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PITTSBURGH, Pa. - It seems borderline surreal, a role reversal as stunning as it is definitive. A year ago, the Cincinnati Bengals came to Heinz Field in December and emerged with a 13-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. That propelled Cincinnati to a second straight post-season berth and sent its longtime nemesis into a downward spiral from which it is still trying to recover. Watch the Bengals vs. Steelers live on TSN with coverage starting at 7pm et/4pm pt. "I think (it was big)," Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green said. "The Steelers had our number every year, even when I first got here." Not anymore. Not by a long shot. If anything, the gap between the two franchises has only widened over the last 12 months. Cincinnati (9-4) can assure itself a third consecutive trip to the playoffs in Sunday nights rematch. The Steelers (5-8) need to win out just to avoid the clubs first losing season in a decade. Welcome to the new AFC North, the one where the balance of power is 60 minutes away from sitting well west of Pittsburgh and Baltimore — at a place that has spent most of the last two decades serving as fodder for the rest of the league. Those days are over. The Bengals, not the Steelers, are the ones with the young and athletic defence. The Bengals, not the Steelers, are the ones with the dynamic running game. The Bengals, not the Steelers, are the ones with the swagger of a champion. What better chance to show the world just how far theyve come than on national television? "Theres going to be more people watching," quarterback Andy Dalton said. "We have to put our best foot forward and be playing our best, show everyone what this team is and what were made of." The Steelers are trying to do the same. The meaningful portion of their season came to an end in a 34-28 loss to Miami last week that all but mathematically eliminated them from the chase for the AFCs second wild card berth. They insist, however, theyre not going to just play out the string. "Im motivated to play as hard as I can," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. "Im sure everyone else is." Five things to look for as Cincinnati tries to cement its newfound perch atop one of the leagues better divisions. HARRISONS HOMECOMING: Bengals linebacker James Harrison returns to the place where he forged a career as one of the most talented and menacing players in the league. The Steelers cut Harrison last spring after failing to reach agreement on a restructured contract. He landed in Cincinnati, where hes found a niche as a role player on a defence that is one of the NFLs most aggressive. PITTSBURGHS PATCHY D: The Steelers are in danger of finishing outside the top 10 in total defence for the first time this millennium. Pittsburgh is 13th in yards allowed with three weeks to go. The biggest culprit has been an inability to stop opponents from ripping off chunks of yardage. The Steelers have given up 11 plays of 50 yards or more this season, the most in the league. DYNAMITE DALTON: Dalton is having the best season of his brief career thanks in part to an offensive line that makes sure his No. 14 jersey looks the same at the end of the game as it did at the beginning. Dalton has gone three straight games without taking a sack. Its not a coincidence the Bengals are 3-0 in those games and have gone over 40 points twice. "I think any quarterback throws the ball better when theres not a lot of people around him," Dalton said. "Our line has done a good job, and we have to keep that going." BALANCE WITH BELL: The Steelers rank just 31st in the league in yards rushing, though they insist theyre happy with the ground game. Rookie LeVeon Bell is averaging over 90 yards from scrimmage per game thanks in part to his versatility. He already has 39 receptions, most of them on what are basically extended handoffs. GREEN VS. TAYLOR: Green has emerged as one of the top wide receivers in the league, but hes had trouble at times against Pittsburgh veteran cornerback Ike Taylor. Green caught six passes for just 41 yards in a 20-10 victory over the Steelers at home back in September. If Taylor can keep Green under wraps, the Steelers have a chance to postpone Cincinnatis party, at least for a bit. ___ AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org Wholesale Jerseys 2016 . The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit. Cheap Jerseys 2016 . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.cheapjerseysauthenticusa.com/ . LOUIS -- Roman Polak was celebrating even before Alexander Steen scored the winning goal in Saturdays 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Cheap Jerseys Authentic .com) - Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer were easy first-round winners Tuesday at the Australian Open. Wholesale Jerseys Authentic . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries.UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- John Tavares scored two first-period goals, leading the New York Islanders to a 6-4 preseason victory against the Nashville Predators on Friday night. Named team captain this month and entering his fifth NHL season, the 23-year-old Tavares beat goaltender Pekka Rinne with a tip-in 1:25 into the game, and then scored off a scramble in front six minutes later.dddddddddddd Lubomir Visnovsky, Colin McDonald, Matt Donovan and Josh Bailey also scored for the Islanders. Matt Moulson had three assists. Craig Smith had two goals for Nashville. Simon Moser and Roman Josi also scored. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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| Beitrag vom 03.08.2016 - 15:02 |
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