By Mark Curnutte
Enquirer staff writer

Maybe even more than the Bengals' third victory, the hot topic on Cincinnati sports talk radio Monday was the in-game behavior of wide receiver Chad Johnson.

Johnson tried to explain his antics during the second half Sunday and his apparent frustrations that led to a coach-player meeting with Marvin Lewis.

FOX TV cameras caught Johnson throwing a cup of Gatorade, spiking the ball after a reception and showing apparent frustration after a Carson Palmer pass fell short on third down.

The incident went national.

Johnson talked by phone with Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis.

"Ray told me, 'You can't do it,' " Johnson said. "That's not what I mean, and he said, 'A lot of people don't understand how I am.'

"They see that, and they take a negative approach. Ray said, 'You can't wear your emotions on your shoulders. You're high profile. You're a star now.' "

Johnson also got a talking to from coach Lewis.

"He has done it before, and it has been a problem for some time," Lewis said. "It didn't just start yesterday. We are going back and looking at history a little bit. We need to change the history of his actions a little bit and (have) a new start."

Johnson ended with eight receptions for 74 yards.

"I wasn't disappointed. I was fine. Yesterday, I don't know what happened," Johnson said. "There were some things I did wrong and I was mad at myself for doing them.

"But you won't see that again. I made a mistake. We were winning. What is the point of being mad if you're winning the game?"

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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