DaytonDailyNews.com

CINCINNATI — Chad Ocho Cinco apologized for his insubordination that triggered his deactivation against the Pittsburgh Steelers, ending his streak of 113 consecutive games played.

He's placed the incident in his rearview mirror and eagerly awaits Sunday's Nov. 30 collision with the Baltimore Ravens.

"I put (head coach Marvin Lewis) in a tough position, and he made a call he had to make," Ocho Cinco said Wednesday, speaking about it for the first time.

Ocho Cinco said he understood why Lewis punished him for showing up late to a meeting last Wednesday night at the team hotel.

"It was unfortunate on my part," he said; "I let my coaches and my teammates down. I didn't get a chance to play. My dad (Lewis) deactivated me, punishment for his son. Other than that, I'm back this week, ready to have some fun against some very good friends of mine.

"I'm looking forward to spoiling their playoff chances or whatever we have the chance to spoil. I'm trying to find a way to get some wins."

And some catches. With 41 receptions for 383 yards and four TDs, Ocho Cinco's streaks of six straight 1,000-yard seasons and five straight Pro Bowl appearances are about to end. His longest catch this year is 22 yards.

"We've had no big plays this year," he said. "I'm not sure why. You can't blame it on injuries. Every other team has injuries, but they still find ways to make explosive plays. I don't know what the answers are."

Ocho Cinco insists he's the same player he's always been — just without the gaudy statistics and the loud mouth.

"The way I play is fiery," he said. "You just don't hear the voice before the game. That's the only difference."

Ocho Cinco was asked if he wants to be here next year.

"I don't have a choice. I'm here until 2010," he said.

Does he anticipate a quieter offseason than last year when he demanded a trade?

"Yeah. I'm not going to pull that (stuff) again," he said. "I'm going to fade away. I'll be in London and Africa the entire offseason — Kenya. You won't have a chance to hear my mouth unless it's coming from all the way over there."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@DaytonDailyNews.com.