Cornerback Artrell Hawkins intercepted a pass and forced a fumble Sunday.

        “I give the credit for the interception to the pressure (put on Titans quarterback Steve McNair),” Hawkins said. “Steve was throwing the ball as Tony Williams was trying to make the sack. I was just fortunate enough to get a good read on the ball and break in and get it.”

        The Eddie George fumble that Hawkins forced early in the fourth quarter could have been a turning point for the Bengals if the offense had been able to do something with it. They trailed only 17-10 at the time.

        “Somebody needed to make a play (on defense),” Hawkins said. “I said, "Hey, he's either going to run me over, or I'm going to run over.' Fortunately, I didn't get my head knocked off.”

        BROWN SAYS:

        Bengals president Mike Brown sent the organization's best wishes to people injured in a pregame auto collision at Elm and Second streets involving pedestrians walking to the game.

        Five people -- four pedestrians and one police officer -- were injured. Two of the injured are in critical condition at University Hospital.

        “We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic incident that occurred prior to this afternoon's game,” Brown said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the individuals involved and their families.”

        “We also owe a debt of gratitude to the emergency personnel that quickly responded to the scene, especially the Cincinnati Police officer that was injured. The prayers of the entire Bengals organization go out to the individuals and their families.”

        INJURY REPORT:

        For the Cleveland game, guard Matt O'Dwyer is out with a knee strain. Wide receiver Chad Johnson (collarbone), center Rich Braham (ankle) and wide receiver Peter Warrick (thigh) are probable.

        MARCO FINISHED:

        Tight end Marco Battaglia, who underwent an appendectomy Saturday, has been placed on the reserve/non-football illness list. He is not eligible to return to the active roster this season.

        Tight end Kirk McMullen was signed Saturday from the practice squad and made his NFL debut in the first offensive series Sunday.

        LONG RETURN:

        Derrick Mason's 101-yard return for a touchdown on the opening kickoff was the third longest against the Bengals in franchise history.

        The longest were 105 yards by Miami's Mercury Morris on Sept. 14, 1969 and 103 by Houston's Bob Gresham on Sept. 23, 1973.

        SELLOUT:

        Sunday's game was a walk-up sellout of 63,865 and gives the Bengals three sellouts in a row at Paul Brown Stadium.

        The Bengals sold out the Browns game Oct. 14 in time for it to be televised live in the Greater Cincinnati market.

        The Oct. 21 game against Chicago also was a walk-up sellout that missed the 1 p.m. Thursday TV deadline.

        The last time the Bengals sold out three games in a row was 1998 against Green Bay, Pittsburgh and Denver.

        The Bengals now have sold out five of 13 games in Paul Brown Stadium.

        INACTIVES:

        Sunday's inactive players were running back Rudi Johnson, linebacker Riall Johnson, defnsive end Jevon Langford, guard Matt O'Dwyer, guard Victor Leyva, wide receiver Chad Johnson and defensive tackle Mario Monds. Akili Smith was the third quarterback.

        NO FIELD GOALS:

        Kicker Neil Rackers said he was ready to kick some field goals Sunday if called upon, but that he could understand coach Dick LeBeau's decision to try to get the Titans pinned near their goal line early.

        Rackers pooch-punted after lining up as if attempting a field goal.

        “I think Coach just wanted to play field position, because Tennessee hasn't been scoring many points,” Rackers said.

        The ball went into the end zone and the Titans took over on the 20.

        Rackers made a 52-yard field goal at Jacksonville. In light of that, was it surprising he wasn't called upon when there were some long field-goal opportunities in the first half?

        “Yeah, it was a little surprising,” said Rackers, but he reiterated that a kicker always wants to kick, while a coach is weighing everything.

        Rackers said his confidence didn't take a hit Sunday.

        “Not at all,” he said. “I really think he was playing field position, because all week (in practice), we kicked long field goals.”

        Does he feel he needs to regain LeBeau's confidence?

        “Not really,” Rackers said. “Coach sees me every day in practice, and I hit the ball really well. I think the confidence is there.”

        H-BOMB:

        A great chance for the Bengals to make a quick response to the Titans' opening-game kickoff return for a touchdown was an oh-so-close pass in the end zone that wideout T.J. Houshmandzadeh couldn't quite hang on to during the Bengals' first drive.

        “I got one hand on it pretty good,” Houshmandzadeh said, “and I should have caught it.”

        DUGANS DIGS IT:

        Second-year wideout Ron Dugans had another good game Sunday — five catches for 51 yards, including one for a TD.

        “It was a play we've worked on this week; not a lot, but enough,” Dugans said. “It was a "dig” route and I got inside the guy and (Jon) Kitna threw the ball and I just tried to make a great catch.”

        It made the score 10-7.

        NO CRYIN' FROM BRIAN: Of the four tackles by Bengals linebacker Brian Simmons, the most impressive came on a Titans' screen pass, when he somehow squeezed himself through the three-man wall leading the blocking and made the solo tackle.

        “This was a big loss for us, but we've got seven more chances,” he said.

        Simmons said the fact that Titans QB Steve McNair was able to escape the pocket and run for big gains wasn't a matter of the Bengals' defense failing to keep him pinched in the pocket.

        “It wasn't necessarily containment,” Simmons said. “A lot of times, he was just stepping up in the pocket. I'm not saying (that was true) in every case, but it was true in the majority. That's the thing about pass rushing. When you've got a quarterback like that, he's going to make some plays.”

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