Photo: NFL on NBC
Steel City Underground will pick an exceptional play of the game as a highlight each week of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 NFL regular season. Stay tuned as we hand-select the very best from the Black and Gold!
In Week 16 of the 2023 NFL regular season, the Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the Cincinnati Bengals in the second game of their annual AFC North series at Acrisure Stadium. In an improbable twist of fate, the Steelers won the game, 34-11, with high offensive output and by winning the takeaway margin. In the game, three different Steelers defenders were able to snag an interception and keep momentum squarely in favor of the black and gold.
The first interception of Bengals quarterback Jake Browning happened on the second Cincinnati offensive drive of the game. After moving the ball down field on nine plays from their own 25-yard line, Browning took the 3rd & 9 snap at the Pittsburgh 16. Browning, under pressure and flushed out of the pocket, threw the ball to the end zone. The Steelers had the play covered well and Patrick Peterson, starting at safety in place of injured Minkah Fitzpatrick went up and took the ball for himself.
Peterson’s media team posted a Christmas version of the play on X:
https://twitter.com/P2/status/1738737594928967728?t=JR2vJwPxYiYaxv3RClbhqQ&s=19
The result of the play was a touchback. The pick set up Pittsburgh’s second touchdown of the game just ten plays later to put the score at 14-0 in favor of the home team. The energy in the stadium was electric.
The second interception occurred in the second quarter. On 1st & 10 at the Cincinnati 18-yard line (8:41), Browning threw a pass left that was intended for receiver Tyler Boyd. Eric Rowe, elevated to the active roster from the practice squad for the game, sat on the route with his eyes on Browning. Rowe was able to put his body in the right place to make the critical play.
https://twitter.com/steelers/status/1738686952734392594?t=_pdAoz2_JwLN7gsj-e6ZBQ&s=19
Just four plays later, the Steelers got into the end zone when Najee Harris bulldozed into the end zone to put the Steelers up, 21-0.
The third interception took place in the fourth quarter. On 2nd & 19 at the Cincinnati 26-yard line (12:26), Browning attempted a pass to Andrei Iosivas that Alex Highsmith, who’d dropped back into coverage, intercepted to once again take away a drive from the Bengals offense.
https://twitter.com/steelers/status/1738713398265737513?t=EJjrM5MngPThBCyJr8EfsA&s=19
The pick set up the final points of the game off of the leg of Chris Boswell to give the Steelers the score of 34-11 which they did not relinquish.
Highsmith was given the game ball on defense. He became the only player in the NFL during the 2023 regular season to twice record at least one sack and one interception in a single game. No other player has put two such games together through 16 weeks of play.
