By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Bengals wide receiver Michael Westbrook left Paul Brown Stadium at 11:30 a.m. Sunday after learning he was inactive for that afternoon's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Whether Westbrook returned to sit with other inactive teammates in the press box, the norm for home games, wasn't known late Monday, Bengals officials said.

Westbrook was unavailable for comment Monday.

There is no team or league policy regarding inactive players. Normally, seven players from the 53-man roster are declared inactive, meaning they aren't in uniform. NFL teams normally dress 46 players for a game, with the 46th being an emergency third quarterback.

Westbrook signed a three-year contract as a free agent with the Bengals in July, but he has been a major disappointment. He has just four receptions for 41 yards and was expected to be a team leader.

The Bengals dressed five receivers for the Pittsburgh game, a 34-7 loss. Danny Farmer returned from a knee injury and was activated.

Bengals coach Dick LeBeau was asked Monday about Westbrook's possible absence.

"I didn't know that was a fact," LeBeau said. "Thank you for telling me. I think a teammate's place is with his teammates."

BYE-BYE: The Bengals will practice today through Thursday before getting three days off on their bye weekend.

The 0-6 Bengals are the league's only winless team and have been outscored 181-51, an average of 30-9 each game.

"Thank God it's a bye week," Bengals linebacker Takeo Spikes said Monday. "It's bad. You can't sugarcoat it. You start to feel like you're a piece of meat in the ocean and the damn shark is taking his turn pulling you apart.

"Now at least the bleeding will stop for a week. That will give us a chance to heal up all the wounds and figure out a plan."

The Bengals will play 2-4 Tennessee on Oct. 27 at Paul Brown Stadium. The Titans are off this weekend, too.

DEFENSE RESTS: The Bengals are on pace to allow a franchise-record 483 points this season. The record now stands at 460 points, given up by the 1999 defense.

The offense is on pace to score 136 points, which would be a new franchise record. The 2000 Bengals scored 185 points.

EXCELLENCE: After six games, Bengals running back Corey Dillon has 464 rushing yards. He is on pace to gain 1,237 yards, which would be his fourth consecutive season of 1,200 or more yards.

Dillon has gained more than 1,100 in each of his first five seasons. His projected total for 2002 would give him 7,446 yards rushing in six seasons.

E-mail: mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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