The late hits, the low hits and the high hits that spilled all kinds of bad blood in those three epic games against the Bengals last season might capture the attention of fans. The Steelers who played in those games aren't quite as enamored with the storylines they produced.
The meaningful games that spawn rivalries aren't necessarily the ones that have the highest number of injuries and fines from the NFL. At least that's what Steelers team captain Cam Heyward believes.
Heyward called the series with the Bengals a "developing" rivalry. And he made no secret of his opinion that the Baltimore Ravens remain the No. 1 rivals.
"Just because there is a history there," Heyward said. "It's not a slight at the (Bengals). The Ravens have won Super Bowls. We've won Super Bowls. Those games have come down to the playoffs where the winner goes to the Super Bowl. It's not a slight at them. We're still developing a rivalry, I think."
The Steelers have won six Super Bowls and the Ravens two. The Bengals have never won one.
The Steelers and the Ravens have met four times in the playoffs, including once in the AFC championship game. The Steelers and Bengals have met twice, both in the wild-card round. And the Bengals haven't won a playoff game in more than a quarter century.
That kind of checkered playoff history is what prompted Steelers offensive lineman Marcus Gilbert to publicly beg last year for a matchup with the Bengals in the postseason.
"All I want for Christmas is the Bengals," Gilbert tweeted after the Steelers won in Cincinnati last December. "Would love to see them in the playoffs where they choke."
The Steelers have been taking a more low-key approach to Sunday's game at Heinz Field.
"The win is the most important thing," offensive lineman Ramon Foster said. "Taking away from a win, whether it's by penalties or guys getting kicked out of the game, we can't afford that. This is simply us trying to win (championship) No. 7. That's all we're focused on this week. They're just one of the teams we have to play."
Perhaps the absence of Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict is taking something away from this game. It was Burfict who ended Le'Veon Bell's season with a hard tackle from behind last Nov. 1, immediately after which he celebrated on the way back to the Bengals sideline. It was Burfict who had a low and late hit on Ben Roethlisberger that drew a fine from the NFL, and it was Burfict who gave Antonio Brown a concussion with a helmet-to-helmet hit in the playoff game.
But don't count Maurkice Pouncey among those who are expecting the game to be any less emotional without Burfict's presence.
"At the end of the day, they're going to be hyped up," Pouncey said. "They know this is an AFC North game, and they're going to be ready to play. As you can see, they said a lot of stuff in the media during the offseason that they hate us. We're going to take it and run with it."
Pouncey missed all three games last season due to his leg injury, but he watched from afar. He said these are the types of games you dream about playing as a kid.
And sometimes, injuries happen.
"It's football," Pouncey said. "We don't go out to play patty-cake, baby. Sometimes there will be big hits. That's what the consequences are. We know it, and we accept it."
