AFC Notes: Amari Cooper, George Pickens, Bengals, Browns, Steelers

Bengals

Things have appeared to cool off for Bengals QB Jake Browning after the team was unable to get it going against the Steelers. He now says he is ready to move past the result and focus on Week 17 before thinking about going to the playoffs.

“The playoffs, I don’t know. I’ve been ignoring that in general,” Browning said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “I’m going to learn from this. A lot of quarterbacks have bad games. I had a bad game. It’s how you respond. That’s where I am and that’s where we’re  at as a team.”

Browns

• Browns WR Amari Cooper broke the team’s franchise record for receiving yards in a game surpassing WR Josh Gordon with 11 catches for 265 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
• Cooper also became the first player since WR Terrell Owens to record a 200-yard receiving game with three different franchises.
• Browns QB Joe Flacco has thrown for 300 yards in three straight games and said Cooper has been asking for the ball: “He’s told me that. … ‘I’m 225, cuz, throw me the ball…’ I’m gonna get more and more used to just letting it go (to him).” (Jake Trotter)
• Browns HC Kevin Stefanski says K Dustin Hopkins will undergo an MRI after injuring his hamstring on a tackle attempt when Texans RB Dameon Pierce returned a kick for a touchdown. Hopkins’ injury limited the Browns from kicking field goals for the remainder of the game. (Trotter)

Steelers

It was a tough week for Steelers WR George Pickens, but he responded in a big way in a huge Saturday win against the Bengals. Pickens caught touchdowns of 86 and 66 yards and had nearly 200 yards receiving. 

“I know I made some comments before the week that kind of ticked you guys off, but I just want to say ‘I’m just here to win, to make the proper adjustments and be a great player, to be honest,’” Pickens said via Pro Football Talk.