“A Change is Gonna Come,” the Sam Cooke song, was playing in a continuous loop from the locker room of the Bengals and provided the theme song for Cincinnati’s groundbreaking win.

The Bengals, during five very frenetic minutes, earned a measure of legitimacy and won their town back.

With only 14 seconds remaining, a touchdown pass of 4 yards from Carson Palmer to Andre Caldwell gave the Bengals a 23-20 victory on Sunday, ending Pittsburgh’s almost decade long domination over Cincinnati during a game where it appeared that it would continue indefinitely before the final drive.

Bobbie Williams, offensive lineman of the Bengals said, priceless. Our past is just the past. It’s a new team now and it’s a new day.

It was the Bengals day for once.

The Steelers (1-2) had won their past eight games at the home field of the Bengals. Cincinnati had not defeated Pittsburgh in Paul Brown Stadium since 2001, the rookie year of Chad Ochocinco, who then only started on rare occasions and was still going by the last name of Johnson.

Chad doesn’t remember too much from the game long ago. Cincinnati (2-1) won’t be forgetting this one anytime soon.

A majority of the game was dominated by the Super Bowl champs. However they wasted opportunities for putting Cincinnati away. Another field goal was missed by Jeff Reed, and a pass was dropped inside the end zone by Limas Sweed to keep the game close all the way until the end.

Hines Ward, Steelers receiver said, if we had scored those first half touchdowns, it wouldn’t have been a game. It would have been 24-3 or 24-0. It’s not good. You need to put the seven points up instead of three to finish off a team.

The Bengals instead finished the Steelers off.

Cincinnati was led by Palmer on a 71 yard, 16 play drive versus one of the best defenses in the league. He repeatedly was able to convert his throws on there or else. An 11 yard pass to Brian Leonard, running back, on fourth down and 10 advanced the football down to the 4 yard line. After he spiked the ball to stop the game clock, Palmer connected with a wide open Caldwell in the end zone.

Marvin Lewis, Bengals coach said, our quarterback is comfortable during those points of a game. He has a calmness about him.

The drive was similar to the long touchdown drive Palmer had during the season opener versus the Broncos towards the end of the game, which Denver was able to salvage with a tipped touchdown catch of 87 yards. However this time there wasn’t any weirdness.

The final Roethlisberger frantic heave got knocked down to give Cincinnati the game that they saw as an opportunity for proving they are a contender for the AFC North.

Tank Johnson, defensive lineman said, it’s huge. This football team is very good. If we can eliminate immature mistakes, then the sky’s the limit.

It was no small task to defeat Pittsburgh at home. Steelers fans by the thousands were amongst the 64,538 crowd, waving yellow towels practically nonstop while Pittsburgh dominated the game, but failed repeatedly to take advantage on numerous scoring opportunities.

In the end, Pittsburgh’s defense was unable to make a critical defensive play to finish the Bengals off. It was reminiscent of how the Steelers failed to make two field goals during the second half in Chicago, allowing the Bears to pull a 17-14 victory out by hitting a field goal during the last 15 seconds of the game.

Brett Keisel, defensive end said, we try to make those plays and be a really great defense. It will be a very long year, unless we start to make them.

Santonio Holmes and Roethlisberger miscommunicated during the third play of the third quarter. Roethlisberger threw the ball quickly, but Holmes kept going. Johnathan Joseph, cornerback, intercepted the pass and ran the ball back 30 yards to score the touchdown and make it a football game.

Roethlisberger went 22 for 31 for a total of 276 passing yards, along with a touchdown pass of 39 yards to Willie Parker as well as a scoring quarterback sneak of one yard. Near midfield he was sacked on third down as the Steelers were trying to protect their 20-15 lead. It gave Cincinnati a final opportunity with 5:14 left to play in the game.

It was all the Bengals needed.

Palmer, who went 20 for 37 passing for a total of 183 yards said, it was indescribable. The fans wanted the game just as much as us. It felt really good to see their hands go up to signal the touchdown and to hear them roar.

