As if the Steelers have not had enough success in Cincinnati, now they're getting the breaks before the game, too.

Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer won't play again Sunday because of an inflamed right elbow that kept him on the sideline Sunday against the New York Jets.

"I believe he's the leader of that team," Steelers linebacker James Farrior said. "He's the guy everybody rallies around. So I think not having his presence there affects how they play. There's definitely a difference."

Ryan Fitzpatrick will start against the Steelers, Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis announced yesterday. He has thrown one touchdown, three interceptions and has a passer rating of 57.7.

Linebacker Larry Foote said the Bengals obviously are better with Palmer at quarterback.

"Of course they are. Any team in the league would be different with Carson Palmer from a positive standpoint, not to take anything away from the other guy."

The biggest improvement in the Steelers may be their pass rush, it may be their defensive line depth, it may be their play in the secondary or it just may be their kick coverage.

Last year, the Steelers allowed 8.6 yards per punt return with one touchdown against them. They allowed 22.6 yards per kickoff return with one touchdown.

Through five games, they've allowed 4.5 yards per punt return with a long of 12 and no touchdowns. This, even though they lost punter Daniel Sepulveda for the season with a torn ACL. Veteran Mitch Berger has been inconsistent but averages 43.5 gross yards per punt, and 10 of his 25 punts have been inside the 20.

Their kickoff coverage team has allowed 20.1 yards per return with no touchdowns and a long of 40.

The difference?

"I think everybody has just made a commitment to go down and make a play," said Anthony Madison, who leads the special teams with nine tackles, six solos. "Everybody can make a play at any given time.

"Guys are willing to just give up their bodies, sell it out, that's what you have to do."

Ryan Clark, normally among the well-dressed Steelers, wore a goofy looking headdress in the locker room that sprouted long blue and orange "hair."

On close inspection, an alligator graced the middle of the headband. Oh-oh, Clark had lost a bet over the weekend.

"Yeah, this is a gift from my friend Max," Clark said.

Tackle Max Starks played at the University of Florida, Clark at Louisiana State. Florida routed LSU, 51-21, Saturday.

"It tells you what type of people go to Florida, that people go into a store and actually purchase this hat," Clark said. "Or that they would actually make this hat. That is why I'm not concerned because I know what type of people graduate from that institution -- or don't graduate from that institution."

As part of the bet, Clark must wear the hat all week.

"Glorious," said Starks, who shrugged off his teammate's comments about Florida. "I wouldn't expect anything less from an LSU guy."

Steelers chairman Dan Rooney sent a letter to the NFL to protest the $5,000 fine leveled against wide receiver Hines Ward for "unnecessary roughness" against the Baltimore Ravens Sept. 29.

The NFL did not stipulate in the letter to Ward a specific play for which he was fined. Ward was not penalized in the game.

Rooney said he wrote to the league to say that Ward "plays the game the way it's supposed to be played."

Ward thought he was fined for stepping over cornerback Cory Ivy after one play.

"At least he stepped over him," Rooney said, "and not on him."

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger returned to practice for the first time since the week before they previously played, in Jacksonville Oct. 5. He sat out both practices last week. Ward also was back on the practice field.

But nose tackle Casey Hampton, full back Carey Davis, kicker Jeff Reed and wide receiver Dallas Baker did not practice. Hampton and Reed are expected to return this week.