Thursday, December 09, 2010

Steelers-Bengals Preview Take Two

See? That rhymes? I'm such a word smith.

I think the Steelers face the same issues coming into this game as they did heading into the last game. The only comfort is that this game is at home... where the Steelers are 3-2 and they're 6-1 on the road. Maybe scratch that comfort.

The Bengals have dropped nine straight, they gave up 49 points to the Bills, and they threw a way a game to New Orleans last week, so they're not exactly swimming in motivation or confidence right now. They're still designed to beat the Steelers and they still hate us more than we hate them -- this would be a bigger win for Cincinnati than it would be for the Steelers -- so that's a problem.

The only thing I keep thinking about is that they may have even less to play for in this game than a 2-10 team ordinarily would. Normally, the Bengals would be playing for pride and for next season. The players that are under contract would be trying to protect their jobs and the would-be free agents would be auditioning for the next team. Everyone would be trying to impress whoever their coach would be next year -- either the new guy after Marvin Lewis gets fired or the coach of their new team.

I don't think there's going to be a 2011 season and I think the players might realize that, too. If they don't have anything to play for this season, then they don't have anything to play for at all in this game, since there won't be a next season next season. They basically just have their pride. When it's right around freezing outside, possibly snowing, and James Farrior is trying to make orphans of your children, pride tends to take a back seat to sitting on a heated bench in a parka and talking with your team mates about your golf game.

They still hate the Steelers, they still have their pride, but I'm thinking they won't have as much fight in them in the second half. If the first half of Sunday's game turns out like the first half of the first game, then the Steelers should be able to put the Bengals away in the second half. I think that they have sufficient motivation, pride, and talent to do that.

Prediction:
Steelers 28, Bengals 7

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