BY GEOFF HOBSON
Right tackle Willie Anderson said Thursday he plans to play against Tennessee this week with his hyperextended right knee. He said he planned to get in some work during Thursday's practice in preparation to play Titans sack artist Jevon Kearse.
But Anderson didn't want to discuss his matchup with Kearse, coming off his rookie-record 14.5 sacks last season.
The Titans are flopping Kearse more this year from left end to right, but is still at left end about 85 percent of the time. Kearse has just 1.5 sacks this season, but the Bengals have to be concerned because Kearse hasn't had one in two games.
YEAST, KEATON ON DECK:Bengals coach Dick LeBeau wouldn't divulge how he'll change his lineup Wednesday. Instead, he said he'll see what takes place in practice this week before making a call.
Don't just look at right cornerback for a possible switch, where the Bengals could end up splitting time with Artrell Hawkins and Rodney Heath.
Third receiver Craig Yeast may not start, but he could see some significantly more action because LeBeau has noticed his production and indicated he might roll some people through the split end spot opposite flanker Peter Warrick.
Rookie running back Curtis Keaton could also start getting some snaps as the Bengals look to take advantage of his speed, possibly on third down.
"We're looking for the best possible combinations," LeBeau said. "We're going to get these guys that are producing on the field."
The 5-10, 210-pound Keaton's quickness has caught LeBeau's eye: "We like Keaton's big-play potential. When he shows us he's ready to handle it, and I think he is, we'd like to see what he can do for our offense. He's got a lot of speed and a history of making big plays and break-away plays. I don't think there's an offensive coach who doesn't want someone who can go the distance."
Keaton, a fourth-round pick out of James Madison, had an 80-yard run last season in averaging 5.5 yards on 314 carries. He also had a 66-yarder as a junior, but the Bengals would like to see him be more effective catching the ball.
Yeast has the same number of catches as starting split end Ron Dugans (6), but has more yards (74-47) and a bigger longest catch (25-12). But LeBeau also likes the rookie Dugans.
"He was a big factor in the running game against Miami," LeBeau said. "He executed well and played with a lot of spirit. He blocked hard and ran hard. A lot of Corey's (Dillon) runs were because of Ron and the tight ends' and Peter Warrick's catches were because of Ron. He showed us he was an unselfish player."
DILLON NOT FOR SALE: The NFL trading deadline is Tuesday, but at the moment Bengals running back Corey Dillon isn't on the block. Dillon, working on a one-year deal in what could be his last season in Cincinnati, has become the centerpiece of the bid to regain respectability by LeBeau and offensive coordinator Ken Anderson.
"We're looking for everyone to help us get back up and running," said Bengals President Mike Brown. "And we need everyone to contribute. Corey is coming off his best game and if we want our quarterback (Akili Smith) to get to where we think he can be, we'll need a strong running game." . .more
There were clubs interested in dealing for Dillon before the NFL Draft, but now virtually no team can pick up what's left of his $3 million salary. Plus, the team that was interested (Kansas City) and the team that might have been interested (Miami) are getting better production than they thought in the running game.
BOOKER DECISION DUE: No news is good news from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., regarding Bengals defensive end Vaughn Booker. The club is looking for final clearance Thursday as Booker waits for a final test stemming from his fainting episode Sept. 17 in Jacksonville. He's out for this week's game, but the Bengals hope he can be back to practice next week.
TICKETS AVAILABLE: The Bengals didn't sellout Paul Brown Stadium in time for Sunday's 1 p.m. game against the Titans to be televised locally.
Tickets are still available can be ordered by phone from the Bengals ticket office at 621-8383, on bengals.com, by phone at TicketMaster at 562-4949, or at TicketMaster outlets in Greater Cincinnati Thriftway Stores and select Kroger stores outside the metro area.
Tickets can be bought at the ticket office at the team's Paul Brown Stadium office near Gate E on the southeast side. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
