By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Much was made of the improved physical condition of Bengals players in training camp.

Now, closing in on the midpoint of the season, players have maintained their top conditioning - and it shows in two major ways.

The Bengals are among the NFL's least-injured teams, and they hold a scoring advantage over their opponents in the fourth quarter.

And as the Bengals push for a .500 record Sunday at Arizona, coach Marvin Lewis has turned up the thermostat to match the desert heat.

The Wednesday practice is always in full pads with contact, and Thursdays are no less demanding.

Veterans no longer get days off from practice. Injured players no longer sit in golf carts to watch practice.

"We're working so hard during the week, especially on Wednesday and Thursday, that guys are looking forward to getting to Sunday," right tackle Willie Anderson said.

Said linebacker Brian Simmons, when asked if Wednesday was the hardest day of the week: "Yeah, buddy, and today's Wednesday. That dial goes high."

Weight work on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday has increased to match off-season loads. There are extra-credit opportunities. All offensive linemen participate in an optional lift after the Wednesday practice, said Chip Morton, the first-year strength and conditioning coach.

"When you get to the season, our group is used to falling off then," Lewis said Wednesday. "So we have educated them that we keep going and get better during the season."

The Bengals were widely considered one of the NFL's most poorly conditioned teams in recent seasons. Mistakes increased as fatigue overtook players. Five times last season, en route to a franchise-worst 2-14 record, the Bengals lost leads twice in the third quarter and three times in the fourth quarter. The 2002 Bengals were outscored 94-77 in the fourth quarter.

This season, though, the Bengals have won two of their three games in the second half. They scored the winning touchdown in the third quarter at Cleveland to win 21-14. They held the Browns scoreless in the final two quarters. In Sunday's victory against Seattle, the Bengals battled back and took the lead in the fourth.

By outscoring the Seahawks 7-0 in the fourth quarter, the Bengals have outscored opponents 45-35 in the final 15 minutes of their seven games.

And although injuries are part of football and sometimes inevitable, too many are another sign of a poorly conditioned team.

In the last three months of the 2002 season, eight players were placed on the injured reserve list. So far this season, not one Bengal player has gone on IR.

And when tight end Reggie Kelly misses Sunday's game with the Cardinals because of a stress fracture in his left foot, it will be only the second game missed by one of the 22 starters this season because of injury. Tailback Corey Dillon was inactive for the Oct. 5 game at Buffalo because of a groin strain. A traffic accident caused Dillon to miss Sunday's game against Seattle.

Now, the weight room is now a place of physical and spiritual strength.

"I don't believe in this," said Morton, holding up his hand and crossing his fingers to symbolize luck. "A lot of the guys are praying for help. We pray for wisdom and health, and God has been gracious."

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com