Three more turnovers — giving Cincinnati 11 for the preseason — wiped out a 14-point lead Thursday night, and the Bengals fell 23-17 to Indianapolis to finish 1-3 in preseason play.

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Corey Dillon breaks away on an 87-yard TD run. (Ernest Coleman photo) 600 | 800 | 1024

        Jon Kitna, named Monday by coach Dick LeBeau as the regular-season starter, led scoring drives on the first two possessions. Kitna was 10-for-21 passing for 117 yards, but he threw an interception from inside the Bengals' 10-yard line in the first quarter to set up a short Indianapolis touchdown drive.

        The Bengals finished with 442 yards of offense, compared to 260 for the Colts, who played without their best three offensive players — quarterback Peyton Manning, running back Edgerrin James and wide receiver Marvin Harrison.

        “We made too many mistakes,” LeBeau said. “It was the turnover situation that let them back into the ballgame. I hope we learned a valuable lesson that seven minutes isn't a football game.”

        The Bengals scored on their first series.

        After Curtis Keaton muffed the opening kickoff return in the end zone and brought the ball out only to the 8, Corey Dillon ran for 5 yards. His next carry went off right tackle for 87 yards and a touchdown. Dillon, who left the game after the touchdown, out-ran backup strong safety Cory Bird down the sideline and went untouched the final 70 yards.

Jon Kitna eludes Colts lineman Chuckie Nwokorie. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        Dillon ended the preseason with nine carries and 126 yards.

        “If we could have eliminated the mistakes we had, we had (an) excellent chance of winning,” Dillon said.

        The Bengals forced the Colts to punt on their first possession and took over at the 20. Kitna then directed a nine-play drive that was capped off when Brandon Bennett ran in from the 8 for a 14-0 lead.

        Kitna was 4-for-5 passing for 46 yards on the drive, including a 25-yard crossing pattern completion to Peter Warrick that put the ball on the 8.

        “It was a positive step, it was growth,” Kitna said of his first extended playing time with the first-string offense. “We're tired of saying this after only four preseason games, but they didn't really stop us. We kind of stopped ourselves.”

Peter Warrick is pulled down by the jersey. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        With Manning out with a sprained knee, veteran Mark Rypien started. He was intercepted on Indianapolis' next drive by Bengals safety Chris Carter. Defensive end John Copeland tipped the ball at the line. Takeo Spikes deflected the ball before Carter picked it off.

        But on the Bengals' possession, Kitna threw an interception to Colts cornerback David Macklin. On the next play, halfback Dominic Rhodes, playing in place of James, ran 17 yards for the score.

       The Colts scored the next time they had the ball on a 13-yard field goal by Mike Vanderjagt.

Trainers tend to Scott Mitchell after he sprained his ankle. (Michael E. Keating photo) | ZOOM |

        Bengals fullback Clif Groce fumbled on the next drive, and the Colts scored five plays later when Rypien tossed a corner route over the head of cornerback Artrell Hawkins into the arms of wide receiver Trevor Insley from the 21-yard line.

        The teams traded field goals in the third quarter, and the fourth quarter started with the Colts leading 20-17.

        Scott Mitchell led a six-play, 42-yard drive that ended when Neil Rackers was good on a 42-yard field goal.

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