DaytonDailyNews.com

So you think the Cincinnati Bengals have quit — given up midway through the season — and head coach Marvin Lewis has "lost" the team?

Think again.

"(Lewis) has the respect of this team," quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. "He's fighting just as we are. We're all in this together, and we want to win."

Lewis has the reputation of being a player's coach.

"That's always kind of the guy that he's been, a guy that likes to hang out with the players, that we know well, that will say hi to you in the hallway, keep your spirits up," Fitzpatrick added. "So I don't think he's changed at all, and I don't think he's going to change. That's who he is."

'There's no quit'

Fitzpatrick understands how a former player such as CBS' Boomer Esiason can rip the team for its poor play. The Bengals have been outscored 73-16 the past two weeks by Pittsburgh (38-10) and Houston (35-6).

"You look at the (scoring) margin at the end of the game, and they haven't been close," Fitzpatrick said. "Unfortunately, we got outplayed, especially in the second half. So from the outside looking in, that's something that somebody could observe.

"But I'm telling you: I'm in here every day working with these guys, and there's no quit. We're fighting. We want a win as bad as anybody does. We're not going to lay down. We're going to continue to work hard and fight."

Clear-cut leader

Fitzpatrick isn't surprised starter Carson Palmer wants to play as soon as his right elbow injury heals.

"That's just the type of guy Carson is," Fitzpatrick said. "The guys on the team know that. They respect him like crazy.

"For a guy to break his nose and continue playing in a preseason game — he doesn't want to miss any snaps. It doesn't matter what the record is. He wants to go out there and fight with his teammates. That certainly says a lot about him. He is the leader of this team. It's unfortunate he's hurt right now, but he's still acting as the leader of this team."

Bengals add fullback to practice squad

Fullback J.D. Runnels was signed to the practice squad.

The 5-foot-11, 240-pounder from Oklahoma was Chicago's sixth-round draft pick in 2006 and was on the Bears roster the entire season. He spent 2007 on Injured Reserve, and got waived by the Bears on July 24. Tampa Bay signed him on Aug. 16 and released him on Aug. 20.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@DaytonDailyNews.com

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