The Bengals racked up 470 yards of offense as Pittsburgh’s $162 million defense crumbled once again.
When the lights dimmed on Thursday Night Football, Pittsburgh’s defense looked less like a guard at the gate and more like a mirage. The Cincinnati Bengals walked through it, shot after shot, and Mike Tomlin’s unit had no answers.
The final score said 33-31. The margin said much more. Joe Flacco dissected the Steelers, completing 31 of 47 passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns. Ja’Marr Chase had 16 catches for 161 yards, setting a Bengals franchise record for receptions in a single game, and Tee Higgins added two touchdowns. Over 470 total yards of offense.
Even with Pittsburgh’s offense surging — Aaron Rodgers tossed four touchdown passes, all to tight ends, and Jaylen Warren ran for 127 yards — it was all for nothing because the defense folded at the worst possible moment.
From the outset, the blueprint was clear: invite pressure and allow chunk plays. The Bengals rushed for 97 yards on just nine carries in the first half — despite entering the night averaging under 60 per game. Flacco wasn’t just throwing deep; he was firing into holes the Steelers left wide open. Tomlin and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin had prepared for matchups like this. Instead, they were steamrolled.
Pittsburgh’s adjustments were nonexistent. On Cincinnati’s decisive drive, two completions to Chase and one to Higgins pushed them into field-goal range. The defense seemed frozen. They never disrupted the rhythm; they never forced Flacco out of his comfort zone. Misinformation or indecision? Either way, it was inexcusable.
Tomlin, whose reputation is built on discipline and game-day poise, looked like a bystander. His defense — once a foundation — has become a liability. The Steelers paid more than $162 million for that unit. And yet Flacco treated them like practice dummies.
Sure, Cincinnati had motivation. A win snapped a four-game losing streak, energized a fan base, and kept a sputtering season alive. But motivation doesn’t perform at this level against a defense that still can’t stop basic concepts, can’t adjust zone schemes in real time, and can’t clamp down on elite receivers when it matters most.
This isn’t a one-night collapse. It’s part of a pattern. When push comes to shove, Tomlin’s defenses have cracked in recent seasons. Thursday night was just the loudest crack yet. The Bengals needed only to expose mismatches and ride them.
Tomlin must answer. Where is the scheme that protects vulnerable corners? Where is the rotation that keeps the pass rush fresh? Where is the in-game adjustment that changes pace and disrupts momentum? The Steelers have the personnel — if they’d ever deploy them correctly.
Until Tomlin fixes this defense, the Steelers will keep living on reputation instead of results — and the rest of the league stopped fearing that reputation a long time ago.
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