Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot riding on a revenge game season opener in Cincy.

Compare that to Cincinnati, who's 79 explosive pass plays ranked fourth in the league and you can quickly understand that this will likely be a key factor in determining this weeks outcome. With a less than stellar offensive line, those 12 play drives down the field will be difficult to come by. As a player that wears his emotion on his sleeves at all times, right or wrong, it's fair to expect Claypool to be pretty jazzed up about this game which could pay dividends for the Pittsburgh offense. When going back to watch film on the Bengals defense from last season, it was a particularly poor tackling group overall. The former New Orleans Saints edge is the equivalent to the energizer bunny who plays with an insanely hot motor that runs at all times to compliment a fearsome bull rush and a series of stab/swipe moves. Burrow loves to throw the deep ball as Chase is capable of running by just about anyone due to his electrifying speed and Higgins is a body control wizard with fantastic ball skills. It was an interesting back and forth to say the least. Burrow torched the Steelers last season when they elected to stay in single high coverage shells, cover 1 and cover 3, going 21-26 for 282 yards, four touchdowns to just one interception. The more things change, the more things stay the same as the Pittsburgh Steelers will see a familiar foe to open their season, the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals. Burrow gave the Bengals franchise something to be proud of after he led the organization to a Super Bowl appearance in just his second professional season. Witherspoon barely played in either matchup last season as Pittsburgh opted to roll with Joe Haden and James Pierre instead. It was extremely important for the Steelers to retain him given how incredible he played down the stretch last season.

TV channel, NFL best bets, picks for Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers on CBS and Paramount+.

Kickoff for Steelers vs. Pittsburgh's defense gave up 146.1 rushing yards per game last season, which ranked dead-last in the NFL. Cincinnati scored over 40 points in three of its final five games against AFC North opponents last season, which included a 41-10 drubbing of the Steelers. Bengals, the model is backing the Over (44.5) to hit with ease. [see the NFL picks from SportsLine's advanced computer model](https://www.sportsline.com/insiders/steelers-vs-bengals-odds-line-spread-proven-model-reveals-nfl-picks-predictions-for-week-1-2022/). Steelers odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 44.5. - Steelers vs. [streamed live on Paramount+ with their must-have Premium plan](https://www.paramountplus.com/?ftag=PPM-22-10ahe7j). Bengals is set for 1 p.m. For Steelers vs. An AFC North rivalry will renew on Sunday when the Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Paul Brown Stadium to face the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. You can [stream the game in select markets on Paramount+](https://www.paramountplus.com/?ftag=PPM-22-10ahe7j).

The animosity hasn't changed. But the fear is gone. For oh, so many years, the Pittsburgh Steelers had the Cincinnati Bengals' number.

Pittsburgh, despite the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger, is still a force to be reckoned with.The Steelers tabbed former The times, they are a changin’. On defense, Pittsburgh is led by perennial All-Pros TJ Watt and Cameron Heyward and added former Bengal Larry Ogunjobi. Linebackers Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt give Cincinnati a presence over the middle that it has not had in way too many years. [Super Bowl](https://www.sbnation.com/super-bowl) runner-up Bengals who instill fear in the hearts of its opponents with one of the premier offenses in the National Football League, along with a defense that looks to take its place among the elite. But the fear is gone.

With opening week of the 2022 NFL season upon us, the dust is settling around some of the league's quarterback situations. With that in mind, let's take a ...

[fell to the third round](https://www.nfl.com/news/titans-trade-up-to-select-liberty-qb-malik-willis-in-third-round-of-2022-nfl-dra) of April's draft. [Mitchell Trubisky](https://www.nfl.com/players/mitchell-trubisky/) was the favorite to win the starting QB job when he [signed](https://www.nfl.com/news/steelers-reach-agreement-with-qb-mitchell-trubisky-on-two-year-deal) a two-year contract in March, and he did nothing to make head coach Mike Tomlin think otherwise. [Malik Willis](https://www.nfl.com/players/malik-willis/)' viral preseason moments notwithstanding, there is no competition or controversy here, sources informed of the team's QB plans say. He [earned the title of captain](https://www.nfl.com/news/steelers-list-mitch-trubisky-no-1-on-depth-chart-qb-also-named-a-team-captain), won over the locker room and took to stellar coaching in a system that fits him perfectly. The best insurance policy money can buy, given his experience, pedigree and [revised $6.5 million salary](https://www.nfl.com/news/jimmy-garoppolo-49ers-finalizing-restructured-contract-to-keep-qb-in-san-francis). Yes, he has produced highlights -- [usually scrambling and freestyling](https://www.nfl.com/videos/malik-willis-top-plays-preseason-2022) -- but that's a lot different than playing a full game as an NFL starter. He's regimented in his diet and puts in overtime in the weight room. [Jimmy Garoppolo](https://www.nfl.com/players/jimmy-garoppolo/), but keeping him as the backup became a business transaction too good to pass up. And now with Henry back healthy, the Titans can get back to playing their foundation on offense. It's a promising sign for Pittsburgh as it heads into the season. [Trey Lance](https://www.nfl.com/players/trey-lance-x9749/)'s team early in the offseason, with coach Kyle Shanahan and the rest of the team's brass making it [publicly clear](https://www.nfl.com/news/kyle-shanahan-49ers-ready-for-trey-lance-to-take-the-reins-qb-is-made-of-the). While some quarterbacks with prominent or interesting backups face a short leash, Lance doesn't have one, sources informed of the team's QB plans say.

