CINCINNATI Bengals happy, but don't know it

San Francisco (6-8) has lost all seven of its road games this season.
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Jon Kitna wouldn't tolerate a downcast locker room.
The Bengals pulled off a win like no other in franchise history, positioning themselves to move back into first place Sunday. As they trudged off the frosty field, they smiled very little and said even less.
Kitna quickly reminded them that a 41-38 victory over the San Francisco 49ers represented a breakthrough. At 8-6, they're guaranteed that this won't be yet another losing season.
And, when Baltimore lost a few hours later, they got back a share of first place in the AFC North with only two games to go.
A dour locker room? No way.
Too solemn
"I just wanted to make sure they understood that we did win the game," said Kitna, who threw two touchdown passes. "They were a little solemn in there. That's a big win for us. We didn't play our best, but the bottom line is winning."
They didn't even come close to their best on defense, giving up 502 yards and 31 first downs. But, for the first time in their 36-year history, the Bengals won a game while giving up 38 points.
"For the most part, in the second half they dominated," said linebacker Kevin Hardy, who returned a fumble for a first-half touchdown. "It's disappointing. It was a rough afternoon.
"We won. That's all I can take away from it."
The 49ers (6-8) headed home the way they have all season -- unable to explain another bad day in someone else's place. It was fitting that the defending NFC West champions were eliminated from contention far away from home.
They've played seven games on the road this season, and lost all of them. Not even an extra sense of resolve could change the outcome.
"The guys were intense," defensive end Chidi Ahanotu said. "We were excited and barking on the sideline and having a good time. The offense responded to it, the defense didn't."
One-sided
That's how it's gone all season long. Whenever the 49ers leave home, the mistakes multiply and one phase of the team has a bad day, dragging them down.
"We've been looking for that answer all season long," said Jeff Garcia, who completed 26-of-33 passes for 344 yards and led a fourth-quarter comeback. "Somehow we need to show up on the same page on the same day, the offense and the defense."
The Bengals took advantage of three fumbles and put the game in the hands of two offensive players who share the same last name but couldn't be more different.
Rudi Johnson took over for an ill Corey Dillon and ran for 174 yards and a pair of second-half touchdowns. He also caught an onside kick in the closing seconds to clinch it.
"I got into a groove in the third quarter, and I was able to stay in it for the rest of the game," said the soft-spoken Johnson, who had 163 yards in the second half.
Showboat receiver Chad Johnson made the game's signature play -- one that he hopes will rival the NFL's most infamous signature play. After his 10-yard touchdown catch on the Bengals' first possession, he ran out of the end zone and retrieved a preprinted sign stored behind a snow drift.
It's fine with him
Johnson, who has repeatedly been fined by the league for uniform violations and touchdown celebrations, then held up the orange sign that read: "Dear NFL: Please don't fine me again."
"All I had to do was just score at that end and I'd be all right," he said. "I was trying to catch the Sharpie thing. I don't know how close the sign was to the Sharpie."
Last season, 49ers receiver Terrell Owens was fined for pulling a pen out of his sock and autographing a ball after a touchdown. On Sunday, Owens scored a touchdown on a 58-yard reception, then crouched and flipped a little snow up into the stands.