The game looked like a lost cause after three quarters with the Bengals down 20-9 but that’s when they woke up and dominated the rest of the game.  Carson Palmer led the Bengals on two long drives totalling 156 yards and ending in TDs.  Palmer hit Andre Caldwell with a 4 yard TD pass with only 14 seconds left to stick the dagger in the Steelers.  Palmer completed 20 of 37 passes for 183 yards with 1 TD pass.  Cedric Benson finished up with 76 yards rushing on 16 carries (4.8 ypc) including a 23-yard TD run in the 4th quarter.  Andre Caldwell led the Bengals in the passing game with 6 grabs for 52 yards (8.7 avg) with the game winning TD grab.  The Bengals finished up with 273 total yards on offense (100 rushing, 173 passing) in this game.

LB Keith Rivers led the Bengals in tackles with 8 tackles.  CBs Chris Crocker (7 tackles, 1 pass defensed, 21 yards rushing on fake punt) and CB Johnathan Joseph (6 tackles, 1 pass defensed and a interception that he returned 30 yards for a TD) were the two biggest keys on defense for the Bengals in this game.  The Steelers finished up with 373 total yards in this game (102 rushing, 271 passing).  The Bengals are now 2-1 on the season.

The Steelers have owned the Bengals as of late.  They have won 8 in a row in Cincinnati and Ben Roethlisberger is 11-0 in his native state of Ohio since joining the Steelers.  But this isn’t a normal Steelers team as they just can’t run the football.  The Bengals only allow 82.0 yards rushing per game this season but 4.3 yards per carry so maybe this is a chance to get the running game going.  Willie Parker, Rashard Mendenhall and Mewelde Moore are in a time share situation for the Steelers at RB and they need to have a good game here because Roethlisberger has been under intense heat from opposing pass rushes this season.  The Bengals’ weakness on defense this season has been the secondary so if the Steelers give Big Ben time to throw the ball he should be effective but that means keeping DE Antwan Odom (7 sacks) out of the backfield.

A key to the Bengals offense this season has been balance between the pass and the run.  It’s highly doubtful that Cedric Benson (217 yards rushing) will have much success against a Steelers’ D that is allowing only 64.5 yards rushing per game (3.0 ypc).  If the Steelers stop the running game then they can send everyone after Carson Palmer.  But, the Steelers only have 2 sacks this season and they have given up 233.0 yards passing per game.  They have injuries in the secondary so if the Bengals’ O-Line give him time to throw the ball Palmer should have some success.  This is a game where the Bengals could go to Laveranues Coles and Chris Henry more often then they have so far this season.  That is because the Steelers will no doubt be double covering Chad Ocho Cinco (9 rec, 180 yards, TD).

PREDICTION:  STEELERS 21, BENGALS 20

Coming into this season Antwan Odom had played in 62 games in his NFL career.  In those games he made 108 tackles, defensed 13 passes, had 15.5 sacks and he forced 5 fumbles.  But, this season the veteran DE is going off.  He has made 10 tackles, has an amazing 7 sacks, 1 tackle for a loss and he has defensed 2 passes.  The Bengals have been pretty solid on defense this season and it’s because of Odom’s stellar play.  They need him to keep being the dominating player that he is right now.

Chad OchoCinco is back with a vengeance so far this season.   He has caught 9 passes for 180 yards (20.0 avg) with a TD grab.  He also did a Lambeau Leap in last week’s victory over the Packers.  He’s also back to talking smack because he’s backing it up once again.  His one real nemesis in his career has been the Steelers who are coming to the Jungle this weekend so we’ll see if Ocho puts up or has to shut up this week.

Cedric Benson is proving that his great work late last season was not a fluke.  He has carried the ball 50 times for 217 yards (4.3 ypc) so far this season with 1 TD run.  Benson has also caught 4 passes for 32 yards this season.  The Bengals are averaging 118.5 yards rushing per game this season and it’s helping them control the clock as they have the ball an average of 33:07 so far this year.  The Bengals need Benson to keep up the good work.