The Ravens and Browns would be well advised to propose a voluntary divisional realignment. As it stands, neither team will be sniffing the postseason for the foreseeable future. With no disrespect to Romeo Crennel or Brian Billick(ok, a little to Billick, wasn’t this guy once considered an offensive guru?) the AFC North will be decided by the outcome of two games for each of the next 5 seasons, with one at Heinz Field and the other at Paul Brown Stadium.I had the pleasure of attending the first significant game in this budding rivalry this past December. The Bengals arrived at Heinz Field as paper champions of the Division. Boasting an 8-3 record comprised of dominating wins over bottom feeders like Green Bay and Houston. They had come close but failed in each of their three previous encounters with contenders. The Steelers were among those three, but could claim to have had their foot on the Bengals neck for much longer than half of a season. Then the unthinkable happened. When the bully pushed the docile bystander, the bystander pushed back, and a rivalry was born. The Bengals walked, or quite possible skipped, out of Pittsburgh having essentially clinched the division. Chapter two was five weeks later in Cincinnati, and although it was tarnished by Carson Palmers injury, the Bengals would again stand up to the bully, before eventually falling to the more disciplined and playoff tested team. The same team that aside from almost giving the game away against Indianapolis (though some would say the Zebras tried to take it, myself included) was not again tested on its way to a Superbowl Championship.
Chapters three, four and quite possibly five will be written this season. The only difference is that people outside of Cincinnati and Pittsburgh will be paying attention. NFL decision makers have been toying with making chapter three the NFL opener, with the only hitch being in the stride of Palmer. Tommy Maddox, however, could make it on again. With the hero-turned-goat run out of Pittsburgh, a backup role including handful of possible early season starts with Cincinnati is a very likely possibility. Oh wouldn’t it be lovely?
And this rivalry is here to stay. The Steelers are the NFL’s Atlanta Braves. Every year the “experts” say the window of opportunity has passed. Yet every year the black and yellow (yes yellow, not gold as Steelers fans will try to convince you) return to prove us all wrong and contend again. No matter who puts on that uniform, Bill Cowher will make them winners. The Bengals are just arriving at that level. Marvin Lewis has changed the attitude of the entire organization, not just the outcome on the field. They are no longer excited about winning, they are furious about losing. Talent abounds on their roster, and the only limitations on their success will come from themselves and the Steelers.
Did I mention the quarterbacks? Big Ben and Big Red are easily the two best young signal callers in the NFL. In fact, have we ever had a season where two second year starters have seasons on the 100 passer rating level? I don’t remember one. While Palmer clearly has the better skills, one could equally say Ben has more savvy. That “I’m better than you and it should be obvious” mentality that every winner has. We can basically pencil these two and Peyton in the Pro Bowl until 2010.
Cowboys-Skins? Step aside. Colts-Pats? Doesn’t seem as fun now that the Colts won one does it? Cardinals-Lions? …nevermind. The greatest show on sod has gone small market baby. Twice a year for our viewing pleasure. What’s that? You don’t get Bengals or Steelers locally? What does locally mean? Get with the times and get Sunday Ticket already. Either that or tell me who wins the field-goal battle between Rackers and Edinger.