The road doesn't get any easier from here

The Steelers and Cincinnati split their two regular season games.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
PITTSBURGH -- For the 2005 Steelers, the road to the Super Bowl runs through third-seeded Cincinnati, then top-seeded Indianapolis.
And if Pittsburgh's season is still alive two weeks from now, they'll make another trip -- to New England or Denver or Jacksonville -- for a chance for a Super Bowl berth.
Today, Steelers (11-5) coach Bill Cowher isn't concerned about anything other than Sunday's 4:30 p.m. rematch with the Bengals (11-5) in Cincinnati.
"We only have one," said Cowher of their opening-round playoff game. "That's the one I'm worried about."
Sixth seed
Sunday, the Steelers secured the AFC's sixth playoff seed and the 10th postseason appearance in Cowher's 14 seasons as head coach by defeating the Detroit Lions (5-16), 35-21.
The Steelers will be opening the playoffs as a wild-card team for only the second time under Cowher.
"It will be a rivalry game because we're playing a division opponent," said linebacker Joey Porter of the AFC North Division champion Bengals. "We've played them a lot of times so they know what we have over here. And we know what they have.
"It comes down to who wants it most in the playoffs."
The Steelers didn't know who their first-round opponent would be until New England (10-6) lost to Miami, 28-26, to remain the AFC's fourth seed. If the Patriots had won, they would have been seeded third after the Bengals were blown out 37-3 by the Chiefs.
Instead, the Patriots will play Jacksonville (12-4) Saturday night in Massachusetts.
In the regular season, the Steelers and Bengals split their two games, with both winning on the road. On Oct. 23, the Steelers won 27-13. The Bengals avenged that loss on Dec. 4 when they took advantage of three interceptions by Ben Roethlisberger for a 38-31 triumph.
Hines likes odds
"It's not going to be easy but [we] feel more comfortable with their personnel," Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said. "Is it going to be tough? Yes [but] we like our chances. We played fairly well against Cincinnati this year. We beat them on the road."
The Steelers' defense struggled in the first half as the Lions scored twice.
"We didn't play our best game today," linebacker James Farrior said. "We took a step backwards. We've been playing good these past three weeks. Today wasn't our best effort, but we still put up the win. We're excited, but we know we can play better."
After Steelers punt returner Antwaan Randle El's 81-yard touchdown in the game's second minute, Detroit quarterback Joey Harrington directed two touchdown marches.
Harrington capped a 59-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown toss to tight end Marcus Pollard to tie the game at 7-7.
The Lions took their only lead on their next possession as Harrington's 1-yard toss to fullback Cory Schlesinger completed a seven-play, 81-yard drive.
Cowher said the Lions' early success on third down was a concern.
"We had third-and-19 and they converted, third-and-13," Cowher said. "The things we've been doing well the last couple weeks was playing good situation football.
Encouraging
"We were holding teams to field goals in the red zone," Cowher said of wins over the Bears, Vikings and Browns. "The things that we were doing well we did not do today. We have to rectify that."
Harrington completed 17 of 33 passes for 212 yards.
Ricardo Colclough's 63-yard kickoff return to the Detroit 33 help set up Jerome Bettis' first of three touchdowns, this one a 1-yard run.
The game turned in Pittsburgh's favor late in the second quarter when Chidi Iwuoma popped the ball from Detroit punt returner Eddie Drummond's grasp and Brett Keisel recovered at the Detroit 37.
Four plays later, Bettis romped through a huge hole for a 6-yard touchdown.
The Steelers scored twice in the third quarter -- Bettis on a 4-yard run and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on a 7-yard scramble.
"I was thinking, 'I've never had four,' " Bettis said, teasing that "Ben blew it when he dove in. He was supposed to go down at the half-inch line, but he ended up putting the ball over the [goal] line."
williams@vindy.com