Steelers unable to stop Bengals in 38-31 defeat

The Pittsburgh offense also turned the ball over four times.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
PITTSBURGH -- Once New Year's Night arrives, Heinz Field most likely will be as dark, cold and empty in January as Ebenezer Scrooge's heart on Dec. 24.
The Steelers' 38-31 crushing loss to Cincinnati on Sunday has the Bengals poised to win their first division title since 1990.
The Bengals (9-3) recovered one of the Steelers' (7-5) four fumbles and intercepted quarterback Ben Roethlisberger three times. They possess a two-game lead in the AFC North Division with four to play and can clinch the crown as soon as next Sunday.
"I will not question the effort -- they fought until the very end," said Steelers coach Bill Cowher, citing the field-position gifts the Steelers distributed with the turnovers plus allowing Tab Perry's 94-yard kickoff return in the third quarter.
"We created a short field for an explosive offense," Cowher said. "The biggest disappointment we had defensively is that we couldn't hold them to field goals when they got close."
Outgained Bengals
The Steelers outgained the Bengals, 474-324, in total offense.
Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer completed 22-of-38 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh made five receptions, two for touchdowns.
"This was a statement game," said Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson who caught five passes for 54 yards. "What we wanted to do was silence the critics. No one believed in us and what we've done thus far this season."
Roethlisberger passed for a career-high 386 yards by completing 29-of-41 passes, three resulting in touchdowns.
But his three interceptions set up 14 Bengals points.
"We made way too many mistakes on offense and defense. I made too many mistakes -- I'll take the blame," said Roethlisberger who added that the thumb on his throwing hand hurts "a little bit" but there's "no excuses."
Kickoff return costly
Perry's long kickoff return came just after the Steelers tied the score 24-24 on Roethlisberger's 20-yard pass to wide receiver Hines Ward.
Cowher's explanation for the return: "We weren't where we needed to be -- it was a disappointing effort."
Perry's return to the Pittsburgh 3 set up Rudi Johnson's 1-yard score.
"That was real demoralizing, but that's just how the how day went," said Ward, who caught nine passes for 135 yards and scored twice. "We score a touchdown and tried to get the crowd back into it, thinking momentum is coming [then] we give up a big special teams play.
"I [deserve] just as much credit for this loss as anyone," Ward said. "It wasn't one of my better days."
Ward's fumble
Ward's fumble at the Cincinnati 25 late in the second quarter eliminated a scoring opportunity.
"Yes, they were the better team today but it wasn't anything they did -- it was what we did that is the reason that we lost this game," Ward said. "They have a great team, no knock to Cincinnati.
"I fumbled the ball, I dropped a touchdown, the long kickoff return, turnovers -- you can't do that to beat a great team like Cincinnati," Ward said.
With nine minutes to play, Johnson scored a 14-yard touchdown for a 38-24 lead.
The Steelers responded with 72-yard scoring drive, scoring on Ward's 6-yard touchdown reception with 2:59 to go.
After a Bengals punt, the Steelers took possession at the Pittsburgh 24 with 2:26 remaining.
Penalties killed final drive
But a false start charged against right tackle Max Starks and a holding call on left tackle Trai Essex had the Steelers regressing. Linebacker David Pollack's sack of Roethlisberger set up a third-and-24 situation.
A 11-yard gain on a reception by Ward and another sack ended the Steelers' hopes and severely damaged their chances for the postseason.
Starting tailback Willie Parker led the Steelers in rushing with 71 yards on 15 carries. But he fumbled twice in the second half, with guard Alan Faneca recovering both. Cowher said the fumbles prompted him to yank Parker in the fourth quarter.
"We did a better job today and I think that's what counts," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "We didn't give the ball away."
williams@vindy.com