BALTIMORE – The Cincinnati Bengals have surprised quite a few people with their impressive start this season. The Baltimore Ravens are not among those on the list.

Cincinnati went 4-12 last year and still beat the Ravens. Baltimore is 5-4 in its last nine regular-season games against Pittsburgh and 3-6 against the Bengals.

So don’t go telling the Ravens (6-3) that Sunday’s showdown for first place in the AFC North is an unexpected development.

“I knew they were always on the brink of being a good team,” Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “Now they’re winning games.”

Suggs is the Ravens’ career sacks leader, but he didn’t have one last year against Cincinnati (6-3). On Sunday he will be chasing quarterback Andy Dalton, whose 14 touchdown passes over the first nine games is the most by a rookie since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

Four different Cincinnati receivers have at least 26 catches and two touchdowns, most notably A.J. Green (41 receptions, six TDs). Green’s return from a right knee injury sustained in last week’s 24-17 loss to the Steelers won’t be determined until game time, but coach Marvin Lewis still has plenty of options to send at the renowned Baltimore defense he ruled from 1996-2001.

“They’ve got some good weapons over there,” Suggs said. “This team is not only dangerous, but they’re special. Marvin Lewis knows that. They’re playing with a lot of confidence. We definitely have some work to do, especially after last week.”

Ah, last week. Coming off an uplifting win in Pittsburgh, the Ravens inexplicably lost at Seattle to tumble out of first place.

“We lost a game. Nobody feels good about it, but at the same time, we can’t really ride that wave and be on emotional highs and lows,” quarterback Joe Flacco said. “We have to get ready to play another game – a very important game.”

The winner climbs into a first-place tie with Pittsburgh, and the Ravens own the tiebreaker with the Steelers. The Bengals can ill afford to drop into third place with an 0-1 record against each of the top two teams.

“I think that’s really key, that (the Ravens) have kind of put their best foot forward already in the division by beating the Steelers twice,” Lewis said. “So for Pittsburgh and us and Cleveland … we’re all kind of playing uphill to the Ravens right now. This is a big football game that way. If you want to win your division, you’ve got to win the division games.”

Cincinnati is 4-1 on the road this season, but this will be its toughest test to date. The Ravens have won six in a row at home and 14 of 15.

“That’s our challenge, to win again on the road,” Lewis said. “We know that, like some places we’ve played this year, it can get loud. But we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do – be efficient on offense and be exact on defense. Then it just comes down to playing football.”

Cincinnati’s six wins are against teams with a combined 22-36 record, but the Bengals feel no need to defend themselves after their strong showing in defeat against Pittsburgh.

“It was tough that we ended up losing, but we were in the game the whole time,” said Dalton, who brought Cincinnati back from an early 14-0 deficit. “And so, we do have confidence we’re going to be in a lot of these games.”

After facing the mighty defense of the Steelers, Dalton now must rebound against a unit similarly stocked with veteran talent.

“It seems like when you talk about Baltimore and you talk about their defense, you talk about Ray Lewis you talk about Ed Reed,” he said. “It’s going to be fun to get a chance to play them.”

Although Dalton has been intercepted nine times, the Bengals have lost only one fumble and own a plus-3 turnover differential.

“I think that they’re winning in the same way they played last year,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “They’re just doing it a little bit better in the sense that they’ve really protected the football. That’s probably the No. 1 key. They’re playing excellent defense and they’re moving the football. They are a well-rounded football team.”

It’s nothing Harbaugh hasn’t seen before from Cincinnati.

“They’ve beaten us plenty of times. We’ve always had a ton of respect for the Bengals,” he said. “It’s a big rivalry game for us. It’s one of the toughest games we play every single year. One of the most physical games we play, and that’s what we’re gearing up for.”

Baltimore has won its last 11 games following a loss – the longest current streak in the NFL – and is 14-4 in that situation during Harbaugh’s three-year tenure. Ravens fans lamented the defeat the Seattle for days, but the players quickly went into bounce-back mode.

“It hasn’t been difficult,” Suggs said. “We’re all professionals here.”

Published 11:43pm Saturday, November 19, 2011

The Associated Press

 

BALTIMORE — The Cincinnati Bengals have surprised quite a few people with their impressive start this season. The Baltimore Ravens are not among those on the list.

Cincinnati went 4-12 last year and still beat the Ravens. Baltimore is 5-4 in its last nine regular-season games against Pittsburgh and 3-6 against the Bengals.

So don’t go telling the Ravens (6-3) that Sunday’s showdown for first place in the AFC North is an unexpected development.

“I knew they were always on the brink of being a good team,” Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “Now they’re winning games.”

Suggs is the Ravens’ career sacks leader, but he didn’t have one last year against Cincinnati (6-3). On Sunday he will be chasing quarterback Andy Dalton, whose 14 touchdown passes over the first nine games is the most by a rookie since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

Four different Cincinnati receivers have at least 26 catches and two touchdowns, most notably A.J. Green (41 receptions, six TDs). Green’s return from a right knee injury sustained in last week’s 24-17 loss to the Steelers won’t be determined until game time, but coach Marvin Lewis still has plenty of options to send at the renowned Baltimore defense he ruled from 1996-2001.

“They’ve got some good weapons over there,” Suggs said. “This team is not only dangerous, but they’re special. Marvin Lewis knows that. They’re playing with a lot of confidence. We definitely have some work to do, especially after last week.”

Ah, last week. Coming off an uplifting win in Pittsburgh, the Ravens inexplicably lost at Seattle to tumble out of first place.

“We lost a game. Nobody feels good about it, but at the same time, we can’t really ride that wave and be on emotional highs and lows,” quarterback Joe Flacco said. “We have to get ready to play another game — a very important game.”

