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 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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