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Bengals Defeat Steelers 19-17 | POSTGAME RECAP, NOTES & QUOTES

PITTSBURGH -- In the coldest game of the Joe Burrow Era, the Bengals froze the Steelers with overwhelming time of possession and a defense that didn't allow 100 yards until 10 minutes left in a 19-17 victory that kept Cincinnati in the playoff hunt.

In 19 degrees with a wind-chill of seven, Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson notched 3.5 sacks to surge into the NFL lead with 17.5 on the year. Pro Bowl wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase caught his franchise-tying 17th touchdown on quarterback Joe Burrow's NFL-leading 43rd touchdown pass.

It was the only Bengals' touchdown of the game despite four trips into the red zone. Cade York delivered with four field goals.

NOTES

Offense Sets Tone on Opening Drive

The Bengals' offense received the ball to start the night and put together a nine-play, 73-yard touchdown drive that gave Cincinnati a 7-0 lead just 5:11 into the first quarter. QB Joe Burrow completed each of his six passing attempts for 64 yards during the drive, capped off by a 12-yard scoring pass to WR Ja'Marr Chase.

It marked the first touchdown the Steelers have allowed on an opening drive this season. Burrow finishes the regular season with 43 touchdown passes, the ninth-most in a single season in NFL history.

Chase Surpasses a Pair of Vikings

Chase finished the night with 10 catches for 96 yards and the touchdown. His career receptions total moved to 395, which surpassed Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson (392) for the fifth-most in NFL history in a player's first four seasons.

Chase also boosted his career receiving yardage to 5,425, moving him ahead of former Vikings wideout Randy Moss (5,396) for the third-most in a player's first four seasons.

CTB Steps Up With Fourth-Down Stop

Cam Taylor-Britt broke through the line to make a clutch tackle on fourth-and-inches at the Pittsburgh 37-yard line, giving Cincinnati's offense a short field with 48 seconds left in the first half. The offense capitalized with a seven-play field goal drive that increased the lead to 13-7 going into the break.

Three-Sack Trey

Trey Hendrickson sacked Russell Wilson on third-and-seven to force a Steelers punt on Cincinnati's opening defensive possession. It boosted Hendrickson's sack total this season to 15, which broke a tie with Cleveland edge rusher Myles Garrett for the league lead entering Sunday's games.

Hendrickson built some insurance on his lead with 2.5 more sacks, including two late in the fourth quarter. He ends the regulars season with 17.5 sacks, tying his career high from the 2023 campaign. Hendrickson's 35 combined sacks over the past two seasons are the most in the NFL.

Hendrickson's 3.5 sacks on Saturday were the second-most in a game in his career, trailing his four sacks in Week 9 of this season against Las Vegas.

The 17.5 sacks also are the second-most in a season in Bengals history, trailing only Coy Bacon's 22 in 1976 (sacks became an official NFL statistic in 1982, but the Bengals tracked the stat back to 1976 and thus recognize Bacon as the single-season record holder). Hendrickson is the first player in Bengals history to record 15 or more sacks in multiple seasons.

Gesicki Eclipses 600

Mike Gesicki surpassed 600 receiving yards this season on his first catch of the game, a 12-yarder during the Bengals' opening drive. He is the first Cincinnati tight end to reach 600 receiving yards in a season since Tyler Eifert had 615 in 2015. Gesicki tallied eight receptions for 68 yards Saturday.

Gesicki finishes the regular season with 665 receiving yards, the third-most in his career behind 703 in 2020 and 780 in 2021. His 65 receptions are the second-most he has ever compiled, behind a career-high 73 in 2021. It also is the second-most by a tight end in a single season in Bengals history, trailing only Dan Ross (71 in 1981).

Extra Points

  • The temperature at kickoff was 19 degrees Fahrenheit, marking the coldest Bengals game since Week 17 of the 2017 season at Baltimore (also 19 degrees).
  • Linebacker Shaka Heyward knocked the ball loose from Calvin Austin on a punt return late in the second quarter, and the fumble was recovered by fellow linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither. It marked the first forced fumble of Heyward's career.

Check out the best photos from Broncos-Steelers Week 18 matchup.

QUOTES

"They've had the right attitude. They've stuck together. I think this was an appropriate end to this game. This is what we've done the last five weeks. These guys were just at 4-8. Probably one of the lowest moments we've had, sitting there staring at that record with the expectations we had. The choice the guys made was, 'Let's stick with the process. Let's stick with what we're doing, believe in each other.' Everybody gave their most. We've won five in a row and put ourselves in a position to cross our fingers tomorrow and cheer like a lot of fans." - Head Coach Zac Taylor, on his team's resolve after falling to 4-8 earlier in the season

"Our defensive young guys, and guys that have played good in the past, have started playing well. Then, Trey Hendrickson -- after tonight, I don't know who else is going to win Defensive Player of the Year other than him. He was incredible tonight. Anytime that he didn't have chip help, he was getting to the quarterback." - Quarterback Joe Burrow, on the defense's performances during the five-game winning streak and tonight

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