CINCINNATI First-place Bengals benefiting from change in attitude

The team has a winning record in November for the first time since 1990.
CINCINNATI (AP) -- A fire alarm started wailing in the locker room Monday as some of the Bengals toweled off after workouts. No one paid much attention.
"In the past, everybody would be abandoning ship," offensive tackle Willie Anderson joked.
Not anymore.
By winning a meaningful game on the road in November, the Bengals proved they're finally ship-shape. They've tamed their personal demons and rescued themselves from being a punch line.
The Bungles? A thing of the past.
"We've got our own identity right now," coach Marvin Lewis said Monday. "Everyone is believing in what we're doing, and that's important. We're playing with an edge."
A 34-27 victory Sunday in San Diego left them tied with Baltimore atop the AFC North at 6-5. It also marked another noteworthy breakthrough for a team making one just about every week now.
The Bengals hadn't had a winning record in November since 1990, the last time they made the playoffs. A victory over the previously unbeaten Chiefs gave them legitimacy, and the follow-up victory over the Chargers provided their first win in California since 1990.
"It's taking another step in doing things we've never done around here," Anderson said. "It all starts with your mind-set. Before, we would say losing is contagious. Now we see what the rest of the NFL means by winning being contagious."
Tough road
In order to keep a winning record, they're going to have to do a few more things they haven't done in a long time. The next two games are in Pittsburgh and in Baltimore, against division rivals whose seasons also are on the line.
If they beat Pittsburgh, the Bengals would have a three-game winning streak for the first time since 1999, when they were still playing in Cinergy Field.
"If we're going to go where we want to go, we've got to beat them, no question about it," Lewis said. "You can't fool them, you can't trick them. You've got to beat them."
The Bengals have been beating teams by avoiding the silly mistakes that were the hallmark of their 12-year run as a downtrodden team. They've also managed to prop up a middle-of-the-pack defense with an offense that has become one of the league's most balanced.
Cincinnati ran for 225 yards and passed for 229 in San Diego, piling up 33 first downs by making good use of all of its weapons. Corey Dillon ran for 108 yards and Chad Johnson caught 10 passes for 107 yards.
Solid team
"I think we can take advantage of any secondary right now," said Jon Kitna, who was 24-of-38 for 243 yards and four touchdowns. "The way that we're playing right now, running the football, we're not going to change our game plan. We've established our identity in the league now and teams have to defend us now."
Dillon is finally back from a strained groin suffered the third week of the season. Lewis has decided to let Dillon and backup Rudi Johnson share the job for now.
Neither is complaining about the arrangement, an indication that players are buying into Lewis' team-first approach. He provided everyone with shirts last week that said, "One Heartbeat."