No longer the series’ bully, Steelers make 1st trip to Cincinnati, out to avenge ‘embarrassing’ loss

The descriptors used in the immediate aftermath of one the Pittsburgh Steelers’ most lopsided defeats in decades? They said it all.

“We stunk it up today,” coach Mike Tomlin said that gray November afternoon.

T.J. Watt chose the verbiage “absolutely embarrassing” to sum up the 41-10 loss at the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 28.

This week, as the Steelers prepared for a return to the scene of the crime, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin used perhaps the five words that best describe last post-Thanksgiving’s AFC North beatdown.

“They just kicked our (butt),” Austin said.

In no game during the 15-year Tomlin era have the Steelers had their butts kicked more, at least by margin of defeat. Only twice among the 240 regular-season games since Tomlin was hired in 2007 have the Steelers allowed more points.

A late Steelers touchdown in garbage time spared further ignominy of a worse-sounding 41-3 final. This one was well over by halftime, for all intents and purposes sealed by former Steelers cornerback Mike Hilton’s 24-yard pick six during the final minute of the second quarter. The Bengals had a 10-0 lead before the Steelers had run their third play from scrimmage, and they never looked back.

“I just know that after the game we played there last year, we have to go in there and play a lot better than we did last year if we’re going to have a chance,” linebacker Alex Highsmith said.

Cam Heyward on how the Steelers D needs to be better this time against the Bengals after last season’s blowout loss there pic.twitter.com/cbCClpCjNn

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) September 8, 2022

For a generation, the Steelers had gotten used to beating up on their neighbors a four-hour sail southwest down the Ohio River. Last season, the Bengals (10-7) finished with a better record than the Steelers (9-7-1) for only the fifth time since 1991. Coupled with a 24-10 win in Pittsburgh on Sept. 26, Cincinnati swept a season series from the Steelers for just third time in that span.

“They dominated the control of both games over a year ago because we didn’t give ourselves a chance,” Tomlin said.

“Possession of the ball is a major component of being competitive that allows situations to unfold and allows weighty plays and moments to develop. Very rarely did they get an opportunity to develop last year in the contests against the Bengals.”

The Bengals held a 17-point fourth-quarter lead in the first meeting, less than half their biggest lead during the November game. But the September matchup, in one way, perhaps was more humiliating for the Steelers because of what a proud Pittsburgher (Clairton product) said about them in the immediate aftermath.

“The last plays of the game for them, they gave up,” said the Bengals’ Tyler Boyd, a former Pitt star wide receiver. “You could see that.

“For a team to lay down like that … They portrayed it to the whole nation, on TV, what they were about.”

At the time, the Steelers largely downplayed the comments — and, indeed, judging by the result, they didn’t seem to convert any angst over them into motivation for the rematch two months later.

But they haven’t forgotten. Consider that, without being prompted, earlier this week one of the Steelers’ best players referenced Boyd’s remarks.

“The (unacceptable) fashion that we lost (the 2021 meetings with the Bengals), especially (the margin) in the last game — and the certain remarks that were said after the first game that you also pay attention to — you think about it,” safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said. “You let it resonate in the back of your mind. I am not necessarily dwelling on it — but I am going to remember.”

Counting a December 2020 upset, Cincinnati has a three-game winning streak against its rivals. That’s the first time that’s happened since the Bengals beat the Steelers six consecutive times from 1988-90.

Add to that the fact Cincinnati broke its three-decade-long postseason hex and is the reigning AFC champion, and consider that the Steelers as a franchise are in a transitional period in moving on from Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. On face value, therefore, it would seem the era of the big brother/little brother relationship dynamic between the Steelers and Bengals has come to a close.

Current players and coaches, however, don’t think on that big-picture of a scale. They would be content avenging a recent meeting that was among the least competitive games the Steelers have played in decades.

Count Austin among those who remember but are eager to write the next chapter.

“You can slice it up, dice it up however you want,” Austin said of the 41-10 Bengals win 9½ months ago, “we just got our butts kicked.

“I mean, that’s football. The nice thing about football is you have another opportunity this year with a different team. We’re going in there, and last year’s game means nothing. It’s what we do this year.”

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