It's a rivalry week right from the very beginning in 2022 for the Cincinnati Bengals as they host the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paycor Stadium.

This has the feel of a grind-it-out Mixon game that is never really in doubt thanks to the stout defense. New coaches, players, strategies, rust and conditioning, all of it plays a part in the wacky results annually. Cincinnati, after all, ran up a 65-20 score on the Steelers last year over a season sweep.

The Steelers drafted Lenny Dawson with the fifth overall pick in 1957. In what can only be seen as odd today, he barely saw the field for three seasons in ...

Today, the Steelers are known to have extreme patience at all levels of the organization. Of the list, the best were probably O’Donnell and Stewart, and that tells you everything about the mediocrity the Steelers went through. Perhaps, in the end, the lessons of the Dawson and Unitas debacles were learned. The Steelers offensive line won’t do them any favors in the grading process if the preseason is any indication. Will Trubisky turn out to be the Steelers version of Len Dawson or Johnny Unitas? It’s interesting to imagine the number of titles the Steelers could have achieved had they played Dawson and Unitas. The Steelers made no Unitas/Dawson mistake with any of these guys. If they fail, then the Steelers could just fall into the quarterback dread zone that was 1983 through 2004. Of course, there were other integral parts to that transformation – Chuck Noll, that defense, that legendary scouting/drafting — but make no mistake, you can’t become a dynasty without a high caliber quarterback at the helm. The Steelers drafted Lenny Dawson with the fifth overall pick in 1957. To add more oddity, Dawson was a bartender for a short period at a small bar my father owned at the time in Pittsburgh. In what can only be seen as odd today, he barely saw the field for three seasons in Pittsburgh even with that high draft capital.

Art Rooney II indicated jersey retirements will continue to be events that happen rarely.

He then signed a three-year contract with the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League and played in four games with that team at the end of the 2021 season but didn't enjoy much success. The NFL season opens on the weekend after Labor Day, and in Pittsburgh if the Pirates are at home that weekend the Steelers cannot open at home because of the proximity of the two stadiums and the shared parking lots. You are correct about one thing, and that is Wallace will see a lot of playing time, so in that sense the competition is ongoing. He signed a futures contract with the Rams in early 2021 but was waived by the team coming out of training camp. 2 quarterback on the initial depth chart was in fact an attempt to show that the team feels he has value for a potential trade? Greenwood was an original member of the Steel Curtain and was a great player for the team. Greenwood already is a member of the Hall of Honor. When that athlete was a no-show, word filtered to the Steelers, Harris agreed to step up and fill in, and he took a teammate (my recollection was it was Lynn Swann) and they brought the boy some Steelers goodies and spent an afternoon at Children's Hospital. ANSWER: I really can't believe I have to keep writing this over and over and over again, but once more: Jobs in the NFL have to be won. ANSWER: The first thing you should understand is that a team cannot PLACE a player on its practice squad. Given this is the 50th anniversary of the greatest play in NFL history and Franco made the play, it's the appropriate time to do Franco's number. ANSWER: My stated opinion on jersey retirements long has been that I liked that the Steelers had retired Joe Greene's No.

But what about the fifth guy, Miles Killebrew? What makes him the right fit to be the special teams captain in Pittsburgh? A seventh-year veteran and second- ...

Killebrew, 29, re-signed with the Steelers in March on a two-year, $4 million deal, which was hardly a major move at the time. “At some point, all of us wanted to be the quarterback, right? Over his five years with the Lions, Killebrew was never named a captain, but he was the team representative for the players’ union through the difficult early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s a huge part of the game that people overlook a lot.” But he now has three blocks in the past two years, so he’s developing a bit of a knack for that. It’s not uncommon for the Steelers to keep around players like that solely for their special teams value. Slater is a wide receiver for the Patriots, Gray a safety for the Saints, Bellore a fullback for the Seahawks. The paradox of Killebrew is that the deeper he gets into his NFL career, he’s running out of time to make an impact at safety, the position he starred at for little-known Southern Utah University. “[Steelers special teams coordinator] Danny Smith says it best — and he’s always at 110, so we just try to match that — he always says we don’t get do-overs. It was Killebrew who knifed through the line and blocked a Bills punt five minutes into the fourth quarter, one that Ulysees Gilbert scooped up and returned for a touchdown to push the Steelers’ lead to 20-10. As all three were referring to, Killebrew was the only player in the NFL last season to block not one, but two punts. What makes him the right fit to be the special teams captain in Pittsburgh?

The Pittsburgh Steelers have now released their list of players who will be inactive for the team's Week 1 Sunday afternoon regular season road opener.

Inactive are quarterback Mason Rudolph, guard Kendrick Green, defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk, inside linebacker Mark Robinson, and wide receiver Steven Sims. All three players practiced fully on Friday and none of them received game status designations on the team’s final injury report as a result. Steelers Inactive Players

CINCINNATI -- The Steelers had two notable players included in their inactive list ahead of Sunday's season-opening game against the Bengals.

