There's a new bully in the AFC North Division, and it resides in the unlikely city of Cincinnati.

Yes, the Bengals - long referred to as the Bungels - sit atop a division that includes the perennially-strong Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. The Bengals, who swept the 5-5 Ravens and 5-5 Steelers this season, have a 7-3 record and tiebreakers in hand against both teams.

Barring something unforeseen, the Bengals should cruise to the division title. Then again, no one expected them to lose to the Oakland Raiders, 20-17, last week.

But these Bengals are different. They're built like the Steelers and Ravens strong and physical on defense and with enough offensive playmakers to put up big numbers against weak defenses.

"The one thing you see with Cincinnati is they've dealt with tough situations throughout the season and have been very resilient and won some tough games," Browns coach Eric Mangini said. "Outside of a fluke play against Denver, they really should be 8-2."

The Browns need to approach Sunday's game at Paul Brown Stadium with the same mentality they would take into a game against the Steelers and Ravens. The Bengals defense goes after opponents aggressively and doesn't let up, and the Browns must match that intensity.

It's not a good matchup for the Browns, who have a 1-9 record. They have a finesse offensive line, particularly with tackle Joe Thomas and guard Eric Steinbach on the left side. Mangini brought in guard Floyd Womack and tackle John St. Clair to increase the size and strength of the right side, but the results have been far from favorable.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, who helped build the dominant defenses the Ravens had earlier this decade as the coordinator, must smile when he watches film of the Browns offense and how it can be exploited.

"Whatever the perception of us, it comes from the players within and the things they've done," Lewis said. "They have a workmanlike attitude. That's kind of built over time and them understanding the task at hand."

The task Sunday will be to rattle Browns quarterback Brady Quinn, who's coming off a 304-yard, four-touchdown performance in a loss to the Detroit Lions. The Bengals' pass rush lost much of its bite when defensive end Antwan Odom suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, but it's still capable of pressuring quarterbacks.

Derek Anderson started at quarterback for the Browns in a 23-20 overtime loss to the Bengals in week four. He was 11-of-19 for 92 yards and three interceptions.

"Brady is going to be very quick with the football," Lewis said. "When you sit and watch as a quarterback you get a different perspective. Sometimes it's a good perspective. It's not a negative that he wasn't in there playing earlier.

"Sometimes there's a road to maturity that happens for a NFL quarterback. We're benefitting this year from Carson Palmer being injured and having to sit and watch last year."

Quinn will need help from a receiving corps that hasn't done much collectively this season. The matchups against cornerbacks Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall don't look promising.

The Browns' only hope might be for another off week for the Bengals, who literally gave a win away to the Raiders. It might be asking too much to think the same thing will play out a second straight week.

"This is a very important week for us against a team that's playing very well," Lewis said. "They're playing hard and are doing things well in a lot of areas. With everything that's gone on around it, Eric has done a good job of keeping the team focused and together."

Not everyone has the same opinion.

mmclain@tribtoday.com