CINCINNATI — Not yet, Bengals. Not quite yet.

In front of a record crowd roaring for a changing of the guard, the upstart Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) got put in their place by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who proved yesterday that they're still the team to beat in the AFC North.

Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes in his return from a knee injury, and the Steelers used their proven formula — run the ball and play defense — to grind out a 27-13 victory.

"You have to understand that we're the champions until proven otherwise," said linebacker Joey Porter, part of a defense that made Carson Palmer look ordinary.

The Steelers (4-2) have a knack for winning tough games in tough places. They dominated the second half in front of a Cincinnati-record crowd of 66,104, and Pittsburgh set a franchise record of its own with a 10th straight road victory.

In the end, it was Hines Ward — not Chad Johnson — getting the last dance. He kicked up his heels following a third-quarter touchdown that essentially clinched it.

"They were 5-1, and everybody was on the Cincinnati Bengals bandwagon," Ward said. "For us to come in here and win the way we did, it goes a long way for our organization."

Willie Parker's 37-yard touchdown run highlighted Pittsburgh's 221 yards on the ground. He ran for 131 yards overall.

Ward's 4-yard touchdown catch on the final play of the third quarter made it 24-6 and gave him a chance to rub it in with a Riverdance-style celebration, poking fun at Johnson's antics.

"It was spur of the moment," Ward said. "Chad and I have become good friends."

Pittsburgh had two interceptions in the third quarter, setting up a decisive 10-point spurt. Palmer hadn't thrown an interception in 20 quarters and 169 attempts. He finished 21 of 36 for 227 yards

"It wasn't anything in particular they did," said Palmer, who had a measly 53.8 passer rating for the game. "I just didn't play well enough to win. I gave them two turnovers."

RAIDERS 38, BILLS 17

OAKLAND, Calif. — LaMont Jordan ran for 122 yards and a career-high three touchdowns for Oakland (2-4), and Randy Moss added a 22-yard TD catch after being listed as doubtful.

"Those are the runs I've been waiting for all year," Jordan said. "It means a lot to me. I'm a competitor."

Kerry Collins, sacked on Oakland's opening drive and booed afterward, completed 9 of 10 passes on consecutive touchdown drives late in the second quarter and early in the third against Buffalo (3-4).

He finished 19 of 27 for 261 yards to help Oakland score more than 20 points for the first time all season.

Moss had three receptions for 43 yards in a limited role after bruising his ribs, straining a groin and bruising his pelvic area last week against San Diego.

COLTS 38, TEXANS 20

HOUSTON — Peyton Manning was 21 of 27 for 237 yards and two touchdowns, and Edgerrin James ran for 139 yards and two touchdowns to help Indianapolis improve to 7-0 for the first time in franchise history.

Indianapolis' Tony Dungy became the 34th NFL coach to win 100 games.

"Every player on every team would like to have a coach like coach Dungy," James said. "It's hard to describe. But if every player around the league got to work for coach Dungy, they'd probably enjoy it a lot more."

The Colts reeled off 24 straight second-half points and held Houston (0-6) to minus-4 yards after halftime, when the score was tied at 14.

EXTRA POINTS

HAWAI‘I PROS
LB Pisa Tinoisamoa, Rams (UH), 5 tackles, 1 assisted tackle
DE Travis LaBoy, Titans (UH), 1 tackle, 1 sack
DT Ma‘ake Kemoeatu, Ravens (Kahuku), 2 tackles
LB Jeff Ulbrich, 49ers (UH), out for season
NT Isaçako Sopoaga, 49ers (UH), 1 tackle
P Mat McBriar, Cowboys (UH), 9 punts, 40.3 average, long of 54
WR Ashley Lelie, Broncos (Radford, UH), 5 catches for 64 yards, long of 26, no TDs
K Jason Elam, Broncos (UH), 3 for 4 field goals, 2 of 2 extra points

SCOREBOARD
Today’s game
New York Jets (2-4) at Atlanta (4-2), 6:30 p.m. delayed (ABC). The Jets have allowed 21 sacks and will be without Pro Bowl center Kevin Mawae (triceps) against Atlanta’s staunch pass rush led by Rod Coleman (six sacks).

STARS
Quarterbacks
• Eli Manning, Giants, threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Amani Toomer with 5 seconds left to give New York a 24-23 victory over Denver. Manning finished 23 of 42 for 214 yards and two touchdowns.
• Jeff Garcia, Lions, was 22 of 34 for 210 yards, scored on a 1-yard run and didn’t turn the ball over in Detroit’s 13-10 victory over Cleveland, the team he played for last season.

Receivers
• Santana Moss, Redskins, had a 32-yard TD reception and finished with five catches for 112 yards, his fourth 100-yard game in five weeks, in Washington’s 52-17 victory over San Francisco.
• Doug Gabriel, Raiders, had five catches for a career-high 101 yards in Oakland’s 38-17 victory over Buffalo.

Running Backs
• Edgerrin James, Colts, ran for 139 yards and two touchdowns in Indianapolis’ 38-20 victory over Houston.
• Thomas Jones, Bears, ran for 83 of his 139 yards in the final period to help Chicago beat Baltimore 10-6.
• LaMont Jordan, Raiders, ran for 122 yards and a career-high three touchdowns in Oakland’s 38-17 victory over Buffalo.

Special Teams
• Quintin Mikell and Matt Ware, Eagles. Mikell blocked Nate Kaeding’s field goal and Matt Ware returned it 65 yards for a touchdown with 2:25 left, leading Philadelphia to a 20-17 victory over San Diego.
• Paul Edinger, Vikings, kicked a career-long, 56-yard field goal as time ran out to give Minnesota a 23-20 victory over Green Bay.
• Josh Brown, Seahawks, kicked a 50-yard field goal as time expired to give Seattle a 13-10 victory over Dallas. He also made a 55-yarder in the second quarter.
• Jerome Mathis, Texans, returned a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown in Houston’s 38-20 loss to Indianapolis. It was the first kickoff return for a TD in Texans history.

STATS
The Eagles are 7-0 after a bye since Andy Reid became the coach in 1999.

MILESTONES
Indianapolis beat Houston, 38-20, to improve to 7-0 for the first time in franchise history. Colts coach Tony Dungy became the 34th NFL coach to win 100 games, while the Colts won for the 70th time since 1999, tops in the league. ... Philadelphia’s Donovan McNabb set a team record with 35 completions in 54 attempts for 287 yards and one TD in the Eagles’ 20-17 victory over San Diego. Philadelphia’s Terrell Owens also caught his 100th career TD pass.

STOPPED
San Diego’s LaDainian Tomlinson was held to a career-low 7 yards rushing on 17 carries and failed to score in the Chargers’ 20-17 loss at Philadelphia, ending his NFL record-tying streak of games with a touchdown at 18.

INJURIES
Oakland’s Charles Woodson broke his right leg, and teammate Derrick Gibson dislocated his left wrist. ... Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis left the Ravens’ loss to Chicago in the fourth quarter because of a thigh injury. ... Detroit receiver Kevin Johnson sustained a season-ending Achilles’ injury. ... Green Bay running back Ahman Green and receiver Robert Ferguson were carted off the field with left leg injuries in the Packers’ loss to Minnesota.

SURGERY
Miami safety Tebucky Jones had surgery yesterday to repair a torn right chest muscle, and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Jones, injured Friday night in Miami’s 30-20 loss to Kansas City, had 24 tackles and two sacks in six games this season.