[Trey Hendrickson](/nfl/players/2818165/trey-hendrickson/), [B.J. [Steelers](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/PIT/pittsburgh-steelers/) had two notable players included in their inactive list ahead of Sunday's season-opening game against the [Bengals](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/CIN/cincinnati-bengals/). The Steelers then spent a first-round pick on Pickett, as Mike Tomlin presided over his first real quarterback position battle in his 16 years as the Steelers' head coach.

With Sunday's game, Tomlin officially started his 16th regular season as the Steelers' head coach, passing Hall of Fame coach Bill Cowher for second most all- ...

And when they respect the man that's in command, they're going to do everything in their power to do what he wants and what the entire staff wants them to do. "He's able to relate to any and everyone that's in the building that's willing to put their hand in the pile to try to accomplish a Super Bowl goal," McFadden said. Ask anyone within the Steelers' organization, and they will tell you that Tomlin has boundless energy. "Bill Cowher had us ready to run through a wall, and actually we thought we could beat the wall and knock the wall down. Tomlin's connection with is players is one of the reasons for his consistent success, says McFadden. Two years earlier, Tomlin coached McFadden during the Senior Bowl as a member of the "From 2007 to the present, he's never had a losing season, that speaks volume on his consistency. McFadden said that there are more similarities than differences when it comes to Cowher and Tomlin, both of whom are defensive coaches. I'm just thankful to be a part of this thing that is the Pittsburgh Steelers. If he decided to end his coaching career this season, he's a Hall of Famer," McFadden said following Tomlin's 150th win. "I'm just appreciative of the standards that's been set by those that have come before me," Tomlin said at the time when asked about the milestone. Tomlin needed only 232 games to reach 150 wins, making him the fourth-fastest coach to reach that milestone.

Steelers insider Gerry Dulac breaks down each quarter of action from Week 1: THIRD QUARTER. • That is just what the Steelers needed to start the second half ...

Expect to see a lot of that, especially until the offensive line becomes a little more reliable. Used to be, the Steelers would emerge from the tunnel during pregame warmups and a loud cheer would erupt because of the number of Steelers fans in attendance. Well, they got that on the second Bengals play when Minkah Fitzpatrick returned a Joe Burrow interception 31 yards for a touchdown. • The defense has already forced four turnovers — three interceptions and a fumble recovery — leading to 17 points. Burrow was sacked four times, twice by Alex Highsmith, who also knocked the ball from his hand that led to a touchdown. • Give Burrow credit — that was a great throw for a 2-yard touchdown to former Pitt and Clairton star Tyler Boyd.

Minkah Fitzpatrick got the Pittsburgh Steelers on the board for the first time in 2022 on a 31-yard interception return for a touchdown.

He ran it back 31 yards for the first Steelers touchdown of the season and an early 7-0 lead over the [Cincinnati Bengals](/nfl/team/_/name/cin/cincinnati-bengals) in the first quarter. [Pittsburgh Steelers](/nfl/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-steelers) safety jumped the route on [Joe Burrow](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3915511/joe-burrow)'s first pass attempt of the season, intercepting a ball intended for [Tyler Boyd](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3045144/tyler-boyd). [Minkah Fitzpatrick](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3925345/minkah-fitzpatrick) didn't waste any time making a splash play.

The Steelers took over at the 20-yard line with 56 seconds left. Mitch Trubisky completed a 9-yard pass to Diontae Johnson, and then he hooked up with Pat ...

– What Went Wrong, then Right: The Bengals forged a 20-20 tie with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Ja'Marr Chase with 2 seconds left, when Chase cut to the pylon in front of Ahkello Witherspoon. – What Went Right: On the first play of the fourth quarter, Alex Highsmith's third sack set up a third-and-14, and the Steelers defense got off the field after the next play. – What Went Right: The Bengals moved to a first-and-goal at the 4-yard line following a 31-yard run by Joe Mixon, but the Steelers defense stiffened and limited Cincinnati to a 26-yard field goal that made it, 17-6, with 14 seconds left in the first half. – What Went Right: The Bengals took the second half and went three-and-put, with Terrell Edmunds dropping Joe Burrow 2 yards short of the line to gain on a third-down run. On fourth-and-6 from the Steelers 36-yard line, Bengals Coach Zac Taylor eschewed a field goal attempt and opted to go for the first down. – What Went Wrong: On the Steelers possession following the touchdown and 2-point conversion, Mitch Trubisky converted one third down with a scramble, and he appeared to have done it again on the next third-down situation, but Dan Moore Jr. – The Steelers defense came up with their fourth takeaway – and third interception – of the game when Cam Sutton cut underneath Tyler Boyd and made the interception at the Steelers 14-yard line. – What Went Right: It was a possession that ended with a field goal that sliced the Steelers lead to 7-3, but the defense again stood up and was accountable. – What Went Right: The Steelers offense delivered with this takeaway, and it ended with a 1-yard Mitch Trubisky pass to Najee Harris and a 17-3 lead with 8:46 left in the first half. The first play was a reverse pass, with Najee Harris flipping to Gunner Olszewski, who flipped it to Mitch Trubisky, who then hit Pat Freiermuth with a 31-yard pass to the Bengals 3-yard line. The Bengals netted three first downs on the possession, and the third of those gave them a first down at the Steelers 334-yard line. – What Went Right: The Steelers used their defense to land the first punch, and that defense only needed two plays to do just that.

