The agent for former Bengals kicker Doug Pelfrey doesn't anticipate Pelfrey landing with another NFL team until after the first or second week of the regular season.

        “There's been no movement,” agent Mark Rodgers said Thursday. “I've had contact with every club who might have remote interest in Doug. They all agree Doug is the best available kicker, but, at this point, clubs seem to be going with who they have.”

        Pelfrey, 29, the second-leading scorer in Bengals history with 660 points, was waived Monday. He was beat out by rookie Neil Rackers in the preseason and training camp.

        One of the problems with Pelfrey is his salary. As a vested veteran, he must earn a minimum of $440,000.

        “There are a lot of young kickers in the league,” Rodgers said. “If someone falters, I expect that Doug will get his chance.”

        Pelfrey, who lives in Florence, is working out with former Bengals kicker Jim Breech and Pelfrey's former long snapper with the Bengals, Greg Truitt.

        SENIOR BENGAL: Tight end Tony McGee will enter the regular season with a Cincinnati-best 103 consecutive starts. He hasn't missed a game since November of his rookie season, 1993. He has started all 111 of his Bengals appearances.

        With Pelfrey's departure, McGee and defensive end John Copeland have the most service time with the team. Copeland has started 86 of his 91 Bengals appearances.

        McGee, who has 259 career receptions, is reluctant to talk about his con secutive-game streak.

        “I'm going to knock on wood before we start talking about durability,” McGee said. “In preseason, guys go down like flies.”

        He changed his offseason workout from long-distance running to 400-meter sprints. What didn't change was his focus on flexibility.

        “If you stay flexible, when your body gets put in awkward positions, you've already been there,” McGee said. “If you get injured, it will keep you out a day instead of a week.”

        McGee had three receptions for 60 yards and one touchdown against Chicago last week.

        “I hope that continues. Tony played a wonderful game,” coach Bruce Coslet said. “Tony did a real good job of releasing off the line of scrimmage. We know Tony has the talent to do that and remains an integral part of our offense.”

        McGee won't speculate on how many catches he'd like to have. “You jinx yourself on that,” he said.

        He also is the most experienced receiver left on the team with the loss of Carl Pickens to free agency and Darnay Scott to injury.

        “We don't have the big receivers who can do the things Darnay and Pick can do, but they do a lot of stuff underneath,” McGee said. “They run precise routes. The 80-yard Darnay bomb is done. We're more of a 10- or 15-yard possession team.”

        PROBLEMS EARLY, LATE: The Bengals have outscored their three preseason opponents 24-17 in the second quarter and 16-0 in the third quarter. But they've been outscored 24-13 in the first and 31-7 in the fourth.

        SHOOTING FOR .500: A victory tonight against the Lions would give the Bengals their seventh 2-2 preseason in 12 years. They've not finished the preseason better than .500 since they were 4-1 in 1988, the last time Cincin nati played in the Super Bowl.

        LION CLAWS: Detroit, coming off an 8-8 season, has lost two of three preseason games.

        Second-year running back Sedrick Irvin is the Lions' leading rusher with 99 yards. Free-agent James Stewart, signed from Jacksonville, is Detroit's second-leading rusher with 92 yards and second-leading receiver with five receptions in the preseason.

        FLAGGED: Cincinnati had only one penalty for 5 yards in its victory against Chicago after being flagged 13 times in the first two preseason games. The Bengals were penalized 126 times last season, second most in the NFL.

        OPENING DAY: The Bengals have an opening week bye and will play their first game at 1 p.m. Sept. 10 at Paul Brown Stadium.

        Detroit opens its season at 1p.m. Sept.3 at New Orleans.

Last audition for backup hopefuls Bengals notebook

DAUGHERTY: Griffey vs. Marty
Griffey and Marty are the talk of the town
Reds leave on positive note
Reds notebook
Reds vs. Marlins Scouting Report
High school football preview
Speedway sets pace for attendance mark
Auto racing: Driver learning from mistakes
Newman wins pole for Blue Grass 200
Cincinnati high school results
N. Ky. high school results
N.C. State looking at Bearcats' AD Goin

• Return to Bengals front page...