polamalubeast
12-03-2011, 01:57 PM
gazette.com
Two weeks ago I discussed a game that changed the face of the Steelers vs. Bengals series forever and helped to kick-start a 20 year run of Pittsburgh essentially “owning” Cincinnati. Yet over the last 20 years, there had to have been a game/era where Cincinnati appeared to have closed the gap in the rivalry right? Indeed.
That’s right folks, I’ll be doing a discussion about the 2005/2006 A.F.C. Wild Card Game that saw the Steelers and Bengals duke it out at Paul Brown Stadium. So today I not only want to do my normal discussion of the game itself and my personal anecdotes from watching it, but I also want to discuss the importance of this game to the rivalry and what “almost” could-have been had certain events not transpired. So hit that “Continue Reading” button and let’s get started shall we:
Introduction:
2005 was a season that I will never forget as a Steelers fan. I mean it’s unforgettable because the Steelers made a miraculous run to a Super Bowl title (the first I’ve been alive to see). Yet another big reason that particular season will always stick with me is the fact that the 2005 season was the first one that I watched when I lived in Hawai’i. For the first time in my life, I was away from both my Mom and her family, all of whom are big Steelers fans.
Luckily, due to the internet, calls home, and sports bars, I was able to keep up with all of the games and all the going’s-on during the Fall and Winter. Personally, I loved waking up (or staying up after a night of drinking) at 7 A.M. to watch an East Coast football game. It was a great way to start off a Sunday, and the late games started at like 2 in the afternoon. I could spend the entire night doing homework I didn’t finish or hanging out with friends. God Bless Hawai’i.
Tale of Two Teams:
Anyways, the 2005 Steelers were a nice mix of young and old that had high expectations entering the season after their Rookie QB Big Ben Roethlisberger in 2004 took them to the A.F.C. Championship Game. While they started 7-2, the Steelers hit a mid-season 3 game skid and stood at 7-5 on the outside looking in of the Playoffs after a horrendous 38-31 home loss to Cincinnati that essentially handed the Bengals the A.F.C. North Title. I remember not being worried though because I had faith that both San Diego and Kansas City would eventually screw themselves out of playoff contention. Luckily, I was right and I also knew that the Steelers (who won their last 4 regular season games just to earn the 6th and final seed) were a much better team than their 6th seed status indicated.
In 2005, the upstart Bengals also a lot to be confident about. They had a Pro Bowl QB in Carson Palmer, two talented WR’s in the form of the pass catcher formerly known as Chad Johnson, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and a great running game led by a stout O-Line and RB Rudi Johnson. While the Bengals’ Defense wasn’t overly talented by any means, they were ball-hawking and forced numerous turnovers that their talented Offense capitalized on all season.
I was stoked to watch the game, because I would be in the comfort of my dorm-room all by myself because many students hadn’t moved back in yet for Spring Classes. While feeling a tad lonesome, I figured watching the game would be a great way to unwind before my buddies got back from their respective cities that night.
read more
http://nicepickcowher.com/2011/11/30/the-steelers-vs-bengals-rivalry-kimos-shot-heard-round-the-world-and-its-aftermath/
Two weeks ago I discussed a game that changed the face of the Steelers vs. Bengals series forever and helped to kick-start a 20 year run of Pittsburgh essentially “owning” Cincinnati. Yet over the last 20 years, there had to have been a game/era where Cincinnati appeared to have closed the gap in the rivalry right? Indeed.
That’s right folks, I’ll be doing a discussion about the 2005/2006 A.F.C. Wild Card Game that saw the Steelers and Bengals duke it out at Paul Brown Stadium. So today I not only want to do my normal discussion of the game itself and my personal anecdotes from watching it, but I also want to discuss the importance of this game to the rivalry and what “almost” could-have been had certain events not transpired. So hit that “Continue Reading” button and let’s get started shall we:
Introduction:
2005 was a season that I will never forget as a Steelers fan. I mean it’s unforgettable because the Steelers made a miraculous run to a Super Bowl title (the first I’ve been alive to see). Yet another big reason that particular season will always stick with me is the fact that the 2005 season was the first one that I watched when I lived in Hawai’i. For the first time in my life, I was away from both my Mom and her family, all of whom are big Steelers fans.
Luckily, due to the internet, calls home, and sports bars, I was able to keep up with all of the games and all the going’s-on during the Fall and Winter. Personally, I loved waking up (or staying up after a night of drinking) at 7 A.M. to watch an East Coast football game. It was a great way to start off a Sunday, and the late games started at like 2 in the afternoon. I could spend the entire night doing homework I didn’t finish or hanging out with friends. God Bless Hawai’i.
Tale of Two Teams:
Anyways, the 2005 Steelers were a nice mix of young and old that had high expectations entering the season after their Rookie QB Big Ben Roethlisberger in 2004 took them to the A.F.C. Championship Game. While they started 7-2, the Steelers hit a mid-season 3 game skid and stood at 7-5 on the outside looking in of the Playoffs after a horrendous 38-31 home loss to Cincinnati that essentially handed the Bengals the A.F.C. North Title. I remember not being worried though because I had faith that both San Diego and Kansas City would eventually screw themselves out of playoff contention. Luckily, I was right and I also knew that the Steelers (who won their last 4 regular season games just to earn the 6th and final seed) were a much better team than their 6th seed status indicated.
In 2005, the upstart Bengals also a lot to be confident about. They had a Pro Bowl QB in Carson Palmer, two talented WR’s in the form of the pass catcher formerly known as Chad Johnson, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and a great running game led by a stout O-Line and RB Rudi Johnson. While the Bengals’ Defense wasn’t overly talented by any means, they were ball-hawking and forced numerous turnovers that their talented Offense capitalized on all season.
I was stoked to watch the game, because I would be in the comfort of my dorm-room all by myself because many students hadn’t moved back in yet for Spring Classes. While feeling a tad lonesome, I figured watching the game would be a great way to unwind before my buddies got back from their respective cities that night.
read more
http://nicepickcowher.com/2011/11/30/the-steelers-vs-bengals-rivalry-kimos-shot-heard-round-the-world-and-its-aftermath/