Keep your eye on ...
Palmer's arm: No, not that Palmer. Carson is nursing a broken nose, so his younger brother, Jordan, along with Jeff Rowe and Ryan Fitzpatrick, will be under center for most of Thursday night. The Bengals were shut out last week, so if Jordan Palmer can score on Indy he might be able to increase his chances of hanging on to a roster spot.
Rookie WR Jerome Simpson: The Bengals' receiving corps has been besieged by injuries, which has allowed Simpson, a second-round pick, to take more reps and gain valuable experience and confidence. He has nine receptions for 144 yards in the preseason, stats that could earn him more playing time in the regular season.
Colts QB Jared Lorenzen: With Peyton Manning's status for the Colts' regular-season opener still uncertain, keep an eye on Lorenzen, who may be the team's most consistent backup through three preseason games (23-of-44, 221 yards, two touchdowns, one interception). Jim Sorgi missed last week's game because of a "gimpy" knee, and Quinn Gray has thrown one touchdown compared with six interceptions in the preseason, perhaps leaving Lorenzen as Manning's backup when the season gets underway.
