Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals Match Player Stats (Nov 16, 2025)
Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati 34-12 at Acrisure Stadium on November 16, 2025. Kenneth Gainwell finished with 105 total yards and two touchdowns while safety Kyle Dugger’s 73-yard pick-six turned the game. Joe Flacco completed 23 of 40 passes for 199 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Chase Brown led Cincinnati with 99 rushing yards on 18 carries.
Mason Rudolph replaced injured Aaron Rodgers at halftime and completed 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards with a touchdown. The Steelers defense forced two turnovers and returned both for scores. Ja’Marr Chase caught just three passes for 30 yards after recording 16 receptions and 161 yards in their October meeting.
Table of Contents
Game Overview
Pittsburgh controlled possession and scoring efficiency throughout.
| Category | Bengals | Steelers |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 12 | 34 |
| Total Yards | 297 | 343 |
| First Downs | 17 | 22 |
| Third Down | 7-15 (47%) | 7-13 (54%) |
| Possession | 29:55 | 30:05 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
How the Game Unfolded
Both offenses scored quickly. Rodgers found Gainwell for an 11-yard touchdown after Jaylen Warren ran for 35 yards on the opening drive. Flacco answered with a 28-yard strike to Tee Higgins after converting back-to-back third downs to Andrei Iosivas.
Cincinnati attempted a two-point conversion from the one-yard line following a roughing penalty on the extra point. Patrick Queen stopped Chase Brown’s wildcat rush short. The Bengals never led again.
Six straight punts followed before Pittsburgh scored in the final two minutes of the half. Darnell Washington caught a short pass and stiff-armed Barrett Carter before running through Geno Stone for 31 yards. Chris Boswell’s 25-yard field goal made it 10-6 at halftime.
Rodgers left with a wrist injury to his left hand sustained when T.J. Watt drove him into the turf on a second-quarter roughing penalty. Rudolph took over cold and immediately faced third-and-11. He hit Roman Wilson for 17 yards. Boswell added another field goal for 13-9.
Facing third-and-9 from the Pittsburgh 35 with the Bengals driving, Flacco tried to squeeze a pass to Higgins over the middle. Watt’s edge pressure disrupted the timing. Dugger read the route, stepped in front, and raced 73 yards for the score with 37 seconds left in the third quarter. Nick Herbig’s downfield block sprung him loose. Pittsburgh led 20-9.
Evan McPherson replied with a 48-yard field goal. But the Steelers countered with a methodical 12-play, 65-yard drive. Rudolph hit Gainwell for 20 yards on third-and-11, then connected with him for 28 yards on a screen that moved the chains on first-and-23. Gainwell’s second touchdown came two plays later.
On Cincinnati’s next snap, Brandin Echols stripped the ball from Noah Fant. James Pierre scooped it and dove into the end zone from 34 yards out with 3:22 remaining.
Quarterback Performance
Rodgers’ halftime exit shifted the game plan entirely.
Cincinnati Passing
| Player | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Rating | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Flacco | 23/40 | 199 | 1 | 1 | 68.6 | 1-7 |
Flacco averaged 5.0 yards per attempt on a 58% completion rate. His average depth of target reached 8.0 yards with 99 air yards against 100 yards after catch. He faced 12 pressures and absorbed two hits.
Pittsburgh Passing
| Player | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Rating | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Rodgers | 9/15 | 116 | 1 | 0 | 106.5 | 1-11 |
| Mason Rudolph | 12/16 | 127 | 1 | 0 | 118.5 | 0-0 |
Rodgers hit 60% of his throws before exiting. Rudolph entered and completed 75% at 7.9 yards per attempt. Pittsburgh’s pass protection held up well enough for Rudolph to operate efficiently despite Cincinnati generating 12 total pressures.
Warren and Brown paced their respective rushing attacks with similar efficiency.
Ground Attack
Both backs averaged at least 5.5 yards per carry.
Leading Rushers
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | YPC | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Brown | CIN | 18 | 99 | 5.5 | 35 | 0 |
| Jaylen Warren | PIT | 10 | 62 | 6.2 | 35 | 0 |
| Kenneth Gainwell | PIT | 9 | 24 | 2.7 | 12 | 0 |
Brown ran for 99 yards and caught six passes for 28 yards (127 total yards from scrimmage). Warren compiled 67 combined yards. Gainwell’s production came primarily through the air.
