Steelers Defense “Gobbles Up” Bengals Passing Game

The Pittsburgh Steelers would face division rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals, in what has been billed the Turkey Bowl by many of their peirs. The game between the founders of the BDML and leaders of a brave new league.

It would be a game that both teams needed to win as the Baltimore Ratbirds are running away with the division and a win would get one of these teams closer to catching up. It would also be for pride, for the love of the game and for everything in between.

The game of the season, Turkey Bowl IV, would turn out to be more of a dark comedy for these two offenses though as they would combine for 12 turnovers. Seven interceptions would be gobbled up by Pittsburgh Defense as their offense would toss three of their own and fumble not once but twice inside the Bengals 10 yard line. The first fumble coming on their opening drive when Jonathan Stewart would caugh up the ball as he crossed the 5 yard marker.

The Bengals would turn that fumble into a touchdown but it was mostly down hill for them from their as the Steelers defense, led by Troy Polamalu, who had three interceptions on the day, would take over for most of the rest of the game and it would be the fourth quarter before either of these two teams could score again as they spent time play hot potatoe the rest of the half and deep into the third period.

The Steelers, who have revamped their running game by trading for J. Stewart and rebuilt their secondary by adding corner back Kelvin Hayden and FS, A. Bethea, via trade as well got several contributions from their new stars but not all was positive as Stewart would pound two fumbles into the turf while Bethea would pick up a contraversial pass interference that lead to the Bengals substaining a rare drive without an interception being thrown and getting their second score of the game. Hayden was the one who earned his paycheck on the day though as he picked of his first and second pass as a Steelers in his first game with the team, one inwhich he turned into a pick six.

“The game was ugly, every time we got a drive going they forced us to turn it over, then they would get a drive going and our defense would take it back. Crazy game man, not sure how we escaped it with the win to be honest.” said Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin, after the game.

Heath Miller would get the Steelers second touch down on the day by getting behind a blitzing defense for a 55 yard catch and run to give his team the lead.

“I say the blitz and looked at Ben and he knew exactly where I was going, I just ran up the field and he hit me over the top and I was lucky enough to run it in the rest of the way.” said Miller of his touch down catch.

The Bengals would tie the game at 14 all with :57 seconds left in the contest as it looked like this one would be going into over time. That was before Ben Roethlisberger was able to find second year WR Mike Wallace streaking down the field on a 48 yard catch that put the Steelers in perfect position for a game winning FG. With no time outs left and only :26 seconds left on the clock, kicker Jeff Reed was called apon to get the game winning boot and did just that as the Steelers would finish their 17 point 4th quarter with a game winning FG by their trusty kicker.

The Steelers have now got themselves back into the division race with a pair of wins over the Patriots and Bengals but the season does not get any easier as the undefeated Atlanta Falcons are up next. It won’t be an easy game to win, but if the defense can gobble their way to another victory, this team may have just found the final peices to the puzzle and become a real threat in the AFC.