Houshmandzadeh Likes Steelers, Says '05 Bengals Better Than '08 Cards

In 2005, the Bengals won 11 regular season games and were division champions. It was Marvin Lewis' third year in Cincinnati, and it looked like he had accomplished the impossible: saving this franchise from itself.

And then Kim von Oelhoffen happened. The Bengals would blow a 10-point lead to the Steelers in the wild-card round, and never really regain their bearings. They've averaged just over six wins a season since that playoff appearance, and Carson Palmer battled back from a serious knee injury three years ago only to suffer a serious elbow injury in September.

In an interview with Bengals.com's Geoff Hobson, free-agent-to-be wideout T.J. Houshmandzadeh touched on all this, but also made an interesting observation about this year's Cardinals offense and how they compare to the '05 Bengals.

The similarities are killing T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Two big-time receivers. A strong-armed quarterback. A running attack good enough to make it all so dangerous.

"And our running game was better than Arizona's," said Houshmandzadeh wistfully Monday night. "I'm kind of disappointed that they've gone this far the way they've done it because there are a lot of similarities. Our quarterback just got hurt."

According to Football Outsiders, the '05 Bengals featured the sixth-best passing and rushing offense. The '08 Cards rank seventh and 28th, respectively.

But as Houshmandzadeh points out, it's more than just numbers:

... If Cards quarterback Kurt Warner can find wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin for a couple of those, Arizona will win Houshmandzadeh says.

"But they won't," said Houshmandzadeh, crediting his former head coach and Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. "LeBeau won't let Larry Fitzgerald beat them deep. He may catch a lot of balls short, but they won't give him the big one. That's how you beat Pittsburgh: with the big play. They're going to do what they always do. They're going to pressure the passer so the only thing he can do is get rid of it fast and they'll make sure you don't get the first down." ...

"They don't have anybody who is quick like Chad," said Houshmandzadeh of running mate Chad Ocho Cinco. "They're both bigger, stronger guys. Really, they just throw the ball up to Fitzgerald and he goes up and gets it. That's something I can do and have done."

That has been the Steelers' M.O. since Bill Cowher put Tim Lewis out of his misery and brought LeBeau back to Pittsburgh: don't give up big plays. But that's also a central tenet in Arizona's offense, too. So, yeah, something has to give on Sunday. And Houshmazilly, who has seen the Steelers twice a year for eight years now, likes Pittsburgh.

Super Bowl XLIII Images

Sal Lopez, right, of Mesa, Ariz., and Jen Hinnenkamp, of Alexandria, Minn., organize the first shipment of St. Louis Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner jerseys to arrive at J.E.B. Enterprises NFL merchandise store Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009, in Tampa, Fla. The Cardinals will face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa on Sunday. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin answers questions at the NFL football team's practice facility on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa, Fla., Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009. The Steelers face the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII on Sunday in Tampa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Matt Spaeth looks at teammates through a telephoto lens during a media availability at the football team's practice facility on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa, Fla. Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009. The Steelers face the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII on Sunday, Feb 1, in Tampa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Chris Kemoeatu (68) is recorded by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger as he talks on the phone during a media availability at the football team's practice facility on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa, Fla. Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009. The Steelers face the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII on Sunday, Feb 1, in Tampa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison (92) carries a trophy presented to him during a media availability at the football team's practice facility on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa, Fla. Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009. The Steelers face the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII on Sunday, Feb 1, in Tampa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Jeff Reed heads to the locker room after a media availability at the football team's practice facility on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa, Fla. Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009. The Steelers face the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII on Sunday, Feb 1, in Tampa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Santonio Holmes (10) answers questions during a media availability at the football team's practice facility on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa, Fla. Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009. Holmes reveals a childhood secret: He spent a year selling drugs on a small-town Florida street corner. He intentionally chose to use the biggest of stages, the Super Bowl, to make public the mistakes of his youth in hopes of persuading at-risk children to take a better course with their lives. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger leaves the stage after appearing at a media availability at the football team's practice facility on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa, Fla. Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009. The Steelers face the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII on Sunday, Feb 1, in Tampa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers liinebacker James Farrior heads to the locker room after a media availability at the football team's practice facility on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa, Fla. Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009. The Steelers face the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII on Sunday, Feb 1, in Tampa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

An U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer watches as fellow agents inspect a pile of merchandise during a raid on a booth at a local flea market where hundreds of jerseys were seized Wednesday morning, Jan. 28, 2009 in Tampa, Fla. A task force of federal and local law enforcement officers are searching the Tampa Bay area for unauthentic merchandise leading up to Sunday's Super Bowl XLIII. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)