Cincinnati Bengals
Notes: Ochocinco lobbies to play Sunday
By Scott Priestle, CNATI.com Posted December 30, 2009 1:34 PM ET
Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco said he called coach Marvin Lewis 15 times between the end of the game last Sunday and the start of the day Wednesday, in the hope of talking his way into the gameplan for all four quarters Sunday.
"I got this giggle, then, `Of course we're playing to win,' then silence," Ochocinco said. "I'm not sure what that means."
Marvin Lewis
The Bengals have little at stake in the regular-season finale, so it is possible Lewis will choose to rest some key players for the first round of the playoffs. The coach has been coy about his plans, whether talking to his star receiver or the local media.
Most Bengals players seem to be taking it in stride. Defensive tackle Domata Peko said he would respect Lewis's decision, regardless of how it impacted him. Quarterback Carson Palmer said he is preparing the same this week as any other week.
Ochocinco said he will not go so quietly. He threatened to make Lewis burn all three timeouts if the coach tries to remove him from the game.
"I'm being serious," he said.
It will be the team's first nationally televised game of the season, and Ochocinco likely will be matched up often against Pro Bowl cornerback Derrelle Revis, a challenge he covets.
"I don't want to hear anything about rest. I can rest in the off-season," Ochocinco said. "I don't want to hear anything about getting hurt."
Palmer believes the regular-season finale is a good opportunity to build momentum for the postseason. The Jets have allowed the fewest yards and points in the league, so it will be more than a warmup for the Bengals offense.
Peko said the defense would like to finish No.1 against the run. The Bengals currently rank second, and the Jets have the top-ranked rush offense.
Plus, it is a chance to prevent the Jets from making the postseason. "That's part of the fun of playing this game," Palmer said. "You have a chance to knock somebody out."
ONE WAY TO MIAMI -- The Bengals did not have a single player selected to the AFC Pro Bowl team Tuesday, but the lack of recognition barely caused a ripple in the locker room. Palmer said he was not surprised, even as he lobbied for cornerbacks Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph, running back Cedric Benson and offensive linemen Bobbie Williams and Andrew Whitworth.
"Playing in Cincinnati, it's not a big market," Palmer said. "You don't ever play on national television ... so it's tough to make it."
Leon Hall
Linebacker Brandon Johnson said he was disappointed for Hall and Joseph -- until he realized Hall and Joseph weren't disappointed.
"I might be more upset than they are," Johnson said. "Honestly, truly, trust me when I say this, nobody cares."
Other players pointed out that because the Pro Bowl has been moved to the week prior to the Super Bowl and the site of the Super Bowl, players from the Super Bowl teams cannot play in the Pro Bowl, anyway.
"So hopefully we'll still get to Miami and get to play there," Benson said.
FAMILIAR FOE -- As defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens the previous four seasons, Rex Ryan confounded the Bengals with unique blitzes and an unusual amount of pre-snap movement. In his first season as head coach of the Jets, Ryan's new defense has shown similar creativity, with the added benefit of one of the best cornerbacks in the league.
"They do a really good job of confusing you, and that makes it even more difficult to play them in their own stadium, where it's loud and the communication becomes an issue," Palmer said.
Lewis was the defensive coordinator in Baltimore when Ryan joined the staff in 1999, and the two have talked often since then. Lewis described Ryan as "a great taskmaster" who earned his players' affection by working as hard as he demanded they work.
"He's one of them," Lewis said. "He'd roll up his sleeves and go."
HIGH PRAISE -- Jets running back Thomas Jones has seven 100-yard games, running behind an offensive line featuring four former first-round draft picks. Two of the linemen -- center Nick Mangold and guard Alan Faneca -- were selected as starters for the Pro Bowl.
Bengals defensive tackle Tank Johnson, who played with Jones in Chicago, said his best assets are his patience and his stiff-arm.
"He's probably the best back I've played with," Johnson said.
NOTABLE -- The Bengals placed linebacker Rey Maualuga on injured reserve because of a broken ankle, promoted tight end Darius Hill from the practice squad and signed tight end Carson Butler to the practice squad. Hill became the fifth undrafted rookie on the 53-man roster, along with safety Tom Nelson, receiver/punt returner Quan Cosby, linebacker Dan Skuta and cornerback Rico Murray. ... Peko participated in practice Wednesday for the first time since undergoing knee surgery three weeks ago. Tank Johnson (foot), defensive end Robert Geathers (knee) and safety Chris Crocker (ankle) did not participate. Peko, tight end J.P. Foschi (neck) and defensive end Jonathan Fanene (shoulder) were limited. ... Ryan was an assistant coach at the University of Cincinnati in 1996 and '97 under Rick Minter. "I thought we had it going pretty good," he said. "We won seven games one year, nine another and I thought that was pretty good, but it was nothing like this."
CNati.com managing editor C. Trent Rosecrans contributed to this report
Categories: Cincinnati Bengals, Featured Stories, News
Tags: Bengals, Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco, Domata Peko, Jets, Marvin Lewis, Rex Ryan, Thomas Jones
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