The winner climbs into a first-place tie with Pittsburgh, and the Ravens own the tiebreaker with the Steelers. The Bengals can ill afford to drop into third place with an 0-1 record against each of the top two teams.

“I think that’s really key, that (the Ravens) have kind of put their best foot forward already in the division by beating the Steelers twice,” Lewis said. “So for Pittsburgh and us and Cleveland … we’re all kind of playing uphill to the Ravens right now. This is a big football game that way. If you want to win your division, you’ve got to win the division games.”

Cincinnati is 4-1 on the road this season, but this will be its toughest test to date. The Ravens have won six in a row at home and 14 of 15.

“That’s our challenge, to win again on the road,” Lewis said. “We know that, like some places we’ve played this year, it can get loud. But we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do — be efficient on offense and be exact on defense. Then it just comes down to playing football.”

Cincinnati’s six wins are against teams with a combined 22-36 record, but the Bengals feel no need to defend themselves after their strong showing in defeat against Pittsburgh.

“It was tough that we ended up losing, but we were in the game the whole time,” said Dalton, who brought Cincinnati back from an early 14-0 deficit. “And so, we do have confidence we’re going to be in a lot of these games.”

After facing the mighty defense of the Steelers, Dalton now must rebound against a unit similarly stocked with veteran talent.

“It seems like when you talk about Baltimore and you talk about their defense, you talk about Ray Lewis you talk about Ed Reed,” he said. “It’s going to be fun to get a chance to play them.”

Although Dalton has been intercepted nine times, the Bengals have lost only one fumble and own a plus-3 turnover differential.

“I think that they’re winning in the same way they played last year,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “They’re just doing it a little bit better in the sense that they’ve really protected the football. That’s probably the No. 1 key. They’re playing excellent defense and they’re moving the football. They are a well-rounded football team.”

It’s nothing Harbaugh hasn’t seen before from Cincinnati.

“They’ve beaten us plenty of times. We’ve always had a ton of respect for the Bengals,” he said. “It’s a big rivalry game for us. It’s one of the toughest games we play every single year. One of the most physical games we play, and that’s what we’re gearing up for.”

Baltimore has won its last 11 games following a loss — the longest current streak in the NFL — and is 14-4 in that situation during Harbaugh’s three-year tenure. Ravens fans lamented the defeat the Seattle for days, but the players quickly went into bounce-back mode.

“It hasn’t been difficult,” Suggs said. “We’re all professionals here.”

 

BALTIMORE – The Cincinnati Bengals have surprised quite a few people with their impressive start this season. The Baltimore Ravens are not among those on the list.

Cincinnati went 4-12 last year and still beat the Ravens. Baltimore is 5-4 in its last nine regular-season games against Pittsburgh and 3-6 against the Bengals.

So don’t go telling the Ravens (6-3) that Sunday’s showdown for first place in the AFC North is an unexpected development.

“I knew they were always on the brink of being a good team,” Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “Now they’re winning games.”

Suggs is the Ravens’ career sacks leader, but he didn’t have one last year against Cincinnati (6-3). On Sunday he will be chasing quarterback Andy Dalton, whose 14 touchdown passes over the first nine games is the most by a rookie since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.

Four different Cincinnati receivers have at least 26 catches and two touchdowns, most notably A.J. Green (41 receptions, six TDs). Green’s return from a right knee injury sustained in last week’s 24-17 loss to the Steelers won’t be determined until game time, but coach Marvin Lewis still has plenty of options to send at the renowned Baltimore defence he ruled from 1996-2001.

“They’ve got some good weapons over there,” Suggs said. “This team is not only dangerous, but they’re special. Marvin Lewis knows that. They’re playing with a lot of confidence. We definitely have some work to do, especially after last week.”

Ah, last week. Coming off an uplifting win in Pittsburgh, the Ravens inexplicably lost at Seattle to tumble out of first place.

“We lost a game. Nobody feels good about it, but at the same time, we can’t really ride that wave and be on emotional highs and lows,” quarterback Joe Flacco said. “We have to get ready to play another game — a very important game.”

The winner climbs into a first-place tie with Pittsburgh, and the Ravens own the tiebreaker with the Steelers. The Bengals can ill afford to drop into third place with an 0-1 record against each of the top two teams.

“I think that’s really key, that (the Ravens) have kind of put their best foot forward already in the division by beating the Steelers twice,” Lewis said. “So for Pittsburgh and us and Cleveland … we’re all kind of playing uphill to the Ravens right now. This is a big football game that way. If you want to win your division, you’ve got to win the division games.”

Cincinnati is 4-1 on the road this season, but this will be its toughest test to date. The Ravens have won six in a row at home and 14 of 15.

“That’s our challenge, to win again on the road,” Lewis said. “We know that, like some places we’ve played this year, it can get loud. But we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do — be efficient on offence and be exact on defence. Then it just comes down to playing football.”

Cincinnati’s six wins are against teams with a combined 22-36 record, but the Bengals feel no need to defend themselves after their strong showing in defeat against Pittsburgh.

“It was tough that we ended up losing, but we were in the game the whole time,” said Dalton, who brought Cincinnati back from an early 14-0 deficit. “And so, we do have confidence we’re going to be in a lot of these games.”

After facing the mighty defence of the Steelers, Dalton now must rebound against a unit similarly stocked with veteran talent.

“It seems like when you talk about Baltimore and you talk about their defence, you talk about Ray Lewis you talk about Ed Reed,” he said. “It’s going to be fun to get a chance to play them.”

Although Dalton has been intercepted nine times, the Bengals have lost only one fumble and own a plus-3 turnover differential.

