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Antonio Brown spearheads Steelers’ 30-20 win over Bengals

Pittsburgh wide receiver Antonio Brown avoids Cincinnati Bengals defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick on a first-quarter reception during the Steelers' 30-20 win Sunday night.
(Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
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PITTSBURGH — Antonio Brown caught a touchdown pass and returned a punt for a score in a 64-second span in the first quarter, and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals, 30-20, on Sunday night.

Shaun Suisham added three field goals for the Steelers (6-8), who built a 24-point lead and hardly looked like a team playing out the string.

Ben Roethlisberger completed 20 of 25 passes for 191 yards with a touchdown and an intercepted pass. Le’Veon Bell added 117 yards of total offense.

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Andy Dalton completed 25 of 44 passes for 230 yards and two second-half touchdowns, but Cincinnati (9-5) never recovered after getting staggered early at frigid Heinz Field.

Looking to move closer to a third straight playoff berth, the Bengals were undone by a series of miscues on special teams.

Bell scored two plays after Cincinnati punter Kevin Huber dropped a snap while standing near the goal line after the Bengals’ first possession. Pittsburgh’s Will Allen dropped Huber at the one-yard line and Bell bulled into the end zone on second down for his sixth touchdown of the season.

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Cincinnati’s issues continued on the ensuing kickoff.

Officials ruled Cedric Peerman called for a fair catch at the Cincinnati nine-yard line, wiping out a lengthy return. The Bengals eventually punted, setting up the Steelers with a short field. Pittsburgh went 47 yards in eight plays, with Roethlisberger buying enough time for Brown to get open for a 12-yard touchdown strike to make it 14-0.

Brown’s work wasn’t done. Cincinnati punted yet again and Brown took it 67 yards right up the middle, breaking a tackle at midfield on his way to the second punt return for a score in his four-year career for Pittsburgh’s third touchdown.

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