Bengals vs. Steelers, Sunday Night Football: Live coverage

So a Mountaineers’ fan asked if we could all be Steelers fans tonight on the Steelers blog. I told him he had as much chance seeing me root for the Louisville Cardinals than admitting he’s a Steelers fan.

Ryan Nanni [10:21 PM]:

There is a challenge flag and…a piece of toilet paper?

Stephen White [10:21 PM]:

Fumble

Stephen White [10:21 PM]:

Holding penalties are such drive killers

Mark Ennis [10:19 PM]:

45,873 in attendance. Smallest crowd in Heinz Field 12-year history. Steelers count only those in attendance. Sold out all games since '72

— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) December 16, 2013

lougagliardi [10:15 PM]:

My wings are final done. woot! right in time for the second half.

Ryan Van Bibber [10:13 PM]:

not to be total Rams homer, but since it’s halftime, how ’bout Robert Quinn going ham today?

Ryan Van Bibber [10:08 PM]:

Long’s the best

Ryan Van Bibber [10:07 PM]:

Who is that

— Chris Long (@JOEL9ONE) December 16, 2013

Rodger Sherman [10:04 PM]:

good call by the Bengals not to try to score there. When you’re down 20 at the half, you want to be conservative so nothing bad happens.

Mark Ennis [10:03 PM]:

Bengals don’t even try a hail mary?

Stephen White [10:03 PM]:

Halftime, smoke em if you got em

Ryan Van Bibber [10:01 PM]:

@sgw94 Jerry Jones, who probably should be

Ryan Van Bibber [10:00 PM]:

@Run Home Jack Jimmy Johsnon has something for that

Stephen White [10:00 PM]:

Is there anybody in Dallas that DIDNT get thrown under the bus after the game?!?!

Charlie Gebow [10:00 PM]:

@Ryan Van Bibber My gag reflex still works, good to know.

Mark Ennis [10:00 PM]:

@Ryan Van Bibber You could’ve told me that was an Abraham Lincoln quote and I would’ve believed it, too.

Ryan Nanni [10:00 PM]:

@Ryan Van Bibber That is the weirdest sext.

Ryan Van Bibber [10:00 PM]:

Jerry Jones on Jason Garrett: “I was firm for one night at that time and that doesn’t call for me having to be firm every morning I get up."

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) December 16, 2013

Stephen White [9:58 PM]:

Made*

Mark Ennis [9:58 PM]:

Laces are for the weak.

Stephen White [9:58 PM]:

Antonio Brown mad a business decision there lol

Ryan Nanni [9:53 PM]:

Grudge Match! We swear we didn’t make up these Twitter accounts!

Ryan Van Bibber [9:53 PM]:

Wonder who Rob Ford picked in this game?

Stephen White [9:51 PM]:

This is just a butt kicking by the Steelers so far

Mark Ennis [9:51 PM]:

Uncle Luke is Miami’s Bud Elliott

Can somebody please tell Jerry Jones to get Johnny Manziel he's white with a little black in him that should be perfect for him.
— LUTHER R CAMPBELL (@unclelukereal1) December 16, 2013

lougagliardi [9:51 PM]:

Poor Mr. Rooney. The Ambassador must have had a late flight. Plus, always getting asked by the Commissioner for advice..it’s draining.

Mark Ennis [9:50 PM]:

@Clay Wendler hahahahaha

Stephen White [9:50 PM]:

Bengals are going to have to find a way to get pressure on Big Ben

Clay Wendler [9:49 PM]:

Dan Rooney, wake up?!

Stephen White [9:48 PM]:

5 for 14, yikes

Ryan Van Bibber [9:47 PM]:

He’s not sleeping

Ryan Van Bibber [9:47 PM]:

Someone needs to wake up Dan Rooney.

Charlie Gebow [9:46 PM]:

@Rodger Sherman Someone’s not enthused with their normal primetime lineups

Rodger Sherman [9:46 PM]:

lougagliardi [9:45 PM]:

and by block, I mean break his jaw.

Ryan Nanni [9:45 PM]:

2nd	5:14
CINCINNATI	7
SHOULDN’T THE FIRST SIX WEEKS NOT EVEN COUNT	24

lougagliardi [9:44 PM]:

Alright! block that horrible kick!