Rushing Comparison
| Team | Attempts | Yards | YPC | Before Contact | After Contact | Explosive Runs (10+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals | 22 | 105 | 4.8 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 2 |
| Steelers | 28 | 111 | 4.0 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 2 |
Cincinnati ran for 1.8 yards before contact per carry while Pittsburgh runners gained 3.3 yards after contact per attempt. The difference in elusiveness: the Bengals created four missed tackles, the Steelers created eight. This translated to more sustained drives for Pittsburgh despite similar total rushing yardage.
Pass Catchers
Gainwell’s dual-threat production led all receivers.
Cincinnati Receivers
| Player | Rec | Targets | Yards | YPR | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tee Higgins | 3 | 8 | 63 | 21.0 | 1 | 28 |
| Noah Fant | 5 | 6 | 36 | 7.2 | 0 | 15 |
| Ja’Marr Chase | 3 | 10 | 30 | 10.0 | 0 | 16 |
| Chase Brown | 6 | 8 | 28 | 4.7 | 0 | 17 |
| Tanner Hudson | 3 | 3 | 22 | 7.3 | 0 | 9 |
Higgins scored in his fourth consecutive game. Chase saw 10 targets but caught just three passes, a drastic shift from his 16-catch performance in Week 7.
Pittsburgh Receivers
| Player | Rec | Targets | Yards | YPR | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenneth Gainwell | 7 | 8 | 81 | 11.6 | 2 | 28 |
| Darnell Washington | 4 | 5 | 67 | 16.8 | 0 | 31 |
| D.K. Metcalf | 5 | 8 | 49 | 9.8 | 0 | 17 |
| Pat Freiermuth | 1 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 | 0 | 19 |
| Roman Wilson | 1 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 | 0 | 17 |
Washington put up 14.5 yards per reception after the catch, gaining 58 of his 67 total yards post-contact.
Yards After Catch Leaders
| Player | Team | Receptions | YAC | YAC/Rec |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenneth Gainwell | PIT | 7 | 102 | 14.6 |
| Darnell Washington | PIT | 4 | 58 | 14.5 |
| Chase Brown | CIN | 6 | 31 | 5.2 |
| Noah Fant | CIN | 5 | 26 | 5.2 |
Pittsburgh receivers created 225 yards after catch compared to Cincinnati’s 100. The 125-yard difference highlights how Pittsburgh’s offensive design created more space for their pass catchers.
Defensive Breakdown
Queen and Murphy led their units in tackles despite the 34-12 final.
Tackle Leaders
| Player | Team | Total | Solo | Assists | TFL | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Queen | PIT | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Geno Stone | CIN | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oren Burks | CIN | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Myles Murphy | CIN | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Brandin Echols | PIT | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Queen recorded double-digit tackles with an 86.5 PFF grade, the highest defensive mark. Murphy tallied a career-high seven tackles with his first sack, dropping Rodgers for an 11-yard loss.
Pass Rush Production
| Player | Team | Pressures | Sacks | QB Hits | Hurries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myles Murphy | CIN | 6 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Nick Herbig | PIT | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Keeanu Benton | PIT | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Joseph Ossai | CIN | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Pittsburgh generated 15 total pressures despite recording just one sack, per Pro Football Reference. Cincinnati produced 12 pressures but struggled to finish plays in the backfield.
Coverage Stats
| Player | Team | Targets | Completions | Yards | Rating | PBU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Pierre | PIT | 9 | 5 | 46 | 71.2 | 2 |
| Brandin Echols | PIT | 7 | 5 | 47 | 89.6 | 0 |
| Barrett Carter | CIN | 4 | 4 | 67 | 158.3 | 0 |
| Oren Burks | CIN | 4 | 4 | 25 | 132.3 | 0 |
Pierre started for injured Darius Slay and surrendered a 55.6% completion rate while breaking up two passes. Carter gave up four completions on four targets for 67 yards in coverage against pass-catching backs and tight ends.
The game’s two biggest plays came from Pittsburgh’s secondary, not their pass rush.
Turnovers and Scoring
| Type | Player | Team | Quarter | Return | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interception | Kyle Dugger | PIT | 3rd | 73 | Touchdown |
| Fumble | James Pierre | PIT | 4th | 34 | Touchdown |
Pittsburgh’s defense returned both turnovers for touchdowns, extending their league lead with 21 defensive touchdowns since 2022.
