Bengals-Steelers Rivalry

[Whatever]

(09-15-2018, 05:51 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: I know we are 4 weeks away and in no way am I looking past the Panthers, but we all know the history here. It's brutal, it's violent, it creates many fines and sometimes a lot of injuries and a few suspensions. However, with the way we've been playing and the discipline the coaches have put on these players (you can really see a total 360 in these players playing fundamental, disciplined football), what will be the status of the rivalry going forward?  Our players are playing with a team first attitude instead of a me first attitude. I mean, I know the rivalry will always be there and it probably remains strong. However, will the games of the future be much cleaner?

Here's the problem. I live and thirst for Bengals roughing up the Steelers. The past is unforgettable. I'm so sour about so many different things in the past when we met. The Pittsburgh organization is trash and their cheap hits are trash. Their support from the refs is disgusting. So when we play them, and they make the first few cheap shots unflagged, do we become unraveled? Do we start acting like the back alley Bengals and start beating the crap out of them, or do we keep the discipline? 

As much as I want to see them pummel the crap out of Pittsburgh in a knuckle sort of way, that's just my selfish, vindictive payback part of my mind taking over.  Yet, TBH, I hope they keep their cool and win this division and sweep the Steelers while playing a disciplined game. In a way, I think it would shift the bad ora vibe the NFL has for the Bengals over towards the Steelers. Wait, well, that wouldn't happen because the NFL loves the Steelers. But in a miniscule chance, it could.

What's your thoughts? 

Personally, winning is the best revenge.

It will be tough to change the nature of the rivalry until Tomlin is gone.  It started with Cowher and has escalated throughout Tomlin's tenure.  The Steelers have an assistant coach, Joey Porter, who led a gang beating and robbery of then Bengals OT Levi Jones during their playing days.  Those coaches are encouraging the violence because the refs won't call it on them and the Bengals get painted as thugs when they retaliate.  Even watching Shazier paralyze himself wasn't enough to make Juju think twice about cheap shotting Burfict.

There's not much the Bengals can really do.  They took it and took it for years, and it didn't work.  In recent years, they started firing back and the threat of mutually assured destruction hasn't been a deterrent.  All they've done is shed light on the fact that Burfict is a dirty player and allowed the national media to vilify them to protect the image of the more popular team. 

If the NFL wants it to stop, the NFL needs to make it stop.  The refs need to start tossing players at the beginning of the game for shoving matches and pile cleaning.  That's always how it starts, then it escalates from there.  They need to hold Tomlin and Lewis accountable and start suspending them for their team's behavior.  If that doesn't work, start taking draft picks away.  I don't think the NFL really wants it to stop, though.  Bengals-Steelers has become the massive multicar crash at a NASCAR race.  People tune it to watch the carnage.  That's why they keep putting the games in prime time.