Cincinnati
Bengals
2-0
38
FINAL
24
Pittsburgh
Steelers
1-1
AI Recap
AI RECAPThe Cincinnati Bengals topped the Pittsburgh Steelers with a decisive 38-24 victory in Week 3 of the 2026 season, maintaining their momentum in the early race for playoff positioning. The Bengals' offense showcased their firepower, while the Steelers fought hard but ultimately fell short in a game that had significant implications for both teams.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for an impressive 352 yards and three touchdowns for the Steelers, putting up a valiant effort. However, it was Chase Brown of the Bengals who stole the show on the ground, rushing for 88 yards and helping to balance the offensive attack. Meanwhile, DK Metcalf had a standout performance for Pittsburgh, racking up 201 receiving yards, but it wasn't enough to secure a win.
Defensively, the Bengals made crucial plays to turn the tide, with Bryan Cook intercepting two passes, significantly stifling the Steelers' momentum at key moments. The turning point came in the second half when Cook's second interception led to a touchdown drive that extended the Bengals' lead, effectively sealing the game. Despite Joey Porter's four tackles and Chris Jones' sack for Pittsburgh, the defense struggled to contain Cincinnatiβs explosive offense down the stretch.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Rodgers | QB | 27 | 17 | 352 | 3 | 3 | 104.0 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 22 | 18 | 301 | 3 | 0 | 158.3 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Brown | HB | 14 | 88 | 6.3 | 1 | 43 | 0 |
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Samaje Perine | HB | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Dohnte Meyers | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Gesicki | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DK Metcalf | WR | 8 | 201 | 25.1 | 2 | 78 | 0 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 4 | 123 | 30.8 | 1 | 80 | 0 |
| Germie Bernard | WR | 5 | 91 | 18.2 | 1 | 36 | 0 |
| Mike Gesicki | TE | 5 | 80 | 16.0 | 1 | 32 | 0 |
| Chase Brown | HB | 4 | 48 | 12.0 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Tee Higgins | WR | 3 | 44 | 14.7 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Roman Wilson | WR | 2 | 30 | 15.0 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Darnell Washington | TE | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Colbie Young | WR | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Andrei Iosivas | WR | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryan Cook | FS | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyle Dugger | SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Joey Porter | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Jones | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jaquan Brisker | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jalen Ramsey | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Demetrius Knight Jr | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Battle | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Heyward | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Payton Wilson | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dax Hill | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| PJ Jules | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DJ Turner II | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Alex Highsmith | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Barrett Carter | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamel Dean | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeShon Elliott | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Germaine Pratt | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tacario Davis | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Boye Mafe | REDG | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cashius Howell | REDG | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Queen | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dexter Lawrence II | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evan McPherson | K | 1 | 1 | 5 | 28 |
| Chris Boswell | K | 1 | 1 | 3 | 43 |

