By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Most of San Francisco's position groups compare favorably to the Bengals'.

In fact, the 49ers are the only NFL team to rank in the top half in all six major offensive and defensive yardage categories.

A 10-6 team a year ago, the 49ers are nonetheless winless on the road and have the look of a team whose parts are better than the whole.

The opposite is true with the Bengals. They've bought into coach Marvin Lewis' team-first attitude. And the sum of the parts is far greater than the individual pieces. That is their greatest strength and why the Bengals should stay in the playoff chase with a victory today.

QUARTERBACK

Jon Kitna shouldn't feel bad about his two interceptions last Sunday at Baltimore. The Ravens got Jeff Garcia four times a week earlier.

Garcia has more ability to create plays, but he can't get the ball downfield in coach Dennis Erickson's offense as well as Tim Rattay. Kitna needs the protection he didn't get at Baltimore; the flu had weakened Kitna's voice, which couldn't have been heard over the crowd, anyway. Home field is the biggest difference today.

Edge: Bengals

RUNNING BACKS

The Bengals' running back-by-committee setup has not worked in each of the last two games. In place of the injured and possibly soon-departed Garrison Hearst, the 49ers' Kevan Barlow rushed for 154 yards on 18 carries against Arizona in his first NFL start and declared that he is "the future."

The Bengals' future is not so clear at running back. Rudi Johnson needs more carries to be effective. Corey Dillon looked slow against the Ravens. He still doesn't look healthy.

Edge: 49ers

RECEIVERS/TIGHT END

The 49ers can't spare a safety to double-team Chad Johnson, or the Bengals should be able to make them pay in the running game. The matchup at receiver is a two-against-one proposition. Johnson and Peter Warrick have a combined 143 receptions. Terrell Owens (71 catches, eight touchdowns) is the 49ers' primary receiving threat and has a 113-game reception streak.

Edge: Bengals

OFFENSIVE LINE

Left tackle Levi Jones might be available if Scott Rehberg has trouble at left tackle for the Bengals. The entire line needs to take responsibility for the two-game slide in the run game.

San Francisco's line is playing well in both phases. The 49ers are fourth in the NFL in rushing at 142 yards a game and have allowed just 22 sacks.

Edge: 49ers

DEFENSIVE LINE

Numbers don't lie. The 49ers are eighth against the run at 99.6 yards a game, and run defense starts up front.

The Bengals have fallen to 24th against the run at 126.2 after the Ravens had 223. The Bengals' defense is at its best when the front four gets pressure on the quarterback and leaves linebackers in pass coverage.

Edge: 49ers

LINEBACKERS

Linebackers share largely in the failure of the Bengals' defense to stop the run. Middle linebacker Kevin Hardy is going to get a nose full of 49ers Fred Beasley, widely considered the best blocking fullback in the game. Outside linebacker Julian Peterson is the 49er defender the Bengals are most concerned about. He has 123 tackles, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and is fast enough to have broken up 11 passes.

Edge: 49ers

DEFENSIVE BACKS

The Bengals top three cornerbacks - Tory James, Jeff Burris and Artrell Hawkins - should be together again for the first time since the Nov. 2 Arizona game. That will help. As usual, the bigger, physical James will get a lot of face time with a big, physical receiver - Owens. The playmaker in San Francisco's secondary is strong safety Tony Parrish, who has interceptions in five consecutive games. The 'Niners have picks in nine consecutive games and 19 overall.

Edge: 49ers

SPECIAL TEAMS

The 49ers have missed 10 field goals and are on their third kicker. The Bengals' Shayne Graham has taken the adventure out of the kicking game with his steady performance. Neither squad is anything special in coverage or returns teams.

Edge: Bengals

COACHING

The Bengals are 4-2 at home and 3-4 on the road. The 49ers are 6-1 at home and 0-6 on the road - and coaching has something to do with that. Lewis, on the other hand, has prevented his team from losing two in a row since Sept. 14-21.

Edge: Bengals

Series history

• The 49ers lead the Bengals 7-2 in regular-season games.

• The last meeting was Dec. 5, 1999, at Cinergy Field, a 44-30 Bengals victory that broke a seven-game regular season losing streak to San Francisco.

• Only 11 of 53 Bengals players remain on the roster from the 1999 game.

On today's game

"I expect them first of all to play with a lot of emotion. I know that Coach (Marvin) Lewis has done a great job of coming in there and creating an excitement, creating an emotion, creating a belief that they can win football games."

- Jeff Garcia on facing the Bengals defense

Curnutte's prediction: Bengals 27, 49ers 21

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