Each Sunday, Bengals first-round draft pick Levi Jones talks about life as an NFL rookie.

        This week, we've got prime-time football, and anybody who knew you when you were growing up, they're going to see you play.

        Normally, all you see is the TV chop up the Bengals. I'm from the West Coast. I didn't get too much about the Bengals. All I knew is that they had a great running back and the rest of the team was garbage. That's all ESPN told me. They didn't tell me about the line. All we heard out there was Corey Dillon and Peter Warrick.

        Now we have a chance to show the world we really can play football.

        I played at Arizona State. I'm no stranger to losing. It means you have to go in there and get things right. Everybody's working to win. A lot of the players have been speaking up and trying to get us going in a positive direction.

        I heard Willie (Anderson) say that everybody on the team has to compete to be the best in the league at their position. Until we get that type of attitude, we're not going to go anywhere. I'm sure Willie believes that. It has to be across the whole line, the wide receiving corps.

        Everybody has to work to be the best in the league. That was an eye-opener to me.

        We have a lot of talent that could potentially be the best in the league. It makes me want to work harder. I'm not sure it hits other people the same way.

        I want to top everything I'm doing. I want to do everything you say I can't do. We all have to adopt that type of attitude. Each individual has to do their job and can't talk about the next person. You can't point fingers. Every time you point a finger, you have three pointing back at you.

        Lorenzo (Neal), he said his piece when we were getting ready to run on Friday. He put it like this: “You critique me. You tell me. I'm going to work hard to get my part better.”

        We have to get in the state of mind that, “I'm going to get my job done the right way and not let my brother down.” Some people have it, but there are some guys who can improve it in that area.

        This is work. This is my job. I'm coming in here every day like I'm going to work. What will be fun is when we're kicking the living crap out of somebody. That's what will be fun for me.

        - As told to Mark Curnutte

Bengals see chance to shed 'Bungles' image Bengals not so bad on big stage Keys to the Game Who's got the Edge? Armour et al: Put a lick on Vick Levi Jones' Rookie Journal Mark Curnutte's NFL picks

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St. X, Turpin set pace for state
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