“I think that they’re winning in the same way they played last year,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “They’re just doing it a little bit better in the sense that they’ve really protected the football. That’s probably the No. 1 key. They’re playing excellent defence and they’re moving the football. They are a well-rounded football team.”

It’s nothing Harbaugh hasn’t seen before from Cincinnati.

“They’ve beaten us plenty of times. We’ve always had a ton of respect for the Bengals,” he said. “It’s a big rivalry game for us. It’s one of the toughest games we play every single year. One of the most physical games we play, and that’s what we’re gearing up for.”

Baltimore has won its last 11 games following a loss — the longest current streak in the NFL — and is 14-4 in that situation during Harbaugh’s three-year tenure. Ravens fans lamented the defeat the Seattle for days, but the players quickly went into bounce-back mode.

“It hasn’t been difficult,” Suggs said. “We’re all professionals here.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3) got just what they needed to jump back into first place in the AFC North. They beat the Cincinnati Bengals (6-3) on their home field (again) and then watched the Baltimore Ravens (6-3) fall apart (again). Heading into a much-needed bye week, the Steelers are looking down at the rest of the AFC North, holding a half game lead on the two contenders. (The 3-6 Cleveland Browns are out of this race.)

Fending off hungry tigers

The Bengals came into the game as one of the good surprises of the first half of the season. With a tenacious defense and the “Rookie Connection” of QB Andy Dalton(notes) and WR A.J. Green(notes), the Bengals had done enough to win five straight. At 6-2, even their often-disappointed fans might have felt a glimmer of hope. But the Bengals had not played either the Steelers or the Ravens.

The Steelers showed no ill effects from the last second loss at home against the Ravens. The offense took the ball into the end zone on the their first two possessions, displaying their wide array of weapons. Although a tipped ball interception and a revival of the Rookie Connection got the Bengals back into the game, the Steelers did not fold or crumble. They just kept to business. In the third quarter, the Bengals tied the game at 17 when Dalton made a great, under-pressure TD throw to Jermaine Gresham(notes). But the Steelers drove 81 yards on their next possession, and Rashard Mendenhall(notes) scored his second TD of the day, a 9 yard romp that showed a tired defense. The Bengals had four chances to score in the fourth quarter, but punted twice and threw two interceptions. After the last interception, the Steelers earned two first downs and ran out the clock. No last second heroics allowed. The Bengals were not laughable, but they were not in the Steelers’ class either.

Ravens fall flat

The Baltimore Ravens are too psychologically weak to be champions. They crumbled again a week after winning an emotional game against their arch-rivals, the Steelers. In week two, they were whipped by the physical, but mediocre Tennessee Titans. This time, they lost to the lousy Seattle Seahawks. The Ravens signature defense looked average again, letting Marshawn Lynch(notes) run through them for 167 all-purpose yards. Instead of stepping up to control the AFC North, the Ravens let the Steelers back in. The Ravens will now have to fight to keep pace with the Steelers. They own the head-to-head tie-breaker against the Steelers, but they just used up their margin for error.

Now the schedule gets interesting! The AFC North race will be featured even as the Steelers take their Thanksgiving bye week. The Bengals travel to M&T Bank Stadium to face the humiliated Ravens on Sunday, November 20. The winner will keep pace with the Steelers (the Ravens would lead by virtue of their tie-breaker; the Bengals would be behind the Steelers). But the Ravens/Bengals loser will fall off the pace and face a tough uphill battle to make the playoffs. The Steelers don’t play until after Thanksgiving. For now, I will sit back, be thankful for first place, and enjoy the desperate struggle between the Ravens and Bengals. I hope they beat the stuffing out of each other.

Sean Durity is a Terrible Towel twirling Steelers fan living in Atlanta. He grew up cheering the 1970s dynasty and appreciates the organization’s excellence even more as an adult.

More from this contributor:

Preview of the three game gauntlet the Steelers just completed

My pre-training camp predictions had the Steelers at 8-2 at this point. 7-3 is pretty close!

SOURCES

Steelers at Bengals recap, espn.go.com

Ravens at Seahawks recap, espn.go.com

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Read More: Ben Roethlisberger (QB – PIT), Carlos Dunlap (DE – CIN), Robert Sands (S – CIN), Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals

The loss of defensive end Carlos Dunlap, hampered all week by a hamstring injury, could loom large for the Bengals in their critical AFC North matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium.

The surprising Bengals, 6-2 on the year and winners of five straight, have the 10th-ranked pass defense in the league, and even more impressively, the second-ranked rush defense. Cincinnati has allowed just eight passing touchdowns all year, and only gives up 84.5 yards per game on the ground. The loss of Dunlap might make Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger feel a bit more comfortable in the pocket, something the Bengals do not want to occur.

Here are the Bengals’ inactives for Week 10:

• TE Donald Lee
• DE Carlos Dunlap
• OL Clint Boling
• LB Dontay Moch
• CB Adam Jones
• S Robert Sands
• WR Ryan Wahlen

For more on the Pittsburgh Steelers, visit SB Nation’s Steelers blog Behind The Steel Curtain. For more on the Cincinnati Bengals, visit SB Nation’s Bengals blog Cincy Jungle.   

Read More: Rashard Mendenhall (RB – PIT), Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals

Sunday afternoon’s AFC North battle between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals could prove to be a defensive affair, never a good sign for fantasy players in their search for who to start. Pittsburgh running back Rashard Mendenhall could be in for a long day, as Cincinnati has the league’s second-best rush defense, allowing just 84.5 yards per game.

The fantasy football projection site numberFire ranks Mendenhall as just the 21st best play at running back this week. The Steelers’ running backs projected stats: 15.56 car, 68.47 yds, 1.14 rec for 9.98 yds, 0.4 TDs for 10.18 points.

