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Sports TwitterBengals still a work in progress
Coaches, team 'striving' to be like Pittsburgh, New England year after year.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
CINCINNATI — Even as they rise to Super Bowl contender, the Bengals are still learning from the NFL's best.
Tied atop the AFC North with Baltimore at 3-0, Cincinnati is coming off a comeback road win against the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers.
Extras
"Pittsburgh's a tough, competitive team, a tough organization," Bengals tackle Willie Anderson said. "They're still an organization that we're still striving to be like."
Up next is New England, with three NFL titles in five seasons.
Since the 2002 season began, Patriots coach Bill Belichick (70-24) and Pittsburgh's Bill Cower (63-29-1) have the NFL's best combined regular and postseason records.
Similarities
Many things about these three organizations are similar: Steady ownership; coaches with defensive backgrounds; big, young quarterbacks; power runners; ball-hawking defenses.
New England and Pittsburgh have shaken off some bad games and mediocre seasons (Patriots 9-7 in 2002, Steelers 6-10 in 2003) to return to prominence.
"As we grow as a team, you have to learn how to get these wins and forget about them," said Anderson, an 11-year vet. "Same with a loss ... study the film, break it down, get rid of it, go to the next week."
Changes
Super Bowl teams usually get raided, even if it takes a year or two. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis coordinated Baltimore's Super Bowl-winning defense, moved to Washington for one year and then joined Cincinnati.
The Patriots lost three coaches who are now leading teams (Notre Dame's Charlie Weis, the Browns' Romeo Crennel and the Jets' Eric Mangini) plus several key players.
Pittsburgh lost Jerome Bettis and others as rumors circulate about Cower's future.
A better team
A win Sunday against New England would put Cincinnati at 4-0 going into the bye week.
As the wins rack up, the hype will grow, and Lewis knows it.
"I continue to know that we're a better football team than we've been," Lewis said. "But it (won't) matter if we don't go out and play that way on Sundays."
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-6951 or mgokavi@DaytonDailyNews.com.
