After attending the first 7 games, Sunday was the first this season we watched on TV.  Ahhhh…the joys of screaming at the set. 

Amid the rapidly dimming playoff hopes, we are witness to the emergence of Lardarius Webb.  Defensively, Webb played his first snap at Minnesota.  In the time since:

·         At Minnesota (10/18):  Webb played 3 snaps as the nickel and was used twice as a pass rusher and once to cover Harvin.

·        Vs. Denver (11/1):  Webb played 9 snaps, including a 4-play sequence that included tackle, tackle, pressure, tackle

o    With the standard defense on again and Webb back at LCB (Q2, 3:52), he broke up Palmer’s pass to Coles with a dive.  Beginning with the very next play, and for the remainder of the afternoon, Webb would play the outside receiver when Carr entered.

In 3 games, Webb has gone from a man who had never played an NFL snap on defense to starting corner for the Ravens.  I expect to hear some coachspeak this week (somewhere between “we’re hoping Fabian can go, but if he can’t Lardarius will have to man up” and “Fabian’s an important part of this defense.  It’s great to have a veteran presence like him available should anything go wrong”), but the job is now Webb’s.

On to the statistics:

Overall:  73 plays, 369 yards, 5.1 YPPA

Vs. the Run:  39 carries, 146 yards, 3.7 YPC

Vs. the Pass:  34 pass plays, 223 yards, 6.6 YPP

By number of Pass Rushers:

4:  13/110, 8.5 YPP

5:  12/43, 3.6 YPP, 1 sack

6:  3/32, 10.7, 1 TO

7:  3/32, 10.7

By number of Defensive Backs:

4:  44 plays, 210 yards, 4.8 YPPA, 1 sack

5:  20 plays, 78 yards, 3.9 YPPA

6:  7 plays, 79 yards, 11.3 YPPA, 1 TO

7:  None

Individual notes:

·        Footing on the turf was very difficult.  The Ravens had numerous slips in the early going.

·        Ellerbe (21 snaps) and Gooden (47 snaps) split time next to Ray Lewis.  Gooden had a QH and 5 tackles (1 solo).  Ellerbe had 2 tackles.  Neither was impressive in terms of gap control, but the gaps were pretty big with the way the Ravens linemen were pushed around.  This game, the snaps were awarded rotationally and with no apparent down and distance formula.  McClain entered only for 2 goal line snaps.  Barnes was once again inactive. 

·        Reed missed 2 tackles, but came back with a signature strip vs. 85.  Johnson looked like he was too busy watching the play to make the block that might have sprung Reed.

·        Jones played his first 2 defensive snaps of the season, subbing for Suggs.  Talavou played his first 2 NFL snaps on defense.

·        The Ravens defensive line was pushed around as a unit despite the fact that the Bengals lost their best lineman, LG Evan Mathis, in the first half.  With drives of 12, 10, and 12 plays to start the game, that should not have been an unexpected result.  Of those 34 plays, Bannan and Edwards each played 28 and Gregg 21.  Comparing their previous 7 games to the Cincinnati game by % of snaps… Bannan (34%/74%), Edwards (44%/73%), and Gregg (46%/55%).  In this case, the percentage does not tell the whole story, because the Bengals ran 73 offensive plays.  So in each case, it’s a higher percentage of a much higher number.  You can’t overwork veteran defensive linemen like that and expect results.  In addition to Talavou’s 2 snaps, McKinney was active and played just 9.

·         Lewis delivered a hit on Palmer on 3^rd and 10, but he completed a pass for 11 yards to Ochocinco (Q1, 11:43).

·         Benson’s 21-yard run (Q1, 10:30) on 2^nd and 1.

·        Landry nullifies his own FF with a PI penalty on Ochocinco (Q1, 7:07) on 1^st play of 2^nd drive.

·        Palmer tosses complete to Ochocinco for 17 yards between Reed and Washington (Q1, 6:07) on 3^rd and 6

·         Washington called for 24-yard PI on Ochocinco on 4^th and 2 (Q1, 4:31)