Category: 2024 season Week 13 – Steelers vs Bengals

George Pickens finally got his medicine—in the form of Week 13 fines

George Pickens’s poor sportsmanship has put the NFL in a position to take action, as he accumulated over $20K in fines from Week 13.

It appears WR George Pickens’ immaturity has finally caught up to him. After a series of mishaps, immature antics, and on-and-off-the-field displays of poor sportsmanship, the NFL has decided to fine Pickens for his Week 13 actions.

In a throwback to the penalty-filled 2021 season, Pickens was hit with a taunting penalty in the first quarter of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 13 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals.  Pickens would ultimately receive of a fine of $10,231 for the unnecessary antics.

Pickens was later flagged again for unsportsmanlike conduct, this time for making a gun-like hand gesture while celebrating. The NFL has cracked down on violent or firearm-related gestures, imposing heavy fines on teams or players who engage in such behavior. This penalty would add an additional $10,231 in fines for Pickens, bringing the sum total of his Week 13 fines to $20,462.

Fans can understand where Pickens’ energy and excitement for big-time plays factor into all of this. However, over $20K in fines and 30 penalty yards later, was it truly worth it for the young wide receiver?

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Steelers DT discusses brutal hit on Bengals RB

Cam Heyward reflects on the huge Chase Brown hit and the ensuing reaction, showcasing his dominant season as the Steelers’ veteran leader.

One of the biggest hits of the season took place between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13.  Co-host of the Not Just Football with Cam Heyward podcast, Hayden Walsh, asked the Steelers defensive tackle to discuss the play where he blew up Bengals RB Chase Brown in the backfield during Week 13. Though unintentional, Heyward stated that officials during the game informed him that while the hit was clean, stepping over Brown went too far.

The Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman hilariously referenced the photo of him standing over Brown, comparing it to NBA’s Allen Iverson standing over Tyronn Lue, but explained that he was simply trying to stand up after making the play.

Walsh continued to stir the pot, letting Heyward know that the play caused him, like most of the Steel City, to jump out of their seats. Heyward chuckled, stating, “I was trying to wake up everyone in the seats.”

Plays like the one where Heyward blew up Brown on the run have become increasingly common in recent weeks for the Steelers defensive tackle. At 35 years old, Heyward continues to turn back the clock, putting together a career year this season.

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Fans react to Steelers’ dominant Week 13 offensive performance

Steelers fans flooded social media with reactions after the team’s dominant Week 13 performance, fueled by a 500+ yard offensive explosion.

Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers were understandably nervous heading into the team’s Week 13 matchup against the underrated offensive force of the Cincinnati Bengals. Pittsburgh’s Week 12 loss to the Cleveland Browns certainly didn’t inspire confidence.

However, the Black and Gold offense came alive, all but dismantling the Bengals’ defense with over 500 total yards in the contest.

Leading the offensive explosion was none other than QB Russell Wilson, who threw for over 400 yards and three touchdowns, complemented by RB Najee Harris’ 129 all-purpose yards. This performance showcased just how formidable this unit can be.

With a challenging five-game stretch remaining, the Steelers will aim to make Week 13’s offensive dominance the new standard rather than a one-hit wonder.

Steelers fans are still buzzing days after the team improved to 9-3 in the 2024 season, with their excitement palpable across social media. Here are some of the best fan reactions to the Steelers’ offensive showcase in Week 13.

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Steelers HC with perfect analogy for Joey Porter Jr. penalties

Joey Porter Jr. did his best against Tee Higgins and Mike Tomlin was OK with the penalties.

Sunday was a rough one for Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who was tasked with contending with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. Porter ended up with four penalties and struggled. But when head coach Mike Tomlin addressed them a his Tuesday press conference but he went to bat for Porter with a perfect example.

“When we play Shaq, we’re going to use our fouls,” Tomlin said in reference to Higgins. After the game, Tomlin called Higgins a goon in the best way thanks to his size and physical play style.

The Steelers beat the Bengals in a shootout 44-38 and while Porter didn’t have his best game, the Steelers defense picked off Joe Burrow once and did their best to keep Burrow in check with 309 passing yards.

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RB Najee Harris hilariously references QB Russell Wilson’s alter ego

Najee Harris hilariously revived Russell Wilson’s ‘Mr. Unlimited’ alter ego after the QB’s dominant Week 13 performance.

Quarterback Russell Wilson was serving up ‘Dangerwiches’ on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, cooking their secondary with an impressive stat line of 414 passing yards and three touchdowns. However, Wilson wasn’t the only Steeler delivering an elite performance; running back Najee Harris accumulated an outstanding 129 total yards in Week 13.

In a moment that can only be described as ‘real recognizing real,’ Harris took it upon himself to revive Wilson’s nickname, ‘Mr. Unlimited,’ hilariously complimenting his quarterback with a nod to Wilson’s alter ego.

Wilson’s talent was truly unlimited on Sunday for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Harris’ recognition of the spectacular performance will hopefully bring back ‘Mr. Unlimited’ to stay for good. Wilson and Harris’ hilarious backstage interaction could set the tone for more entertainment behind the scenes that fans can witness on HBO’s Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North, debuting on December 3rd at 9:00 PM EST.

