GEORGETOWN, Ky. — The players on the Bengals special teams that gave up two kick returns for touchdowns against Detroit won't be the same players covering kicks in the regular-season opener.

        “This is their audition, and these guys shouldn't be on the cover teams when we play against New England,” special teams coach Al Roberts said Sunday. “One of them could make it possibly by an injury. We had some injuries, plus this was the second preseason game, plus we had to look at these kids. Some of the kicks were low and flat.”

        Two of the three touchdowns scored by Detroit in the Bengals' preseason victory Friday night came on kick returns.

        The Lions' Larry Foster scored on an 80-yard punt return in the second quarter and opened the second half by returning the kickoff 101 yards for another TD.

        “I blame myself because we had a bunch of new, young kids out there, and they were trying hard,” Roberts said. “I blame myself for making them too mechanical. The kids did everything right, but they did it slow and two (or) three counts behind the flow of the ball.

        “By them thinking about what they had to do so much, they were incredibly soft versus a big powerful wedge unit like that.”

        The wedge is the group of players who block directly in front of a kick returner.

        QB DERBY: Akili Smith did not practice Sunday because he has a bruised right shoulder.

        Jon Kitna and Scott Mitchell split the practice snaps evenly. But Kitna pulled up during sprints with back spasms. Trainer Paul Sparling said Kitna is day-to-day.

        NO PADS: The Bengals will not practice in pads for the rest of the week, coach Dick LeBeau said. The team practiced twice in shorts Sunday.

        The Bengals do not have a game this weekend and don't play their third preseason game until Aug. 25 against Buffalo.

        They will be off Friday, Saturday and Sunday before returning to practice Monday.

        MEETING: Team president Mike Brown was in the Chicago area Sunday to attend an owners' meeting called by NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to address the league's contract stalemate with game officials. Their contract expired in March. One option being considered is the use of substitute officials for the Sept. 9-10 opening weekend.

        NO. 1: Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn has not had discussions recently with Jim Steiner, agent for No. 1 draft pick Justin Smith, whose contract holdout reached its 24th day.

        There had been hope that the deal signed by Arizona tackle Leonard Davis might provide a blueprint for a Smith contract.

        “You'd think it would, but it hasn't — yet,” Blackburn said Sunday.

        Davis did not receive a guaranteed second signing bonus to be paid in March.

        Steiner wants an “eight-month guarantee” from the Bengals that Smith would receive $4 million of his $9 million signing bonus that's due to be paid by March. Smith will get the first $5 million when he signs.

        UP NEXT: Bengals practice is closed today, but the Georgetown College complex will reopen to fans Tuesday for the 11 a.m.-noon skills session and the 3-5 p.m. practice.

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