You know how it goes. You check the Cincinnati Bengals Steelers score on a Sunday evening, see a lopsided number, and think you’ve got the whole story. But if you actually watched the slugfest at Acrisure Stadium on November 16, 2025, you know the 34-12 final was basically a lie.
Football is weird like that. A game can feel like a breathless, one-score panic attack for 45 minutes and then suddenly turn into a blowout because of two bad bounces. That is exactly what happened here. For three quarters, the Bengals were a few blades of grass away from taking the lead. Then, the wheels didn't just fall off—they disintegrated.
The Day the Momentum Died in Pittsburgh
Honestly, the Bengals had every reason to feel good going into the second half. They were trailing 10-6 at the break, but their defense was playing out of its mind. Myles Murphy was living in the backfield, racking up seven tackles and a sack. They had held the Steelers to under 200 yards.
Then came the third quarter.
Joe Flacco—who, let’s be real, has been a fascinating late-career experiment for Cincy—had the offense moving. They were on the cusp of field goal range, trailing only 13-9. It felt like one of those classic "whoever blinks first loses" AFC North games. Flacco dropped back on third down, looking for Tee Higgins over the middle.
✨ Don't miss: Finding the Best Texas Longhorns iPhone Wallpaper Without the Low-Res Junk
He blinked.
Steelers safety Kyle Dugger didn't just catch the interception; he looked like he’d been waiting for it his entire life. He took it 73 yards back for a pick-six, and the energy in the stadium shifted from nervous tension to absolute delirium. Suddenly, it was 20-9, and the Bengals' "best half of the season" defensively didn't matter anymore.
Why the 34-12 Final Score is Deceptive
If you just saw the Cincinnati Bengals Steelers score on a ticker, you'd think Pittsburgh dominated. They didn't. Not really.
The fourth quarter was essentially a fever dream of penalties and bad luck for Cincinnati. Consider this:
🔗 Read more: Why Isn't Mbappe Playing Today: The Real Madrid Crisis Explained
- The Ramsey Ejection: Jalen Ramsey and Ja’Marr Chase have been chirping at each other for years, but it finally boiled over. Ramsey threw a punch, got tossed, and the Bengals actually got a first down out of it.
- The Fumble Luck: Right after Cincy kicked a field goal to make it 20-12, the game was still technically "on." Then Noah Fant caught a swing pass, fumbled, and James Pierre scooped it for another defensive touchdown.
- The QB Carousel: Aaron Rodgers went down with a left wrist injury early. Most teams would fold. Instead, Mason Rudolph came in and played remarkably efficient football (12 of 16 for 127 yards), while the Bengals' offense just kind of sputtered into "garbage time" mode.
Comparing the October Shootout
It’s wild how much things changed in just one month. Back on October 16, these two teams met at Paycor Stadium and put on a clinic. That Cincinnati Bengals Steelers score was a much tighter 33-31 win for the Bengals.
In that game, Ja’Marr Chase was a god. He caught 16 passes—a franchise record—for 161 yards. He was carving up everyone: Ramsey, Porter Jr., Slay. It didn't matter. Joe Flacco looked like the 2012 version of himself, throwing for 342 yards and three touchdowns.
The difference? In October, the Bengals finished their drives. In November, they finished their drives by giving the ball to the other team's secondary.
What This Means for the AFC North Standings
The Steelers moved to 6-4 with that November win, keeping them right in the hunt for the division. The Bengals, meanwhile, fell further into the hole. It’s a bitter pill to swallow when you outgain an opponent for large stretches but lose by 22 points.
💡 You might also like: Tottenham vs FC Barcelona: Why This Matchup Still Matters in 2026
Steelers fans will tell you it’s "AFC North football," a phrase Ben Roethlisberger made famous and Mike Tomlin still lives by. It’s not about who has more yards; it’s about who survives the car crash.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Bettors
If you’re looking at future matchups between these two, stop looking at the total points and start looking at the "havoc stats."
- Watch the Turnovers: In the last two meetings, the winner was the team that won the turnover battle decisively.
- The "Higgins Factor": Tee Higgins has a weirdly consistent streak going—he has scored a touchdown in seven straight home games. If the next game is in Cincy, he's a safe bet to find the end zone.
- Defense Scores Matter: Pittsburgh’s defense is currently designed to score, not just stop. When you see Kyle Dugger or James Pierre in the lineup, the "over" on defensive touchdowns is always a sneaky play.
Keep an eye on the injury reports for the next meeting. With Aaron Rodgers' wrist and the ongoing drama between Chase and Ramsey, the return match in 2026 is already shaping up to be a powder keg. For now, the Steelers have the bragging rights, even if the score suggests a dominance that wasn't quite there on the field.