It’s a Big Day for Brooks at Three Rivers : He Runs for Two Fourth-Quarter Scores to Help Bengals Win in Pittsburgh, 26-16

PITTSBURGH —  The Pittsburgh Steelers were trailing only 19-16 with less than two minutes left in Sunday’s game against Cincinnati at Three Rivers Stadium.

The Bengals were facing a third-and-27 following a sack of Boomer Esiason. It appeared the Steelers would get another chance to win their third straight game.

But James Brooks ruined all that with a 65-yard run that sealed a 26-16 Cincinnati victory.

Brooks, who gained 127 yards in 17 carries, earlier in the fourth quarter, had a 13-yard touchdown run as the Bengals beat the Steelers for the second time in four weeks.

The victory, coupled with Cleveland’s 13-10 overtime loss in Miami, gave the defending AFC champion Bengals (4-1) the Central Division lead. The Steelers (2-3) not only lost for the first time in three weeks, they lost quarterback Bubby Brister indefinitely to a left knee injury with 35 seconds to play.

“They were ready for us, but we were fortunate to pop some big plays,” Esiason said. “James Brooks showed why he’s tough to bring down when it’s one-on-one with a defensive back.”

The Bengals got two short-range field goals from just-signed kicker Jim Breech and withstood a missed fourth-quarter extra point by Breech to rally from 7-0 and 10-6 deficits and beat Pittsburgh for the fourth straight time.

“Pittsburgh’s better than we thought they were,” said Coach Sam Wyche, whose Bengals beat Pittsburgh, 41-10, on Sept. 17. “They played us tough, and we’re glad to get out of here. They’re getting better, and we really had to battle.”

“It’s tough losing like that on the final series . . . and then losing your quarterback,” Steeler center Dermontti Dawson said. “Bubby’s the heart and soul of our team, he’s real enthusiastic and he gets us going. But, hopefully, we’ll get it together with (backup) Todd Blackledge.”

Brister sprained his left knee when defensive tackle Jason Buck rolled onto his left leg after being blocked by Steelers’ left tackle John Jackson. Buck was assessed a 15-yard personal foul penalty, but, Wyche said, “It wasn’t a cheap shot and it wasn’t even a penalty.

“The tackle threw Jason into the quarterback . . . it wasn’t a defensive lineman going after the quarterback,” Wyche said. “I hate like hell that it happened . . . but that’s part of the game.”

Buck said: “I got spun out and I hit him with my back. I was out of control on that. I’ve never been involved in a cheap shot in my life. I respect Bubby Brister and I feel terrible for him.”

Esiason, limping on a sprained ankle, hit Mike Martin on a seven-yard scoring pass with eight seconds left in the first half, then scrambled 24 yards on a broken play to set up Brooks’ go-ahead 13-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.

The Steelers got to within three points on Gary Anderson’s third field goal of the game, but Brooks put the victory away with his 65-yard run with 1:49 to play.

“It was third-and-forever, and we were going to pop the play up the middle and keep the clock going,” Wyche said. “After that it’s up to the running back, and we’ve got a great running back.”

Brooks, the AFC’s third-leading rusher entering the game, has 429 yards and three touchdowns in 70 carries.