Bengals 23-7 Loss To Pittsburgh More Than Just A Loss (No, Not Really)

With the Bengals securing their 11th loss of the season on Sunday, it marks the 17th season in which the Bengals finished the season with at least 11 losses. If you consider that the Bengals have only been in existence for 42 years, then 40% of the team's existence have resulted in seasons with 11 losses or more. And of the 17 seasons with 11 losses or more, 65% of those seasons have come under Mike Brown's watch. And 23 of the team's 42 years in existence, the Bengals finished with a losing record.

We could literally dribble on about how bad this franchise's history is. We could debate that this team is talented enough to win -- uh hum, 11 losses? -- and we could debate that the Bengals aren't losing by that much -- three of the past four losses are by a combined 50 points. The biggest difference from last year to this year is the lucky breaks, others will argue. Broken knees, broken foots, broken spirits. We could spin the team's unfortunate season by using gentle words that makes things seem less bleak than what it really is. We're masters of the engwish wanguage, manipulators of the witten word.

The truth is that this team is 2-11. There's no way to make that sound better. There's no way to make it believable enough for fans to step away from the cliff, unless fans want the "it's only sports, take other things more seriously, such as doing more volunteer work in your community" diatribe. But no one will listen. But sports is that important. After all, fans is just a short way of saying fanatic. And fanatic is someone that takes shit really seriously.

FOUR SACKS ARE BETTER THAN ONE. Chinedum Ndukwe, Michael Johnson, Pat Sims and Dhani Jones all recorded a sack on Ben Roethlisberger during Cincinnati's 23-7 loss Sunday. This is a season-high and the most since the Bengals recorded four sacks against... the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 15, 2009. The Steelers ended drives in which the Bengals recorded a sack with three punts and a field goal.

Furthermore, the Bengals recorded 10 quarterback sacks in the season's first 10 games. In the past three games against the Jets, Saints and Steelers, the Bengals have eight sacks.

The Bengals, according to NFL.com's Game Book, recorded eight quarterback hits, led by Geno Atkins with two.

CARLOS DUNLAP KEEPS RISING. Even though Chinedum Ndukwe was credited with the first quarterback sack on Ben Roethlisberger with 5:49 left in the first quarter, it was Dunlap who came in at the end to ensure that Ben goes down. However, Ndukwe was credited with the full sack.

Dunlap finished the game with three tackles and three passes knocked down at the line of scrimmage -- including one in which he nearly recovered for an interception.

PALMER AND THE OFFENSIVE LINE. Carson Palmer has recorded at least one touchdown pass in 11 straight games this season. On the other hand, Palmer has also thrown multiple interceptions in six of the team's 13 games this season. Which one is more impressive?

But it's not like he can't blame someone else. The Bengals offensive line has allowed at least three quarterback sacks in seven of the last ten games.

However, Palmer does have his moments. With 14:13 left in the second quarter on third down and ten, Chad Ochocinco lines up wide left. At the snap, the wide receiver does his typical shimmy move to break free of coverage while Palmer watched at least two Steeler defenders crashing through the defensive line quickly bearing down on him. Palmer, in a back-pedal, threw up a prayer to Ochocinco running across the middle -- 15-yard reception and a first down.

Two plays later, Palmer under intense pressure on second-and-ten, scrambled around in the pocket when finally stepping up and firing a strike to Benson three yards off the line of scrimmage. Benson avoided a tackle and ran down the right sidelines for a 24-yard gain with a great lead block by Jordan Shipley. First down.

The drive would stall thanks to a LaMarr Woodley sack and a screen pass to Cedric Benson that lost three yards forcing the Bengals into third-and-20.

BENGALS SMELLS WORSE THAN ROTTING CORPSES DURING A ZOMBIE APOCOLYPSE. That's when the Bengals offense went to complete trash. On the next six drives, the Bengals would punt three times, end the half once (a knee) and record two pick-sixes. The Bengals never recorded more than five plays on any given drive or 12 yards total until the final drive at the end of the game. From the 5:24 mark in the second quarter until the 5:34 mark in the fourth quarter, the Bengals ran 15 plays for 16 yards.

During that stretch, Palmer completed two of seven passes for 21 yards and a pick-six to LaMarr Woodley and Palmer was sacked twice for a total of 15 yards lost. Benson was handed the ball four times for nine yards rushing.

Like we said, the Bengals offense smelled worse than rotting corpses during a zombie apocalypse.

NEAR-PICKS. Jonathan Wade, Brandon Johnson and Dunlap all have one thing in common. They play defense. Wait. Alright, they have two things in common. They both had a shot at an interception that would be dropped. Wade's missed interception didn't cost the Bengals (aside the obvious momentum), with Pittsburgh punting soon after.

The missed interception by Dunlap and Johnson gave the Steelers a second (and third) chance to eventually kick a field goal to take the lead at the end of the first half.

I'M NOT SURE THE DEFENSE PLAYED THAT GREAT. For as well as the defense seemingly played against the odds not allowing a touchdown to the Steelers, I'm not sure if I've seen more missed tackles in a game all season.

I'M NOT SURE THE DEFENSE PLAYED THAT GREAT II. With over two minutes left in the third quarter, the Steelers were called for three straight offensive holding calls, setting up second-and-30 after Carlos Dunlap swatted a pass at the line of scrimmage on first down. On second down, Roethlisberger tosses the football down the left hashmarks, just out of reach of Tom Nelson's finger tips and into Ward's hands for a 29-yard completion.

This set up a third-and-one. Any guesses on the result? Keith Rivers fires unblocked through the line of scrimmage like a missile and... runs right towards Roethlisberger as Mendenhall slips pass Rivers, through the line of scrimmage for a first down.

The Steelers rushed for 123 yards, Hines Ward recorded 115 yards receiving and the defense didn't force any turnovers. So obviously, we're sympathetic to the defense, who played well enough to keep the Bengals in a position to win.

I'M NOT SURE THE DEFENSE PLAYED THAT GREAT. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Antwan Randle El takes a direct snap, fakes a handoff to Mendenhall and then runs down the line of scrimmage. Keith Rivers stood in Randle El's way, who pitched the football to Mike Wallace. Wallace in turn picked up 12 yards and a first down.

Apparently the option pitch that works in college, but never in the NFL, works against the Bengals.

PAT SIMS ROCKS WHILE DHANI JONES PLAYS THE SOLO. If it weren't for high school and college, I could say without reasonable doubt that Pat Sims missed at least three tackles at the line of scrimmage on runs that would have resulted in no-gains or even yards loss. Each time Sims would jump up after missing the tackle and react like he just missed a game-winning tackle in the backfield.

With 13:34 left in the fourth quarter, Roethlisberger takes the snap on second-and-seven from the Bengals 15-yard line. After Roethlisberger took his time finding someone open, Sims finally broke off his block and sacked the quarterback for an eight-yard loss. On the following play, Dhani Jones bolted through the line of scrimmage unblocked, bringing down Roethlisberger for a nine-yard loss. It was as impressive of a back-to-back sack performance we've seen this season.

The quarterback sacks actually pushed the Steelers back from the Bengals 15-yard line to the 32-yard line, forcing a possible field goal attempt into a 22-yard punt to the Bengals 10-yard line.

And then Palmer promptly throws a touchdown pass to LaMarr Woodley.

UNREAL: TIME OF POSSESSION. It's true that the Bengals didn't allow a touchdown. But the defense was also on the field for 21:56 in the second half alone.