The Pittsburgh Steelers vs Bengals Match Player Stats tell the story of a close AFC North game decided by more than quarterback production. On September 27, 2026, Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati 30–27 at Acrisure Stadium, with Aaron Rodgers and Joe Burrow each throwing three touchdown passes. Jaylen Warren supplied the biggest rushing performance, while the Bengals leaned on Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins through the air. Special teams mistakes and a late forced fumble separated two productive offenses. This breakdown covers that specific Week 3 meeting, explains the individual numbers, and connects them with the plays that shaped the result. Both teams finished the afternoon with 2–1 records.
Final Score and How the Lead Changed
Pittsburgh led 14–7 after the first quarter, but Cincinnati reached halftime tied at 17–17. The Bengals moved ahead 20–17 in the third quarter before a Rodgers touchdown pass restored a 24–20 Steelers lead. Mike Gesicki’s fourth-quarter score put Cincinnati back in front, 27–24, leaving Pittsburgh to answer with two field goals. The quarter totals were 14, three, seven and six points for the Steelers, compared with seven, 10, three and seven for the Bengals. That sequence matters because neither offense controlled the entire game. Cincinnati entered the final quarter behind, took the lead, and still had a chance to respond after Pittsburgh’s last scoring drive.
Aaron Rodgers and Joe Burrow: Passing Stats
Rodgers completed 19 of 34 passes for 292 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, finishing with a 101.6 passer rating. Burrow completed 28 of 37 for 282 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, producing a 123.9 rating. Their completion percentages were approximately 55.9% and 75.7%, respectively. However, Rodgers averaged 8.6 yards per attempt against Burrow’s 7.6, showing how Pittsburgh gained more passing yardage from fewer completions. Burrow opened with 14 consecutive completions and provided steadier accuracy, while Rodgers benefited from larger gains. The balanced reading is that Burrow led in accuracy and passer rating, but Rodgers generated more yards per attempt. The final score does not erase those differences.
Jaylen Warren and the Running Game
Warren carried 17 times for 127 yards, averaging 7.5 yards per attempt, and added three receptions for 49 yards. His 176 yards from scrimmage made him central to Pittsburgh’s offense even though he did not score. Cincinnati’s Chase Brown rushed 13 times for 61 yards, while Samaje Perine added nine yards on three carries and Burrow gained 13 on two runs. Pittsburgh finished with 138 rushing yards against Cincinnati’s 83, a 55-yard advantage. Warren’s longest credited run covered 35 yards, and his late 26-yard gain helped move Pittsburgh toward the winning kick. His combination of rushing and receiving production gave the Steelers a threat beyond their wide receivers.
Steelers Receiving Stats Beyond the Touchdowns
Darnell Washington led Pittsburgh with three catches for 67 yards, including the 47-yard catch-and-run that helped set up the deciding field goal. Roman Wilson caught three passes for 60 yards and a touchdown, while DK Metcalf finished with three receptions for 31 yards and a score. Ben Skowronek’s only reception became a 23-yard touchdown. Pat Freiermuth added two catches for 30 yards, and Michael Pittman Jr. had two for 16. Rodgers completed passes to nine different players, spreading production across receivers, tight ends and Warren. Washington illustrates why touchdown totals need context: he did not reach the end zone, but his longest reception changed field position at a critical moment.
Bengals Receiving Stats and Scoring Contributions
Chase led Cincinnati with nine receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown, while Higgins supplied six catches for 90 yards and another score. Together, they accounted for 188 of Burrow’s 282 passing yards, exactly two-thirds of the total. Gesicki caught all three of his targets for 37 yards, including the 25-yard touchdown on fourth-and-two that created Cincinnati’s final lead. Dohnte Meyers contributed three receptions for 29 yards, and Tanner Hudson added two for 13. The Bengals therefore had both substantial production from their leading wideouts and useful contributions elsewhere. Higgins’ 28-yard touchdown late in the first half and Gesicki’s fourth-down finish were especially important because each changed the scoreboard immediately.
Defensive Stats: Tackles, Sacks and the Final Stop
Patrick Queen led Pittsburgh with 13 combined tackles, followed by Rayshawn Jenkins with nine. Jalen Ramsey and Jaquan Brisker each recorded eight, while Demetrius Knight led Cincinnati with nine and Kyle Dugger added eight. Dexter Lawrence supplied both Bengals sacks, giving Cincinnati a 2–1 advantage in that category. Pittsburgh’s only sack belonged to Derrick Harmon, who also forced Burrow’s fumble with 44 seconds remaining. Sebastian Joseph-Day recovered the ball to end Cincinnati’s final possession. These numbers distinguish workload from decisive impact. Queen was involved repeatedly, whereas Harmon finished with one tackle that carried exceptional importance. Cincinnati allowed 411 yards, and Pittsburgh conceded three passing touchdowns, so neither defense should be described as dominant.
Turnovers and Special Teams Changed the Game
Jordan Battle intercepted a Rodgers pass deflected by Wilson late in the second quarter, giving Cincinnati possession before Higgins’ tying touchdown. The Bengals later made two costly special teams errors. Cedric Johnson’s roughing-the-punter penalty extended a Pittsburgh possession that ended with Metcalf’s touchdown. Ke’Shawn Williams then muffed a fourth-quarter punt, and Skowronek recovered it to set up Boswell’s tying field goal. Those two mistakes preceded 10 Steelers points, although Pittsburgh still had to finish the possessions. Cincinnati lost two fumbles overall, including Burrow’s late giveaway, while Pittsburgh’s only turnover was Rodgers’ interception. The location and timing of these errors explain more than the turnover count alone.
