Bengals–Steelers rivalry

The Bengals-Steelers rivalry is a rivalry in the NFL. The two teams have played each other twice a year since becoming division rivals in 1970, the lone exception being 1982, when the annual matchup in Cincinnati was canceled due to the player's strike; the teams only met in Week 2 in Pittsburgh that season just before the start of the strike. Originally placed in the AFC Central following the AFL-NFL merger, the two teams currently compete in that division's successor, the AFC North.

The rivalry is not quite as historic as the Bengals-Browns Rivalry, however, many Bengals fans consider the Steelers to be their greatest rivals, much like Cleveland Browns fans. (Steeler fans, however, often consider the Baltimore Ravens as their top rival.) It is disputed which is the more widely bitter rivalry, but this specific rivalry is oftentimes ranked as one of the most bitter rivalries in the NFL, chiefly due to the Steelers having more championships and the events of the 2005 wild card playoff game between the two teams.

Though the Steelers have mostly dominated this rivalry, it has heated up in recent seasons due to the Bengals resurgence among NFL teams. Even during the Bengals' dismal years in the 1990s and early 2000s when they were one of the NFL's worst teams, they would at times get the better of the Steelers, who were usually the dominant team in the division during the "Bungals" years. One notable example came in 1999, when the Bengals swept the Steelers in the season series while finishing 4-12 overall. (Their other two wins came against the Browns, who had returned to the NFL as an expansion team that season.) The Steelers themselves were going through a rare down year, finishing 6-10 for the season.

While the Steelers have a much older rivalry with the Browns and have a longer history against several teams from the NFC due to the Steelers being part of the "old" NFL prior to the 1970 merger, the Bengals have met the Steelers more than anyone else in their own history, due to the Tennessee Titans being moved to the new AFC South in the 2002 realignment, while the Browns missed keeping pace due to being out of the league for three years.

The rivalry has enjoyed a revival since meeting in the playoffs for the first time in the 2005 wild card. During the game, division champion Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer was injured by Steeler Kimo von Oelhoffen. Palmer's injured ACL and MCL kept him out of the game, which the Steelers won 31-17. After undergoing surgery to repair the damaged ligaments, Palmer was featured in a Sports Illustrated article focusing on the new technique used to repair his knee. In that article, Palmer is quoted as saying "I hate the Steelers more than I hate UCLA,"^[1] a reference to his college days at USC, although Palmer himself did not blame the Steelers for his injury, since von Oelhoffen did not intend to injury him.2 Many fans from both sides remain bitter about this episode.

The Rivalry rose to new heights in 2009 when the Bengals were the Division champions over the Steelers and the rest of the Division. They boasted a perfect 6-0 Division record, not only twice beating the long-time champion Steelers, but also the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns. Despite their division dominance, the Bengals were only 4-6 against the rest of the NFL. The Bengals made the playoffs as AFC North Champions, and they began their short playoff run with a home game against the New York Jets. The Bengals were expected to win, but the Jets were able to shut down the Bengals and put an end to their season..

Pittsburgh has a 50-32 series lead against the Bengals.

A chess set is available at many stores of Bengals vs. Steelers.

1970s (Steelers 14-6)

1980s (Bengals 13-6)

1990s (Steelers 13-7)

2000s (Steelers 15-6)

2010s (Steelers 4-0)

References

Further reading

• Steelers, Bengals rivalry heats up
• Steelers Bengals' rivalry is one-sided, but it has grown closer
• The Best Rivalry In The NFL Grows
• A rarity: Bengals-Steelers really is a big game
• NY Times: Rare Big Game Looms for Steelers and Bengals
• ESPN