3 Takeaways from Steelers' Week 12 Win vs. Bengals

The Pittsburgh Steelers outlasted the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday to record their seventh win of the season. It wasn't always pretty, and Pittsburgh did benefit from Joe Burrow's absence, but beating a division rival on the road is never easy.

Pittsburgh got the win and, following a midweek coordinator change, it topped 400 offensive yards for the first time since early 2020.

It was a strong way to bounce back from a Week 11 divisional loss, even if the Steelers still have issues to address.

Here are our biggest takeaways from Pittsburgh's 16-10 win over the Bengals in Week 12.

The Early Offensive Struggles Continued

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Steelers RB Jaylen Warren is tackled by Bengals DB Dax Hill

The Steelers finally dumped offensive coordinator Matt Canada following last week's loss to the Cleveland Browns. To replace him, Pittsburgh promoted running backs coach Eddie Faulkner to offensive coordinator and made quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan the play caller.

While the offense did appear to have more of a flow, the change didn't yield the sort of fast start that Pittsburgh has been lacking.

Things looked promising initially, as Kenny Pickett hit George Pickens for a 24-yard strike to open the game. However, Diontae Johnson dropped a sure touchdown, Jaylen Warren fumbled, and the Steelers were once again held scoreless in the first quarter.

To be fair, the Steelers had less than a week to implement schematic changes, but seeing certain issues remain is concerning. Pickett continues to misfire at open receivers, and the third-down playcalling was frequently unimaginative and ineffective.

Things picked up in the second half, where the Steelers found a touchdown, and the final yardage total was impressive. however, Pittsburgh needs to start faster and score more than 16 points per week if it hopes to be viewed as a serious playoff threat.

Pittsburgh Might Have Diontae Johnson Problem

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CINCINNATI, OHIO - NOVEMBER 26: Diontae Johnson #18 of the Pittsburgh Steelers catches a pass during the first half of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on November 26, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

It has become very clear that Johnson is frustrated with Pittsburgh's lack of offensive production.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Johnson was "chipping" at Steelers coaches during and after last week's game and then had a "heated argument" with safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Per Schefter, T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward deescalated the situation and delivered a "message that the team needed to stick together."

A strong performance would have been a great way for Johnson to put his frustrations behind him. Following his dropped touchdown, however, that didn't happen.

On the ensuing play—the one on which Warren fumbled—Johnson was uninterested in blocking, made no attempt to locate or recover the football and watched as Cincinnati's DJ Turner II scooped it and ran past. He finished with four catches for 50 yards, but his early lack of hustle stood out more than any plays Johnson made after.

Johnson, who signed a two-year extension after the 2022 season, once looked like an integral long-term building block for the Steelers. If he continues to hurt his team with a lack of chemistry and motivation, however, his future could become very cloudy.

While Johnson is signed through 2024, Pittsburgh could save $10 million in cap space by releasing him in the offseason.

Welcome Back, Pat Freiermuth

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Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth

Tight end Pat Freiermuth made his return from injured reserve (hamstring) against Cleveland last week. However, he wasn't incorporated into the game plan often and finished with only one seven-yard catch on one target.

The 25-year-old was far more involved this week, finishing with 11 targets, nine receptions and 120 receiving yards. Getting the ball to him early and often was one of the most obvious offensive changes we saw from Sullivan—along with some routes to the middle of the field and a nice mix of pistol, shotgun and I formations.

Freiermuth's heavy involvement might just be the key to unlocking Pittsburgh's passing attack. He's clearly one of Pickett's favorite targets, and he's going to provide mismatches more often than not.

Unsurprisingly, Pickett's surge coincided with Pickett's first 250-yard passing game of the season. Pickett finished 24-of-33 for 278 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

It may take time for Pittsburgh's offense to experience a dramatic shift, but a concerted effort to get the ball to the team's best playmakers is a great way to start the post-Canada era.

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*Contract information via Spotrac.