In his three years as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, running back Cedric Peerman has a grand total of 10 carries of 87 yards.

But those numbers could be about to increase as the team looks for someone to back up starter BenJarvus Green-Ellis after Bernard Scott was placed on season-ending injured reserve Monday with a knee injury.

“Whatever happens, I’m willing to accept it,” Peerman said. “I know my role on the team, and I’m happy with it. If it happens to expand, I’ll be happy with that as well. I just have to be ready.”

Peerman learned the importance of being ready in the first game of his redshirt freshman year at Virginia.

After the first- and second-string tailbacks went out with injuries, Peerman stepped in and logged a team-high 16 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown to lead the Cavaliers to a 31-19 victory against Western Michigan.

“I feel like I always do a decent job of being prepared and being ready to go,” he said. “It’s something that I learned way back in college, always be prepared. If called upon, I think I can be in there and be consistent and execute the plays that are called.”

While Peerman hasn’t been asked to carry the ball much for the Bengals, he has been a staple on special teams. He was the second-leading tackler on special teams last year behind Jeromy Miles, and he’s second on the team this year behind Dan Skuta.

Brian Leonard, the team’s third-down back, also could see an increased role. And the Bengals have Boom Herron on the practice squad, although Jay Gruden didn’t sound enthused about on the rookie’s ability to help at this early stage of his development.

“On the practice squad you don’t get a lot of reps with our stuff,” Gruden said. “He’s mainly doing cards, running between the tackles and they are drawing up a defense to stop it. So he doesn’t get great looks and you can’t really see him do what he can do. He’s got a ways to go.”

Debut deja vu

Sunday’s game in Cleveland will mark Benals quarterback Andy Dalton’s first return to the place where he made his NFL debut in the 2011 season opener.

It was a day of mixed emotions for Dalton, who played well (10-of-15 for for 81 yards and a touchdown) before suffering a wrist injury late in the second quarter that forced him to watch from the sidelines as backup Brad Gradkowski rallied the team from a 17-13 fourth-quarter deficit for a 27-17 victory.

“I definitely remember the game,” Dalton said. “It was great for us to get the win and it was a great start to my career. It will be fun to go back there and hopefully duplicate what we did last year. And hopefully play all four quarters.”

Trip trio

The Bengals will head to Cleveland on Sunday in search of their third consecutive road victory after triumphs at Washington on Sept. 23 and Jacksonville on Sept. 30.

If the Bengals are able to beat the winless Browns, it would mark just the eighth time in franchise history they have won at least three consecutive road games in a season. And in six of the previous seven years the Bengals did it, they qualified for the playoffs (2009, 2005, 1988, 1981, 1975, 1970).

In the 2009, 1981 and 1975 seasons, the road win streaks reached a franchise-record four.

The only time the Bengals won three in a row on the road and did not make the playoffs was 1995, when they finished 7-9.