- Final OTOT0PIT
CIN23
1723
17 - Final1DET
DAL39
3139
31 - Final2NE
TEN40
2340
23 - Final3JAC
KC30
3530
35 - Final4STL
MIN41
2141
21 - Final5CAR
NO31
2131
21 - Final6OAK
NYJ3
233
23 - Final7SEA
TB23
723
7 - Final8CLE
HOU6
146
14 - Final OTOT9SF
DEN26
2326
23 - Final10MIA
IND22
2722
27 - Final11ATL
PHI17
2417
24 - Final12ARI
SD20
2720
27 - Final13BUF
BAL7
197
19 - Final14GB
CHI26
726
7 - Final15NYG
WSH34
2834
28
Final/OT
Coverage: CBS
1:00 PM ET, December 31, 2006
Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Top Performers
Passing: B. Roethlisberger (PIT) - 280 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: W. Parker (PIT) - 37 CAR, 134 YDS, 2 TD
Receiving: C. Henry (CIN) - 4 REC, 124 YDS, 1 TD
Pittsburgh (7-8) at Cincinnati (8-7) Sunday 1:00 pm EST
CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- The Pittsburgh Steelers were eliminated from playoff contention last week. The Cincinnati Bengals hope not to meet a similar fate on Sunday.
The AFC North rivals meet in the regular-season finale for both teams.
It could be the last game for Bill Cowher, who will complete his 15th season as coach of the Steelers - the league's longest active tenure with one team.
Cowher has compiled a 160-99-1 overall record, including 148-90-1 in the regular season. Only 10 coaches in NFL history have won 130 or more games with one team.
Last season, Cowher won his first Super Bowl title to go with six trips to the AFC championship game, eight division titles and 10 playoff berths.
But the Steelers became the first Super Bowl champion to fail to make the playoffs the following year since the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Bengals made the playoffs last season for the first time in 15 years. They can return to the postseason with a win Sunday along with a loss by the New York Jets, who host hapless Oakland.
Cincinnati can also make the postseason with a win coupled with a loss by Denver and a win by Kansas City.
Last week, the Bengals had control of their playoff destiny, but botched the snap on an extra-point attempt in a heartbreaking 24-23 loss at Denver. Brad St. Louis' snap sailed wide and could not be handled by holder Kyle Larson, preventing Shayne Graham from even attempting the extra point.
The Bengals thought they were headed to overtime when Carson Palmer hit T.J. Houshmandzadeh with a 10-yard touchdown pass with 41 seconds left in the fourth quarter. But Graham, who has made his last 158 extra points, didn't get a chance to tie the game.
Last week, the Steelers were officially eliminated from playoff contention by the Baltimore Ravens, 31-7.
Ben Roethlisberger was sacked five times and Pro Bowl running back Willie Parker was held to 29 yards on 13 carries.
Carson Palmer passed for four touchdowns, including a pair to Houshmanzadeh, in the Bengals' 28-20 win at Pittsburgh on September 24.
Parker rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries, but Roethlisberger was intercepted three times.
More from ESPN.com
Sprow: Where top FPR teams could falter 
Chris Sprow examines a potential weakness for each of the top 10 teams in the 2013 NFL Future Power Rankings.
Johnson: 'I've learned my lesson' from jail
Chad Johnson said Tuesday in an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America" that he's learned his "lesson" after spending seven days in jail and hopes he can still get another chance to play in the NFL.
Joyner: Best/worst run-blocking teams
KC Joyner examines the best and worst run-blocking units in the NFL and assesses the fantasy implications for each team. The Buffalo Bills led the league last season.
Bengals to be on 'Hard Knocks' for 2nd time
The Cincinnati Bengals will star in the training camp documentary show "Hard Knocks" for the second time in five NFL seasons.
