Cincinnati
Bengals
0-1
13
FINAL
27
Pittsburgh
Steelers
1-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a pivotal Week 3 matchup, the Pittsburgh Steelers topped the Cincinnati Bengals with a final score of 27-13, strengthening their position early in the 2026 season. With both teams vying for supremacy in the division, the Steelers delivered a commanding performance that showcased their offensive firepower and defensive resilience.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers led the charge for Pittsburgh, throwing for 210 yards and two touchdowns, proving once again why he remains a formidable presence in the league. Complementing his efforts, Rico Dowdle dominated the ground game with 120 rushing yards, consistently moving the chains and keeping the Bengals' defense on its heels. Meanwhile, Mike Gesicki stood out for Cincinnati, accumulating 66 receiving yards, but it wasn't enough to shift the momentum.
Defensively, the Steelers were relentless, with Patrick Queen leading the way with eight total tackles, ensuring that the Bengals struggled to find rhythm on offense. The game’s turning point came in the second quarter when Cam Heyward recorded a crucial sack, halting a Bengals drive and shifting the tide firmly in Pittsburgh's favor. This defensive stand was instrumental in maintaining their lead and ultimately securing the victory.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Rodgers | QB | 35 | 20 | 210 | 2 | 0 | 93.7 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 38 | 19 | 167 | 1 | 0 | 70.8 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 12 | 120 | 10.0 | 0 | 30 | 1 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 9 | 102 | 11.3 | 1 | 46 | 0 |
| Chase Brown | HB | 12 | 38 | 3.2 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Samaje Perine | HB | 3 | 21 | 7.0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Darnell Washington | TE | 4 | 20 | 5.0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Eli Heidenreich | HB | 5 | 14 | 2.8 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Aaron Rodgers | QB | 4 | 9 | 2.3 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Germie Bernard | WR | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Michael Pittman | WR | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Joe Burrow | QB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Gesicki | TE | 5 | 66 | 13.2 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| Ja'Marr Chase | WR | 5 | 56 | 11.2 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Michael Pittman | WR | 5 | 47 | 9.4 | 1 | 14 | 1 |
| Pat Freiermuth | TE | 4 | 44 | 11.0 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Germie Bernard | WR | 4 | 41 | 10.3 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 2 | 41 | 20.5 | 1 | 34 | 0 |
| Darnell Washington | TE | 2 | 21 | 10.5 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Andrei Iosivas | WR | 3 | 16 | 5.3 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | HB | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Tee Higgins | WR | 2 | 10 | 5.0 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| Chase Brown | HB | 2 | 10 | 5.0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Samaje Perine | HB | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Erick All Jr | TE | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Eli Heidenreich | HB | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Rico Dowdle | HB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Queen | MIKE | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyle Dugger | SS | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Jaquan Brisker | SS | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Milano | WILL | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dax Hill | CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Boye Mafe | REDG | 4 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Highsmith | REDG | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonathan Allen | DT | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oren Burks | WILL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Barrett Carter | MIKE | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dexter Lawrence II | DT | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jordan Battle | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| DJ Turner II | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Heyward | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeShon Elliott | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Ramsey | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joey Porter | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Watt | LEDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Newton | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Demetrius Knight Jr | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cashius Howell | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Myles Murphy | LEDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Rayshawn Jenkins | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Derrick Harmon | DT | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamel Dean | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Brandin Echols | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryan Cook | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Boswell | K | 2 | 2 | 3 | 36 |
| Evan McPherson | K | 2 | 2 | 1 | 54 |

