By Mark Curnutte and Shannon Russell
The Cincinnati Enquirer

On the day that Emmitt Smith broke Walter Payton's career rushing record, Bengals halfback Corey Dillon continued his climb up the list.

Dillon rushed for 138 yards Sunday in the Bengals' 30-24 loss to the Tennessee Titans at Paul Brown Stadium. It was the 25th 100-yard game of his six-year career. It also moved Dillon from 40th to 37th on the NFL's all-time rushing list, passing Chuck Muncie, Wilbert Montgomery and John Henry Johnson.

Dillon has 6,811 career yards, and he will pass three more running backs - Robert Smith, Curt Warner and Rodney Hampton - if he gains 87 yards Sunday against Houston.

Dillon has 602 yards in seven games this season, an 86-yard average. He scored Sunday on a 4-yard run, his fourth touchdown this year.

Dillon was stopped, however, on a fourth-down play from the 1 with 1:13 remaining. A touchdown would have tied the game, and the extra point would have put the Bengals ahead 31-30.

"I did what I could with what I had," said Dillon, who tripped over pulling guard Matt O'Dwyer, who tangled his feet with quarterback Jon Kitna.

SMALL CROWD: There were 52,822 tickets distributed for Sunday's game. It wasn't a sellout. The Bengals have sold out just seven of their 20 games in 21/2 years at Paul Brown Stadium.

SEVEN IN A ROW: The Bengals dropped to 0-7 for the fifth time in franchise history. They lost their first eight games in 1978, 1991 and 1994, and their first 10 games in 1993.

"I'm a little shell-shocked right now," said defensive tackle Oliver Gibson, a fourth-year Bengal. "I'm trying to figure out how we're missing the close ones - how we're letting them go."

The Detroit Lions were the last team to go winless beyond seven games. They started 0-12 before finishing 2-14 in 2001.

SCHO-TIME: Bengals rookie tight end Matt Schobel caught his first NFL touchdown pass, an 8-yarder from Kitna in the fourth quarter.

Schobel, who played a limited offensive role until Kitna returned as quarterback, entered the game with five receptions for 37 yards. He scored five touchdowns as a Texas Christian University senior in 2001, averaging 30 yards per catch.

"They blitzed on Kitna and he made a good play getting (the ball) out of his hands quickly. There wasn't anybody out there," Schobel said. "It felt good, but it's still tough to lose. A loss is still a loss at the end of the day."

Schobel is expected to start at Houston, with Sean Brewer still nursing a knee injury.

TURNOVER TURNAROUND: Bengals defensive tackle Bernard Whittington recovered his first fumble since 1998, seizing Artell Hawkins' strip of an Eddie George first-quarter carry.

"It's actually something we talked about all week - getting the ball back. We needed to play defense on the play-action," Whittington said. "We wanted extra emphasis on getting turnovers. And when (George) was running, the ball was just right there."

The Bengals have forced four fumbles in seven games. They entered the game tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers (three) for the league's fewest forced fumbles.

TITAN-IC EFFORTS: Titans quarterback Steve McNair has thrown touchdown passes in 20 consecutive games. He hit Derrick Mason on a third-quarter, 32-yard score Sunday. McNair trails only Warren Moon in the franchise record books; Moon's record is 21 in 1990-91.

George posted his sixth career 100-yard game against the Bengals, rolling up 106 yards on 21 carries.

INJURY REPORT: Looking ahead to Houston, the Bengals' injuries are: wide receiver Danny Farmer (toe sprain), cornerback Jeff Burris (right hamstring), safety Cory Hall (right ankle), safety Mark Roman (concussion) and wide receiver Michael Westbrook (hamstring) are probable.

Linebacker Armegis Spearman (right ankle sprain) and defensive end Vaughn Booker (knee) are doubtful.

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