By Mark Curnutte
Enquirer staff writer

The Bengals practiced Thursday with as many healthy bodies as they've had in some time.

The noted exception was wide receiver Peter Warrick, who again was listed as doubtful with a shin injury that is now believed to be a fractured fibula.

Warrick has missed the last two games because of the injury.

Out for the Monday night game against Denver are cornerback Rashad Bauman (Achilles) and safety Rogers Beckett (concussion). Beckett went out in full pads and a helmet and was participating in non-contact drills. He said he is hopeful to return for the Tennessee game Oct. 31.

Rookie running back Chris Perry (abdominal strain) did not practice and was listed as probable. Cornerback Terrell Roberts was questionable with an "illness" but was likely to be upgraded to probable by the end of the week.

NO RESPECT: ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown" show will be heavy on the Denver Broncos and light on the Bengals.

ESPN will dedicate four segments to the Broncos and one to the Bengals, on wide receiver Chad Johnson, in its 90-minute show that starts at 7:30 p.m.

"His Pepto-Bismol stunt left Chad Johnson red-faced, so it's back to work to make up for it in the national spotlight," read an ESPN press release. "The Bengal receiver has been known to spend an entire night at the Bengal practice facility."

NO COMMENT: Bengals cornerback Deltha O'Neal declined to respond to comments made Wednesday by his former coach, Denver's Mike Shanahan.

Shanahan moved O'Neal from cornerback to wide receiver at the end of the 2003 and traded him to the Bengals in April.

FOCUS AND FINISH: Coach Marvin Lewis said he was trying to keep his players focused on "playing football" and not getting caught in the "hysteria" surrounding the Bengals' first home Monday night game since 1989.

"More than anything, that's what our focus has got to be," he said. "By not doing too much and taking care of doing our job, we have a better chance of winning."

STILL CHAMP: The compliments flowed Thursday for Champ Bailey, the sixth-year Denver cornerback.

"God gave him everything that was needed to play corner - hips, feet, faster than everybody, strong, tall, patient, great ball skills," said Bauman, who played alongside Bailey in Washington. "He's one of the few players I would say honestly got everything. Smart. He's definitely a hard worker."

Lewis spent 2002 as Redskins defensive coordinator.

"He's a special, special person - physically, mentally, inside, outside," he said of Bailey. Bailey has one of two Denver interceptions and is fifth with 29 tackles.

BATTER UP: Lewis is known to draw motivational material from a variety of sources. A former high school baseball player, Lewis has taken lessons from the baseball championship series.

"I drew on the (American League champion) Red Sox yesterday and I drew on the Yankees after Game 1," Lewis said Thursday. "I let it go today, though. Every year somebody writes history. Somebody does something that no one has done before. That's why you play the game. Otherwise it's no fun. We wouldn't have jobs."

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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