Bengals, Steelers want respect

Sunday, October 17, 1999
Bengals, Steelers want respect
Pittsburgh still mad about last year's sweep

BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Carl Pickens scores the game-wining TD over Dewayne Washington last year.
(Craig Ruttle photo)
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It's the Aretha Franklin Bowl today at Cinergy Field. For the Steelers to respect the Bengals. And for the Bengals to respect themselves.
Pittsburgh lugs to Cincinnati a couple of axes to grind. Not only have they lost three straight this season, but it still galls the Steelers that Cincinnati swept them last year for two of the Bengals' three victories.
“I think at some point we got down there and it was like, "Cincinnati is so horrible, we'll have a lot of fun this week,' ” said Steelers safety Lee Flowers. “We just didn't respect them. In this business you have to respect everybody.”
No one has to tell the Steelers the last time the Bengals won at home was 53 weeks ago, when Cincinnati wide receiver Carl Pickens caught 75 of his career-high 204 yards in the final minute to transform a 20-18 loss into a 25-20 victory
But the Bengals, coming off their first victory of the season, had trouble respecting success last year. In the games after their three wins, they got outscored, 92-20, and coach Bruce Coslet took heat for giving them days off after some of the wins.
“We treated those wins over Pittsburgh like playoff wins,” said left tackle Rod Jones.
But like linebacker Brian Simmons said, “we learned a lot and Bruce probably did, too.” Translation: Coslet has been particularly sour this week at practice, underlining his mood by saying several times, “This is Steeler week.”
“What success? We beat an expansion team by one point,” said defensive end John Copeland. “In the last week, no one wanted to take a day off. On Monday we all wanted to come in and watch film. I think there's a big change in attitude. Last year there were guys looking for the day off. . .That kind of stuff was emphasized this week.
“If we win this week, who knows what that might mean for us?” Copeland asked. “But if we lose, it will be like starting all over again. Last week didn't mean anything.”
What did mean something last week against the Browns was running back Corey Dillon's season-high 168 yards and the offensive line's competent effort against Cleveland's gimmick third-down packages.
Nobody expects Dillon to reach those numbers against the Steelers' second-rated defense in the NFL, but for rookie quarterback Akili Smith, it's the thought that counts. He knows the running game is the only way he can shake out the long ball for Pickens and Darnay Scott, receivers who have 11 touchdowns against the Steelers' aggressive safeties.
“I'm going to tell you the same thing I told you last week,” Smith said. “It's going to come down to how the offensive line helps Corey have a great day, and that will allow me to settle into the passing game.”
The Steelers don't let anyone settle into the passing game. Although the Bengals actually have more sacks than Pittsburgh (12-9), the Steelers force inexperienced quarterbacks into rash and bad decisions with different pre-snap alignments and several blitz packages from all over the field.
“The big thing is how we handle first down,” said Bengals center Rich Braham, who got a game ball last week for, among other things, his accurate shotgun snaps on third down.
“They blitz every other (first down) looking to disrupt the run and trying to get you into second and long and third and long, when they're really good.”
One of those guys who is really good is outside linebacker Jason Gildon, who has 14 sacks in his last 21 games and draws Bengals right tackle Willie Anderson on passing downs.
“I gave up three sacks last year and he got two of them so I know what I'm in for,” Anderson said. “He's a quick guy. He tries to get you on the edge.”
These teams know each other too well for it to be a lackluster blowout. Steelers right tackle Anthony Brown took the minimum salary of $400,000 this season to get out from under Anderson's shadow. Bengals strong safety Myron Bell started for the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX.
Bengals nose tackle Oliver Gibson labored behind Pro Bowler Joel Steed in Pittsburgh the previous four seasons. He knows what the Steelers felt after Pickens stole the game from them here last year.
“It was numbing,” Gibson said. “There's no question that coach (Bill) Cowher will have them ready. He won't have to say anything to them.”

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