Bengals 13, Steelers 10
PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw a playoff berth directly into the Cincinnati Bengals' hands Sunday.
Reggie Nelson's last-minute interception of a Roethlisberger pass set up Josh Brown's 43-yard field goal with four seconds remaining as the Bengals edged the Steelers 13-10 and clinched a playoff berth.
Cincinnati (9-6) can win the AFC Central next Sunday if the Baltimore Ravens lose to the New York Giants on Sunday and the Bengals then beat the Ravens next Sunday in the regular-season finale.
The Bengals have won six of their last seven games.
The Steelers (7-8) were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss with their fifth loss in six games.
Nelson returned his interception 10 yards to the Pittsburgh 46 with 14 seconds left. That gave Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton enough time to hit A.J. Green with a 21-yard pass to set up Brown's field goal.
Both teams were short on long field goal attempts in the fourth quarter. Brown missed a 56-yarder with 3:18 remaining, then Pittsburgh's Shaun Suisham then missed from 53 yards with 1:47 left.
Dalton threw for 278 yards, but the Bengals failed to score an offensive touchdown. Dalton was also intercepted twice, both times by Cortez Allen, who also forced a fumble.
Dalton has thrown five interceptions and three touchdowns in December after a November in which he had nine TD passes and no interceptions.
Green had 10 receptions for 116 yards.
The Bengals won despite rushing for just 16 yards on 14 carries. They had averaged 168.2 rushing yards a game in their previous six games.
Roethlisberger was just 14 of 28 for 220 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Cincinnati used one of the interceptions to open the scoring in the first quarter when Leon Hall returned a pick 17 yards for a touchdown.
Brown's 41-yard field goal with 1:53 left in the first half pushed the Bengals' lead to 10-0 before Pittsburgh's offense finally awoke 44 seconds later. Roethlisberger hit a streaking Antonio Brown down the left sideline for a 60-yard touchdown pass.
The Steelers tied it at 10-10 on Suisham's 40-yard field goal with 4:01 remaining in the third quarter.
NOTES: Pittsburgh tight end Heath Miller suffered a right knee injury late in regulation and did not return. He had three receptions for 45 yards and leads the Steelers with 71 receptions for 816 yards and eight touchdowns. ... Pittsburgh wide receiver Plaxico Burress was inactive for a second straight game as a healthy scratch. He has only one reception for 18 yards since being signed as a free agent on Nov. 20. ... Cincinnati kicker Mike Nugent (calf) missed his third consecutive game and was again replaced by Brown ... The 40th anniversary of "The Immaculate Reception" was commemorated during a halftime ceremony that included Franco Harris, whose catch of a deflective pass gave the Steelers a victory over the Oakland Raiders in an AFC Divisional playoff game, the franchise's first postseason victory.
--
