Tee Higgins put together the kind of touchdown that looks even better when it’s coming in traffic. With the Bengals and Steelers tied 17-17 at halftime, Joe Burrow dropped a deep ball into the end zone and Higgins went up and took it away for his second passing TD of the game.
The play capped a first half in which Burrow was dealing. He went 18-for-21 for 152 yards and two scores before the break, keeping Cincinnati right there on the road.
The touchdown drive was helped along by a big swing moments earlier. Roman Wilson, who had already scored Pittsburgh’s first touchdown, had a rough drop, and then Jordan Battle flipped possession with a sharp interception that changed the tone of the half.
From there, Cincinnati kept moving. Burrow connected with Ja’Marr Chase for 9 yards and Chase Brown for 12 on the series before the Bengals finished it with the Higgins strike. The score came on a 28-yard pass with 39 seconds left in the second quarter, and Evan McPherson added the extra point.
Pittsburgh had its own chances before the half ended. Aaron Rodgers hit Pat Freiermuth for 22 yards, then found him again for 8, but the drive never turned into points. Rodgers also had an incompletion intended for Roman Wilson before Battle jumped the route and took it the other way for 11 yards.
The half had already featured plenty of back-and-forth. Rodgers was working the middle and short game, while the Bengals answered with efficient throws from Burrow and the momentum-changing takeaway from Battle. By halftime, neither side had separated, and Higgins’ end zone grab was the latest big shot in a game that had already swung more than once.
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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 🡒]