Akili Smith looks for an open receiver against the Colts in the third quarter. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        INDIANAPOLIS — Akili Smith thinks he still can win Cincinnati's quarterback job. His performance Saturday night helped.

        Smith led the Bengals on four second-half scoring drives, rallying Cincinnati to a 22-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

        “I don't know what's going on. I don't know what (coach Dick) LeBeau and the rest of the staff is thinking,” he said. “The only thing I can do is just continue to work hard and continue to study each day and we'll see what happens.”

        Throughout the preseason, it's been expected LeBeau will select either last year's starter Jon Kitna or free-agent acquisition Gus Frerotte.

        But Smith, a former first-round pick, might be back in the running for the starting job.

        He looked sharp in the second half against the Colts' backups and was more efficient than either Kitna or Frerotte.

        Smith completed 9 of 16 passes for 53 yards, and Kitna was 7-of-11 for 60 yards. Frerotte started and was 6-of-10 for 56 yards with one interception. Smith led the Bengals on their two touchdown drives and produced 19 points.

        It was good enough that LeBeau said he would consider starting Smith in next week's game against New Orleans — before he makes a decision.

        “We won't name a starting quarterback next week,” LeBeau said. “But after the next game we will.”

        The Bengals played without two-time Pro Bowl running back Corey Dillon or wide receivers Michael Westbrook, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Danny Farmer.

        In Dillon's place, Rudi Johnson ran 22 times for 103 yards, and Curtis Keaton had 16 carries for 89 yards. Each player scored a touchdown.

        But it was a troubling night for the Colts, who made their home debut under coach Tony Dungy.

        Before the game, Indianapolis learned it lost last year's leading rusher Dominic Rhodes, for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

        The problems worsened on the field.

        Indianapolis' offensive starters failed to score for the second consecutive week and they managed only two first downs in the second half, both by penalty. Desmond Kitchings fumbled on back-to-back kickoff returns and Hunter Smith shanked a 10-yard punt.

        Even when the Colts appeared to do something right, something else went wrong. Punt returner Drew Haddad was even bowled over by his own blocker.

        “This is certainly not the way we wanted to play our first home game,” Dungy said. “Usually you can find some good things to come out with, but there were not many in this game.”

        The biggest concern was the Colts' inability to move the ball.

        They only got inside the Cincinnati 20 once, following a fumble recovery, and their longest drive of the night ended when Peyton Manning was intercepted by Lamont Thompson. Manning was 8-of-13 for 69 yards.

        “We just need to be a little sharper and a little more solid,” Manning said. “We had a couple of drops and small things that we need to clean up on. If we do that, I still feel we can be a very productive offense.”

        About the only to go right was the play of Nick Harper, who intercepted Frerotte and raced 77 yards for a touchdown — the Colts' second on an interception in two weeks. Harper also forced a fumble that led to a 22-yard Mike Vanderjagt field goal and a 10-0 Colts lead midway through the second quarter.

        The Bengals got a 29-yard field goal from Travis Dorsch, a fourth-round draft choice who struggled last week, to cut the lead to 10-3 at halftime.

        When Smith started the second half, though, the game turned.

        On his second drive, the Bengals went 56 yards and got a 42-yard field goal from Neil Rackers.

        Kitchings' first fumble set up Cincinnati again. Four plays later, Keaton powered in from 2 yards to give the Bengals a 13-10 lead.

        Smith's shanked punt led to a 33-yard Dorsch field goal with 1:48 left in the third quarter, and then Smith guided Cincinnati on a 12-play, 92-yard drive that sealed the game on Johnson's 1-yard TD run. A conversion pass failed.

        Smith couldn't complain.

        “I was happy with the way I played, but I still have some work to do. Other than that I'm happy,” he said. “We got the victory, and it's time to move on to the next game.”

Bengals 22, Colts 10 Bengals-Colts Stats DAUGHERTY: Bengals QBs Akili making a pass at QB job Bengals Q&A Booker's career enters last years, but he's not done Colts' Rhodes will miss season with torn ACL Broncos' Davis to retire after latest knee injury Browns WR stays after all Browns 24, Lions 23 Chiefs 19, Texans 9 Cowboys 19, Panthers 16 Falcons 36, Giants 24 Packers 29, Cardinals 21 Patriots 16, Eagles 15

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