Pittsburgh hasn’t started at 1-2 since 2006, which was the last time the Steelers were coming into the season after winning the Super Bowl. That season they started 1-3 and ended at 8-8 while missing the playoffs. The Steelers, after losing two games in a row at the last minute, are discovering once more how tough it really can be to be the defending champs.

Roethlisberger said, we felt like we defeated ourselves.

Hounded during the opener and then harassed again on Sunday during the early going, Jay Cutler just wanted some redemption. Finally he got it and was able to live up to the lofty billing of his.

Cutler connected with Devin Hester on a big pass, and a field goal of 44 yards was booted by Robbie Gould with only 15 seconds remaining to give Chicago a 17-14 win over Pittsburgh.

Mid fourth quarter Cutler connected with Johnny Knox, rookie, on the tying touchdown. Jeff Reed then missed a 43 yard field goal, his second miss that quarter. Cutler then helped to set the winning kick of Gould’s up with a pass of 5 yards to Hester at Pittsburgh’s 39 yard line on third down and 4 to keep their winning drive alive.

Cutler said, I am always hoping to get the chance. I am always thinking we are going to get the opportunity whether it is 3 minutes or 30 seconds. I just want to have a shot.

The teams were both playing without their defensive stars. Brian Urlacher of Chicago is out for the remainder of the season due to his right wrist being dislocated, while Troy Polamalu of the the Steelers will miss three to six weeks due to a medial collateral ligament tear on his left knee. In addition, Chicago saw Alex Brown, defensive end, having to be helped from the field after spraining his left ankle with approximately four minutes left to play after he had two sacks in the game.

However, on a very rainy afternoon Cutler was able to deliver like a star, despite receiving plenty of pressure and having several of his passes dropped. In spite of it all, Cutler’s first home game for Chicago (1-1) was a lot better than his debut with the team.

Cutler had 236 yards passing along with two touchdowns and no interceptions, following his career high four interceptions during the Bears season opening loss in Green Bay. The rookie Knox was also impressive. He caught six passes for a total of 70 receiving yards.

It was enough for the Bears to defeat the defending Super Bowl champs and offset the solid performances of Santonio Holmes and Ben Roethlisberger.

Mike Tomlin, Steelers coach said, he made good decisions while facing pressure and put the ball into good locations. They converted on their third downs. We didn’t do enough to win and they did. We accept the responsibility.

Roethlisberger had 221 passing yards, while Holmes had five catches for a total of 83 receiving yards. Yet it was the problems of Reed during the fourth quarter that gave Chicago the opportunity that they needed.

Reed said, I am embarrassed. The guys fought off their tails to win this game. If there is just one player who can lose the game single handedly, then I will take credit for that.

Pittsburgh wasn’t going to do that.

Holmes said, we aren’t concerned about Jeff.

Midway third quarter Roethlisberger provided Pittsburgh (1-1) with a lead of 14-7 with his running touchdown from the 2 yard line, as he lept over Danieal Manning, following a run of 39 yards by Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois product and Skokie native. During the fourth quarter, after he had hit the game winner versus Tennessee in overtime, Reed miss a field goal attempt from 38 yards that would have cut the lead down to 10 points.

Chicago responded quickly.

Cutler, who arrived in Chicago via a trade with the Broncos and sent expectations in the Windy City soaring, connected with Greg Olsen, tight end, on a pass of 29 yards to move the football down to Pittsburgh’s 23 yard line. He then completed the drive on a 7 yard pass to Knox, who was able to beat Tyrone Carter, the replacement for Polamalu, to tie the game at 14 with only 6:21 left to play.

The field was re-sodded and had large seams after the previous weekend had seen two U2 concerts played there back to back. The short turnaround saw a familiar tune being sung by Bears players about the stadium’s surface. The stadium is owned and operated by Chicago Parks District.

