PITTSBURGH -- Down to a last chance, Andy Dalton showed why these Bengals are the franchise's best ever through seven games.
Dalton passed for Cincinnati's only touchdown with 2:57 to go, and the Bengals intercepted Ben Roethlisberger twice in the fourth quarter while rallying for a 16-10 victory over the Steelers on Sunday that gave them the best start in franchise history.
They're 7-0 and in command of the AFC North heading into the midpoint of the season.
"We're playing for something greater than being 7-0," said A.J. Green, whose touchdown catch was part of another big game against Pittsburgh. "We're trying to win a championship. We feel a game like this helps us build resiliency going into the postseason."
Cincinnati hasn't won a playoff game since the 1990 season, the sixth-longest streak of postseason futility in NFL history. The Bengals have lost in the first round each of the past four years.
The playoffs are still far away, but this Bengals team is doing things like no other.
"I don't even know how to explain it," said Shawn Williams, whose interception set up the winning touchdown. "When there's a special moment in the game and a play has to be made, they made the play."
The defending AFC North champion Steelers (4-4) hoped that Roethlisberger's return after missing four games with a sprained knee would kick-start them. After leading most of the game, they fall apart in the closing minutes.
Williams' diving sideline interception at the Pittsburgh 45-yard line set up Dalton's 9-yard touchdown pass to Green, who had 11 catches for 118 yards. After being kept out of the end zone all game, Dalton was waiting for one last chance.
"I knew eventually were were going to score a touchdown, and we did," said Dalton, who was 23 of 38 for 231 yards with 2 interceptions and 3 sacks.
Reggie Nelson's second interception set up Mike Nugent's 44-yard field goal with 1:47 to go. The Steelers drove to the Cincinnati 16-yard line with 4 seconds left, but Roethlisberger's pass went out of the end zone to finish it.
Roethlisberger was 28 of 45 for 262 yards with a touchdown, 3 interceptions and 3 sacks.
In addition to falling to .500, the Steelers lost running back Le'Veon Bell indefinitely to a knee injury. Bell twisted his right knee beneath him as he was tackled in the second quarter and had to be carted off the field.
The Bengals ended a three-game losing streak to the Steelers, getting only their second victory in their past six visits to Heinz Field.
Roethlisberger ran out for introductions in a Steelers baseball cap with both arms raised as the crowd gave him the loudest ovation. And it didn't take long to remind them of what they'd missed.
Roethlisberger completed four of five passes during an opening 80-yard touchdown drive. His 1-yard toss to Antonio Brown capped a 7-minute, 14-second possession -- the kind of drive Pittsburgh had trouble pulling off in his absence.
The Steelers managed only one field goal the rest of the way.
CARDINALS 34, BROWNS 20 Carson Palmer threw for four touchdowns, three in the second half, and for 374 yards as visiting Arizona rallied. Palmer had two TD passes in the third quarter when the Cardinals (6-2) overcame a 20-10 halftime deficit. His third TD of the second half, a 6-yarder to Larry Fitzgerald, gave Arizona a 31-20 lead. Michael Floyd had a 60-yard TD catch and tight end Troy Niklas had two short TD receptions as the Cardinals overcame four turnovers and won in Cleveland for the first time since 1985. The Browns (2-6) dropped their third consecutive, and cornerback Joe Haden and safety Donte Whitner sustained concussions on consecutive plays in the third quarter; Cleveland lost two defenders and the lead in a span of 7:25. Quarterback Josh McCown, 36, had three TD passes. He also played much of the second half in pain after re-injuring his right shoulder and ribs.
