Bengals need big game from Dillon Thursday, October 8, 1998
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Like any other NFL team, the Pittsburgh Steelers are vulnerable if a team sustains a decent rushing offense against them.
So the Steelers separate themselves from the pack in one basic respect: They consistently stop the run better than anybody else. Pittsburgh led the league in rushing defense last season and has ranked among the league's top 10 in that category since 1993. The Steelers are tied for 10th in that department this year, but appear bound to climb in the rankings, given the measly 61 yards Seattle managed against them in their last game, a 13-10 victory over the Seahawks on Sept. 27.
Next come the Bengals, who could be improving with the run just as the Steelers are stiffening against it. Led by Corey Dillon's 116 yards on 25 carries, Cincinnati had a season-high 132 yards in its last game, a 31-24 loss at Baltimore on Sept. 27.
"We took a step forward," Bengals fullback Brian Milne said Wednesday.
Despite Pittsburgh's proficiency, the Bengals (1-3) know they must follow the time-honored tactic of running to win if they're to have a chance against the Steelers (3-1) on Sunday at Cinergy Field.
Cincinnati has displayed some promise in this respect. Dillon gained 78 yards on 19 carries against the Steelers last Nov. 16, the most prolific output by a running back against them all season. Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair totaled 90 yards on seven attempts in the regular-season finale against the Steelers, who didn't allow an individual to run for 100 yards last year.
How significant is the century mark? Miami's Karim Abdul-Jabbar rushed for 108 yards in Pittsburgh's only loss this season, a 21-0 setback on Sept. 20.
Even then, Abdul-Jabbar needed 33 carries to amass that figure. Nothing comes easily against the Steelers, who have one of the league's best front sevens. They have All-Pros up the middle with nose tackle Joel Steed and inside linebacker Levon Kirkland, complemented by rangy outside linebackers Jason Gildon and Carlos Emmons.
"They play their linebackers so wide," Bengals coach Bruce Coslet said. "It's tough to run outside of their defense. Plus, both of their cornerbacks (Carnell Lake and Dewayne Washington) are fine tacklers."
Said Bengals right tackle Willie Anderson: "Their defensive linemen do a good job of keeping the offensive linemen off their linebackers and allowing Kirkland and (inside linebacker Earl) Holmes to run free and make a bunch of tackles."
As intimidating and dominating as the Steelers can be, the Baltimore game indicated that Cincinnati won't back off the run. Though the Bengals have rushed fewer times this season (90) than any team except Carolina, they kept giving Dillon the ball against the Ravens despite a 21-0 deficit early.
"When you're down by that much and you're moving the ball with the run, it's pretty good," left guard Rich Braham. "We didn't panic and say we had to go back into the shotgun and throw every down."
"You have to keep Corey happy," Anderson said with a wry smile. "It would have been a lot better if we had won, but at least we know if we do our stuff right and our running game gets going, it can help us."
The Bengals will continue to strive for more consistency. Dillon gained 3 yards or less on 10 of his 25 attempts, though he was 3-for-3 on third-down conversions in the second half.
The big play is another missing element. Dillon has gained more than 20 yards on just one carry this season, compared with eight last year.
"Now we have to get to where you get 3 yards, then 10, then boom, you break a big one," Braham said. "Sometimes it only takes a little extra shove by any player -- it could be a wide receiver, a lineman, a back -- on a safety or somebody coming up. You never know what can happen."
No Bus stops at Cinergy Field