STEELERS BLACK -N- GOLD POST
A Pittsburgh Steelers Blog from the heart of Steelers Nation.

by Ramona Dye

Our Pittsburgh Steelers will host the rival Cincinnati Bengals at home Sunday at 1 p.m., with first place in the division at stake. Just like the old days.

The Bengals are undefeated in our division so far this season. Cincinnati, at 4-0, already has swept the Ravens, and they also have wins over the Browns in Cleveland and our Steelers in Cincinnati.

One just hopes that they realize that the team that they beat in Cincinnati on September 27Th will not be the same team they will face this Sunday.

This game will come down to which offense makes the least amount of mistakes and which defense can put enough pressure on their opponents offense and stop the big plays. I believe our Steelers have the defensive advantage.

The Bengals' Cedric Benson will be the latest to attempt what many NFL running backs have repeatedly failed to do, run for 100 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

During the past five seasons, only three backs have gained 100 yards against Pittsburgh and, counting the playoffs, no one has done it in the last 30 games. Fred Taylor of Jacksonville was the last to accomplish the feat by rushing for 147 yards in 2007, the only 100-yard game by an opposing back in Pittsburgh since 2004.

Running against the Steelers defense that allows only around 70.4 yards rushing per game usually results in a double-digit and sometimes, low double digits day.

Three times this season, an opponent's leading rusher has not gained more than 29 yards. That's pretty impressive considering what these running backs are doing to other teams defenses.

Among the running backs who've failed to gain 100 yards during the 30-game streak are Adrian Peterson, LaDainian Tomlinson, Chris Johnson, Jamal Lewis, Steve Slaton, Brandon Jacobs, Steven Jackson, Clinton Portis and Cedric Benson. As you can see several have failed to do so.

Benson, the former Bears running back, could prove to be one of the biggest challengers to the streak when the Bengals (6-2) play our Steelers (6-2) for first place in the AFC North.

Since our Steelers and the Bengals moved into the same division back in 1970, the Bengals have had only five 100-yard rushers in Pittsburgh and only two during the last 20 seasons. Rudi Johnson had 123 yards in 2004 and Corey Dillon gained 120 yards in 1999. Prior to that was James Brooks with a 127 yard game in 1989.

Benson, who has only gained 76, 35 and 52 yards in his last three games against our Steelers defense could find himself in for a long day.

Losing left tackle Aaron Smith will be a challenge for the Steelers defense but the resurgence of Troy Polamalu who missed the first match-up against the Bengals in week three could make all the difference in stopping the run.

"Troy makes some plays that he's supposed to make, that somebody else should make, and plays you shake your head and say, 'Wow, how did he do that?' " Lewis said. "He's a great student of the game."

                                         ~ Marvin Lewis

Our Steelers seem to be playing back to their 2009 abilities with a little better offensive line and a rookie wide receiver Mike Wallace, who could be in the running for rookie of the year.

One thing is sure, this rivalry sets forth another big game which could very well decide the winner of the AFC North.

As always, Here We Go!!!

By Ramona Dye

Playing our beloved Steelers twice a year since becoming division rivals in the old AFC Central at the start of the 1970 season, the Cincinnati Bengals have dared to face off with our Pittsburgh Steelers 77 times during regular season and once in the playoffs during the 2005-06 season.

The Bengals should have played our Steelers 78 times during the regular seasons but because of the 1982 strike-shortened season, the Bengals escaped playing our Steelers only once.

Our Steelers have dominated this rivalry, winning 62 of those 77 regular season games, winning the one playoff game and sweeping the Bengals in 31 seasons. Since 1991, our Steelers have swept the Bengals a whopping 10 of 18 seasons, splitting the rest.

In spite of Steelers dominance, the Bengals have managed to split wins with us in 32 seasons and have swept us in seven seasons. The heydays of the Who Dey Bengals happened during the the 1980s, when the Bengals swept our Steelers in '80, '81, '85 and three seasons three seasons in a row between 1988 and 1990.

Bengals fans consider our Steelers as their greatest rivalry especially since the Bengals have faced the Steelers more than any other team in their own history. However, most Steelers fans today would say the Ravens have become our top division rivalry.

While not as historic as our rivalry with the Browns, the events that happened in the 2005 wild-card playoff game have made for bitter feelings between fans. During the game, Kimo von Oelhoffen injured Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer with a hit to the knee. Palmer injured his ACL and MCL during the second offensive play of the game, knocking him out for the rest of the game.

The Bengals took an early 17-7 lead. However, our Steelers rallyed to score 24 unanswered points for a 37-17 win. As the Bengals were division champions that season, to this day, many Bengals fans suggest that von Oelhoffen's hit was a cheap shot purposely intended to harm Palmer. Bengals fans claim that if Palmer had stayed in the game, the Bengals would have won.

During an interview with Sports Illustrated, Palmer was quoted in saying. "I hate the Steelers more than I hate UCLA," a college rival to his alma mater, USC. Although, Palmer himself did not blame the Steelers for his injury, fans of the Bungals remain bitter to this day.

Some of us Steeler fans may also recall the 20-0 shut-out game in 1992 in which our Steelers defense would set the single-game team sack record, sacking Bengals QB David Klingler (in his first NFL rookie start) 10 times.

The Bungals have been in eight playoffs appearances, six division championships, two conference championships and two Super Bowls which they lost both times to the San Francisco 49ers. Compared to our Steelers twenty-five playoff appearances, twenty-two division appearances, fourteen conference championships appearances, seven Super Bowl appearances, and a Sixburgh of Super Bowl victories, it's easy to understand how fans of the Cincinnati Bungals would be envious of our beloved Steelers. Even some of our failures in the playoffs have overshadowed what seemed to be the Bungals successes.

We march into Cincinnati on September 27 (1:00 P.M. CBS) to face the Bengals. The Bengals return to Heinz Field on November 15 (1:00 P.M. CBS). 

As always, Here we go!