ESPN Local
Judge deals setback to Steelers quest to expand Heinz Field
The Pittsburgh Steelers must show a 3,000-seat expansion of Heinz Field is a capital improvement if the team wants the city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority to help pay for it, an Allegheny County judge ruled on Wednesday. In his ruling denying the t
SPONSORED HEADLINES
Scouting Report
Palmer running on empty?
When the schedule was made this past offseason, many envisioned this finale as the game that would determine the AFC North champion. Well, the Ravens had a little something to say about that, but this game does remain critical to the Bengals. Pittsburgh was dominated for a second time this season by the Ravens last week and its playoff hopes are history.
These teams met in Week 3 in Pittsburgh. In that game, the Steelers made a rash of errors and the Bengals left Heinz Field with a 28-20 win. Last week Cincinnati lost in Denver, 24-23, after botching a snap on an extra point that probably would have sent the game into overtime. Regardless of the playoff standings or possibilities, this is a heated rivalry and both teams want this win very badly. Cincinnati's backs are against the wall.
Recent Blog Posts
Matchup
PIT | CIN | |
|---|---|---|
| W-L | 8-8 | 8-8 |
| Avg Points | 22.1 | 23.3 |
| Avg Points Allowed | 19.7 | 20.7 |
| Home Record | 5-3 | 4-4 |
| Road Record | 3-5 | 4-4 |
| Division Record | 3-3 | 4-2 |
| Conference Record | 5-7 | 6-6 |
| Complete Standings | ||
Passing Leaders
| Pittsburgh | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B. Roethlisberger | 63.3 | 3265 | 26 | 8 |
| C. Batch | 64.3 | 475 | 1 | 4 |
| Cincinnati | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT |
| A. Dalton | 62.3 | 3669 | 27 | 16 |
| M. Sanu | 100.0 | 73 | 1 | 0 |
Rushing Leaders
| Pittsburgh | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J. Dwyer | 156 | 623 | 4.0 | 2 | |
| I. Redman | 110 | 410 | 3.7 | 2 | |
| Cincinnati | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | |
| B. Green-Ellis | 278 | 1094 | 3.9 | 6 | |
| C. Peerman | 36 | 258 | 7.2 | 1 | |
Receiving Leaders
| Pittsburgh | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. Wallace | 64 | 836 | 13.1 | 8 | |
| H. Miller | 71 | 816 | 11.5 | 8 | |
| Cincinnati | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | |
| A. Green | 97 | 1350 | 13.9 | 11 | |
| J. Gresham | 64 | 737 | 11.5 | 5 | |
Team Averages & NFL Ranks
| TEAM OFFENSE | TEAM | PER GAME AVERAGE |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | PIT | |
| CIN | ||
| Yards Passing | PIT | |
| CIN | ||
| Yards Rushing | PIT | |
| CIN | ||
| TEAM DEFENSE | TEAM | PER GAME AVERAGE |
| Yards Allowed | PIT | |
| CIN | ||
| Pass Yds Allowed | PIT | |
| CIN | ||
| Rush Yds Allowed | PIT | |
| CIN |
Head to Head Matchups (Since 2001)
| Pittsburgh leads 9-4 | |
|---|---|
| Sep 24, 2006 | PIT 20, CIN 28 |
| Jan 8, 2006 | PIT 31, @CIN 17 |
| Dec 4, 2005 | PIT 31, CIN 38 |
| Oct 23, 2005 | PIT 27, @CIN 13 |
| Nov 21, 2004 | PIT 19, @CIN 14 |
| Oct 3, 2004 | PIT 28, CIN 17 |
| Nov 30, 2003 | PIT 20, CIN 24 |
| Sep 21, 2003 | PIT 17, @CIN 10 |
| Nov 24, 2002 | PIT 29, CIN 21 |
| Oct 13, 2002 | PIT 34, @CIN 7 |
| Dec 30, 2001 | PIT 23, @CIN 26 |
| Oct 7, 2001 | PIT 16, CIN 7 |
