Mo Egger: I want the Bengals to look, sound, and play like the Steelers

[Fan_in_Kettering]

One advantage the Steelers have is always playing in front of a friendly audience. Even during away games the stands are filled with those awful pee-colored towels.

I get what Mo Egger is saying: Nobody outside Cleveland fears the Bengals. Everyone knows Cincinnati hasn't been a playoff threat since Paul Brown died. Oh, sure. People love the Bengals during the regular season and in my travels I'll rock my orange and black where I'll hear in any airport an occasional, "Nice jersey," or, "Maybe this season," but in actual fact this team needs a national following only a Lombardi can earn. If the Bengals were a drink they would be a nice, sweet tasting dark craft stout with a smoky, burnt vanilla aftertaste. What they need to be is rotgut hooch with a straight vodka chaser, the combination that leaves your insides hurting for a week.

The Bengals tackle, often in textbook form. The Steelers just throw people down. The Bengals aim for the chest. The Steelers aim to pile drive. The Bengals block once then turn and see how Andy Dalton is doing. The Steelers keep blocking until the referees grab them to let them know the play was over five seconds ago. The Bengals keep their routes intact when Andy is under pressure. The Steelers break their routes and zigzag when Ben Roethlisberger has to extend a play -- which is why he always finds someone open.

It's culture, coaching, and pride. The Bengals have none of those things.