For the first time since their season-opening stunner in Buffalo, the Pittsburgh Steelers head back to the road with a trip to Green Bay next weekend.
Playing at historic Lambeau Field might provide the type of venue the Steelers need to recapture that Week 1 recipe for success.
They certainly didn’t find it the past two Sundays while working in the supposed comforts of Heinz Field.
The latest example was a 24-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, a team the Steelers used to dominate no matter the location.
The loss was the fourth in the past five home games, counting last year’s playoff defeat to Cleveland, and this one dropped the Steelers into last place in the AFC North. At 1-2, the Steelers trail all three division opponents by one game.
Behind three touchdown passes from second-year quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals jumped to a 17-point lead in the third quarter and beat the Steelers for the second consecutive meeting, something Cincinnati hadn’t done since the 2012-13 seasons.
“Let’s not sugarcoat it,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “We played poorly today. We didn’t deserve to win, and that’s not taking anything away from the Bengals.”
For the third week in a row, the offense got off to a slow start and trailed at halftime. The Steelers have scored just 14 points in the first half this season as penalties continue to short-circuit drives.
All five starting offensive linemen were flagged at least once, and four penalties were called on the first three possessions, including the first of two pass interference calls against wide receiver Chase Claypool. The Steelers didn’t get a first down until their fourth drive and had only 25 total yards until their fifth. They finished with more penalty yards (75) than rushing (45).
“It has to start with me,” said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was sacked four times and threw two interceptions that the Bengals turned into 14 points. “I’m not going to point the finger at anyone else. I’m going to point the thumb at myself and try to get it figured out. I’m a little stumped by it. I’m frustrated. I’m hurt. I hate losing. I’m never going to quit or give up. It’s frustrating because I know the work we all put in.”
After being sacked 13 times last season, Roethlisberger has been dropped eight times through three games. He also has thrown as many interceptions (three) as touchdown passes.
When Roethlisberger took the field in the second half, the Steelers were trailing 17-7. Three plays later, he threw a pass into the belly of linebacker Logan Wilson, whose second pick of the game set up the Bengals at the Steelers 19.
“An awful play by me,” Roethlisberger said.
Burrow threw his second touchdown pass of the game to first-round pick Ja’Marr Chase with 6 minutes, 25 seconds left in the third to hike the Bengals lead to 24-7.
With the running game again struggling to find traction, Roethlisberger passed on 37 of a possible 40 plays in the second half. He finished with 38 completions on 58 attempts for 318 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Pat Freiermuth in the first half.
Najee Harris was held to 40 yards on 14 carries, but he set a franchise single-game record for a running back with 14 catches for 102 yards.
Still, the offense directed by first-year offensive coordinator Matt Canada has managed to score just four touchdowns through three games.
“We believe in each other and believe in what we’re doing,” Roethlisberger said. “We’re not going to quit on it, we’re not going to quit on each other. We’ll see when we come in tomorrow. I want to look guys in the eye and make sure no one else is quitting. I don’t believe there will be any. There won’t be quit from me or the coaching staff.”
The defense limited the Bengals to 268 yards and was on the field for less than 25 minutes, a departure from the first two weeks. But minus four defensive starters, including All-Pro pass rusher T.J. Watt, the Steelers didn’t get a sack for the first time in 76 regular-season games. And Terrell Edmunds’ interception in the first quarter was negated by Roethlisberger’s first pick.
Joe Mixon rushed for 90 yards on 18 carries, and Burrow was efficient in completing 14 of 18 attempts for 172 yards. He hit Clairton’s Tyler Boyd for a 17-yard score in the first quarter, then changed the momentum of the game late in the half.
After the Steelers had driven 86 yards in 15 plays for the tying touchdown, 1:04 remained on the clock. It took 27 seconds for Burrow to get the go-ahead touchdown on a 34-yard pass to Chase.
“As a defense, that’s unacceptable,” defensive captain Cameron Heyward said. “It was less than two minutes. Then, we didn’t get off the field (to start the second half). When you have that, that’s a recipe for disaster.”
Perhaps going back on the road will be more palatable for the Steelers. Roethlisberger said his message to the players is a simple one.
“Just don’t quit,” he said. “There is a little something called pride when you play for the Pittsburgh Steelers and put the black and gold on. You may not have the best day, things may not be going your way, but you don’t quit. You get back up and you fight.
“That was instilled in me when I got here, and I hope I can keep passing it on to guys.”
Joe Rutter is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joe by email at jrutter@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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September 27, 2021 at 03:11AM
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Injuries, gaffes pile up as Steelers lose to Bengals - TribLIVE
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