By Mark Curnutte
Enquirer staff writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Chad Johnson made all the catches Sunday against the Jets.

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Photos of Sunday's game

He caught one that was thrown at least two feet behind him. He grabbed a fluttering, tipped pass by screening the defensive back. And his masterpiece was the 53-yard touchdown pass he picked off the Giants Stadium FieldTurf in the fourth quarter.

"No matter where you put the ball," he said, "I'm going to get it."

Johnson beat safety Erik Coleman before diving, extending his body and rolling - in a curled position - in the end zone. The catch moved the Bengals to within 31-24, the eventual final score.

"Best catch I've ever seen," said quarterback Carson Palmer. "The best catch on any ball I've ever thrown."

Johnson had five receptions for 99 yards, just missing his 11th career 100-yard game. He had a sixth for 43 yards that was called back by offsetting penalties. Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis jumped offside, but Bengals right tackle Willie Anderson was called for holding, a penalty he did not commit last year.

Four of Johnson's receptions, including the touchdown, resulted in first downs.

But Johnson wasn't happy.

"All those things are good, but we need to make more," he said. "Come next week, I need to double up on my workload and make sure we don't have this kind of game."

Johnson was the intended receiver on Palmer's last pass - which was intercepted by Coleman.

Johnson is a Palmer fan.

"It was only the beginning," Johnson said of teaming with Palmer. Palmer's play did belie his NFL inexperience. In his first start, he was 18-for-27 passing for 248 yards, two touchdowns and the one interception.

Palmer's ability to throw the deep ball could help Johnson reach his goal of 1,800 receiving yards. He has 1,701 to go in 15 games.

Wide receivers Peter Warrick (five receptions, 76 yards) and T.J. Houshmandzadeh (three catches for 38 yards) also had productive games.

But the individual goals are secondary, Johnson said, to winning.

"The mood is good," he said after the loss.

"It's going to be all right. We moved the ball up and down the field. This one is over. We have to focus on Miami.

"We need to start fast. We lost one. We don't need to lose no more before that bye.'

The Bengals have home games against the Dolphins and Baltimore in the next two weeks before traveling to Pittsburgh. Week 5 is their bye.

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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