Mason Rudolph and embattled receiver George Pickens related for 2 lengthy touchdowns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers stored their fading playoff hopes alive, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 34-11 on Saturday.
Rudolph, making his first begin in two years rather than the injured Kenny Pickett and the ineffective Mitch Trubisky, hit Pickens for an 86-yard catch-and-run rating on Pittsburgh’s second offensive snap. He discovered a streaking Pickens with a 66-yard rainbow within the third quarter as the Steelers (8-7) snapped a three-game skid.
Pickens caught 4 passes for 195 yards. Rudolph completed 17 of 27 for 290 yards as the Steelers put collectively their finest offensive efficiency in years.
Jake Browning threw for 335 yards and a landing but in addition tossed three picks the Steelers changed into factors as Cincinnati (8-7) noticed its three-game profitable streak snapped. Pittsburgh raced to a 24-point halftime lead and cruised the remainder of the way in which.
Pittsburgh’s 34 factors had been its most in a victory since 2020. The efficiency additionally seemingly silenced – for the second – critics of Pickens, who has been scrutinized for his generally lackadaisical play.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin mentioned the 22-year-old Pickens’ maturity stays a piece in progress however refused to bench him. Pickens repaid that loyalty by showcasing the game-breaking expertise that’s solely been highlighted sporadically throughout his first two seasons, principally as a result of he performs on an offense that has struggled for years to maneuver the ball with regularity.
For a number of hours on the eve of Christmas Eve, all of the negativity surrounding the Steelers throughout a late swoon that’s led to hypothesis Tomlin’s 17-year run might be coming to an in depth went away.
Scoring factors in bunches for the primary time in a very long time will do this. The path for Pittsburgh to achieve the playoffs stays sophisticated – and who is aware of what is going to occur at Seattle subsequent week, when Pickett might be able to return from proper ankle surgical procedure – however the Steelers’ first sweep of the Bengals since 2019 made it a bit of extra navigable.
Rudolph, buried on the depth chart for the final two years, was decisive and dynamic, points which have dogged whoever has occurred to be behind heart this season.
He hit Pickens on a slant, and the receiver displayed the velocity and athleticism that made the Steelers so excessive on him earlier than the 2022 draft. Pickens later added a diving 44-yard sideline seize that arrange Chris Boswell’s 50-yard discipline purpose at the halftime gun. It was Pittsburgh’s highest-scoring first half in additional than three years.
Tee Higgins completed with 5 receptions for 140 yards and an 80-yard landing for the Bengals, however Browning’s miscues – an ill-advised heave into the top zone within the first quarter by which he appeared to be attempting to throw the ball away, a tipped ball that ended up within the arms of Steelers security Eric Rowe and a fourth-down incompletion ultimately zone late within the first half – put his staff into an early gap.
Browning fell to 3-2 as a starter rather than franchise QB Joe Burrow, who’s out for the season with a proper wrist harm.
Buffalo Bills 24-22 Los Angeles Chargers
Josh Allen accounted for 3 touchdowns, Tyler Bass made a 29-yard discipline purpose with 28 seconds remaining, and the Buffalo Bills escaped with a 24-22 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday night time to enhance their playoff probabilities.
Allen ran for 2 TDs and threw for one, changing into the primary participant in NFL historical past with 4 consecutive seasons with 40 mixed touchdowns.
Bass’ go-ahead kick capped a 13-play, 64-yard drive that included Allen’s 15-yard completion to Khalil Shakir on third down.
The Bills (9-6) have gained 4 of their final 5. They are competing with Indianapolis and Houston (each 8-6) for the 2 last playoff spots within the AFC. Buffalo received some assist earlier within the day when Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati.
Buffalo turned the ball over thrice to maintain the short-handed Chargers within the recreation of their first outing below interim coach Giff Smith. Brandon Staley and normal supervisor Tom Telesco had been fired on 15 December, at some point after the Chargers had been pummeled 63-21 at Las Vegas.
Cameron Dicker kicked a career-high 5 discipline targets and Easton Stick handed for 210 yards for Los Angeles (5-10), which has misplaced six of seven.
Allen – who accomplished 15 of 21 passes for 237 yards – leads the league with 40 complete touchdowns (27 passing, 13 dashing). With his two-yard run off proper sort out late within the second quarter, he grew to become the second quarterback in NFL historical past with at least 50 dashing scores. Cam Newton was the primary and completed with 75 in his 10-year profession.
Davis, who had not caught a cross prior to now two video games after having six receptions for 105 yards towards Philadelphia, had 4 receptions for a season-high 130 yards, together with a 57-yard landing within the second quarter.
Stick, making his second NFL begin rather than the injured Justin Herbert, was 23 of 33 passing and rushed for a landing.
The Chargers jumped out to a 10-0 lead with 13:49 remaining within the second quarter when Stick rolled proper and scored from 1 yard out. Los Angeles received the ball at the Buffalo 27 when Amen Ogbongbemiga recovered a fumbled punt by the Bills’ Deonte Harty.
Buffalo lastly received on the scoreboard on its fourth drive. Allen scrambled proper and located Davis open downfield. Davis hauled within the cross at the Chargers 19 and beat linebacker Kenneth Murray into the top zone. It was Allen’s second-longest completion of the season.
Allen then put the Bills on high 14-10 with 38 seconds remaining within the first half with the primary of his two dashing scores.
Dicker received the Chargers inside one level when he made a 40-yard discipline purpose halfway by the third quarter. Buffalo pushed its result in 21-13 on the following drive that was capped off by Allen’s one-yard sneak.
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