Marvin Lewis Thinks He Can Manage Owens, Ochocinco

Marvin Lewis does not have his eyes blindfolded or his ears muffed. He was not under hypnosis when Terrell Owens came onboard the Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday night.

He said this move has been in discussion since March.

"We wouldn't have done it if it wasn't something I was not completely comfortable with or wanted," Lewis said. "My coaches wanted it. My players wanted it."

They got it. T.O., the total package. Playmaker and perplexing persona. The good, the bad, the ugly, the hype.

This was a rather simple equation for Lewis, the Bengals' coach, and for Mike Brown, the Bengals' owner.

The Bengals won their division last season. They lost in a home divisional playoff game to the Jets. The Bengals were three victories shy of being champions.

This is about options. Movement. "Cheese," Lewis explained.

"You got to find the cheese in this game," Lewis said. "We have more cheese now on offense. You can't have the season we had last year and sit around and hem and haw. You've got to go find something, do something that makes you better.

"I've coached against Terrell four times in the last seven years and he is still a threat. We saw his Buffalo film from last year and were quite familiar with the quarterback [Ryan Fitzpatrick, a former Bengal]. Terrell can still cause defenses to revolve and have to rotate to him. He is still an impressive vertical threat. He has the ability to do some heavy lifting in pass routes where other guys are the vertical threat. He's done everything. Big target. Effective Red Zone player."

And an ego bigger than any of that. And a circus that often surfaces wherever he resides. And a personality teamed with Chad Johnson that would appear to set the clock ticking on when the Bengals are set aflame.

But Lewis said no. Lewis said his own personality, his ability to manage these players is not an issue.

"Look, everyone thinks I have two big personalities now at receiver, but really, I have three," Lewis said. "Antonio [Bryant], you can toss him right in there. But these players realize that you're not going to have many chances like this in life. You have a quarterback [Carson Palmer] and three receivers like this who all have strong games and personalities. And it's one goal. One direction. Our lot as coaches is to put these players in position to be the most productive. That is what we are challenged to do. Be the most productive we all can be. That is how you reach the player."

Lewis said he told Owens "the things that are important to me," and Owens shared his thoughts on what was important to him before the union was completed. Lewis said his only concern in this addition was if it would "retard" the growth of his younger receivers. His offensive coaches helped convince him that Owens could help those younger receivers become better receivers by his on-field and practice work ethic.

Lewis said he told his special teams coaches that they had better be ready to have their group play big on Sundays. With this trio of receivers who do not play special teams, depth there is hindered.

Lewis said you know when Owens is in a room and on a football field.

"He's a very impressive young man," Lewis said. "I was impressed with how he communicated with others here. A very quiet, reserved person. Gracious. That part of him is his grandmother's upbringing. The guy walks in like a rock star. A big impressive man and people stop and turn their heads."

Owens also has a way of making people roll their eyes. He can blow up quarterbacks and help torch a team.

Marvin Lewis said he is not worried about any of this.



For this 2010 season, Lewis just became ego manager as much as football coach.

The "Hard Knocks" television series chronicled the Bengals' camp last year and follows the Jets this year. But this newly formed Bengals bunch would have made a heck of a "Hard Knocks II" foray.

"I'm glad we're not," Lewis said about a repeat.

Some things he would rather keep private.

With this cast, that won't be much.