Stephen White [9:44 PM]:

Same exact play, no hesitation equals TD for Bernard

Stephen White [9:44 PM]:

Definitely lloked as if Gio could score there if he didnt hesitate

lougagliardi [9:43 PM]:

@Mark Ennis a bad one.

Stephen White [9:42 PM]:

Shuttle pass making a comeback tonight?

Mark Ennis [9:42 PM]:

That shovel doesn’t work if there’s no threat to keep it. What kind of play design is that?

Ryan Nanni [9:41 PM]:

The great thing about a Gio Bernard run is that it’s not a BenJarvus Green-Ellis run.

lougagliardi [9:41 PM]:

oh come on, D. Just force them to use their kicker all night. Like that strategy can’t go bad.

Stephen White [9:40 PM]:

Gotta give the receiver a chance on those kinds of routes

Stephen White [9:39 PM]:

@Mark Ennis exactly

Stephen White [9:38 PM]:

Bernard making people miss in a phone booth

Mark Ennis [9:38 PM]:

@sgw94 and the Steelers aren’t exactly geared to ground and pound away the clock for three quarters.

lougagliardi [9:38 PM]:

@sgw94 I didn’t know they allowed them to carry weapons out of the state pen in Ohio.

Ryan Nanni [9:37 PM]:

Well, maybe that’s the start of this game tightening up? Maybe? Please?

Stephen White [9:36 PM]:

Crazy thing is with the weapons they have the Bengals should be able to come back from a 24 point deficit. In theory at least

lougagliardi [9:36 PM]:

@Clefo The Steelers do…too bad that ship has sailed.

Ricky O’Donnell [9:36 PM]:

and there’s that hit, lest we all forgot

Ricky O’Donnell [9:36 PM]:

Charlie Gebow [9:36 PM]:

It’s official, nobody in the AFC wants to improve their playoff positioning

Mark Ennis [9:34 PM]:

haha Teddy Bridgewater

PB_Number2</a> lol they did the punter so wrong tho 😵😵 that boy look like me when I got hit by bostic 😩😩</p>— Teddy Bridgewater (teddyb_h2o) December 16, 2013

Stephen White [9:34 PM]:

Bengals*

Stephen White [9:34 PM]:

Bengaks wish they had that opportunity back. Kirkpatrick needs to use two hands and catch that int

Stephen White [9:32 PM]:

Run the damn ball Ben

Ryan Nanni [9:32 PM]:

@sgw94 LET LANDRY PLAY

lougagliardi [9:32 PM]:

and Kluwe just lost all cool points with me. he could do all the LGBT activism in the world, wouldn’t make me care at that point.

Stephen White [9:31 PM]:

At this rate the only quesrion may be is how many points the Steelers will score tonight

Mark Ennis [9:30 PM]:

Fractured jaw is pretty bad too. Hope that Steelers player feels like a real tough guy. Fucking dickhead.

— Chris Kluwe (@ChrisWarcraft) December 16, 2013

Stephen White [9:29 PM]:

Steelers driving again

lougagliardi [9:28 PM]:

Steelers 2 Bengal’s jaws 0

Rodger Sherman [9:27 PM]:

we make fun of specialists, but when they get hurt, teams are kinda screwed.

lougagliardi [9:26 PM]:

yeee-hhhaawwww!

Stephen White [9:26 PM]:

Fractured jaw?!?!?! Damn

Stephen White [9:26 PM]:

Punting will be an adventure for the Bengals the rest of the game

Oh No Romo [9:25 PM]:

Huber has a fractured jaw and is out. #Bengals

— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonCMG) December 16, 2013

Ryan Nanni [9:24 PM]:

Jeff Triplette’s gonna call this a touchdown.

Rodger Sherman [9:24 PM]:

btw, this is the sort of thing that happens when backup holders get involved:

lougagliardi [9:24 PM]:

Steelers rightfully challenging that play.

mattw [9:23 PM]:

stephen did you think kaep is “back to form” after the game against your team today

Stephen White [9:22 PM]:

That was the rookie Jones who beat him

Stephen White [9:22 PM]:

Left tackle got beat immediately inside

Oh No Romo [9:21 PM]:

Fitzgerald is not OK. He will be tested for concussion, didn't feel well after the game. he was out of it on the sideline after the hit.

