Thursday Night Football: Bengals lead turnover-prone Steelers 17-10 at halftime

Everything said the Steelers should win Thursday night’s game easily. Someone forgot to tell the Bengals.

Cincinnati outplayed Pittsburgh in the first half, rallying from a 10-0 deficit to take a 17-10 lead into halftime.

The Bengals outgained the Steelers 220 to 183 in the first half.

Pittsburgh scored on two of its first three possessions, with Jonnu Smith catching a 10-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers and Chris Boswell kicking a 41-yard field goal.

But the Bengals intercepted Rodgers on back-to-back possessions on passes intended for DK Metcalf. Safety Jordan Battle had a pick with 4:25 left in the half, leading to a three-play, 76-yard touchdown drive, and cornerback DJ Turner stole a pass from Metcalf on a spectacular interception with 40 seconds left in the half to set up Evan McPherson’s 49-yard field goal on the final play.

Besides, the turnovers, the Steelers had a touchdown nullified by a holding penalty on center Zach Frazier and ended up settling for a field goal after a false start on offensive lineman Mason McCormick on fourth-and-1.

Rodgers is 13-of-19 for 118 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Metcalf has two receptions for 45 yards, and Jaylen Warren has eight carries for 45 yards.

Joe Flacco, who has been in Cincinnati a little over a week, has completed 14 of 21 passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns. Ja’Marr Chase has seven catches for 61 yards and a touchdown, and Tee Higgins has added 54 yards and a touchdown on three receptions. Chase Brown has run for 74 yards on five carries.

The Bengals, who have lost four in a row, receive the second-half kickoff.