Bengals Weekly Awards in 37-30 win over Steelers

Nov 26, 2022 - 4:58 PM

What a game and statement by the Cincinnati Bengals. They notched their first divisional win of the season on Sunday and improved to 6-4.

In the win, there were a number of great performances and moments. Cast your vote and sound off on your winners on the Bengals’ Week 11 awards!

Most Valuable Player

Joe Burrow:

The Bengals’ signal-caller played extremely well on Sunday afternoon, putting him in consideration for the FedEx Air Player of the Week award. He had 355 passing yards, four touchdowns, along with a 104.1 quarterback rating. Burrow hit seven different receivers, even with Joe Mixon and Ja’Marr Chase out of the lineup.

Samaje Perine:

After his first touchdown reception, we thought, “Hey, good Unsung Hero material this week!”. But, two more and Perine cemented himself as one of the best players in the entire NFL this week. Along with the three touchdown catches, Perine had 82 yards from scrimmage (30 rushing, 52 receiving) on 15 total touches.

Tee Higgins:

Without Chase, Cincinnati has had to drastically alter its offensive approach—particularly with Mixon also out of the lineup. Higgins once again dominated the Steelers, putting up 148 yards (second-most in his career) on nine catches.

Evan McPherson:

What a great bounce-back game after a couple with struggles before the bye. McPherson accounted for 13 total points (three field goals, four extra points), including a huge 54-yard boot in the second half.

Trey Hendrickson:

The veteran edge defender had a somewhat-quiet first half, but turned it up another notch in the final two quarters to help stifle the Steelers’ offense. He had two sacks, five tackles, a pass defended and four total hits on Kenny Pickett.

Unsung Hero of the Week

Trayveon Williams:

With Chris Evans out of the lineup and Brandon Wilson still rehabbing from a knee injury, Williams got the call against the Steelers. He had 124 yards on kickoff returns, including a 42-yarder, as well as a clutch eight-yard run late in the contest. Both of those plays led to drives collecting 10 total points and at critical points in the game.

Trenton Irwin:

Like Williams, Irwin was pressed into more action than originally designed this week. But, he answered the call, nabbing three catches for 42 yards and his first NFL touchdown.

Drue Chrisman:

The former Ohio State Buckeye finally got the call this week with Kevin Huber struggling. He boomed three punts for 150 total yards, including two that ended inside of Pittsburgh’s 20-yard line.

Germaine Pratt:

Pratt was solid this week and great against the run. He was second on the team in tackles with eight, including two for loss. He had a 91.2 score against the run, per Pro Football Focus.

Cam Taylor-Britt:

The young corner still had some ups and downs, but was definitely a physical presence. He’s growing nicely into his new starting role, notching a team-high 12 tackles on Sunday.

Play of the Week

Samaje Perine 29-yard touchdown reception:

The first in Perine’s hat trick was a thing of beauty. Cincinnati’s blockers set up the screen pass beautifully, while Perine navigated his way into the end zone.

Trenton Irwin’s one-yard touchdown pass:

It may not have been his biggest yardage gain of the game, but Irwin’s touchdown on a Burrow rollout was huge in the team’s eventual win. He finished with three total catches for 42 yards and this score.

Evan McPherson’s 54-yard field goal:

In his outstanding day against the Steelers, McPherson hit a deep field goal as the third quarter expired. Quite the kick, given the weather, venue, as well as the level of the moment and game itself.

Samaje Perine’s 6-yard touchdown reception:

The final of Perine’s touchdown was the eventual nail in the coffin, giving the Bengals an 11-point lead late in the fourth quarter.