I Predict the Bengals win

[walzav29]

I've thought about this for 5 days. The Bengals have really made it a point to win the division games. They seem built for it. Pittsburgh will be motivated, BUT I think Mendenhall will fumble on the game winning drive and the Bengals win 21-17. We have a better quarterback and better corners. I think that will be the difference.

The Steelers want Revenge but are coming off a short week

Troy is back but The Bengals are firing on all cylinders. Unlike the 1st meeting.

The game is in Pittsburgh but the Bengals play good on the road and they win in Pittsburgh.

All things being equal. Which finally they are. I'll take Palmer over Ben. Ben has always had the advatnage of running games and stopping the run. Palmer now has them.

Who Dey!

[kenyon1977]

27-24 in an overtime win.

[cincyhokie]

I'm calling Bengals 20 Steelers 17. Bengals play better at Pitt and have done well on the road as underdogs. Nothing is expected of them. What's new?

Either way the Steelers have the pressure on them in this game. Even if the Bengals lose, there is a good chance they can still win the AFCN.

[BengalszoneBilly]

Either way the Steelers have the pressure on them in this game

The last thing they want is to find themselves swept as did the Ravens last week. I see that causing Roethlisberger to throw up a minimum of two INT's. 21-20 Cincinnati.

[Stripes]

I expect very few points scored. Bengals win 10-7.

[Kazkal]

Your not the only one... Now is the time of the Bengals!

WHODEY

[membengal]

Love the Bengals, don't love them in this game with Henry gone and unable to stretch the field and stress their third corners. Worried about depth at LB with Rivers likely out, and hate that they won't have fresh legs at that position throughout the game.

I think they come up short in the second half.

Steelers 24. Bengals 17.

[Pidge]

Damn mem, I feel the same way. It's just quite disheartening to see it written down like that.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

If they're going to lose another game soon, this one is it. As long as they take are of bizness (Detroit, Oak, Cleveland, KC, and either SD or the Jets) I don't see how they can't get into the playoffs as at least a WC or division winner with 11 wins. And they are still perfectly capable of getting 12 wins if they lose Sunday.

That said, God help Pitt if the Bengals' play them again in the playoffs, I just don't think Pitt can match the Bengals' motivation and desire in a game like that. It would be too important to the players here.

So, time to take it in stride and hope for the best, and grit the teeth and move on if they lose Sunday. I just want to see them come out of it healthy.

[bwillycuse]

Here we go again.

Comments from media that we arent ready for a game like this. Bengals dont believe they can win. Just not ready.

Bring on Sunday and lets see what happens. Not a must win for the Bengals on some levels but IMO it is a very very important game for the team.

A win and we more than likely sweep the division. Cause a must sweep scenario for Pitt over Baltimore.

But more importantly - The team will have taken down the giants twice in a season. I really dont think we will get the respect at all this year unless we win it all. No one is prepared for us being good.

I can sense this board is nervous about the game. Barely any posts. No ripping on the Steelers because we know they are a very good team. We dont know who will win. But to be in this position is awesome.

I just want the game to start already. Lets see what our Bengals can do.

SHock the WORLD!!!!!

WHo DEy!!!

[HoosierCat]

I can sense this board is nervous about the game.

I can speak for anyone else, but I'm not nervous. The Bengals could win. They might lose. The former would be nice, but honestly if you had asked me in August if I'd take a 3-1 record against Balti and Pitt combined, my reply would have been: "In a heartbeat."

And really, I look at the Steelers' remaining sked and its hard to find another loss, unless Baltimore pulls its collective head out of its collective butt. The Bengals could very well win Sunday and still not end up with the AFCN crown. So I'm kind of resigned to a wild card spot, anyhow.

In short, a sweep would be nice, but I have a feeling that the big game between the Bengals and the Steelers this year will be the third one.

