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Bengals hope to grab wild-card berth

Dec 28, 2006 - 1:20 PM 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.