One possible reason for optimism, though it comes with a caveat that the Bengals are a different team this year: Mendenhall ran the ball 40 times for 165 yards and a touchdown in two Pittsburgh wins over Cincinnati in 2010.

For more fantasy football coverage, advice, and analysis, please visit SB Nation Fantasy, and follow it on Twitter @SBNationFantasy. For more on the Pittsburgh Steelers, visit SB Nation’s Steelers blog Behind The Steel Curtain. For more on theCincinnati Bengals, visit SB Nation’s Bengals blog Cincy Jungle.

CINCINNATI — For a team picked to finish last and in apparent disarray heading into the season, the Cincinnati Bengals are making many prognosticators look foolish.Riding their longest winning streak in more than 23 years and tied for the lead in the AFC North, the Bengals begin a stretch of four straight games against division rivals when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.Cincinnati’s offense hasn’t exactly been explosive — it ranks 22nd averaging 316.3 total yards — and it’s sure to be tested in the next four games, including two against Pittsburgh (6-3).The Steelers, who have won seven of the last nine meetings, rank third in the NFL in total defense allowing 280.2 yards per game. Cincinnati plays at Baltimore on Nov. 20 and hosts Cleveland on Nov. 27 before traveling to Pittsburgh on Dec. 4.”It’s a street fight,” said left tackle Andrew Whitworth, who caught a 1-yard touchdown pass in a 23-7 loss to the Steelers in the most recent meeting Dec. 12. “It’s a football game, but it’s like you’re meeting somebody in the school parking lot. That’s what it is. It’s football, but it’s a fight at the same time.”Pittsburgh, which is tied with Miami for last in the league with four takeaways, allowed a 13-play, 92-yard drive in the final 2 1/2 minutes of a 23-20 loss to Baltimore last Sunday night, giving up a touchdown pass with eight seconds remaining.”We lost a very tough, close ballgame, highly contested,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “Hopefully we will grow and learn from it. I know those will be our intentions. I truly believe that it will strengthen us moving forward.”Though the Steelers have had success against the Bengals in recent seasons, their meetings have been tight. Prior to Pittsburgh’s victory last December, the previous three games were decided by six points or fewer, with Cincinnati winning two.”Really, when you think about it, the last couple of years, the ball has ended up in their hands inside the 10-yard line or so, to win it at the very end,” Tomlin said. “We were fortunate enough to make a play a year ago (in a 27-21 win Nov. 8, 2010). We weren’t the year before that (when the Bengals threw a touchdown pass with 14 seconds remaining to win 23-20 on Sept. 27, 2009).”Ben Roethlisberger has averaged 352.0 yards while throwing six touchdowns over his last three games, though he hasn’t had similar success in recent meetings with Cincinnati.He hasn’t thrown for more than 280 yards while tossing 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with a 79.7 passer rating over the last 10 matchups. The Bengals have allowed eight passing touchdowns this season, tied for third-fewest in the NFL. Cincinnati has the league’s second-best run defense allowing 84.5 yards per game, while Pittsburgh ranks sixth giving up 95.6.The Steelers have shut down Benson through most of his career, holding him to 3.3 yards per carry and two touchdowns in six matchups.Pittsburgh’s LaMarr Woodley will miss a second straight game due to a hamstring injury, but fellow linebacker James Farrior is probable to return after missing two games with a calf problem.Cincinnati linebacker Rey Maualuga said he expects to play despite an injured ankle which has kept him out of the last three games.The holdout of Carson Palmer, trade of Chad Ochocinco to New England and impending suspension of Cedric Benson had many predicting no better than a repeat of last season’s dismal 4-12 performance.Palmer has since been traded to Oakland and Ochocinco has been ineffective for the Patriots, while Benson and rookie quarterback Andy Dalton have helped lead the Bengals (6-2) to the top of their division, tied with Baltimore.Cincinnati has won five straight after beating Tennessee 24-17 last week, marking its longest winning streak since a six-game run in 1988 — the last time the Bengals appeared in the Super Bowl.Dalton has experienced some growing pains but has been an adequate replacement for Palmer, throwing for 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
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CINCINNATI –

The task seemed overwhelming at first. The Cincinnati Bengals were trying to teach an entirely new offense to a group led by a rookie receiver, with only two weeks to go before the first preseason game.

Everyone expected a rough start. A 6-2 mark at the season’s halfway point? Dream on.

“I think it’s definitely better than anybody would have expected it to have been,” left tackle Andrew Whitworth said Wednesday. “We continue to keep our heads down and be stubborn and push the envelope to be what we can offensively.”

They’ve been good enough to get to first place.

The Bengals are tied with Baltimore at 6-2 atop the AFC North heading into a pivotal game Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. The Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) are known for making rookie quarterbacks feel they still don’t belong.

It’ll be the best test yet for Andy Dalton and rookie receiver A.J. Green, who have carried an offense severely lacking in experience at the marquee positions. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is known for disguising his schemes and confusing the passer.

“It’s a challenge for a veteran offense with a veteran quarterback,” offensive coordinator Jay Gruden said after practice Wednesday. “They’ve made days miserable for a lot of great, great quarterbacks. Rookies are no different.

“I’m sure they’re going to do whatever they can to keep him off-balance and make him hurry his throws and struggle. We have to help him out.”

Dalton’s quick emergence has gotten the Bengals through an eight-game stretch that seemed daunting.

The NFL’s lockout prevented Gruden from coaching the second-round draft pick or introducing his West Coast offense, which is much different from the one used by former coordinator Bob Bratkowski. So many things were stacked against Dalton that his new teammates felt for him.

