The Cincinnati Bengals‘ struggles hit a new low in Week 11 as they were badly beaten by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 34-12. This loss was especially disappointing because the Bengals’ offense, which had been playing better since acquiring veteran QB Joe Flacco a few weeks ago, completely fell flat. Everything that the team had expected from the boost from the bye week and the possibility of Joe Burrow’s return soon didn’t fix anything.

Head coach Zac Taylor pointed to the team’s costly errors, specifically losing the turnover battle 2-0. The Bengals couldn’t move the ball consistently or make any game-changing plays. Taylor’s frustration was clear after the game, telling the press:

“You feel them. You feel all the losses. You feel them all. They eat at you all. You know, we’re working like crazy to make sure that this doesn’t happen. It happened today. It’s disappointing.”

Taylor also mentioned that the team kept getting pinned in bad field positions, which messed up their whole offensive plan. With the loss, the Bengals are now 3-7, and their season is effectively over. A win would have kept them in the race for the AFC North, but now they are three games behind the 6-4 Steelers. The division title will likely go to either the Steelers (6-4) or the Baltimore Ravens (5-5), whom the Bengals still have to play twice.

If Cincinnati misses the playoffs this year, it will be its third straight season without a postseason appearance. This result puts the spotlight squarely on the Bengals’ ownership, who will face some difficult decisions about the team’s future after the season ends.

Joe Flacco opens up on almost getting injured by T.J. Watt

The biggest turning point in the Steelers’ 34-12 victory over the Bengals came courtesy of a newcomer to Pittsburgh. Strong safety Kyle Dugger, who had been traded from the Patriots just weeks earlier, delivered a crushing blow with a 73-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Dugger, of course, wasn’t on the field for the Bengals’ 33-31 win back on October 16th, but he certainly made his presence felt this time. The Bengals were still right in the thick of the game, driving down the field and trailing only 13-9. Facing a critical third-and-nine from the Pittsburgh 35-yard line, quarterback Joe Flacco tried to hit Tee Higgins over the middle. Unfortunately for Cincinnati, the ball never made it.

T.J. Watt, the Steelers’ star defensive lineman, came roaring around the right side and bumped Flacco just as he was throwing. Flacco admitted after the game,

“I don’t know if my arm got hit. I just got hit. I was trying to wrap it around that guy.”

That single, well-timed hit by Watt caused the ball to sail right into the hands of Dugger, who then sprinted untouched to the end zone. The 73-yard touchdown instantly pushed Pittsburgh’s lead to 20-9, and the Bengals’ momentum was gone.

Watt, the former Wisconsin Badgers linebacker, truly lives for those game-changing moments. Even his play on the snap before, where he leaped up to get a hand on the ball for an incomplete pass, was the kind of elite, instinctive defense you can’t scheme against.

Watt’s aggressive play style, while often rewarded with sacks and turnovers, has also cost him. Throughout his career in Pittsburgh, he has been fined eight times by the NFL for a total of $99,820. His most recent fine was for $16,391 in November 2023 for roughing the passer against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

T.J. Watt and the Steelers will try to keep their momentum going in Week 12 when they face the Chicago Bears.