By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

GEORGETOWN, Ky. - Coach Marvin Lewis declared the first week of training camp a success following the mock game Saturday afternoon.The black-shirted team, composed of starters, defeated the white team - primarily backup players - by the score of 66-17.

Starting quarterback Jon Kitna led two touchdown drives, and backup Shane Matthews led one for the starters. Matthews also led two drives that ended in Neil Rackers field goals.

Rookie Carson Palmer played 34 snaps and eight offensive series - seven for the white team - and failed to generate a point. He also played quarterback for one drive for the black team.

Palmer was 8-for-20 passing for 56 yards and one interception.

In all, 82 offensive plays were run.

"It was good for us to get out and do the whole sideline thing," Lewis said. It's great for the coaches to get to work. We got a number of young players (who saw) how the NFL works with how quickly the ball was set. We got the 40-second clock going at the right pace."

That said, wide receivers Chad Johnson and Peter Warrick were both flagged for delay-of-game penalties in the game.

BIG DAY: Warrick had six receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns, from 49 and 35 yards.

REDEMPTION: The first-team defense gave up only one field goal Saturday after allowing three touchdowns in the scrimmage.

Saturday's field goal came after Lamont Thompson's interception off Kitna. He returned it 10 yards to the black team's 22-yard line. The drive went minus-1 yard, but Rackers - kicking for both teams - made a 40-yard field goal.

"They did a much better job with their assignments," Lewis said. "Hopefully the film will bear that out."

CARSON'S DAY: Palmer was not discouraged by his tough afternoon after the first-team defense.

"That's what you want," he said. "You want to go up against the best guys and have the challenge."

Said Lewis: "I don't think he has any reason to be discouraged. He got a chance to go out here and play football."

SACK PACK: Ends Justin Smith and Duane Clemons each had two sacks for the defense.

"They don't count until September," said Smith, who has 16 sacks in his first two seasons.

VINDICATION: The focus of fans' scorn in 2002, cornerback Jeff Burris has regained a starting job and showed why during Saturday's mock game.

Burris intercepted Palmer once and broke up three passes.

"Carson was picking on me today. I'll have to grab him in the locker room and see what the deal is," Burris said.

"I feel great physically, and more important than that, just being around the positive attitude it makes a lot of things easier. What happened in the past, you learn and grow from things."

BIG CROWDS: Friday night's scrimmage and Saturday's mock game each drew more than 7,000 fans to Rawlings Stadium, said Eric Ward, Georgetown College's athletic director.

Both drew more people than the 2002 training camp scrimmage.

"We had a lot of the same faces here both days," Ward said. "It was good for the community."

The 2003 camp is the final in a seven-year contract between the Bengals and the college. The two sides will meet this week to begin discussions on a possible renewal.

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com