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Steelers vs. Bengals, Week 4: Knee-Jerk Reactions to the Steelers’ 27-3 victory over Cincinnati.

One BTSC writer shares his real-time, initial thoughts of the Steelers search for their initial win of 2019.

Cincinnati Bengals v Pittsburgh Steelers Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images

Here we go! The Steelers have had a horrendous start and their season could be said to be on life support already. However, a win here could jump start things and have the Men of Steel a game out of first in the AFC North. This is a must win. Let’s see if they can pull this off.

Nonetheless, a simple reminder, a knee jerk reaction is an immediate and unthinking, emotional reaction. It’s basically shooting first and apologizing later. I can safely say that’s a true definition of your’s truly and a good lot of Steeler Nation. Here’s my real-time reactions during the Steelers’ chance at redemption as they desperately look for their first win of the new season.


Quarter 1

  • Here we go this is “Threat Level Midnight for both teams. But I don’t care about Cincy. It’s TLM for the Steelers.
  • Dalton is really passing on them well. Keeps moving the sticks.
  • Bush is pure speed. Untouched and a huge sack.
NFL: Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
  • Let’s hope there’s some innovation on offense shown here.
  • Absolutely no room for Conner to run.
  • It drives me crazy that National commentators can’t pronounce Randy Fichtner’s name.
  • Wait! What? Johnson fumbled.
  • Predictable offense.
  • Haden had nice coverage on a 6’5” receiver.
  • Eifert beat Mark Barron. But No. 26 rebounded to knock that ball away.
  • Got away with only three there. Phewww!.
  • Some play-action. Nice.
  • Good to see a first down.
  • And another.
  • Dionte Johnson with a talented play.
  • They’re going for it? Might as well.
  • Except they can’t run. Absolutely ridiculous.
  • Devin Bush sniffing out the screen. They need that.
  • Mike Hilton slapped that ball away like it was naughty. Big defensive play.
  • Haden should have picked that ball off. But it was a huge third down stop that Stephon Tuitt made happen.
  • Gotta capitalize now.
  • Conner isn’t getting any room at all to move.
  • Wow. Gotta throw the red flag there. I see no pass interference whatsoever. But these rarely get overturned.
  • Of course.
  • Mason finding his way out of trouble with a big completion to the big guy.
  • Conner on the screen!
  • End of Q1. 3-0, bad guys.

Quarter 2

  • Third and four. No clue who he was throwing to there.
  • Bush doing well against the run with a huge stop of Mixon.
  • And against the pass.
  • Defense is making stops.
  • It’s weird to see play action.
  • Good to see the chains moving a bit. Samuels makes a difference.
  • Another third and short. Gotta convert.
  • That touchdown to Conner was a sweet athletic play by both thrower and receiver. Good drive.
Cincinnati Bengals v Pittsburgh Steelers Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
  • Ross is turning in to a quality option for Cincy.
  • The Bengals are targeting Nelson. Not the boy duo from the 90s.
  • I thought Bud Dupree was getting held. Beautiful sack.
  • Convert here for some comfort.
  • I’m liking Mason’s patience.
  • Samuels could be the man soon.
  • I love the moving of the chains, but would love to see them go a little more vertical.
  • Best run by Conner all year.
  • Nowhere to go on that big third down for Samuels. Missed opportunity on that drive for the Steelers.
  • Which Boswell are we gonna see?
  • The one we like.
  • Can’t let them get in field goal range.
  • Watt and Heyward with a huge sack. They are the heart and soul.
  • 10-3...good guys at the half.

Quarter 3

  • Getting the ball first in the second half is important. Gotta get a big cushion.
  • Great run by Conner. Great blocks too. But he’s limping.
  • This high percentage stuff is working. But I’d love to see them stretch this defense with the long ball.
  • Conner is back in with a huge pinball play for 21 yards. I kept thinking...please hold on to it.
  • The crowd is alive.
  • Loving the wildcat. Loving Samuels.
Cincinnati Bengals v Pittsburgh Steelers Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
  • Mason was lined up wide and didn’t move a muscle.
  • The defense is alive with sack number four.
  • Put the game away here fellas.
  • That’s what they just did possibly. Diontae Johnson was all alone on a scary-great deep ball. 24-3. Awesome.
  • Could somebody tell Booger McFarland that the Bengals are not the Rams.
  • Watt Again. Yessssssssss!!!!!!
  • Loving this pass rush with a sixth sack. Hargrave in on the action.
  • Third and three...can’t convert. Strange throw by Rudy.
  • They are moving the ball now, but the defense is playing looser and there is no sense of Cincy urgency.
  • Hilton is having a pretty good game.
  • End of three. 24-3

Quarter 4

  • I can’t argue the PI by Nelson. I knew it right away.
  • Have seen very little of Minkah tonight. But Dalton hasn’t been really connecting too much.
  • Oh! Ross got cleanly slammed by Haden.
  • Keep them out of the end zone. This is probably four-down territory.
  • Edmunds and Barron with good coverage there.
  • Wow! Didn’t expect that offsides to go against Cincy.
  • Mark Barron had a bad game last week. This week he’s valuable. Nice INT.
  • DJ 18 has rebounded nicely. He’s a nice player.
  • Has anybody ever said, “Hey, I gotta get me a B.W. Webb jersey”?
  • I would really love to see the Steelers drain clock here.
  • Wow, On third and nine. Jaylen worked for that first down.
  • A fight? Yep, that’s Cincinnati/Pittsburgh.
  • I thought there would be offsetting penalties with a Pouncey and Billings, but I’ll take it.
  • Despite the fight, there still doesn’t seem like the terrible tension exists with a Burfict-less Bengal team.
  • 49-yarder from Boz was very true. I think he’s back. 27-3.
  • Not that it matters, but I wanted to see a stop on fourth and one.
  • Hilton is all over the place.
  • Cam just leveled Dalton.
  • If that was a fumble out of bounds, then Cam should get another sack.
  • PI on Haden. I guess I see it. Kind of.
  • Michael Jordan is not living up to his name.
  • Bush is having a solid game.
  • Alualu. Ishtar sacks for the defense.
  • And that’s it. Finally. 27-3.

Once again, I just shot first and I’ll apologize later. All reactions were in real time. Basically, it is the equivalent of watching me do the highlights if I hadn’t been blacklisted by the major networks. Now time to watch it again and see what really happened. Make sure you get your voice heard in the comments below.

On a side note, Bryan was away this weekend and had to watch the game on delay. Therefore Dave Schofield had to be tapped in to help out. If things seemed a little off that is why. Bryan will be back next week for Monday Night Football.