It's been a good year for football in Ohio. After disappointing performances from our flagship teams in 2004, all three posted significant improvements this year.

Part Three: The 2005 Cincinnati Bengals (11-5)

I've been a Cleveland fan ever since 1985. I was 7 years old, and my father’s succinct explanation of the game (“you’ve got four tries to get 10 yards”) was the extent of my football knowledge.

I soon learned that Cleveland fans had a strange relationship with the Bengals. Despite the fact that they are our state and our divisional rivals, they were the brainchild of beloved Browns founder Paul Brown. After a long public feud, owner Art Modell fired Brown in 1962. Five years later, Brown headed an ownership group to resurrect the twice failed Cincinnati Bengals franchise in 1967. As much as we want to hate them, the Bengals are the Browns’ half brother.

The 2004 Bengals were about as mediocre as an NFL team could be. Not good, not bad, just plain old average. They had 8 wins, 8 losses. They scored 374 points, they allowed 372. Carson Palmer threw 18 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions.

The only bright spots were the offensive tandem known as Johnson & Johnson. Halfback Rudi Johnson, and wide receiver Chad Johnson both had their breakout years in 2003. They were just as good if not better in ‘04, but if the Bengals were ever to succeed, they needed their #1 pick out of USC to finally come of age.

Did he ever. Cincinnati’s young quarterback Carson Palmer came out of the gate in ‘05 like a seasoned vet. He threw eight touchdowns in the first three games, being picked only twice in that span. Throughout the season Palmer spread out his attack, hitting 8 different receivers for scores. T.J. Houshmandzadeh and rookie Chris Henry benefitted greatly from defenses double teaming Chad Johnson, pulling down 7 and 6 TDs respectively. Don’t worry, theater fans: Chad managed to fight his way through the coverage and find the end zone 9 times.

Palmer had the season Coach Marv Lewis expected he could this year. He finished the regular season with a 101.1 passer rating, throwing for over 3800 yards and an NFL high 32 scores. He was rewarded on the field with an AFC North title and a trip to the the Pro Bowl in Hawaii, he was rewarded off the field with a six year contract extension worth $118.75 million, keeping him in Cincy until 2014.

They’ll soon see if their investment reaps them immediate rewards. They host another AFC North powerhouse in the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the playoffs this Sunday.

While the Bengals’ ball hawking D was #1 in the league for turnover differential, they have been porous against the run all year. Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger should be able to protect the ball as long as his two featured backs Jerome Bettis and Willie Parker can keep him out of 3rd and longs.

While it’s almost guaranteed money that the Steelers will eat up clock, yardage and score at least 21 points by pounding the ball on the ground, it’s not known which Bengals offense will show up.

In their first meeting this year the Steelers dominated the Bengals in Cincinnati 27-13. Palmer didn’t throw a touchdown and was intercepted twice.

Six weeks later in Pittsburgh, the Bengals D picked off Big Ben three times (and allowed him three TDs), Carson cleaned up his act and and scored three times. Rudi Johnson also found the end zone twice as the Bengals edged the Steelers 38-31.

Regardless of what happens inside Paul Brown Stadium this Sunday, the 2005 Cincinnati Bengals have finally given their fans something to be proud of. Not only is this their first playoff berth in 15 years, it’s their first winning record since Sam Wyche and Boomer Esiason finished 9-7 that same season.