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

by Ramona Dye

The Bengals beat our Steelers in our own stadium, relying on a defense that had four sacks and one interception and continous pressure on Big Ben.

A team who is not known for stopping the run kept the running offense to only eighty total yards rushing. Rashard Mendenhall had 36 total yards on 13 attempts against Bengals defense with a combined 21 yards on 2 carries from Mewelde Moore.

Did Cincinnati's defense step up and stop the run? No, for some reason our Steelers went away from our running game and only totaled a collective 15 running plays against their AFC North foes.

Some people may want to blow smoke up others asses but I am here to say, this game was called horribly. The coaching staff and Big Ben let Steeler Nation and their own teammates down.

The post game interview with Roethlisberger had Big Ben saying that he felt out of sync all day. Really? with homefield advantage?

Guess that excuse is as good as any, right? WRONG....Even Santonio Holmes disputed Ben's comments that our Steelers had "something missing" during the 18-12 loss that moved Cincinnati ahead of our Steelers in the AFC race.

According to Santonio Holmes, the problem was that the Steelers didn't finish the drives they had, settling four times for field goals, not that they couldn't find their game.

"How could we not find a rhythm when we drove the ball all the way down the field?" "We just didn't put up points on the board."

                                    ~Santonio Holmes

Our Steelers' 226 yards, 146 passing and 80 rushing were only 19 fewer than their lowest offensive production at Heinz Field, 207 yards against Washington in 2004.

Was Cincinnati's defense that good? NO...When you have a running game that is being productive and the score of the game is as close as it was all day on Sunday, how can you not run the ball down your opponents throats?

"There was just something missing all day, and I don't know what it was," Roethlisberger said. "Something was weird about the day. I don't know if it was the (mid-60s) weather in November or what it was. Even the crowd at the beginning — everything was just kind of different. No excuse."

Absolutely, no excuse!

Holmes who had 7 catches for 88 yards had a decent day so maybe that is why he sees the outcome of this game differently. As do I!

To Holmes, it would have helped if the Steelers had run the ball more. Rashard Mendenhall was coming off a 155 yard game against Denver, but he was limited to 13 carries for 36 yards.

"The last game (in Denver) those big plays opened up for us," because the Steelers ran the ball effectively, Holmes said.

Holmes, the 2008 Super Bowl MVP, also offered this suggestion: "Get the ball to the playmakers." In which I completely agree.

Left tackle Max Starks also thought we should have ran more than 18 times, which was the fifth fewest carries the Steelers have had in any game since 2001. 

"I'm going to say yes all the way. But that's not the game plan that they saw from what the (the Bengals) were giving us," Starks said. "You look at a team and see what the weaknesses are and try to attack those weaknesses."

Our Steeler who have slipped to No. 17 in rushing will most likely run against their next opponents who are 26th in rushing defense.

My question is, why in hell we did not run the ball more against a team who we ran 102 yards against in our first match-up.

You ask, am I disappointed? Yes, completely. How do you allow an opponent to come into your own house and beat you with a return touchdown and four field goals.

The Bengals swept the season series with our Steelers for the first time since 1998. Cincinnati is 5-0 vs. division opponents and 4-0 on the road this season. Pittsburgh's loss ends a five game winning streak, it was also our team's first loss at home this season.

Our Steelers have allowed three kickoff returns for touchdowns in their last four games. With some changes to our special teams, hopefully they can start playing better ball.

Our next match-up comes against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, November 22, 2009

As always, Here We Go!!!