By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Trouble spots

Corey Dillon: The franchise tailback is ailing with a groin strain, and he said he was probably going to miss next week's game at Buffalo, the last before the bye. Brandon Bennett and Rudi Johnson are solid backups, but neither is a Dillon.

Punting: The Bengals had no mistakes in special teams, but Nick Harris' punting and the punt coverage are lagging behind the rest of the kicking game. Harris had a 29.2-yard net, and Dennis Northcutt had an 11.4-yard return average.

Penalties: The Bengals were undisciplined along the defensive and offensive lines against the Browns, committing 11 miscues for 60 yards. A better team will take advantage of short-yardage situations against the defense.

Looking good

Coaching: Marvin Lewis' decision at halftime to go with running back Johnson in the second half was one of several good ones. Lewis also let offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski throw the ball deep at the end of the first half. Result: TD.

O-line: With Dillon on the sideline, the offensive line created enough space for 80 rushing yards, and they did not allow a sack of Jon Kitna, who threw 31 times. The Bengals also were 2-for-2 with red zone TDs.

Third down: The Bengals converted 9-of-15 third-down plays on offense and limited the Browns to 5 for 11. The Bengals also had two sacks and pressured Browns quarterback Tim Couch throughout the second half.

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