CNATI: Cincinnati OH Sports Journalism

Cincinnati Bengals

Notes: 85 talking a big game

By C. Trent Rosecrans, CNATI.com Posted November 11, 2009 1:53 PM ET

Marvin Lewis saved Chad Ochocinco some postage -- telling his star wide receiver not to send a package to the Steelers' secondary.

Last week, Ochocinco sent the Ravens' secondary deodorant because, he said, they were sweating worried about covering Ochocinco. According to Ochocinco's Twitter account, he was planning on sending mustard to the Steelers -- "since they'll never ketchup when we play Sunday."

Lewis, though, put the kibosh on that plan.

"I just don't think it needs to be part of any focus or questioning or something," Lewis said. "So hopefully this is the last time we have to answer that question this week."

Said Ochocinco, "That's the way to spoil the fun, bossman. I guess I'll have to talk trash to motivate myself this week."

Even without a package to be delivered to Heinz Field, Ochocinco did plenty of talking directed toward the Steelers on Wednesday. Before he even opened his mouth, he had a message - hanging on his locker was a sign that said:

Rule #1059:

It is against NFL policy to cover Chad Ochocinco man to man. It has always been a rule but with the events of last year we must have forgotten who he was. Please note that he is still the most uncoverable receiver in the league. This rule is for the safety of embarrassment to all defensive backs.

Thanks!

Chad Ochocinco

Ochocinco also called out the Steelers' defensive backs individually.

"Ike (Taylor) will see this Sunday, Troy (Polamalu), Ryan Clark, William Gay - is it William? - all of them, they'll see," Ochocinco said. "You don't understand when I say I'm looking forward to this challenge, I'm really looking forward to this. Troy, I don't care if they have the Sisters of the North, they're going to get the business out there, everybody's going to get the business - including Ike, you notice I keep bring up Ike's name, right? Ike's going to get it. He couldn't stop me in a brown paper bag inside a phone booth with the door closed. It's going to be a good match-up. I'm not laughing, I'm not playing, I'm trying to be as nice as possible and sort of smile with this trash talking so it doesn't come off the right way, because this will be an event, not a football game."

In their last meeting, Ochocinco had five catches for 54 yards in a Bengal victory.

Ochocinco said he wouldn't go so far as to predict a victory - "Coach Lewis would kill me," Ochocinco said. "Seriously, he would."

However, Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said he and his teammates don't take offense to Ochocinco's antics.

"If I'm not seeing Chad doing his crazy antics, then I know he's not himself," Ward said.. " This year he's doing it, you guys are having success and he's having a great year, so I'm just glad to see Chad being Chad. I'm always a big fan of his; I think he's a great side receiver, and I'm always waiting to see what antics he's going to do. The dollar bill; that was pretty hilarious."

NDUKWE FINE -- Bengals safety Chinedum Ndukwe participated in the NFL's Take a Player to School program on Tuesday, picking up first grader John Wharton, taking him to his school, Ockerman Elementary in Florence, Ky., and then talking to the students at the school.

After the event, Ndukwe was on the phone when a car ran into their limo. Ndukwe said he didn't see it coming and "after that, it was chaos."

It was the first car accident he's ever been in, Ndukwe said, but he's OK.

"I came through fine," Ndukwe said. "Hopefully the limo driver is OK, I haven't heard."

Ndukwe participated in practice on Tuesday.

SIMPSON STILL IN PLANS -- The Bengals' second-round pick from 2009, Rey Maulauga, is already a starter for the Bengals. The 2008 second-round pick, Jerome Simpson, hasn't been active for a game this season and has played in just six games.

With the injury to Chris Henry, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said Simpson is still very much in the team's plans for the future.

"Jerome is doing everything he can to try to prove that he can get out there and make productive plays for us," Lewis said. "He hasn't lost an ounce of his athleticism and so forth but he has a lot to learn in coming to the NFL. He's working diligently. Hell, he's got his own coach. Which is great. He's getting personal tutoring on every single play, every single day. Just trying to get where we can be confident that the quarterbacks can be confident in him understanding everything. He's working hard at it. But some guys come here and they have a little better knowledge of how coverages unfold and things work. And Jerome's working extremely hard at it."

Simpson was taken with the 46th overall pick, three spots ahead of the Eagles' DeSean Jackson.

"DeSean's a great player. I grew up with DeSean's mom. DeSean's grandfather was my minister as a young kid growing up. He went to Long Beach Poly, and I coached at Long Beach State, so I know everybody there," Lewis said. "DeSean is a fine, fine player. He's done a great job. I'm comfortable with the way -- we had them both as going to be great players, and I still feel that about Jerome."

POLAMALU RETURNS -- When the Bengals defeated the Steelers in September, the Steelers didn't have Polamalu, the perennial Pro Bowl safety.

"It's a good defense when he's on the field and when he's not on the field," said Palmer. "To me, he's one of the best players in this game and when you add that guy, you're only going to get better. And so we didn't have a chance to play against him last time, he'll be ready to play this one, I know he'll be looking forward to this game as will their entire defense. There's always a couple of wrinkles with him, and then just worrying about him and seeing him on every play because he makes a lot of plays and is all over the place and runs the fastest guy on the field down from all over the place and does his thing. It's going to be a great game. They're a great defense, and with him it's even better."

Palmer and Polamalu were roommates in college.

We don't talk often. When we do, it's like old times," Palmer said. "He's a busy man, he's got a lot going on, we've got a lot going on here. But I respect him as much if not more than anybody in this league. Love watching him play. Hate playing against him."

WARD PROUD OF POLL -- Recently a Sports Illustrated poll named the Steelers' Ward the dirties player in the NFL.

"It's something that I framed and I've got in my office," Ward said. "It's kind of crazy. New York Times one day for doing a good deed; and the same day you're listed as the dirtiest player. I look at it as a compliment."

Ward recently brought eight biracial Korean teenagers to the United States to visit and it was featured in the New York Times. Ward's mother is Korean and his father is African-American. As a pro, Ward has used his fame to try to help biracial Korean children, who are often outcasts in their society.

"I was proud of that (NYT recognition) rather than being named the dirtiest player in the league.," Ward said. "It's kind of ironic, a 33-year-old wide receiver being the dirtiest player in the league."

INJURY REPORT -- Keith Rivers, Evan Mathis and Jeremi Johnson (chest) didn't practice on Wednesday. Rivers (calf) and Mathis (ankle) were injured in Sunday's game against the Ravens.

"Feeling a lot better," Rivers said on Wednesday.

Said Lewis: "They're doing well. I don't know if we'll have their services or not. They are improving and neither injury was as severe as anticipated and we'll see how it goes this week."

Limited in Wednesday's practice were Cedric Benson (not injury related), Robert Geathers Jr. (hip) and Frostee Rucker (neck).

Categories: Cincinnati Bengals, Featured Stories, News

Tags: Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco, Chinedum Ndukwe, Chris Henry, DeSean Jackson, Evan Mathis, Hines Ward, Ike Taylor, Jeremi Johnson, Jerome Simpson, Keith Rivers, Marvin Lewis, Troy Polamalu