The Associated Press

CINCINNATI — No T.O., no Ocho. It took injuries to the reality show co-hosts for receiver Jerome Simpson to finally get the chance to prove he’s no draft-day bust.

He put on quite a show of his own.

The Bengals’ third-year receiver had a breakout game Sunday, setting career highs with six catches for 124 yards and a pair of touchdowns during a 34-20 win over San Diego that is making everyone reassess his future.

“His background wasn’t the same as some of the other guys coming in here,” coach Marvin Lewis said Monday. “A lot of this is new to him. Sometimes it takes guys a little bit longer. But he’s got things he can do that I can’t coach, that we can’t coach, and he’s special that way.

“It’s taken time to be able to get him out there where we know that we’re not going to have a real negative play.”

Simpson was a second-round pick out of Coastal Carolina in 2008, a move that was immediately second-guessed because he was coming from such a small school. The 6-foot-2 receiver is physically gifted — good speed and big hands — but hasn’t gotten on the field because he’s had problems making the adjustment to a complicated offense.

While he struggled, the Bengals brought in other receivers — Laveranues Coles, Antonio Bryant and Terrell Owens — to complement Chad Ochocinco. Simpson rarely got on the field.

He appeared in six games as a rookie and had only one catch for two yards. He got in two games last season without a catch.

More of the same this year. But after the Bengals lost their 10th straight game in Pittsburgh on Dec. 12, Simpson essentially begged Lewis to let him play.

“He called me into his office and I told him, ’I want to play for you, coach,”’ Simpson said. “I want to win games for this team. I want to show everybody I can play this game.”

Lewis and owner Mike Brown had watched him make spectacular plays in practice, but the coach was hesitant to put him in a game because of his propensity to run incorrect routes, risking an interception. With the season lost, Lewis decided to give him a chance.

He was sensational.

“We’ve seen him do that,” Lewis said. “We’ve all stood there and seen him to do that many, many times, particularly my boss. We’ve watched him do it, and it’s good to see him do it when it’s live, when it counts.”

Simpson caught a 10-yard touchdown pass, holding onto the ball with his right hand while getting driven out of bounds. He was so excited about his first career TD that he ran toward the goal post intending to dunk the ball, but got too close. He improvised and shot a fadeaway with the football.

“Normally he can go dunk it after, but he said he was too tired,” Lewis said.

Simpson also outran the coverage for a 59-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter that essentially sealed the win and raised questions about the guys he was replacing.

Owens and Ochocinco dubbed themselves Batman and Robin and started talking Super Bowl at the start of training camp. They’ve been far from dynamic, with quarterback Carson Palmer often throwing passes that were a little off-target to the duo.

Lewis has talked repeatedly throughout the season about receivers needing to get to the right spot. On Sunday, Palmer had a near-perfect passer rating of 157.2, going 16 of 21 for 269 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. He looked perfectly comfortable throwing to Simpson, Andre Caldwell, Jordan Shipley and Jermaine Gresham.

“Those guys know that if they get to the right spots, they’ll get the ball and they’ll be rewarded for winning in tough coverage situations,” Palmer said. “I trust that they’ll make a play on the ball and not let the defender make a play on the ball. That’s something that you get over time, and I wouldn’t say we’re perfect in any stretch of my imagination.”

The impressive game got fans wondering why the team stuck with Owens and Ochocinco for so long without giving the younger guys a chance.

“You can what-if yourself to death,” Palmer said. “At the same time, Chad’s got how many yards receiving over his career, and T.O. is I think in second place (career), so I don’t think you could say that. That’s not fair to say. Those two guys we didn’t have are great players and have made plays year-in and year-out over their careers.”

Now, Simpson will get a chance. Owens is a free agent and the club has a $6 million contract option on Ochocinco for next season. Lewis was noncommittal Monday on whether Ochocinco might play the last game in Baltimore on Sunday.

Ochocinco tweeted after the game: “No terrellowens or ochocinco and we win and carson has an unbelievable day. i should get hurt more often.”