers
0-2
AI Recap
AI RECAPThe Cincinnati Bengals topped the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-16 in a crucial Week 3 matchup of the 2026 season. With both teams looking to establish dominance in the division, the Bengals managed to secure a vital win on the road, improving their record and boosting their playoff aspirations.
Drew Allar of the Steelers showcased his skills with 280 passing yards and one touchdown, keeping Pittsburgh competitive throughout the game. However, it was Ja'Marr Chase who stole the spotlight for Cincinnati, racking up 96 receiving yards and making key catches to extend drives. The Bengals' running game also contributed significantly, providing balance and keeping the Steelers' defense on their toes.
Defensively, Tacario Davis led the Bengals with nine total tackles, playing a pivotal role in containing the Steelers' offense. Despite Cam Heyward’s two sacks for Pittsburgh, the turning point came in the fourth quarter when Cincinnati’s defense forced a critical turnover, allowing the Bengals to control the clock and secure their victory. This win not only gives Cincinnati momentum but also raises questions about Pittsburgh's ability to close out games as the season progresses.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drew Allar | QB | 40 | 23 | 57% | 280 | 1 | 0 | 87.4 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 25 | 15 | 60% | 189 | 1 | 0 | 96.9 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 20 | 78 | 3.9 | 25 | 0 | 32 | 1 |
| Chase Brown | HB | 16 | 53 | 3.3 | 18 | 1 | 23 | 0 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 5 | 17 | 3.4 | — | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Eli Heidenreich | HB | 5 | 16 | 3.2 | — | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Michael Pittman | WR | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | — | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Drew Allar | QB | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | — | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Darnell Washington | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 1 | -2 | -2.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 3 | 96 | 32.0 | 78 | 1 | 70 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 5 | 72 | 14.4 | 26 | 1 | 30 | 0 |
| Michael Pittman | WR | 4 | 66 | 16.5 | 11 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Germie Bernard | WR | 6 | 63 | 10.5 | 16 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Mike Gesicki | TE | 4 | 38 | 9.5 | 19 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Tee Higgins | WR | 3 | 33 | 11.0 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Eli Heidenreich | HB | 2 | 31 | 15.5 | 9 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Darnell Washington | TE | 2 | 29 | 14.5 | 17 | 0 | 15 | 1 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 3 | 12 | 4.0 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Erick All Jr | TE | 2 | 11 | 5.5 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Andrei Iosivas | WR | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Pat Freiermuth | TE | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Chase Brown | HB | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacario Davis | CB | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Battle | SS | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Heyward | DT | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joey Porter | CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Barrett Carter | MIKE | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dax Hill | CB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dexter Lawrence II | DT | 4 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cashius Howell | REDG | 2 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| B.J. Hill | DT | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DJ Turner II | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rayshawn Jenkins | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyle Dugger | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryan Cook | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Jaquan Brisker | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamel Dean | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeShon Elliott | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Boye Mafe | REDG | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derrick Harmon | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Watt | LEDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Payton Wilson | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonathan Allen | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Ramsey | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Myles Murphy | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Demetrius Knight Jr | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oren Burks | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Asante Samuel Jr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Herbig | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Highsmith | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evan McPherson | K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 48 |
| Chris Boswell | K | 3 | 3 | 1 | 44 |

