The big game of the weekend saw the Bengals eke out the victory over the Steelers that keeps them on top of the division while the Ravens earned their second win of the
season. In that win, the Ravens lost their 36-year old veteran Steve Smith with an Achilles heel
injury.
Smith had been suggesting he would retire at the end of the
season, so to go out in this way left its mark on the player. "What
hurts the most is I can't be out there with my guys," said Smith,
who accumulated 13,932 yards during his career to move into tenth place on the
all-time receiving list. Smith is my headline man of the weekend in the
division
Cincinnati Bengals at
Pittsburgh Steelers
On what should have been a day to celebrate the return of Ben Roethlisberger as their starting
quarterback, the Steelers finished the day without the expected win and without
their star running back Le'Veon Bell,
who may not return this season.
Facing Andy Dalton's
Bengals, the game was expected to be a shootout between two of the leading
quarterbacks in the NFL. Instead, the Bengals managed to grind out the win as
the defenses dominated until the final quarter when Cincinnati forged ahead
taking advantage of turnovers.
On the first series of the game, Roethlisberger led
Pittsburgh on a 12-play scoring drive appearing to have no signs of rustiness
from his injury as he connected with Antonio
Brown for the touchdown. The Bengals hit back with two field goals as both
offenses slipped into slumber mode.
The Steelers blocked a Cincinnati field goal attempt in the
third period before adding one of their own to increase their lead to10-6 as
both offenses continued to splutter and the injury to Bell reducing
Roethlisberger's options.
Two Pittsburgh interceptions in the final period turned Heinz
Field into a sea of yellow as the fans twirled their Terrible Towels in
anticipation of the Bengals unbeaten streak coming to an end. The cauldron of
noise soon fell silent when their returning hero Roethlisberger, perhaps now
tiring, made a bad decision in attempting a pass that was intercepted inspiring
the Bengals into a late surge that brought the win.
Andy Dalton finally overcame the Steelers defense, throwing
a touchdown pass to A.J. Green, who
finished with 118 yards. Another Roethlisberger interception enabled Cincinnati
to add a field goal as they took the 16-10 win to go 7-0 for the first time in
the team's history.
“I’m happy for our fans,” offered Cincinnati's defensive tackle
Domata Peko. “People come up to me all the
time and say, ‘I don’t care if you win one game I just hope its Pittsburgh.
“We’re showing everyone in the nation we’re not fooling around this year.”
Arizona Cardinal at Cleveland
Browns
Quarterback Josh
McCown started for the Browns and his three touchdown passes gave Cleveland
a 20-7 lead before Arizona's Carson
Palmer complemented his first quarter touchdown with another three in the
second half
While McCown continues to provide the Browns every
opportunity to win their games through the air, Cleveland's ground attack
offered little support with just 39 yards, 18 of them from McCown.
San Diego Chargers at
Baltimore Ravens
The loss of veteran receiver Steve Smith for the season
overshadowed Baltimore's second win as the Ravens overhauled a 7-13 half time
deficit with quarterback Joe Flacco
out-passing San Diego's Philip Rivers
319 to 301 yards.
Despite three touchdowns passes from Rivers, Justin Tucker's four field goals kept
the Ravens in the game before he kicked his fifth as time expired to give the
Ravens their win. The 29-26 victory saw the Ravens join the Browns on 2-6 at
the basement of the division.
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