“I don’t know,” offensive guard Bobbie Williams said, after a voluntary workout in June. “I’ll just say: God help the young man.”

Nobody’s feeling sorry for him now.

Dalton is the 15th-ranked passer in the league with 12 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a passer rating of 85. The only other rookie ranked higher is Cam Newton, who is 12th with 11 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a passer rating of 87.1.

Cincinnati’s offense ranks 22nd in the league overall, but has managed to pull games out in the second half.

“When you have a new system coming in with limited time and some young guys playing – and actually, everybody’s new to the system so everybody’s like a rookie quite frankly – it has gone better than expected,” Gruden said. “I think the leadership from the offensive line has been a big help. And of course, Andy’s ability to learn very fast has been a big help, also.”

Gruden’s system is similar to the one that Dalton ran at TCU, so he’s been able to get comfortable quickly. And Gruden has tailored the weekly game plans to what Dalton does best – throw quick, accurate passes.

“It’s an offense that’s been tweaked to fit what they have,” Steelers safety Ryan Clark said on a conference call Wednesday. “It’s an offense that’s been tweaked to protect a rookie quarterback.”

One who’s overcome his rookie moments with strong finishes.

The Bengals have won their last five games, something they hadn’t done since 1988, and Dalton has been the key. He led them to a tiebreaking touchdown in the fourth quarter in Jacksonville, and pulled off second-half comebacks in two other wins.

The Steelers don’t expect him to get rattled.

“I don’t necessarily see that being a challenge to Dalton as of late,” Clark said. “For a quarterback to lead a team to five straight wins – clearly he’s not the only one playing, but it is impressive that he’s been able to do that.”

Dalton has gotten better at recognizing what the defense will try to do to confuse him.

“I feel like I’ve gotten better each week and I’m starting to see things a lot better,” he said.

This week, he’ll see some things he’s never seen before.

Notes: The Bengals have a three-week roster exemption for LB Keith Rivers, who had wrist surgery over the summer and hasn’t played. Coach Marvin Lewis was noncommittal about his status, other than to say, “He’s progressing.” … CB Nate Clements (knee), S Chris Crocker (knee), DE Carlos Dunlap (hamstring) and RB Brian Leonard (knee) were held out of practice Wednesday. TE Jermaine Gresham (hamstring), CB Adam “Pacman” Jones (hamstring) and MLB Rey Maualuga (ankle) returned to practice on a limited basis.

CINCINNATI – The task seemed overwhelming at first. The Cincinnati Bengals were trying to teach an entirely new offence to a group led by a rookie receiver, with only two weeks to go before the first pre-season game.

Everyone expected a rough start. A 6-2 mark at the season’s halfway point? Dream on.

“I think it’s definitely better than anybody would have expected it to have been,” left tackle Andrew Whitworth said Wednesday. “We continue to keep our heads down and be stubborn and push the envelope to be what we can offensively.”

They’ve been good enough to get to first place.

The Bengals are tied with Baltimore at 6-2 atop the AFC North heading into a pivotal game Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. The Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) are known for making rookie quarterbacks feel they still don’t belong.

It’ll be the best test yet for Andy Dalton and rookie receiver A.J. Green, who have carried an offence severely lacking in experience at the marquee positions. Steelers defensive co-ordinator Dick LeBeau is known for disguising his schemes and confusing the passer.

“It’s a challenge for a veteran offence with a veteran quarterback,” offensive co-ordinator Jay Gruden said after practice Wednesday. “They’ve made days miserable for a lot of great, great quarterbacks. Rookies are no different.

“I’m sure they’re going to do whatever they can to keep him off-balance and make him hurry his throws and struggle. We have to help him out.”

Dalton’s quick emergence has got the Bengals through an eight-game stretch that seemed daunting.

The NFL’s lockout prevented Gruden from coaching the second-round draft pick or introducing his West Coast offence, which is much different from the one used by former co-ordinator Bob Bratkowski. So many things were stacked against Dalton that his new teammates felt for him.

“I don’t know,” offensive guard Bobbie Williams said, after a voluntary workout in June. “I’ll just say: God help the young man.”

Nobody’s feeling sorry for him now.

Dalton is the 15th-ranked passer in the league with 12 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a passer rating of 85. The only other rookie ranked higher is Cam Newton, who is 12th with 11 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a passer rating of 87.1.

Cincinnati’s offence ranks 22nd in the league overall, but has managed to pull games out in the second half.

“When you have a new system coming in with limited time and some young guys playing — and actually, everybody’s new to the system so everybody’s like a rookie quite frankly — it has gone better than expected,” Gruden said. “I think the leadership from the offensive line has been a big help. And of course, Andy’s ability to learn very fast has been a big help, also.”

Gruden’s system is similar to the one that Dalton ran at TCU, so he’s been able to get comfortable quickly. And Gruden has tailored the weekly game plans to what Dalton does best — throw quick, accurate passes.

“It’s an offence that’s been tweaked to fit what they have,” Steelers safety Ryan Clark said on a conference call Wednesday. “It’s an offence that’s been tweaked to protect a rookie quarterback.”

One who’s overcome his rookie moments with strong finishes.

The Bengals have won their last five games, something they hadn’t done since 1988, and Dalton has been the key. He led them to a tiebreaking touchdown in the fourth quarter in Jacksonville, and pulled off second-half comebacks in two other wins.

The Steelers don’t expect him to get rattled.

“I don’t necessarily see that being a challenge to Dalton as of late,” Clark said. “For a quarterback to lead a team to five straight wins — clearly he’s not the only one playing, but it is impressive that he’s been able to do that.”