— Kent Somers (@kentsomers) December 16, 2013

Ryan Van Bibber [9:21 PM]:

2nd	14:57
Red Headed Strangers	0
Future Texas head coach	21

Stephen White [9:20 PM]:

Timmons in space against Gio isnt much of a mismatch. He is crazy athletic

Mark Ennis [9:18 PM]:

When showing my girlfriend the punter GIF, her reaction, "The guy with no pads?" Me, "No, he's just small and defenseless."

— Jameson Fleming (@JamesonFleming) December 16, 2013

lougagliardi [9:17 PM]:

@Run Home Jack further, he had every available warning the moment he put his John Hanock to the contract.

Mark Ennis [9:16 PM]:

“Dental injury”!!!!!

Stephen White [9:16 PM]:

Might want to block Timmons. Just throwing it out there

lougagliardi [9:15 PM]:

@Run Home Jack if you want to talk about cities and crimes, let’s talk about the (Drag)Queen City.

Clay Wendler [9:15 PM]:

HELLOHowAreYou [9:15 PM]:

Looks like they don’t light Kevin Huber up in practice now and again.

Mark Ennis [9:14 PM]:

Steelers came in with 43 first quarter points all season. Have nearly half of that in first 13:48 tonight.

— Will Graves (@WillGravesAP) December 16, 2013

Stephen White [9:13 PM]:

That is gonna get fined

Ryan Nanni [9:13 PM]:

@lougagliardi You get assaulted without warning. Yeah, sounds like Pittsburgh.

Ryan Nanni [9:13 PM]:

Way to have a kleenex handy, NFL.

Stephen White [9:13 PM]:

Sheesh we have a bleeder

lougagliardi [9:12 PM]:

Someone let the punter know, when he wakes up, this is what happens when you come to the Steel City.

Charlie Gebow [9:12 PM]:

Woo violence!

Stephen White [9:11 PM]:

Good night the kicker got lit up on a blind side block

Stephen White [9:10 PM]:

Get off the sticks, Bengals

Mark Ennis [9:10 PM]:

#BEATEMDOWN

lougagliardi [9:10 PM]:

@Clefo you mean the tim teblow and denver broncos who got a way with a dirty play? Tell ya what, I’ll build you a time machine, you can go talk to the me of then who actually cared. this is 2013 and the bungles suck.

Mark Ennis [9:09 PM]:

How often does "for a short gain" follow "Benjarvis Green-Ellis?"

— Mark Buerger (@meisterbuerger) December 16, 2013

Stephen White [9:09 PM]:

Wow i just realized thats the same Al Woods that spent some time with the Bucs. He has come a looooong way

Charlie Gebow [9:08 PM]:

@lougagliardi So that’s why I just saw Tim Tebow throw a deep ball behind you

lougagliardi [9:06 PM]:

@Clefo is it a black and gold theme?

Charlie Gebow [9:06 PM]:

@lougagliardi I’m sensing a theme here

lougagliardi [9:06 PM]:

@Mark Ennis Because Cincy can’t play football.

Stephen White [9:04 PM]:

@Mark Ennis I’ll explain why after I stop banging my head against the wall over here. Just give me a minute

lougagliardi [9:04 PM]:

This is why they’re called the Bungles.

Stephen White [9:04 PM]:

What kinda dumb azz defense is that? Three man rush is bad enough but two man rush? Against Big Ben?!?! Stooopid

Mark Ennis [9:03 PM]:

@sgw94 Why do teams do that????

Ryan Nanni [9:03 PM]:

1st	2:16
MARVIN LEWIS HASN’T EMOTED IN 6 MONTHS	0
PITTSBURGH	14

Ryan Van Bibber [9:03 PM]:

Tony Romo’s pick explained

by Ryan Van Bibber, SBNation.com

What exactly happened when the Cowboys quarterback threw the first of two fourth-quarter interceptions that led to a Packers win?

