weakness in allowing a season-high 27

CINCINNATI (AP)A.J. Green’s tiptoe catch along the sideline was so remarkable that his former offensive coordinator couldn’t believe he’d done it. Browns coach Hue Jackson threw the challenge flag after the Bengals receiver somehow came down with the ball for a tumbling Jason McCourty Jerseys 2019 , 13-yard gain during Cincinnati’s 30-16 win last Sunday. The replay videos showed that Green had indeed managed to pull in the ball while getting his toes down inside the white line. The 51,710 fans did a collective ”ooooh” in admiration as the play was shown on the video board. Green? Didn’t even bother to watch the replay. He knew what he’d done. ”We work on that every day – front foot down, drag the back,” Green said matter-of-factly. ”If you can get the front foot down, you can get your back one. You practice something enough, it becomes second nature.” Later Sunday in Pittsburgh, Antonio Brown made a similarly astounding sideline catch for a 23-yard gain that helped the Steelers get in range for their winning field goal on the final play against Green Bay. Just like A.J., AB made it look oh-so-easy. ”He’s awesome,” Steelers linebacker Vince Williams said. ”We use that word too loosely. But compared to like professionals, they’re not awesome. They’re good. He’s awesome.” Green and Brown could bring their graceful flair to one of the NFL’s nastiest rivalries on Monday night when the Bengals (5-6) host the Steelers (9-2) at Paul Brown Stadium; Brown is questionable with a toe issue. There figures to be a lot of trash talking and after-the-whistle pushing – there always is. And Green and Brown could be trying to decide it with moves that leave everyone wondering: How do they do that? ”Yeah, absolutely,” Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton said White Adrian Clayborn Jerseys , referring to his top receiver’s fancy footwork. ”There’s a lot of stuff that A.J. does and it’s like, `Man, there’s not many people on this Earth who can do that.” The same goes for Pittsburgh, which is so accustomed to watching Brown work his magic. Brown has made so many incredible catches that it’s impossible to rank them. ”It’s hard because I see them all the time, but it’s still pretty special,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. The Steelers can move one step closer to another AFC North title with a victory Monday, which would be their sixth straight victory in the series. The Bengals have to win to maintain any thought of a playoff berth. The two receivers could have a lot to do with the outcome, even if they don’t have huge games. Brown leads the league with 80 catches and 1,195 yards receiving. Green is tied for 20th with 53 catches and ranks seventh with 809 yards. It’s not the numbers that define them as much as their artistry and their impact on every game in some form. Both command so much attention from defenses that their offenses get plenty of openings elsewhere. During the Steelers’ 29-14 win at Heinz Field on Oct. 22, Green had three catches for 41 yards while Brown had four for 65 – not bad, not great. Green had two catches for 38 yards in his only game against the Steelers last season, when a hamstring injury sidelined him for the rematch. Brown had a total of seven catches for 97 yards in the two games. Both receivers face familiar defenses that know how to contain them most of the time. ”When you look at (other) games Adrian Clayborn Jerseys 2019 , obviously he’s not getting challenged at the line,” Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick said. ”He’s running freely. When you press him, that’s when he seems to have a problem, and that’s what I’ve had success at. He knows I’m going to be hands on.” Even so, it’s likely that at least one of them will make a play that leaves everyone wondering: Did he really do that? ”God-given talent, I guess,” Green said. ”Just blessed to have it.” — AP Sports Writer Will Graves in Pittsburgh contributed to this report. — Josh Allen had mixed emotions after an inconsistent performance in his first meeting with boyhood idol Tom Brady.“I wanted to beat him, for sure,” the Bills rookie quarterback said following Buffalo’s 24-12 loss at New England on Sunday. “He’s one of the greatest to ever do it and as a young kid growing up, I never thought I’d get the opportunity to be on the same field as him.“So it’s a cool feeling. But at the same time, I was focused on winning a football game.”Then again, it wasn’t so much Brady who beat the Bills. It was the Bill Belichick-coached Patriots defense that stifled Allen and Buffalo’s offense.Having shown progress in Allen’s previous four starts since he returned from missing four games with a sprained throwing elbow White Jeremy Hill Jerseys , the Bills offense took a step back against New England.The Bills (5-10) totaled 289 yards of offense and managed 14 first downs after gaining more than 300 yards and producing more than 20 first downs in five of their last six games.Allen completed 20 of 41 passes for 217 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. It was the fifth time in 10 starts Allen has committed two or more turnovers.The Patriots disguised their coverages in the first half and limited Allen to 48 yards passing. It was the fifth time this season he has had 60 or fewer yards at halftime.“They did that for an obvious reason, being young,” Allen said. “It took a little bit to adjust to. At the same time, I’ve got to be better with my eyes, got to be better with where I put the football.”Belichick improved to 10-0 at home when facing a rookie quarterback, and 17-5 overall.Allen boosted his passing totals with 72 yards and Buffalo’s only touchdown in the final minutes when the game had already been decided. The garbage-time production led Allen to topping 200 yards for the fifth consecutive game, the longest streak by a Bills quarterback since Tyrod Taylor’s five-game stretch from Nov. 30-Dec. 20, 2015.The Bills did little to help their rookie quarterback on offense. Allen’s receivers dropped several passes, tight end Jason Croom fumbled in the red zone after 24-yard gain, and the running game was ineffective.“When given the opportunity, you’ve got to make plays Jeremy Hill Jerseys 2019 ,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “Look, sometimes Josh could have made a better throw. But there were other times where the ball was catchable and you’ve got to make plays on the ball.”Buffalo finished with 72 yards rushing, the first time in five games it failed to rush for 100 or more. LeSean McCoy returned after missing one game with a hamstring injury but had only 9 yards on six carries. Undrafted rookie Keith Ford led the Bills with 33 yards on seven carries.Allen scrambled five times for 30 yards. He leads the Bills in rushing this season with 536 yards, but has been held to 46 over the past two weeks after totaling 335 in his previous three games.Buffalo’s defense had one glaring weakness in allowing a season-high 273 rushing yards against the Patriots. But the Bills defense gave Allen opportunities with three takeaways and limited Brady to 126 passing yards — his lowest since he threw for 123 yards in a 2003 loss to the Bills.“Our defense played spectacular,” Allen said. “They forced three turnovers and we got (three) points off that, and that starts with me.”Brady greeted Allen on the field after the game and gave the rookie some encouragement.“Nothing too crazy, but he’s one of the good ones off the field, too,” Allen said. “I’m sure he doesn’t want to share too many of his tricks or whatever is up his sleeve. Got to hand it to him. Such a long career and he’s still playing extremely well.”