By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Quarterback is a position that requires stability.

But with the Bengals, it has been as stable as the San Andreas Fault.

Since 1996, when Jeff Blake started all 16 games, the Bengals have started eight different quarterbacks - and the instability has been a major reason for a 26-70 composite record.

When Jon Kitna starts against Denver on Sunday, it will be the seventh consecutive opening day without a repeat starter.

In Tennessee, by comparison, Steve McNair will be starting his seventh straight opening day and has made 89 of a possible 96 regular-season starts. Quarterback stability is a reason for the Titans' 60-36 record.

Last season, the Bengals started three quarterbacks in the first five games, and only when Kitna began his streak of 12 consecutive starts did the offense become productive.

Quarterback competitions dominated both of coach Dick LeBeau's training camps, in 2001 and '02.

Kitna won a three-way competition against Scott Mitchell and Akili Smith in 2001, and Gus Frerotte beat out Kitna in 2002.

Frerotte, in his first and only season with the Bengals, did not get enough work with the first-team offense in training camp and the preseason. The unfamiliarity showed in his three starts - all losses - in which the offense scored only 16 points. Smith was the Game 4 starter, and the only Bengals touchdown in a 35-7 loss to Tampa Bay was an interception return by linebacker Brian Simmons.

"I think the players were a little shocked when it wasn't Jon at the beginning," Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said. "That's nothing against Gus. There was that unease. Jon had been the guy the year before. There you are on opening day, and a lot of different things are going on. That's the result you get: inconsistency."

This year, Kitna is the clear starter. Tenth-year pro Shane Matthews' personality allows him to be anything from the starter to No. 3. Carson Palmer, the first overall draft pick and reigning Heisman Trophy winner, has a refreshing lack of ego and has said he is not ready to play ahead of Kitna.

"I could rave about all three of them: Jon helping Carson; Shane helping Carson and Jon; Shane's expertise that he brings with him," Bratkowski said. "There is no selfishness. It's a group that's working together trying to make whoever is on the field the best he can be."

Rookie head coach Marvin Lewis named Kitna the starter in February. He oversaw the selection of Palmer. Lewis then signed Matthews - whom he knew from their season together in 2002 with the Redskins - and released Smith.

"There is always anxiety," Lewis said of unstable quarterback situations. "You have different guys taking the snaps. You spend the whole offseason trying to get the timing down, and to say you can go out there and get it in three or four practices is almost impossible."

That's exactly what Smith was asked to do in 2002 before making his only start against Tampa Bay.

Kitna started the next 12 games following the loss to the Buccaneers. And for the first time in three years, Kitna received extensive training camp and preseason work with the first-team offense.

"Just the aspect of having the growing pains you're going to go through, you go through them together," Kitna said. "It's that instead of, 'Man, bad practice today. I wonder if I'm going to be the No. 1 guy next practice?' "

Other offensive players like the quarterback stability, as well.

"You know what to expect, how he throws the ball," wide receiver Peter Warrick said.

Matthews, too, although he wants to play, is impressed with the order at quarterback with the Bengals. He's one season removed from one of the most unstable quarterback situations in league history. Coach Steve Spurrier, in his first year as Redskins coach, started three quarterbacks in 2002.

"Last year it was bizarre," said Matthews, who made seven starts for Washington. "It was very difficult. It didn't matter who the quarterback was. One bad throw here or there, and you were pulled out of a game or pulled the next week.

"It's good for a team, especially with Marvin trying to rebuild this organization, that he named Jon the starter when he got the job."

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com