CINCINNATI -- You think you're surprised that Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is the fifth-longest-tenured head coach in the NFL? You should have seen Bengals owner Mike Brown's face when informed of that little factoid the other day. He sat back in his office chair at Paul Brown Stadium (named after his legendary father), considered what it meant and, with eyes that seemed to dance, said, "He must be doing a lot of things right."

Lewis, who took the Bengals' job in 2003 by way of Fort Cherry High School as a player and Pitt and the Steelers as an assistant coach among other stops, didn't seem nearly as shocked when told he ranks behind only Tennessee's Jeff Fisher, Philadelphia's Andy Reid, New England's Bill Belichick and Carolina's John Fox in service time among current coaches. He has managed to make it through 6 1/2 seasons despite a 52-51-1 record and just one playoff appearance.

"Mike is more patient than I am," Lewis said, grinning. "I tend to get mad and want to try to blow everything up."

Said Brown, "When things went wrong here, I never believed they were Marvin's doing. Others were in the kitchen with him. Including me."

Brown operates as his own general manager and has the final say on all team matters, although Lewis' opinions carry a lot of weight. It's hard to knock Brown for that -- it's his team, right? -- but it's easy to criticize the Bengals' almost unbelievable ineptitude over the years. They've made the playoffs just once -- after the 2005 season --in 18 years.

That's why the Bengals' stunning success this season has been one of the NFL's feel-good stories. After starting 0-8 last season on their way to a 4-11-1 finish, they are 6-2 with a chance to take control of the AFC North Division with a win against the 6-2 Steelers today at Heinz Field. They beat the Steelers here in Cincinnati in September and defeated the Baltimore Ravens twice.

These definitely aren't the Bungels you've come to know and ridicule.

Yes, they still have franchise quarterback Carson Palmer, who's healthy after missing most of last season with an elbow injury. "Having him back makes the field feel like it's 70 yards long again," Lewis said.

But the Bengals no longer are just Palmer throwing to wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. Running back Cedric Benson is the NFL's second-leading rusher. He went for 76 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown run, in the first game against the Steelers and ran for 136 and 117 yards against the Ravens' stout defense. He will test a Steelers' defense today that hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in 30 games.

"This is a guy who grew up in Midland, Texas," Lewis said. "He's not afraid of competition."

The Bengals signed Benson last season after he was released by the Chicago Bears. He's just one of many reclamation projects that Lewis has made work. Defensively, the Bengals start castoffs Tank Johnson, Dhani Jones and Chris Crocker. Somehow, defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has built a unit that ranks second in the NFL against the run and fifth in fewest points allowed.

"I've probably had more talented guys," Zimmer said, "but none that I've respected more."

This is the type of team Lewis has wanted all along: Run the ball and stop the run. He said he and his coaches have done a better job of telling Brown exactly the type of players they need. That isn't just evident in the win-loss record. There's a better feeling in the locker room that goes beyond the winning.

The Bengals used to be known for their miscreants, who were involved in 10 arrests in a 14-month period earlier in this decade. Among those who since have gone are linebacker Odell Thurman, a former No. 2 pick and repeat legal offender, and wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, considered a selfish player by many in the organization. Now, Lewis said, the team leadership is rock-solid with Palmer and veteran offensive linemen Andrew Whitworth and Bobbie Williams.

Yes, Ochocinco still does his crazy look-at-me stunts, but Lewis said he's become a much better team player since he was suspended for the Steelers' game at Heinz Field last season because of an incident the night before with offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski. "He couldn't believe I sent him home," Lewis said. "He called from the airport. 'Do I really have to go?' I said, 'Yes, you do. You can't disrespect your coaches and teammates like that.' "

Clearly, Lewis likes this group of players.

"Come over here, look at this," he said jumping out of a chair in his office and grabbing a piece of construction paper from near his desk. A kid had sent it to him in the mail with this message scrawled in crayon: ONE PLAYER CAN IMPACT A GAME. ONE TEAM WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS. Lewis had it blown up into a poster that hangs outside the Bengals' locker room.

"That's me. That's what I believe. That's what I've been preaching here for years," he gushed.

"We've finally become that type of team."

Will it be enough to beat the Steelers today? Who knows? Win or lose, though, the Bengals have put themselves in a great position to make the playoffs.

They've also put Lewis, 51, in a position of strength when it comes to his next contract with Brown. He is signed through the 2010 season. If there's anything more surprising than his longevity with the Bengals, it's that he's so close to becoming a much-in-demand free agent.

"Mike has talked to me about the future," Lewis said. "I just told him I'd rather wait and relax and not worry about it now. We'll talk again, I'm sure."

Brown said he doesn't discuss contracts with the media. I could be wrong, but I don't believe his eyes were dancing nearly so much.