Bengal Bytes (12/10): Christmas wishes

Bengals, Steelers pass catchers have put up gaudy numbers
The Bengals have been so good because Andy Dalton has spread the wealth among his many reliable receivers. Though the Steelers have gotten important production from running back DeAngelo Williams, they have the league's second-most productive offense because Ben Roethlisberger is almost always looking to push the ball down the field.

Bengals Walkthru: Hue Jackson's motivational dance
We've spent countless words, hours, days dissecting Jeremy Hill as he attempts to find his 2014 form this season. The last two weeks, the difference in his style, attack with the ball look clear.

Whitworth: 'I got thrown in a lot of trash cans'
It warms my heart knowing that at some restaurant in Monroe, Louisiana, a former bully looked up from their menu to find the kid he bullied grew up to become Andrew Whitworth.

Vontaze Burfict highlights Cincinnati Bengals' undrafted free agents
You can't mention Bengals' undrafted free agents without bringing up Burfict's name. The linebacker who was signed out of Arizona State just after the 2012 draft didn't take long to make an impact in Cincinnati. He was among the team leaders in tackles as a rookie with 127, before leading the entire league with 171 in just his second season.

Bengals coaches have no issues with Jeremy Hill's leap in Cleveland

Did two of the Cincinnati Bengals' top coaches find issue with Jeremy Hill's celebratory front-row leap on the road this past Sunday? Nope. As a matter of fact, they welcomed the running back's daring attempt to revel in his 1-yard touchdown with a pair of nearby Bengals fans at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers players exchange barbs in preparation for Sunday's matchup
The training staffs for the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers would be wise to stock up on Band-Aids and gauze ahead of Sunday's key division game at Paul Brown Stadium. At least, Bengals receiver Marvin Jones thinks they should.

Tyler Eifert asks Santa to give Cincinnati Bengals Super Bowl rings
Tyler Eifert has certainly been nice on the field for the Cincinnati Bengals this season, catching a league-high 12 touchdown passes. But has the tight end been nice enough this year to stay off Santa Claus' naughty list? He believes so. While other Bengals players used their Tuesday off to rest or hang out at home with their families, Eifert spent the evening with good old jolly St. Nick.

Behind Enemy Lines

Tomlin’s not worried about Steelers star WRs returning, Ben is
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin isn’t worried about using his starting wide receivers as return men. His quarterback disagrees. Of course, Tomlin is justified in benching Jacoby Jones, after he mishandled a pair of kicks in Sunday’s win over the Colts, saying: "The ball security, or lack thereof, being the significant reason."

Ben Roethlisberger leading historic Steelers O
Ben Roethlisberger is directing a historically prolific attack with Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant. Chris Wesseling examines the NFL's most explosive offense. Directing a historically prolific offensive attack, Ben Roethlisberger has a chance to knock off the AFC North-leading Bengals this week and the AFC West-leading Broncos the following week.

Pittsburgh Steelers-Cincinnati Bengals matchup will be intense
Chris Carter, a current Cincinnati Bengals linebacker who began his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, has the perfect way of describing the rivalry between the teams. While Baltimore may be Pittsburgh's biggest overall rival, he said, the Bengals are the Steelers' most physical rival. He said for years Steelers players were told to spend extra time in the weight room during Bengals week because the hitting in the subsequent game was going to be among the most intense they'd feel in their careers.

Ramon Foster Pumped To Face The Bengals Again
Steelers OL Ramon Foster joined The Fan Morning Show in his regular weekly spot on Tuesday to talk about his team’s upcoming AFC North showdown with the Bengals in Cincinnati.

Random Bytes

All 32 NFL teams' undrafted free agents
The NFL is full of undrafted players who have defied the odds to have lengthy pro careers. A franchise quarterback (the Cowboys' Tony Romo) went undrafted. A Super Bowl hero (Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler) went undrafted. And in this year's rookie class, Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls is among the undrafted players who have made key contributions this season. NFL Nation reporters detail the undrafted players from every team.

Coaching tale of the tape: Bruce Arians vs. Mike Zimmer
In some ways, they’re complete opposites. Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians is an offensive mastermind. Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is a defensive genius. Aside from an eight-year stint in Pittsburgh and six years at Temple University, Arians never stayed in one of his 13 jobs for more than four years. Zimmer has coached at seven places, which included runs of 12, eight and six seasons.

Mike Freeman's 10-Point Stance: What Has Happened to Matt Ryan?
It is rare to see a quarterback that so many people once believed was one of the best in the sport fall so precipitously off a cliff. But that is what's happened to Atlanta's Matt Ryan.

Grubman gives sobering take on efforts to stop L.A. relocation
The NFL executive overseeing potential franchise relocation to Los Angeles says the markets of Oakland, San Diego and St. Louis have yet to submit "compelling proposals" aimed at preventing their respective teams from moving. Speaking on "The Bernie Miklasz Show" on WXOS-FM in St. Louis on Wednesday, NFL Executive Vice President Eric Grubman didn't mince words regarding the state of retention efforts.