NFL Week 18 Recap: Cincinnati Bengals 19, Pittsburgh Steelers 17

The Cincinnati Bengals ended Saturday night with a 19-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive. 

To make the playoffs, the Bengals need the New York Jets to beat or tie the Miami Dolphins in addition to the Kansas City Chiefs defeating the Denver Broncos. 

The Bengals struggled to punch the ball into the end zone, totaling just one touchdown on the evening, but their four additional field goals proved to be enough due to the defense's strong performance.

The Steelers offense failed to accumulate 200 yards, as its struggles continue heading into the playoffs. 

PFF's dedicated team of graders was hard at work, analyzing every player on every play in real time. The grades and data will be available after a thorough review tomorrow at noon ET.

In the meantime, we’ve gathered some high-level data and snap counts from the game to give you an early look. Our expert graders have also nominated the standout player of the game, highlighting exceptional performance on the field.

Sign up for PFF+ for in-depth analysis, PFF grades, Premium Stats, fantasy football tools, betting dashboards and much more!

HIGHEST-GRADED PLAYERS

• QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (86.1)
• CB Mike Hilton, Cincinnati Bengals (84.6)
• DI Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers (82.7)

Note: Follow along with PFF's in-game grading as our analysts evaluate every player on every play in real time! Grades will then be relocked 90 minutes after the final whistle as our first-run analysis is reviewed.

Click here to see PFF's initial grades from this game!

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Quarterback Joe Burrow was excellent in a must-win situation in hostile territory, finishing 37-of-46 for 277 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. Burrow recorded an impressive 93.0% adjusted completion percentage and a 2.44-second average time to throw. 

ADVANCED BOX SCORE