Wildcard week - Steelers at Bengals
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals
Paul Brown Stadium
Sunday, 8 January
1630 EST on ABC / 2130 GMT on Sky Sports Xtra
It's best-of-three between these AFC North rivals as they look to determine which of the two games they played during the regular season has the most significance. The Steelers inflicted Cincinnati's first home defeat of the season in week seven when Pittsburgh rang up 221 yards on the ground, including 131 from rookie Fast Willie Parker for a 27-13. Six weeks later, in a shootout at Heinz Field, the Bengals got their revenge as they capitalised on three interceptions of Ben Roethlisberger to finish on the right side of a 38-31 score line.
Cincinnati have come of age in their third season under coach Marv Lewis, with second-year quarterback Carson Palmer at the helm. His rating this year is second only to Indianapolis nonpareil Peyton Manning, helped by the headline-grabbing performances of receiver Chad Johnson. He could easily take advantage of Pittsburgh's mediocre pass defense but running back Rudi Johnson will have trouble if he is asked to make yards up the middle so Palmer will have to take the the skies, with the accompanying risks. A strong season ended with a whimper as the Bengals suffered upset defeats to Buffalo and Kansas City (although they rested Palmer, among others, for much of the last game) and they will have to rediscover momentum quickly.
Anyone expecting a points-fest this weekend has not been following Pittsburgh, who responded to a must-win imperative with four successive victories, and allowed just 33 points along the way to finish with the fourth-best defense in the league. Last year's Super Bowl semi-finalists are in the playoffs for the ninth time in the 13-year reign of coach Bill Cowher. They had a great start to the year but endured a mid-season funk while Roethlisberger overcame knee surgery and suffered a thumb problem before the December heroics. Key to their success is clock management, gaining yards on first and second down through Parker and Jerome Bettis, for whom this could be the last game of a storied career unless he bashes out the yards.
The stats are all in Pittsburgh's favour. With a three-point line at the bookie's, they are the only road team favoured in this weekend's games. They have won their last four games in Cincinnati, their last four straight playoff games away from home and have started the post-season with victory on the last seven occasions. The Steelers' experience could count massively now the season has entered the winner-takes-all stage, and if their running game keeps grinding. Pittsburgh should progress to the divisional round, and a likely trip to Indianapolis, with a 24-14 win.
NFLBriefing.com
Paul Brown Stadium
Sunday, 8 January
1630 EST on ABC / 2130 GMT on Sky Sports Xtra
It's best-of-three between these AFC North rivals as they look to determine which of the two games they played during the regular season has the most significance. The Steelers inflicted Cincinnati's first home defeat of the season in week seven when Pittsburgh rang up 221 yards on the ground, including 131 from rookie Fast Willie Parker for a 27-13. Six weeks later, in a shootout at Heinz Field, the Bengals got their revenge as they capitalised on three interceptions of Ben Roethlisberger to finish on the right side of a 38-31 score line.
Cincinnati have come of age in their third season under coach Marv Lewis, with second-year quarterback Carson Palmer at the helm. His rating this year is second only to Indianapolis nonpareil Peyton Manning, helped by the headline-grabbing performances of receiver Chad Johnson. He could easily take advantage of Pittsburgh's mediocre pass defense but running back Rudi Johnson will have trouble if he is asked to make yards up the middle so Palmer will have to take the the skies, with the accompanying risks. A strong season ended with a whimper as the Bengals suffered upset defeats to Buffalo and Kansas City (although they rested Palmer, among others, for much of the last game) and they will have to rediscover momentum quickly.
Anyone expecting a points-fest this weekend has not been following Pittsburgh, who responded to a must-win imperative with four successive victories, and allowed just 33 points along the way to finish with the fourth-best defense in the league. Last year's Super Bowl semi-finalists are in the playoffs for the ninth time in the 13-year reign of coach Bill Cowher. They had a great start to the year but endured a mid-season funk while Roethlisberger overcame knee surgery and suffered a thumb problem before the December heroics. Key to their success is clock management, gaining yards on first and second down through Parker and Jerome Bettis, for whom this could be the last game of a storied career unless he bashes out the yards.
The stats are all in Pittsburgh's favour. With a three-point line at the bookie's, they are the only road team favoured in this weekend's games. They have won their last four games in Cincinnati, their last four straight playoff games away from home and have started the post-season with victory on the last seven occasions. The Steelers' experience could count massively now the season has entered the winner-takes-all stage, and if their running game keeps grinding. Pittsburgh should progress to the divisional round, and a likely trip to Indianapolis, with a 24-14 win.
NFLBriefing.com
posted by MG at
5:18 PM
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