The following is a transcript of Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson's conference call Wednesday with the New England media.
 Johnson |
CJ:**
Hey, how is everybody?
**Q: Just peachy.
CJ: **
Me, I'm peachy too.
**Q: I would think you would be after the win last week and you are 3-0. You have become a team of national recognition. Tell me about the process it took to get to this point.
CJ:**
For one, it was buying in to the formula that Coach brought here. Now it is just having a winning attitude. That is most important because you know in past history and in past years we would lay down. Previously, before I got here ... my first year with the Bengals we were 2-14. Once Coach Lewis got here, he came in with a formula where the guys have to believe and you have to trust. We have trusted everything that he has brought to this organization and this team. It has paid off.
**Q: Talk about working with Carson Palmer.
CJ:**
Carson is very, very good. He is one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL. His presence here makes it easy for all of us. It makes it easy for the coaching staff. He makes it easy for Coach Bob Bratkowski to call the plays. He makes it easy for the receivers to catch the balls. Having someone like him is good for us. It is no different than the Patriots receivers having Tom Brady. He just makes everything simple.
**Q: Do you have a checklist?
CJ:**
Yes. It is in there.
**Q: Who is on it this week?
CJ:**
The funny thing is I have this checklist and it is somewhat getting frustrating because I'm getting double and triple coverage. I'm not getting an individual battle which I'm hoping for and which I'm really trying to anticipate getting by having a checklist. It is really not working right now.
**Q: Part of that is when you get double and triple teamed, Carson is going to other receivers like T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chris Henry.
CJ: **
Oh yeah. They are balling out of control. I was at receiver last week, and I was on the field, and I'm sitting there and I'm looking at the play getting ready to develop because we have Ike Taylor in my face. We have Joey Porter running to the flat and Troy Polamalu all the way over the top trying to cover the deep ball. I really didn't have to run. All I needed was some popcorn and watch 84 and 15 just go to work while I was on the side. It was nice. It was a beautiful game and I really enjoyed myself.
**Q: A lot of your teammates gave you credit for not complaining about not getting the ball. You only had one catch. Can you talk about what it took to mature to get to that point?
CJ:**
I'm not even going to lie. I know you guys are reporters. It took everything I have in my body. Everything. It got to the point where I was just talking to myself on the sidelines, 'what would God do in this situation?' It got to that point. What kept me calm was Carson and him continuously saying, 'It is a sign of respect. Don't get flustered because when your number is called on, even though it wasn't, I'm going to need you to make a play for me.' He kept reiterating, so it kept me calm through the whole game.
**Q: How can you, T.J. Houshmandzadeh or Chris Henry take advantage of a smaller cornerback or safety?
CJ:**
It my situation, the way I feel, the size really doesn't matter. It is all on the skills of that corner, whether you are short or whether you are big or not. You have strengths and you have weaknesses. Being a smaller corner you are faster and quicker than most taller receivers, and what you have to do beat bigger receivers to the point. That is the whole point for smaller corners. Asante [Samuel] is a very, very good friend of mine. We hang out all the time in the offseason. I know him very well. When he plays against big receivers, not specifically myself or anyone, he just has to beat big receivers to their point. Either get to the ball first or get out of his break before the receivers do, so he can have an advantage. Now that also works the other way and bigger receivers being able to shield smaller corners away from getting to that point. It goes hand in hand. It is like whoever gets to work first wins the match.
**Q: I assume you don't expect the Patriots to just single you with Asante Samuel at any point.
CJ:**
Mr. Belichick, I love him to death, but he wouldn't do it. He wouldn't do it.
**Q: Why won't he do it?
CJ:**
The same reason no one else has done it the last three years. Tell him, please if he feels free, just give me a little one-on-one. I won't score. I'll stop at the one, and go out of bounds or something.
**Q: How do you know Asante Samuel? From Florida?
CJ:**
Yes, from Florida. We have a pack, all the Florida guys know each other whether we went to school or not. At some point in time we meet up, especially when you are in the NFL. I have known him for four years now.
**Q: Lately, people have been saying that receivers have become the prima donnas of the NFL. That they are the only guys that whine and moan when they don't get the ball. Is that a fair criticism?
CJ:**
You know what is funny? Is that every receiver does it. Every one, whether you do it publicly or whether you do it behind closed doors. Every receiver does it because every good or great receiver wants the ball in his hands and wants to make plays and wants to be able to contribute. The outside world turns it into a negative, but what coach doesn't want a receiver that wants the ball on that critical third down and wants to make plays for you? They have taken that scenario and they have sort of turned it into a negative thing to want the ball now. You have to remember when a receiver has that type of skill, it is a good thing and it is not bad. I continue to hear that it is being turned into negative perception and it is not good.