CINCINNATI -- The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered their first injury of the 2022 season as cornerback Levi Wallace left the field in the second half against ...

[bookmark All Steelers](https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/) for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more! All Steelers will continue to update the story as more information becomes available. Wallace was helped off after the Bengals' two-point conversion in the third quarter.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow shook off a career-high four interceptions and appeared to lead the Bengals to an improbable victory twice, ...

Then on the next snap Watt leaped in the air and plucked it barely after Burrow let it go. The defense again held on third down with Trey Hendrickson coming fast off the edge and strong safety Vonn Bell was glued to Freirmuth to force a Boswell field goal that made it 10-3. On the drive's big play, a 32-yard run-and-catch by tight end Zach Gentry, Trubisky shot-putted it all of three yards. The only thing Heyward hadn't done in a decade against the Bengals was get an interception and he almost got that. Burrow tried to kick the rust off in a half he was 11 of 17 for 109 yards. A false start on Volson pushed them back five yards, but Burrow made a nice feathery throw to Chase in the end zone. Burrow tried to hit Hurst but overthrew him in the end zone. Three of those were Burrow interceptions (he also lost a fumble), tying his career high and a stunning development for guy that threw just two interceptions in the final eight games last season. He had time to wait for Thomas to get loose and come back to him on the left sideline. On fourth-and-six, Burrow went for Boyd over the middle, but he suddenly became double teamed when cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon read Burrow's eyes for the pick. Then when the Steelers blitzed from their 2, Burrow beat it hitting his first touchdown pass of the year to Boyd outrunning cornerback Cameron Sutton. Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick took advantage of the new operation to block what would have been the winning extra point and send it to overtime

The Steelers believe T.J. Watt suffered a torn pectoral Sunday, and he's set to undergo additional tests Monday to confirm the diagnosis, a source told ...

[Pittsburgh Steelers](/nfl/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-steelers) believe star pass-rusher and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year [T.J. Harris was dealing with a Lisfranc sprain in his foot during training camp, but he said earlier this week he was healthy. Watt](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3045282/tj-watt) suffered a torn pectoral during Sunday's 23-20 overtime win against the [Bengals](/nfl/team/_/name/cin/cincinnati-bengals) in Cincinnati, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport added that Watt is scheduled for an MRI exam on Monday to confirm the diagnosis. Watt suffered the injury as Cincy marched down ...

[Najee Harris](/players/najee-harris-x2665/) also left Sunday's game with a foot injury and was ruled out. Watt, the [2021 Defensive Player of the Year](https://www.nfl.com/news/steelers-pass-rusher-t-j-watt-named-2021-ap-nfl-defensive-player-of-the-year), was off to another torrid start, logging one sack and an interception before suffering the injury.

Cincinnati's first two snaps resulted in a sack of quarterback Joe Burrow by defensive tackle Cam Heyward and an interception and 31-yard return for a touchdown ...

But the Steelers settled for a 20-yard field goal by kicker Chris Boswell and a 10-3 lead with 2:25 left in the opening quarter. The Bengals countered Fitzpatrick's early pick-six with a Bengals-record 59-yard field goal by McPherson that cut the Steelers' lead to 7-3 with 7:17 left in the first quarter. The Steelers responded with a seven-play, 15-yard drive in 2:08 that delivered a 48-yard field goal from Boswell and a 20-14 lead with 11:13 left in the fourth. The Bengals cut an 11-point halftime deficit to three at 17-14 with a nine-play, 46-yard drive in 5:44 that ended with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Burrow to wide receiver Tyler Boyd and a two-point conversion pass from Burrow to wide receiver Mike Thomas with 4:41 left in the third quarter. The Bengals punted the ball back to the Steelers with 56 seconds left in the overtime. The Bengals turned a second-and-goal from the Steelers' 6-yard line with four seconds left in the fourth quarter into a touchdown pass from Burrow to wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase.

The Cincinnati Bengals put up an ugly first half of football during the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. That still wasn't enough to put the ...

— Burrow threw a fourth pick in the second half on a ball that had no chance to make it through a pair of defenders. The line in front of Burrow — coming off a surgery at the start of camp — debuted four new starters who didn’t get a lot of practice time together. — Nightmare start for the Bengals as the line starting four new players gave up a sack on the first play. But a Burrow-sack fumble during the former gave the Steelers free points to make it 10-3. Things got chaotic from there in an overtime session that went down to the wire before a 23-20 final favoring the Steelers. That still wasn’t enough to put the game out of reach thanks to a strong defensive effort.

Joe Burrow had five turnovers and the Bengals' special teams failed to convert multiple game-winning opportunities.

But the turnovers and missed field goals were too much for the Bengals to overcome. On one of them, he felt pressure and threw the ball right to Steelers edge rusher T.J. Burrow got the ball with 95 seconds left in regulation, down six and no timeouts. Following a blooper of a snap, Evan McPherson missed what would have been the go-ahead extra point that would have won the game. Then in Sunday’s season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Harris had to leave the game with a biceps injury. If Harris were healthy, the Bengals would have had two chances at a game-winning field goal.

