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[January 11, 2016]  Jan 10 (The Sports Xchange) - Another playoff loss does not necessarily mean that Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis will lose his job.

The Bengals are not planning to make a coaching change, ESPN reported Sunday, after the team's latest playoff failure -- an 18-16 heartbreaking loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC wild-card game on Saturday night in Cincinnati.

Lewis is the first coach in NFL history with an 0-7 postseason record. The 57-year-old Lewis has held the job since 2003 and has a 112-94 record during the regular season but has never won a playoff game. The Bengals' last postseason win came 25 years ago -- the longest drought for any NFL team.

The Bengals frittered away a late lead against the Steelers after linebacker Vontaze Burfict and cornerback Adam Jones were whistled for penalties in the final minute that put Pittsburgh in position to kick the winning field goal.

The Bengals, the AFC North champions, finished the regular season with a 12-4 record. They played Saturday's game without starting quarterback Andy Dalton (broken thumb).

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Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict is expected to receive league discipline for his vicious hit to the head that gave Steelers receiver Antonio Brown a concussion.

Burfict's status as a repeat offender could lead to a suspension.

Burfict, whose sack of Ben Roethlisberger sent the quarterback to the locker room during the third quarter, lowered his shoulder as Brown landed. Burfict was flagged for a personal foul.

In the first meeting between the teams this season, nearly $140,000 in fines were handed out, half of which were levied to Burfict.

Burfict was fined for three different penalties he committed the last time he played the Steelers, one low hit on Roethlisberger and two unnecessary roughness calls.

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Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said Sunday that his right shoulder is sore and termed his status for next Sunday's playoff game against the Denver Broncos as day-to-day.

Roethlisberger, who spoke briefly to reporters, said he had an MRI but did not know the results. He is still uncertain how severe the injury is and won't have a clear picture of the damage until he meets with doctors later in the week.

Roethlisberger was injured in the second half when he was sacked by Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict. Roethlisberger landed on his right shoulder.

The team initially believed Roethlisberger suffered a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder.

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Roethlisberger left the field after his injury, but returned to the sidelined and sat out the Steelers' next few offensive possessions. He re-entered the game with 1:23 remaining in the fourth quarter and led the Steelers on a nine-play, 74-yard drive -- aided by the two 15-yard penalties on the Bengals -- that ended with Chris Boswell 35-yard field goal to win the game.

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The status of Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Jeremy Maclin for next Saturday's playoff game against the New England Patriots is day-to-day after an MRI revealed he suffered a high ankle sprain on Saturday.

Maclin was taken off the field on a cart after being injured in the third quarter of the Chiefs' 30-0 victory over the Houston Texans.

Speculation immediately after the injury was that Macklin sustained a tear of his ACL. Had that initial diagnosis been correct, Maclin's season would be over. However, the MRI showed no significant damage to Maclin's knee, so there is at least a chance Maclin could play next weekend.

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Texans defensive end J.J. Watt is scheduled to undergo groin surgery Tuesday after being forced from Saturday's AFC wild-card playoff game against the Chiefs.

Watt has battled lingering groin discomfort for weeks and with 7:28 left in the third quarter, he finally succumbed. Locked in a battle with Chiefs left tackle Eric Fisher, Watt collapsed and remained on the field until Texans' trainers escorted him to the sideline.



Watt finished the 30-0 blowout loss with just one tackle and no sacks. Watt, who recorded 17 1/2 sacks despite the painful injury this season, was still feeling the after-effects of the game on Sunday. (Editing by Steve Keating.)

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