Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said at his Wednesday news conference that Pro Bowl WILL linebacker Vontaze Burfict won't practice Wednesday. That automatically puts him on the doubtful list for Sunday's game (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Channel 12) against the Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium, which would be the sixth straight game he's missed...
Offensive coordinator Hue Jackson didn't want to elaborate on his half-time consultation Sunday with quarterback Andy Dalton in Tampa, but Dalton confirmed Wednesday it was impassioned.
"I didn't play well in the first half. He basically challenged me. He told me to take care of the ball and good things would happen. Everything was deserved, "said Dalton, who responded with a near flawless second half. "Needed to...It's not the first time I've been yelled at."
Asked if the improvement was because of the challenge or because his flu bug began to fade, Dalton said, "A combination of both." …
Newly signed right tackle Eric Winston doubles as the NFL Players Association president and back in October he tweeted sarcastically when Lewis' thoughts on how concussions are treated differently now as opposed to in the past got big play. Some deemed Lewis' comments as insensitive, but Winston said Wednesday the subject wasn't broached during the signing.
"It wasn't about Marvin. Some of that had been going around. Being an advocate for the players, it is what it is," Winston said. "My comments never actually mentioned his name. It didn't really have anything to do with that. Sometimes that's pumped up a little bit. . It didn't have anything to do with him necessarily." ...
The Bengals replaced backup linebacker Jayson DiManche on the roster Wednesday with former Steelers linebacker Chris Carter, a fifth-round pick out of Fresno State in 2011 who has four starts in 30 career games...
The Bengals replaced backup linebacker Jayson DiManche on the roster Wednesday with former Steelers linebacker Chris Carter, a fifth-round pick out of Fresno State in 2011 who has four starts in 30 career games...The 6-1, 248-pound Carter was cut by the Steelers after the preseason and played one game with the Colts this season before they cut him Oct. 6...
Also sitting out for the Bengals Wednesday were nose tackle Domata Peko (elbow), cornerback Adam Jones (concussion), defensive lineman Robert Geathers (hip) and guard Mike Pollak (knee). Right end Margus Hunt (ankle) still wasn't back after getting hurt in New Orleans Nov. 16. Fullback Ryan Hewitt (illness) was out with what may be the Dalton Flu. Wide receiver James Wright (knee) was also out...
Jones was checked twice during Sunday's game in Tampa, once by an independent doctor, and cleared to go back in,
Wide receiver A.J. Green (thigh) and right tackle Marshall Newhouse (hip) were limited...
In Pittsburgh, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (wrist) didn't practice, but everyone expects him to play. After he banged his throwing wrist on Saints linebacker Curtis Lofton's protective wrist guard last Sunday on the third series, he made a few left-handed handoffs but ended up throwing for 320 yards. He's got no protective wrap on it and he did some soft toss after practice...