Special Teams
Kicking Performance
| Player | Team | FG | Long | XP | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Boswell | PIT | 2/2 | 30 | 4/4 | 10 |
| Evan McPherson | CIN | 2/2 | 48 | 0/0 | 6 |
Return Game
| Player | Team | Kick Returns | KR Yards | Punt Returns | PR Yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Jones | CIN | 6 | 138 | 1 | 4 |
| Calvin Austin III | PIT | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 |
Scoring Summary
| Quarter | Bengals | Steelers |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 6 | 7 |
| 2nd | 0 | 3 |
| 3rd | 3 | 10 |
| 4th | 3 | 14 |
The Steelers outscored Cincinnati 24-6 after halftime with defense accounting for 14 of those points.
Critical Situations
Converting third downs and scoring in the red zone separated the two offenses.
Third Down Efficiency
| Team | Conversions | Rate | Key Conversions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 7/13 | 54% | 3rd-and-11, 3rd-and-17 |
| Bengals | 7/15 | 47% | 0/1 on fourth down |
Pittsburgh hit third-and-11 and third-and-17 through Washington’s contested catches and Gainwell beating linebacker coverage. Cincinnati moved chains early but failed to score inside Pittsburgh territory.
Red Zone Success
| Team | Trips | TDs | FGs | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 4 | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| Bengals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
Pittsburgh scored on all four red zone possessions, per Steelers.com. Cincinnati managed one red zone trip and didn’t score.
Drive Efficiency
| Team | Yards/Drive | Plays/Drive | Points/Drive | 3-and-Outs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 41.1 | 9.5 | 2.8 | 2 |
| Bengals | 24.1 | 6.5 | 1.1 | 4 |
Pittsburgh sustained longer drives and converted possessions into points at nearly triple Cincinnati’s rate.
Individual Standouts
Kenneth Gainwell’s Breakthrough
Gainwell produced a career game with catches from both quarterbacks. He hauled in seven of eight targets for 81 yards, averaging 11.6 yards per reception with 102 yards after catch. His ability to win matchups against linebackers created easy completions.
He also made a tackle on kickoff coverage, showcasing special teams contributions that coach Mike Tomlin praised. Gainwell’s PFF offensive grade of 80.6 ranked second among all offensive players.
Mason Rudolph’s Steady Performance
Rudolph didn’t know he was playing until Rodgers told him at halftime. The eight-year veteran, who led Pittsburgh’s playoff push in 2023 before spending 2024 in Tennessee, completed 75% of his passes for a 118.5 passer rating. He averaged 7.9 yards per attempt with zero interceptions.
Rudolph completed passes of 17, 17, 20, and 28 yards on key third and fourth quarter drives.
Limiting Ja’Marr Chase
Chase entered with 16 catches on 23 targets from Week 7 but caught just three receptions on 10 targets. Pittsburgh deployed multiple defenders with two-high safety looks more frequently than the single-high coverage from October, per Bengals.com postgame coverage.
Chase’s target depth averaged 11.6 yards, but Pittsburgh’s two-high coverage scheme took away deep routes. The star receiver drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty during an altercation with Jalen Ramsey, who was ejected.
Injury Report
Rodgers played 37 snaps before exiting with the left wrist injury. The four-time MVP completed 60% of his passes for 116 yards and one touchdown, posting a 106.5 rating. Coach Mike Tomlin said Rodgers would undergo further testing, leaving his status uncertain for Week 12 at Chicago.
Cincinnati lost cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt to a left foot injury in the first half after just 10 snaps. Drew Sample was evaluated for a right oblique injury but returned.
Ramsey’s ejection forced Pittsburgh to adjust their secondary, yet the Steelers still held Cincinnati to 12 points and forced two turnovers.
Historical Context
Pittsburgh improved to 71-41 all-time against Cincinnati, splitting the season series. The Steelers have won 27 of the last 40 meetings dating back to 2005.
Cincinnati dropped to 3-7, matching their record through 10 games in 2024. The Bengals have allowed 84 points in the fourth quarter over their last five games, per SI.com, setting an NFL record for the worst five-game span in league history.
Moving Forward
Pittsburgh moved to 6-4, maintaining their AFC North lead. Running and passing effectively while creating defensive scores gives them multiple paths to victory. Rudolph’s performance offers quarterback depth if Rodgers misses time.
Cincinnati faces a critical stretch at 3-7, needing to win out for any playoff hope. The defense showed improvement, but offensive struggles in finishing drives continue. Flacco’s turnover ended their best scoring opportunity, and red zone failures have plagued them all season.
For comprehensive analysis of NFL player statistics across all matchups, visit Match Player Stats.
Cincinnati hosts New England next while Pittsburgh travels to Chicago. Both December matchups will impact AFC playoff positioning.
