NFL - Pittsburgh Steelers cruise pass the Cincinnati Bengals
NFL - Pittsburgh Steelers cruise pass the Cincinnati Bengals
The Pittsburgh Steelers, the current leaders of the AFC North, clashed on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals and won by 23-7 in the Steelers' stadium.
Pittsburgh is one of the NFL franchises that has had most success in the league. It counts with six Super Bowl championships, seven conference championships, 19 division titles and from 1974 to 2008 has participated 25 times in the playoffs.
The less most recent and less remarkable moments of the Steelers were in 2003, 2006 and 2009 seasons when they finished third in the division. In 2005 the team finished second but managed to get into the playoffs.
This season, the Steelers want to get back to the same level they showed in 2007 and 2008 seasons in which they were crowned champions of the division.
The Steelers began a run of three consecutive wins against Atlanta, Tennessee and Tampa Bay, respectively. The fourth week the squad fall 14-17 at Baltimore Ravens right before their BYE week. After the break, the Steelers defeated Cleveland and Miami. Then the guys from Pittsburgh meet with New Orleans and lost 10-20.
During the ninth week is given the first match of the season between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, with a 27-21 victory for the former. The Steelers couldn't overcome the New England Patriots in week ten and the Pats won 39-26.
From the eleventh week the Steelers began a new streak of consecutive wins against Oakland, Buffalo, Baltimore and the last one against Cincinnati, respectively.
In regard to Cincinnati, the story is quite different. The squad only outstanding moments in recent seasons were in 2005 and 2009, when they won the division. The rest of the other seasons the squad remained stagnant in the middle end of the division.
The Bengals began the 2010-11 season with a 38-24 defeat against New England. Then won two games against Baltimore Ravens and Carolina Panthers. And that was it. So far these have been the only two wins of the season.
From the fourth week, the Bengals fall into a run of nine consecutive losses. In the fourteenth week before the Steelers, Cincinnati recorded its tenth defeat to keep on securing what is going to be a season to forget. This record makes them, after the Carolina Panthers, the second worst team in the league.
Cincinnati started the game with a touchdown in the first quarter, and gave some false hope to their fans. In the second quarter Pittsburgh took control and did not allow its rivals a chance for another score.
With a 45-yard touchdown, product of an interception return by Troy Polamalu and a field goal, the Steelers went to the break of the second half with a 10-7 advantage on the scoreboard. In the third quarter with another field goal Pittsburgh increased its score 13-7. In the fourth quarter, the Steelers secured its 23-7 victory with a second interception return by this time LaMar Woodley and an easy field goal at the end.
Pittsburgh's superiority was clearly demonstrated by the excellent performance of their quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Although Big Ben did not throw any touchdown passes, he completed 21 of 33 passes and for 258 yards. Carson Palmer, Cincinnati's quarterback, threw 32 passes and completed 20 for 178 yards, and a touchdown pass but suffered three interceptions.
Pittsburgh now has a 10-4 record and leads the AFC North. The team is keeping an eye out for what Baltimore (9-4), its closest rival, could do in its next game against New Orleans. For its part Pittsburg will play the NY Jets, a team that has fewer chances to advance in their respective division.
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