12-23-01, 12:50 p.m.
BY GEOFF HOBSON
BALTIMORE _ Bengals running back Corey Dillon's bid to break the Ravens' streak of 50 straight games without allowing a 100-yard rusher got a boost before the game Sunday when Baltimore deactivated defensive tackle Tony Siragusa with a foot problem.
The Ravens also put down leading rusher Jason Brookins and were probably going to start Terry Allen at running back here at PSINet Stadium. The Bengals themselves have a streak of seven straight games without giving up a 100-yard rusher. Allen came into the game averaging 3.5 yards on his 103 carries.
The Bengals opted to deactivate running back Curtis Keaton for the first time this season in a move to get six receivers into the game. It also
gives the Bengals a shot to look at rookie T.J. Houshmandzadeh returning kicks, where Keaton hasn't broken many of his 42 tries with a 21.2-yard average.
When the Bengals have dressed five wide receivers, Danny Farmer has often been the odd man out. They want to give him more chances in a passing game that hasn't produced a play longer than 19 yards in December.
Plus, with the outside shot that receiver Peter Warrick has to play quarterback if Jon Kitna and Scott Covington get hurt, they wanted to have a full complement of wideouts.
