Aaron Rodgers vs. Joe Flacco did not disappoint in the fourth matchup of NFL quarterbacks over 40.
Evan McPherson's fourth field goal from 36 yards with seven seconds left gave the Cincinnati Bengals the lead. Pittsburgh Steelers 33-31 on Thursday evening.
The Bengals (3-4) snapped a four-game losing streak and won for the first time since Joe Burrow was injured Sept. 14. The Steelers (4-2) lost on the road for the first time this season.
Flacco, 40, completed 31 of 47 passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns. Rodgers scored a pair of scores on tight end Pat Freiermuth, including a 68-yarder for the go-ahead touchdown with 2:21 left to put the Steelers up 31-30. Rodgers finished the game with four touchdown passes, all the way to the end.
Cincinnati's star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson was out with a hip injury, and Rodgers, 41, completed 23 of 34 passes for 249 yards with two interceptions. Pittsburgh's Jaylen Warren added 127 yards on 16 carries.
Ja'Marr Chase had a team-high 16 catches on 23 targets for 161 yards and a touchdown. Running back Chase Brown played a key role in Cincinnati's first-half rally with explosive runs of 37 and 27 yards. He finished the season with a season-high 108 yards on 11 carries.
Rodgers drew first blood, leading the Steelers 69 yards in eight plays in just four minutes. Facing third down, Rodgers scrambled left and then right before striking out to hit Jonnu Smith in the end zone for a 10-yard score.
The Steelers controlled most of the first half and threatened to add another touchdown when Warren punted from 18 yards out. However, Steelers lineman Zach Frazier was called for holding, and then Pittsburgh committed a false start on fourth down. The Steelers settled for Chris Boswell's 41-yard field goal to make it 10-0 with 10:26 left in the second quarter.
Then the game began to turn in the Bengals' favor. Flacco engineered a 10-play, 72-yard drive that ended with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Chase.
Jordan Battle intercepted a deep pass from Rodgers to Metcalf on Pittsburgh's next possession. Flacco drove the Bengals 76 yards, capped by a 29-yard strike to center Tee Higgins that put Cincinnati up 14-10.
Rodgers was intercepted again by DJ Turner II with 40 seconds left in the half. Flacco carried the ball to the Pittsburgh 31, where McPherson converted a 49-yard field goal to give Cincinnati a 17-10 lead.
The Bengals used the first seven minutes of the second half to get to the Pittsburgh 5, where they settled for a 23-yard field goal for a 20-10 lead.
