The Bengals didn’t have much of a running game today in Pittsburgh. They also didn’t have their top wide receiver. But they did have a running back who put up big receiving numbers.
Bengals backup running back Samaje Perine caught four passes for 52 yards and three touchdowns today as Cincinnati beat Pittsburgh 37-30.
Perine had his big game at a time when the Bengals very much needed it, as the running game couldn’t get anything going even before starting running back Joe Mixon was lost with a concussion, and star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is still out with a hip injury.
But between Perine and Tee Higgins, who caught nine passes for 148 yards, the Bengals got enough from their offensive skill position players, and Joe Burrow ended up with 355 passing yards and four touchdowns, while also throwing two interceptions.
There were some bright spots for the Steelers: T.J. Watt is back and healthy, and he played an excellent game, with a spectacular interception and a half-sack. And George Pickens continues to look like a very promising young receiver in Pittsburgh, despite dropping a potential touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter and then getting ejected for unnecessary roughness on the Steelers’ last-gasp onside kick with 44 seconds left.
The Steelers’ loss drops them to 3-7 on the season, and this is looking like it will be one of the Steelers’ worst seasons in the last half-century. The Bengals improve to 6-4 as they continue to pursue a return to the playoffs.