The Bengals’ Mike Hilton delights in the first six pick after it meets the Steelers, his former team

The only point wider than the last point of Sunday in Cincinnati is By Mike Hilton smile after he helps Bengali beat his old team, 41-10. Hilton, who spent parts of five seasons with Steelsmith before signing for the Bengals this past season, gave Cincinnati a 31-3 lead thanks to his 6th Ben Roethlisberger Less than a minute left until recess.

The veteran full-back couldn’t hide his excitement as he helped deliver the decisive strike that saw the Bengals wipe out the Steelers for the first time since 2009. The win, Cincinnati’s third straight win over Pittsburgh, was a win. The Bengals’ biggest gap against the Steelers since 1989.

“The best feeling in the world,” Hilton said, whose pick six off Roethlisberger was his first interception as a Bengal. “It was the first six of my football career. To do it against those guys in a major game couldn’t be sweeter.”

Before March 24, Hilton and the Bengals’ defense ensured that the Steelers would not run short before the pause. In her sixth pick, Hilton stepped ahead of her former teammate James Washington before going straight to the end zone.

“They were empty, so I knew the ball was going to go out very quickly,” said Hilton. “I just faked my alignment and put myself in position to make a play. I saw the ball in the air, cut it and made a big play.”

Hilton demonstrates the Bengals’ commitment to improving their defense under head coach Zac Taylor. Along with Hilton, the Bengals have signed a number of veteran defenders in recent years, including the defensive back. Eli Apple (who also recorded an intercept on Sunday), Chidobe Awuzie, Vonn Bell, and paved road Trey Hendrickson, Larry Ogunjobi, and DJ Reader. The unit also continues to receive outstanding play from homegrown talents, including Sam Hubbard, Logan Wilson and Jessie Bates III. Add them all and you have a defense that is currently sixth in NFL in scoring, fourth in hasty defense and 10th in defense.

The Bengals’ defensive play added more to the team’s talented attack, led by a quartet of defenders Joe Burrow, receiver Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, run again Joe Mixon, and paved road Trey Hopkins and Riley Reiff. While they may not have garnered as many headlines as the game, Hilton and the rest of the Bengals’ defense helped put the 7-4 Bengals in position to reach the knockout stages for the first time since 2015. .

“We’re proud of everyone on our defense,” said Hilton. “We know our offense is explosive, so we try to give them as much property as we can. Defensively, we’re handling the job.”