Stephen White [9:02 PM]:

The rare two man rush ends about like you would expect it to, TD Steelers

lougagliardi [9:02 PM]:

Bell is, in my opinion, the best Steelers running since Bettis. Not that his competition was any good. and a TOUCHDOWN STEELERS

Stephen White [9:01 PM]:

And then Big Ben hits Bell on 4th and 4 in the flat after avoiding the rush to get the first down

Stephen White [9:01 PM]:

Shuffle pass gets knocked right out by James Harrison. Sheesh that was a nasty hit

lougagliardi [9:00 PM]:

Steelers are going to win because Cincy stinks.

Ryan Nanni [8:59 PM]:

The Steelers are going to win this because nobody wants to make the playoffs this year. (I blame the Seahawks.)

Stephen White [8:58 PM]:

Steelers can’t keep their OLine intact ever it seems.

Stephen White [8:56 PM]:

Bell with the spin move in the flat. I will never get over how much more elusive he looks as a pro

Stephen White [8:54 PM]:

Nice Tom pass rush game in the middle by the Steelers is how Ziggy Hood got free for the sack. That pass rush game is way underutilized these days imi

Stephen White [8:53 PM]:

Dalton goes down as the Bengals fail to convert

Stephen White [8:52 PM]:

Worilds on the left side is so much better than Worilds on the right side

Mark Ennis [8:52 PM]:

That’s Chamberlain Chief, Jay Gruden, btw.

Mark Ennis [8:52 PM]:

Jay Gruden looks comfortable.

Stephen White [8:51 PM]:

Hochuli has to be heated that he has to cover up the guns in this weather

Ryan Nanni [8:49 PM]:

RED ROCKET Y’ALL

Stephen White [8:49 PM]:

Read option?

Mark Ennis [8:49 PM]:

Cincinnati is in trouble if they fall further behind and Dalton has to throw the ball 30+ times.

Stephen White [8:48 PM]:

Or maybe he didnt

Ryan Nanni [8:48 PM]:

I’m annoyed Tomlin didn’t decide to coach the rest of the year from the booth to be funny.

Stephen White [8:48 PM]:

Got away with the fake out on the fair catch signal on the kickoff return lol

Ryan Nanni [8:45 PM]:

@Mark Ennis Denny Green knows how you feel, Dez.

Mark Ennis [8:45 PM]:

I walked back to the locker room because I was emotional…it had nothing to do with my teammates we had it… We fought and didn't finish

— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) December 16, 2013

Ryan Nanni [8:44 PM]:

1st	9:58
CINCINNATI	0
PITTSBURGH	2? 7? DEFINITELY NOT 10

Clay Wendler [8:44 PM]:

Stephen White [8:44 PM]:

Steelers punch it in with Bell

Ryan Nanni [8:42 PM]:

(Potentially?)

Ryan Nanni [8:42 PM]:

Wait, isn’t that a GOOD thing for Pittsburgh?

Stephen White [8:41 PM]:

Punt*

Stephen White [8:41 PM]:

Gotta try to ount that even after the dropped snap

Mark Ennis [8:41 PM]:

Oh No Romo [8:41 PM]:

Ooops!

Stephen White [8:41 PM]:

Well that didnt go well

Mark Ennis [8:40 PM]:

Was that not interference because the pass was behind the line?

Stephen White [8:40 PM]:

Yep, just keep starting BJGE smh

Mark Ennis [8:40 PM]:

Pretty annoying to have the overhead cam get in the way of another camera’s replay.

Stephen White [8:39 PM]:

Troy has to be the most instinctive player in the NFL today

Mark Ennis [8:37 PM]:

Have to confess here, I had no idea that Arizona was 9-5.

Stephen White [8:36 PM]:

Crack toss on 3rd and 4 and the Steelers cant convert. Bengals had some DLinemen standing up and moving around making that play less likely to be successful

Stephen White [8:34 PM]:

Theyre probably going to go after Kirkpatrick with T Newman out

Stephen White [8:32 PM]:

Oopty ooop from the Steelers to start it off with a WR screen

Oh No Romo [8:31 PM]:

Is there a reason for the Homecoming theme?

Oh No Romo [8:31 PM]: