FanHouse Preview: Bengals at Steelers

Pittsburgh doesn't win the AFC North every year -- it just feels that way. The Ravens actually took the division title in 2003 and 2006, and Cincinnati tied the Steelers for the crown in 2005.

That, of course, was the year that Pittsburgh and Cincinnati met in the first round of the playoffs. The Bengals' Carson Palmer went down after one pass attempt with a disastrous knee injury and the Steelers went on to win the Super Bowl.

It has taken Cincinnati since that game to get back into contention, but the Bengals finally appear to be back. They currently sit tied for first place with Pittsburgh at 6-2 overall, and have a win over the Steelers to their credit this year. A win Sunday in Heinz Field, coupled with a favorable schedule the rest of the way, could mean the AFC North title slips out of the 'Burgh again.

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Three Key Questions:

1. Can Cedric Benson keep up his current pace?

2. Having played Monday night in Denver, will the short week hurt Pittsburgh?

3. How will Cincinnati handle Rashard Mendenhall?

Player in the Spotlight: Mendenhall. The Steelers' second-year running back didn't get a single carry in his team's Week 3 loss in Cincinnati, but he appears to have completely taken over the starting job now. If there was any doubt, Mendenhall may have silenced them with an impressive 22-carry, 155-yard performance in Pittsburgh's Monday win over the Broncos. He brings a more punishing dimension than Willie Parker, and the Steelers' ability to balance their offense will go a long way in deciding this one. Benson will get his yards for Cincinnati -- Mendenhall needs to answer him on the other side of the ball.

Cincinnati's Path to Victory: Cincinnati's 3-0 on the road this season, and that's a record that doesn't come about without solid play on both lines. The Bengals will do their best to take away one aspect of the Steelers' offensive attack -- though the safer bet is probably to limit Mendenhall and the ground game and force Ben Roethlisberger to win the game in the face of pressure. Carson Palmer needs to be solid, but if Benson falls short of 100 yards rushing, he'll have a hard time keeping the Cincinnati offense moving.

Pittsburgh's Path to Victory: The Steelers may have played their best half of the year in the second half at Denver, absolutely manhandling the Broncos en route to a 28-10 win. The defense is really starting to click -- remember, Troy Polamalu's first game out with a knee injury was in Cincinnati's Week 3 win over Pittsburgh, so it's hard to say the Steelers were at full steam. They'll also get Ryan Clark back after he had to sit out in Denver because of his sickle-cell trait. Polamalu's presence can't be understated, and the Steelers will use him to pressure Palmer, as well as to keep Benson in check. Don't be surprised to see Pittsburgh come out throwing early to try and loosen the Cincinnati defense up. Once Roethlisberger got hot in Denver, Mendenhall put the game on ice with some big runs.

Prediction: You really have to tip your cap to the Bengals -- that 6-2 record isn't a fluke. They're already 4-0 within the division, including a sweep of Baltimore. Should they complete their sweep of the Steelers, too, it would be hard to pick against them in the AFC North division race. Pittsburgh's absolutely scorching hot right now, though, with five straight wins. If Mendenhall turns into a legit No. 1 back and Polamalu stays healthy, those are two huge components working in the Steelers' favor that weren't there before. Cincinnati will make a game of it, but the Steelers will find a way at home. Pittsburgh 27, Cincinnati 17