CINCINNATI | Bengals coach Marvin Lewis has put the kibosh on the condiments.
Receiver Chad Ochocinco tweeted this week that he was going to send mustard to the Pittsburgh Steelers before their game Sunday at Heinz Field, a way of whipping up interest in the AFC North showdown.
On Wednesday, Ochocinco backed down. No mustard will be headed up the Ohio River.
“Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to send anything this week, thanks to Marvin Lewis,” Ochocinco said. “That’s the way to spoil the fun, boss man. I guess I have to talk trash to motivate myself this week.”
One of Ochocinco’s most publicized stunts was in 2004, when he sent Pepto-Bismol to some of the Cleveland Browns’ defensive backs before a game, warning them they would need the stomach medicine when they got done trying to cover him. Lewis didn’t like it. The Browns won 34-17.
The flamboyant receiver had been on good behavior this season while the Bengals, 6-2, moved into a first-place tie with the Steelers, 6-2. He kept the trash talk to a minimum and didn’t do anything that could incite an opponent.
Most of his free time was spent communicating with fans through Twitter, his iPhone application and his Ustream shows. He did nothing out of the ordinary leading up to games — until last week.
Ochocinco sent deodorant to some of the Ravens, who came to Cincinnati and lost 17-7 on Sunday. He planned to make another shipment this week to Heinz Field that played off the condiment theme.
“I got a nice present for the Steelers — sending them some mustard since they’ll never ketchup when we play Sunday,” he tweeted earlier this week.
The Steelers were looking forward to it.
“He’d better send us something,” safety Ryan Clark said Wednesday in Pittsburgh. “He sent something to the Ravens, so that shows he respects them. So he’d better send something to us.
“I hope he does because I’ve got three kids to feed. That’s one less trip to the grocery store I need to make.”
•TITANS’ GAGE IS ACHY: Three days after a highlight-reel leaping catch, Tennessee receiver Justin Gage still aches from head to toe. The pain started as the adrenaline wore off following Sunday’s 34-27 win against the 49ers. The Titans have run a battery of tests, including X-rays and CAT scans. Gage, who missed practice Wednesday, hasn’t received the results yet.
Gage, who attended Missouri, had a season-high 97 yards receiving on four receptions Sunday, highlighted by his leaping grab between Dre Bly and Dashon Goldson to complete a 33-yard catch. The 6-foot-4 Gage leapt so high his knees were about even with the defensive backs’ shoulders when he grabbed the ball, then came down hard on his left side.
•FAVRE: I’M OK: Back from his bye week, Vikings quarterback Brett Favre said he believes he’ll be fine. Favre said he pulled his groin muscle in practice while rolling out during a drill two weeks ago and aggravated the injury in pregame warmups at Green Bay on Nov. 1.
•T.O. MISSES PRACTICE: Quarterback Trent Edwards is back as the Buffalo Bills starter, though he might be missing his top threat after receiver Terrell Owens missed practice because of a strained hip.
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