Terrell Owens blames coaches for Bengals’ woes

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Cincinnati receiver Terrell Owens has been dropping hints in recent weeks about why he thinks the Bengals have lost 10 straight games. On Tuesday night, he basically came right out and said it -- it’s mainly the coaches’ fault.

“I think there’s underachieving from the top down,” Owens said on ‘The T.Ocho Show,’ which he hosts on Versus with teammate Chad Ochocinco. “You start with the owner, you start with the coaches. And obviously we as players, we are a product of what the coaches are coaching us throughout the course of the week.

“Of course, we have to go out there and play the game. But in order for us to do what we’re allowed to do at the best of our abilities, the coaches have to put the players in the best position.”

Owens, who was brought to the Bengals during the off-season to bolster the team’s passing game, had only one catch for 22 yards during a 23-7 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday. He still ranks among the league’s top six receivers in catches and yards this season but is on an offense that ranks in the bottom third of the NFL.

“Yeah, my frustration pretty much is at an all-time high,” Owens said. “I pretty much have been quiet all year, but the fact that I was brought in here to kind of help this team get to the playoffs, and to be where we are right now is very disappointing.”

Owens asked his co-host why he thinks the defending AFC North champions suddenly have the second-worst record in the NFL.

“I’m not sure why we’re 2-11 this year,” Ochocinco said. “But the thing with me is I’ve become numb to the situation of losing, being that I’ve lost for such a long time that I have not been able to point the finger on what it really is.”

-- Chuck Schilken

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

“I think there’s underachieving from the top down,” Owens said. “You start with the owner, you start with the coaches. And obviously we as players, we are a product of what the coaches are coaching us throughout the course of the week.

“Of course, we have to go out there and play the game. But in order for us to do what we’re allowed to do at the best of our abilities, the coaches have to put the players in the best position.”