Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton failed to throw a touchdown pass Sunday in Pittsburgh, breaking a string of 14 games with at least one, and his passer rating of 58.8 was the third lowest of his career.

But Dalton was at his best in the fourth quarter with some clutch throws that enabled the Bengals to beat the Steelers 13-10 to clinch a playoff berth.

“That’s what you have to do,” Dalton said. “It was the time to step up and do what we had to do to get where we wanted to go.”

With no help from a running game that produced just 14 yards, the second lowest total in franchise history, Dalton finished 24-of-41 for 278 yards with two interceptions. But he was 6-of-8 for 78 yards on the final three drives with the game on the line.

And with one chance to move the Bengals into field-goal position after a Reggie Nelson interception gave the Bengals the ball at the Pittsburgh 46-yard line with only 14 seconds left, Dalton threw a perfect pass to A.J. Green for a 21-yard gain to set the stage for kicker Josh Brown’s game-winning 43-yard field goal.

“That’s really what the football team needed to improve upon through the stretch of games we didn’t win, is having your good players play well,” Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said. “They keep responding to that, and those good players keep multiplying. There’s kind of a growth spurt there. Guys made big plays in critical moments. We’re obviously in that point of the season now where every one of those plays count and there’s no tomorrow.”

Schedule set

While the dates and times won’t be announced until next spring, the Bengals now know all 16 teams they will be facing in 2013.

Sunday’s win at Pittsburgh coupled with Baltimore’s win against the New York Giants locked the Bengals into second place in the AFC North Division, which means their at-large games next year will be at San Diego (second place in AFC West) and home against Indianapolis (second in AFC South).

The other 14 opponents were pre-determined. In addition to home-and-home series against AFC North Division foes Baltimore, Cleveland and Pittsburgh, the Bengals will play the NFC North and AFC East teams. Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo and Miami will visit Paul Brown Stadium, while games against Green Bay, Minnesota, New England the New York Jets will be on the road.

Chasing Chad

With 116 receiving yards Sunday at Pittsburgh, Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green raised his season total to 1,324, leaving him 116 shy of the franchise record of 1,440 set by Chad Johnson in 2007.

Even if Green doesn’t add to his total Sunday against Baltimore, the 1,324 yards would rank fourth in team history.

The 10 catches Green had against the Steelers tied his career-high and raised his season total to 95, putting him within reach of becoming only the third receiver in franchise history to reach 100. T.J. Houshmandzadeh had 112 in 2007, and Carl Pickens had 100 in 1996.