The Steelers have played the Bengals in many games. Many of them have been wild in some capacity. However, the Sunday matchup may rank as a classic.
In Cincinnati or in Pittsburgh, there may have been a few extra cases of fans reporting myocardial infarctions due to the number of blocked or missed field goals that could have won the game in regulation or in overtime.
Anytime you have a combination of a season opener head deep into overtime with two missed field goals, and one blocked kick which otherwise would have won in regulation, you will undoubtedly find some odd stats surrounding it. Sunday’s win over the Bengals is no exception.
Steelers and season opener overtime games
After Sunday’s victory, the black and gold are now 4-0-1 when they have had an overtime game in the season opener. The last game to go to overtime in the season opener was the 21-21 tie with Cleveland in 2018. The last game they won was in 2010 when they knocked off the Falcons 15-9. Pittsburgh also defeated the Titans in 2009 and the Patriots in 1979 in overtime season openers.
Considering the game went to overtime, fans should have at least found comfort in the fact that being the Steelers 5th overtime game with the Bengals, the Steelers have amassed a 4-1-0 record against the Bengals when they have taken them to overtime. The only overtime loss to the Bengals came 12/ 30/2001 when Pittsburgh lost 26-23.
Steelers have the first opening day Pick 6 in a while
Minkah Fitzpatrick ran back an interception for a touchdown early in the game. His touchdown was only the 3rd pick-six in a season opener. The last opening day pick-six occurred in 2006 against Miami, and the only one before that occurred in 1961 against Dallas.
In relation to the Bengals, however, this pick was the Steelers 13th all-time interception returned for a touchdown and the first one since 2015. In conjunction, the Bengals also have three games in which they have thrown two pick-sixes which occurred in 1983, 1984, and 2010. Another fact that should have made Steelers fans feel at ease is that the Steelers have a 10-1 record when returning an interception for a touchdown.
Steelers block a kick
In Steelers history, they now have seven blocked kicks on the opening day game. The last one occurred in 2018 vs. Cleveland. If you didn’t realize, when the Steelers block a kick in the opening game, they have a remarkable record of being 5-1-1.
The very odd Steelers stats
Here are the oddest stats generated by the Steelers victory over the Bengals. Pittsburgh, in team history, has 5 blocked kicks against the Bengals in 1974, 1982, 2011, 2015, and on Sunday. Ironically all of these blocked kicks have occurred in the Bengal’s home stadium and none in the Burgh.
The game also marked the first one in team history that Pittsburgh played in overtime with an interception return for a touchdown. This was only the 2nd game in franchise history since 1995 that Pittsburgh had five takeaways in an overtime game. If that is not impressive enough, the Steelers have a 34-0-1 record with a takeaway margin of plus five or more going back to 1939.
Sunday’s contest was the first game the black and gold ever had a plus five takeaway margin against the Bengals, although they have done it eight times against the Cleveland Browns.
The oddest stat of the week belongs to Chase Claypool. His 36 rushing yards was the highest opening day performance for a wide receiver since John Stallworth’s 46 rushing yards against the Raiders in the 1976 season opener. In conjunction, Claypool now has the most opening day rushing yards of all Steelers wide receivers in a career, with a total of 69 yards between 2020-2022.
Thankfully Pittsburgh got a win in this series classic, and next week they face the Patriots for the first time without Tom Brady since the 2001 playoffs. Hopefully, the Steelers win but win or lose; the game will surely produce some odd stats.