Bengals wide receiver Ron Dugans is tackled by Colts defensive back Nick Harper in the second quarter. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        INDIANAPOLIS - The Bengals' races for playing time at quarterback, kicker and backup running back grew even closer Saturday night in their 22-10 preseason victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

        So close, in fact, is the quarterback derby that coach Dick LeBeau said he will not name the regular-season starter until after the third preseason game, Saturday night at Paul Brown Stadium against New Orleans.

        LeBeau said he would name the starter for that game either Monday or Tuesday.

        “I don't think we will name the starting quarterback next week,” LeBeau said after watching Gus Frerotte, Jon Kitna and Akili Smith all play well for the second consecutive week. “We're going to have to make some tough decisions, but we like that. You can never have too many good players.”

        For the second consecutive preseason game, the Bengals rallied from a halftime deficit behind Smith to win. The Bengals scored 19 unanswered points in the second half and went 2-0 in the preseason for the first time since 1989 with the 22-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts at the RCA Dome.

        The maligned special teams played a major role in the win. After a Neil Rackers 42-yard field goal pulled the Bengals to within 10-6 with 6:12 remaining in the third quarter, rookie linebacker Tito Rodriguez knocked the ball away from Colts kickoff returner Desmond Kitchings. Chris Edmonds recovered for the Bengals at the 20-yard line.

        Five plays later, Curtis Keaton ran in from the 2 to give the Bengals the lead. On the night, Rackers and rookie Travis Dorsch were perfect on a combined three field-goal attempts.

Bengals linebacker Tito Rodriguez grabs the face mask of Colts receiver Donald Shoals as he makes the tackle in the fourth quarter. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Keaton and Rudi Johnson are battling for playing time behind Pro Bowler Corey Dillon and Brandon Bennett. And Rackers and rookie Travis Dorsch are vying for the kicking job.

        As they did a week earlier in coming from behind to win at Buffalo, the Bengals controlled the ball in the second half behind Smith against the Colts' second- and third-string defenders. Smith was 9-for-16 passing for 53 yards.

        But the quarterback race unfolded more clearly in the first half.

        Kitna moved the Bengals 68 yards on 14 plays at the end of the first half, a drive capped by a 29-yard Dorsch field goal, and the Bengals trailed the Colts 10-3 at halftime.

        Kitna was 7-for-11 passing for 60 yards on the drive, but he narrowly escaped a turnover on a third down and eight to go on the last play before the field goal when he was almost intercepted.

        Kitna demonstrated more command and knowledge of the offense than Frerotte, and Kitna has led scoring drives in two of his four preseason possessions. He is 14-for-21 passing in the preseason with one touchdown and no interceptions. Last season, he threw 22 interceptions to 12 touchdown passes.

        On the scoring drive against the Colts, Kitna was 3-of-4 on third-down passes, missing only on the last play. Kitna hit rookie tight end Matt Schobel twice and Peter Warrick once on third downs to keep the drive going. In the first half, Schobel, making his first appearance with the Bengals, had three receptions for 30 yards in the first half.

        Frerotte was held scoreless in three drives, and his interception, his second of the preseason, was returned for a touchdown to give Indianapolis a 7-0 lead.

        The Colts held the ball for 7:48 to open the game. They drove from their own 21-yard line, converting two third-down-and-long plays, and moving to the Bengals 26.

Bengals halfback Curtis Keaton dives to the corner of the end zone as he's tackled by Colts linebacker Rob Morris in the second quarter. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        But on a second-down and 16 to go, Bengals rookie free safety Lamont Thompson stepped in front of a Peyton Manning pass inside the 10 and returned the ball 38 yards to the 43-yard line.

        Thompson, the Bengals' second-round pick, was drafted to make those kinds of plays.

        “I give the pass rushers all the credit on that one,” Thompson said of the interception. “That ball was just floating in the air. I almost had to fair-catch it.”

        The Bengals, behind starter Frerotte, made two first downs before stalling on fourth down at the Colts 35-yard line. LeBeau decided to go for the first down, but Frerotte overthrew Ron Dugans, and the ball was intercepted by Indianapolis cornerback Nick Harper. Harper ran untouched 77 yards down the right sideline.

        Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said Frerotte's arm was hit on the interception.

        Frerotte's second series ended in a punt. The Bengals had third-and-1 on the 39, but a pitch play to tailback Rudi Johnson lost 7 yards.

        In three possessions, Frerotte was 6-for-10 passing for 56 yards and one interception. In two preseason games, Frerotte is 12-for-20 passing for 123 yards, two interceptions and one touchdown.

        Overall, Rudi Johnson rushed for 103 yards on 22 carries, including a 1-yard touchdown run to cap the final scoring drive, which went 92 yards on 12 plays. Keaton had 89 yards on 16 carries.

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