INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The struggling Cincinnati Bengals do have a strength, and he has captured the attention of the Indianapolis Colts.

Indianapolis (3-2) on Sunday looks to make Jim Mora the 27th coach in NFL history to reach 100 wins. A victory over Cincinnati (1-5) would give the favored Colts four wins in a season for the first time since 1996.

But Corey Dillon, who has 501 yards and an average of 4.5 yards per carry, will test a defense that yielded 128 yards to Curtis Martin when the Colts defeated the New York Jets 16-13.

"It's going to be a great challenge, but I think the defense will step up," said defensive tackle Ellis Johnson. "We're going to have to play our best game in order to slow this running game down.

"Their running game is absolutely out of this world. We gave up 160 yards last week against the Jets. They're really going to come in and try to pound the ball at us to take a lot of pressure off of Akili Smith to try and win the game."

Smith will make his third consecutive start as he continues the same on-the-job training Peyton Manning received when the 1998 Colts struggled to a 3-13 mark. The rookie has a 59.6 quarterback rating, having completed 53 percent of his 117 passes for 616 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions.

"We've got to stop the run first," said defensive tackle Bernard Whittington. "If we don't stop the run, they're going to run on us all day. Once you stop the run, you get after the pass."

Smith has been sacked 10 times for 64 yards.

"They keep a lot of people in to protect him," Mora said. "It's hard to get to him, but we're going to try."

The teams are meeting for the eighth consecutive year despite being in different AFC divisions. The Colts won here last year 39-26 in one of the rare home victories in the series. The visiting team has won eight of 10 regular-season games since 1984, and the Bengals are 6-3 overall here, including 3-1 in preseason play.

The Bengals will face a young but productive offense. Manning has thrown a touchdown in 18 consecutive games, the longest streak by an active quarterback, and his rating of 89.6 is second in the AFC and fourth in the league.

"Peyton has stepped his game up," said Cincinnati safety Myron Bell. "He reads things a lot faster. He's not sitting back there with the ball. He's making quick decisions."

Manning's top target has been Marvin Harrison, who in his fourth season finds himself sharing the league lead for receptions with 37, and touchdown catches with seven.

Cincinnati linebacker Brian Simmons said Manning has found his go-to guy in Harrison.

"Right now he's just milking that pretty good. When you look at the films, they have a lot of plays going down the field 30 and 40 yards," Simmons said. "They're looking real explosive. Next to St. Louis, I think they're probably one of the most explosive teams in the NFL."

The Bengals would like to earn a little respect themselves.

"It doesn't get any easier, but you have to keep it all in perspective. I'm not giving up," said linebacker Takeo Spikes. "A lot of people expect us to roll over and play dead, to give up. That's what puts coal into the fire for us to go out there and make an upset. That's what I like."

Manning knows how the Bengals feel.

"I don't think you'll see the Colts overlooking anybody this year, because we were in the very same position last year," Manning said. "We have a lot of respect for the Bengals."

CINCINNATI Season schedule and results

INDIANAPOLIS Season schedule and results

September 12 @Tennessee L 35-36 September 19 San Diego L 7-34 September 26 @Carolina L 3-27 October 3 St. Louis L 10-38 October 10 @Cleveland W 18-17 October 17 Pittsburgh L 3-17 October 24 @Indianapolis 1:00pm ET October 31 Jacksonville 1:00pm ET November 7 @Seattle 4:15pm ET November 14 Tennessee 1:00pm ET November 21 Baltimore 4:05pm ET November 28 @Pittsburgh 1:00pm ET December 5 San Francisco 1:00pm ET December 12 Cleveland 1:00pm ET December 26 @Baltimore 1:00pm ET January 2 @Jacksonville 1:00pm ET

September 12 Buffalo W 31-14 September 19 @New England L 28-31 September 26 @San Diego W 27-19 October 10 Miami L 31-34 October 17 @NY Jets W 16-13 October 24 Cincinnati 1:00pm ET October 31 Dallas 1:00pm ET November 7 Kansas City 1:00pm ET November 14 @NY Giants 1:00pm ET November 21 @Philadelphia 1:00pm ET November 28 NY Jets 4:15pm ET December 5 @Miami 1:00pm ET December 12 New England 1:00pm ET December 19 Washington 1:00pm ET December 26 @Cleveland 1:00pm ET January 2 @Buffalo 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

Copyright 1999 STATS, Inc. Commercial distribution without the express written consent of STATS is prohibited.