Anything that you can do, I can do better.
That was the theme of the Pittsburgh Steelers loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, especially regarding the turnover battle.
Everyone was waiting for a splash play from Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. When it finally came, he was shown up.
Moments after Fitzpatrick’s first interception of the 2021 season, the Bengals returned the favor. To make matters worse, it was taken in for a score by a former Steeler who never could do it in Pittsburgh.
“Best feeling in the world, man,” said ex-Steelers cornerback Mike Hilton in a postgame press conference. “That was my first career pick-six in my whole football career, so to do it against those guys in a big division game, it couldn’t be any sweeter.”
🏈🚨Mike Hilton with a pick-6 against his former team! #RuleTheJungle
🏈🚨 Mike Hilton intercepta a Big Ben y Touchdown Bengals. #NFL
: #PITvsCIN @andreaahn @gonzdb21— NFL 🏈 AmericanScreenSports NBA🏀)🇺🇸🇪🇸🇲🇽🎤 (@Americanscreen1) November 28, 2021
Hilton credited knowing how the Steelers operate with how he was able to make it happen.
“Being a former [Steeler], you know what they like to run in certain situations, you know who they want to get the ball to,” he said. “Me having that little insight definitely put me in position to make a play, and I just had to go make it, and I did.”
The Bengals signed Hilton as a free agent in March.
“It was an empty formation, so you know the ball’s going to come out quick,” Hilton said, describing the play. “We were in a certain zone, and I saw three go upfield, so I knew two were either coming in or going out, and I was shaded inside, so I protected myself inside, and he broke out, and I was able to undercut it and take it to the house.”
As far as AFC North supremacy, Hilton feels like the pendulum is now swinging in the direction of his new team. “Beating these guys, for me twice, and for some of these other guys three times straight, it’s a big change in the guard, in our opinion. It’s giving us a lot of confidence, and guys are excited to see how the rest of the season plays out.”
