Bengals inactives; Watson to start at RB

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Out for the Bengals are right tackle Willie Anderson, safety Ethan Kilmer, linebackers Ahmad Brooks, Rashad Jeanty and Caleb Miller, defensive end Jonathan Fanene and wide receiver Tab Perry.

Anderson's consecutive starts streak of 116 games comes to an end. Stacy Andrews will start at right tackle. Other lineup changes are Kenny Watson at running back ahead of Rudi Johnson. Johnson, who missed the New England game with a hamstring injury, is expected to play.

Jeff Rowe is the designated third quarterback.

Dhani Jones will start at strong-side linebacker and Anthony Schlegel will start at middle linebacker.

Damon Huard will start at quarterback for the Chiefs, despite the injury to his throwing shoulder last Sunday against Jacksonville. Huard comes in 97-for-149 passing for 1,029 yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions, good for a 77.3 passer rating.

By comparison, Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer is 101-for-160 passing for 1,171 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions, good for a 90.4 passer rating.

Game key: The Chiefs will try to get tailback Larry Johnson untracked against a poor Bengals run defense. Johnson is averaging just 3.3 yards a carry and has no touchdowns. The Bengals, 29th in the NFL against the run at 152 yards a game, have allowed an individual 100-yard rusher in the past three games -- all losses. Jamal Lewis went for 216 for the Browns, Shaun Alexander for 100 for the Seahawks, and Sammy Morris 117 for the Patriots.

My pick: Bengals 24, Chiefs 17.