[Wraith]

They have performed well enough within the division to lose this game without adversely affecting the Bengals' playoff chances. If they go 5-1 in the division they will win the championship. I hope I am wrong but I think we lose a hard fought defensive battle and I am ok with that provided that they take care of business by beating Detroit, Kansas City, Cleveland, and Oakland and by win just one of the games v. New York or San Diego. Remember the Steelers have two games against Baltimore left on their schedule as well as games v. Green Bay and at Miami. All in all both teams will make the playoffs and then all bets are off.

[membengal]

I can sense this board is nervous about the game.

I can speak for anyone else, but I'm not nervous. The Bengals could win. They might lose. The former would be nice, but honestly if you had asked me in August if I'd take a 3-1 record against Balti and Pitt combined, my reply would have been: "In a heartbeat."

And really, I look at the Steelers' remaining sked and its hard to find another loss, unless Baltimore pulls its collective head out of its collective butt. The Bengals could very well win Sunday and still not end up with the AFCN crown. So I'm kind of resigned to a wild card spot, anyhow.

In short, a sweep would be nice, but I have a feeling that the big game between the Bengals and the Steelers this year will be the third one.

This. 100%.

[alleycat]

I can sense this board is nervous about the game.

I can speak for anyone else, but I'm not nervous. The Bengals could win. They might lose. The former would be nice, but honestly if you had asked me in August if I'd take a 3-1 record against Balti and Pitt combined, my reply would have been: "In a heartbeat."

And really, I look at the Steelers' remaining sked and its hard to find another loss, unless Baltimore pulls its collective head out of its collective butt. The Bengals could very well win Sunday and still not end up with the AFCN crown. So I'm kind of resigned to a wild card spot, anyhow.

In short, a sweep would be nice, but I have a feeling that the big game between the Bengals and the Steelers this year will be the third one.

There's a dangerous scenario where we could really get screwed, though. Right now, it seems that the two teams in the tightest contention for the Wildcard (besides the 2nd place finisher in our division) are the Texans and the Broncos. Both teams we've lost two, and who get in over us in head to head if the schedule comes down to that. It remains to be seen how badly losing Daniels affects the Texans, and I have a feeling Denver will continue to fizzle (and then the San Diego game would become HUGE). As leery as I am about winning the division and then having to face the Steelers at home (where we mysteriously underperformed (although less mysteriously now that Chad admits he plays harder on the road, lol), this has me worried even more...

[agreen_112]

If they're going to lose another game soon, this one is it. As long as they take are of bizness (Detroit, Oak, Cleveland, KC, and either SD or the Jets) I don't see how they can't get into the playoffs as at least a WC or division winner with 11 wins. And they are still perfectly capable of getting 12 wins if they lose Sunday.

That said, God help Pitt if the Bengals' play them again in the playoffs, I just don't think Pitt can match the Bengals' motivation and desire in a game like that. It would be too important to the players here.

So, time to take it in stride and hope for the best, and grit the teeth and move on if they lose Sunday. I just want to see them come out of it healthy.

I think HBO is still following the Bengals because of Hard Knocks. I read something somewhere that they were trying to sift through all the footage to find a "moment" that was the deciding factor for a winning season and playoff appearance.

How special would that be if the Bengals make the playoffs and HBO does a special Hard Knocks "encore" episode, or two, documenting our trip to the SB? How great would that be to add to your best moments in Bengals history?

I agree this is going to be a tough game..

The only way we win this game is if we come out firing on all cylinders and absolutely destroy Pittsburgh. I'm taling a 35-17 game. I do not want to be in a close game with Pittsburgh.

My prediction (I would never predict against) is 31-14. Bengals.

[BengalsMan3203]

I'm not going to predict a win, or *hope* for win, or even guess if we'll win or not.... I EXPECT us to win.... Simple as that.

[HairOnFire]

I'm not afraid to admit it. Yeah, I'm nervous.

Mostly because I can't forget how badly the Steelers were crushing the Bengals throughout most of the entire 1st half in the previous game. The Steelers must have come out on top on more than 85% of the plays in that half, right?