Dalton has got better at recognizing what the defence will try to do to confuse him.

“I feel like I’ve gotten better each week and I’m starting to see things a lot better,” he said.

This week, he’ll see some things he’s never seen before.

Notes: The Bengals have a three-week roster exemption for LB Keith Rivers, who had wrist surgery over the summer and hasn’t played. Coach Marvin Lewis was noncommittal about his status, other than to say, “He’s progressing.” … CB Nate Clements (knee), S Chris Crocker (knee), DE Carlos Dunlap (hamstring) and RB Brian Leonard (knee) were held out of practice Wednesday. TE Jermaine Gresham (hamstring), CB Adam “Pacman” Jones (hamstring) and MLB Rey Maualuga (ankle) returned to practice on a limited basis.

“I think it’s definitely better than anybody would have expected it to have been,” left tackle Andrew Whitworth said Wednesday. “We continue to keep our heads down and be stubborn and push the envelope to be what we can offensively.”

They’ve been good enough to get to first place.

The Bengals are tied with Baltimore at 6-2 atop the AFC North heading into a pivotal game Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. The Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) are known for making rookie quarterbacks feel they still don’t belong.

It’ll be the best test yet for Andy Dalton and rookie receiver A.J. Green, who have carried an offense severely lacking in experience at the marquee positions. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is known for disguising his schemes and confusing the passer.

“It’s a challenge for a veteran offense with a veteran quarterback,” offensive coordinator Jay Gruden said after practice Wednesday. “They’ve made days miserable for a lot of great, great quarterbacks. Rookies are no different.

“I’m sure they’re going to do whatever they can to keep him off-balance and make him hurry his throws and struggle. We have to help him out.”

Dalton’s quick emergence has gotten the Bengals through an eight-game stretch that seemed daunting.

The NFL’s lockout prevented Gruden from coaching the second-round draft pick or introducing his West Coast offense, which is much different from the one used by former coordinator Bob Bratkowski. So many things were stacked against Dalton that his new teammates felt for him.

“I don’t know,” offensive guard Bobbie Williams said, after a voluntary workout in June. “I’ll just say: God help the young man.”

Nobody’s feeling sorry for him now.

Dalton is the 15th-ranked passer in the league with 12 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a passer rating of 85. The only other rookie ranked higher is Cam Newton, who is 12th with 11 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a passer rating of 87.1.

Cincinnati’s offense ranks 22nd in the league overall, but has managed to pull games out in the second half.

“When you have a new system coming in with limited time and some young guys playing — and actually, everybody’s new to the system so everybody’s like a rookie quite frankly — it has gone better than expected,” Gruden said. “I think the leadership from the offensive line has been a big help. And of course, Andy’s ability to learn very fast has been a big help, also.”

Gruden’s system is similar to the one that Dalton ran at TCU, so he’s been able to get comfortable quickly. And Gruden has tailored the weekly game plans to what Dalton does best — throw quick, accurate passes.

“It’s an offense that’s been tweaked to fit what they have,” Steelers safety Ryan Clark said on a conference call Wednesday. “It’s an offense that’s been tweaked to protect a rookie quarterback.”

One who’s overcome his rookie moments with strong finishes.

The Bengals have won their last five games, something they hadn’t done since 1988, and Dalton has been the key. He led them to a tiebreaking touchdown in the fourth quarter in Jacksonville, and pulled off second-half comebacks in two other wins.

The Steelers don’t expect him to get rattled.

“I don’t necessarily see that being a challenge to Dalton as of late,” Clark said. “For a quarterback to lead a team to five straight wins — clearly he’s not the only one playing, but it is impressive that he’s been able to do that.”

Dalton has gotten better at recognizing what the defense will try to do to confuse him.

“I feel like I’ve gotten better each week and I’m starting to see things a lot better,” he said.

This week, he’ll see some things he’s never seen before.

Notes: The Bengals have a three-week roster exemption for LB Keith Rivers, who had wrist surgery over the summer and hasn’t played. Coach Marvin Lewis was noncommittal about his status, other than to say, “He’s progressing.” … CB Nate Clements (knee), S Chris Crocker (knee), DE Carlos Dunlap (hamstring) and RB Brian Leonard (knee) were held out of practice Wednesday. TE Jermaine Gresham (hamstring), CB Adam “Pacman” Jones (hamstring) and MLB Rey Maualuga (ankle) returned to practice on a limited basis.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

David Kohl/Associated Press

The Steelers will take the field Sunday and the best record in the AFC will take it with them again, only this time it belongs to the Cincinnati Bengals.

One of the surprise stories in the NFL resides in Cincinnati, where coach Marvin Lewis’ team has won five consecutive games and is tied with Baltimore at 6-2 for both first place in the AFC North Division and for the best record in the conference. The Steelers, who held the conference’s best record before their loss Sunday night to Baltimore, are 6-3.

The Bengals already have surpassed their victory total from last season when they were 4-12. They have done so behind rookie quarterback Andy Dalton in a lockout season in which he could have no contact with the team that drafted him until the labor issue was settled a week before training camp opened.

What was supposed to be the start of the soft underbelly of the Steelers 2011 schedule has turned to stone.

“We acknowledge that if we are going to make a run here in the second half, it has to start now,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “It has to start on the road, as it should.”

Paul Brown Stadium has been a second home for the Steelers recently. They have won nine out of their past 10 in Cincinnati. The Bengals are not far removed from competing for a playoff spot. Before they hit rock bottom last season, they won the AFC North in 2009 when they swept the Steelers in both games.

This is a different Bengals offense, too, without Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. They rely on a new generation, led by the rookie duo of Dalton to wide receiver A.J. Green, who leads the team with 40 catches for 599 yards to go with the power of Cedric Benson, who has rushed for 536 yards.

