INDIANAPOLIS – Rudi Johnson may have made his last appearance in a Bengal uniform Thursday night in the Bengals 27-7 preseason victory over the Colts, but didn't even play.

 The subject of trade rumors and speculation about Johnson possibly getting cut on Saturday have been swirling around the veteran running back as he’s missed most of the preseason with a hamstring injury. Johnson was dressed for Thursday's game and earlier in the week Bengals coach Marvin Lewis had suggested Johnson would play in the game.

After the game, Johnson said he felt fine and Lewis said Johnson could have played, but didn't.

Also logging a DNP on the score sheet was wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who, like Johnson, missed most of preseason practice with a hamstring injury and returned to practice this week.

Lewis said it was his decision to keep both players out of the game against the Colts.

"Just because we wanted to make sure they were at full strength," Lewis said. "We had one week of practice and it wasn't exactly what you’d hope to have had, and it was actually two days of practice. It's not as though we had a full week and now we'll have a chance to get a full week of practice under their belt, particularly coming off of what they're coming off of, you don't want to overstress the muscles."

When informed of Lewis' statement about why he didn't play, a cryptic Johnson responded: "That's what he told you? That's what it wa. If that's what he said, that's what he said."

Johnson missed five games last season with a hamstring injury and is third in Bengals' history in career yardage.

This preseason Chris Perry has emerged as the starting tailback and it appears the Bengals will start the season with Perry as the starter at running back. Perry played in all four preseason games. Since being drafted in the first round of the 2004 draft, Perry's played one full season in four and didn’t play at all last season.

Perry had nine carries for 20 yards on Thursday. Kenny Watson (six carries, 10 yards), DeDe Dorsey (nine carries, 38 yards) and James Johnson (eight carries, 54 yards) all had carries on Thursday.

Johnson said Marvin Lewis hasn't talked to him about the team's plans for him.

"We'll see. It's out of my control. You're asking the wrong one, bro," Johnson said when asked if he thought he'd be a Bengal on Sept. 7. "We'll see. It's good either way, we'll see what happens. Keep your TVs on, keep your cell phones on, we'll see what happens."

Johnson hinted around that he felt the Bengals could cut him on Saturday when teams must trim the roster to 53. Even though he's been rumored to be on the trading block, sitting out Thursday couldn't have helped his trade stock.

"We'll see what happens, I'm not mad or nothing. We're good," Johnson said

He was then asked if he thought he'd be cut on Saturday: "You never know," Johnson said. "Anybody can be cut, right? We'll just have to wait and see."

That we will.

***********

Johnson and Houshmandzadeh weren't the only Bengals to sit on Thursday. Antwan Odom dressed for the warmups, but was in street clothes by the second half and Carson Palmer didn't even dress for the game.

The Colts didn't play a single of their projected starters.

Against the Colts' junior varsity, Ryan Fitzpatrick led the Bengal offense on a 21-play, 80-yard touchdown drive with four first downs, ending with a Perry 5-yard touchdown run. In Saturday's game against the Saints, the Bengals managed 10 first downs in the entire game, Thursday they had 11 in the first half.

Fitzpatrick finished the game 5-of-8 for 35 yards and a touchdown with four carries for 35 yards. In four preseason games this year, Fitzpatrick had a quarterback rating of 104.2.

"I think it was very important, especially for me to go out there and put drives together and put the ball into the end zone," Fitzpatrick said. "That was the main goal coming into the preseason and I think for the most part we did a good job."

The Bengal defense allowed only 154 net yards of offense by the Colts, who started third-string quarterback Quinn Gray. Gray played the first and fourth quarters, while Highlands High School and University of Kentucky product Jared Lorenzen played the second and third quarters. Lorenzen was 9-of-16 for 91 yards and an interception.

The Colts' only score came on a 103-yard kickoff return by former Bengal Courtney Roby in the second quarter.

***********

Embattled Bengal wide receiver Chris Henry made his first appearance of the preseason, catching three passes for 20 yards.

Henry will not be eligible to practice with the Bengals until the end of September because of his four-game suspension from the NFL.

