Coach Marvin Lewis is hoping that, unlike previous encounters with the Steelers, the Cincinnati Bengals fans will have Paul Brown Stadium to themselves Sunday. If so, that would buck the recent trend of Steelers fans gobbling up tickets and turning Cincinnati's 65,000-seat stadium into a sea of fans wearing black-and-gold and waving Terrible Towels. Bengals fans have a reason to hold onto their tickets this time considering the franchise is hosting a playoff game for the first time since 1990.

"I hope they would hold onto them and enjoy coming out to the game," Lewis said. "I hope they are loud and cheer and enjoy the experience."

Still, a Pittsburgh ticket broker told the Cincinnati Enquirer yesterday he's getting many calls from Bengals fans trying to sell their tickets.

"If the game was in Pittsburgh, you couldn't pry a ticket out of a fan's hands," broker Robert Mancuso said. "In Cincinnati, if you put $100 in front of them, they'll take it."

Responded Lewis: "I would hope (fans) would get a little upset by that and hold onto them."

Lewis has been so consumed by the impending playoff date with the Steelers that he admittedly hasn't paid any attention to the hoopla that's consuming Cincinnati.

"I really can't tell you what is going on out there," Lewis said. "I'm sure people out there are excited, and that's a good thing."

In preparation for the Bengals' first playoff appearance in 15 years, Lewis had his players practice in pads during their afternoon workout. Tackle Willie Anderson estimated it had been five weeks since the Bengals last broke out the pads.

"I saw that and said, 'Oh, my,'" Anderson said. "That lets you know what kind of game this is."

The Bengals have five players listed as probable on their injury report. They are defensive tackle Bryan Robinson (foot), cornerback Deltha O'Neal (knee), left tackle Levi Jones (shoulder), wide receiver Chris Henry (back contusion) and center Eric Ghiacuic (strained back).