By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis declined to talk Monday about the possibility of altering his team's Sunday morning procedure.

Tailback Corey Dillon was involved in a one-car accident Sunday morning, causing him to arrive at Paul Brown Stadium after the league's 11:30 a.m. deadline for submitting inactive-player lists.

"They have to be people," Lewis said before pausing, "and we are not going to comment on that."

One of the changes Lewis made since taking over was to put his players in an undisclosed hotel - believed to be in downtown Cincinnati - on the Saturday night before home games. Lewis releases players after a 9 a.m. Sunday meeting, and they are on their own to get to Paul Brown Stadium.

Dillon was believed to have driven to his northeast suburban Cincinnati home and was returning to the stadium when the accident occurred. The Montgomery Police accident report states that Dillon was driving his 1963 Impala on the ramp from westbound Interstate 275 to I- 71 South when he lost traction on wet pavement. Dillon told police the car fish-tailed before he regained control and pulled it to the right to avoid other traffic. Then he said he struck the metal guardrail on the right.

Dillon was 17.5 miles from the stadium, and Lewis had said he wanted to talk to him and have him examined by team medical personnel to determine his status for Sunday's game against Seattle.

Dillon was listed as probable with a groin strain and was expected to play.

Police did not cite Dillon, who was further delayed when he witnessed a related three-car accident. The question was why Dillon was 17 miles from the stadium when the accident occurred at 10:54 a.m.

Lewis was asked at his Monday press conference if he had a deadline for players to arrive for home games.

"No," he said. "Again, I'm not going to comment on what our policies are."

NOT OVERCONFIDENT: The Bengals (3-4) travel to Arizona (2-5). Lewis is not worried about overconfidence. "Both teams had each other circled," he said. "They circled us and said, 'Oh, here come the Bengals, circle that W.' "

INJURY UPDATE: Tight end Reggie Kelly was walking on crutches Monday and said he'd had an MRI for an undisclosed foot-ankle injury.

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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