Steelers vs. Bengals: 19 Things We Learned from Cincinnati's 17-24 Loss

Leading up the the annual renewal of the Bengals versus Steelers rivalry, there was much anticipation. A rookie quarterback leading a team to a place not dreamed of for many moons. The bubble had grown and grown to the point that when the Steelers burst that bubble (barely), the entire team was brought back to earth.

Some hard, mixed with harsh, mixed with promising reality was experienced by the Bengals and their legions.

Yet even on the deflating experience of losing merely covered the promise of a greater team that was only a few plays away from turning everything around on a play or two.

Simply by competing, the Bengals showed they are for real.

Here is what we learned in Week 10...

The Bengals Started Slow...

The Bengals quickly gave up two touchdowns to the Steelers while going three plays and out on the two reciprocating drives. Both offense and defense needed time to adapt and learn about the Steelers on both sides of the ball.

It would seem that the Bengals were too slow to learn the lessons of the Steelers.

...but Came on Strong...

Though with the knowledge the Bengals acquired, they roared back with a touchdown and a field goal to narrow the gap to four points while the defense finished the half strong—ending two drives in three plays and allowing only another field goal in the first half.

...only to Finish Just Short.

The third quarter looked like the Bengals would pick up where they left off in the first half, holding the Steelers to another three plays and out on the opening drive of the half while scoring a touchdown on the first possession of the the same frame. 

The Steelers countered with a touchdown, and the Bengals closed the third quarter with the ball.

Cincinnati's Offense Came Back....

The Bengals reacted quicker this week and caught up quickly after falling behind in a similar fashion. The Bengals showed that the offense can adapt to strong competition and keep up with any defense in the NFL.

...but the Offense Did Not Finish Well.

Yet Dalton was flustered under pressure and made two key rookie mistakes in the fourth quarter which led to two interceptions by the Steelers. It was another telling moment of staying power.

Defense Continued to Read and React Well...

The defense spent the first quarter reading (giving up two touchdowns) and then shut down the explosive Steelers' offense, while putting ample pressure on Ben Roethlisberger in comparison.

...but the Team Was Already Down by Two Touchdowns When the Bengals Woke Up.

Yet giving up two costly touchdowns in order to learn how to react to the opponent is not going to lead to many victories against qualified opponents.

Bengals Defensive Line Rang Big Ben's Bell...

The Bengals sacked Big Ben five times to go along with five quarterback hits and five passes defended. The D-line continued to establish itself as the foundation of the Bengals' defense.

...but the Pittsburgh Faithful Were Able to Bask in an Epic Performance.

Yet Ben Roethlisberger's arm was too much for the Bengals' secondary, as the opposition carved up the Bengals' pass defense.

A.J. Green Scored a Spectacular Touchdown...

Green continued to show how he is an elite wide receiver, leaping above the competition to snag a beautiful first quarter touchdown.

...but in the Process Caused the "Green Scare."

Then Green came down to earth and hyper-extended his knee, showing the risk of acrobatics in the NFL.

Result: Bengals Offense Needs A.J. Green on the Field to Succeed.

With Green gone for the rest of the game (though expected to play in Week 11), offseason acquisition Andrew Hawkins stepped up his game to lead the Bengals with five catches (on six targets) for 56 yards—including a long of 25 yards.

Yet without the threat of Green to occupy the Steelers' secondary, the passing game seemingly could not find itself a consistent rhythm.

At the End of the Hall? Leon Hall Lost from the Secondary...

Adam Schefter of ESPN.com along with NBC's Pro Football Talk are reporting that Leon Hall ruptured his Achilles' tendon sending a huge blow to the Bengals' secondary...

Or Possible New Beginning for Adam "Pacman" Jones.

...or an opportunity for Adam Jones to re-emerge Cedric Benson-style to elevate the Bengals secondary...?

Jermaine Gresham Comes Back and Contributes.

Gresham came back and scored a touchdown in the second half to lead to the Bengals' brief tie with the Steelers.  Gresham reconfirmed his position as the top tight end for the Bengals.

Andy Dalton Performed Admirably for Three Quarters...

Dalton showed poise and took no chances for the first three quarters. While there were very few long throws, Dalton played close to his pocket and did not put the Bengals in a bad position for most of the game. Yet, the lack of production in the air is something that will need tweaking as Andy's career progresses.

...but the Steel Curtain Closed on the Red Rifle in the Final Frame.

Then the second half came and Dalton was desperate to create a scoring opportunity. His learning curve showed as he was read by the coverage and intercepted twice in the fourth quarter on pivotal drives in Steelers' territory.

Dalton Will Still Be Haunted by Questions of Arm Strength and Endurance.

Blowing up in the fourth quarter along with limited passing yardage (Bengals' fans are generally used to big arm quarterbacks) left the lingering questions of endurance and strength on the table in regards to Andy Dalton. Though more likely than not, simply continuation of Andy's education is what has Jay Gruden and the Bengals' coaching staff limiting Dalton's aerial game.

Conclusion: Promising Reality Check?

The Bengals came back again and though they came up short, these cats showed gumption in tying it back up. A few plays the Bengals' way and this one would have been a victory. The game was competitive and the rematch should be electric.

The loss may have burst a bubble, but it also brought about the reality that though young and learning, this Cincinnati Bengals' team is for real.