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Bengals head coach on defensive amid, criticism from radio, Internet media.
Monday was not a good day for Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. The CNNSI Web site listed him among NFL coaches "on the hot seat" and Cincinnati sports-talk show host Lance McAlister criticized him for being "smug and condescending" toward the media. • On when fans will see the fruits of what the players call "easily fixable" mistakes by the defense: "You just wrote all about it last week — '85 Bears a week ago. As I tell (the players) all the time, No. 1, 'Don't try to explain it to (the media) because (they) don't understand it.' Secondly, 'We're not as good as you think you are or as bad.' We'll make our corrections and move forward."
• On the players saying some negative publicity will be good for them: "I'm not worried about what kind of publicity we get. If you look at the difference between the headlines of our area and the headlines (in Cleveland), you would think they had shut us out. That's the difference a few points make. We take our medicine and move forward." • On the biggest reason players make mental errors. "Again, trying to invent and create a revision on their own because you're trying to overcome somebody else's deficiency or what he didn't do right. Just do your job. Don't try to do too much." • On why he didn't challenge the referee's spot on Braylon Edwards' phantom first down with 3:11 to go: "He ruled forward progress, and thus the ball's spot, and that's where he put it. So at that point, it's kind of a dead issue." • On the special teams giving up 451 yards in returns in two weeks because defenders are not staying in their lanes and getting sealed off: "Your very elementary assessment of it is a little off-base. But we've got to do better." • On why left tackle Levi Jones isn't in the starting lineup: "His status is what it is. He's competing for a position and working hard to get himself back and earn his job back. That's what he's doing. He's working hard." • On national sportscasters, including ex-Steelers coach Bill Cowher, saying Chad Johnson's antics are something Lewis condones. "You know better than that, so why ask me that question? I think Bill knows better than that, too. It's unfortunate he said that. He would know better than that because he knows me as well. He's coached Chad in the Pro Bowl, and all he had to say were glowing things about Chad. Now (Cowher) he's in a position where he can create controversy." • On if he takes the defense's problems personally and if there's a chance he'll be calling defensive signals like he did in 2004? "I'm not going to respond to that. I do take it personally. I'll respond to that part." Dayton Daily News http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/pro/bengals/2007/09/18/ddn091807bengals.html |
