Steelers’ four sacks, two takeaways help keep Bengals winless

[Who Dey]

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Mason Rudolph didn’t have a good week or a good day. It could have been worse.

The Steelers could have lost.

Instead, Pittsburgh benched Rudolph and Devlin Hodges might have won the job.

Hodges competed his first two passes for 90 yards, including a 79-yard touchdown to James Washington, and then led them to two field goals as the Steelers pulled out a 16-10 victory over the Bengals.

The Steelers have won four of five to move to 6-5. The Bengals remain winless, losing their sixth game by one score, though Pittsburgh ended the game by taking a knee inside the Cincinnati 10-yard line.

Chris Boswell kicked field goals of 26, 47 and 26 yards.

But the Steelers defense won the game, getting four sacks and two takeaways against a struggling quarterback. Minkah Fitzpatrick had six tackles and a fumble recovery; Mark Barron had six tackles and a sack; Devin Bush four tackles and a forced fumble; Bud Dupree two tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble; and T.J. Watt two tackles, a sack, a pass breakup and a forced fumble.

The Steelers replaced Rudolph, but the Bengals didn’t appear to ever think about going back to veteran Andy Dalton even as the Bengals were going three-and-out eight times. Ryan Finley lost a fumble as did Tyler Boyd as Cincinnati was threatening in the second half.