PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — The Pittsburgh Steelers used a dominant second half and a game-changing defensive play to pull away from the Cincinnati Bengals for a 34-12 victory on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.

The win improved the Steelers’ record to 6-4, while the Bengals fell to 3-7.

Cincinnati struck first, capitalizing on an opening drive that featured a 35-yard run by Chase Brown. The possession was capped by a 28-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to Tee Higgins. A failed two-point conversion left the Bengals with an early 6-0 lead.

Pittsburgh answered immediately with a methodical 11-play, 78-yard drive. Aaron Rodgers connected with running back Kenneth Gainwell on an 11-yard scoring pass to give the Steelers a 7-6 advantage, a lead they would not relinquish.

The first half was a defensive struggle from that point forward, with the teams trading punts and field position. The Steelers managed to add a 25-yard Chris Boswell field goal as time expired in the second quarter to take a 10-6 lead into halftime.

Cincinnati closed the gap early in the third quarter with a 43-yard field goal from Evan McPherson, making the score 10-9. The momentum was short-lived, however, as the Steelers responded with a 30-yard Boswell field goal to extend their lead to 13-9.

The game’s pivotal moment came late in the third quarter. With the Bengals driving into Pittsburgh territory, safety Kyle Dugger stepped in front of a Flacco pass intended for Higgins and returned the interception for a touchdown, stretching the Steelers’ lead to 20-9 and swinging the game decisively in their favor.

Pittsburgh put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter. After a 48-yard McPherson field goal brought the Bengals to within 20-12, the Steelers engineered a 13-play, 65-yard touchdown drive. Mason Rudolph, who took over at quarterback after Rodgers was sidelined, found Gainwell for a 5-yard scoring pass, his second touchdown of the day. Gainwell was a versatile weapon for the Steelers, finishing with 81 receiving yards and 24 rushing yards.

The Steelers’ defense sealed the victory when Dugger intercepted another Flacco pass on the ensuing Bengals possession and returned it for a score, bringing the final tally to 34-12.

Pittsburgh’s defense was led by linebacker Patrick Queen, who registered 10 tackles. The unit also received significant contributions from linebackers Payton Wilson and Brandin Echols, who each had seven tackles. For Cincinnati, linebacker Oren Burks had a team-high nine tackles and safety Geno Stone added eight.

The Steelers will travel to face the Chicago Bears next Sunday, while the Bengals will host the New England Patriots.