Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson was back at work yesterday, a day after being sent home before the Steelers game for disciplinary reasons.

Coach Marvin Lewis wanted to move on from the latest Bengals controversy and after the team fell to 1-9-1.

The latest loss Thursday night against the Steelers was a 27-10 defeat in which the Bengals managed 208 yards of offense.

Lewis said the punishment fit the violation, and declined to go into details of the incident. Ocho Cinco was late for a team meeting Wednesday night, and then had a verbal altercation with a coach or coaches.

"I think, yeah, any time a player has a thing that occurs like that, you let your teammates down," Lewis said yesterday. "I think any time that you have to sit a player down, it sends a message to players, because that's the only thing they get and understand."

He said losing playing time often gets players' attention more than losing money, although Lewis said Ocho Cinco will be fined an undisclosed sum.

"That's their livelihood, that's how they extend themselves, that's what they do and that's important to them. So when you take away playing time, that's the loudest voice they hear," Lewis said.

Lewis said he expects Ocho Cinco to play Nov. 30 against Baltimore, the Bengals' next game.

Rookie quarterback Erik Ainge was suspended four games by the NFL for violating the league's policy on steroids and related substances. Ainge, already on injured reserve and out for the season with a foot injury, is not allowed to be with the team or at its facility during the suspension.

Running back Clinton Portis was limited in practice with his sprained knee and is listed as questionable for a game against the Seattle Seahawks tomorrow.

The NFL confirmed that suspended cornerback Adam Jones can join Dallas Monday and that he can play again Dec. 7 against Steelers -- but only if he stays on his best behavior and "if he avoids any further incidents and fully complies with condition that has been established for him."