Cincinnati Bengals: Big takeaways from loss in Week 6 vs. Steelers

Regardless of Result, These Bengals Are Quite Resilient

The loss, as with all the ones suffered at the hands of the Steelers, has to leave a sour taste in the mouths of everyone with the franchise. Though they did lose this particular matchup, there is a resilience which keeps rearing its head for them in a way we haven’t ever seen in not just the Andy Dalton era, but throughout the entire time Marvin Lewis has been leading the charge for these guys.

In the past, the team would always seem to buckle under any sort of pressure, essentially giving up when they faced any sort of mild resistance or tough circumstances. They are 5-14 in primetime games under Dalton’s leadership. They’ve lost all seven playoff games Lewis has been head coach for — a list that includes teams quarterbacks by Mark Sanchez and T.J. Yates.

Even in their best season of the Lewis era, they ended up being beaten up by Pittsburgh twice (including giving away a playoff game late in the contest with a fumble and a bunch of unnecessary penalties) and ruining their chances at a bye by letting Brock Osweiler throw for almost 300 yards on them and losing in overtime to Denver.

Though the “beating Pittsburgh” part of their equation hasn’t quite been solved yet, this team is putting in plenty of evidence that they’ve become the sort of team able to survive tough circumstances. Even in this loss, they exhibited the trademark toughness and resilience that can hopefully fuel a return to the top of the AFC North and a playoff berth.

They entered the game with a bunch of key players out due to injury (John Ross, Giovani Bernard, Billy Price and Tyler Kroft all were out). Along the way, they lost a lot more.

Nick Vigil hurt his knee and was on crutches after the game. Darqueze Dennard and Vontaze Burfict each hurt their right shoulder (Dennard wouldn’t return and was in a sling post-game). Jessie Bates got evaluated for a concussion before returning, as Shawn Williams left with one and not make it back to the field.

Mixon may have been hurt at one point too (went down awkwardly at one point, missing time on the last drive before the half). Dre Kirkpatrick and William Jackson got hurt on the same play at one point too.

Despite the increasingly depleted roster, and ending up down nearly 10 minutes in the time of possession battle, this team wouldn’t quit. They committed fewer penalties than the Steelers. Pittsburgh ended up in the red zone four times. They scored touchdowns on just two of them. It took until that final drive of the game for Roethlisberger to pass for a touchdown.

Had one more thing gone in their favor (they couldn’t grab a late fumble by Pittsburgh; a sketchy foul went against Kirkpatrick on the final drive to keep Pittsburgh moving), it would’ve all paid off in a win. Though it didn’t this particular week, all the necessary pieces are there for it to work out in Cincinnati’s favor more often than not.