CINCINNATI — Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer were spectators for apreseason game that was tough to watch from the sideline — or anywhere else.

Neither of the NFL’s Pro Bowl passers got onto the field Friday night,leaving it to the reserves to generate some points and excitement. Neither cameeasily during the Cincinnati Bengals’ 14-6 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

Both head coaches treated it more like a nuisance.

Palmer didn’t even wear a brace on his surgically reconstructed left knee,knowing he wouldn’t play. The Pro Bowl MVP did put on the rest of his gear — even wore his helmet — and made a few throws while the Bengals (1-3) warmed up.

At least Palmer dressed for the occasion. Super Bowl MVP Manning got anout-of-uniform day. Manning wore a visor, a white-and-blue Colts polo shirt andjeans. He stuffed his hands in his pants pockets and stood at the 40-yard linewhile the Colts (1-3) stretched before the game, making small talk with theequipment crew.

In a slight break with recent tradition, coach Tony Dungy played five of hisdefensive starters and one on offense — rookie left tackle Tony Ugoh — in theopening series. In the last couple years, Dungy used no more than two of hisstarting players in the final preseason game, wanting to avoid injury.

There was only one noteworthy one.

Bengals kicker Aaron Elling hurt his right knee trying to make a tackle onthe second-half kickoff. Elling was taken off the field on a cart, leaving theBengals without a kicker.

Elling was brought in Wednesday, two days after Shayne Graham bruised hisright hip while trying to make a tackle against the Atlanta Falcons. The Bengalsexpect Graham back for the season opener Sept. 10 against Baltimore, but couldsign another kicker as a precaution.

When Quincy Wilson ran 5 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter,punter Kyle Larson made the extra point. He made another after linebacker CalebMiller returned a fumble 46 yards for another score.

Most of the game was played between the 30-yard lines.

The Colts reached Cincinnati’s 29 for the deepest drive of a scoreless firsthalf. Doug Johnson started in place of Palmer and threw interceptions onCincinnati’s first two drives. Jim Sorgi took Manning’s spot and struggled to domuch with reserves around him, going 19-of-33 for 150 yards.

The Colts didn’t cross Cincinnati’s 20-yard line until the closing minutesof the game, when Josh Betts threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Craphonso Thorpe.

The game ended when Jonny Harline caught Betts’ desperation pass at the1-yard line and was tackled as time ran out.

The Bengals also rested right tackle Willie Anderson, who returned topractice this week. Anderson had been sidelined throughout training camp with apainful right foot that clouds his chance of starting the opener.

Notes

The Bengals sold 65,243 tickets for the game, but there were a lot ofempty seats. … The Colts have gone 0-5, 1-3 and 1-3 in the last threepreseasons. … Colts fourth-round draft pick DB Brannon Condren got into apreseason game for the first time. He’d been sidelined by a groin injury. …Bengals coach Marvin Lewis watched his second straight preseason game from thecoaches’ booth instead of the field. Lewis had surgery on his left ankle, whichis in a cast. … DE Frostee Rucker didn’t play because of a hamstring injury.Rucker has appealed a proposed one-game suspension for violating the NFL’sconduct policy.