************

Lewis said there were "seven or eight" spots up for grabs in Thursday's game, the final preseason game of the season. Teams must make their cuts to 53 players by 6 p.m. on Saturday and then must finalize the roster on Sunday.

************

Rookie safety Corey Lynch got his first start of the preseason on Thursday and finished the game a solo tackle and an assist, as well as two passes defended and a quarterback hurry.

"It was good to see Corey start the game and the game isn't too big for him," Lewis said. "I remember in '92 in Pittsburgh we had a rookie safety (Darren Perry) start and he never looked back. That's what you've got to do and if he's called on to do it, he'll go on and that'll be great."

INDIANAPOLIS -- Bengals will start the quarter 1st&goal at the 6.

 DeDe Dorsey runs it right in on the first play of the quarter. Drive -- 4 plays, 33 yards, 1:12.

Bengals 27, J.V. Colts 7

When the Bengals haven't been awful on the kick coverage, they've been pretty good. To the 17.

Only with the Colts do you see the QB that started the game back in for the fourth quarter. Quinn Gray in.

Antwon Burton down for the Bengals.

Eric Henderson with a tackle for loss on first down. Next play is a pass for 15 down to the 45 and a flag with a blow to the head by Henderson and the 15-yards there put it at the Bengal 41.

Burton took a hit to the head and will not return.

4th&4 from the 10 and the Colts take a delay. now going for it on 4&9. Nearly picked by John Busing. Turnover on downs.

 Big run by James Johnson. 42 yard gain. Then three more handoffs to Johnson and he goes backwards 3 yards.

DeDe Dorsey a good run down to the Colts' 45.

Another good run by James Johnson setting up a 3&3.

Two yard gain. 4&1, going for it. Denied. OK headed downstairs, I think.

INDIANAPOLIS -- JeffRowe still in, DeDe Dorsey in at running back. Still no Rudi.

3&out.

 Round Mound of Touchdown still in for the Colts. Nice tackle by David Jones on the screen to Mike Hart for a loss of 1. Sack by Jason Shirley, the one guy on the field bigger than Lorenzen. 3&out for the Colts.

Halftime at Nippert, with UC leading 26-0.

A nice return by Chatman for 15 yards.

Jordan Palmer in for the Bengals, looks like it's his game the rest of the way.

Just saw my man Mo Egger is blogging the Bearcat game as well. Full blog action over there at Nippert.

DeDe Dorsey some nice cutback runs. Glenn Holt back in the game.

Ryan Fitzpatrick's not the only scrambling QB on this team -- Jordan Palmer picks up 15 to the Colt 21. With help from a Clyde Logan block.

3rd down drop by Simpson.

Graham on for a 30-yard field goal attempt.

Bengals 20, J.V. Colts 7

I gotta say, I feel like a slacker -- Mo's doing the pregame, halftime and postgame for the UC game and blogging up a storm.

Nice tackle by Clyde Logan on the kickoff return.

Still more Lorenzen

And another 3&out for the Colts' J.V.

And another nice return by Chatman. This one for 25 yards.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh is in street clothes. So is Antwan Odom. Rudi Johnson is still in uniform, though.

 Pick by Kyries Hebert and then an unsportsmanlike penalty on him for throwing the football as a celebration. Actually, it's a delay of game. Five yards. either way, it's a "selfish" penalty. Folks are headed to the exit of Lucas Oil Stadium.

Mario Urrutia with his first catch. And then his second, a really nice one on a pass behind him by Palmer. He takes it down to the 6.

INDIANAPOLIS -- No Rudi, no T.J., no Chris Henry yet.

Touchdown Glenn Holt. He's making the team. Three plays, 0 first downs, 10 yards, 1:08

Bengals 14, J.V. Colts 0, 14:54 remaining in 2nd Q

Jared Lorenzen in for the Colts. One play, one completion. 22 yards. You get the hefty lefty, you get some action. J-Load scrambles, but not enough, a fumble, Colts recover. He does get across midfield, so there's that. But not enough for a first down. Deltha O'Neal back for the return. Instead of 3&out, it's 4&out.

We've got hot JeffRowe action. (For some reason, I think it should be one word.)