I see no freaking way the Bengals will blow the Steelers out. None. Not that I'd mind, but I'm just not seeing it.

I expect a grind. Not neccessarily a low scoring affair, but rather....a close game decided by which team makes the last critical mistake.

[membengal]

Mendenhall's ascension to damn good is a problem for Steelers opponents on a lot of levels. Including this one. Per Hobson, the success of the play-action pass for the Steelers on the season is:

The Bengals defense will see a deadly one (play action pass package) Sunday. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger leads the league with a 158.3 rating on play-action on 29-of-30 for 459 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.

[agreen_112]

I'm not afraid to admit it. Yeah, I'm nervous.

Mostly because I can't forget how badly the Steelers were crushing the Bengals throughout most of the entire 1st half in the previous game. The Steelers must have come out on top on more than 85% of the plays in that half, right?

I see no freaking way the Bengals will blow the Steelers out. None. Not that I'd mind, but I'm just not seeing it.

I expect a grind. Not neccessarily a low scoring affair, but rather....a close game decided by which team makes the last critical mistake.

I know the Steelers are tough. They're the toughest. But look at what we did to Chicago? The following week we busted Baltimore's ass! Why not Pittsburgh. I think it's possible. That would be so great..

Good luck guys.. If we loose it's not the end of the world though. We're in great shape.

[walzav29]

I hate the fatc that I'm scarred by the ghosts of Bengals past. If I just looked at this season I would say they should win, but I think back and I get jittery. They are

3-0 on the road and since the Houston game they are playing their best football. People talk about the woulda coulda's from the 1st Pitt game, but I believe the sucky St. Louis cost us 4 pts. The Bengals look twice as good as that game.

[TJJackson]

I know the Steelers are tough. They're the toughest. But look at what we did to Chicago? The following week we busted Baltimore's ass! Why not Pittsburgh. I think it's possible. That would be so great..

Good luck guys.. If we loose it's not the end of the world though. We're in great shape.

Agreen "logic" translated for the benefit of folks with normal functioning brains:

1) The Bears are an NFL team

2) We beat the Bears badly

3) The Steelers are an NFL Team

ergo

4) We will beat the Steelers badly

Yes, I know, I know....but keep in mind I'm just translating the gibberish....it's not my gibberish

[kingwilly]

Don't lose sight of the fact that the Steelers were hamstrung for the whole first half against Denver. Denver SHUT them down and had a solid scheme to confound Lebeau's D.

Denver just did not have the level of talent to maintain. Orton, Buckhalter/Moreno, and a lesser WR crew (even if Marshall is a stud).

This game is going to look more similar to the Chicago game, than the first game against Pitt.

[BengalszoneBilly]

I'm not afraid to admit it. Yeah, I'm nervous.

So are Steeler fans. Their earlier bulls**t antics here is a clear sign of it. When they were on top, we seldom heard from them, and when we did, they were straight forward with who they were. Now they come in pretending to be Bengals fans. Something has changed, and it's their level of fear.

[HoosierCat]

I'm not afraid to admit it. Yeah, I'm nervous.

So are Steeler fans. Their earlier bulls**t antics here is a clear sign of it. When they were on top, we seldom heard from them, and when we did, they were straight forward with who they were. Now they come in pretending to be Bengals fans. Something has changed, and it's their level of fear.

Point. Very good point.

[volcom69]

The defense worries me a bit, we may have the #2 defense against the run but no team has ever stuck with the run. I just wonder what will happen if they did, and the steelers are coming in red hot running the ball. Ben killed the DBs in the last meeting, the Bengals hardly blitzed him either. I wonder if Zimmer will change the way he game plans this one?

They need to feed Benson the ball early and often, they need to find a way to get it going. If Benson runs the ball over 20 times there is a good shot they could win. Last game they kept shooting themselves in the foot, so as long as they keep there cool like they have in the last few games you never know what will happen.