Aaron Rodgers outduels Joe Burrow as the Steelers edge the Bengals 30-27 on a late Boswell kick

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers have been around each other a long time.

So much so that when the Pittsburgh Steelers coach told Rodgers and the rest of the offense it was time to “cut it loose” before Sunday's early-season litmus test against Cincinnati, it didn't really register with the quarterback he's known for 20 years.

“I feel like he says that every week,” Rodgers said, then added with a laugh, “It's not like, ‘Hey, this week ...’”

The message was not new. The results were another matter.

Rodgers bounced back from a nightmarish performance in a dismal loss to New England by throwing for 292 yards and three touchdowns to outduel Joe Burrow as the Steelers pulled out a 30-27 thriller.

“I think resilience is critical to any, any type of success, whether it’s playing one division game (or) overcoming a loss last week,” McCarthy said.

Pittsburgh (2-1) did both by showcasing the kind of explosiveness Rodgers has said was possible if everyone just settled down and did their jobs.

Rodgers completed 19 of 34 passes, including a 47-yard catch-and-run to massive tight end Darnell Washington that helped set up Chris Boswell’s go-ahead, 33-yard field goal with 2:18 remaining.

The Steelers (2-1) rolled up 411 yards on a revamped Cincinnati defense that had fueled the Bengals' promising start. Jaylen Warren, dealing with a shoulder injury that limited him in practice, had 176 total yards (127 rushing, 49 receiving), numbers that could have been a little bit higher if he hadn't tripped over his own feet while running free inside the Cincinnati 10 in the late going.

Pittsburgh was forced to settle for Boswell's third field goal, giving Burrow and the Bengals plenty of time to respond.

Cincinnati made its way into Steelers territory in the final minute and was on the fringe of kicker Evan McPherson's range when Steelers defensive lineman Derrick Harmon crashed into Burrow. The ball squirted free, and Pittsburgh's Sebastian Joseph-Day fell on it to spoil the Bengals' chances at the franchise's first 3-0 start since 2015.

“Trying to take a shot at the end zone, trying not to take the sack, trying to get the ball out, (and I) fumbled it,” Burrow said.

The Bengals' opportunity to stamp themselves as front-runners in the AFC North disappeared with some self-inflicted wounds.

A roughing-the-punter penalty in the third quarter extended a Pittsburgh drive that ended with a touchdown pass from Rodgers to DK Metcalf. Cincinnati's Ke'Shawn Williams later muffed a punt deep in Bengals territory to set up the second of Boswell's three field goals that tied the game at 27 with 8:45 remaining.

“Some games, you just go get your butt kicked and there's not much to say about it,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “This one, we had our chances. Pittsburgh took advantage of theirs. We didn't take advantage of ours.”

Cincinnati backed up Pittsburgh deep in its territory late in the fourth, but the Steelers responded even after a run of 80-plus yards by Warren was wiped out by a holding penalty on Metcalf.

Rodgers, playing behind a new-look offensive line that included rookie first-round pick Max Iheanachor at right tackle, guided the Steelers 77 yards anyway. Boswell's winner helped Pittsburgh improve to 10-2 in its last 12 games following a loss of 15 points or more.

It also gave the Steelers a dose of belief following an ugly performance against the Patriots in which Rodgers was sacked four times and the line struggled to protect him.

The 42-year-old four-time MVP insisted it was not time to panic. Iheanachor's promotion added a dose of physicality on the line, and Pittsburgh was dynamic. Rodgers hit nine receivers and Warren cut loose for field-flipping runs that were hard to come by during the opening two weeks.

Warren's shoulder was so tender on Saturday that McCarthy advised Rodgers not to throw it to him during a walkthrough. There were no such issues 24 hours later, when Warren's punishing approach helped ignite the Steelers on a day the offense needed to pick up the slack for a defense that let Burrow play pitch-and-catch with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Yet with the clock ticking down, Harmon provided Pittsburgh's only sack. He wasn't trying to strip Burrow. It just kind of happened, and Joseph-Day fell on it.

McCarthy had jotted down in his notes this week that Pittsburgh would need 31 points to win. The Steelers fell one shy, not that it mattered.

“We've got to play more sound football than we did today to beat a team like that,” Burrow said.

Bengals: LB Demetrius Knight left in the first quarter ... WR Colbie Young (knee) exited in the first half with a knee injury.

Steelers: CB Brandin Eichols was evaluated for a concussion after colliding with Williams during the botched second-half punt return.

Bengals: At Jacksonville next Sunday.

Steelers: Visit Cleveland on Thursday night.

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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) is strip-sacked Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (99) by during the second half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, left, throws as he is tackled by Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, right, during the second half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Dk Metcalf catches a pass for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, right, catches a pass for a touchdown as Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., left, tries to defend during the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers receiver Mike Evans left the game Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals in the first half with a rib injury and won't return.

Evans was slow to get up after getting hit by Budda Baker on an incomplete pass late in the second quarter. He went to the injury tent briefly before being taken off the field on a cart.

The 49ers also lost 12-time Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams in the second half when he was taken to the locker room on a cart with a stinger. His return was listed as questionable.

Evans' injury is the latest to hit San Francisco's depleted receiver core. Ricky Pearsall had season-ending knee surgery early in training camp, rookie De'Zhaun Stibling had surgery on his ankle after getting hurt in the opener and is expected to miss about two months and Demarcus Robinson went on injured reserve Saturday with a high ankle sprain.

Evans left last week's win against Miami late with a hip injury. He missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday before returning on a limited basis Friday.

He looked good early against the Cardinals, catching a short pass on the opening drive that he flipped to Deebo Samuel for an 82-yard score on a hook-and-ladder play. He then caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Brock Purdy on the second drive.

The 33-year-old Evans had three catches for 34 yards in the game and has 12 catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns in his first season for the 49ers.

Evans is a six-time Pro Bowler and had at least 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first 11 seasons with Tampa Bay

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans, right, catches a touchdown pass against Arizona Cardinals cornerback Denzel Burke (29) during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans reacts on the field before being tended to during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Kelley L. Cox)

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans is carted off the field during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Kelley L. Cox)