Bengals enjoying their bye

At midseason, the team isn't mired in mediocrity.
CINCINNATI (AP) -- The bye week is usually a ceremonial time for the Cincinnati Bengals, a few days to take a step back and say bye-bye to those illusions of playoff contention and franchise revival.
Not this year. Instead of saying good-bye to a season, they're starting to prepare for a playoff run.
The Bengals (7-2) are heading into their bye week with a winning record for only the second time during the last 15 years. They're in first place in the AFC North, a half-game ahead of defending champion Pittsburgh -- right on target for their first playoff appearance since 1990.
Time to think
There's a lot to ponder during their one-week break.
"The real challenge is to forget the previous nine games, because the big boys start playing now," Pro Bowl tackle Willie Anderson said. "Year-in and year-out, the Patriots and the Eagles and those guys start separating themselves from the bunch. If you're going to be in that postseason tournament, you've got to stay in that bunch."
The Bengals are newcomers to the lead pack. During the last 14 years, they've usually been floundering by the bye. Their only winning record came in 2001, when they were 4-3 at the bye and finished 6-10.
They had two byes in 1993, and didn't get anything out of either week off. They went into the first one at 0-4, then lost their next three games before the second bye.
In 2000, they moved into their new stadium and opened the season with a bye. The Bengals then lost their first six games with Akili Smith at quarterback. It got so bad that coach Bruce Coslet quit after the third defeat, a 37-0 beating in Baltimore that showed they couldn't even keep up with the rest of the league.
Showing some muscle
There's a little symmetry with this year's bye. They held onto first place Sunday by beating the Ravens in Baltimore, 21-9, showing they can't be pushed around anymore.
The lasting image was quarterback Carson Palmer getting sacked on the first series and losing his helmet as his face was ground into the artificial turf. When he got up, the left side of his face was covered with eye black that was smeared during the tackle.
He kept playing with his face still smeared. And the Bengals did most of the pushing around from that point.
"That was our motto all week," running back Rudi Johnson said Monday. "That meant a lot to this team, meant a lot to this organization -- what we're trying to build, what we're trying to stand for."
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