Game story
In Week 6 of the 1999 NFL season on 1999-10-17, the Pittsburgh Steelers took care of business against the Cincinnati Bengals, pulling away with a 17–3 final that built a comfortable lead.
The highest-scoring period was Q1 with 10 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
A. Smith (Cincinnati Bengals) paced the passing game, with -11.30 total EPA.
On the individual side, J. Bettis (Pittsburgh Steelers) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +5.78 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+43.3% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Pittsburgh Steelers changed the game: D.Pelfrey kicks 58 yards from CIN 30 to PIT 12. T.Edwards to PIT 27 for 15 yards (R.Heath).
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q4 | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 7 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 J. Bettis · Pittsburgh Steelers · Rushing · +5.78 total EPA · 26 snaps · +0.22 EPA/play
- 2 D. Griffin · Cincinnati Bengals · Receiving · +3.33 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.48 EPA/play
- 3 T. Edwards · Pittsburgh Steelers · Receiving · +2.65 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.29 EPA/play
- 4 W. Jackson · Cincinnati Bengals · Receiving · +1.37 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.27 EPA/play
- 5 D. Scott · Cincinnati Bengals · Receiving · +0.70 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.35 EPA/play
- 6 M. Battaglia · Cincinnati Bengals · Receiving · +0.67 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.17 EPA/play
- 7 W. Blackwell · Pittsburgh Steelers · Receiving · +0.43 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.11 EPA/play
- 8 C. Dillon · Cincinnati Bengals · Receiving · +0.24 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.08 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
J. Bettis — PIT · Rushing
J. Bettis posted the highest total EPA (+5.78) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Pittsburgh Steelers's efficiency. Across 26 counted snaps, they averaged +0.22 EPA per play.
The signature play (-4.59 EPA) came from Cincinnati Bengals: (4:51) A.Smith pass intended for C.Pickens INTERCEPTED by O.Roye at PIT 4. O.Roye to PIT 6 for 2 yards (W.Anderson). Holmes hit Smith as ball was being thrown
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Pittsburgh Steelers — unlisted player
- Pittsburgh Steelers — unlisted player
Field goals
- Cincinnati Bengals — unlisted player
- Pittsburgh Steelers — unlisted player
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Pittsburgh Steelers won the period 7–3. Pittsburgh Steelers found the end zone from the CIN 1 (Q1 54:48) — (9:48) J.Bettis left guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Pittsburgh Steelers added 1 points from the CIN 2 (Q1 51:17) — K.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Schneck, Holder-M.Tomczak.; Cincinnati Bengals connected on a field goal from the PIT 19 (Q1 51:05) — (6:05) D.Pelfrey 37 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-B.Peterson, Holder-G.Myers..
The second quarter: Pittsburgh Steelers won the period 7–0. Pittsburgh Steelers found the end zone from the CIN 5 (Q2 42:24) — (12:24) J.Bettis up the middle for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Pittsburgh Steelers added 1 points from the CIN 2 (Q2 36:35) — K.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Schneck, Holder-M.Tomczak..
The fourth quarter: Pittsburgh Steelers won the period 3–0. Pittsburgh Steelers connected on a field goal from the CIN 25 (Q4 12:14) — (12:14) K.Brown 43 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-M.Schneck, Holder-M.Tomczak..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q1 60:00) — D.Pelfrey kicks 58 yards from CIN 30 to PIT 12. T.Edwards to PIT 27 for 15 yards (R.Heath).
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q1 58:15) — (13:15) A.Smith pass intended for C.Pickens INTERCEPTED by D.Washington at PIT 38. D.Washington to PIT 38 for no gain.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q1 54:48) — (9:48) (Shotgun) K.Stewart pass to T.Edwards to CIN 1 for 16 yards (M.Bell, R.Blackmon).
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q2 42:24) — (12:24) J.Bettis up the middle for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q2 44:23) — (14:23) A.Smith sacked at CIN 33 for 0 yards (C.Oldham). FUMBLES (C.Oldham), recovered by CIN-M.Basnight at CIN 23.