Strong-legged Bengals kicker Evan McPherson also missed a 29-yard field goal in overtime after the snap was high. Advertisement. Mitch Trubisky was far from ...

It’s not that Harris played poorly — he did score the first offensive touchdown of the season with a 1-yard catch — but the offensive line continues to make life difficult for the second-year back. After an injury to his ribs stalled his participation in training camp and preseason games, Highsmith didn’t look rusty as he picked up three sacks, a forced fumble and two tackles for loss. The Steelers were embarrassed twice by the Bengals last year and had lost three straight in the series, but they showed up to the season opener with payback on their minds. He got back to his turnover-producing ways while still keeping a lid on it when Joe Mixon got to the second level. That figures to be the formula for this team in 2022. Minkah Fitzpatrick’s pick-six less than three minutes into the game stunned quarterback Joe Burrow and the Bengals and was just the first of what would turn into four first-half turnovers, including three interceptions by the 2020 No.

As the Steelers kick off the 2022 season on Sunday, Mitchell Trubisky is the team's starter for a Week 1 matchup against the Bengals. And according to a new ...

Bell Boxing Match Ends With a KO During Fifth Round](https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/09/11/adrian-peterson-vs-leveon-bell-boxing-match-ends-with-a-ko-during-fifth-round?utm_source=recommendations&utm_medium=in-article&utm_campaign=end-of-story) [Steelers](https://www.si.com/nfl/team/pittsburgh-steelers) kick off the 2022 season on Sunday, Mitchell Trubisky is the team’s starter for a Week 1 matchup against the Bengals. 20 pick in the 2022 NFL draft out Pittsburgh following a sensational fifth year in college. [On Fox NFL Sunday](https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1569004514367385601?s=20&t=VqcOJQ6dQ5d8wDwjesj4gw), Jay Glazer reported rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett is expected to sit through the entire 2022 season in order to acclimate to the NFL. Trubisky was drafted with the No. “I know a lot of fans said Kenny Pickett as he started playing well in the preseason maybe he has a chance.

The Pittsburgh Steelers won the season opener despite a lifeless game from the offense.

A penalty on Watt, who had to then leave the game with an injury, on second and 10 gave the Bengals a fresh set of downs inside the red zone with 22 seconds left. The ball exchanged hands to open the second half before Cincinnati drove 46 yards on nine plays before Burrow found Tyler Boyd for a two-yard touchdown. A 31-yard run on 4th and 1 by Joe Mixon set up the Bengals with 1st and goal. Boswell nailed that attempt, giving the Steelers a 23-20 win. Pittsburgh went three-and-out at the goal line, leading to a Chris Boswell field goal. Watt intercepted Burrow at the line of scrimmage, giving Pittsburgh their first possession of the quarter on their own 39-yard line. The Steelers opened the game with the ball but went three-and-out after a lost challenge on 3rd down. Nothing changed on the following drive as Cam Sutton got his turn at a turnover, intercepting Burrow on Pittsburgh's 21-yard line. With 13:11 left in the second quarter, the Steelers defense came up big again. On the next drive, Cincinnati drove 10 plays and 34 yards before Evan McPherson nailed a 59-yard field goal to make the score 7-3. The Bengals came all the way back from down double-digits to tie the game but a last-second field goal from Chris Boswell secured a 23-20 win. The Steelers' defense came up big again on the Bengals' next drive, with Burrow fumbling off a hit by Alex Highsmith, which was recovered by Heyward.

Watt, meanwhile, appeared to injure something in his upper body during a pass rush trying to take down Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Watt appeared to signal ...

As for Harris, he was seen leaving the locker room in a walking boot. If Watt did suffer a torn pectoral, coincidentally, he can look to his brother, J.J., for guidance. 27, 2019, when he played for the Houston Texans and returned from injured reserve in time to lead the Texans to a playoff victory just over two months later. Harris’ foot got twisted under the pile of bodies and he was later ruled out. Watt, meanwhile, appeared to injure something in his upper body during a pass rush trying to take down Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Watt to injuries.

Get a recap of the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals football game.

... LS [Clark Harris](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/10686/clark-harris) went out with a biceps injury. [Levi Wallace](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3133440/levi-wallace) left in the second half with an ankle injury and didn't return. ... OL [Mason Cole](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3115972/mason-cole) suffered an ankle injury in the second half and didn't return. ... Tomlin said LB [Robert Spillane](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3129446/robert-spillane) suffered an eye injury. [Minkah Fitzpatrick](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3925345/minkah-fitzpatrick) and the [Pittsburgh Steelers](/nfl/team/_/name/pit/pittsburgh-steelers) kept kicking the door open against the [Cincinnati Bengals](/nfl/team/_/name/cin/cincinnati-bengals). [Watt and Fitzpatrick had two of four interceptions off ](https://twitter.com/steelers/status/1569020831132532737) [Joe Burrow](http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3915511/joe-burrow), who rebounded from a lousy start and rallied Cincinnati from a 17-6 halftime deficit. For much of the day, Burrow looked as if he was struggling to get back on track. [Chris Boswell](http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/17372/chris-boswell) kicked a 53-yard field goal as time expired in overtime and the Steelers overcame [T.J. "We came back in the second half. We have a lot to clean up, but we found a way in the end. Cam Heyward sacked him on Cincinnati's first offensive play, and Before that, he was his usual disruptive self, with a sack and a pick.

