BENGALS Dillon blames turf for injury

The surface at Paul Brown Stadium is one of the worst in the league.
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Corey Dillon blames the grass field at Paul Brown Stadium for his latest injury and the Cincinnati Bengals' latest loss.
The durable running back strained his groin in the second quarter of a 17-10 defeat against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. With their top offensive threat missing, the Bengals (0-3) couldn't move the ball consistently.
Dillon felt better Monday, but was upset that the club hasn't done more to fix one of the NFL's most maligned fields. Since the stadium opened in 2000, the grass consistently has come up in clumps, drawing harsh criticism from players around the league.
"The field caused my groin injury," Dillon said. "If it was in better condition, maybe I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you guys about the injury. We might be talking about a win."
The field was ranked as the league's third-worst in a survey the NFL players association released in January.
The team's groundskeeper was replaced and the field was resodded with a less-sandy base.
Injured making cut
Dillon said he hurt his groin when he made a cut during a 1-yard run in the second quarter. He stayed in for one more play, then left the game and didn't return.
"As you can see, that field is terrible," Dillon said. "I planted my foot in that grass and it gave way, and I aggravated my groin. There's nothing I could do about it."
The stadium's managing director agreed Monday that the field could be better.
"We are not satisfied and we will continue to take steps to address the issue," said Eric Brown, who is not related to Bengals owner Mike Brown. "It is our expectation that the playing field will be much improved when the Bengals host the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 19."
Dillon hasn't missed a game since 1999, when he sat out the season finale against Jacksonville because his left kneecap had slid out of place the previous week.
He expects to see action this Sunday in Cleveland, where he's played some of his best games.
He ran for 108 yards and caught eight passes for 67 yards during a 20-7 defeat in Cleveland last September. He has averaged 118 yards rushing in eight games against the Browns.
"Don't ever count me out," Dillon said. "I doubt very seriously that I won't play."
Struggles this season
Dillon hasn't been able to get rolling in his seventh season. He hyperextended his right knee when a player fell on him one week earlier against Oakland, then hurt his groin Sunday after only seven carries for 26 yards.
Dillon is one of four players to run for 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons and has missed only two games because of injury.
He recoiled at a suggestion that years of running hard might be catching up with him.
"If that crept in anybody's mind, they need to get their brain checked," Dillon said. "If they don't think I can do it, something's totally wrong. If that's the case, I'm sorry you feel that way, but this guy can still do it."