Steelers' David DeCastro Opens Up About The Controversial Playoff Win Over Bengals

The Pittsburgh Steelers secured a dramatic 18-16 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2015 AFC Wild Card game, thanks to a series of chaotic events in the final minutes. With the Steelers down 16-15 backup quarterback Landry Jones had a chance to lead the team to a dramatic victory in the playoffs. On the first play of the drive, Vontaze Burfict intercepted a Jones pass and many assumed that was the end for Pittsburgh.

The Bengals were set to run out the clock and advance in the playoffs, but then running back Jeremy Hill fumbled the football. With just over a minute remaining, the Steelers were backed up on their own nine-yard line and needed a quick scoring drive to secure the win. In a heroic return from injury, Ben Roethlisberger led the team down the field, but it was a series of costly mistakes by the Bengals that ultimately set up Chris Boswell for a game-winning 35-yard field goal.

Joey Porter, the Steelers' outside linebackers coach, got involved in a confrontation with Bengals cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones, who shoved Porter, resulting in a personal foul penalty that moved Pittsburgh into field goal range. Jones committed two costly 15-yard penalties that ultimately cost the Bengals the playoff game. On Friday, former Steelers offensive lineman David DeCastro was asked about the controversial ending during his appearance on 93.7 The Fan. His recount of the event was both hilarious and insightful, offering a unique perspective on the dramatic finish.

"Yeah, those were some wild games," DeCastro said. "Those games were intense. It just reminds me of all the Cincinnati games against those games. It was battling people and getting laid out left and right."

DeCastro, familiar with the intensity of the AFC North, reminisced about the heated moments against the Bengals. 

He couldn't help but laugh at how Porter got into Pacman Jones' head, causing one of the most memorable collapses in Bengals history.

"I will never forget leaving Cincinnati after we beat them in that playoff game," DeCastro said. "Joey Porter was on the field, Pacman Jones got the penalty and we had no business winning that game. We were like what just happened? We were just laughing."

Porter’s sideline presence and the Bengals' self-inflicted mistakes played a pivotal role in Pittsburgh’s win, adding another unforgettable moment to the rivalry and sending the Steelers to the next round. 

When Jones threw that interception, many Steelers fans were furious, disappointed, and felt there was no chance left for Pittsburgh to win. The Bengals just needed to protect the football, but Ryan Shazier’s forced fumble gave the Steelers a miracle opportunity.

Steelers Lost To The Denver Broncos In The Following Round

That, combined with Jones allowing Porter to get under his skin, led to a historically bad collapse. Now the Steelers haven't won a playoff game since the 2016 season. However, at that time, winning a playoff game in that fashion against a bitter rival was tremendous. Of course, the Steelers would have preferred to avoid the chaos, but winning in such an improbable way was exhilarating.

After the victory over the Bengals, the Steelers traveled to the Mile High City to face the top-seeded Denver Broncos. Unfortunately, they lost 23-16, eliminating them from the playoffs. The Broncos went on to win the Super Bowl that season, leaving many Steelers fans wondering if Pittsburgh could’ve taken down the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers to win it all. Of course that is if they had been able to defeat the Broncos.

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