If Watt were to miss a significant amount of time with the injury, it would be a catastrophic loss for the Steelers, who depend heavily on the reigning ...

Steelers With Concussion](https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/09/11/bengals-wr-tee-higgins-ruled-out-with-concussion-against-steelers?utm_source=recommendations&utm_medium=in-article&utm_campaign=end-of-story) [Steelers](https://www.si.com/nfl/team/pittsburgh-steelers) believe star linebacker T.J. [Pittsburgh Steelers](https://www.si.com/nfl/team/pittsburgh-steelers) coverage, go to [All Steelers](http://AllSteelers.com?utm_source=recommendations&utm_medium=in-article&utm_campaign=end-of-story). Watt left the game with an incredible stat line that included six solo tackles, a sack and an interception. With less than 20 seconds left in regulation, Watt walked off the field and can be seen pointing to the left side of his chest and saying, “I tore it.” Watt tore a pectoral muscle Sunday against the Bengals, per [ESPN’s Adam Schefter](https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1569065211293745158?s=20&t=Gn1zb3fQJcRBFMKGx82OEQ).

Each first-year Steeler, including starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky, received a game ball after helping Pittsburgh pull out a win over the Bengals on the ...

Being able to get back on the field, getting back to being myself is important." "You get injured on this field earlier this year and you don't know if you'll be able to play the game again. As Trubisky mentioned, Pittsburgh struggled on third down and finished the game with just four conversions on 15 third down situations. It was crazy, but at the end of the day, we found a way. "We were playing to win," Trubisky said of the offense's mindset on that last drive. We wanted to be smart and take care of the football but also try to win. We need to find more ways to score points, and I can do better in that aspect." "I need to find more completions, connect down the field and get the ball out. "We had another chance and we wanted to make the most of it. "Particularly the number of new guys -- whether they were rookies or new to us. He had three big completions on the drive that included a 26-yard completion to tight end [Pat Freiermuth](/nfl/players/2961270/pat-freiermuth/). They know what the standard of expectation is, but I can't say enough about the new guys and how they came alongside us and fought as if they've been here.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) celebrates after an interception with safety Tre Norwood (21) during the first half of an NFL football game ...

With him, the Steelers have a defense with elite players at all three levels, in Watt, Heyward and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Heyward, his longtime teammate, missed the second half of the 2016 season after tearing a pec, and former Steeler defensive end Stephon Tuitt missed the final 10 games of the 2019 season after tearing a pec in a win over the Chargers. Backup Jaylen Warren, who earned the job after a stellar training camp, ran for 7 yards on three carries in his NFL debut. Watt tore a pec in the middle of the 2019 season while playing for Texas and missed two months. The Steelers acquired backup Malik Reed in a trade with Denver last month and claimed Jamir Jones off waivers on Sept. That might be difficult without Harris, who left in the fourth quarter after injuring his left foot. The Steelers are thin behind Watt at outside linebacker. Burrow ducked under Watt and managed to get the ball away, and Watt's left arm went motionless as Burrow eluded his grasp. He went straight to the locker room and did not return. He bull-rushed his way past Cincinnati right tackle La'el Collins — ripping Collins' helmet off in the process, a penalty that gave the Bengals a first down — and then jumped on top of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Pittsburgh later ended a three-game losing streak to the Bengals on the final play of overtime. Watt was the chief disruptor.

The 2022 Pittsburgh Steelers are not the same version of the team that limped into the playoffs last season.

The Steelers defense is back with a vengeance. We have a lot to clean up, but we found a way in the end. That's why I answered it a couple of days ago the way I did, and today is an example of that." They smile in the face of adversity, and they deliver necessary plays. "We came back in the second half. With the Bengals threatening in field goal range late in overtime, Steelers cornerback Arthur Maulet sacked Burrow for a loss of seven yards, causing him to lose the football in the process. We could bring up how Pittsburgh defeating the defending AFC champs as a team predicted by many to finish last in the AFC North. We could point out how the Steelers won the game behind a ferocious pass rush that caused five turnovers. We could even mention how the Mitch Trubisky-led offense didn’t commit a single turnover his debut with the team. While the Steelers await the results for Watt’s injury, starting running back Najee Harris suffered what appeared to be another foot injury. The backbone of Pittsburgh’s winning tradition has always been its defense. Burrow turned the ball over five times, including four turnovers in the first 25 minutes of the game.

Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers wasn't exactly a banner day for the Cincinnati Bengals, with head coach Zac Taylor taking much of the heat.

It’s a fine line — when you get the ball on the inch, you just want to punch it in real quick. It’s hard with all the craziness in that moment, all the communication to get that ‘Stop, stop. But just trying to make sure the operation ran smoothly, it turned out that we sacrificed some seconds just to make sure that we were all on the same page there.”

Joe Burrow had five turnovers and the Bengals' special teams failed to convert multiple game-winning opportunities.

But the turnovers and missed field goals were too much for Cincinnati to overcome. On one of them, he felt pressure and threw the ball right to Steelers edge rusher T.J. In overtime, following a high snap, McPherson missed a 29-yard field goal that would have won the game. If it weren’t for the special teams miscues, Burrow would have started 2022 with another game to add to his legend. If Harris were healthy, the Bengals would have had two chances at a game-winning field goal. Then in Sunday’s season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Harris had to leave the game with a biceps injury.

