Steelers look toward playoffs after finishing regular season on 4-game skid with loss to Bengals
-
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22), right, celebrates scoring a touchdown with offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. (65), guard Spencer Anderson (74), tight end Connor Heyward (83), and tight end MyCole Pruitt (81), during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Pittsburgh Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
-
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) avoids Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (97) with Cincinnati Bengals guard Cordell Volson (67) during the second half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
-
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) throws a pass as Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) moves in during the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
-
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) catches a pass for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
-
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr., left, intercepts a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, center, that was broken up by Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen, right, during the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
-
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson runs onto the field as he is introduced before an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
-
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) scores a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
-
Cincinnati Bengals kicker Cade York (3) kicks a field goal during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
-
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. (31) celebrates an interception with safety Damontae Kazee (23) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
-
Cincinnati Bengals running back Khalil Herbert (34) runs with the ball as Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson (41) defends during the second half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
-
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) catches a pass in front of Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) during the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
-
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) picks up a first down defended by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) during the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
-
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr., left, intercepts a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, top right, that was broken up by Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen, bottom right, during the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
-
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) celebrates scoring a touchdown with center Ted Karras (64) and running back Khalil Herbert (34) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
PITTSBURGH — Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t want to talk about the past with the playoff approaching.
The Steelers finished the regular season on a four-game losing streak after a fourth-quarter rally fell short, as Cincinnati kept its playoff hopes alive with a 19-17 victory Saturday night.
“I think the best thing we can do is get ready for the playoffs,” Wilson said. “It’s a new season. That’s the only thing that really matters anymore at this point.”
Pittsburgh locked up a playoff berth weeks ago. The Steelers are the third team in NFL history to enter the playoffs on a four-game skid.
“We need to play winning football, and we’re not doing that right now,” linebacker T.J. Watt said. “We need to wipe the slate clean. We’re in the tournament now, and we need to play better football.”
The Steelers lost their grip on the AFC North and visit Baltimore, the division champion, for their third meeting after the Los Angeles Chargers beat Las Vegas on Sunday afternoon.
“Obviously, us winning would’ve helped us in some form or fashion,” Wilson said. “But at the end of the day, when you go into the playoffs, everybody’s 0-0 and you have to beat everybody anyway. It has been a tough few weeks. That has to be our focus right now.”
The Bengals find themselves in the opposite position. After limping to a 4-8 season to start the season and falling close to elimination, Cincinnati has won its last five games and now must wait Sunday to find out its playoff fate.
For the Bengals to grab the final playoff spot in the AFC, they need Patrick Mahomes-less Kansas City to beat Denver and the New York Jets to summon the energy at the end of a chaotic season to topple Miami.
Pittsburgh’s defense took a significant step back in December and gave up more than 400 yards a game during the first three losses in the streak. On Saturday, Burrow and the Bengals put up 314 yards of total offense.
While Burrow threw an interception and had his NFL-record streak of consecutive games with at least 250 yards passing and three touchdowns come to an end, he did enough to send the Steelers reeling into the playoffs.
Burrow connected on a 12-yard touchdown to Ja'Marr Chase on Cincinnati's first possession; Chase finished with 10 receptions for 96 yards to put the NFL's “Triple Crown” for receivers (catches, yards and touchdowns) within reach.
Pittsburgh finished with 193 yards — more than 300 less than the 520 the Steelers rolled up in the first meeting — many in the fourth quarter with the offense desperately trying to rally.
Wilson completed just one pass in the third quarter as Cincinnati dominated time of possession by 16 minutes. He finished 17 of 31 for 148 yards with a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Pat Freiermuth.
Trey Hendrickson sacked Russell Wilson 3 1/2 times to boost his season total to an NFL-leading 17 1/2.
Wilson hit Pat Freiermuth for a 19-yard touchdown pass and Chris Boswell hit a 54-yard field goal to get Pittsburgh within two in the fourth quarter.
The Steelers got the ball back just after the 2-minute warning but never made it to Cincinnati territory. Wilson threw incomplete to Freiermuth on fourth down, and Burrow came out for a kneeldown that extended the Bengals' season to the final day.
If Tomlin wants a lesson on how to get it together under challenging circumstances, Cincinnati's play over the last month has provided it.
The Bengals’ late run began after a 44-38 loss to the Steelers on Dec. 1 dropped them to 4-8. They haven’t lost since, with Burrow playing at an MVP level and their once porous defense playing its best football of the season.
“Obviously, our season hasn't gone the way we wanted, but we like how we closed out to get over .500 and give ourselves a chance,” Cincinnati cornerback Mike Hilton said.
Steelers: Running back Najee Harris exited in the fourth quarter with a head injury following a 12-yard reception but was on the field for Pittsburgh's final drive.
