By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Cincinnati wasn't the center of the NFL universe Monday, but you could see it from here.

The pesky Bengals, at 4-5, closed to one game of the AFC North division lead Sunday and are preparing to entertain the NFL's hottest team in the Chiefs.

A Bengals team has not been within two games of the division lead after nine games since 1990. The 2001 Bengals were 4-5, but they trailed the 7-2 Steelers by three games. But that was then.

This is now. Kansas City, at 9-0, is the league's last undefeated team.

But more than one football expert nationally is warning that the Bengals are poised to spoil the Chiefs' perfect season because Kansas City is looking ahead to three consecutive games against AFC West division rivals.

Chad Johnson is not one of those experts, though the Bengal wide receiver's guarantee of victory was a hot topic Monday in both coaches' news conferences.

"He guaranteed me last week that he was going to guarantee that to (the media) after the game," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "The Chiefs aren't going to be any more ready to play than they would have been, based on what Chad said. They're probably laughing about it."

Well, not exactly.

Asked if he was bothered by Johnson's guarantee, Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said, "No. (But) we don't like our players to overload their rear ends with their mouth.

"We don't need to inspire our opponents any more than they need to be inspired. We try to make very rational, classy statements and always reflect positively on our opponents. Not to set them up."

Vermeil is impressed by the Bengals' improvement this season.

"They've done a good job," Vermeil said. "And it's time for them to do a good job. They've been drafting No. 1 with poor records for a long time. Sooner or later, those guys ought to stand up and play."

The last time the Bengals played an undefeated team in November was 1998, when the 7-0 Denver Broncos - en route to a 13-0 start and a Super Bowl title - came into Cincinnati and won 33-26.

The Chiefs appear headed to the same destination.

They are first in the league in scoring at 31.9 points a game and turnover differential at plus-18.

They have the NFL's non-kicker scoring leader in tailback Priest Holmes. He has 14 touchdowns on the ground for 84 points.

They have the league's most dangerous special teams player, Dante Hall, who has two kickoff returns and two punt returns for touchdowns.

They have a four-time Pro Bowl tight end in Tony Gonzalez, whose 33 receptions include five touchdowns and a 14.6-yard average. And they have a defense that leads the league with 19 interceptions and 29 takeaways.

"We have a great opportunity this week," Lewis said. "We are playing a team that is playing the best in the NFL right now, and have the record to match, and they have played very well in all three areas."

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