oldschooler Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 [b][size="5"]Bengals brace for Baltimore bullies[/size][/b] By Kevin Goheen • Enquirer contributor • September 16, 2010 [b]CINCINNATI -- [/b]The Baltimore Ravens depth chart says they run a 3-4 defensive alignment. Lining up against them, it's not so easy to tell just what they're doing or where they plan on coming from when the football is snapped. For the Bengals to rebound from last Sunday's 38-24 season-opening drubbing at New England, they're going to have to figure out the Ravens' defensive puzzle in time for Sunday's home opener at Paul Brown Stadium. "It's rules and it's the players understanding them," said offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski. "It's still a challenge every year." Bratkowski, who has been running the Cincinnati offense since 2001, has had his share of success against one of the NFL's top defenses of the last decade. Baltimore has ranked in the top 10 of total defense in 10 of the last 11 seasons, but the Bengals have won eight of the last 12 meetings since Carson Palmer became the starting quarterback in 2004. One of those losses came in 2008 when Ryan Fitzpatrick started. "It's a team that moves around and brings some pressure and tries to do more confusing than some teams so you have to be prepared and alert where they are and who is in the game," said left tackle Andrew Whitworth. "They're usually a bully defense." "If they can beat up on you early they stay that way so you really have to come out and take them on at the beginning," Whitworth said. The biggest bully for the Ravens is middle linebacker Ray Lewis. Lewis has made 231 tackles in 23 career games against the Bengals, according to Baltimore coaching stats, to go along with five interceptions, 21 passes defensed, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. The 15-year veteran and future Hall of Famer is hardly the only concern for the Cincinnati offense. Defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, defensive end Trevor Pryce and rush end Terrell Suggs have all garnered Pro Bowl selections in their careers. Suggs has 61 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 14 career games against the Bengals. The games aren't always pretty to watch. In just four of their past 12 games have both teams scored 20 points or more and on just three occasions have the Bengals gained 400 yards. Yet they have still found a way to win a majority of the matchups. "I think we understand how hard it's going to be," said Bratkowski. "We understand the level we have to play. We have a great amount of respect for them and when you have that respect for someone you know that the "A" game better come or you're going to have a long day." The Bengals brought their best in sweeping the Ravens last season, 17-13 at Baltimore and 17-7 at PBS. In seasons past, the Bengals had beaten the Ravens through the air, getting timely performances from Palmer and wide receivers Chad Ochocinco, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chris Henry. Last season was about the running game excelling. Cedric Benson rushed for 120 yards in the first game and 117 yards in the second game to become the first running back since Pittsburgh's Jerome Bettis in 1997 to gain 100-plus yards in two games against Baltimore in the same season. Since 2000, the Ravens have allowed just 21 individual rushing games of 100 yards or more. The Bengals have five of those; besides Benson, Rudi Johnson did it once in 2005 and Corey Dillon went over 100 yards in games in each 2001 and 2002. What works one season doesn't necessarily works the next against the Ravens. They held the New York Jets to 176 total yards Monday in a 10-9 win at the Meadowlands. They will target Benson on Sunday. (Click the link for the entire article) [url="http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100916/SPT02/9170365"]http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100916/SPT02/9170365[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scharm Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 [quote]Since 2000, the Ravens have allowed just 21 individual rushing games of 100 yards or more. The Bengals have five of those; besides Benson, Rudi Johnson did it once in 2005 and Corey Dillon went over 100 yards in games in each 2001 and 2002. [/quote] That stat is just impressive for the Ravens. What's that about 161 games this week? I'd love it if Benson could drop another 100 on them for 3 in a row. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengals1181 Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 [quote name='scharm' timestamp='1284725073' post='919493'] That stat is just impressive for the Ravens. What's that about 161 games this week? I'd love it if Benson could drop another 100 on them for 3 in a row. [/quote] honestly, I'm surprised its as many as 21 times. They've had quite a few long streaks of shutouts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhfinks Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 Attack the ravens up the field - and run the ball often...... We got this....... Carson knows this team very well...... Lets Rock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtrbur Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 Let's exploit that secondary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tigre Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 Every season, so many think that this Rat defense is "too old"..."too beat up".."too something else". And every season, they just keep bringing it. It is going to be a serious fight...again...against them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumble In the Jungle Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 i hope to god we blow them up big time. i don't even want it to be close at all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Lucid| Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 [quote name='Rumble In the Jungle' timestamp='1284740069' post='919581'] i hope to god we blow them up big time. i don't even want it to be close at all! [/quote] You need to temper your expectations... divisional games are never easy. The teams know each other too damn well, and both these teams are pretty even as far as talent goes.. Lets hope/expect for a win and let that be enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scharm Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 [quote name='Lucid' timestamp='1284740751' post='919587'] You need to temper your expectations... divisional games are never easy. The teams know each other too damn well, and both these teams are pretty even as far as talent goes.. Lets hope/expect for a win and let that be enough. [/quote] True. But the Bengals owe them an ass whoopin from the 08 beating they gave them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elijah15 Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 [quote name='scharm' timestamp='1284743259' post='919602'] True. But the Bengals owe them an ass whoopin from the 08 beating they gave them. [/quote] We already gave it to them in 09,they might just return the favor sunday if we dont get a damn oline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coup000 Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 Heard somewhere on ESPN that the Ravens secondary played the best most sound coverage of any team this particular person watched in week 1. I believe it was Hoge but I'm not sure, it was on Mike and Mike yesterday morning. He said the first half there were basically no throws to be made for Sanchez but in the second half there were some openings and Sanchez was too gun shy to take them. Not too encouraging for this weekend. Hopefully we'll get more of the second half Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|kennethmw| Posted September 17, 2010 Report Share Posted September 17, 2010 [quote name='Missya15' timestamp='1284749557' post='919627'] We already gave it to them in 09,they might just return the favor sunday if we dont get a damn oline. [/quote] So the same O-line that let Cedric run for over 100 yards twice last season, is going to lay down this season? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-GoBengals- Posted September 19, 2010 Report Share Posted September 19, 2010 [quote name='kennethmw' timestamp='1284752723' post='919645'] So the same O-line that let Cedric run for over 100 yards twice last season, is going to lay down this season? [/quote] took 6 olinemen acting as 5 to do that... cook, livings, and roland are shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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