Laveranues Coles News

CINCINNATI -- Early each morning, Cincinnati Bengals Coach Marvin Lewis leaves his windowless office at Paul Brown Stadium and walks upstairs to the suite of the team's owner, Mike Brown. There, as Lewis gets his first glimpses of the sky and the murky river meandering below, they talk football, with Brown asking dozens of questions and Lewis doing his best to answer them.

It is not as if Brown and Lewis don't get along. They do. After all Brown has kept Lewis as his coach for seven seasons even though the team has not won a playoff game in that time. And it is not as if the Bengals are a dysfunctional organization in the way of, say, the Redskins or the Oakland Raiders. There is no chaos.

The Oakland Raiders, by and large, are an unlucky team that happens to be offensively challenged, as well.

In each of the past two games, the Raiders have had a late-game drive to either tie or win the game.

Cedric Benson said before today's practice that he will be a gametime decision for Sunday's Bengals' game at Oakland.

Running back Cedric Benson did not practice for a second straight day and is unlikely to play Sunday at Oakland.

Unless the Cincinnati Bengals completely fall apart, the Steelers will be battling for a wild card spot in order to make the playoffs.

43 and William Gay No. 22 of the Pittsburgh Steelers break up a pass intended for Laveranues Coles No.

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The Steelers weren't able to get in the end zone and it cost them, losing to the Cincinnati Bengals 18-12 at Heinz Field.

Watching the Steelers stumble their way through the first half of their Monday night game in Denver had to add to Bengals' fans optimism about Cincinnati's prospects this Sunday in Pittsburgh.

If health is a relative condition, then Ravens safety Ed Reed is relatively healthy.

The last time a running back had two 100-yard games against the Ravens, it was 1997 and Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis was the Ravens defensive coordinator and middle linebacker Ray Lewis was in just his second season of a Hall of Fame career as Baltimorea s middle linebacker.

It's not that I actively bash Peter King. I find his view that the Bengals are a sideshow at a circus to be somewhat irritating.

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The changing of the guard is complete atop the AFC North Division. With a 17-7 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in week nine, the Cincinnati Bengals supplanted the Ravens as the top challenger to the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers in the notoriously competitive division.

Bengals receiver Chris Henry wasn't sure whether he'd play again this season after he broke his arm during a 17-7 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis appeared to be on the hot seat prior to the start of the 2009 season.

Early in the season, he was known for putting together late come-from-behind drives, but during the last four weeks Carson Palmer has shown an all-around game that also has started to pay dividends for the Bengals.

Nine Cincinnati starters were sent packing by their previous teams. And boy, are the Bengals glad.

Situation: The Bengals face a third-and-7 on the Bears ' 8-yard line in the second quarter, already leading 21-0. Another touchdown and the Bears are done.