NFL game summary for 11/05/1972:
The Steelers put together their fourth straight 200-or-more game rushing and moved to the top in the AFC Central Division race. Terry Bradshaw threw three TD passes and Franco Harris carried 15 times for 101 yards, his third 100-or-more effort in four games.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 153.0 (10) | 159.3 (12) | 312.3 (8) | 15 |
| DEFENSE | 91.9 (1) | 109.9 (1) | 201.7 (1) | 13 | |
 | OFFENSE | 172.3 (3) | 130.0 (20) | 302.3 (11) | 13 |
| DEFENSE | 136.6 (15) | 157.1 (15) | 293.7 (16) | 26 |
Line: Steelers by 2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals (5-3-0) | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 17 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2-0) | 10 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 40 |
( 0- 7) PIT Frenchy Fuqua 7 yard rush (Roy Gerela kick) ( 0-10) PIT Roy Gerela 15 yard field goal ( 0-13) PIT Roy Gerela 22 yard field goal ( 0-19) PIT Frank Lewis 28 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (kick failed) ( 0-26) PIT Larry Brown 13 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) ( 7-26) CIN Virgil Carter 1 yard rush (Horst Muhlmann kick) ( 7-33) PIT Frank Lewis 34 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (Roy Gerela kick) (14-33) CIN Chip Myers 2 yard pass from Virgil Carter (Horst Muhlmann kick) (14-40) PIT Franco Harris 2 yard rush (Roy Gerela kick) (17-40) CIN Horst Muhlmann 37 yard field goal
CIN PIT
First Downs: 21 20
Rushes-yards: 33-145 30-230
Yards/rush: 4.4 7.7
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 17-28-230-1 11-24-195-0
Sacked-yards: 2-9 2-10
Net pass yards: 221 185
Net yards/pass: 7.4 7.1
Total net yards: 366 415
Total plays: 63 (52% run) 56 (53% run)
Yards/play: 5.8 7.4
Fumbles-lost: 3-2 1-0
Turnovers: 3 0
Penalties-yards: 7-53 3-35
Attendance: 50,350
Passing:
CIN: Virgil Carter, 12 of 16 for 156 yards and 1 TD; Ken Anderson, 5 of 12 for 74 yards (1 int) PIT: Terry Bradshaw, 10 of 20 for 190 yards and 3 TDs; Joe Gilliam, 1 of 3 for 5 yards; Bobby Walden, 0 of 1 for 0 yards
Rushing:
CIN: Doug Dressler, 16 for 89 yards; Essex Johnson, 12 for 51 yards; Virgil Carter, 2 for 3 yards and 1 TD; Ken Anderson, 2 for 0 yards; Charlie Joiner, 1 for 2 yards PIT: Franco Harris, 15 for 101 yards and 1 TD; Frenchy Fuqua, 13 for 80 yards and 1 TD; Frank Lewis, 1 for 41 yards; Terry Bradshaw, 1 for 8 yards
Receiving:
CIN: Doug Dressler, 6 for 80 yards; Chip Myers, 4 for 59 yards and 1 TD; Bob Trumpy, 4 for 38 yards; Essex Johnson, 3 for 53 yards PIT: Frank Lewis, 3 for 87 yards and 2 TDs; Ron Shanklin, 3 for 42 yards; Franco Harris, 2 for 39 yards; Larry Brown, 1 for 13 yards and 1 TD; John McMakin, 1 for 9 yards; Frenchy Fuqua, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
CIN: Charlie Joiner, 5 for 88 yards; Bernard Jackson, 1 for 19 yards; Lemar Parrish, 1 for 19 yards PIT: Franco Harris, 2 for 45 yards; Warren Bankston, 1 for 20 yards
Punt returns:
CIN: Lemar Parrish, 1 for 6 yards; Tommy Casanova, 1 for 2 yards PIT: Glen Edwards, 2 for 70 yards
Interceptions:
PIT: Henry Davis, 1 for 28 yards
Punting:
CIN: Dave Lewis, 5 for 197 yards PIT: Bobby Walden, 4 for 158 yards
Field Goals:
CIN: Horst Muhlmann, 1/1 PIT: Roy Gerela, 2/2
CIN: Virgil Carter, 12 of 16 for 156 yards and 1 TD; Ken Anderson, 5 of 12 for 74 yards (1 int) PIT: Terry Bradshaw, 10 of 20 for 190 yards and 3 TDs; Joe Gilliam, 1 of 3 for 5 yards; Bobby Walden, 0 of 1 for 0 yards
Rushing:
CIN: Doug Dressler, 16 for 89 yards; Essex Johnson, 12 for 51 yards; Virgil Carter, 2 for 3 yards and 1 TD; Ken Anderson, 2 for 0 yards; Charlie Joiner, 1 for 2 yards PIT: Franco Harris, 15 for 101 yards and 1 TD; Frenchy Fuqua, 13 for 80 yards and 1 TD; Frank Lewis, 1 for 41 yards; Terry Bradshaw, 1 for 8 yards
Receiving:
CIN: Doug Dressler, 6 for 80 yards; Chip Myers, 4 for 59 yards and 1 TD; Bob Trumpy, 4 for 38 yards; Essex Johnson, 3 for 53 yards PIT: Frank Lewis, 3 for 87 yards and 2 TDs; Ron Shanklin, 3 for 42 yards; Franco Harris, 2 for 39 yards; Larry Brown, 1 for 13 yards and 1 TD; John McMakin, 1 for 9 yards; Frenchy Fuqua, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
CIN: Charlie Joiner, 5 for 88 yards; Bernard Jackson, 1 for 19 yards; Lemar Parrish, 1 for 19 yards PIT: Franco Harris, 2 for 45 yards; Warren Bankston, 1 for 20 yards
Punt returns:
CIN: Lemar Parrish, 1 for 6 yards; Tommy Casanova, 1 for 2 yards PIT: Glen Edwards, 2 for 70 yards
Interceptions:
PIT: Henry Davis, 1 for 28 yards
Punting:
CIN: Dave Lewis, 5 for 197 yards PIT: Bobby Walden, 4 for 158 yards
Field Goals:
CIN: Horst Muhlmann, 1/1 PIT: Roy Gerela, 2/2