The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals have been bitter rivals for decades now, and it has a rough history. Many football fans alike will always remember the AFC Wild Card game just a few years ago between those two teams.

The rivalry was renewed last night in Cincinnati when the two teams met up on Monday Night Football. The Steelers looked to take complete control of the AFC North and the Bengals keeping their playoff hopes alive. After a combination of scary injuries, undisciplined football and dirty plays the Steelers erased a 17-0 deficit and won 23-20 on another buzzer-beating field goal by Chris Boswell.

But that was not the main story of the game.

Ryan Shazier's injury

While the story of the game was hard-hitting and dirty plays, the situation with Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier was just a freak accident. While trying to make a play in the first quarter, Shazier went in for the tackle and ended up falling and hurting his back. He immediately grabbed his back signaling for assistance as he could not get up. The medical staff had to strap him to a stretcher and cart him off as the fear of lower-body paralysis sunk in with many. He was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for an MRI and evaluation.

This morning it has been reported that Shazier is feeling a bit better and can feel and slightly move his lower body extremities.

Still, a very scary situation that will hopefully continue to improve. He got a lot of support and well wishes from various football players on Twitter.

JuJu Smith-Schuster

After the injury to Shazier, things only got uglier.

One of the most talked about plays of the night was Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster's massive head-hit on Bengals Vontaze Burfict. After the hit, Burfict was on the ground trying to take his helmet off as Smith-Schuster went over to him to taunt him. The wide receiver has been handed a one-game suspension for his actions.

While Smith-Schuster apologized both on twitter and in a personal interview, Antonio Brown had different thoughts. Brown during the interview with Smith-Shuster was yelling "Karma!" in the background. This was in reference to Burfict hitting Brown viciously in a previous Steelers-Bengals game just a few seasons ago. Burfict is known for being a vicious player, and Brown did not want anyone to forget it.

George Iloka's hit on Brown

Speaking of Antonio Brown, he was also in the middle of a nasty play in this game.

It happened late when Brown caught the game-tying touchdown in the endzone which followed by a headshot from Bengal safety George Iloka. Brown remarkably still hung onto the ball as we went down after taking a nasty hit to the head. Brown was luckily okay after it.

Kirstie Chiappelli of sportingnews.com quoted Brown after the game, saying, "The guy [Iloka] just left his feet and hit me in the head. Karma for him too. Karma -- I was just grateful I was able to get through the game." Iloka was also suspended for a game for his actions.

Undisciplined game

Among the slew of big hits and injuries, there was plenty more scuffling and poor discipline in the game.

Especially the Bengals. While a few calls were questionable, the Bengals had 13 total penalties for 173 yards which is a franchise record. The Steelers had seven for 66 yards. Again, seeing this kind of stuff happening when these teams meet is not unusual at all, but it was particularly bad last night.

Both Mike Tomlin and Marvin Lewis have coached their respective teams for some time now, and they seem to be immune to this rivalry's toughness and just expect it. Even Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said in the postgame interview "That's just the AFC North" in terms of the way these teams play each other. The bad blood between the teams has gone on for so long that many of the two teams have just accepted that it is what it is among them.

Who knows what could happen the next time these two teams see each other again.
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