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For a team picked to finish last and in apparent disarray heading into the season, the Cincinnati Bengals are making many prognosticators look foolish.
Riding their longest winning streak in more than 23 years and tied for the lead in the AFC North, the Bengals begin a stretch of four straight games against division rivals when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
Cincinnati has won five straight after beating Tennessee 24-17 last week, marking its longest winning streak since a six-game run in 1988 - the last time the Bengals appeared in the Super Bowl.

The Steelers, who have won seven of the last nine meetings, rank third in the NFL in total defense allowing 280.2 yards per game. 
Pittsburgh, which is tied with Miami for last in the league with four takeaways, allowed a 13-play, 92-yard drive in the final 2 1/2 minutes of a 23-20 loss to Baltimore last Sunday night, giving up a touchdown pass with eight seconds remaining.
The loss snapped Pittsburgh's four-game winning streak, and the 356 yards allowed were the most since giving up 385 to Baltimore in a season-opening 35-7 loss Sept. 11.

Though the Steelers have had success against the Bengals in recent seasons, their meetings have been tight. Prior to Pittsburgh's victory last December, the previous three games were decided by six points or fewer, with Cincinnati winning two.