Coming into Sunday's game here at Paycor Stadium, Steelers tight ends had combined for 30 receptions for 228 yards and two touchdowns on 48 targets.

One game against the Bengals, a 16-10 victory by the Steelers, changed those numbers dramatically.

Kenny Pickett was 12 of 14 targeting tight ends Pat Freiermuth, Connor Heyward and Darnell Washington in this game, good for 141 yards, more than half of his passing totals. Freiermuth did most of that damage, catching nine passes for a career-high 120 yards – his first career 100-yard game.

But the plan coming into this game wasn't necessarily to feature the tight ends in the passing game. That's just what developed based on the looks the Bengals presented the Steelers.

The Steelers were employing a three tight end look a lot in this game because they wanted to keep the Bengals' base defense on the field and then run against it.

That would seem to fly in the face of conventional wisdom, but it worked.

"I knew it was going to be in the run game," Connor Heyward said of the three tight end package. "I didn't know how much it would be in the passing game. We ended up doing that. We had the same calls, but we did that out of three-tight end formations. It was just trying to give them different looks. With the talent we have in our room, we feel like we're all very versatile. We can line up in different areas."

The Bengals attempted to play two-high safety shells early in the game, but the Steelers came out and hit Freiermuth twice down the middle of the field between the two safeties – and behind the linebackers, who had bit on play-action fakes – for gains of 24 and 29 yards.

"With the coverage they were playing, that's where I eat," Freiermuth said. "We've got to keep doing that. Hopefully, defenses keep playing that coverage."

Future opponents had better take notice. Freiermuth was just the second tight end in NFL history to record 60-plus receptions in each of his first two seasons.

But this season, because of injuries, his production had been limited. He had nine receptions for 60 yards and two touchdowns coming into this game.

"I've just got to continue to stay healthy and we can build on this as an offense," Freiermuth said. "We had all of our pieces together. We've just got to keep going."

That was a big piece missing from the offense for half of this season. Last week against the Browns was his first week back after sitting out five weeks. And while he was out, Heyward and Washington got plenty of playing time to integrate themselves into the offense even more.

Moving forward, the Steelers should be able to dictate to defenses what they want it to do with that three tight end look.

If they go light against it, the Steelers will run the ball. If they go heavy, the Steelers can throw it.

"Just being able to run the ball, but also we can throw the ball," Heyward said. "We can go out there and make them go base, but we could also spread them out and throw the ball. Trying to show that me and Pat can do more. Darnell can move around. We can go out there and keep the defense on its heels and if they stack the box, we can do that, throw the ball over their head."

• Will the Steelers utilize those looks against all opponents? Perhaps not.

The Bengals have been particularly susceptible to opposing tight ends this season. Coming into this game, they were allowing an average of 6 receptions and nearly 64 yards to opposing tight ends, defending the position worse than all but a couple of teams in the league.

But it's good to see the Steelers are capable of completely exploiting an opposing team's weakness.

The same goes for Cincinnati's run defense, which has been second-worst in the league. Not only did the Steelers involve their tight ends in Sunday's game plan, they exploited Cincinnati's run defense to the tune of 33 carries for 153 yards.

That 4.6 yards per carry average would have been well above 5 yards per carry if not for three kneel downs by Pickett to end the game.

But you'll take 278 passing yards and 153 rushing yards against any NFL opponent.

"I think it was the first game where we really felt balanced, run and pass," said center Mason Cole. "We ran for 150 yards, passed for 250 or whatever it might be. We had a good balance, a good rhythm. We've got to limit the penalties on our half of the field. There are a lot of things we can still clean up, but it feels good to come out on the right end of this."

• Yes, the Steelers still only scored 16 points. But that's AFC North football.

And they would have had more if Diontae Johnson had properly been ruled to have caught a touchdown pass in the first quarter. Jaylen Warren fumbled on the next play, turning the ball over.

But replays clearly showed that Johnson had both feet on the ground, then took a step with the ball before being tackled to the ground. It was at that point that he lost it.

CBS officiating analyst Gene Steratore said the play was incorrectly ruled an incompletion.

But Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin couldn't see the play and no replay was shown in the stadium. The broadcast also didn't show a replay of it in time before the Steelers ran another play.

And at that point, it was too late.

The only thing Tomlin could have done differently is to call a timeout to get a better look at that play. But the way the Steelers were moving the ball, and given Cincinnati's offensive woes without Joe Burrow, it seemed as if the Steelers would have plenty of opportunities.

As it turned out, they did. But they went 1 of 4 scoring touchdowns in the red zone. That's certainly something Cole is referring to when he says they have things they can clean up."

• If not for a couple of catches off tipped passes, people would look at Ja'Marr Chase's line and feel like Joey Porter Jr. got the better of their one-on-one matchup.

As it was, Chase wound up with four receptions for 81 yards on six targets.

But he gained 31 yards on one tipped pass that got the defense flowing the opposite way of where he was going before pulling the errant pass in, then got 14 yards on a similar pass later in the game.

"I was talking to him and said, 'How do you catch those?' He's catching tipped passes that other receivers don't even go for," said Porter. "But it was good."

The two were talking back and forth throughout the game. It's a matchup both had better become accustomed to facing. They'll play against each other at least twice per season for the foreseeable future.

