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Steelers surge in 4th, down Bengals

Dec 8, 2014 - 3:21 AM Cincinnati, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Le'Veon Bell ran for the go-ahead touchdown and Ben Roethlisberger hit Martavis Bryant for a 94-yard score during Pittsburgh's big fourth quarter in a 42-21 victory over the AFC North- leading Cincinnati Bengals.

Bell finished with 26 carries for 185 yards and two TDs, both in the final quarter, when the Steelers (8-5) outscored the Bengals, 25-0.

Bell also had a touchdown reception, and Roethlisberger completed 25-of-39 passes for 350 yards and three scores to guide the Steelers to their fifth win in the last seven games.

"We just know that it is one game at a time," said Roethlisberger. "We (know) every week is kind of a playoff week for us. We're going to give it everything we have every week."

Andy Dalton finished 21-of-29 for 302 yards and a pair of scores for the Bengals (8-4-1), who had a three-game winning streak broken. A.J. Green caught 11 passes for a career-best 224 yards and a score.

With Baltimore (8-5) winning at Miami and Cleveland (7-6) losing at home to Indianapolis Sunday, there is a crush in the division standings.

"We're a type of team if we turn the ball over we can't get down on ourselves," said Green. "We didn't convert on third down. I didn't do a good job on third down. We just gotta get better at that."

The schedule is tough for both teams over the final three games. The Bengals play at Cleveland before hosting Denver on a Monday night, then conclude the season in Pittsburgh. The Steelers play at Atlanta then host Kansas City before what could be a giant encounter against the Bengals.

Green beat Ike Taylor in coverage for an 81-yard TD reception on the final play of the third quarter to give Cincinnati a 21-17 lead.

Bell broke off a 53-yard run, which led to Shaun Suisham's 44-yard field goal early in the fourth. Pittsburgh caught a break later in the quarter. Dalton had a poor exchange on a fake handoff and coughed up the football. Arthur Moats pounced on the ball at the Cincinnati 24, and Bell finished the short march with a 13-yard run by fighting off a would-be tackler and stretching the ball over the goal line. Roethlisberger connected with Heath Miller on the 2- point conversion with 11:27 remaining.

The Bengals then pinned the Steelers at their own 6 following a punt, but on the next play, Leon Hall was burned in coverage down the right sideline by Bryant for the 94-yard score with 8:31 to play and a 35-21 cushion.

Bell broke off left tackle for a 22-yard TD run with 5:09 remaining to cement Cleveland's second straight big home loss to a division opponent. They lost 24-3 to Cleveland on Nov. 6 before winning three in a row on the road.

The Bengals failed to get a first down following a fake punt during a scoreless first quarter, and the Steelers struck first early in the second. Roethlisberger threw to a wide open Miller on the right side of the end zone for a 1-yard score.

The Bengals then covered 80 yards in five plays to tie the score. Dalton connected with Green on a 56-yard bomb over the middle, and two plays later, the signal-caller found Jermaine Gresham from 10 yards out for the TD.

William Gay picked off Dalton at the Pittsburgh 10 on Cincinnati's next possession, but Jason Worilds was whistled for illegal use of hands, which negated the play. Dalton made the Steelers pay when he faked a handoff and darted up the middle untouched to the end zone for a 20-yard score with 2:57 left.

Suisham connected on a 22-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining to get the Steelers within 14-10 at the half. After the Steelers attained a 1st-and-goal from the 4, Roethlisberger threw three consecutive incomplete passes.

A nifty move by Bell led to Pittsburgh grabbing a 17-14 lead with 5:24 left in third. On 3rd-and-6, he ran a pattern over the middle, then escaped the coverage of linebacker Emmanuel Lamur before catching a 10-yard TD pass.

Game Notes

Pittsburgh has won seven of the last nine meetings ... Dalton was knocked out for a play with 8:15 left in the third when Stephon Tuitt connected with the QBs ribs on a rush up the middle. Dalton walked off the field slowly, and Jason Campbell entered the game. Campbell also played the final two offensive series ... Antonio Brown had nine catches for 117 yards for Pittsburgh, while Bryant had four for 109.