It’s Curtains For Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals walked into Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium and promptly stepped back in time. Everywhere they looked, it seemed to be the 1970s.

The Steelers put on a defensive show reminiscent of the Steel Curtain of Mean Joe Greene and Jack Lambert, sacking Jeff Blake 10 times and scoring on Rod Woodson’s fumble return in beating the Cincinnati Bengals 20-10 Sunday.

Just like the old days, the Steelers (5-1) turned to their standbys - defense and the running game - to win their fifth in a row. It is their best start since they last won the Super Bowl in 1979 - and, arguably, their best defense, too.

“When they’re playing like that, it’s scary,” Bengals tackle Joe Walter said. “We knew what they were going to do, when they were going to blitz, but we still didn’t do anything about it.”

Cincinnati (1-5) has lost 10 of its last 11 to Pittsburgh.

Chad Brown, who moved to outside linebacker after Greg Lloyd tore up a knee in the Steelers’ opener and is still learning the position, had 4-1/2 sacks for 27 yards in losses, four tackles, seven assists, one forced fumble, two pass defenses and an interception. And Jerome Bettis ran for 109 yards in his fifth consecutive 100-yard game, one short of the team record set by - yes, Franco Harris in 1972.

“I can’t say this is the best I’ve seen our defense play but, whew, 10 sacks, that’s a lot,” Woodson said.

For a sunny October afternoon, the Steelers woke up the echoes of what many consider the best defense in NFL history. Greene set the Steelers’ record with five sacks against Houston in 1972.

“I’ve never been able to put up those kind of numbers, but I’ve played better games. And I can play better,” said Brown, who hadn’t played outside linebacker since college until this season.

Only two weeks before, Oilers cornerback Cris Dishman dismissed Brown as “a practice squad player” who couldn’t make Houston’s starting lineup.

“I’m beginning to piece it all together,” Brown said. “We take a test the night before a game, and this was the first time I didn’t have to cheat. I hope in a couple of weeks I’ll be completely comfortable.”

Dolphins 21, Bills 7

Miami made Jim Kelly realize the safest place for a quarterback is on the sidelines, sacking the Buffalo quarterback seven times, and Terrell Buckley returned Kelly’s third interception 91 yards as the Dolphins won at Orchard Park, N.Y.

Kelly threw an interception on his first play since suffering a hamstring injury Sept. 19, but it was his last one that did the most damage.

Buffalo had a chance to tie the game when Kelly hit Andre Reed on a 49-yard pass to the Miami 2 at the 2-minute warning. But Kelly was called for grounding on the next play and Buckley stepped in front of Reed on fourth-and-goal from the 10 and waltzed into the end zone.

Karim Abdul-Jabbar and Irving Spikes scored a touchdown apiece, and the Dolphins shut down Buffalo’s poor offense throughout the game. Buffalo had only one scoring drive, which ended in Thurman Thomas’ 19-yard touchdown run.

Raiders 37, Lions 21

With Jeff Hostetler throwing for four touchdowns, including bombs of 58 yards to James Jett and 62 yards to Rickey Dudley, Oakland beat visiting Detroit to put together back-to-back wins for the first time since last November.

All of Detroit’s points came in the third quarter after the Lions fell behind 34-0.

Cowboys 17, Cardinals 3

Michael Irvin was more of a decoy than a game-decider in his first game back with Dallas, which beat Arizona at Irving, Texas, with the help of its top-ranked defense and Emmitt Smith’s strong running.

Tony Tolbert led the Dallas defense with two sacks and Smith scored two touchdowns and rushed for a season-high 112 yards as the Cowboys evened their record at 3-3.

Oilers 23, Falcons 13

Houston, despite an injury that knocked out quarterback Chris Chandler late in the first half, showed a few of its soon-to-be home fans that Nashville might be getting a pretty good team with a road victory over winless Atlanta.

Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George had the third 100-yard game of his rookie year for the Oilers, rushing for 109 yards on 23 carries.

Eagles 19, Giants 10

Gary Anderson booted four field goals, including the go-ahead kick with 2:12 to play, and linebacker William Thomas returned a fumble 23 yards for a late insurance touchdown as Philadelphia beat New York at East Rutherford, N.J.

The Eagles defense and quarterback Ty Detmer were the difference, though, as Philadelphia ended a two-game winning streak by the Giants.

The defense limited New York to 150 total yards and four second-half first downs, and it sacked quarterback Dave Brown eight times for 42 yards in losses.

Detmer, making his first start in five years as a pro, was 18 of 33 for 170 yards and no interceptions.

Colts 26, Ravens 21

Marshall Faulk’s 1-yard touchdown run and a 68-yard interception return for a TD by Jeff Herrod lifted Indianapolis to its victory over Baltimore at Indianapolis.

It was the first game between the NFL’s Baltimore teams past and present - and the first matching Ravens coach Ted Marchibroda against Lindy Infante, his former offensive coordinator with the Colts.

Panthers 45, Rams 13

At Charlotte, N.C., Kerry Collins threw three touchdown passes, Kevin Greene returned a fumble for a touchdown and Michael Bates ran back a kickoff for another score.

Anthony Johnson rushed for a club-record 126 yards to help the Panthers break a two-game losing skid.

Bucs 24, Vikings 13

Tony Dungy, who waited 15 years for his opportunity, gained his first NFL head-coaching victory after five straight losses and beat former boss Dennis Green as Tampa Bay surprised Minnesota at Tampa, Fla.

Trent Dilfer, the league’s lowest-rated starting quarterback, played probably the best game of his career, throwing for three touchdowns without an interception, while topping 200 yards for only the second time this season.

Jaguars 21, Jets 17

Mark Brunell threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Willie Jackson, his third pass of 40 yards or longer, and Jacksonville’s defense stiffened at key moments in the fourth quarter to defeat winless New York at Jacksonville, Fla.

The loss was the 11th straight for the Jets (0-7), who were playing without six starters and lost another when center David Alexander left in the second quarter with a knee sprain.

Saints 27, Bears 24

Ray Zellars, suspended last week for arguing with coach Jim Mora, ran for 156 of his 174 yards in the second half, lifting New Orleans to its victory over Chicago at New Orleans.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: SUNDAY’S BEST Quarterbacks Scott Mitchell 31-50-343-3-2 Jeff Hostetler 27-38-295-4-0 Gus Frerotte 18-33-280-2-0

Running backs Ray Zellars 20-174-1 Curtis Martin 27-164-2 Robert Smith 18-133-1

Receivers Wayne Chrebet 12-162-1 Henry Ellard 8-152-1 Jimmy Smith 5-135-1