PITTSBURGH – All week long, Coach Cammy of the Cincinnati Bengals ran his mouth. All week long, the league talked about momentum, about the Bengals at 5 and 3, about whether the Steelers could stay hot. But when the dust settled on the Week Nine showdown, only one thing mattered.
The Steelers walked off the field with a 41 to 31 victory, four straight wins, and a message for anyone who still does not take this team seriously.
This was not a pretty win. It was not clean. It was not polished. But it was gritty, physical, relentless, and trademark Steelers football. And perhaps the most telling part of the entire game was this:
Pittsburgh won by double digits despite Desmond Ridder having the worst game of his Steelers career.
That is how you know a team is building something real.
Ridder Struggles, but the Team Responds
Ridder’s stat line tells the story before the story. The Steelers quarterback posted an NFL Passer Rating of 53.5, completing 13 of 21 passes for 199 yards, with no touchdowns and 2 interceptions. It was a rough outing. It was the kind of performance that stalls drives, kills momentum, and typically sinks a team against a division rival.
Except this team refused to sink.
Ridder made mistakes, but the Steelers adjusted. They leaned on the ground game. They leaned on their defense. They leaned on their identity. And what emerged was one of the clearest examples yet of how far this roster has come.
This was not the Ridder Show.
This was not a finesse win.
This was a team win, in every definition of the phrase.
And it is exactly what separates contenders from pretenders.
The Two Headed Monster Takes Over Again
With Ridder struggling, the Steelers unleashed the most punishing backfield in the AFC North.
Kaleb Johnson was unstoppable, finishing with 16 carries for 146 yards and 2 touchdowns. Every run was a statement. Johnson broke tackles, powered through arm contact, and hit second level defenders with the kind of physicality that makes defensive coordinators rethink their strategy.
On his second touchdown, Johnson bulldozed his way through into the endzone. It was the type of run that lifts an entire sideline and drains the energy from a defense.
Alongside him, Nate Carter delivered one of the most complete stat lines of his season. Carter totaled 13 carries for 56 yards and 3 touchdowns, adding 2 catches for 67 yards as a receiving threat. Every time the Steelers needed a spark, Carter was there. Every time they needed a drive to stay alive, there he was again.
Three rushing touchdowns in a division game is impressive. Doing it while sharing carries with a 146 yard back is even more impressive.
This duo is becoming something terrifying.
Not thunder and lightning.
Not power and speed.
Not bruiser and burner.
They are both everything.
Receivers Grind Through a Tough Game Script
In a matchup where the passing attack took a back seat, the receiving corps turned in a gritty performance, making timely catches that extended drives despite limited opportunities.
Alec Pierce caught 4 passes for 41 yards, consistently moving the chains on crucial downs.
DK Metcalf hauled in 4 catches for 39 yards, fighting through tight coverage on nearly every snap.
This was not a stat padding day for Pittsburgh’s skill players. But it was a toughness day, a day where every catch mattered, every yard counted, and every bit of effort contributed to the greater mission.
The Defense Sent Cammy Back to Reality
If there was any unit that took Cammy’s pre game trash talk personally, it was the Steelers defense.
They swarmed.
They hit.
They forced turnovers.
They owned the middle of the field.
And when the Bengals were desperate for a comeback, Pittsburgh slammed the door.
Joe Burrow threw for 335 yards, but he also posted a 74 passer rating with 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. In the biggest moments, the Steelers made the biggest plays.
The three interceptions were delivered by three different players, each in their own dramatic fashion:
Jaylen Watson – His interception was clinical, a perfectly read break on the football from a corner who continues to elevate his game weekly. Watson also led the entire team in tackles with 13, playing like a man possessed.
Jalen Ramsey – This was the highlight of the game. Ramsey delivered what many are calling the most ridiculous interception of the season, snatching the football with a one handed, overhand grab that made the entire stadium erupt. It was acrobatic. It was violent. It was absolutely absurd.
Joey Porter Jr – His interception shut down a Bengals drive that had real momentum. He read the route like a veteran, flipped his hips smoothly, and attacked the ball at the highest point.
Together, these picks turned the game upside down and completely rattled Burrow’s rhythm.
T.J. Watt Dominates the Edge Once Again
Another week, another masterpiece from T.J. Watt, who finished with 2 sacks and 3 tackles for loss. Cincinnati had no answer for him. Watt lived in the backfield, hunting Burrow snap after snap and forcing rushed decisions that directly led to turnovers.
Every time the Bengals looked ready to climb back into the game, Watt made sure they climbed right back down.
Patrick Queen Brings the Heat
Patrick Queen delivered 6 tackles and 1 sack, wreaking havoc in both the run and pass game. His timing, his recognition, and his ability to collapse the pocket up the middle amplified the chaos caused by the edges.
Queen continues to prove he is one of the most important defensive players on the roster.
A Win with Imperfections & That Is the Point
The Steelers did not win because Ridder played well.
They did not win because the offense put up flawless numbers.
They did not win because the defense pitched a masterpiece.
They won because they played complementary football.
They won because they have depth at every level.
They won because they are learning how to win even when things go wrong.
And that is exactly the kind of win that championship teams collect on the road to the postseason.
The Final Word
Cammy talked.
The Bengals chirped.
The rivalry heated up.
But at the end of the day
The Steelers walked out of Week 9 with a 41 to 31 win, their fourth straight victory, and all the bragging rights.
The standings tell the story.
The scoreboard confirms it.
And the Steelers march on.
– Forged In Steel Times
