Corey Dillon is tripped up by Terance Shaw. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        Rookie kicker Neil Rackers made all three of his field-goal attempts, from 23, 38 and 34 yards.

        They were the first three field goals of his NFL career. He missed three attempts in the first three games.

        “It's nice to get it under the belt,” Rackers said.

        “After the first make, a month of emotion just running out of me,” he said. “Guys have been joking with me, "You're a Pro Bowl practice kicker.'

        “Just getting out there and getting one under the belt felt really good. From there on out, I was relaxed when I got out there.”

        Rackers also had one kickoff go into the end zone for a touchback.

        DILLON BUSTS OUT: Running back Corey Dillon ran 22 times for 110 yards, his 14th career 100-yard rushing day. He is three behind James Brooks for the club record.

        A 22-attempt game for Dillon usually means a victory for the Bengals. They are 10-3 in games in which Dillon gets at least 22 carries.

        A 100-yard game for Dillon also is a good indicator for Cincinnati. They are 7-7 in games in which he runs for 100 yards.

        Dillon had been among the most frustrated Bengals during the first three games. He had only 82 yards on 41 carries goinginto the Miami game.

        FLAG FOOTBALL: The Bengals had 10 penalties for 123 yards. The Bengals' single-game record is 133 penalty yards (Oct. 1, 1978 at San Francisco). Coming into the game, the Bengals had been penalized only 21 times for 162 yards.

        BANNER DAY: There was a sprinkling of banners in the stadium Sunday. One said “Bengals 13-3, Super Bowl bound.”

        The same banner had hung in the same spot before the season opener, and read “16-0” instead of 13-3.

        By the end of the opener, the 16-0 had come down and been replaced by a “15-1.”

        By the end of Sunday's game, the sign read “12-4.”

        And next to the banner, another smaller one:

        “LeBeau, Coach of the Year.”

        GET YOUR BUTTONS: Before the game, a vendor stood on Elm Street -- just up the street from Paul Brown Stadium -- and sold buttons and T-shirts with the theme, “Mike Brown, Step Down.”

        NOT SO LUCKY: The number 13 proved unlucky for the Bengals, if you buy into that.

        Rackers' 38-yard field goal made it 13-0 Bengals, with 13:13 left in the second quarter.

        The Bengals then allowed 31 straight points.

        Also, punter Daniel Pope wears No. 13. He punted for only a 31.3 average.

        FLYING FIEDLER: Dolphins quarterback Jay Fiedler had a 30-yard scramble in the second quarter. It was the longest run by a Miami quarterback since Scott Mitchell, now with the Bengals, ran 32 yards vs. Philadelphia in a 1993 game.

        LeBEAU'S TURN: LeBeau is the Bengals' eighth head coach since the team was formed in 1968. Here is how the previous coaches did in their first game:

        • Paul Brown, 1968 (lost 29-13 at San Diego)

        • Bill Johnson, 1976 (won 17-7 over Denver)

        • *Homer Rice, 1978 (lost 21-0 at Miami)

        • Forrest Gregg, 1980 (lost 17-12 to Tampa Bay)

        • Sam Wyche, 1984 (lost 20-17 at Denver)

        • Dave Shula, 1992 (won 21-3 at Seattle)

        • *Bruce Coslet, 1996 (won 28-21 over Jacksonville)

        *Took over during season

        INACTIVES: These players were placed on the inactive list before the game: wide receiver Damon Griffin, cornerback Mark Roman, running back Curtis Keaton and third-string quarterback Scott Covington.

        Griffin had played in the first three games. He had no receptions but had returned five kickoffs for a 17-yard average and one punt for nine yards.

        Roman, the team's second-round draft pick, has played in only one game, and that was Game 3 at Baltimore. Keaton, Cincinnati's fourth-round pick, has not been active all season.

Dolphins 31, Bengals 16 SULLIVAN: Bengals now hopeful, not hopeless LeBeau's debut pleases Bengals Going for knockout costly Rackers, Dillon get on track Bengals-Dolphins statistics

Meeting today might settle McKeon's fate
McKeon senses end is near
Gullett may quit if McKeon goes
Cardinals 6, Reds 2
Box, runs
Complete prep football coverage at Enquirer.com/prepfootball
Complete Olympics coverage at Cincinnati.com/olympics
Williams will get a hero's welcome
DAUGHERTY: Romanian gymnast was scapegoat at Drug Games
Legendary high school coach dies
Pink-Ribbon Pro-Am today at Golf Center

• Return to Bengals front page...