PITTSBURGH -- Observed and heard in the locker room after the Cincinnati Bengals' 27-17 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers:
'On to Indy:' Two Bengals took a page out of New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick's playbook minutes after Sunday night's loss when they cautioned an approaching reporter about the questions they were going to answer. Running backs Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill made it clear they weren't in the mood of discussing the regular-season finale. Instead, they were training their minds and mouths for next Sunday's wild-card playoff game at Indianapolis. "We're on to Indy," both said twice. It was a reference to Belichick's "We're on to Cincinnati" quip that was made the week the Patriots were playing the Bengals, just days after they were embarrassed by the Chiefs, 41-14.
'Time to change it:' Already, the questions about the Bengals' lack of playoff victories are coming. And safety George Iloka has the same response to them as he did two weeks ago about the inquiries referencing the Bengals' struggles in prime time. Before the Bengals beat Denver on Monday and lost at Pittsburgh, they were 2-6 at night. They now are 3-7. "Like I said about the prime time -- if it's annoying, if it bugs you, you've got to change it," Iloka said. "If you don't like it, you've got to change it." The Bengals haven't won a playoff game since the 1990 season and are 0-5 in the postseason under Marvin Lewis.
Nelson's no comment: As players and coaches from both teams were shaking hands moments after Sunday's game, Bengals safety Reggie Nelson and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin exchanged barbs. Nelson hit Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell low at the end of a 19-yard reception in the third quarter, and Bell hyperextended his right knee. Neither wanted to comment much about it after the game. In the Bengals' locker room, Nelson held his ground, rebuffing reporters who tried to sneak in questions about the fracas.
