AFC Notes: Bengals, Browns, Steelers

Bengals

• Per Tyler Dragon of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Bengals HC Zac Taylor said RB Joe Mixon won’t play in Week 17 and his season is over: “At this point it is Week 17. He’s done a great job. He’s done everything we’ve asked of him to try to get healthy, but now he’ll be able to turn his focus to next season and make sure he’s ready for the spring.”
• Taylor explained why they kept Mixon week-to-week for a while instead of just putting him on injured reserve outright: “Not always cut and dried, wanted to give him every opportunity that if he’s able to play, let him play.” (Paul Dehner Jr.)

Browns

• Per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal, Browns HC Kevin Stefanski said they’ll see later in the week if S Ronnie Harrison (shoulder/IR) or G Wyatt Teller (ankle) will be available in Week 17. 
• Stefanski added LBs Sione Takitaki, Tae Davis (ankles) and fifth-round OL Nick Harris (knee) are day to day with their injuries.
• Stefanski noted the Browns close contacts on the COVID-19 list, including their top four receivers, are eligible to come off Thursday if they continue to test negative. (Scott Petrak)

Steelers

Despite starting out 11-0, the Steelers looked like one of the NFL’s worst teams the past few weeks as they dropped three straight. The offense looked broken and there were no easy solutions apparent. For most of Sunday’s game against the Colts, it looked like the same script. But finally Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger came alive and threw three touchdowns in the second half to lead the comeback victory. 

“We missed on some opportunities in the first half, I don’t know if it was dramatic,” Steelers HC Mike Tomlin said via the Athletic’s Mark Kaboly. “It’s a fine line between drinking win and squashing grapes as we say in this business. Sometimes it is very subtle. We didn’t change dramatically in terms of our approach, in terms of what we were doing.”