Game story
In Week 3 of the 2009 NFL season on 2009-09-27, the Cincinnati Bengals took care of business against the Pittsburgh Steelers, pulling away with a 23–20 final that came down to the wire.
The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 14 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
C. Palmer (Cincinnati Bengals) paced the passing game, with +0.81 total EPA, and -4.0% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, M. Wallace (Pittsburgh Steelers) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +8.90 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+34.9% win probability) landed in the fourth quarter when Cincinnati Bengals changed the game: (:18) (Shotgun) 9-C.Palmer pass short middle to 87-A.Caldwell for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 23 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 M. Wallace · Pittsburgh Steelers · Receiving · +8.90 total EPA · 8 snaps · +1.11 EPA/play
- 2 H. Ward · Pittsburgh Steelers · Receiving · +7.11 total EPA · 5 snaps · +1.42 EPA/play
- 3 B. Roethlisberger · Pittsburgh Steelers · Passing · +6.40 total EPA · 34 snaps · +0.19 EPA/play
- 4 W. Parker · Pittsburgh Steelers · Receiving · +3.96 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.98 EPA/play
- 5 B. Leonard · Cincinnati Bengals · Receiving · +3.94 total EPA · 3 snaps · +1.31 EPA/play
- 6 C. Crocker · Cincinnati Bengals · Rushing · +3.66 total EPA · 1 snaps · +3.66 EPA/play
- 7 A. Caldwell · Cincinnati Bengals · Receiving · +1.83 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.18 EPA/play
- 8 B. Roethlisberger · Pittsburgh Steelers · Rushing · +1.47 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.73 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
M. Wallace — PIT · Receiving
M. Wallace posted the highest total EPA (+8.90) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Pittsburgh Steelers's efficiency. Across 8 counted snaps, they averaged +1.11 EPA per play.
The signature play (-6.38 EPA) came from Pittsburgh Steelers: (13:44) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short right intended for 10-S.Holmes INTERCEPTED by 22-J.Joseph at PIT 30. 22-J.Joseph for 30 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Pittsburgh Steelers — W. Parker (B. Roethlisberger pass)
- Cincinnati Bengals — J. Joseph
- Pittsburgh Steelers — B. Roethlisberger
- Cincinnati Bengals — C. Benson
- Cincinnati Bengals — A. Caldwell (C. Palmer pass)
Field goals
- Pittsburgh Steelers — J. Reed
- Pittsburgh Steelers — J. Reed
- Cincinnati Bengals — S. Graham
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 10–0. Pittsburgh Steelers connected on a field goal from the CIN 1 (Q1 51:59) — (6:59) 3-J.Reed 19 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda.; Pittsburgh Steelers found the end zone from the CIN 27 (Q1 46:14) — (1:14) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short left to 39-W.Parker for 27 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Pittsburgh Steelers added 1 points from the CIN 2 (Q1 46:02) — 3-J.Reed extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda..
The second quarter: The quarter finished even at 3–3. Pittsburgh Steelers connected on a field goal from the CIN 6 (Q2 42:48) — (12:48) 3-J.Reed 24 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda.; Cincinnati Bengals connected on a field goal from the PIT 16 (Q2 30:03) — (:03) 17-S.Graham 34 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-B.St. Louis, Holder-10-K.Huber..
The third quarter: Pittsburgh Steelers won the period 7–6. Cincinnati Bengals found the end zone from the CIN 76 (Q3 28:44); Pittsburgh Steelers found the end zone from the CIN 1 (Q3 18:04) — (3:04) 7-B.Roethlisberger right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. CIN-58-R.Maualuga was injured during the play.; Pittsburgh Steelers added 1 points from the CIN 2 (Q3 18:00) — 3-J.Reed extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda..
The fourth quarter: Cincinnati Bengals won the period 14–0. Cincinnati Bengals found the end zone from the PIT 23 (Q4 9:20) — (9:20) 32-C.Benson left tackle for 23 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Cincinnati Bengals found the end zone from the PIT 4 (Q4 0:18) — (:18) (Shotgun) 9-C.Palmer pass short middle to 87-A.Caldwell for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Cincinnati Bengals registered a safety from the PIT 2 (Q4 0:14) — (Pass formation) TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 9-C.Palmer pass to 40-B.Leonard is complete. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q4 0:18) — (:18) (Shotgun) 9-C.Palmer pass short middle to 87-A.Caldwell for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q3 28:44) — (13:44) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short right intended for 10-S.Holmes INTERCEPTED by 22-J.Joseph at PIT 30. 22-J.Joseph for 30 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q4 0:36) — (:36) (Shotgun) 9-C.Palmer pass short right to 40-B.Leonard to PIT 4 for 11 yards (51-J.Farrior).
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q4 1:00) — (1:00) (Shotgun) 9-C.Palmer pass short right to 11-L.Coles to PIT 15 for 5 yards (24-I.Taylor).
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q4 0:02) — (:02) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass incomplete deep right to 17-M.Wallace (24-G.Pope).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q3 28:44) — (13:44) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short right intended for 10-S.Holmes INTERCEPTED by 22-J.Joseph at PIT 30. 22-J.Joseph for 30 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q1 57:34) — (12:34) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass deep right to 86-H.Ward to CIN 49 for 41 yards (42-C.Crocker; 31-R.Williams).
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q3 16:32) — (1:32) (Punt formation) 42-C.Crocker left end to PIT 41 for 21 yards (14-L.Sweed, 27-J.Burnett).
