By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

What has worked for years in Pittsburgh has worked in the past month for the Bengals. Get a lead, run the ball, control the clock.

The Bengals and Steelers both are likely to try to employ that strategy Sunday, and the one that best plays keep-away from the other could win the game.

The Steelers are still solid defensively this season, despite problems on offense. They are ranked eighth against the run at 98.8 yards a game and held the Bengals to 57 rushing yards in Game 3.

The Bengals have leapt to No. 11 in rush offense by going for 655 yards in the past three games.

The run-game matchup is a challenge for the Bengals when the Steelers have the ball, too.

The Bengals are 21st against the rush at 121.1 yards a game and gave up a season-high 138 to the Steelers in Week 3.

And now that the weather has turned cold, the Steelers appear to be committing themselves to the run game. Tailback Jerome Bettis is starting ahead of Amos Zereoue, who is a better pass receiver. And Mark Bruener, a better blocker, is now starting at tight end ahead of Jay Riemersma - also believed to be a better receiver.

Bettis ran for 59 yards - all in the second half - and a 1-yard touchdown in the first Bengals game. He had a season-high 93 yards last week at Cleveland.

"I had a good time because we were able to pound the football," Bettis said of the 17-10 Steelers victory against the Bengals on Sept. 21. "They knew we were going to run the football, and we were able to run the clock out."

STAY HOT: The Bengals team that's going to Pittsburgh is different than the one that lost to the Steelers.

Since falling to 0-3, the Bengals have won six of eight games. As strange as this sounds, the Bengals can't look past a Pittsburgh team that is struggling at 4-7 and not won consecutive games all season. The Bengals will play Dec. 7 at Baltimore.

What's different now?

"I think our guys believing that they belonged and that they could play at that level of play," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said.

HAPPY RETURNS: The Bengals have not allowed a special teams touchdown all season, and not since Game 2 has a defense scored on an interception return.

The Bengals have to contain Antwaan Randle El, who has two punt returns for touchdowns this season and scored on a kickoff return against the Bengals in 2002.

The Bengals' defense has just one interception in the past four games, and a big play from their pass defense Sunday would give them a significant edge in what otherwise looks like a close game.

Steelers quarterback Tommy Maddox has thrown 12 interceptions, three of which have been returned for touchdowns. Opposing defenses have returned Maddox's interceptions for a 28.8-yard average. Short of a touchdown, an interception with a big return would help the Bengals win the field-position battle.

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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