By Kevin Kelly
Enquirer staff writer

Jerry Fontenot assured Bengals coaches of his readiness. Sure, the uniform and playbook were different, but the game, at least in the general sense, was the same.

Recent Bengals addition Jerry Fontenot started at center in Sunday's game against the Dolphins. (Enquirer photo/MICHAEL E. KEATING)

"I told them I'd be good and ready to go by Sunday," Fontenot said. "But it was definitely a challenge."

Signed Thursday morning after injuries to Rich Braham and Larry Moore, the 16th-year veteran played every offensive snap against the Dolphins on Sunday night.

"The guys around me really get a lot of credit," Fontenot said after the Bengals' 16-13 victory. "I leaned on them, and they really came through."

So how does a player who devoted his time to learning the intricacies of one team's playbook gain a working knowledge of another team's in 72 hours?

Experience helps. So do study habits refined in high school and college.

"Football is football. It pretty much stays the same," said Bengals safety Kevin Kaesviharn, who signed with the Bengals in October 2001 and played 10 games that season.

"The hardest part is trying to get the terminology down. That's something where you just have to study and study and study day in and day out until you get it down pat."

Instances of players joining a new team and being thrust immediately into contributing roles are plentiful in the NFL, where injuries and performance create needs with every team each week.

"There are always guys like that," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said, referring to Fontenot. "What he did was great. Let's not diminish it or sit here and belabor it."

But knowing the numerous responsibilities required - snapping the football, blocking, footwork, communicating with offensive linemates each play - center is among the most challenging offensive positions to learn in an abbreviated timeframe.

"I'm still learning the offense," said Bengals left guard Eric Steinbach, in his second pro season. "So I can't believe that a guy can come in and in three days know our game plan. Each series, we got better and he got more comfortable with the calls. Honest to goodness, you could see some improvement."

Kaesviharn and Fontenot are among a handful of Bengals players who had to gain a working knowledge of the team's playbook after an in-season arrival.

Carson Palmer looks for receivers as the defense closes in. Click the photo to download a full-sized version for your computer's desktop. After it loads, right-click to "Set As Background." (Enquirer photo/MICHAEL E. KEATING)

Five days after the Bengals claimed linebacker Marcus Wilkins off waivers from the Cardinals on Sept. 1, they claimed cornerback Rashad Bauman from the Redskins. Both played in Cincinnati's first two regular-season games.

Like Wilkins and Bauman, running back Kenny Watson (September 2003) and tight end Tony Stewart (November 2002) also played immediately after the Bengals acquired them.

"When they game-plan here in the NFL, things change week to week," Kaesviharn said. "So what you learn that first week could be totally different the next week. So it's an ongoing process

"The only time I felt comfortable was once I got into the offseason and training camp where I learned the base system that was in place. Then it was easy from there."

Fontenot entered Sunday with 189 starts at center in 228 career NFL games. That wealth of professional experience, Steinbach believed, proved invaluable Sunday.

"That just goes to show you a guy who's played in the league that long has that much knowledge," he said. "It really pays off."

• The Bengals waived center Thatcher Szalay from the injured reserve list.

Szalay, a second-year player from Montana, had gone on IR on Sept. 2 with a wrist injury.

He signed with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent out of Montana in 2003 and appeared in one game over the last two seasons.

---E-mail kkelly@enquirer.com

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