“Offensively, the story is their young talent, no question,” Tomlin said. “Andy Dalton is doing an awesome job for these guys. When you talk about a young guy, I think you start [with] first and foremost he’s doing a nice job of taking care of the football. He’s not turning the ball over. He’s doing a nice job of making quick decisions. That can be measured simply by the fact that he’s only been sacked 12 times so far this season.”

Dalton has completed 61.5 percent of his passes with 12 touchdowns, seven interceptions and an 85.0 passer rating. As a comparison, Baltimore’s Joe Flacco picked apart the Steelers Sunday night, and he came into the game completing just 53.9 percent of his passes and a 75.4 rating.

But it is on defense where the Bengals are winning games. Their veteran defense, coached by Mike Zimmer, ranks fourth overall in the NFL, second against the run.

“Coach Marvin Lewis and coach Mike Zimmer have done an awesome job with that group, developing them over the last number of years,” Tomlin said. “They are No. 2 in the league defending the run. They have what you would consider a run front.”

Surgery for Sanders

Steelers wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders had arthroscopic surgery on an injured knee Monday and will miss a “couple weeks,” according to Tomlin.

Linebacker LaMarr Woodley, however, could miss his second game with a hamstring injury, and linebacker James Farrior could miss his third with a calf injury. Tomlin said they will have to see how/if they participate in practice to determine their status.

The coach said Hines Ward, who has “concussion-like symptoms,” should be good to go this week and will not be slowed by the injury that knocked him from the game Sunday. Ward did not have a catch for the second game since the middle of his rookie season in 1998.

Another receiver, Jerricho Cotchery, and linebacker Stevenson Sylvester, have swollen knees and will be limited in practice, at least today.

Punter Daniel Sepulveda, placed on injured reserve Saturday, had surgery on his right knee to repair his meniscus.

Big Ben rising among passers

Ben Roethlisberger, in the midst of his most prolific season as a passer, became the second fastest to reach 25,000 yards in terms of attempts. Roethlisberger got there in 3,109 passes and now has 25,134 yards in 3,121 attempts. Only Kurt Warner got there faster(3,076 attempts). No. 3? Pittsburgh native Johnny Unitas in 3,117 attempts.

Roethlisberger became the first quarterback in franchise history to pass for 300 yards in three consecutive games and has 2,632 yards passing this season, on pace to break his team record of 4,328 in 2009.

First published on November 9, 2011 at 12:00 am

Take a glance at the AFC North standings when you get a chance, and you’ll see that the 6-2 Ravens are a line above the 6-3 Pittsburgh Steelers after sweeping the season series. But they trail the 6-2 Cincinnati Bengals by a slim margin — the Ravens have one more loss in the AFC — halfway through the season.

You may have already known that. You might also think it’s a mere formality and that it’s only a matter of time until those pesky Bengals get out of the way and allow the Ravens to claim what’s theirs.

The NFL doesn’t work that way, of course, so don’t count on the season’s second half to be waived.

“We put ourselves in good position for the division,” said Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, the hero in Sunday night’s 23-20 win at Heinz Field. “But we’ve got a lot of good teams that we still have to beat.”

With a rookie QB in Andy Dalton, a group of young receivers led by No. 4 overall pick A.J. Green and a defense that is fourth in the NFL in yards allowed, the Bengals are among the biggest surprises of 2011.

But are they a legit threat to win the AFC North? We’re going to find out in the next few weeks.

The Bengals host the Steelers on Sunday. A week later, they travel to M&T Bank Stadium to play the Ravens — who, by the way, have a challenging game this weekend out on the West Coast in Seattle. After the Browns come to Cincinnati the weekend after Thanksgiving, the Bengals visit Heinz Field.

So who should you cheer for this Sunday: the Bengals or the Steelers?

This one seems like a no-brainer to me. For starters, do you really want to root for the Steelers? And do you really think the Steelers are just going to go away because they dropped those two games to the Ravens? They will make the Ravens do their due diligence down the stretch to win the division.

And that due diligence includes winning their two games against the Bengals, which as we well know, is never as easy as it seems it should be. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and former quarterback Carson Palmer were 9-4 all-time against the Ravens. We have yet to see if Lewis and Dalton collectively have their number as well.

With that showdown looming in Week 11, the Ravens control their own destiny.

“We’re at the halfway point, and we feel like we’ve put ourselves in a good position,” Ravens linebacker Jarret Johnson said of Sunday’s game against the Seahawks. “We’re 6-2, but we’ve got a tough one coming up this week, a West Coast trip, and if we don’t go out and play well next week, it’s just going to put us back in a hole. We need to capitalize this week and make this win really mean something.”

Then they can worry about those pesky Bengals, who control their own destiny, too.

It’s a little hard to comprehend.

“That’s crazy,” Peko said Monday. “I just found that out right now. They just told me that in the training room. But we’re not real big on looking at stats or things like that.”

So far, they’re big on one thing — surprising people.

A team that many prognosticators picked to finish near the bottom of the league has put itself in position for a playoff run. The Bengals’ 24-17 win at Tennessee on Sunday left them with a five-game winning streak for the first time since 1988, when they went to the Super Bowl.

Nobody’s talking about this team and Super Bowl. The playoffs? That’s no longer such a whimsical thought.

“Our goals are the same — trying to win the AFC North and nothing less than the playoffs,” Peko said. “That’s what goals have been coming into the season and we just have to keep things rolling. There’s nothing else we want to do but make the playoffs and take it from there.”

The next five weeks will tell.