When Olsen slipped as he attempted to catch the ball inside the end zone during the second quarter on the rain slicked field, a noticeable groan was heard from the crowd. However moments later a roar was heard from the crowd when Kellen Davis scored on a pass of 6 yards from Cutler, tying the game at 7 with only 19 seconds remaining before halftime. The biggest cheers, of course, came in the end.

Gould said, you don’t think about missing a kick. When you do, you will miss the kick.

Troy Polamalu’s knee bent the wrong way and Hines Ward, who is normally sure handed, lost his grip. However, in the their NFL opening game on Thursday, the Steelers still did have options.

Pittsburgh still had a very poised Ben Roethlisberger and Jeff Reed’s foot.

Roethlisberger drove the Steelers down the field to get them into position and then Reed clinched Pittsburgh’s 13-10 win against the Tennessee Titans by kicking a 33 yard field goal in overtime with 10 minutes and 28 seconds left.

In a sloppy and bruising debut- a game in which the Steelers may have lost Polamalu, their star safety, for at least three weeks- Roethlisberger displayed a lot of composure, similar to what he showed during the Super Bowl last season.

With the Steelers not having much of a running game, Roethlisberger was able to complete 17 out of the last 19 passes that he threw against a great Titans defense and help bring the Steelers to victory.

Mike Tomlin, Steelers coach, said he was Ben. He’s at his best when the game is on the line. That is when he is able to see with a lot of clarity. Time and time again he provides us with quality plays.

It was Roethlisberger’s 18th time during the regular season that he has been able to overcome a deficit in the fourth quarter to lead the Steelers to a win.

Roethlisberger joked that he told the coach that he didn’t want to start the fourth quarter comebacks this early.

Roethlisberger’s performance wasn’t perfect. He went 33 for 43 with 363 passing yards and had four sacks- one of which was a loss for 19 yards- partly due to the fact that he was reluctant to give the ball up.

Some of the blame also goes to the Steelers offensive line, who struggled frequently with the 4-3 scheme of the Titans. Their problems with blocking were very apparent during the running game, which has traditionally been a strength for the Steelers. Pittsburgh had only 36 rushing yards for the game.

Willie Colon, tackle, said that they had lots of communication errors. At times our protection was sloppy. It was the first game and that can happen, he added.

The Steelers were certainly not anticipating losing Palamalu, their star safety. His leg bent in an awkward position from the weight of Alge Crumpler, Titans tight end. Polamalu suffered a left knee injury that may keep him sidelined for some time. Tomlin said that it was a sprained MCL, although scans still needed to be read. Recovery time for that can range from three up to six weeks.

At this point it’s all speculation, Tomlin added.

This isn’t the first time that Polamalu has had this problem. In 2006 he had a left knee injury causing him to miss three games in a row. The following season he missed another five games due to injuring his right knee.

During the first half on Thursday it seemed like Polamalu was in on every play, whether it was bad or good. He led Pittsburgh with six tackles and made an impressive one handed interception. However he also received two personal fouls and a pass interference as well on a questionable call.

Kerry Collins, the Titans quarterback, did concede that the landscape changed after Polamalu had left the game. He said that they definitely had been aware that he wasn’t in there.

However the Titans had worries of their own. They lost a pivotal player as well when Bo Scaife, tight end, injured his leg. Scaife caught five passes in the first half of the game. The Titans botched up two opportunities to score on two field goals attempts. One went wide and another attempt was blocked

Collins said it was a shame. We let that game get away. But when you are on the road playing a great football team, the kind of mistakes that we made will end up as a loss more times than a win.

It appeared that the Steelers would win the game in regulation after Roethlisberger connected with a wide open Ward on a pass up the middle for a 30 yard gain. However Ward, a Pro Bowl receiver, had the ball stripped from him just five yards away from the end zone and Tennessee recovered the ball at the four yard line with just 51 seconds left in regulation.

Ward said he prided himself on being a guy that doesn’t make mistakes, and especially at times when the game was on the line. He added that he saw the end zone and if he had made it then they wouldn’t have even had to have worried about a coin toss. But we started the year off with our quarterback leading us and then J-Reed saved the day.