CINCINNATI (AP) — The Bengals' defensive coordinator has told cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones to put the lid on his trash talk.
Jones went off on Browns receiver Terrelle Pryor after a 23-10 win in snowy Cleveland on Sunday, using a garbage can as a prop during an extended diatribe to reporters. He called Pryor's name into the garbage can, pretending the Browns receiver was inside.
"Terrelle Pryor is garbage," Jones said.
Coordinator Paul Guenther knew that Jones and Pryor — who tried out for a quarterback spot with the Bengals last season — had an on-field exchange during pregame warmups, but he didn't realize that the cornerback kept it going afterward in the locker room.
"I had no idea what that was about," Guenther said on Monday. "But we don't want to deal with that (trash talking). We're not like that. We just play football.
"Typically you'll have some guys that are competitive guys that know one another that — in a good, competitive spirit — are two guys going at it.
"But to take it to the extent that Adam did ... We need to move on. Adam's too old for that stuff right now. And I told him that after the game."
Coach Marvin Lewis also said on Monday that Jones was out of line with his postgame comments.
"It's not the thing we want to get into, and Adam knows that," Lewis said.
Jones spent several minutes dissing Pryor, who was held to one catch for 3 yards.
"I ain't talking about nothing but Terrelle Pryor today," Jones hollered. "Get out of my face if you want to ask me anything else."
Jones then unleashed on Pryor, the former Ohio State and Oakland quarterback, who changed positions after being released by the Bengals last year.
"For a guy that's been a slouch around the league as a quarterback, he does a lot of fake hard (stuff)," Jones said, using several profanities. "I don't have no respect for him. I looked up his background. He's a suburban kid from Pittsburgh."
With several teammates egging him on, Jones picked up a garbage can and yelled into it, "Get him (Pryor) out of there. Do you see him in there? Terrelle? Terrelle?"
Jones then slammed the receptacle on the floor and said, "Terrelle Pryor is garbage."
It's not known why there is bad blood between Jones and Pryor, who dressed quickly and left Cleveland's locker room before speaking with reporters.
For the 5-7-1 Bengals, there's no margin for error. Another loss will eliminate them from making the playoffs for the sixth straight year.
They may not make the postseason anyway, but after winning consecutive games for the first time all season, the Bengals, who will host Pittsburgh next week, aren't giving up.
"There are three big weeks left and it will be a challenge," said offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth. "It's three really good teams, and so we'll have an opportunity to really put our will forward.
"Next week, we have a great opportunity with Pittsburgh coming to our place and what should be a big battle."
After facing the Steelers, the Bengals are at Houston before hosting Baltimore.
Dalton wore two gloves over his right throwing hand to improve his grip in the wintry conditions. Missing wide receiver A.J. Green for the third straight game, QB Andy Dalton used rookie wide receiver Tyler Boyd and Eifert as his primary targets.
Dalton connected on scoring passes with Tyler Eifert of 14 and 5 yards in the opening half as the Bengals opened a 20-0 lead and turned away a Cleveland comeback in the second half.
Cincinnati rushed for 213 yards as Jeremy Hill picked up 111.
"The guys up front did a great job handling the line of scrimmage," Dalton said. "I think Jeremy and all our backs ran the ball real well again today."
There's nothing the Bengals can do now about a recent 0-3-1 stretch that may wind up keeping them out of the playoffs for the sixth straight year. All they can do is look ahead.
"At the end of the day, everybody has to be stepping up," Boyd said. "It would be huge to win on out, but we have to get back to Cincy and beat the Steelers to keep it going."
NUGENT'S AIM
Mike Nugent missed another PAT, his sixth this season, in the first quarter, but he had a good excuse. The holder, punter Kevin Huber, had to reach for a high snap, then when Huber tried to quickly set the ball on the ground, it appeared to slip away on the frosty turf. The ball was lying flat on the ground when Nugent kicked it and it appeared to hit a Bengals lineman in the back. The Browns recovered and made several laterals during an entertaining attempt at a failed 2-point defensive conversion.
Nugent later missed a 36-yard field goal attempt. However, Nugent redeemed himself with a 44-yarder, which came after a false start penalty wiped out his make from 39, with 8:38 left to put the Bengals ahead 23-10.
BROWNS REDEFINE BAD
Robert Griffin III posted a 0.00 quarterback rating in the opening half of his first game in three months, and the Browns lost their 16th straight going back to last season, moving them within three losses of becoming only the second team in NFL history to go winless in a 16-game season.
Unless they pull out a win next week in Buffalo, on Christmas Eve at home against San Diego or at Pittsburgh on Jan. 1, the Browns will join the 2008 Detroit Lions in infamy.
Browns coach Hue Jackson wants to use the final four games to decide whether Griffin can be an option next season, and he at least has a larger body of work to assess.
"For him, just being out there and moving around again, calling the game and being involved in a game against a good football team, he showed that he belongs," Jackson said.
"He has to get better in some areas. I think we all know that. I am not running from that, but for the first time back out late in the season like this, I thought he held his own."