The Bengals opened the season with a win in Cleveland, pulling off a quick-snap touchdown against a Browns defense that was loitering instead of lining up. That’s their only division game so far.

On Sunday, Pittsburgh (6-3) will bring thousands of fans to Paul Brown Stadium for the start of Cincinnati’s telling stretch. The Bengals then go to Baltimore (6-2), play the Browns (3-5) again at home, and go to Pittsburgh. That’s followed by a home game against Houston (6-3).

They haven’t played anything like that stretch so far. Their first eight opponents have a combined 26-39 record.

“You have done a great job of setting yourself in a good position, but that good position doesn’t mean anything if you don’t capitalize on it,” left tackle Andrew Whitworth said Monday. “So, it is great. It’s more than people ever expected at this point even if we didn’t do anything good from here, but it is not what we expected.”

A win on Sunday would put recent history on their side. The Bengals also started 7-2 in 2005 and 2009. Both times, they won the division and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Those are their only two winning seasons in the past 20 years.

Expectations were so low that they didn’t come close to filling 65,500-seat Paul Brown Stadium for any of their three regular-season home games so far this season. A win over Buffalo on Oct. 2 drew 41,142 fans, the smallest crowd for a regular-season game in the stadium’s 12-year history.

The game against Pittsburgh on Sunday is sold out, partly a function of thousands of Steelers fans making the five-hour drive to fill the place. The Pittsburgh game at Paul Brown also sold out last season. Cincinnati had failed to sell out its last seven since then.

Also, Bengals fans are starting to think this team is worth watching.

A lot has changed in only half a season.

“I remember at the beginning of the season, we weren’t supposed to win any games, were we?” Peko said, referring to some predictions they’d go 0-16. “So, surprise!”

NOTES: Coach Marvin Lewis said MLB Rey Maualuga, CB Adam “Pacman” Jones and TE Jermaine Gresham are expected back at practice this week. Maualuga has missed the last three games with a sprained ankle. Jones sat out the win at Tennessee with a pulled right hamstring. Gresham has missed two games with a hamstring injury. … The Bengals are 4-1 on the road. They haven’t had a winning road record since 2005, when they went 6-2. They were 4-4 on the road in 2006 and 2009.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

CINCINNATI (AP)—Defensive lineman Domata Peko(notes) didn’t realize the
Cincinnati Bengals were at the top of the AFC until some of his teammates
pointed it out.

Yes, the Bengals. At the season’s midpoint, they’re tied with Baltimore for
the conference’s best record at 6-2. That’s a better winning percentage than the
Patriots, the Jets, the Chargers and the rival Steelers.

It’s a little hard to comprehend.

“That’s crazy,” Peko said Monday. “I just found that out right now. They
just told me that in the training room. But we’re not real big on looking at
stats or things like that.”

So far, they’re big on one thing—surprising people.

A team that many prognosticators picked to finish near the bottom of the
league has put itself in position for a playoff run. The Bengals’ 24-17 win at
Tennessee on Sunday left them with a five-game winning streak for the first time
since 1988, when they went to the Super Bowl.

Nobody’s talking about this team and Super Bowl. The playoffs? That’s no
longer such a whimsical thought.

“Our goals are the same—trying to win the AFC North and nothing less than
the playoffs,” Peko said. “That’s what goals have been coming into the season
and we just have to keep things rolling. There’s nothing else we want to do but
make the playoffs and take it from there.”

The next five weeks will tell.

The Bengals opened the season with a win in Cleveland, pulling off a
quick-snap touchdown against a Browns defense that was loitering instead of
lining up. That’s their only division game so far.

On Sunday, Pittsburgh (6-3) will bring thousands of fans to Paul Brown
Stadium for the start of Cincinnati’s telling stretch. The Bengals then go to
Baltimore (6-2), play the Browns (3-5) again at home, and go to Pittsburgh.
That’s followed by a home game against Houston (6-3).

They haven’t played anything like that stretch so far. Their first eight
opponents have a combined 26-39 record.

“You have done a great job of setting yourself in a good position, but that
good position doesn’t mean anything if you don’t capitalize on it,” left tackle
Andrew Whitworth(notes) said Monday. “So, it is great. It’s more than people ever
expected at this point even if we didn’t do anything good from here, but it is
not what we expected.”

A win on Sunday would put recent history on their side. The Bengals also
started 7-2 in 2005 and 2009. Both times, they won the division and lost in the
first round of the playoffs. Those are their only two winning seasons in the
past 20 years.

Expectations were so low that they didn’t come close to filling 65,500-seat
Paul Brown Stadium for any of their three regular-season home games so far this
season. A win over Buffalo on Oct. 2 drew 41,142 fans, the smallest crowd for a
regular-season game in the stadium’s 12-year history.

The game against Pittsburgh on Sunday is sold out, partly a function of
thousands of Steelers fans making the five-hour drive to fill the place. The
Pittsburgh game at Paul Brown also sold out last season. Cincinnati had failed
to sell out its last seven since then.

Also, Bengals fans are starting to think this team is worth watching.

A lot has changed in only half a season.

“I remember at the beginning of the season, we weren’t supposed to win any
games, were we?” Peko said, referring to some predictions they’d go 0-16. “So,
surprise!”

NOTES: Coach Marvin Lewis said MLB Rey Maualuga(notes), CB Adam “Pacman” Jones
and TE Jermaine Gresham(notes) are expected back at practice this week. Maualuga has
missed the last three games with a sprained ankle. Jones sat out the win at
Tennessee with a pulled right hamstring. Gresham has missed two games with a
hamstring injury. … The Bengals are 4-1 on the road. They haven’t had a
winning road record since 2005, when they went 6-2. They were 4-4 on the road in
2006 and 2009.