1. The Bengals didn’t deserve to win this game, no matter how many chances they had. Turning the ball over five times is simply not a recipe to winning a game.
2. The Steelers deserved to win this game because they didn’t turn the ball over. When you don’t turn the ball over, more often than not you’ll win the game.
3. Joe Burrow’s four interceptions mark the seventh time in his career he has turned the ball over multiple times in a game. Seven times in 27 regular-season starts. The Bengals are 0-7 in those games.
4. For as good as Joe Burrow is, Bengals fans are going to have to get used to him having games with multiple mistakes that can leave you scratching your head.
5. For as egregious as Burrow’s four interceptions were, the fact that he had the Bengals an extra point away from winning the game speaks to his toughness and resiliency. And that rubs off on the entire team. This team could have easily folded in the first half, but they didn’t. They kept coming back, kept knocking on the door.
6. Burrow was certainly not good yesterday, but he’s not the sole reason they lost yesterday. The offensive line picked up right where they left off in SoCal. Seven sacks allowed, just like the Super Bowl. The seventh one knocked the Bengals out of field goal range on their final possession in overtime. The first one came on the Bengals first offensive play of the game. Sacks set the tone and ended any hope of an improbable victory in this game.
7. The kicking game: I’m not going to get my head caught up in that. I’ll just say this: it’s unfortunate the situation became what it amounted to.
8. Ja’Marr Chase was spectacular yesterday. I’m starting to wonder how good of a quarterback Joe Burrow would be without Chase. Then again, that’s like asking how great Peyton Manning would have been without Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne.
9. Give the defense credit for keeping the Bengals in the game, but how did they not force one turnover against that Steelers offense?
10. Speaking of which, how good can you really feel as a Steelers fan after winning yesterday? Yes, they beat the reigning AFC champions, but their offense did not look appetizing. In addition, they lost reigning defensive player of the year T.J. Watt for maybe the season due to a torn pec and running back Najee Harris got hurt at the end of the game. So the Steelers may be losing their most important offensive and defensive players for who knows how long.
11. I’m really excited for what Hayden Hurst could bring to this team. He could be that security blanket for Burrow for simple checkdowns to help move the chains.
12. Did Jessie Bates play yesterday? I didn’t really see him be a difference in this game.
13. No doubt a frustrating loss for a lot of reasons. But there are still 16 games to play.
14. Next week: at Dallas, who will be without quarterback Dak Prescott. In his place: Cooper Rush. But don’t get too giddy (remember Mike White?) The Bengals can’t let that happen again.
Let me be Frank and Cut to the Chase 