Postgame Observations: Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase Lead Bengals Past Steelers 24-10

Cincinnati improves to 2-1 on the season.

Author:
James Rapien
Updated:
Sep 26, 2021 6:02 PM EDT
Original:
Sep 26, 2021

PITTSBURGH — The Bengals insist this year is different. Things certainly looked different on Sunday.

The Bengals never trailed in their 24-10 win over the Steelers. It was their first win at Heinz Field since 2015.

Joe Burrow led the way on offense, completing 14-of-18 passes for 172 yards and three touchdowns.

He had an ugly interception early in the game, but responded well and made some good throws in critical moments.

Cincinnati's defense set the tone early, forcing three punts and a turnover on Pittsburgh's first four possessions of the game.

Here are some other postgame observations:

Record Setter

Ja'Marr Chase finished with four receptions for 65 yards and two touchdowns. He's the first rookie in Bengals' history to catch a touchdown in each of his first three career games.

Chase's 34-yard touchdown reception gave the Bengals a 14-7 lead right before they half and they never looked back. Watch both of his touchdowns here.

Interception Machine

Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson had two interceptions on Sunday. His first one was a diving grab in the first quarter. He followed it up with another interception in the third quarter that gave the offense the ball at the Steelers 19-yard line. The Bengals took a 24-7 lead three plays later.

Dominating Defense

Cincinnati's defense suffocated Pittsburgh's offense for most of the game. They finished with four sacks, seven quarterback hits and five tackles for loss.

The Bengals also held Najee Harris to just 40 rushing yards on 14 attempts (2.9 yards-per-carry).

Offensive Line

The Bengals didn't allow a sack on Sunday after giving up nine in their first two games of the season. Joe Mixon ran for 90 yards on 18 attempts.

Cincinnati's line played great on the road against a tough opponent.

Huge Win for Zac Taylor

The third-year head coach desperately needed a road win like this to show the organization and the fan base that the Bengals were moving in the right direction.

Taylor entered Sunday's game with a 1-15-1 road record. He hadn't won a road game in the AFC North. That changed with a big win at Heinz Field.

Don't look now, but the Bengals have beat the Steelers in back-to-back games for the first time since the 2012-13 seasons.

Key Injury

Bengals cornerback Chidobe Awuzie suffered a groin injury in the third quarter and didn't return. The veteran has been their best cornerback this season. Darius Phillips took his place on defense.

Homecoming

Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd is a Pittsburgh native. He went to the University of Pittsburgh and hadn't won a game in his hometown since the Bengals drafted him in 2016.

Not only did that change, but Boyd played a huge role in the win. He finished with four receptions for 36 yards and a touchdown. His 17-yard catch and run for a score got the Bengals on the board in the first quarter.

Up Next

Cincinnati hosts Jacksonville at Paul Brown Stadium on Thursday, Sept 30 at 8 p.m. ET.

Make sure you bookmark All Bengals for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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