Outland Trophy winner Kris Farris, who hopes to be a film director after football, is getting familiar with a particular studio command: cut.

        The Bengals dumped the offensive tackle when he failed a physical Wednesday, a day after the team picked him up on waivers from Pittsburgh. The 1998 All-American from UCLA still hasn't played a regular-season NFL game.

        Farris, who played in Pittsburgh's four preseason games thus far, is still suffering from the stress fracture in his left foot that caused him to miss all of his rookie season.

        “The medical exam revealed what our doctors felt was incomplete healing of the stress fracture,” Bengals trainer Paul Sparling said.

        The Bengals will keep their roster at 64 players as they head toward the Sunday cutdown to 53. Farris' exit helps the chances of another former Steeler, Jamain Stephens, who is competing for the 10th offensive lineman spot.

        MITCHELL EAGER: It's only a preseason game. But it's against Detroit, so Scott Mitchell will be pumped up Friday.

        “Playing them again brings it all back,” he said. “I'm going to be excited for a lot of reasons.”

        The Bengals' backup quarterback, who led Detroit to three playoff berths and ranks second in Lions career passing yardage (12,647), is still pained by his ouster there in 1998. After the Bengals beat Detroit in Week 2 on a Corey Sawyer interception-return touchdown in overtime, Mitchell was replaced by Charlie Batch and never played there again.

        “It was a hard day, a hard year,” he said. “It still hurts.

        “I took a lot of heat, but ... I don't think it was totally my fault things went wrong there. It was hard to deal with, because I had so much invested in it. I wanted to see things through, win a Super Bowl.”

        Mitchell won't face Batch, who is injured. Detroit will start Stoney Case, who replaced Mitchell as Baltimore's starter after two games last year.

        “I don't believe in a stick-it-in-your-face mentality,” Mitchell said. “I'm focused on where my career is now. I'm just trying to help us get a win Friday.”

        FISHER CRAVES COMEBACK: Charles Fisher's reassignment to the physically unable to perform list because of his reconstructed left knee means he'll miss at least the season's first six games. It doesn't deter his determination.

        “I believe I can be ready when that time's up,” the second-year cornerback said. “I feel ready now, but I've got to do what's best for the team.”

        Fisher tore three ligaments in the knee in the season opener last year at Tennessee, an injury termed career-threatening. But he said he's “back to full speed” and now merely building strength.

        “It takes time in my mind getting used to it,” he said. “It's strong, but it doesn't yet feel like a normal knee.”

        INJURIES: The injury report for Friday's game: Michael Bankston (calf), Tom Barndt (chest), Michael Basnight (wrist) and Rich Braham (knee) are out; Brian Gray (toe) is doubtful; Willie Anderson (abdomen), Vaughn Booker (knee), Cory Hall (ankle), Artrell Hawkins (foot) and Takeo Spikes (hip) are questionable; JoJuan Armour (groin) and Curtis Keaton (shoulder) are probable.

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