By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Much was made before last week's game that the Bengals were nearly unbeatable in home finales.

And, true to form, the Bengals won the final home game of the 2002 season, a 20-13 upset of the New Orleans Saints. That victory lifted the Bengals to 18-3 in the past 21 final home games.

As is the case throughout the NFL, the road is a different story for the Bengals.

Heading into Sunday's game at Buffalo, the Bengals are 6-14 in their past 20 road finales. The 14 losses include a nine-game losing streak in final road games from 1987-95.

The Bengals will try to avoid becoming the first team in franchise history to lose 14 games in one season.

The Bills, rebounding from a 3-13 season, are trying to finish 8-8. The game is the only one in the AFC that does not have playoff implications.

The game does have major draft implications.

The 2-13 Bengals hold a one-game lead over 3-12 Detroit for the first overall pick in the draft. Chicago and expansion Houston are 4-11. The Texans are slotted in the draft according to their record and do not automatically get the first pick, which was the case in 2002.

A Bengals victory and a Detroit loss would make both teams 3-13. Then the NFL would use a strength-of-schedule tiebreaker. If teams finish with the same record, the one whose opponents had the worse combined winning percentage gets the first pick.

The Bengals' opponents are 127-110-3 (.531) entering this weekend's games. Detroit's opponents are 119-120-1 (.498).

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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