After a 4-1 start and a commanding lead in the AFC North, the Pittsburgh Steelers had an opportunity Thursday night to crush the Cincinnati Bengals' chances of staying alive in the playoff race. A loss would leave their rivals at a woeful 2-5 record and three and a half games back of the division lead, essentially ending any real chance of mounting a challenge against Pittsburgh.
Instead, the Bengals tore through the league's highest-paid defense to the tune of 470 total yards in a 33-31 defeat of the Steelers. The win gives them a fighting chance at catching Pittsburgh in the standings, and they can thank new quarterback Joe Flacco for helping unlock a dormant offense missing star QB Joe Burrow.