Bengals don’t live up to the hype or their expectations

Associated Press

CINCINNATI

Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens already have plenty of material for their soon-to-air reality show.

First topic: How could they have gotten so totally aired out in the season opener?

The Cincinnati Bengals were pushed around during a 38-24 loss at New England on Sunday that brought back memories of the bad old days when such things happened regularly. Their season opener was an eye opener for the defending AFC North champs.

“We just didn’t play how we normally play,” safety Chris Crocker said Monday. “It’s just a sick feeling because we feel like we have a lot to prove, and we just got embarrassed yesterday. They just beat us in all phases.”

Even their self-styled superheroes were irrelevant.

Ochocinco had Tweeted to his 1.2 million followers that he and Owens — who are working on a reality cable show to air next month — would perform a “symphony” for the Patriots. Instead, New England did a number on them.

In the first half, the Bengals managed only 105 total yards before the final play, a desperation throw by Carson Palmer that Jordan Shipley caught at the 3-yard line as time ran out. That play became the defining moment of the dynamic duo’s debut.

Neither one was involved in the Bengals’ longest play of the day.

Ochocinco had left the field to get fluids intravenously to prevent cramping in the second half. Owens had joined him in the locker room, leaving the backups to pull off the last play. After the game, Owens declined to say why he left the field. Coach Marvin Lewis said only that Owens went to get checked out, declining to say anything more.

A day later, Lewis said TO’s absence involved a problem with his shoes.

“Well, the guy had shoes that just got here on Saturday,” Lewis said. “Again, we don’t need to get into all of that. It’s over. It occurred, but it’s not that big a deal. We were ready to go with the [other] guys. We knew he had gone in.”

Neither receiver was available during the open locker room time on Monday.