Chris Boswell, Evan McPherson and the Kicking Totals
Chris Boswell made all three field-goal attempts, converting from 44, 36 and 33 yards, and added three successful extra points for 12 total points. Evan McPherson made both of his field goals, from 50 and 38 yards, plus three extra points for nine. Both teams scored three touchdowns and converted every extra point, so Pittsburgh’s additional field goal accounted for the final three-point margin. Boswell tied the game with 8:45 remaining and put the Steelers ahead with 2:15 left. Neither kicker missed an opportunity, making this a difference in scoring chances rather than accuracy. Cincinnati’s loss should not be attributed to a kicking failure that never happened.
Team Efficiency, Penalties and Red-Zone Finishing
Pittsburgh gained 411 net yards on 59 offensive plays, compared with Cincinnati’s 352 on 56. The Steelers converted seven of 12 third downs, or 58.3%, while the Bengals converted six of 12, or 50%. Cincinnati succeeded on both fourth-down attempts; Pittsburgh attempted none. Yet red-zone efficiency favored the Bengals, who scored a touchdown on one of two trips, against Pittsburgh’s one on three. Possession was nearly even at 30:06 for Cincinnati and 29:54 for Pittsburgh. Penalties were also close: six for 40 yards against the Bengals and five for 37 against the Steelers. These totals show why broad labels can mislead. Pittsburgh gained more yardage, but Cincinnati led several other measures.
Final Thoughts
This Steelers–Bengals meeting rewarded a complete team performance rather than the strongest passing line alone. Burrow’s accuracy and Cincinnati’s leading receivers kept the visitors competitive, while Warren’s versatility and Pittsburgh’s distributed receiving production created substantial gains. Boswell converted the available kicking chances, Skowronek contributed on offense and special teams, and Harmon and Joseph-Day supplied the final takeaway. The most useful reading of the match combines individual output with possession changes, field position and scoring opportunities. Pittsburgh earned the three-point win, but the statistics also show how closely the teams competed and why several Bengals performances remained strong despite the result.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which Steelers–Bengals game does this breakdown cover?
This article covers Cincinnati’s visit to Pittsburgh on September 27, 2026, during Week 3 of the regular season. The Steelers won 30–27 at Acrisure Stadium. The date matters because these divisional opponents meet repeatedly, and player totals from another meeting can look plausible while describing a completely different game.
2. Why are quarterback passing yards different from team net passing yards?
Individual passing yards measure completed-pass gains before subtracting yardage lost on sacks. Pittsburgh’s 292 gross passing yards became 273 net passing yards after 19 sack yards were deducted. Cincinnati’s 282 became 269 after 13 were deducted. Adding rushing yards to those net figures produces the respective team offense totals of 411 and 352.
3. What does passer rating reveal about Rodgers and Burrow?
Passer rating combines completion rate, yards per attempt, touchdown rate and interception rate. Burrow’s higher rating reflects his accurate, interception-free passing performance. However, the measure excludes his late lost fumble, along with rushing contributions and special teams events. It helps compare passing efficiency, but it does not provide a complete measure of responsibility for winning or losing.
4. What are yards from scrimmage, and why did Warren finish with 176?
Yards from scrimmage combine a player’s rushing and receiving yards. Warren’s 127 rushing yards plus 49 receiving yards equal 176. The total does not include kickoff or punt returns, and it should not be added to Rodgers’ passing yards when calculating team offense. Warren’s receiving gains are already included in the quarterback’s completed-pass yardage.
5. Did Warren’s apparent 87-yard run count in his final rushing total?
The full 87-yard gain did not count because an offensive holding penalty on Metcalf changed the result of the play. Warren’s official rushing line remained 127 yards with a longest gain of 35. This is a useful example of why a memorable run on a replay can differ from the yardage credited in the final statistics.
6. How do targets differ from receptions in this game?
A target records a pass intended for a receiver, while a reception records a completed catch. Chase had 12 targets and nine receptions; Higgins had seven targets and six catches. Those figures show opportunity and completion, but an unsuccessful target does not automatically mean a dropped pass. Coverage, pass placement and other circumstances also affect whether the ball is caught.
7. How concentrated was each team’s receiving production?
Chase and Higgins combined for 15 of Cincinnati’s 28 receptions and 188 of its 282 receiving yards. Pittsburgh’s leading receiving pair, Washington and Wilson, combined for six catches and 127 of 292 yards. That gives Cincinnati a more concentrated yardage distribution among its top two receivers, while Pittsburgh obtained a larger share from other players.
8. Does Cincinnati’s sack advantage mean its pass rush decided the game?
No. Cincinnati recorded more sacks, but Pittsburgh’s single sack forced the turnover that ended the Bengals’ final possession. Lawrence’s sacks also mattered because they helped limit Pittsburgh to field goals on late drives. Sack totals identify completed defensive plays; timing, field position, pressures and whether possession changes are necessary to judge their wider influence.
9. What does the red-zone percentage leave out?
Red-zone efficiency describes possessions reaching inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. It does not credit touchdowns scored from farther away as successful red-zone trips. Wilson’s 38-yard score, Skowronek’s 23-yard score, Higgins’ 28-yard touchdown and Gesicki’s 25-yard finish all came from outside that area. A lower red-zone rate can therefore coexist with substantial touchdown production.
10. How did Pittsburgh’s offensive line changes affect the context?
Max Iheanachor made his first NFL start at right tackle, and Brock Hoffman made his first Steelers start at right guard. Pittsburgh then produced a strong rushing performance and allowed two sacks. Those results are encouraging, but they cannot establish that the lineup changes alone caused the improvement. Blocking, quarterback decisions, receiver execution and Cincinnati’s defensive mistakes all contributed.
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