The Cincinnati Bengals took on the Pittsburgh Steelers in a must-win Week 18 matchup. Cincinnati kept its playoff hopes alive with a huge win over the Denver Broncos last week. On Saturday, the Bengals beat the Steelers. Now all the team can do is hope.

Cincinnati will make the playoffs if the Miami Dolphins lose to the New York Jets and the Denver Broncos lose to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter.

It might be asking too much for the Broncos to lose, considering the Chiefs plan to rest a laundry list of starters, including Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. But the Bengals did their part.

After starting the season 4-8 the Bengals have won five straight games to improve to 9-8. They’re now just a half game out of the final Wild Card spot after their Week 18 win.

Cincinnati got off to a quick start in Saturday night’s game as Joe Burrow found Ja’Marr Chase for a 12 yard touchdown on the team’s first drive. While the matchup appeared poised to turn into a shootout, it quickly transformed into a battle of attrition. The Bengals would not score another touchdown, settling for four field goals from Cade York.

The Steelers put up 10 points in the fourth quarter, pulling to within two after Chris Boswell’s 54-yard field goal with under three minutes remaining in the game. But the Bengals' defense held strong and the Steelers’ final drive stalled out at their own 40 yard line with 11 seconds on the clock.

Joe Burrow quietly put together an MVP-caliber season with the Bengals

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Burrow was largely stifled by the Steelers’ defense. He completed 37 passes for 277 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Pittsburgh sacked the fifth-year quarterback four times. Still, he led the Bengals on five scoring drives as the team did just enough to get the win and stay in the playoff picture.

Burrow has had a remarkable season. He leads the league with 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns. He’s been forced to overcome Cincinnati’s defensive shortcomings as the team entered Week 18 with the 27th overall defense, allowing 358 yards per game.

The Pro Bowl passer gave Bengals fans a scare Saturday. Burrow got driven into the turn on a punishing sack by Nick Herbig midway through the third quarter. He was briefly examined in the medical tent on the sideline before returning to the game without missing a play.

Like Burrow, Chase is also enjoying an incredible season. He corralled a team-high 10 receptions for 96 yards and a score against the Steelers. Chase’s Week 18 stats helped pad his triple crown pursuit. The Bengals’ wideout now leads the league with 127 receptions, 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns. His advantage in all three categories appears to be untouchable in the final week of the season.

It wasn’t all good news for Cincinnati, however, as WR Tee Higgins was forced to leave the game with an ankle injury. The Bengals can’t afford to lose Higgins to the ailment if they happen to reach the postseason.