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Steelers stay hot
Photo
The Steelers’ Antonio Brown celebrates after returning a punt for a touchdown during the second quarter against Cincinnati during Sunday’s game in Pittsburgh. The Steelers routed their division rival 35-7.
Associated Press
PITTSBURGH
The Pittsburgh Steelers needed just 15 minutes to provide the Cincinnati Bengals a refresher course on what it takes to win in December.
Run the ball. Create turnovers. A big play or two on special teams helps. So does having a quarterback who knows what he’s doing when the games dwindle to a precious few.
It’s a formula the defending AFC champions have used for years. It has rarely looked as effective as it did in a 35-7 win Sunday.
Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes to Mike Wallace, Rashard Mendenhall ran for two more and the Steelers used an explosive second quarter to crush error-prone Cincinnati.
“We’re in it now,” linebacker James Farrior said. “Right now is our time. ... We already started our playoffs.”
It certainly looked like it as Pittsburgh (9-3) swept the season series from Cincinnati (7-5) for the second straight year to end any realistic hopes the Bengals have of winning the AFC North.
“It’s tough,” said Cincinnati wide receiver A.J. Green, who caught an 11-yard touchdown pass but also committed a false start penalty that wiped out another score. “We shot ourselves in the foot sometimes. Being the veteran team they are, they capitalized on everything we did.”
It’s what the Steelers do this time of year.
Pittsburgh has been a mixed bag at times this season, often playing to the level of the competition, regardless of who it is.
The same team that handled New England with ease six weeks ago is the same one that barely escaped woeful Kansas City with a win last Sunday night, raising concerns about Roethlisberger’s fractured right thumb, the running game and a defense nursing injuries to safety Troy Polamalu (concussion) and LaMarr Woodley (hamstring).
There were no anxious final moments against the Bengals. Pittsburgh’s best quarter of the season left little room for doubt, scoring four touchdowns in a span of less than 12 minutes to break it open.
“Finally,” Wallace said. “We always make it harder than it has to be. Today, we came out with a lot of emotion and a lot of energy.”
The Bengals hung tough in a 24-17 loss to Pittsburgh three weeks ago, the kind of gritty performance that gave them hope they could earn a split with their division rivals and stay alive in their quest for a second division title in three seasons.
No chance.
“They beat us in every area today — beat us on offense, beat us on defense, beat us in special teams,” Lewis said.
Roethlisberger, who aggravated his injured thumb in practice during the week, overcame a slow start to complete 15 of 23 passes for 176 yards and the two scores to Wallace. His final completion, a 9-yard toss to tight end David Johnson in the fourth quarter, was the 2,026th of his career, breaking Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw’s club record.
“It’s obviously an awesome honor,” Roethlisberger said.