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Sneak Preview - SNEAK PREVIEW: RAVENS V. BENGALS

Posted On: 11/1/06
Written By:  
Tony Lombardi
SNEAK PREVIEW: RAVENS V. BENGALS SNEAK PREVIEW: RAVENS V. BENGALS
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME? The Ravens host the defending AFC North champion Cincinnati Bengals this Sunday at The Vault at 1PM.  The Bengals are riding a 3 game winning streak against the Ravens including 2 consecutive wins here in Baltimore.  Prior to those 2 wins, the Ravens had beaten the Bengals 7 consecutive times at home.
 
RAVENS DOUBLE CROSSED ~ The Ravens v. Bengals broadcast by CBS will once again feature analyst Randy Cross along with his sidekick Dick Enberg.  Cross has never been accused of being a Ravens apologist.  In fact few former 49ers are since they are accustomed to offensive precision and the Ravens offense has been as precise as a butter knife through an overcooked steak from Murray’s.  One only has to listen to Steve Young on ESPN for further proof.
 
But if Carson Palmer carves up the Ravens defense the way he has during the past 3 contests featuring these teams, expect Cross to whip out the Bengals pompoms much like Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser did for Tom Brady on Monday Night in Minnesota.
 
MURDER BY NUMBERS, 1-2-3 ~ And for Carson Palmer when facing the Ravens lately, shredding the Ravens secondary has been as easy to learn as your ABC’s to borrow from The Police.  Check out these numbers from Palmer during the Bengals three game winning streak against the Ravens:
 
GAME/OUTCOME
ATT
COMP
TD
INT
%
YDS
QB RATING
12/5/04 @ Baltimore, 27-26 W
36
29
3
1
80.5
382
127.1
11/6/05 @ Baltimore, 21-9 W
28
19
2
0
67.8
248
128.4
11/27/05 @ Cincinnati, 42-29 W
30
22
3
1
73.3
302
124.6
 
Remember the Disney animated film Jungle Book?  Remember how they chased away the protagonist Mowgli’s nemesis Sherkan the Tiger?  They did it with fire.  The Ravens will have to do the same on Sunday and on Sunday to chase these tigers with fire will mean a pass rush on Carson Palmer.  If not the Ravens could be the equivalent of a fat 3 legged wart hog – an easy prey for the tigers from Cincinnati.
 
1-2-3-4 CAN I HAVE A LITTLE MORE?  Here are some more frightening stats that have to be keeping Rex Ryan awake at night this week.  While the Ravens are known to stuff the run, Rudi Johnson has enjoyed relative success against the Ravens over the past three games.  And then there is that tandem of Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh to be concerned about.  Check out the averages of these three players during the Bengals three game winning streak against the Ravens:
 
Player
Attempts/Catches
Yards
TD's
T.J. Houshmandzadeh
8
126
1
Chad Johnson
7
113
1
Rudi Johnson
25
89
1
 
INSTANT REPLAY: The last time the Ravens and Bengals met was on November 27, 2005 at Paul Brown Stadium, a game won by the Bengals 42-29.  Carson Palmer was lights out as he connected on 3 TD passes in a span of 7 minutes, 32 seconds. The Ravens went on to allow the most points since 1998. S Will Demps and CB Chris McAlister both left the game due to injury, and S Ed Reed was inactive, so the Ravens had just 1 starter (CB Samari Rolle) left in their secondary.  Palmer threw TD passes to WR Chad Johnson (54 yards), WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (30) and WR Chris Henry (27) to help the Bengals take a 34-0 lead in the 3rd quarter. Bengals RB Rudi Johnson also had 2 TDs and ran for 114 yards on 27 carries.
 
OK ENOUGH OF THE SCARY STUFF…HALLOWEEN IS OVER ~ If the Ravens are successful on Sunday and pull off the victory they will:
  • Boost their record to 6-2 on the season and take a 2-game lead in the AFC North
  • Up their all-time record vs. the Bengals to 13-8
  • Give Baltimore its 2nd win over an AFC North foe this season (at Cleveland, 15-14 on 9/24)
  • Snap a 3-game losing streak to the Bengals
  • Give the Ravens their 7th win in their last 8 home games dating back to 2005
  • Make the Ravens 8-3 all-time vs. Cincy at home
SAVED BY ZERO: The Ravens have posted the most shutouts in the NFL since 1999, blanking opponents 8 times. Baltimore has registered 3 of those shutouts against the Bengals, the most of any team the Ravens have kept from scoring. Since 1996, only 2 other NFL clubs have had as many shutouts against 1 team: The Steelers have blanked the Browns three times and the 49ers have pitched 3 scoreless games against the Saints.  All 3 of the Ravens’ shutouts vs. Cincy have come at home, where Baltimore has won by a combined 75-0 and only allowed 231.1 yards per game.  Can they do it again this Sunday?  Uh, Christmas is still more than a month and a half away.
 
