CINCINNATI — Russell Wilson completed 29 of 38 passes for 414 yards and three touchdowns to lead the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers to a 44-38 shootout win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

The 414 passing yards were the second-most in Wilson’s career. Wilson completed passes to 10 different receivers for the Steelers (9-3), who bounced back from a loss 10 days earlier in Cleveland and ensured a non-losing season for the 21st consecutive year.

The two teams combined for 82 points, the most in any NFL game this season and breaking the previous mark between the two AFC North rivals of 80 in a 49-31 Pittsburgh win in Cincinnati in 1995. Pittsburgh outgained Cincinnati 520-375 Sunday.

After the Bengals cut their deficit to six on a 3-yard TD catch by Andrei Iosivas, Pittsburgh recovered the onside kick and Justin Fields clinched the game with a third-down run that allowed Pittsburgh to run out the final 90 seconds.

Joe Burrow went 28-of-38 for 309 yards and three touchdowns for the Bengals (4-8). But Burrow was strip-sacked twice, including one that led to a 21-yard scoop-and-score from Payton Wilson in the fourth quarter. He also threw an interception for Cincinnati, which dropped its third straight game.

Ja’Marr Chase led all receivers with 86 yards and a score on six receptions.

The first of two meetings between the bitter AFC North rivals had a physical tone early on with Burrow taking a nasty spill on the first play from scrimmage.

Steelers receiver Calvin Austin III was leveled by Cincinnati linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither on a defensive pass interference on Pittsburgh’s first drive. Austin, who caught a 23-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, later left with a head injury and did not return.

Two plays after Davis-Gaither’s big hit, Pickens stumbled out of his break and embattled Cincinnati cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt assisted his fall to the turf with a shove. Taylor-Britt remained standing, caught the pass and returned it 51 yards for Cincinnati’s first defensive score in 23 games.

The Bengals had three different seven-point leads in the first half but Pittsburgh fought back each time. Burrow was strip-sacked by T.J. Watt with less than five minutes left in the second quarter and recovered by Payton Wilson.

The Steelers ran roughshod over the Bengals’ hapless defense in the first half, led by Russell Wilson’s 257 yards passing on 21-of-27 passing, with two touchdowns.

The Steelers were on the brink of making it a two-score game to open the second half when Wilson completed passes of 18 yards to MyCole Pruitt and 36 yards to George Pickens. But after the play to Pickens, taking the ball to the Cincinnati 13, Pickens was called for his second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of the game.

Pickens wasn’t ejected but Joseph Ossai blocked a 42-yard Chris Boswell field goal attempt that led to Cincinnati taking over and marching down the field for a 38-yard field goal by Evan McPherson, cutting Pittsburgh’s lead to 27-24.

But the Steelers answered when Wilson found a wide-open Pat Freiermuth for a 25-yard touchdown and a 34-24 lead.

–Mike Petraglia, Field Level Media

The Pittsburgh Steelers look to continue their improbable season atop the AFC North when they visit the disappointing Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon.

The Steelers (8-3) saw their five-game winning streak come to an end last time out, suffering a 24-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 21 in a game that featured a second-half snowstorm.

Pittsburgh rallied from an 18-6 deficit to take a 19-18 lead with 6:15 to go in the fourth quarter before the Browns scored what ended up being the game-winning points in the final minute.

After the Steelers kicked a 15-yard punt following a three-and-out, their defense went on to allow Cleveland to convert on fourth-and-3, leading to Nick Chubb’s 2-yard touchdown run with 57 seconds remaining in the contest.

“We just didn’t make enough of those critical plays in those moments,” Pittsburgh defensive tackle Cameron Heyward said. “We’ve stepped up in those critical moments. But on the flip side, those three losses we’ve had, we haven’t had those moments. We’re trying to change that where, no matter what team, we gotta have those winning moments.”

All three of the Steelers’ losses this season have come against teams that currently have a losing record. Pittsburgh also fell to the Dallas Cowboys and Indianapolis Colts.

Still, the Steelers currently lead the AFC North, but the Baltimore Ravens (8-4) are right on their tail. It’s a tight race in the division that Cincinnati (4-7) has slipped out of.

Even though the Bengals have been in a rut — with three losses in their past four games — Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor doesn’t want his team to just throw in the towel.

“This is December football,” Taylor said. “This is where it means something. Regardless (of) what our record is right now, you need to play your best football in December, and now, more than ever, we’re going to need that from our guys, and they understand that. They subscribe to it, and we just keep … moving forward from here.”

The Bengals were on their bye last week, but before that, they were on the wrong end of a 34-27 decision against the Los Angeles Chargers on Nov. 17. Like Pittsburgh, Cincinnati came back from a sizable deficit only to lose.

Joe Burrow threw three second-half touchdown passes against Los Angeles as the Bengals climbed out of a 27-6 hole, but Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins found the end zone from 29 yards out with 18 seconds left in regulation to break a 27-27 tie.

Burrow went 28-for-50 passing for 356 yards and the three TDs.

“I think we’re playing a really good team,” Heyward said of Cincinnati. “The roster is very good. And you look at their losses, they come down to those critical moments.”

Making things harder for the Steelers could be the absence of linebacker Alex Highsmith, who did not practice on Wednesday because of an ankle injury.

For the Bengals, left tackle Orlando Brown, who has missed the past three games with a leg injury, was a limited participant on Wednesday. Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins missed practice with an illness and starting linebacker Logan Wilson (knee) also did not practice. Burrow (wrist) was a full participant.

–Field Level Media