After trailing 17-6 at halftime, the Bengals began to find their stride offensively in the third quarter despite quarterback Joe Burrow playing his worst game ...

The Bengals spent a majority of their money in free agency on fixing their offensive line. Hill recorded the lone sack but the Steelers weren’t trying to put Trubisky in positions to drop back often, which would give the Bengals’ edge rushers more time to pin their ears back and rush the passer. The Bengals showed the defensive unit they are going to be this season against the Steelers. Wilcox said he thought his first snap on the extra point that was blocked was a “decent” snap. That’s why McPherson missing an extra point and a field goal in the same game is a bigger story than you might think. The game went into overtime and the Bengals once again had a chance to win the game. Cincinnati’s offense was unable to string together another positive drive and gave the ball back to the Steelers with too much time. Burrow’s first turnover came early in the first quarter as he was targeting Tyler Boyd. For a time last year, Burrow led the NFL in turnovers. On the ensuing drive, Burrow and Joe Mixon got the Bengals within field-goal range. Pittsburgh started with the ball and Cincinnati’s defense forced the Steelers to punt. It was an uncharacteristic performance from Burrow, to say the least.

Joe Burrow had a tumultuous season-opening performance, turning the ball over five times and taking seven sacks behind an offensive line that failed to limit ...

The Bengals had a chance to get their first lead of the day on the next drive and came to a crucial decision at the Steelers’ 36-yard line. On the following drive, Burrow was strip-sacked on third down at midfield, and Samaje Perine scooped it up and returned it for 12 yards. Following a booming punt from Kevin Huber in his 208th game as a Bengal, the defense continued to stifle the Steelers’ offensive attack. Following a three-and-out from the defense, Cordell Volson gave up a sack to Cameron Heyward on the very first play. But where Burrow struggled, the Bengals’ defense thrived, limiting the Steelers’ offense to 267 yards and just 13 first downs in five quarters of play. The reigning AFC Champions lost 23-20 to the Steelers in the last seconds of overtime.

The Pittsburgh Steelers could put together a special season if they can find a way to be even mediocre on offense.

Watt got off to a good start in pursuit of joining that elite club, recording three tackles for loss, a sack, an interception and two passes defended before exiting the game early with an apparent pec injury. [bookmark All Steelers](https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/) for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more! He finished third on the team in tackles with nine and two stops for a loss. Watt will get an MRI on Monday to confirm or deny what is a devastating diagnosis, but for the time being a once-promising campaign has been derailed. Three players have ever won Defensive player of the Year twice in a row - Lawrence Taylor, Aaron Donald and J.J. He led the team in tackles and scored one of the Steelers' two touchdowns on a 31-yard interception return. Pickens caught just one pass for three yards, which was partially due to some poor decision-making and passing from his quarterback, but Pickens only drew three targets. He was the Steelers' best player and there is no question they do not win if he is not there. Trubisky didn't have a hard job against the Bengals. They did it on the strength of a suffocating defensive performance and despite lackluster play from their offense but it came at a severe cost as multiple key defenders sustained injuries. He became the most dependable target for Mitch Trubisky, who connected with Friermuth for multiple first downs on the final, game-winning drive. Friermuth played a good game overall - accounting for 75 of the Steelers' 194 total passing yards.

CINCINNATI -- The Pittsburgh Steelers took a beating on the injury front during their Week 1 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. And highlighting their list is ...

Bengals](https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/nfl/steelers/news/pittsburgh-steelers-levi-wallace-injured-bengals) [Minkah Fitzpatrick Scores Steelers First TD of Season](https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/news/minkah-fitzpatrick-intercepts-joe-burrow-pittsburgh-steelers) [Mike Tomlin is Hiding Something](https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/podcasts/pittsburgh-steelers-mike-tomlin-hiding-something) [Subscribe to the All Steelers YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtXkDMZuH7zvuNpy6RDfR9A) Watt Suffers Serious Pec Injury](https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/news/pittsburgh-steelers-defense-injury-cam-heyward-demarvin-leal) [Najee Harris Re-Injures Foot in Season Opener](https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/news/pittsburgh-steelers-najee-harris-injured-late-bengals) [Steelers CB Levi Wallace Injured vs. Without Harris, the Steelers will turn to undrafted rookie Jaylen Warren to step in at running back. Harris missed most of training camp and the preseason with a lisfranc sprain in his left foot. He was visibly upset on the sideline and was later seen in a boot walking to the team bus. And highlighting their list is running back Najee Harris, who injured his foot/ankle late in the game.

Pittsburgh leaves Cincinnati with a win, but how did they play?

Add in Minkah Fitzpatrick’s blocked extra point and 20 yards on the Steelers only punt return and it was a good day for Danny Smith’s unit. In the first half the Steelers defense actually outscored the Bengals offense 7-6. The first five drives of the game for the Bengals resulted in four turnovers and 96 total yards of offense. Watt’s only game of the season, it was a heck of a game and I’m not giving it anything but an A. The punt team consistently gave the defense room to breathe when the offense couldn’t. As bad as the offense played, the defense played all the greater. In those four drives the Steelers offense scored 10 points. The Steelers defense needed to play an incredible game just to give the Steelers any chance of winning this game. Looking beyond the awful scoring numbers, the Steelers were bad on third down (27% conversion rate), running the ball (22 rushes for 75 yards) and only managed one drive of more than 45 yards. It’s always great to start the season off with a win, but while winning was the goal of the game, that doesn’t mean everything was great. [Steelers](https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/) had thirteen possessions in Week 1, and the team scored 23 points. The Steelers still won due to a last-minute scoring drive, so I won’t give them an F.

