Maybe Chad Ocho Cinco, who thinks he knows one of the reasons his numbers are down, is going to get some shots Sunday because on Wednesday offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski sounded like Marvin Lewis did on Monday when he talked about how the veteran passing game may be the place to look to get the Bengals offense untracked under backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
"We're not going to back off, but we're not going to be stupid with it, either," Bratkowski said of the running game after practice Wednesday. "We're going to do what we have to do to move the ball. If we start to get more out of the pass game, then maybe the run game will kick in because we're doing things better in the pass game and it will (open) up the run."
| ! Ocho Cinco |
He indicated to the Pittsburgh media in his conference call Wednesday that one of the reasons he thinks he's not getting the ball is because of his offseason trade demands.
"It was just a thought I had," Ocho Cinco said later. "I also said if my reasoning is right, I deserve it. I deserve what you would call a certain kind of punishment.
"There's nothing wrong with me. This is an NFL team, we have professional players. We have good players, or they wouldn't be in the NFL. You have a great player in 85, there's no excuse. It's easy what I can do. Nothing is different than any other year."
Join the club. Ocho Cinco was 6-10 as a rookie, then 2-14 in 2002, and he can't call it.
"We have more talent than way back then," he said. "Now the reason for us not being successful, I'm not Dr. Seuss but I know damn well we shouldn't be losing the way we are with what we have. It all comes down to us however you want to look at it."
