Joe Flacco outduels Aaron Rodgers in battle of veteran quarterbacks

Flacco guided the Cincinnati Bengals to a 33-31 win over divisional rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers congratulates Joe Flacco of the Cincinnati Bengals after the game at Paycor Stadium. Pic: Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Joe Flacco won the battle of two veteran quarterbacks as he guided the Cincinnati Bengals to a 33-31 win over divisional rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Both sides surrendered 10-point leads before a late field goal earned victory over the AFC North leaders.

Flacco, 40, who began the season as the starting quarterback with divisional foes the Cleveland Browns before being traded to replace the injured Joe Burrow, threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns.

Opposite number Aaron Rodgers, 41, threw for four touchdowns and 249 yards.

Rodgers’ early scoring pass to Jonnu Smith and two Chris Boswell field goals earned the Steelers a 10-0 lead in the second quarter, but Flacco found Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins for touchdowns as the Bengals grabbed 20 unanswered points.

Trailing 20-10 late in the third quarter, the Steelers cut the gap as Rodgers found Pat Freiermuth from 19 yards, only for Flacco to respond with a scoring pass to Noah Fant to start the fourth quarter.

Rodgers again responded when he found Darnell Washington from two yards, giving the Steelers the lead in the final three minutes when Freiermuth scored from 68 yards after an Evan McPherson field goal for the Bengals.

Higgins, who caught 16 passes for 161 yards, opted against taking a late touchdown score, stopping short of the end zone to allow the Bengals to run down the clock for McPherson to convert from 36 yards with seven seconds remaining.

Rodgers had one final shot, but his Hail Mary pass from 70 yards was batted away by the home defence as it reached the end zone.

The Bengals’ win, in the third regular-season clash of starting quarterbacks in their 40s, lifts the Bengals to 3-4 and leaves the Steelers on 4-2.