The NFL must be going bonkers.

Saturday night’s Steelers’ 18-16 AFC playoff win at Cincinnati had the Burfict ending, if you will.

But the game also put a deep black eye on both teams and the league as a whole.

Granted, these two teams don’t like each other. You want to say they hate each other, maybe you can even go there.

But this was a playoff game. You are playing to extend your season. Win or go home. The consequences of defeat are obvious.

Both camps said all of the right stuff in the days leading up to this game. It’s not going to be like last time (Dec. 13 in Cincinnati) when players spent most of that day taking cheap shots at each other in the Steelers’ 33-20 victory.

We all know what’s at stake this time, both sides said. We’re going to be all business this time, both sides said.

Saturday night’s game wasn’t like last time.

It was worse.

While the Bengals imploded at the end of the game, inexplicably taking the two personal fouls to hand the Steelers a chip shot field goal, the Steelers were hardly choir boys all night. Pittsburgh took 10 penalties for 142 yards.

Offensive line coach Mike Munchak took a penalty on the sidelines. William Gay cost the Steelers 15 yards for doing that ridiculous dance in the end zone over, get this, a touchdown he didn’t actually score.

There should be a new penalty in the NFL rulebook. Don’t call the foul “unsportsmanlike conduct.” Don’t refer to it as “excessive celebration.”

Call it 15 yards for “acting stupid.”

And speaking of stupid ...

Vontaze Burfict.

This guy played the entire game Saturday night as he always does — totally out of control. His hit on Antonio Brown late in the fourth quarter — causing the flag that ultimately cost the Bengals the game — was as cheap as it gets.

Brown is lucky he doesn’t have more than a concussion.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said in his postgame press conference that Burfict was just trying to make a football play.

Seriously?

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Saturday’s game showed what the AFC North is all about.

Huh?

Adam Jones took a second personal foul penalty after the Burfict play to aid the winning field goal.

Burfict and Jones should be cut by the Bengals for such gaffes. But, no, it’s just getting caught up in the heat and emotion of the game.

That’s license to act like a moron.

Yes, the Bungles returned. The Jeremy Hill fumble, the penalties ... They blew it.

It’s still hard for Steeler nation to be proud of the win.

That game was downright dirty and a disgrace.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle