The Pittsburgh Steelers secured a 27-12 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, maintaining their hold on first place in the AFC North. However, the team may be facing a significant injury concern with their starting quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers did not play in the second half after suffering a left hand injury late in the second quarter. He appeared to be favoring his left wrist following several hard hits during a two-minute drill. Rodgers headed to the locker room ahead of the rest of the team for an evaluation but did not return to the game.

Replacing him, Mason Rudolph played the entire second half and helped lead the Steelers to the victory. Rodgers completed 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown in the first half, while Rudolph finished the game with identical stats: 12 of 16 for 127 yards and a touchdown.

The game also featured a notable incident when Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey was ejected in the fourth quarter after throwing a punch at Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Despite being down a key defender, Pittsburgh’s defense stepped up with two crucial touchdowns in the second half.

Safety Kyle Dugger recorded a 73-yard interception return for a touchdown, marking his first interception with the Steelers. Later, James Pierre returned a fumble 33 yards for another score late in the fourth quarter, sealing the victory.

On offense, Kenneth Gainwell stood out for the Steelers, catching two touchdown passes. He opened the scoring with an 11-yard touchdown reception on the first drive and later added a 5-yard touchdown catch from Mason Rudolph.

For Cincinnati, Tee Higgins had an early touchdown on a 28-yard reception from Joe Flacco. However, the Bengals failed to convert their two-point attempt after a Steelers penalty on the PAT. The rest of Cincinnati’s offense struggled to find momentum, settling for field goals by kicker Evan McPherson.

With the win, Pittsburgh improves to 6-4, retaining first place in the AFC North. The Steelers will travel to face the Chicago Bears in Week 12.

The Bengals fall to 3-7 and will host the New England Patriots, who hold a 9-2 record, in their upcoming Week 12 matchup. Meanwhile, the return of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is getting closer, though it remains uncertain if he will be able to play next week.
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