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Preseason has a perfect end
Bengals' 4-0 record, on-target Palmer good signs for opener
BY MARK CURNUTTE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

INDIANAPOLIS - Carson Palmer's rehabilitation took another positive step Friday night.

The Bengals quarterback played two series against the Colts, as planned, and directed an 80-yard touchdown drive on the Bengals' second possession, capping the march with a 14- yard scoring strike between defenders to wide receiver Chris Henry on a curl pattern in the end zone. Palmer then was taken out in favor of backup Anthony Wright, and the Bengals went on to a 20-3 victory to finish the preseason with a 4-0 record for the first time in franchise history.

"These numbers don't mean a thing," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said afterward when asked about the perfect exhibition run.

The 1971 Bengals were 5-0-1 in the preseason but 4-10 in the regular season. The 2006 Bengals posted the franchise's first winning preseason record since the 1988 team went 4-1-0.

Palmer was 4-for-6 passing for 72 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

"We got accomplished what we set out to do," Lewis said at halftime. "We got some snaps in for the first units, they did pretty well, and we got them out."

In two preseason appearances, Palmer was 13-for-20 passing (65 percent) for 212 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions, and his passer rating was a sparkling 140.0. He watched the rest of Friday's game from the sideline with a precautionary ice bag wrapped to his surgically repaired left knee.

"I just wanted to get another shot and not have a week off before the first real game," he said.

"I've got all the confidence I need in my knee going into the next game."

In the first quarter, Bengals cornerback Tory James intercepted a Shaun King pass in the end zone to give Palmer and the offense the ball on the 20.

Colts coach Tony Dungy did not play his starters. Former Miami University quarterback Josh Betts, a rookie free agent, made his preseason debut in the fourth quarter for Indianapolis.

With the exception of wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, the Bengals' starting offensive lineup was on the field for the second series. Henry started in Houshmandzadeh's place.

On the Bengals' first scoring drive, after left tackle Levi Jones was called for a false start, tailback Rudi Johnson ran for 14 yards and then 5 yards to give Cincinnati the ball on the 34. After another false start by Jones, Chad Johnson dropped a ball from Palmer on a crossing pattern but redeemed himself on the next play, catching a 31-yard pass down the left sideline to give the Bengals a first down on the Indianapolis 40.

On second down, Rudi Johnson ran 26 yards to the Colts 14, then Palmer fired a fastball between defenders that was caught by Henry for a touchdown.

Rudi Johnson finished with three runs for 45 yards. Chad Johnson had three receptions 59 yards.

Wright led Cincinnati's second scoring drive. Tailback Quincy Wilson, playing with the second-team offense, ran in from 1 yard for the score, capping a 13-play, 53-yard drive that took 7:49.

Wilson rushed 19 times for 128 yards, making a serious bid to make the 53-man roster.

"I did everything I could do," Wilson said. "I did some blocking, some pass catching (and) some running. I've had a blast."

Depending on the health of third-down back Chris Perry, who has not played all preseason and is on the active physically unable to perform list, Wilson might unseat Kenny Watson as the third-down back.

With Wilson's touchdown and two Shayne Graham field goals, the Bengals outscored opponents 131-54 in the preseason.

The Bengals had two takeaways and committed one turnover, ending the preseason with a plus-9 turnover differential (11-2).

The Bengals face some tough decisions when the roster is cut to 53 players today.

When Wright and the rest of the second-team offense took over, the Bengals put Ben Wilkerson at center and Eric Ghiaciuc at left guard. Center is the primary position for both players.

Ghiaciuc was the team's fifth-round pick in 2005 and started one game at center.

Wilkerson, the top-rated college center in 2004 for LSU until he suffered a serious knee injury, spent the 2005 season on the Bengals' non-football injured reserve list. He cleared his physical in time to participate fully in training camp.

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer .com