Steelers win AFC North title
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) celebrates with fans as he heads to the locker room after the Steelers’ 27-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell listens to a trainer after being injured in the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014 in Pittsburgh. Bell suffered a hyperextended left knee in the Steelers' 27-17 win. (AP Photo/Gene Puskar)
PITTSBURGH – The Steelers won the AFC North by beating the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday night.
But it might have been a costly victory.
Running back Le’veon Bell, who last week was named to his first Pro Bowl and selected as the MVP, suffered a right knee injury in the third quarter when hit by Cincinnati safety Reggie Nelson.
Bell, who led the AFC in rushing yards and total yards from scrimmage, did not return and his status for Saturday’s playoff game at Heinz Field against Baltimore is in question.
“It’s a hyperextension on Le’Veon Bell’s knee,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “Structurally, it appears to be fine. We’ll see if he’s available to us here in this next game. We’ll gather more information as we go through the week. No journey is without adversity. We’re thankful that it’s not anything major.”
That the game will be played at Heinz Field was assured when cornerback Antwon Blake ripped a ball loose from Cincinnati wide receiver A.J. Green and recovered the loose ball at the Pittsburgh 30-yard line to preserve the Steelers’ 27-17 victory.
The Steelers finish the regular season at 11-5 and champions of the AFC North, while Cincinnati, which had led the division for most of the season, finishes at 10-5-1.
The Bengals will play at Indianapolis next Sunday.
“I just grabbed whatever I could grab,” said Blake. “Fortunately enough, I got the ball, so it came out.”
Cincinnati had an opportunity to get the ball back after Blake’s fumble recovery, but on third down Ben Roethlisberger, who was playing despite flu symptoms, and Antonio Brown connected on a 63-yard pass with Brown getting free from Cincinnati corner Dre Kirkpatrick for a touchdown that put the Steelers ahead 27-17.
The TD catch was Brown’s 13th of the season, a Pittsburgh record.
“Who else is going to make it?” Tomlin said of Brown, who finished with seven receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown. “He needs no endorsement from me. I don’t think any of us are surprised when he delivers for us time and again.”
Brown, who also became the first Steelers player to lead the NFL in both receptions and receiving yards, put the Steelers on the scoreboard first with his third career punt return for a touchdown. The score came after Pittsburgh’s defense forced the Bengals off the field without a first down on their opening possession.
Brown caught the 54-yard punt from Kevin Huber outside the left hash mark at the Pittsburgh 29. He quickly gave some ground running to the right hash, then stopped and reversed his field back to the left.
Safety Shamarko Thomas got just enough of Huber on the outside – with a little push in the back from Brown – to clear the way as Brown gave the Steelers a 7-0 lead.
Cincinnati tied the score, however, after the Steelers were unable to get a first down following a Brice McCain interception at the Pittsburgh 2 that he returned to the 5.
Brad Wing hit a short punt and Cincinnati converted a fourth-and-3 to set up a 17-yard touchdown pass by scrambling Andy Dalton to Giovanni Bernard, making the score 7-7.
The Bengals took advantage of a Pittsburgh miscue on the ensuing possession. Center Maurkice Pouncey made a low snap to Roethlisberger in the shotgun that the quarterback was unable to handle. Defensive lineman Wallace Gilberry recovered the ball at the Pittsburgh 34.
But Cameron Heyward had a big sack of Dalton on second down and the Bengals were forced to settle for a 39-yard Mike Nugent field goal and a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter.
The Steelers tied the score at 10-10 on their next possession, getting a 29-yard Shaun Suisham field goal to finish off a 59-yard drive.
McCain then came up with his second interception off a high Dalton pass that tipped off Green’s hands.McCain returned it 31 yards to the Cincinnati 28. Two plays later, Roethlisberger threw a wide receiver screen to rookie Martavis Bryant, who picked up blocks from Heath Miller and Markus Wheaton to score from 21 yards and give Pittsburgh a 17-10 lead.
The Steelers tacked on a 25-yard Suisham field goal with 40 seconds remaining in the first half to make the score 20-10.
Cincinnati squandered a long drive to open the second half, taking the ball to the Pittsburgh 32 before stalling. Nugent missed a 50-yard field goal attempt wide right, turning the ball over to the Steelers.
After the teams traded punts, Roethlisberger threw a pass to Bell on the run and he gained 19 yards to the Cincinnati 43 before being cut down by Nelson, forcing the Pittsburgh running back out of the game.
“That’s the way the game’s being played these days because guys are afraid of being fined,” said Steelers safety Mike Mitchell. “They’re lowering their targets. That just sucks. I don’t think that was a dirty play. It’s extremely unfortunate. Nobody wants to see Le’Veon get hit in the knee when he’s not looking. But that’s the NFL we play in.”
Nelson then intercepted Roethlisberger on a pass intended for Brown at the Cincinnati 15. After a four-yard loss on the return, the Bengals mounted an 89-yard touchdown drive capped off by a 5-yard pass from Dalton to tight end Jermaine Gresham that cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 20-17.
Roethlisberger threw for 317 yards to finish tied with New Orleans’ Drew Brees for the NFL passing yardage lead with 4,952. No Steelers QB had ever led the NFL in passing yardage. … Sean Spence, Jason Worilds and Cam Heyward had sacks for the Steelers. Spence’s sack was the first of his career, while Heyward and Worilds finish tied for the team lead with 7.5 each. … The Steelers’ 2015 schedule is set. They will host their division opponents, Denver, Oakland, Arizona, San Francisco and Indianapolis. On the road they will face their division opponents Kansas City, San Diego, St. Louis, Seattle and New England.