Steelers look to keep Cincinnati streak alive

[TroysBadDawg]

website is here

By JOE KAY The Associated Press


CINCINNATI ? The first-place Pittsburgh Steelers are coming to town with another chance to break some hearts. Lately, they?ve been really good at it.

For the third season in a row, the Steelers (4-2) have a chance to leave the Bengals in a bad way on their home field. Pittsburgh has won six in a row at Paul Brown Stadium, where thousands of their towel-twirling fans find a way to get tickets and create a stir.

The Bengals (2-4) can?t afford to let it happen again.

A 38-31 victory over the Jets last today ended their four-game losing streak and provided a chance to save their season. If they beat the Steelers, they?d be only one game out of first place in the AFC North.

If they lose, they?d be three games under .500 and three games out of first approaching the season?s midpoint, a very bad place indeed.

They know this could very well be their last chance.

??It?s a big game,?? said defensive end Robert Geathers, who is filling in at linebacker because of injuries. ??We never lost track of being able to win our division, so it?s no surprise to us that we?re in this position.??

No one is better than the Steelers at snuffing out Bengals hopes.

When Cincinnati made the playoffs in 2005 for the first time in 15 years, the Steelers came to town for a first-round game, knocked Carson Palmer out with a knee injury, and started their run to the Super Bowl title.

Fans in Cincinnati are still smarting from that one.

??It was a tough loss for this city, for this organization, but you could ?if? and ?what-if? yourself to death,?? Palmer said. ??They beat us fair and square at our place and moved on and won a bunch of games in a row, and ended up winning the Super Bowl. That?s how it ended up.??

Last season also ended with another Terrible Towel heartbreak.

The Steelers were already eliminated when they came to Cincinnati on New Year?s Eve and won 23-17 in overtime, ending the Bengals? playoff chances. Cincinnati?s Shayne Graham missed a 39-yard field goal attempt with 12 seconds left, and Ben Roethlisberger threw a 67-yard touchdown pass in overtime, giving Bill Cowher a victory in his last game as head coach.

Now, Pittsburgh has a chance to extend the Bengals? misery and tighten its hold on first place.

??Regardless of the records and where we are in the standings right now, both teams need this win,?? Roethlisberger said. ??I?m sure both teams are going to come out with kind of a desperate-type play and do everything we can to win the football game.??

The Steelers usually get the best of it in Cincinnati.

There?s very little mystery involved. The Steelers will try to pressure Palmer into mistakes, then run the ball against one of the league?s worst defenses. It was their way under Cowher, and it?s still their way under first-year coach Mike Tomlin.

Pittsburgh has run for more than 200 yards twice already this season, and will be facing a defense that has allowed four 100-yard rushers. The Steelers got away from their run-first philosophy last week in Denver, and wound up losing 31-28.

The Bengals expect to see the Steelers? running game in all its glory.

??With Cowher, they were more predictable with what they ran,?? defensive lineman John Thornton said. ??Now they run more misdirection, and those are things we?ve had trouble with. We?ve given up a lot of big runs because of misdirection.

??That?s how they make their living, running the ball and keeping you off-balance. We really have to put those big-boy pads on this week, so to speak. It?s not going to be a finesse game.??

Roethlisberger is off to a solid start, throwing for 13 touchdowns with five interceptions. In his first six game last season, he had six touchdowns and 11 interceptions, setting up the Steelers? disappointing finish.

Why so good now?

??I don?t know,?? Roethlisberger said. ??There?s probably no explanation. Just being smart with the ball, understanding what?s going on.??

The Bengals know exactly what?s going on.

Whenever the Steelers come to town, they bring thousands of fans that make the visitors feel at home. Coach Marvin Lewis and several Bengals players asked fans last week to hold onto their tickets and not sell them to Steelers fans.

Palmer thinks that has something to do with their six-game winning streak in Cincinnati.

??When they come here, it seems like they have just as many fans as we do in the stadium,?? Palmer said. ??There will be a bunch of their fans here, and they?re loud, extremely loud. Normally you don?t hear the opposing team in our stadium.

??It?s just the way it has worked out. I don?t think we?ve played really well against them at home yet. We?re trying to change that this week.??

If this wasn't the proper place to post this I am sorry.

[HometownGal]

There will be a bunch of their fans here, and they?re loud, extremely loud. Normally you don?t hear the opposing team in our stadium.

Hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, Cartoon, but normally, you don't hear the home team in your stadium either. Bungles fans don't come to the stadium to watch the game - they come to tailgate and drink lots o' beer, dumb ass, because they know what everyone else knows. The Bungles SUCK.

[TroysBadDawg]

And watch thier team lose.

[The Duke]

Originally Posted by TroysBadDawg

And watch thier team lose.

yep, same old bungles.

Congrats on the brownies win TBD

[Preacher]

Originally Posted by HometownGal

Hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, Cartoon, but normally, you don't hear the home team in your stadium either. Bungles fans don't come to the stadium to watch the game - they come to tailgate and drink lots o' beer, dumb ass, because they know what everyone else knows. The Bungles SUCK.

LOL...

Um, HTG... should this thread be merged with the 1492 Columbus thread?

[I-Want-Troy's-Hair]

oops sorry dup thread