PLAYER NOTES

--QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, starting his sixth game in place of injured Carson Palmer, posted his top passer rating of the year in the Philadelphia game, logging an 89.3 score with a career-high 29 completions, in 44 attempts, for a personal season high in yards (261). He threw for one touchdown pass and did not suffer an interception. In his last outing prior to Philadelphia, on Nov. 2 vs. Jacksonville, Fitzpatrick logged his first NFL win as a starter. He posted an 88.4 passer rating in the 21-19 victory, completing 21 of 31 passes for 162 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

--LT Levi Jones (back) has a number of injuries and did not practice Tuesday. He had an appointment with a doctor.

--WR Chad Ocho Cinco caught a season-high eight passes against the Steelers in October, and he now he has more career catches against Pittsburgh (77) than against any other foe. He has 76 catches against Cleveland and 71 against Baltimore. His Pittsburgh total, however, includes the Steelers-Bengals postseason game following the 2005 season. He has played 16 career games against the Steelers and only 15 each against division rivals Cleveland and Baltimore.

--WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh has 726 receiving yards and is on pace for a career-high 1,162. That would be his third consecutive 1,000-yard season, making him the third Bengal to accomplish three in a row. Chad Ocho Cinco has an active streak of six 1,000-yard seasons (2002-07) but is on pace this year for only 613. Carl Pickens had three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 1994-96.

--QB Carson Palmer (right elbow) is out for the game Thursday night at Pittsburgh.

--S Chinedum Ndukwe (foot) tore the ligament that supports the arch of his foot. He has been dealing with plantar fasciitis and had to leave the game Sunday against the Eagles. His status is unknown. He did not practice Tuesday.

--G Andrew Whitworth (ankle) had to leave the game Sunday. He did not practice Tuesday, and coach Marvin Lewis said he thought that Whitworth would not be available Thursday night for the Steelers game. Whitworth was walking on crutches in the locker room and had his right foot in a protective boot.

--DE Eric Henderson (neck) did not practice Tuesday.

--CB Johnathan Joseph (foot) did not practice Tuesday.

--OL Scott Kooistra (knee) did not practice Tuesday. He filled in at left guard when Andrew Whitworth had to move to left tackle and then was injured against the Eagles.

--DE Antwan Odom (shoulder) did not practice Tuesday. He missed the Eagles game.

--WR Jerome Simpson (ankle) did not practice Tuesday.

--RB Kenny Watson (shoulder) was limited in practice Tuesday.

--WR Andre Caldwell (foot) participated fully in practice Tuesday.

--WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (back) participated fully Tuesday.

--TE Reggie Kelly (ankle) participated fully Tuesday.

GAME PLAN: The Bengals will need to run the ball offensively, no easy task against the NFL's No. 1 rush defense, to take the pressure off the pass game. If the Bengals don't run the ball, the Steelers pass rush will tee off on Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was sacked eight times by the Eagles when the Bengals had no run game. Defensively, the Bengals can't allow TB Willie Parker to get to the edge, and they need to get pressure on QB Ben Roethlisberger.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Bengals QB Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. Steelers pass defense. After pass protecting well the previous two games, the floodgates opened against the Eagles, when Fitzpatrick was sacked eight times. It brings to 38 the number allowed this season. The Steelers come in with 36, including 12 and 9.5 for outside linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley, respectively. If the Bengals have to go young on the left side of their offensive line with Nate Livings or Scott Kooistra at guard and rookie Anthony Collins at tackle, Fitzpatrick will have to roll right much of the game to buy an extra second to let pass routes develop downfield. The Steelers are second in sacks per play in the league.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger vs. Bengals pass defense. Roethlisberger has been sacked 32 times and backup Byron Leftwich three more times. So the Steelers' protection is not good. But the Bengals don't pose much of a threat; they did not sack Roethlisberger once in the Oct. 19 game. The Bengals have just 11 sacks, which is indicative of the lack of pressure they have put on opposing quarterbacks all season. WR Hines Ward is Roethlisberger's go-to guy with 53 catches for a 12.8-yard average with five touchdowns. The Bengals did get three interceptions off Donovan McNabb on Sunday in the 13-13 overtime tie.

INJURY IMPACT: The Bengals could be without a couple of defensive starters, DE Antwan Odom (shoulder) and S Chinedum Ndukwe (foot), as well as two offensive linemen, LT Levi Jones (back) and LG Andrew Whitworth (ankle). Even with the front line in tact, the Bengals have a tough time matching up with Pittsburgh. With so many backups playing, it might be way too much to expect Cincinnati to win on the road.