While rain paints Paul Brown Stadium in a ghostly hue during tonight’s Wild Card Game, the Bengals pour on a break-neck fourth quarter with 16 unanswered points behind backup quarterback AJ McCarron and it looks for the all world like they are headed to their first post-season win in 25 years. They’ve got the ball on the Steelers’ doorstep and a 16-15 lead with 1:32 left before it all implodes emotionally and physically in a gut-wrenching 18-16 loss to the Steelers. The Bengals learn a painful lesson about narratives and winning. The Steelers are this far away from blowing a 15-0 lead in a loss they’ll face questions about a lack of discipline when one assistant coach grabs the hair of Bengals safety Reggie Nelson, another walks into the Bengals huddle, and linebacker Ryan Shazier knocks out Bengals running back Giovani Bernard on a helmet-to-helmet hit.
TDBH: Brawl in the Paul: Steelers hijack Wild Card in last 1:23
