By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PITTSBURGH - Wide receivers Chad Johnson and Hines Ward each put up numbers Sunday that rank among the best in their franchises' histories.

With seven receptions for 152 yards, Johnson became the first Bengals receiver since Carl Pickens in Games 10-12 of the 1994 season to have three consecutive 100-yard receiving games.

At the same time, with 125 yards on five catches, Ward became the first Steelers receiver since the 1960s to have 100 receiving yards in three straight games.

Johnson's three-game streak with a touchdown reception was snapped, but his totals in the past three games are impressive: 18 catches for 365 yards and two touchdowns.

He leads the team with 45 receptions, 713 yards and four touchdowns.

Johnson credited his improvement to offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski, wide receivers coach Steve Mooshagian and quarterback Jon Kitna.

"Kitna keeps my head straight and in the ballgame," Johnson said.

Kitna said he is proud of Johnson, who has been the team's top receiver since Game 5 at Indianapolis.

"He's really coming into his own," Kitna said. "He's becoming a go-to receiver. He commands respect from the other team's defensive coordinator."

Johnson was Kitna's target on a fourth-down play at the Steelers 5-yard line with 47 seconds remaining. The Bengals trailed by eight, 29-21, at the time.

Pittsburgh cornerback Chad Scott broke up the final pass in the right corner of the end zone.

"I had position on Scott," Johnson said. "He just made a good play. Instead of looking at me, he just looked at the quarterback. He saw the ball before I did and that's why he reacted so fast to it."

Ward's 125 receiving yards gave him 1,039, the second consecutive season he's broken 1,000. The last Steelers receiver to do that was Roy Jefferson in 1968 and '69.

Ward scored Sunday on a 64-yard catch-and-run play from Kordell Stewart.

Ward also had a 39-yard run on a reverse in the first quarter.

He has 81 receptions and 11 touchdowns.

"I think the opponent - they know what No. 86 is about, what he is capable of doing," Ward said.

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