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q4 4:51) — (4:51) A.Smith pass intended for C.Pickens INTERCEPTED by O.Roye at PIT 4. O.Roye to PIT 6 for 2 yards (W.Anderson). Holmes hit Smith as ball was being thrown
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q1 58:15) — (13:15) A.Smith pass intended for C.Pickens INTERCEPTED by D.Washington at PIT 38. D.Washington to PIT 38 for no gain.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q4 4:21) — (4:21) J.Miller punts 39 yards to CIN 49, Center-M.Schneck. D.Griffin MUFFS catch, RECOVERED by PIT-C.Oldham at CIN 44.
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q4 9:22) — (9:22) C.Dillon left guard pushed ob at PIT 3 for 26 yards (D.Washington).
Quarterback report card
A.Smith led all passers in efficiency for Cincinnati Bengals, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- A.Smith (Cincinnati Bengals) · 46 dropbacks · 41.3% completion · -0.25 EPA/play · -11.30 total EPA
- K.Stewart (Pittsburgh Steelers) · 32 dropbacks · 53.1% completion · -0.13 EPA/play · -4.06 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Pittsburgh Steelers | Cincinnati Bengals |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.019 | -0.169 |
| Offensive success rate | 38.5% | 35.6% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.141 | -0.253 |
| Rush EPA/play | +0.123 | -0.053 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.169 | -0.019 |
| Defensive success rate | 64.4% | 61.5% |
By the numbers
Despite the final score, Pittsburgh Steelers generated the better offensive EPA per play (+0.02 vs -0.17), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
- Cincinnati Bengals: 11 drives, -14.69 total EPA, 1 scoring drives
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 12 drives, +1.74 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Pittsburgh Steelers leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- J. Bettis (Pittsburgh Steelers) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Pittsburgh Steelers TD (+6) — Q1 54:48 · CIN 1 · Score 6-0
(9:48) J.Bettis left guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Pittsburgh Steelers XP (+1) — Q1 51:17 · CIN 2 · Score 7-0
K.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Schneck, Holder-M.Tomczak. - Cincinnati Bengals FG (+3) — Q1 51:05 · PIT 19 · Score 7-3
(6:05) D.Pelfrey 37 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-B.Peterson, Holder-G.Myers. - Pittsburgh Steelers TD (+6) — Q2 42:24 · CIN 5 · Score 13-3
(12:24) J.Bettis up the middle for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Pittsburgh Steelers XP (+1) — Q2 36:35 · CIN 2 · Score 14-3
K.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Schneck, Holder-M.Tomczak. - Pittsburgh Steelers FG (+3) — Q4 12:14 · CIN 25 · Score 17-3
(12:14) K.Brown 43 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-M.Schneck, Holder-M.Tomczak.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals?
The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals 17-3 in Week 6, 1999 on 1999-10-17.
What was the final score of Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals?
The final score was Pittsburgh Steelers 17, Cincinnati Bengals 3 (PIT 17-3 CIN) in Week 6, 1999 on 1999-10-17.
What was the score by quarter in Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals?
Q1: Pittsburgh Steelers 7, Cincinnati Bengals 3; Q2: Pittsburgh Steelers 7, Cincinnati Bengals 0; Q4: Pittsburgh Steelers 3, Cincinnati Bengals 0; Final: Pittsburgh Steelers 17, Cincinnati Bengals 3.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals?
Pittsburgh Steelers touchdown — unlisted player (Q1 54:48) Pittsburgh Steelers touchdown — unlisted player (Q2 42:24) Cincinnati Bengals field goal — unlisted player (Q1 51:05, 3 pts) Pittsburgh Steelers field goal — unlisted player (Q4 12:14, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals?
A. Smith (Cincinnati Bengals), 41.3% completion, -0.25 EPA per dropback, -11.30 total passing EPA. K. Stewart (Pittsburgh Steelers), 53.1% completion, -0.13 EPA per dropback, -4.06 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals?
J. Bettis (Pittsburgh Steelers) led the game in total EPA with +5.78 on rushing plays. across 26 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-4.59 EPA): (4:51) A.Smith pass intended for C.Pickens INTERCEPTED by O.Roye at PIT 4. O.Roye to PIT 6 for 2 yards (W.Anderson). Holmes hit Smith as ball was being thrown. The biggest win-probability swing was +43.3%.
Season records after this game
Pittsburgh Steelers
Entered 2-3 Now 3-3 W
Cincinnati Bengals
Entered 1-4 Now 1-5 L
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