Bengals running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who played his first four seasons in New England and rushed the Pats into the Super Bowl with a touchdown and 68 yards on 15 carries in the 2011 AFC championship game against Baltimore, is always all business. So Sunday's matchup at sold-out Paul Brown Stadium (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Channel 12) is just another day at the office.
"It's another team to prepare for. The only difference is I know some of those guys and they know me as well," Green-Ellis said before Thursday's practice. "I'm pretty much good friends with a good number of guys. Ten to 20 guys. We still talk from time to time. It's not just a business relationship. We also have a personal relationship. But on Sunday it's all business."
BJGE isn't sure his hours on the practice field in Foxboro are going to help.
"I never studied them before from that standpoint because we were always on the same team," he said. "Watching them on film, some of the things they do bring back some of the tendencies we spent a lot of time on the practice fields together for the four years I was there. Obviously, some of their tendencies come up. But preparing for a game is a totally different thing, totally different mindset, totally different attitude."
INJURY UPDATE: Right end Michael Johnson (concussion) may be in danger of missing the first game of his career, a streak that stretches over five years and 71 games and includes three postseason appearances. Johnson missed his second straight practice with a concussion Thursday and head coach Marvin Lewis likes his players to practice at least twice during the week if they're going to play.
It also looks like Leon Hall (hamstring) isn't going to go again after working on the side Thursday. WILL backer Vontaze Burfict (neck) wasn't out there, either, but he did work limited on Wednesday. Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (hamstring) was on the field after not working Wednesday. Backup offensive lineman Mike Pollak (knee) was also on the field for the first time in more than a month. Both were limited.
SAM backer James Harrison (knee) and cornerback Brandon Ghee (thigh) surfaced on the injury report Thursday and were limited.
