Ocho Cinco has been un cero grande when it comes to scoring touchdowns -- his specialty -- against the Steelers.

No matter how you refer to Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson, there is no misinterpreting the modest numbers he has posted against the Steelers.

Sure, he has 65 catches for 971 yards and two touchdowns in his career against the Bengals' chief division antagonist. But he hasn't caught a touchdown pass against the Steelers since the 2004 season, shortly before he debuted his much-publicized celebration routines in the end zone.

Johnson ... er, Ocho Cinco ... never has delivered the special touchdown dance he promised for the Steelers three years ago.

"We know Chad can hit it big on any given play," said cornerback Ike Taylor, who has been largely responsible for keeping Johnson under control.

Since Johnson last caught a touchdown against the Steelers -- a 36-yarder in Cincinnati Nov. 21, 2004 -- he has not been a factor in the past seven meetings, including the 2005 AFC wild-card playoff game.

He has 29 catches for 408 yards in those seven games and, more important, has not scored a touchdown. His longest reception in that time was a meaningless 47-yarder in the final minutes of the Steelers' 27-13 regular-season victory in Paul Brown Stadium in 2005.

The reason: The Steelers' No. 1 priority when they play the Bengals always has been to prevent the big play to Johnson, who has 50 career touchdowns.

"He's definitely our focus," Taylor said.

"Part of it is just knowing where he is on the field all the time," said cornerback Bryant McFadden, who will start his fifth game in a row while Deshea Townsend slowly mends from a heel contusion. "He's an explosive athlete. He's a guy you really need to know where he is ...."

Johnson also has not been a factor in the Bengals' first six games, catching just 19 passes -- half as many as T.J. Houshmandzadeh -- for 216 yards and only one touchdown.

Last week, he claimed some of his off-season remarks about wanting out of Cincinnati might be the reason he isn't thrown as many passes.

Nonetheless, he stills commands the Steelers' attention.

"I think that has been one of their main focuses, to keep [No.] 85 out of the end zone," Johnson said. "It is not really going away from their scheme; they really stay in their scheme in terms of the way that they play defense. One of those focal points has always been me. When some of those opportunities come, I just try to make the most of them.

"I haven't had very many as the years have gone on and I have continued to have more and more success. It has been a lot harder to be successful against a defense like that. Coach [Dick] LeBeau is doing a wonderful job."