JeffRowe 3&out with a sack by Josh Thomas to set up the first punt for the Bengals tonight. Larson in the end zone. Keiwan Ratliff returning.

Personal foul on the punt by the Colts. Colts start the drive on their own 27.

3&13 and Lorenzen has a 24-yard pickup

Really nice screen by the Colts, really nice tackle by Castille under a block to get the tackle.

Jeanty on the blitz levels a blocker, but the Colts complete the pass.

Corey Mays looks like he's shaken up.

Corey Lynch hits Lorenzen on a blitz, but can't bring him down. Incomplete pass. Fail on 4th.

Bengals ball at their own 36 with 6:33 left.

Chris Henry is in the game. he goes and immediately shakes hands with Keiwan Ratliff.

 Deep pass from JeffRowe to Nate Lawrie. Floated and thought it was going to get picked, but a nice catch by Lawrie, an Indy kid.

First pass to Henry, a screen pass and a great open field tackle by Georgia Bulldog Tim Jennings. Loss of 1.

Shayne Graham to attempt a 46-yard field goal.

Bengals 17, J.V. Colts 0

 Special teams still bad. 103 yard kickoff return by Courtney Roby.

Bengals 17, J.V. Colts 7, 3:39 left in first half

Bearcats are up 12-0 on a blocked PAT and a missed PAT. Following the action over on Katzonthecats.com

JeffRowe to Henry for 10 and a 1st.

Another first down after a pass to Watson and a run by Watson.

2-minute warning.

Pass to Glenn Holt right out of the shoot. Looks like he's shaken up. Looks like Jamie Silva and Jordan Senn hit him pretty good.

Holt walks off the field.

A touchback and then a 5-yard penalty for ineligible downfield.

Another nice tackle by Simeon Castille on a tackle for a loss. Then a punt for Colts..

Glenn Holt suffered a hit to the head, his return is questionable.

Bengals get teh ball back with 30 seconds left at the 22. Looks like knee time. Bengals will get the ball to start the second half.

INDIANAPOLIS -- There was some odd intro by the fine folks at Lucas Oil (catchy slogan -- "It Works") that had Billy Bob Thornton. I have no idea what it was. But, yeah, it was Billy Bob Thornton.

Speaking of things I don't really understand, the Colts' slogan, apparently is "Make it Personal." Marvin Lewis may not be as good of a coach as Tony Dungy, but he's a better slogan writer.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh is wearing a visor as the clock ticks down to about 5 minutes before, presumably, kickoff.

Peyton Manning participating in the coin toss.

Colts will receive the kickoff after winning the coin toss. Manning's night is done.

Oh, the Bengals' special teams, not any better to start. A 45-yard kickoff return. The starting lineup the Bengals reported did indeed start. Kenton Keith can't run against the Bengals. No gain o the first two plays and then an incomplete pass. The Colts fourth-string offense can't hang with the Bengals' first-team defense.

Touchback on the punt.

Fitzpatrick does scramble well. He dives for a first down.

A little better there -- set up a third&1 and the quick pass to Holt. Two first downs. And another. Fitzpatrick moving the Bengals. The Bengals are at the Colt 45, deeper than any penetration they had last week.

Keiwan Ratliff sighting -- covering Jerome Simpson.

Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't playing this like a preseason game. He's going to end up as the leading rusher of the preseason. On a 3rd&6, he takes it himself for 16 yards and doesn't slide. That's the fifth first down of the possession -- half as many as the Bengals had the entire game against the Saints.

All that without an impressive showing from the offensive line. Mostly on the back of Fitzpatrick.

Six first downs. 1&G at the 5. Time out Bengals.

Nice blocking on Perry's 5-yard touchdown. 21 plays, 80 yards, 11:22. 1:56 left in the quarter.

Bengals 7, J.V. Colts 0

Better coverage on that kick. That's one more kickoff than Graham had last week already.

Wow. Sack Fumble by Peko. Bengals' ball at the 10.

Jeremy Johnson just blew a block. He hit his guy, and then that guy slipped off and made the tackle. 3&G from the 9 at the end of the quarter.