For years, Pittsburgh has referred to the Cincinnati Bengals as the “Bungles.” (Thanks, Myron.) With good reason, too: The “Bungles” stink.

But maybe not anymore.

The Bengals haven’t won a playoff game since 1990. They haven’t been to a playoff game since 2015, and they blew that in spectacularly stupid fashion — to the Steelers, of course. Flag, flag, field goal, “Bungles” lose. (They 100% merited the nickname that day.)

But now the teams are moving in opposite directions: Cincinnati up, Pittsburgh down.

Sunday might be the Steelers’ last best chance to change those directions, however temporarily.

The Bengals are second in the AFC North at 6-4, the Steelers third at 5-4-1. The Bengals are 2-1 in the division, the Steelers 1-1.

Do the math. Losing at Cincinnati wouldn’t be a death sentence, but would put the Steelers in a decidedly bad spot. It would be the first time the Bengals swept the season series since 2009. (The last time before that was 1998, when the Bengals finished 3-13. Ouch.)

When a team lingers around .500, the tendency is to keep saying, “We’re still in it.” In today’s parity-driven, mostly mediocre NFL, that’s often true.

But if the Steelers lose Sunday, they’re not in it. Subpar record, menacing schedule.

It won’t get better next year, either. Ben Roethlisberger is a nailed-on Hall-of-Famer, but he’s 39. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is 24 and approaching his prime. Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson is 24 and in his prime. Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield is 26 and…well, nobody’s sure what he’s doing. Mixed bag.

The point is, Sunday at Cincinnati has a desperate feel to it. (Or should.)

The Bengals are a four-point favorite, and they’re a better team. They have a multitude of weapons including Burrow, running back Joe Mixon, receivers Ja’Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins and tight end C.J. Uzomah.

The Bengals’ offense ranks 14th in the league, the Steelers’ is 22nd. The Bengals’ defense ranks 15th, the Steelers’ is 23rd. The Bengals average 26.8 points per game, the Steelers 21.4. The Bengals beat the Steelers, 24-10, on Sept. 26 at Heinz Field.

There is no metric which objectively dictates that the Steelers are better than Cincinnati. Just calling them the “Bungles” doesn’t work anymore.

The Steelers will be motivated (or at least we’ll pretend they are) because Bengals wide receiver Boyd said the Steelers quit at the end of that Cincinnati win in September.

“The last plays of the game for them, they gave up,” said Boyd, who played at Pitt and Clairton High School. “You could see it.”

Boyd’s words are doubtless posted on the Steelers’ locker-room bulletin board. That’s assuming the Steelers still have one. Maybe memories have been refreshed via group text.

Does anyone really believe a high-level sports team needs cheesy inspiration like that to be motivated for a game like Sunday’s?

If the Steelers lose, their season is in the toilet. That prospect should get the Steelers to give maximum effort, and not “give up” this time. (I saw it, too.)

The New York Jets were 18½-point underdogs to the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. Jets quarterback Joe Namath nonetheless guaranteed victory — and then the Jets won. Perhaps the Colts forgot to post Namath’s promise on their bulletin board, or didn’t get mad enough.

The Steelers need to be mad enough Sunday. If they lose, it’s all pretending after that.

Cleveland visits Baltimore Sunday. If the Steelers and Browns both win, one game will separate first and last place in the AFC North. I’m rooting for it to be that way, then stay like that ‘til Week 18 when the Steelers play at Baltimore and Cleveland hosts Cincinnati. What a finish.

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