5 things we learned from Steelers' deflating division loss at Bengals

CINCINNATI — Aside from learning the Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t quite running away with the AFC North just yet, here are five other items gleaned from Thursday’s 33-31 defeat at the Cincinnati Bengals.

1. Dirty thirty

Scoring 30 points is typically a benchmark any offense would take in any given NFL game. It should — and, most often does — result in a win.

Not Thursday night for the Steelers.

The loss to the Bengals snapped a six-game winning streak for the Steelers when they score at least 30. The most recent time the Steelers lost when hitting that mark offensively was Nov. 20, 2022 — also in Cincinnati, with the Bengals pulling out a 37-30 win.

The Steelers hadn’t lost while scoring at least 31 points since Nov. 21, 2021, in Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. The Chargers won that day 41-37.

Incidentally, the Bengals have been the opponent four of the past seven times the Steelers have eclipsed 30 points.

2. TE TDs

Each of Aaron Rodgers’ four touchdown passes Thursday went to tight ends — two were caught by Pat Freiermuth and one each by Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington.

It marked only the second time in NFL history a team had three tight ends with a TD reception in the same game. On Oct. 28, 2018, Eric Ebron, Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox all scored for the Indianapolis Colts in a game at the then-Oakland Raiders.

There has never been a game in NFL history when four tight ends from one team scored. The Steelers’ Connor Heyward was targeted in the end zone during the first quarter (it fell incomplete) — but that Smith’s 10-yard touchdown came on the next play means the Steelers didn’t come as close to the tight end “grand slam” as it might seem.

3. Turning point

Thursday’s wild shootout with a combined 64 points and 865 yards of offense didn’t start out that way. In fact, more than a full quarter had been played with the Steelers appearing to have an opportunity to seemingly put the game away.

Up 7-0 and having held Cincinnati to 44 total yards and just three first downs over its first two possessions, the Steelers at the 12-minute, 18-second mark of the second quarter appeared to take a two-touchdown lead as Jaylen Warren ran into the end zone on an apparent 18-yard scoring run … until a holding penalty on center Zach Frazier wiped that out.

No worries. The Steelers made up those 10 yards over the ensuing two snaps, and after lining up for a fourth-and-1 from the 18, Heyward was shoved over the line to gain in a “tush push” play.

Again, though, a penalty on an offensive lineman wiped it out. Right guard Mason McCormick was flagged for a false start.

With the Steelers dominating to that point, the four points that were submitted didn’t seem like that big of a deal. But from that point on, the Steelers defense couldn’t stop the Bengals. Cincinnati scored on seven of its final eight possessions.

Who knows if things would have turned out any if the Steelers extended their lead to two touchdowns.

4. Target practice

Bengals superstar receiver Ja’Marr Chase was targeted a staggering 23 times, a record for a Steelers opponent (since target data began getting collected in 1978). Chase’s 23 targets are tied for the third-most in NFL history. Among those who have been thrown to 23 times in a game is the Steelers’ Antonio Brown on Nov. 8, 2015. Brown that day finished with career highs in catches (17) and receiving yards (284) — but he did not score in a 38-35 victory against the Raiders.

Chase found the end zone Thursday, finishing with 16 catches for 161 yards.

The only receivers in NFL history to have more targets in a game are Brandon Marshall (28 while playing for the Denver Broncos during a Dec. 13, 2009, loss to the Colts) and Chris Chambers (26 while playing for the Miami Dolphins during a Dec. 4, 2005, win at the Buffalo Bills).

5. Snap chat

After two games in which Washington dominated the playing-time share at tight end, Thursday reverted to an almost-even split in snaps played by the Steelers’ top three at the position. Smith led with 40 of the 57 total team offensive snaps. Freiermuth played 37 and Washington 36. Heyward only played three.

Also notable is the wide receiver snap share: For the first time in his career, Roman Wilson served as the No. 2 WR (by playing time). With Calvin Austin III not in uniform because of a shoulder injury, Wilson played 33 snaps. Veterans Scotty Miller (eight snaps) and Ben Skowronek (six) barely played. Playing in his second NFL game, rookie Ke’Shawn Williams did not see the field on offense.

Warren (37 snaps) was the clear featured running back. Kenneth Gainwell played 22 snaps.