Antonio Brown wasted no time piling on after the Bengals’ 30-27 loss to the Steelers on Sunday, using Joe Burrow’s latest miscue as the punchline.
The former Pittsburgh wideout shared a picture of actor Macaulay Culkin dressed as Burrow for Halloween in 2024, taking a shot at the Cincinnati quarterback after Burrow’s late fumble helped close out Week 3’s AFC North matchup. Burrow had put Cincinnati in position to either force a tie or steal a comeback win in the final minutes, but the drive ended when he coughed up the ball near the Steelers’ 38-yard line.
Even with that costly turnover, Burrow put together a strong day statistically. He finished 28 of 37 for 282 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. After the game, Burrow explained that he was trying to avoid a sack when the ball came loose.
"Trying to take a shot at the end zone, trying not to take the sack, trying to get the ball out, (and I) fumbled it," Burrow said.
The loss also added another tough line to Burrow’s résumé in late-game situations. Sunday’s result dropped him to 1-34 when the Bengals are trailing in the final eight minutes.
Burrow wasn’t hiding from the bigger picture afterward, either. With Cincinnati taking its first loss of the season, he said the team needs more accountability across the board.
“Guys got to take ownership of their roles, got to take ownership of themselves, and just be smart situational football players,” Burrow said.
The Bengals’ defense couldn’t slow down Pittsburgh’s offense, either. Jaylen Warren powered the ground game with 17 carries for 127 yards, while Aaron Rodgers controlled the passing attack with 292 yards and three touchdowns.
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WVUs Tennessee Game Carries A Charlotte Edge Fans Know Well
West Virginias 2028 trip to Charlotte just moved up a week, with the Mountaineers and Tennessee now set to meet on Aug. 26 as part of the Dukes Mayo Classic. The change from the original Sept. 2 date follows the broader shift in the college football calendar beginning next season, and it keeps one of the more notable neutral-site matchups on the books at a venue that has become familiar territory for the program.
Charlotte carries a bit of extra meaning for West Virginia, too, and athletic director Wren Baker pointed to the citys value as a neutral site for the Mountaineers. For fans, it is the kind of schedule tweak that does not change the opponent or the stage, but does sharpen the anticipation around a game already carrying plenty of early-season intrigue. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Faces A Bigger Problem Than Just Bouncing Back
West Virginia and Iowa State both enter Saturday in Ames carrying the sting of recent home losses, which gives this matchup a little more edge than a typical Big 12 meeting. Rich Rodriguez has already had to sort through what went wrong for the Mountaineers, while Jimmy Rogers is doing the same on the other sideline, with both coaches acknowledging the challenges that come with getting a team reset in a hurry.
The ground game could end up shaping the tone, with Cam Cook giving West Virginia a dangerous option and Aiden Flora bringing the same kind of punch for the Cyclones. If Iowa State is going to put its recent disappointment behind it, it will have to do so against a West Virginia group that knows it can make life difficult in a hurry, and that makes the response in Ames feel like more than just a routine bounce-back spot. [Read more 🡒]
Zac Alley Sees One Urgent Fix For WVUs Defensive Collapse
West Virginias defensive problems were front and center after the loss to Oklahoma State, and Zac Alley did not try to dress them up. The defensive coordinator said the unit has work to do in both preparation and execution, a blunt assessment for a group that has spent too much time chasing plays instead of setting the tone. His message pointed less to one bad quarter than to a larger issue with how the defense is being put in position to succeed.
Alley said the fix starts with cleaner technique, a simpler scheme and more rotation so players can keep their legs under them as the season moves forward. He also touched on individual development, noting that some guys are still being evaluated on readiness for the next stretch of games. For West Virginia, the challenge now is turning that self-scouting into something tangible before the defensive slide becomes a bigger problem. [Read more 🡒]