Corey Dillon ran for 128 yards. (Michael E. Keating photo) | ZOOM |

        Corey Dillon, despite the Bengals going down in flames again, said Sunday that he wouldn't mind re-signing with the team next year.

        Dillon becomes a free agent after 2000, and boosted his soaring stock with a 128-yard, two-TD day. That gave him 1,062 rushing yards for the season, making him the eighth player in NFL history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first four seasons.

        Surely, won't Dillon break the bank and go elsewhere? Away from a Bengals team that, despite him, is 2-10 this year and 16-44 since he joined the club in 1997?

        “I just want to play these four games and see what happens,” Dillon said. “I'd love to stay here, but it's not up to me.”

        Love to stay here?

        “I told you, that's what I said,” Dillon said. “I'm just focused on playing the four games. I'm not really too concerned about negotiations or anything like that.”

        The kicker is that Dillon, as a “transition” free agent, is somewhat limited. The Bengals can keep him by matching any contract offer made by another NFL team.

        Dillon, working on a one-year, $3 million contract, understands that. Last offseason he said he'd rather be “flipping burgers” than playing for the Bengals, but unquestionably has played hard this year.

        His 2000 season includes:

        • An NFL record 278 yards rushing vs. Denver;

        • His 17th career 100-yard game on Sunday, tying the team record held by James Brooks.

        • An average of 88.5 yards rushing per game, which puts him on pace for a team record 1,416 yards this year. The record is 1,239 yards by Brooks (1989).

        • A total of 229 carries, which puts him on pace for 305 this year. The team record is 274 by Pete Johnson in 1981.

        “I just feel blessed about what the Lord has given me, and I have to keep working hard,” Dillon said. “It shows character about our offensive line doing a great job blocking and our receivers doing a great job blocking downfield.”

        But, Dillon's rushing feats were lost on him and most teammates after Sunday's 48-28 loss.

        “It might mean something later, but we lost again, and that's not fun,” center Rich Braham said.

        The Bengals, before Sunday, were 7-0 all-time when Dillon rushed for at least 125 yards in a game.

        “We eliminate some mistakes,” Dillon said, “and I think we could have pulled this one out.”

        Jerome Bettis, Dillon's opposite number with Pittsburgh, also topped the 1,000-yard mark Sunday. For Bettis, it was a fifth straight 1,000-yard season and seventh in eight seasons.

        “He's a great running back,” Bettis said of Dillon. “He does a great job in that situation. Their passing game is real similar to ours in that it is not producing a lot of yardage.”

        That makes Dillon's season even bigger, the fact that the Bengals' NFL-worst passing game has made him the target for opposing defenses. But again, Dillon said several times that he did not want to talk about what free agency could mean for him.

        “In due time that'll come up,” he said. “But as of right now I've got four games to go, and I'm gonna try to finish strong and tough 'em out.”

Steelers 48, Bengals 28 LeBeau undecided at QB Dillon shocker: 'I'd love to stay here' Steelers slash apart defense Mitchell's knee keeps him out Bengals-Steelers Statistics Giants 31, Cardinals 7

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