QUICK SNAPS

He’s taking a leap of faith

If all goes well for the Cincinnati Bengals, Chad Johnson will be dogging it today.

Make that dawgging it.

Johnson, the receiver always searching for creative ways to celebrate touchdowns, has vowed to leap into the Dawg Pound -- the rowdy end-zone section in Cleveland -- if he scores a touchdown against the Browns.

“It’ll be fun, man,” he told reporters. “I love the Dawg Pound. I talked to a gentleman -- I’m not sure what his name was -- but he’s sat there every year since my rookie year. Before every game, I go up to him and talk to him, a heavyset guy who wears a mask. I told him I’m going to jump in there.”

A gentleman? Maybe Johnson is thinking of the wrong place.

Wait . . . a heavyset guy? Maybe he does know what he’s talking about.

Return man

Ricky Williams wants back into the NFL and plans to seek reinstatement after Oct. 1, his lawyer told the Associated Press.

“He sounds wonderful,” attorney David Cornwell said last week. “He sounds like he’s in a great place, and I’m confident that will come through to the commissioner.”

Since the start of the 2004 season, Williams has played only 12 games. His latest suspension began in April 2006 after his fourth violation of the NFL’s drug policy. A positive test for marijuana last spring delayed his return.

Miami owns the NFL rights to Williams, who played in the Canadian Football League last year, but the Dolphins haven’t given any indication they’re itching to have him back.

Got you covered

The Dolphins took a lot of heat in April when they used the No. 9 pick to draft Ohio State receiver Ted Ginn Jr., instead of selecting Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn.

Ginn might turn out to be the right choice, but he’s still looking for his first catch of the season. Yes, it’s only one game. But Ginn is only the second receiver taken in the top 10 since 2000 who was catch-less in his rookie debut. The other was Troy Williamson, selected seventh by Minnesota in 2005.

Medlock’s no lock

Former UCLA kicker Justin Medlock, a fifth-round pick by Kansas City last spring, will have to improve his accuracy if he wants to keep a job in the NFL. He fizzled in his debut, shanking a 30-yard attempt in last Sunday’s 20-3 loss to Houston.

The Chiefs signed Medlock to their practice squad, but -- for a week, at least -- have to be kicking themselves for passing on Colorado’s Mason Crosby, who made three field goals in Green Bay’s victory over Philadelphia, including a 42-yarder with six seconds to play.

“It’s more mental than anything else,” Chiefs Coach Herm Edwards said of Medlock’s plight. “He’s been very good in practice and very good in pregame. He’s just going out and putting a lot of pressure on himself. He’s a talented kicker. He’s just going through that deal.”

Division doormats

The Raiders, who play at Denver today, could sure use a victory against an AFC West team. They haven’t defeated a division opponent since Nov. 28, 2004, when they beat the Broncos.

Oakland’s 14-game losing streak within the division is the longest such drought in the league.

The only one that comes close is Detroit’s 11-game losing streak in the NFC North.

Guarding his turf

It’s a big week for Carolina guard Ryan Kalil, a rookie from USC. Why? Because, even though he played well in Week 1, his starting right guard job is in jeopardy.

Jeremy Bridges was supposed to be the Panthers’ starting right guard. But this summer, the team suspended him for the first two games of the season after he was arrested for waving a gun at a stripper. He’s due to return in Week 3 and will be looking to win back his spot in the starting lineup.

If Kalil plays well this weekend against Houston, however, it’s unlikely Coach John Fox will shake up the offensive line with a reshuffling.

-- Sam Farmer