Quarterback Scott Mitchell, barely beaten out for the starter's job by Jon Kitna, dressed for practice Friday, was upgraded from out to doubtful for the New England game and could be active by Sunday.

        Mitchell suffered a sprained ankle at the end of the Aug.30 preseason game against Indianapolis and initially was feared out four to six weeks.

        “I'm going to take a good look at him tomorrow, take a good look at what he can do and make a decision then,” LeBeau said.

        Defensive end Vaughn Booker has a hamstring injury and was rested Friday to make sure he's ready for Sunday.

        OUCH: Starting defensive tackle Tony Williams slammed his right middle finger in a door Thursday morning, breaking the top digit. Surgery was done Thursday night to repair the nail bed. The finger was wrapped, splinted and taped to the finger beside it, and Williams practiced Friday.

        “He's going to play. He's all right,” coach Dick LeBeau said after practice. “There are worse things that could happen. He told me he really didn't have much problem with it.”

        BE THERE: LeBeau will have a meeting with his players tonight, a break from recent practices with the Bengals.

        “A moderate change but a good one to get refocused a little bit and not have that big window between our football (practice) and our football game,” he said.

        But LeBeau will not make players stay in a hotel, which is done by some teams the night before games even at home.

        “I thought about it,” he said. “It comes down to how you play on Sunday. It will work fine if we play well.”

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