Cincinnati
Bengals
2-0
38
FINAL
48
Pittsburgh
Steelers
2-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Week 3 matchup, the Pittsburgh Steelers outlasted the Cincinnati Bengals with a final score of 48-38, putting both teams in the spotlight as they jostle for position early in the 2026 season. The victory solidifies Pittsburgh's status as a contender, while the Bengals will need to regroup after a hard-fought battle.
Drew Allar led the Steelers' offensive onslaught with a stellar performance, throwing for four touchdowns and keeping the Bengals' defense on its heels. Rico Dowdle was a force on the ground, racking up an impressive 198 rushing yards, while Joe Burrow put up a strong effort for Cincinnati, throwing for 307 yards and connecting with Chase Brown for 129 receiving yards, highlighting his team's offensive capabilities.
Defensively, the Steelers made crucial plays at key moments, most notably with Travis Hunter's two interceptions that shifted momentum in their favor. Payton Wilson's steady tackling, leading the team with four stops, helped contain the Bengals' explosive plays when it mattered most. The game turned decisively in the second half, as Pittsburgh's defense stifled Cincinnati's attempts to rally, ultimately sealing the win.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Burrow | QB | 23 | 15 | 65% | 307 | 2 | 3 | 97.9 |
| Drew Allar | QB | 22 | 10 | 45% | 278 | 4 | 0 | 131.6 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 14 | 198 | 14.1 | 13 | 2 | 56 | 0 |
| Chase Brown | HB | 13 | 110 | 8.5 | 19 | 1 | 64 | 0 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 2 | 41 | 20.5 | — | 2 | 37 | 0 |
| Drew Allar | QB | 2 | 21 | 10.5 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Mecole Hardman | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Andrei Iosivas | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyle Pitts Sr | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Brown | HB | 4 | 129 | 32.3 | 80 | 1 | 80 | 0 |
| Kyle Pitts Sr | TE | 4 | 101 | 25.3 | 52 | 2 | 45 | 0 |
| Tee Higgins | WR | 4 | 82 | 20.5 | 15 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 5 | 70 | 14.0 | 20 | 1 | 38 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 3 | 46 | 15.3 | 20 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Mike Gesicki | TE | 2 | 26 | 13.0 | 16 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Hunter | CB | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Ramsey | FS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Boye Mafe | REDG | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Payton Wilson | WILL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Battle | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DJ Turner II | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Tacario Davis | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylen Everette | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Caleb Ransaw | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dax Hill | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jamel Dean | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Spears-Jennings | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derrick Harmon | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Barrett Carter | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Watt | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Queen | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyle Dugger | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeShon Elliott | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Marte Mapu | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryan Cook | FS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evan McPherson | K | 1 | 1 | 5 | 56 |
| Chris Boswell | K | 2 | 2 | 6 | 41 |

