When the Bengals announced Thursday they had reached the threshold to televise Sunday's 1 p.m. game against Jacksonville on Cincinnati's Channel 12 as well as Channel 7 in Dayton, Ohio, and Channel 27 in Lexington, Ky., it appears the remaining three Paul Brown Stadium games are also going to be televised locally.
The club said this week that sales for the Nov. 6 Thursday night game against Cleveland are strong and the Steelers on Dec. 7 and the Broncos on Dec. 22 on Monday Night Football are always big draws.
While the Bengals have accepted an NFL option to have blackouts lifted this season with 85 percent of non-premium tickets sold, good seats on all three levels of PBS remain for the Jaguars. They can be purchased by calling the Bengals Ticket Hotline at 513-621-8383 or toll free at 866-621-8383. Tickets also can be purchased at any time through Bengals.com.
GIO ICED: The Bengals just can't seem to get all their weapons on the field at the same time.
While Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Green went limited in his second straight practice Thursday, running back Giovani Bernard was nowhere to be seen for the second straight day. That would indicate Bernard is going to miss the first game of his two-year NFL career 1 p.m. Sunday against the Jaguars at Paul Brown Stadium.
Bernard, who took numerous shots 11 days ago in Indianapolis before getting 18 touches last week against Baltimore's rugged seventh-ranked rush defense, is nursing both a shoulder and hip problem and could also be held out of the following Thursday night game against the Browns since there is just a four-day gap.
Next man up is rookie Jeremy Hill, a second-round pick who'll make his second start with 195 yards on 50 carries. The 6-1, 230-pound Hill came into the Indy game two weeks ago with a 4.3-yard per carry average before the slogging got tough. But he was a big factor on the goal line in last Sunday's victory.
"I always prepare myself like I'm the No. 1 guy, so every rep I get, I don't take it for granted and not go full speed," Hill said before Thursday's practice. "I do it to the best of my ability and make sure I'm getting the mental looks, as well. So it's the same thing for me. I want to go out there Sunday. If Gio's playing then he is, if he's not, he's not. But I figure he'll be out there. Everyone thinks he'll be out there, so that's what we're going to do."
Look for 2013 sixth-round pick Rex Burkhead to get his first NFL carry at some point Sunday. Burkhead has played in just three games and was inactive last week.
ROLL CALL: Defensive tackle Geno Atkins, a day shy of the one-year anniversary of his torn ACL in Miami, looked to be getting a rest day Thursday. But defensive tackle Domata Peko (toe) came back Thursday after resting Wednesday was limited Another D- tackle, Brandon Thompson (knee), could be zeroing in on his first game since Sept. 14 after appearing for back-to-back practices at full go.
It looks like they may be without right guard Kevin Zeitler (calf) again. Zeitler didn't work Thursday and Wednesday after re-aggravating the injury last Sunday that took him out of three games earlier this season. It also looks like rookie cornerback Darqueze Dennard (hamstring) may be out after sitting out his second straight day.
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth returned Thursday after the birth Tuesday night of his fourth child. Guards Clint Boling and Mike Pollak were also working. Cornerback Terence Newman (back) and right tackle Andre Smith (knee) were limited again.