"It was fun," Porter said. "We were talking throughout the game. It was a good little matchup. I told him and told myself that we're going to see each other again. This is a rivalry. I'm excited for that."

• The Steelers were 8 of 17 on third downs in this game, something that led to a ridiculous 37:17-22:43 advantage in time of possession.

Well, that and limiting Cincinnati to just 25 rushing yards on 11 carries.

The Bengals aren't a good running team. They entered this game averaging 80.9 rushing yards per game.

But of their 11 rushing attempts in this game, just eight were by running back Joe Mixon. The other three were scrambles by quarterback Jake Browning, who was making his first career start.

Attempting just eight rushing plays compared to having a quarterback drop back and try to pass 33 times in his first NFL start might not be the most sound way to approach things.

"That's life versus Pittsburgh," said Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. "You know what's going to happen. It's going to be tough. When you run the ball, we need to get more production out of that. It takes the pressure off the passing game. That's what they rely on, taking off the run."

It doesn't help when you barely try.

The 25 rushing yards by the Bengals was the fewest allowed by the Steelers this season – by a lot – and their fewest 21 in a win last season in a Week 15 win at Carolina.

• Trenton Thompson picked a heck of a time to make his first career interception.

Playing in just his fourth NFL game, the 27-year-old stepped in front of a Browning pass intended for Chase at the Pittsburgh 15 on the opening possession of the second half, picking it off.

The Bengals had found a little rhythm on that drive, connecting on some short crossing patterns to move down the field.

But Thompson, who had just missed recording an interception last week against the Browns, sent the Bengals away with no points. Considering Cincinnati led 7-3 at the time, it was a huge play.

"I saw it was (Chase) and I figured he was running an out," said Thompson, who was starting in place of injured Minkah Fitzpatrick and Keanu Neal. "I was in the right place."

Thompson has been with the Steelers since training camp, spending most of this season on the practice squad. Before appearing in the past three games with the Steelers, his NFL experience consisted of one game in 2022 for the Giants.

The fact he was in the right place in that situation shows what a good job the coaching staff does.

make that real. … I think that's what team is about, particularly over the course of the journey that is this season. There's going to be opportunities for people to ascend and change the perceptions of who they are professionally."

• Warren had been the hot hand in the Steelers' backfield the past few weeks, rushing for over 300 yards in the past three games.

But Sunday was Najee Harris' turn. He gained 99 yards on just 15 carries, including a 20-yard, pile-moving run late in the first quarter that kind of set the tone for the Steelers' running game on this day.

•Dale Lolley is co-host of "SNR Drive" on Steelers Nation Radio. Subscribe to the podcast here: Apple Podcast | iHeart Podcast

"One man's misfortune is another's opportunity," said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. "Efforts like Trent's today

Harris was contacted by about half of the Cincinnati defense about five yards into the run, but kept driving his legs and – with help from right tackle Broderick Jones and others – turned it into a 20-yard gain before being brought down.

"He's our down-in, down-out ball toter," said Tomlin. "We doesn't get a lot of credit because of the nature of which he plays and the style we play. But that attrition component is significant."

Harris is a grinder. And in games like this, when you're trying to protect a lead, grinders are gold.

On the Steelers' final field goal drive – which pushed their lead to 16-7 – Harris ripped off runs of 22 and 13 yards to get the Steelers into scoring range, largely because the Bengals didn't want to tackle him any more.

Unfortunately, on his final run of the possession, he lost one yard. The Steelers would have had three consecutive individual 100-yard rushing games had that not happened. Warren had rushed for 100 yards in each of their previous two games.

"Oh man. That's crazy," Cole said when told Harris had just missed 100 yards. "But we'll take 150 (yards) however we can get it."

• Pickett's 278 passing yards were the second-most he's had in a game in his career. And he could have easily had more if the Steelers had wanted to keep throwing.

But with the Bengals struggling to move the ball consistently – they had 10 total first downs – there wasn't a lot of reason to keep throwing.

Freiermuth was like a convenience store. He was open all day.

"I wouldn't say we're relieved," Pickett said of the offensive output and finally getting over 400 yards of offense with him at the helm. "I would say we always knew what we're capable of doing. It's just putting it together. And we still haven't 100 percent put it together. We were driving really good. I felt like we left points out there. But you've got to take the positives and continue to march forward, which is what we plan on doing."

• Sunday's win, coupled with losses by Houston and Cleveland, puts the Steelers right back at the top of the AFC Wild Card standings. And it also allows them to keep the pressure on the Ravens for the AFC North title.

Last week's loss to the Browns was tough. And it obviously facilitated change for the Steelers.

But in the grand scheme of things, it didn't kill them.

One week later, they're right back where they were going into the game against the Browns.

• I'm not an NFL coach, but I'm pretty sure that leaving T.J. Watt unblocked, as the Bengals did on third down with 6:42 remaining in the game trailing just 13-7 at that point is not a good way to survive.

Watt had two sacks in the game. Cam Heyward also had one, just beating Watt to Browning. Otherwise, Watt would have had three.

Heyward's sack gives him 13.5 in his career against the Bengals. That's the most by any player against the Bengals in their history.

Watt has 17 sacks against the Browns. He needs two more to match Terrell Suggs for the most sacks by a player against Cleveland.

James Harrison holds the record for most sacks against the Ravens with 16. Watt is two behind him in second place with 14.

Notice a trend?