Game Notes | Week 7: Steelers @ Bengals

Yes! More Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Somebody's down on the field for the Bengals after a Matt Spaeth reception, but I can't tell who it is. Welcome to the NFL, Keith Rivers. Hines Ward just knocked him the fock out . . . which is appropriate because Steelers have been introducing Bengals in just such a fashion for 30 years now. Rivers heading to the locker room.

Big Ben to a wide open Santonio Holmes for 32 yards, and the Steelers have the ball at the 2-yard line. Najeh time? He comes on, but Big Ben finds Mewelde Moore for a 2-yard TD.

Cedric Benson gets the start today over Chris Perry. Expect an average yards per carry around 2.5 today. And Bengals three and out. Get used to that today.

Keith Rivers has a jaw injury and is not expected to return.

Switch over to this game, and the Bengals have a 2nd & 25. How did that happen? Benson just ripped off about 7 yards. Kenny Watson in on 3rd down, and Fitzpatrick overthrows him.

HaHaHa. A 15-yard punt from Kyle Larson. Even their punters are inept. Steelers take over at about the Bengals 30-yard line.

1st & goal from the 3, fake to Mewelde, pass to Ward but nice job by Leon Hall to dive and knock the ball down. Pass to Ward again, and Leon Hall goes through Ward, mugs him, and no penalty. Bengals hold and the Steelers have to settle for a field goal.

HaHaHa. Most 0-6 starts in franchise history -- Bengals have 8. Nobody else (Cardinals, Lions, Bucs, etc.) has more than 4. They ought to just kick the Bengals out of the league and get it over with. James Harrison adds to his sack total with a 7-yard dump of Fitzpatrick. No pocket presence at all for Fitz. You can't really overstate how in over his head he is as a NFL QB.

Hines Ward is still Big Ben's go-to guy over Holmes, especially at the goal-line.

Ocho Cinco with his first reception, a 6-yarder. Fitz never throws the ball more than 10 or 12 yards down field. The Bengals play sideways. Fourth consecutive 3 & out.

Jonathan Joseph makes a nice play on Mewelde Moore to cause a punt. Leon Hall is playing well too. Bengals have a decent little secondary there.

Bronx cheer from the Bengals faithful after Benson picks up the first first-down of the game. Benson gets another 6 yards. He looks a bit more nimble today than he ever did with the Bears. Kenny Watson with a first-down, and the Bengals are officially driving. They almost have the ball to mid-field. Completion to Chris Henry, and the Bengals are in Steelers territory. Hold on, now. Here come the Bengals. Another first-down, this one to Housh. Great catch by Chris Henry for 18 yards, and the Bengals are in the red zone. Henry leading the Bengals with 3 catches for 44 yards, all on this drive. Ocho Cinco to the 8-yard line. Ocho for 3 more yards, and he and Ike Taylor are whoofin' at each other every play. Fitzpatrick having a nice drive with quick throws in 2-minute offense. Lob to Ocho Cinco, nice catch, gets the feet down and the Bengals have a touchdown. Great drive.

Steelers should have been up by 20 points, but they let the Bengals back into the game. Now it's going to be 10-7 at halftime.

Mewelde Moore waltzes into the end zone from 13 yards out thanks to a great seal block by Darnell Stapleton. Mewelde's 2nd TD of the day.

43-yard return by rookie Andre Caldwell. Housh reception, and the Bengals back in the red zone. Fitzgerald playing well with the quick passes, and the Steelers DBs are giving the Bengals WRs way too much room. Fitz rolls out, no room, and the Bengals will settle for a FG.

Bengals stop Mewelde on 3rd & 1, and the Steelers are going to have to punt.

Look at this. Fitzpatrick throws a bomb to Ocho Cinco, and Ocho almost comes down with it. At least Fitz is throwing it more than 10 yards. Benson big run, at least 15 yards and Polamalu loses his helmet trying to hit Benson. Longest run of the season against Pittsburgh. Benson really drilled Polamalu on that play. Bryant McFadden is injured, and DeShea Townsend in for him.

Lawrence Timmons beats Kenny Watson for the sack and knocks the Bengals out of field goal range. Steelers will take over with 11 minutes left.

Big Ben just hit Nate Washington on a 50-yard bomb. Washington got about 15 yards behind Geoffrey Pope. Pope got toasted.

Jerome Simpson back on the kickoff return, and that goes nowhere.

Mewelde Moore running all over the Bengals on this drive, and there goes in for his 3rd TD, this one from the 2-yard line. Nice to have that kind of depth at RB. And this one is all over but the crying.

Oh hell yes! We've got a Byron Leftwich sighting! Awesome. There are about 10 teams in the NFL right now that wish they had Leftwich starting for them. Limas Sweed sighting! Sweed drops the ball . . . but it's called a catch.

Hines Ward garbage time TD! Sweet fancy Moses. That'll help me in Full Contact.

Jordan Palmer comes on to play QB for the Bengals. Complete pass to Jerome Simposon. Put this game out of its misery, please. Not so fast. Simpson is down on the play. Maybe an ankle injury.