Steelers Beat Bengals 24-17

(CINCINNATI) -- Rashard Mendenhall ran for a pair of touchdowns Sunday, and the Steelers  intercepted rookie Andy Dalton twice in the fourth quarter, holding on for a 24-17 victory over the upstart Cincinnati Bengals.

Pittsburgh (7-3) got a needed win by putting together long, balanced drives while thousands of Steelers fans waved Terrible Towels in the first sellout crowd of the season at Paul Brown Stadium. Dalton handled most of what Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau threw at him. He had two more touchdown passes, giving him 14 overall -- the most by a rookie quarterback in his first nine games since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. At the end, a Steelers defense that's finally getting healthy and forcing turnovers got to him. Pittsburgh came in with only two interceptions all season. Cornerback William Gay anticipated Dalton's throw and stepped in front of Jerome Simpson for a clinching interception inside the Pittsburgh 20-yard line with 2:27 left.