Devlin Hodges replaces Mason Rudolph
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| Devlin Hodges replaces Mason Rudolph | courtesy:google |
The Steelers' 16-10 win over the Bengals on Sunday was not a wondrous thing. Pittsburgh trailed the winless Bengals, 7-3, after recess, and they had to seat quarterback Mason Rudolph for Devlin "Duck" Hodges. Be that as it may, notwithstanding their moderate beginning, the Steelers revitalized to score their tenth straight prevail upon their AFC North adversary while improving to 6-5 on the season. Simultaneously, Pittsburgh moved to the 6th spot in the AFC standings and would be in the end of the season games if the postseason began today.
Then again, the Bengals, in spite of a valiant exertion, stay winless while reinforcing their chances at finding the No. 1 generally speaking pick in the 2020 draft. While their safeguard about conveyed them to a success, two significant final quarter bumbles fixed the Bengals' eleventh loss of the period.
Here's a more profound plunge at how the Steelers - who were without James Conner, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Maurkice Pouncey - had the option to leave the Queen City with a triumph.
Why the Steelers won
The Steelers' offense got a shock in the arm by Hodges, who hurled a 79-yard touchdown go to James Washington three plays in the wake of supplanting Rudolph. Pittsburgh's offense likewise got a strong exertion by new kid on the block running back Benny Snell, who scrambled for a profession high 98 yards on 21 conveys in his first game back subsequent to missing the previous month with knee damage. Snell had a few key runs down the stretch that helped the Steelers seal the success.
Pittsburgh's barrier was the essential motivation behind why the Steelers improved to 5-1 in their last six games. The Steelers' safeguard sacked Bengals quarterback Ryan Finley multiple times while permitting only 11 first downs and two third-down changes. Devin Bush and Minkah Fitzpatrick - two of Pittsburgh's best protectors all season - concocted a vital turnover late in the final quarter, with the Bengals down 13-10 yet taking steps to lead the pack. Bud Dupree's sack, constrained and recouped bobble of Finley on Cincinnati's last hostile belonging fixed the success.
The Steelers' exceptional groups unit additionally merits credit for the success. Kicker Chris Boswell made every one of the four of his kicks that included three field objective transformations, while punter Jordan Berry kept on sticking the Bengals' offense somewhere down in their own domain all through the challenge.
Why the Bengals lost
An absence of third-down progress was the significant motivation behind why Cincinnati's losing streak is presently at 13 games, the longest such streak in establishment history. The Bengals went only 2-of-12 on third down while having seven three and outs. Finley battled with his exactness, going 12 of 26 while submitting his pivotal bungle late in the game. The Bengals didn't do an adequate activity bolstering running back Joe Mixon, who got only 18 contacts against a Steelers safeguard that was searching for the pass.
While Tyler Boyd was the Bengals' best hostile weapon (getting goes of 41 and 15 yards on the Bengals' last drive of the principal half while giving Cincinnati a 7-3 halftime lead), his final quarter mishandle was a critical minute in the game. With the Steelers putting more spotlight on Boyd during the subsequent half, Finley attempted to get the show on the road to his corresponding recipients, with wideout Auden Tate getting only one go for 10 yards. Giovani Bernard's three gatherings was the Bengals' second-most noteworthy aggregate behind Boyd.
Subsequent to constraining a key capture attempt in the primary a large portion of, the Bengals' resistance - drove by Sam Hubbard, Carlos Dunlap, Nick Vigil and Shawn Williams (who took out Rudolph in the red zone in the main half) - was not able concocted an energy changing turnover during the subsequent half. They additionally permitted Hodges to take the game's energy on his touchdown go to Washington that saw Washington firm arm cautious back B.W. Webb. Talking about Webb, his two leave obstruction punishments set behind Pittsburgh's thumbs up field objective with 12 minutes left. The Bengals' run resistance, strong for the vast majority of the game, self-destructed in the game's end minutes, with Snell increasing 62 yards on seven carries on Pittsburgh's last two belongings.
Defining moment
Trailing 7-3, Hodges' 79-yard touchdown go to Washington changed the composition of the game. Washington, whose obstructing in run support likewise assumed a job in Sunday's success, has gotten two touchdowns in Pittsburgh's last three games in the wake of getting only one touchdown in his initial 20 NFL games.
Play of the game
The Bengals were taking steps to lead the pack before Bush's bumble of Boyd was gathered up by Fitzpatrick, who has assumed a job in eight constrained turnovers since joining the Steelers two weeks into the customary season. The constrained bobble was the first of the period for Bush, Pittsburgh's first-round pick who drives the Steelers in handles and bungle recuperations. Hedge and Fitzpatrick are both driving their separate situations in the AFC Pro Bowl fan casting a ballot, alongside individual protective colleagues Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt, who both posted sacks of Finley on Sunday.
"Just felt like our offense required a sparkle. Artisan wasn't doing what's needed. Duck came in and gave a sparkle, made a few plays. We'll see what one weeks from now holds one week from now. However, I like the commitments of Duck. I like his status. I welcome the endeavors of Mason and furthermore value the help of Mason after we rolled out the improvement. That is the way we get down." - Steelers lead trainer Mike Tomlin on his quarterback change halfway through the game.
What's straightaway
The Steelers will have the Browns next Sunday in a key AFC North confrontation. The Steelers should keep winning to stay in the AFC season finisher race, while the Browns are likewise back in the season finisher blend in the wake of moving to 5-6 after Sunday's home triumph over the Dolphins. The Bengals will presently get ready to have the Jets, who have won three straight games in the wake of steering the meeting Raiders on Sunday.
A recap of our live blog inclusion is beneath.
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