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Bengals fans come after T.J. Watt calling him dirty for sack

Was T.J. Watt’s sack on Joe Burrow a dirty play?

There is plenty of bad blood between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals. Both teams have been on the wrong end of some nasty hits which typically stirs up the fanbase. But sometimes nothing bad happens at all and it’s just about bitter fans venting after their team loses.

This is the case in the replies to his post by former NFL player Brian Baldnger that was intended to praise Steelers edge T.J. Watt. Instead the replies turned into a bunch of angry fans calling for Watt’s head for his gator roll sacks of Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow.

There was nothing dirty about this play but this has never stopped fans from complaining. The league protects its quarterbacks over all else so if the officials didn’t see fit to throw a flag, it’s a safe bet nothing was wrong with the sack.

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Referee explains lack of penalty on controversial pick-six

Did the refs miss a call early in Sunday’s game?

Sunday’s game got off to a bad start for the Pittsburgh Steelers. On the team’s first offensive drive, quarterback Russell Wilson threw a pick-six and spotted the Cincinnati Bengals.

However, on the play, Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt appeared to pull Steelers wide receiver George Pickens down by the helmet before the ball got there, allowing for the interception. It definitely seemed there should have been a flag thrown but there wasn’t.

After the game, referee Shawn Hochuli addressed the play and offered a pretty flimsy excuse for the no call.

“We ruled the receiver stumbled right off the line and then there was incidental contact that brought him down,” Hoculi said. “If there was a potential grab or hold, that was at an angle that we wouldn’t have seen. But our ruling, again, was that he stumbled off the line and then incidental contact occurred.”

Not sure if anyone buys this but ultimately it didn’t impact the outcome of the game.

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Mike Tomlin shifts blame away from Joey Porter Jr. regarding penalties

Mike Tomlin defended Joey Porter Jr.’s penalties in Week 13, crediting Tee Higgins’ physical play for the challenges Porter faced.

It’s safe to say that the majority of those watching the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 13 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals were more than disappointed with the number of penalties committed by the Black and Gold, particularly CB Joey Porter Jr., who was responsible for six of the Steelers’ sixteen penalties.

Well, almost everyone. HC Mike Tomlin seemingly gave Porter a pass for his struggles with penalties this week. Speaking on a multitude of Week 13 topics during the postgame press conference, Tomlin had this to say about Porter’s penalty issues: “Tee Higgins got a lot to do with that, man. Tee is a goon. He is. You can’t let him beat you up, while at the same time, the officials are going to call it the way they’re going to call it. Sometimes, man, I kind of absorb some of what comes with that. You cannot let a big dude you up. You got to match fire with fire.”

It’s clear that Tomlin appreciated the physicality Porter showed in Week 13, even if it gave the Cincinnati Bengals plenty of opportunities to score throughout the contest.

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Najee Harris was a man possessed in Steelers’ Week 13 victory

Najee Harris led all skill position players in Week 13 with 129 total yards and a TD, showcasing elite form in a standout performance.

Fans of the hard-nosed, Pittsburgh-style running game, rejoice! Najee Harris turned back the clock to his rookie season as he showcased his elite receiving skills, run-after-the-catch ability, downhill physical running, and elusiveness all at once in Week 13. Harris not only led all running backs in the Steelers-Bengals matchup in rushing, but he also accumulated more total yards than any skill position player from either team: 129 total yards and 1 TD.

In a game featuring elite, talented receivers and running backs such as Steelers WR George Pickens, Bengals WRs Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and RB Chase Brown, it was Harris who shined the brightest.

Harris is currently in a contract year with Pittsburgh, after the Steelers declined to pick up his fifth-year option, and he appears determined to make a statement with a career resurgence in 2024. Ideally, the Steelers would love to keep Harris in the Black and Gold forever, as fans of the Steel City would undoubtedly appreciate—especially if his elite Week 13 performance becomes the new norm in Pittsburgh.

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Russell Wilson first Steelers QB since 2021 to achieve this feat

Russell Wilson became the first Steelers QB since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement to throw for over 300 yards and 3 TDs in a single game.

Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers who miss Ben Roethlisberger’s ability to sling the football—and what it meant to the Black and Gold passing attack—were ecstatic about the team’s Week 13 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Steelers QB Russell Wilson, who has looked consistently great since assuming the starting role over Justin Fields, threw for 414 yards and 3 TDs while averaging an incredible 10.9 yards per pass.

Why are the Black and Gold faithful so excited, and why is this the biggest takeaway from Week 13? One simple reason: the last Steelers QB to throw for over 300 yards and 3+ TDs was none other than Big Ben back in 2021.

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To keep the analysis short and to the point: Russ cooked the Bengals’ defense. While the Cincinnati-based AFC North divisional rivals have struggled to contain opposing offenses, no one can deny that Wilson is starting to look like the Pittsburgh Steelers’ QB of the future.

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