Don't look for Houshmandzadeh on Sunday

Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, downgraded from probable (75 percent chance of playing) to questionable (50 percent chance of playing), did not practice at all this week.

The Bengals will open their season Sunday at Kansas City. Don't look for Houshmandzadeh to play. Coach Marvin Lewis rarely dresses a player for the game who did not practice even once all week. Houshmandzadeh is one of the toughest Bengals players. He hardly ever misses practice. For him to be out means he must be injured significantly. He's a gamer.

The Bengals will be left with four wide receivers if Houshmandzadeh doesn't go: Chad Johnson, Chris Henry, Tab Perry and Kelley Washington.

It should be a plus for Kansas City not to face Houshmandzadeh. If teams double-team Johnson, Houshmandzadeh hurts them bad. Henry is a strong receiver and will need to have a big game. Perry has improved with more work.

Washington, the fourth-year receiver that Lewis says the media has tried to cut, is a good safety valve to have. He knows the offense. While he doesn't get the best separation from defensive backs, he does catch the ball in traffic.