**Q: What are you eating?
CJ:**
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to smack my lips.
**Q: That is all right. I'm just curious.
CJ: **
My lunch is very short. It is only 20 minutes. I'm eating white rice, baked chicken. I have some deviled eggs and some green peas.
**Q: That is very nutritious.
CJ:**
Very. I have to stop eating McDonald's. Can I talk trash to you guys, so you guys can relay the message?
**Q: Sure. Absolutlely.
CJ:**
OK good. You tell 37, I'm going to knock his helmet off. You tell Asante [Samuel] to make sure that he continues to have help all four quarters or his 22 is going to be 55. Is that what it looks like upside down? Wait a minute, I'm not finished. You tell Junior [Seau] when I'm done with him ... never mind I'm not going to pick on Junior. That is not a good one. I could get hurt there.
**Q: How about Ellis Hobbs?
CJ:**
I really don't know Ellis, so I'm going to leave him alone until I get on the field and then I'm going to pick on him. You tell Eugene Wilson, if he hits me across the middle, we are probably going to have to fight and get thrown out of the game right there on the spot. My last hit I'm going to take this year was in Cleveland and if anyone hits me like that again it is going down.
**Q: Can anyone on the Patriots trash talk like Joey Porter?
CJ:**
No. Yes, what am I talking about? Rodney [Harrison]. Easy. He is an original, old-school trash talker, hit you and still talk trash, punch you at the bottom of the pile, talk trash. He is an original.
**Q: Is there anything that Rodney Harrison has said to you that is printable?
CJ:**
You know what. I don't think he would mind if I said this. Rodney is one of those guys that I sit down and talk to every pregame for almost 20 to 25 minutes on keeping my head clean and staying focused. It is more of a father/son talk every time I talk to Rodney.
**Q: He gives you the advice?
CJ:**
Yes, big-time. We did it last year ... I mean two years ago actually when we played them in the preseason. He gave me some great advice about staying in a straight line and staying focused and staying out of trouble. If I'm in the headlines, be sure that it is for something positive.
**Q: Do you have that same talk with Chris Henry and should you?
CJ: **
Yes, I have. I have Chris under my wing. Chris is going to be fine. He is a great addition to this ball club. He is what I call a Randy Moss threat. Maybe some people might not see it that way. I call him my Randy Moss threat. I'm excited for us about what we have going on and we have two things that are on our back right now that is going to make this offense super scary, two names that are Chris Perry and Antonio Chatman. When those two get back healthy it is going to be ridiculous.
**Q: How upsetting was it to hear about the news of Terrell Owens?
CJ: **
He is fine. T and I talk every day. We just talked on Monday night during that Atlanta and New Orleans game for like an hour watching the whole first quarter. So as soon as I got the news when I came in this morning, you know I had to make my call to make sure everything was okay. He took the pain medication for his hand, but he took it on an empty stomach. I'm sure if any of you tried to take pain medication on an empty stomach, your stomach is messed up and there is no way for you to actually fix it because you are taking pain medication. He was only there two hours and he check out. He is at practice today.
**Q: So you talked to him this morning?
CJ: **
No, I didn't speak to him, but a source very close. T is fine. How do they go from taking a couple of pills to 35? How do they do that?
**Q: Police report.
CJ:**
That is ridiculous. 35 pills, guys, you know you are dead.
**Q: When you are talking trash with guys on the field, are they all just laughing knowing you are enjoying yourself?
CJ:**
The funny thing is it is funny, but in the back of their minds they know I mean business. I talk it but I mean business. It is never in a negative or unsportsmanlike way. You know what I mean? They all understand it. That is what is so funny about it. Everybody understands that it is merely a challenge. Like last week, the thing between me and [Joey] Porter before the game. Now that was serious. It is mainly a challenge. Everyone has always stepped up to the challenge. The checklist is nothing but merely a challenge. Nobody takes offense to it. Everybody knows how I am and it is the way that I approach the game and play it.
**Q: What names are on the checklist this week?
CJ:**
Asante [Samuel]. Since Asante is the best corner there, Asante's name will be on there. I'm really looking forward to it. I haven't gone against him in two years now. It is going to be fun. I'm excited. Don't forget to relay my messages.
