The Cincinnati Bengals pulled out their fifth consecutive win with a 19-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18. With the win, Cincinnati was able to keep its playoff hopes alive. Now, they need some serious outside help on the final day of the regular season.
The Bengals benefitted from a plethora of positive performances in the victory over Pittsburgh. Here's a look at three big winners from Cincinnati's side.
Trey Hendrickson, Defensive end
Hendrickson did what he's done all season in Week 18: Terrorize the opposing quarterback. It seemed like Hendrickson was in Russell Wilson's face every time Pittsburgh's QB looked up, as the Steelers offensive line had a very difficult time containing the league's sack leader.
Against Pittsburgh, Hendrickson recorded five total tackles, five QB hits, 3.5 sacks and a defended pass. He was extremely active all evening, and he deserves a lot of credit not only for his production against Pittsburgh, but for his production all season. Hendrickson finished with 17.5 total sacks for the second consecutive season -- a very impressive feat.
Ja'Marr Chase, Wide receiver
Ja'Marr Chase capped off one of the best campaigns for a wide receiver in recent memory with another extremely productive performance. Chase led the Bengals with 10 catches for 96 yards and a touchdown against Pittsburgh, and he all but locked up the receiving triple crown in the process.
Only four receivers have led the league in catches, yards and touchdowns since 1970, and Chase is now poised to become the fifth, joining Jerry Rice (San Francisco 49ers, 1990), Sterling Sharpe (Green Bay Packers, 1992), Steve Smith (Carolina Panthers, 2005) and Cooper Kupp (Los Angeles Rams, 2021). He's been an absolute beast for Cincinnati all season, and locking him up with a monster extension should be a top priority for the organization over the offseason.
Cade York, Kicker
After missing a potential game-winning field goal in overtime against the Broncos in Week 17, kicker Cade York bounced back in a big way against Pittsburgh. York connected on all four of his field goal attempts in the contest, including a 48-yarder. He also converted his only extra point attempt.
In all, York accounted for 13 of the 19 points Cincinnati scored in the contest. Had he missed a single one of his kicks, the game might have turned out differently. But, he was locked in, and his production is a big part of the reason that the Bengals were able to pull out a fifth consecutive win.