The Bengals walked into Pittsburgh with a chance to keep control of the AFC North. They left with the same record as the Steelers and a fresh batch of problems that were hard to miss.
This was the kind of game that exposed Cincinnati in a hurry. The offense had moments that looked better than it had all season, but the night still ended the way too many Bengals losses do: with a breakdown at the worst possible time, and a finish that never felt secure.
The sloppiness showed up everywhere. Ke’Shawn Williams’ muffed punt was one glaring mistake, but the larger issue was why he had that job in the first place, especially with Charlie Jones previously on the roster as a reliable return option.
Cedric Johnson also picked up a roughing the punter penalty on a play where going for the block wasn’t necessary. Add in six more Bengals penalties, and Cincinnati is already at 25 for the season.
Even when the offense started to find something, the ending still turned into a familiar story. The most important snap of the game came apart because of an offensive line breakdown, and that’s been a theme the Bengals can’t seem to shake.
Zac Taylor’s record in these situations tells the story as plainly as anything else. He is now 6-51 when trailing after the third quarter, and this latest loss only sharpened the concern that Cincinnati has no dependable late-game formula beyond asking Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins to bail it out.
That isn’t a real plan.
On the other side of the ball, Dexter Lawrence continued to look like the kind of difference-maker Cincinnati desperately needs, but he can’t clean up everything by himself. He had another strong game and finally got official credit for a pair of sacks, yet the defense as a whole slipped back into the tackling issues that defined 2023 and 2024 for long stretches.
Pittsburgh made the Bengals pay for it. Jaylen Warren, Darnell Washington, and Roman Wilson all had receptions of 30 yards or more, and Warren also broke loose for a 35-yard run. Those are the kinds of plays that flip a game fast, and Cincinnati had too many missed stops to prevent them.
The bigger picture in the division is just as messy. Three weeks in, the Bengals are tied with the Cleveland Browns for the best record in the AFC North, while the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are right there too. No one has separated, and all four teams look like they believe they can beat the other three.
Pittsburgh, in particular, arrived at Week 3 with Aaron Rodgers looking like he had already checked out mentally, and Warren hadn’t even topped 50 rushing yards through his first two games. Against Cincinnati, both looked like stars again. Mike McCarthy’s game plan helped, and so did the jolt players seem to get when they face a rival they hate.
That was enough to turn a shaky Steelers team into the team that played cleaner, sharper, and more urgent football on Sunday. For the Bengals, it was a reminder that being talented is not the same thing as being organized.
In Other News...
Bengals Draft Regret Suddenly Looks Even Worse After Burrow Hit
The Bengals entered the 2025 draft hoping Shemar Stewart would become a difference-maker off the edge, but the early return has only sharpened the spotlight on that decision. Selected 17th overall, Stewart had a minimal rookie impact and then did not play a defensive snap in Cincinnatis AFC North opener in his second season, a development that left the Bengals looking for answers from a pick they expected to help reshape the front.
Meanwhile, Derrick Harmon, the defensive tackle the Steelers took in that same range, was making his presence felt in the same game with a key strip sack. For Cincinnati, the comparison is hard to ignore because it goes beyond one play or one afternoon, touching the way the defense might have looked, the resources the team has tied up, and how much pain lingers when a first-round swing doesnt land the way the front office envisioned. [Read more 🡒]
Amarius Mims Passed A Huge Bengals Test Despite One Costly Mistake
Amarius Mims had the kind of game the Bengals have been waiting to see from their 2024 first-round pick. Against the Steelers, he held up well at right tackle and gave Joe Burrow a cleaner pocket than Cincinnati has often had this season, even with Pittsburgh sending elite pressure off the edge. For a young tackle still learning the NFL pace, the performance suggested he can already handle big moments against top pass rushers like T.J. Watt.
Of course, it was not a spotless afternoon. Mims had some penalties and a late pass protection breakdown, the sort of hiccup that can swing attention in a close divisional game, and Cincinnati fell 30-27 anyway. The bigger concern for the Bengals was not just one rookie mistake, but how the loss also featured problems on defense and special teams, leaving Mims' encouraging work as one of the few clear positives to come out of the day. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Injury Concerns Suddenly Loom Larger After Steelers Loss
The Bengals left Pittsburgh with more than just a loss to process, and Zac Taylors postgame injury update added another layer to an already uneasy Sunday. Colbie Young looks likely to miss next weeks game against the Jaguars, while several other injured players remain in limbo as Cincinnati tries to sort out its roster heading into the next stretch.
Taylor also addressed defensive end Shemar Stewarts limited workload, tying it to his recent practice history, while Joe Burrow said he came out of the game without any new injuries. Burrows focus was on the missed chances against the Steelers, but the bigger question for Cincinnati now is how many moving parts will still be available when the Bengals try to bounce back. [Read more 🡒]