By Mark Curnutte
Enquirer staff writer

The Bengals had chances to draft running backs Steven Jackson and Kevin Jones in April.

Instead, they took Chris Perry, who has suffered two injuries and has just one yard rushing on two carries.

Jackson, meanwhile, has 260 rushing yards, a 5.7-yard average and one touchdown. Jones has 171 yards and one touchdown.

But the Bengals are happy with Perry, who was slowed by a hamstring injury in the preseason and now is questionable for the Tennessee game with an abdominal strain.

"Chris has been physically hurt," coach Marvin Lewis said. "There's not much we can do. I have not been displeased with Chris when he's gotten an opportunity to play and the things he's done. But we can't overcome a hamstring (pull) and an abdominal strain."

Perry has played in two games, and he has flashed his ability as a receiver with three catches for 33 yards. He was inactive for two games because of injuries. He dressed for two other games but did not play. Word was he was not up to speed on the offensive scheme, specifically his responsibilities as a pass blocker on third down.

Perry missed the first 10 days of camp because of a contract holdout.

"What happens is you have to know the foundation, and he missed a lot of that fundamental work in camp," said running backs coach Jim Anderson.

It was Anderson's draft-day recommendation that convinced the team to choose Perry.

"Subsequently, every week now we play someone different. And they present different situations. And you have to have that flexibility to adjust on the move. And that's something he's learning to adapt to in the National Football League."

The productive play of third-down back Kenny Watson also has afforded the Bengals the luxury of bringing Perry along slowly.

Watson is an outstanding blocker, and 10 of his 16 receptions have come on third down.

"See, Kenny has been in here and he knows the fundamentals of what to do," Anderson said. "And when he's put in that position, all he does is go out and execute. It's our job to put the pieces of the puzzle together, and we're trying to put that piece (Perry) in there in the right fit."

Perry, for his part, is frustrated by the inactivity.

"But I can't do anything except be patient," Perry said. "It's all I can do."

He dressed for practice Thursday, though he could not participate. He aggravated the abdominal muscle Saturday night in a practice before the Denver game.

In the meantime, he goes to meetings. He attends practice. He learns.

"I felt like I had knowledge of the offense already," he said. "The only thing I can do now is let Mother Nature work."

The Bengals liked Perry'sability to make tacklers miss. He can't do that now because of the injury.

"He wants to play. He went out there and looked good Saturday night, but tweaked it," Lewis said. "It's awfully sore. It's hard to play running back if you can't make the guy that's trying to attack you miss you."

Perry is not ready to turn his rookie year into a redshirt season. He played 13 games last season at Michigan.

"Can't, we've got 10 games left," he said while rushing off to the 12:30 p.m. offense meeting. "That's a college season."

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