Bungled. “Boink.” Bungled again. The Cincinnati Bengals had several chances to survive a horrible start, in which quarterback Joe Burrow played catch with ...

Instead of stepping on the Bengals’ throat, the Steelers settled for three,” “Without watching the film, Burrow was unable to give a breakdown of each of his four interceptions,” she wrote. [Dave Clark of the Enquirer.](https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2022/09/11/cincinnati-fans-get-gut-punch-with-overtime-loss-to-pittsburgh-in-season-opener/69485471007/) The Cincinnati Bengals had several chances to survive a horrible start, in which quarterback Joe Burrow played catch with Steelers defenders in tossing four interceptions. The Bengals lost theirs, and a stellar kicking game turned putrid. This time, Boswell drilled a 53-yarder. [wrote John ](https://www.cincyjungle.com/2022/9/11/23347524/bengals-vs-steelers-final-score-recap-nfl-scores-week-1-thriller) [Sheeran](https://www.cincyjungle.com/2022/9/11/23347524/bengals-vs-steelers-final-score-recap-nfl-scores-week-1-thriller). [Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer](https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/bengals/2022/09/12/why-cincinnati-bengals-lost-pittsburgh-steelers-nfl-week-1/69485241007/). [Madden Monday: 'The season is over' if T.J. [website Cincy Jungle](https://www.cincyjungle.com/2022/9/11/23347524/bengals-vs-steelers-final-score-recap-nfl-scores-week-1-thriller) told the tale: “It’s just Week 1, but ouch.” The Steelers still pulled it out at the end of overtime with a second chance at a field goal. A blocked extra point stole the win from the Bengals at the end of regulation.

The NFL season is back. And so are our weekly Pittsburgh Steelers' stats of the weird. Gotta be honest though - it'll be tough to top everything that.

The Steelers made the playoffs in eight of the previous nine instances. He’s now just the third Steeler to have three sacks in a Week One game, joining T.J. But Fitzpatrick is the first to do it to open a game. He’s the first NFL player to begin a Week One game with a pick-six since Jets’ LB C.J. Eight of the last ten instances of having 7+ sacks in a game have come against the AFC North. The last came by Joey Porter against the Miami Dolphins in 2006. The Steelers have done it a total of ten times. It marks just the second time since 2011 the Steelers forced five turnovers in a single game. That makes a whopping seven straight seasons in which the Steelers have had a game in which they’ve sacked the opponent 7+ times. That is the longest a team has ever possessed the ball against the Steelers. The Steelers held the ball for 44:07 that day. Their last one came in 2018, an ugly tie against the Cleveland Browns, with their last victory coming in 2010 against the Atlanta Falcons.

In one of the most insane, consistently heart-stopping games in team history, the Pittsburgh Steelers escaped Cincinnati with a 23-20 win off the foot of ...

It was a bittersweet win at the end of the day. The Steelers won in an absolute classic, but at what cost? [4 Winners, 3 Losers From Steelers Win Over Bengals](https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/gm-report/pittsburgh-steelers-winners-losers-win-bengals-opener) [Jaylen Warren Ready to Replace Najee Harris for Steelers](https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/news/jaylen-warren-replace-najee-harris-pittsburgh-steelers) [T.J. Chase Claypool led the Steelers in rushing with 36 yards. The run game was abysmal. Pittsburgh had eight penalties against the Bengals, but it was more so when the penalties occurred that really hurt them. Harris left the game with an ankle injury and was spotted in a walking boot after the game. They had four three-and-outs on the day, and only put up 10 points following four turnovers. They intercepted Joe Burrow four times, and also had a strip sack and recovery on the Bengals quarterback. The second-year tight end also caught the deep pass coming off a flea flicker to set up a red zone field goal. Pittsburgh also had seven sacks on the game, three of which came from Alex Highsmith. Chase Claypool also had a nice day, leading Pittsburgh in rushing and having four receptions, seemingly becoming Pittsburgh’s wide-back before our eyes.

Joe Burrow looks to clean up mistakes after five-turnover performance. Rookie kicker Cade York is a new weapon for Browns, with four field goals in Week 1 ...

Him to do it as a rookie, that's big for him and his confidence going forward and it's big for us as a team." We've got the guys to just be able to step in and deliver if he's not able to go." After leading the Bengals to the Super Bowl last season, Joe Burrow had a ragged start to the 2022 season throwing four interceptions against Pittsburgh and losing a fumble. Cleveland drafted the former LSU kicker in the fourth round, which left them open to second-guessing if York struggled early. Pittsburgh starting running back Najee Harris also suffered a foot injury in Sunday's game and was wearing a walking boot after the game. Watt was scheduled for an MRI on Monday, and according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the injury would sideline Watt for an extended period, perhaps the entire season.