VIKINGS 23, BEARS 20 Adrian Peterson ran for 103 yards and Blair Walsh kicked a 36-yard field goal as time expired for visiting Minnesota. The Vikings had dropped seven consecutive at Soldier Field, and it looked like the streak would reach eight when Jay Cutler rolled to his right and plowed over safety Harrison Smith for a 4-yard touchdown with just under five minutes remaining. But two late scores lifted Minnesota (5-2) to its third consecutive victory. Stefon Diggs turned a short pass into a 40-yard TD when he spun around Sherrick McManis and went up the left side, tying it with 1:49 left. After Chicago (2-5) punted, Teddy Bridgewater hit a leaping Charles Johnson for a 35-yard pass that put the ball on the 27. Two plays later Walsh kicked the winner, pumping his right arm as the ball went through the uprights. The Bears (2-5) lost star running back Matt Forte and receiver Eddie Royal to knee injuries while dropping their second consecutive game.
RAVENS 29, CHARGERS 26 Justin Tucker kicked a 39-yard field goal on the final play. Joe Flacco threw for 319 yards and ran for a score to help host Baltimore (2-6) snap a three-game skid and hand the Chargers (2-6) their fourth consecutive defeat. The Ravens' six losses this season have come by a combined 30 points, and their only victory before Sunday came in overtime. Tucker's fifth field goal came three plays after a third-down pass interference call against Steve Williams moved the ball 21 yards to the San Diego 22. The victory came at a price: Receiver Steve Smith tore his right Achilles tendon in the third quarter and is lost for the season. After being tackled at the end of an 18-yard gain, Smith had to be helped off the field and could not put any weight on his right leg. He had five catches for 82 yards before the injury. San Diego's Philip Rivers threw three touchdown passes and went 28 for 37 for 301 yards, his franchise-record fifth consecutive 300-yard game. Two of his touchdown passes went to Malcom Floyd, including a 70-yarder.
RAMS 27, 49ERS 6 Todd Gurley rushed for 133 yards on 20 carries, topping 100 yards for the fourth consecutive start to open his career, and the host Rams had three sacks and a safety. Gurley, who had a 71-yard touchdown run, is the first rookie to open his career with four consecutive 100-yard games, according to STATS, with data available since 1991. Tavon Austin caught a 66-yard touchdown pass and ran for a 2-yard score, compensating for an early lost fumble. The Rams (4-3) are 3-0 against the NFC West for the first time since 2004, and they're above .500 this late in the season for the first time since 2006. The St. Louis defense hasn't allowed a touchdown the last two games, permitting just four field goals. The 49ers (2-6) haven't scored a touchdown in two games. They've lost six of seven, are 0-3 in the division and have lost two consecutive to St. Louis for the first time since 2004.
RAIDERS 34, JETS 20 Derek Carr threw for 333 yards and four touchdowns to help host Oakland pick apart the Jets' defense. Latavius Murray ran for 113 yards, Andre Holmes caught two touchdown passes and Charles Woodson intercepted his league-leading fifth pass of the season to give the Raiders (4-3) their first winning record this late in the season since 2011. Michael Crabtree had 102 yards receiving and another touchdown, and Taiwan Jones got his first career score on a tackle-breaking 59-yard catch-and-run that exposed a New York defense that had been outstanding the first six games. Ryan Fitzpatrick left with a left hand injury on the opening drive for the Jets (4-3), who have lost two consecutive games.
TEXANS 20, TITANS 6 Brian Hoyer threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns, and host Houston tied a franchise record with seven sacks. A 21-yard touchdown reception by DeAndre Hopkins put Houston on top in the second quarter and the Texans (3-5) didn't trail after that. Nate Washington's 42-yard TD catch extended the lead. Zach Mettenberger threw for 171 yards with an interception in his second consecutive start in place of rookie Marcus Mariota, who is out with a knee injury. Mettenberger was hurried and harassed all day to remain winless in eight career starts, with three losses against the Texans. The Titans (1-6) had three turnovers in their sixth consecutive loss since a victory over Tampa Bay in the opener. Whitney Mercilus had a career-high 3 1/2 sacks and J.J. Watt added 2 1/2, including one where he caused a fumble that the Texans recovered early in the fourth quarter.
Sports on 11/02/2015