The Pittsburgh Steelers grabbed another big win on Sunday as they took down the Cincinnati Bengals to move to 9-3 on the season. The game was a high scoring affair as it ended with the Steelers winning by a score of 44-38. Pittsburgh's offense looked better than it has all season long, and Russell Wilson played his best game of the 2024 season. The quarterback threw for over 400 yards and three touchdowns, which hasn't been seen from a quarterback wearing black and gold in a long time.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Russell Wilson gets ready for the snap while playing the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024.
Wilson had a great game, but at the start it looked like it might be a rough outing for Wilson. On Pittsburgh's first possession of the game, on just the fourth offensive snap of the game for the Steelers, Wilson threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown by the Bengals.
Spotting a dangerous team like the Bengals seven points that early in a contest is not ideal, especially since the play shouldn't have counted as the defender dragged George Pickens to the ground before intercepting the pass.
Should this have been DPI on Cam Taylor-Britt?pic.twitter.com/CG2HkeUuww https://t.co/uvpMeFu4eR
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 1, 2024
Cam Taylor-Britt picked Wilson off and ran it back 51 yards for a score, but that came after dragging Pickens down by his helmet. It seemed like an obvious defensive pass interference, but the officiating crew didn't throw a flag on the play.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' George Pickens hauls in a pass along the sideline in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2024 season.
Pickens was visibly frustrated after the play due to the officials not throwing a flag. He had to be consoled by Head Coach Mike Tomlin, as the third-year wide receiver clearly felt bad that the team would be starting out down 7-0 due to a play that was partially his fault. Wilson was asked about the play during his press conference after the game, and the quarterback defended his receiver while calling out the officiating.
"Yeah, George was running a slant, they kind of pulled him down to be honest with you." Wilson said. "Tried to throw it on time and in rhythm, we thought we could have gotten a penalty there. But they did a good job making that play, it's just football. It was one of those, as soon as I threw it George went to the ground. More than anything though, like I was saying earlier, I think our response was great."
If the Bengals had won this matchup, the controversial pick-six would be getting talked about a lot more than it currently is. The Steelers were able to respond and Pickens scored a touchdown on the very next possession, and the offense couldn't be stopped throughout the rest of the game.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Russell Wilson and Najee Harris during a game on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2024 season.
Steelers' Wilson Looked Like He Was Back In His Prime Against Bengals In Week 13
Wilson completed 29 out of his 38 passes on the day for 414 yards and three touchdowns. Aside from pure statistics, he looked a lot more comfortable behind the offensive line and didn't hold onto the ball for too long, which was an issue plaguing him in recent weeks. Wilson only took two sacks on the day, but they were for a total of four yards.
If Wilson can continue to play like he did on Sunday, the Steelers should be able to compete with any team in the league. The performance from the offense on Sunday should have fans very optimistic about this version of the Steelers.
What did you think of the pick six? Should there have been a flag thrown? Let us know in the comments below!
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