The early line

[jjakq27]

Homefield advantage is about the only thing the Steelers have got going for them.

[NYBengalfan]

better off, glad they dont expect us to win in Vegas.

.....besides we lost last time we were favored against these bitches

[HoosierCat]

better off, glad they dont expect us to win in Vegas.

.....besides we lost last time we were favored against these bitches

Line is 3.5 last I saw...honestly, that's a boatload of respect for Cincy.

Rule is any team gets 3 at home. And that's basically all Pitt is getting.

Their fans have no confidence.

Vegas has no confidence.

They're beat up.

They were the 15-1 gods last year and now they are in a dogfight with the Bengals. Repeat: the Bengals!

Fuggit.

They're done.

Bengals by 14.

[Stripes]

Being an underdog in this game only makes me more confident. I am ready to see a big fat NINE in that win column come 5:00 Sunday.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Too low - considering the problems the Bengals have with stopping the run, I'd have it at 5.

[walshfan]

Here's a line for you........

Under Cowher the Steelers are 96-1-1 when they have attained an 11 point or better lead in a game.....

The only loss was to Kitna and the Bengals in 2001 coming back from a 14 point deficit ...

[NYBengalfan]

Here's a line for you........

Under Cowher the Steelers are 96-1-1 when they have attained an 11 point or better lead in a game.....

The only loss was to Kitna and the Bengals in 2001 coming back from a 14 point deficit ...

i remember that game very well. Kitna to Ron Dugans.

What happened to Ron Dugans??????????

[duus]

Here's a line for you........

Under Cowher the Steelers are 96-1-1 when they have attained an 11 point or better lead in a game.....

The only loss was to Kitna and the Bengals in 2001 coming back from a 14 point deficit ...

Yep, key is to get the lead in the first quarter, and build from there. Historically, this works in most games, and against the Steelers it is especially true. That's why I believe that touchdown being overturned in the first game was so huge. Had they gone up 10-0 or 14-0, I really believe they would have won the game. Simply put, the Steelers would not have run as much, and Benji would have thrown another pick or two. That shortens the field position, and the Bengals score again. With that, the Bengals probably win 27-13 instead of the other way around. Early lead. 8 in the box. Benji throws picks. Game over.

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

If this game is within 3 points, the Bengals will win at the end.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Yeah the Bengals' offense will need to continue rolling up points if they want to win, and even Indy struggled to do so Monday night most of the game, but 21 points or more will win this game.

3 most important players to watch IMO:

Carson Palmer - can he shake the big game blues and finally win a big one without throwing a costly pick late in the game if it's close? Can he overcome a hostile road environment and move the ball without a lot of penalties and uneeded timeouts and mistakes? This is his biggest test yet.

Robert Geathers - will he beat the rookie LT Essex a couple of times and put the hurt on Big Ben? Or just cause enough havoc with his speed into the backfield to allow the LB's to stop the run or blow up drives? This is his game to show something. In fact the entire Pitt 0-line looked weak the last two weeks. Time to bring the house and stop the running game - let Ben have his big passes - just don't let them control the clock - give the Bengals' offense as many chances as possible.

No Breshnahan soft, simple prevent defensive crap - go for broke.

KK - can he cover Heath Miller? Will the coaching staff put him on Miller down the middle? We know Ohalete can't cover his own bed or play the ball - KK has the speed and experience to do it - but will he? Every week it seems a TE victimizes the Bengals - Breshnahan has yet to do anything about it - I am less impressed with him as a coordinator every single week.

If those 3 have good games chances to win are much greater!

[NYBengalfan]

Yeah with Essex in it is a clear advantage for Geathers.

[derekshank]

No Breshnahan soft, simple prevent defensive crap - go for broke.

I think the strategy we tried against the Colts should work in this game. Using a lot of blitzes to stop the run, and keep the QB uncomfortable. Their O-line hasn't been as good as the Colts is, so we might actually even get to Ben a few times. Ward and Randel El might get a few big receptions... but this is not Manning to Harrison and Wayne. That philosophy should work.

[schweinhart]

KK - can he cover Heath Miller? Will the coaching staff put him on Miller down the middle? We know Ohalete can't cover his own bed or play the ball - KK has the speed and experience to do it - but will he? Every week it seems a TE victimizes the Bengals - Breshnahan has yet to do anything about it - I am less impressed with him as a coordinator every single week.

Miller should be the primary Pittsburgh weapon if the Bengals managed to not get gashed for 200 yards on the ground again. I agree that the Bengals have been burnt repeatedly by TEs this year, and not just an upper eschelon TE like Todd Heap or a real athletic H-back like Dallas Clark but a raw rook like Miller and a non-household name like George Wrightster. They don't seem to be able to handle TEs period.

But I'm not quite completely prepared to blame the scheme over the personnel because the coverages looked reasonable whether it was K2 or Ohalete over the top and Landon or O'dell underneath on seam routes, Landon or B-Sims trailing on crosses, or Ohalete or Mitchell in single coverage over the middle in a soft spot or down the sideline for the bomb.

However, I do see the point about K2 not being used as much as Ohalete to cover TEs -- and it has seemed that way especially when beaten. K2 would seem to have a much better chance in any man situation on Miller because of his speed and should be able to close quicker over the top in zone coverage than Ohalete on Miller, who I think is somewhere in between Clark and Heap speedwise.

Besides, having K2 the hell away from the LOS when The Bus or Staley are running is a good thing I think. Maybe we'll see all K2 back and all Ohalete up front this week whenever the Bengals play a centerfielder or use a safety to cover the TE in man in the vertical game.