The 'Bungles' are finally buried

The Bengals are guaranteed their first winning season since 1990.
CINCINNATI (AP) -- The Bungles are buried. Finally.
For 14 years, they were one of the NFL's constants -- a constant source of losses and material for late-night comedians.
Their pratfalls and pathos endured through two stadiums, four head coaches and a dozen quarterbacks. They lost so often that they made history -- one of only three teams since 1950 to go 14 years without even one measly winning record.
A 38-31 victory Sunday in Pittsburgh changed everything. Instead of making history, their run of futile football is now relegated to history.
Bye-bye Bungles. Hello, Bengals.
"My dream has always been that this organization would be one that year-in and year-out would be in this position, and no more talking about what happened 14 years ago, that that was your last winning season," 10th-year offensive tackle Willie Anderson said Monday.
Hold the tie-breakers
The victory over the Steelers left the Bengals at 9-3, assured of their first winning record since 1990 and on track for their first playoff appearance since that same season. They've got a two-game lead over the Steelers and, with a victory over Cleveland on Sunday, would own the tie-breaker, too.
A win over the Browns at Paul Brown Stadium coupled with a Steelers' loss to the Bears would clinch the division title.
Instead of making comic monologues, they would make the playoffs.
"We have an opportunity to have a home playoff game in Cincinnati," coach Marvin Lewis said. "We still have a lot of football to play, but it's time to stop hiding from it. It's time to go sit in the front row."
Until the latest victory, the third-year coach had never mentioned the playoffs, preferring to take a nearsighted approach with his young team. When the season started, only 12 players remained from the 2-14 team that Lewis assumed.
The win in Pittsburgh evidently convinced him that this group won't get caught up in its success story. Win nine games? Many of them did that in college.
"I don't know that they've had any success yet," Lewis said. "We're so young, it really doesn't matter to them. They come out of successful programs in college, so they don't know any different. You've only got 12 guys that don't know what success is."
Carson Palmer is the leader
The man leading the way is quarterback Carson Palmer, who is having a season that surpasses all expectations. He threw three touchdown passes without an interception in Pittsburgh, running a no-huddle offense smoothly in the Steelers' home-field maelstrom.
Palmer is one of the few Bengals who has never known losing. He won the Heisman Trophy at Southern Cal, leading the Trojans to an 11-2 record and an Orange Bowl win in his final season. The Bengals then went 8-8 in his first two seasons in Cincinnati.
The only losing record attached to him was an 0-3 mark after his first three games against the Steelers. His performance Sunday shattered that brief stretch of futility.
He leads the league with 26 touchdowns, ranks second to Tom Brady with 3,149 yards and is second to Peyton Manning with a passer rating of 106.6. He has thrown only seven interceptions in 399 attempts and has completed 68.7 percent of his passes, best in the NFL.
"He's playing at a serious high level right now," Anderson said. "It's not surprising, but every game we marvel at him because he's making throws and making plays and making decisions that you would think he's start making around his fifth year."