The Bengals believed this team was different. Different than the last six in a row and nine of ten against Pittsburgh. Different than the group that didn't have that last play in them the last two years.

They were through the first five games, but could they be against the team they have not been able to find a way to beat?

For a few minutes, it appeared they were.

Until Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown did it to them one more time. The only way the Steelers know how – in the most heartbreaking fashion possible.

This time it was Brown running free against an all-out blitz for a touchdown with only 10 seconds left and 28-21 Pittsburgh win.

For a franchise whose fan base and media constantly scream at them to prove it, they nearly did. This young group has come a long way. They did show fight. They did show execution in huge moments.

But, inevitably, they aren't there yet.

It took a whole lot of Andy Dalton in critical moments to make it look like it would happen, but a beat up Bengals defense couldn't make the one final stop to deliver the goods.

The defense was to the point of wondering who would come in next. William Jackson III could barely walk off the field. Dre Kirkpatrick spent multiple plays on a knee. Darqueze Dennard was out. Shawn Williams was out. Nick Vigil was out. Carlos Dunlap was on the sideline for a drive.

But twice with their backs against the goal line the defense stood up to give an opportunity for Andy Dalton to re-create what happened in Atlanta and win a tilt.

He did. Dalton took an offense that had 49 yards in the second half and went 75 yards in nine plays for the go-ahead touchdown by Joe Mixon. It left 1:15 on the clock.

The beat up defense had to hold up once more with guys like Darius Phillips and Tony McRae on the field. There wasn't enough.

Instead, more Roethlisberger magic. That's seven in a row and 10 of 11 for the Steelers in this series.

Hard to explain the level of guts it took to even keep this game within a score until the final minutes, but it doesn't change this ending the same way these always seem to for the Bengals.

Frustration.

Game ball

Tyler Boyd. The Bengals needed another weapon to show up outside of A.J. Green. Boyd did just that, catching two critical touchdowns, one with a fantastic catch, the other with a fantastic route whipping Artie Burns. His impressive catch on a ball thrown behind him on the final drive also kept the chains moving.

Upon Further Review

Mike Tomlin burned a challenge early in the game and could have challenged what appeared to be a James Conner 26-yard touchdown run in the third quarter when he dove and landed near the goal line. He opted not to challenge and the result was a goal line stand by the Bengals to force a field goal.

Play of the game

JuJu Smith-Schuster with an incredible catch stealing a potential interception away from Darqueze Dennard near the end of the first half. He would be marked down at the 1-yard line when his helmet hit the ground, but that mattered little as James Conner scored one play later thanks to Smith-Schuster’s acrobatics.

Injuries

Linebacker Nick Vigil sustained a left knee injury in the first half and never returned. He entered the game leading the NFL in stops, via Pro Football Focus.

Cornerback Darqueze Dennard left just before halftime and didn’t return with a shoulder injury.

Safety Shawn Williams sustained a concussion and didn't return.

Three up

Red zone design. Bill Lazor continues to be effective springing players open in the red zone this year. The latest came on the first touchdown of the game when a slip by Boyd into the flat kept him matched on 255-pound linebacker Anthony Chickillo. Dalton hit Boyd outside of the outstretched arms of Chickillo where a diving reception was enough for a touchdown.

Ryan Shazier. In the first game back since Shazier suffered his severe spinal injury at Paul Brown Stadium, Shazier walked to midfield for the coin toss. Great to see his recovery continue.

Alex Erickson. Rolled up 98 yards worth of kickoff returns at the end of the second quarter and beginning of the third.

Three down

Lacking aggression. On the first drive of the second half the Bengals drove to the 40 of Pittsburgh but opted to punt instead of going for it on fourth-and-1. Instead, Kevin Huber punted 28 yards. The Steelers would eventually drive the field for a field goal. Especially on a day where both offenses were cooking, I’d prefer more aggression in that spot instead of a round of field position.

Drops. The Bengals had three stone cold drops in the first half. Two by A.J. Green and a critical one by Cody Core. The drop by Core was an easy catch that would have converted a third-and-7, instead forcing a punt. The Steelers got in on the fun, themselves when Joe Haden dropped what would have been an easy pick that ended up in Boyd’s first touchdown.

Questionable motives? Much was made of Vontaze Burfict’s attitude toward playing the Steelers and it’s uncanny how much the style of this hit on Antonio Brown resembled the way Burfict hit Brown in the 2016 wild-card game. Was it dirty? Only Burfict knows, but we always end up debating motive when it looks questionable like this.

Photo of the game

Sam Greene all over the Smith-Schuster catch against Dennard.

Personnel note

John Ross was unable to play with his groin injury, missing his second consecutive week since sustaining the injury in Atlanta. The Bengals opted to sit Adolphus Washington in place of the bigger Josh Tupou.

Also, Tyler Kroft reportedly has a broken bone in his foot and could miss the season. He’s meeting with a specialist to determine if surgery is necessary.

Three key numbers

15 of 22

Pittsburgh scored on a 1-yard James Conner touchdown run with 1:07 left before halftime. That marked the 15th time in the last 22 games the Bengals allowed points in the final two minutes of the first half.

48

Number of seconds it took the Bengals to answer the Steelers’ score before halftime. Alex Erickson ripped off a 47-yard return and Dalton had a surgical dissection of the Steelers defense that ended in an easy Dalton touchdown to Boyd against a blitz.

0

Sacks for Geno Atkins and the Bengals defense. A rarity for him, but Pittsburgh did a nice job bottling up the Bengals defensive tackle who entered tied for the NFL lead with six.