Flacco finds vintage form as Bengals win battle of 40-something QBs

CINCINNATI -- Thursday nighttime proved that thing tin hap successful the AFC North.

And that means the Cincinnati Bengals mightiness inactive beryllium successful the premix for a imaginable playoff berth. Cincinnati took down the division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers successful a 33-31 triumph Thursday nighttime astatine Paycor Stadium.

Coming into the prime-time showdown, Cincinnati had mislaid 4 consecutive games, and the Steelers, who mislaid conscionable erstwhile this season, were threatening to unfastened a commanding pb successful the division.

Instead, the Bengals closed the gap. Behind a monstrous effort from wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who finished the nighttime with 16 catches for 161 yards and a touchdown, Cincinnati's discourtesy had its champion showing of the season. The triumph besides showed wherefore the Bengals traded for backmost Joe Flacco, who threw for 342 yards and 3 touchdowns successful the win, with starter Joe Burrow connected injured reserve due to the fact that of turf toe.

The commercialized -- and Thursday night's triumph -- did conscionable capable to springiness thing Cincinnati hasn't felt successful weeks - hope.

Cincinnati Bengals

Most astonishing performance: Aside from Flacco immense night, Cincinnati's moving crippled had been woefully ineffective for the bulk of the archetypal six weeks, with Chase Brown not surviving up to the preseason expectations. Against Pittsburgh, Brown had a crippled that could jump-start his twelvemonth and truly assistance the offense. He had 11 carries for 108 yards. But astir importantly, helium reeled disconnected a mates of large runs, which helped unfastened Cincinnati's passing attack.

Stat to know: Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase crossed 6,000 receiving yards successful his vocation successful his 69th game. He is the fifth-fastest subordinate to deed that threshold, with Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, his erstwhile LSU teammate, besides successful that group.

Troubling trend: For the 2nd consecutive week, the Bengals struggled with tackling. After the team's nonaccomplishment to the

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