It had to be a game against a team with two wins, the perfect podium on Monday Night Football to stop a two game slip and reclaim the AFC North crown for the first time since 2017.
Instead, it was a shame.
Rather than taking the division, the Pittsburgh Steelers dropped their third straight streak in a 27-17 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals, breaking the Steelers’ 11-game win streak against the franchise.
The Steelers started Monday’s game as favorites from 14.5 points. With the loss, they equaled their biggest defeat since 1966.
Including the loss of the Rams to the Jets on Sunday, week 15 was the fourth time in the Super Bowl era that two underdogs over 14 points won outright.
Ben Roethlisberger, the 38-year-old Steelers quarterback, looked as old as his age in the first half and put in a performance that led to the worst offensive effort in any first half in his 17-season Steelers career.
In addition to setting new lows in pass yards (seven) and yards per play (1.4), the Steelers equaled their fewest first downs (two) and most sales in a first half (three) with Roethlisberger as their starter on the way to a 17-point halftime shortage.
The Bengals took those three turns – two fumbles and an interception – and turned them into two touchdowns and a field goal.
Rather than relying on short passes, Roethlisberger came out and attempted long and intermediate throws that had been missing from the attack for the past few weeks. But he failed to push the ball across the field, so his receivers weren’t good enough.
The drops that plagued its receivers in recent games weren’t the problem. Roethlisberger’s throws just weren’t good.
Roethlisberger failed to complete any of his seven throws from more than 10 air yards in the first half, and six of them were broken up or intercepted by Bengal defenders.
For the first time in 20 seasons – including the postseason – the Steelers went three-and-out on their first five possessions, including two fumbles that led to 10 points for the Bengals. It was the first time since week 3 of 2017 with the Bears that the Steelers lost two fumbles in the first quarter.
For the first time since week 8 of 2018 vs. the Browns to catch up first. Their first down Monday came with just under 10 minutes to go in the second quarter.
The Steelers started climbing out of the hole with three scores in the third quarter, as Roethlisberger completed seven of ten passes for 89 yards and a touchdown on a 23-yard deep attack on Diontae Johnson, his first completion of more than 10 air yards. Monday.
Playing without James Conner, who was ruled out due to a quad injury prior to the game on Monday, the run duel again did not exist in the first half. But Benny Snell Jr. came to life in the second half, with runs of 13 and 29 meters. The 29-yard gain was the longest run by a Steelers backsliding since Week 2, when Conner gained 59 yards.
Yet it was not enough.
Roethlisberger finished the game by completing 20 of 38 tries for 170 yards with one touchdown and one interception – just enough to give him 60,000 passing yards in his career.
A third series Bengals attack led by Ryan Finley defeated a Steelers defense with significant injuries to the inner linebackers. Finley used his legs in a crucial drive at the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth, scoring a 23-yard, game-closing touchdown.
Ahead of Monday night’s game, the Steelers believed the trajectory of three games in 12 days contributed to their first two losses of the season. They believed this week was an opportunity to regain their signature physicality and finally get a much-needed full week of preparation. Instead, the offense stumbled again, and so did the Steelers.
This report uses research from ESPN Stats & Information.