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q2 44:47) — (14:47) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass deep right to 17-M.Wallace ran ob at CIN 10 for 51 yards.
Quarterback report card
C.Palmer led all passers in efficiency for Cincinnati Bengals, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- C.Palmer (Cincinnati Bengals) · 42 dropbacks · 47.6% completion · -4.0% CPOE · +0.02 EPA/play · +0.81 total EPA
- B.Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers) · 34 dropbacks · 64.7% completion · +12.6% CPOE · +0.19 EPA/play · +6.40 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Pittsburgh Steelers | Cincinnati Bengals |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.048 | +0.036 |
| Offensive success rate | 51.4% | 47.5% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.188 | +0.019 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.094 | +0.164 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.036 | -0.048 |
| Defensive success rate | 52.5% | 48.6% |
By the numbers
Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (Pittsburgh Steelers +0.05, Cincinnati Bengals +0.04) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.
- Cincinnati Bengals: 10 drives, +2.85 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 10 drives, +3.52 total EPA, 5 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Cincinnati Bengals leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- M. Wallace (Pittsburgh Steelers) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- C. Palmer (CIN) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
- B. Roethlisberger (PIT) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Pittsburgh Steelers FG (+3) — Q1 51:59 · CIN 1 · Score 3-0
(6:59) 3-J.Reed 19 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda. - Pittsburgh Steelers TD (+6) — Q1 46:14 · CIN 27 · Score 9-0
(1:14) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short left to 39-W.Parker for 27 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Pittsburgh Steelers XP (+1) — Q1 46:02 · CIN 2 · Score 10-0
3-J.Reed extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda. - Pittsburgh Steelers FG (+3) — Q2 42:48 · CIN 6 · Score 13-0
(12:48) 3-J.Reed 24 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda. - Cincinnati Bengals FG (+3) — Q2 30:03 · PIT 16 · Score 13-3
(:03) 17-S.Graham 34 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-B.St. Louis, Holder-10-K.Huber. - Cincinnati Bengals TD (+6) — Q3 28:44 · CIN 76 · Score 13-9
(13:44) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short right intended for 10-S.Holmes INTERCEPTED by 22-J.Joseph at PIT 30. 22-J.Joseph for 30 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Pittsburgh Steelers TD (+6) — Q3 18:04 · CIN 1 · Score 19-9
(3:04) 7-B.Roethlisberger right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. CIN-58-R.Maualuga was injured during the play. - Pittsburgh Steelers XP (+1) — Q3 18:00 · CIN 2 · Score 20-9
3-J.Reed extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-9-D.Sepulveda. - Cincinnati Bengals TD (+6) — Q4 9:20 · PIT 23 · Score 20-15
(9:20) 32-C.Benson left tackle for 23 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Cincinnati Bengals TD (+6) — Q4 0:18 · PIT 4 · Score 20-21
(:18) (Shotgun) 9-C.Palmer pass short middle to 87-A.Caldwell for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Cincinnati Bengals Safety (+2) — Q4 0:14 · PIT 2 · Score 20-23
(Pass formation) TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 9-C.Palmer pass to 40-B.Leonard is complete. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals?
The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 23-20 in Week 3, 2009 on 2009-09-27.
What was the final score of Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals?
The final score was Pittsburgh Steelers 20, Cincinnati Bengals 23 (PIT 20-23 CIN) in Week 3, 2009 on 2009-09-27.
What was the score by quarter in Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals?
Q1: Pittsburgh Steelers 10, Cincinnati Bengals 0; Q2: Pittsburgh Steelers 3, Cincinnati Bengals 3; Q3: Pittsburgh Steelers 7, Cincinnati Bengals 6; Q4: Pittsburgh Steelers 0, Cincinnati Bengals 14; Final: Pittsburgh Steelers 20, Cincinnati Bengals 23.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals?
Pittsburgh Steelers touchdown — W. Parker (B. Roethlisberger pass) (Q1 46:14) Cincinnati Bengals touchdown — J. Joseph (Q3 28:44) Pittsburgh Steelers touchdown — B. Roethlisberger (Q3 18:04) Cincinnati Bengals touchdown — C. Benson (Q4 9:20) Cincinnati Bengals touchdown — A. Caldwell (C. Palmer pass) (Q4 0:18) Pittsburgh Steelers field goal — J. Reed (Q1 51:59, 3 pts) Pittsburgh Steelers field goal — J. Reed (Q2 42:48, 3 pts) Cincinnati Bengals field goal — S. Graham (Q2 30:03, 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?
C. Palmer (Cincinnati Bengals), 47.6% completion, -4.0% CPOE, +0.02 EPA per dropback, +0.81 total passing EPA. B. Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers), 64.7% completion, +12.6% CPOE, +0.19 EPA per dropback, +6.40 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals?
M. Wallace (Pittsburgh Steelers) led the game in total EPA with +8.90 on receiving plays. across 8 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-6.38 EPA): (13:44) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short right intended for 10-S.Holmes INTERCEPTED by 22-J.Joseph at PIT 30. 22-J.Joseph for 30 yards, TOUCHDOWN.. The biggest win-probability swing was +34.9%.
Was Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals a close game?
Yes — the margin was 3 points. Cincinnati Bengals won 23-20 in a game that came down to the wire.
Season records after this game
Pittsburgh Steelers
Entered 1-1 Now 1-2 L
Cincinnati Bengals
Entered 1-1 Now 2-1 W
Fantasy · fantasyhq.co