ON MY SIGNAL…UNLEASH HELL!  And Ravens great Peter Boulware did exactly that upon quarterbacks for the Ravens from 1997-2005.  At halftime of Sunday’s game, the former Pro Bowler will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor, a deserved award slightly cheapened by his soon to be ring mate Ernest Byner.  Art Modell should have just given Byner a watch for years of dedicated service and called it a day.
 
But back to the man of the hour, here’s what frequent opponent Mark Brunell had to say about No. 58: “Peter is the ultimate competitor. Obviously, he is a great player and has done amazing things during his career. In facing him so many times, he was always a threat to contain, which wasn't easy. In addition to his accomplishments on the field, he is a Hall of Famer off the field. He is an excellent role model in the community and is a tremendous family man.”
 
And he didn’t fumble at the goal line.
 
MORE ON THE GR8 58: Last season during a HBO NFL broadcast, Tiki Barber was asked to comment on Ray Lewis and also asked if Ray or anyone else ever intimidated him.  Barber chronicled Ray’s greatness and was very complimentary but added that he was never intimidated by Ray or anyone else on the football field.  He did go on to explain an incident that occurred in Super Bowl XXXV that he admitted took him out of his game for a few series and rattled him a bit.  He said that Peter Boulware hit him hard on one play and then helped Barber to his feet.  As he did he looked Barber in the eye and said, “Jesus loves you.”
 
RAVENS IN HISTORY V. BENGALS: Some Ravens players have enjoyed success against the striped outfit from Ohio.  Derrick Mason has faced the Bengals 13 times, pulling in 49 receptions for 730 yards (14.9 yards per catch) and 6 TDs.  In his 8 games against Cincinnati as a starter, Mason has 47 receptions for 706 yards and 6 TDs. He is averaging 6 receptions and 88.3 yards per game in his career as a starter against the Bengals. He also has 7 25-plus-yard grabs (all in his 8 games starting) and 34 1st-down conversions versus Cincinnati…Todd Heap has played Cincinnati 9 times in his career (starting 8). In those games, Heap has hauled in 31 passes for 409 yards (13.2 avg.) and 3 TDs. He also has picked up 20 1st downs and has 3 receptions of 25-plus yards, including a long TD of 34, which came last season 11/27/05…In his 12 year career, Steve McNair has played the Bengals 13 times. In those games, he has completed 60 percent of his passes (199-of-332) for 2,551 yards and 20 TDs (tied for most scores against any NFL team - Jacksonville). He has posted a 97.9 QB rating against the Bengals, his highest rating against any NFL team he has played more than 5 times…Jamal Lewis has faced the Bengals 9 times in his career and averages 5.7 yards per carry (195 attempts for 1,110 yards), which is tied for his highest yards per carry average (Cleveland) against any NFL team he has faced more than 5 times…Terrell Suggs has tallied 26 tackles, including 5 sacks (-38 yards) in his 6 game career against Cincinnati…Ed Reed has 5 INTs against the Bengals. He also has 9 PD, a FF and a FR, which he returned for a TD on 12/5/04…Adalius Thomas has 5 career sacks against Cincy to go with an interception which he returned 25 yards for his 1st-career TD in 2002…Ray Lewis has recorded more INTs (5) against the Bengals than any other team in the NFL. He also boasts 15 PD (most against any team) to go along with his 3.5 sacks vs. the Bengals. Lewis' 141 tackles against the Bengals are the 2nd-most of any team he has faced (Pittsburgh is tops with 208).
 
DO YOU REMEMBER? The Ravens will see some familiar faces when the Bengals visit on Sunday.  Bengals DT Sam Adams (2000-01) and S Anthony Mitchell (1999-2002) will reunite with 9 of their former teammates and Super Bowl Champion Ravens. Other former Ravens include Bengals backup QB Anthony Wright (2002-05) and special teams coach Darrin Simmons. Simmons was an assistant special teams/strength and conditioning coach for the Ravens in 1998. He held the same position with the Panthers from 1999-2002, while Ravens assistant offensive line coach Greg Roman (1999-01) was also there. Also returning to Charm City is Bengals strength coach Chip Morton, who was with the Ravens from 1999-2001.
 
OTHER NOTABLE RAVENS/BENGALS CONNECTIONS: Bengals WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh was a standout at Oregon State from 1997-2000, where he was joined by current teammate Chad Johnson during his senior year. During his 1st 2 seasons, Houshmandzadeh's WRs coach was Mike Johnson, who currently serves in the same capacity for the Ravens. Mike Johnson spent his final season with the Beavers as a QB coach (1999). The next year, a new Johnson came to town -- Chad. He and Houshmandzadeh formed a deadly WR combo, while a freshman by the name of Dwan Edwards was just getting started. The current Ravens DT went on to become a 2-time All-Pac 10 Conference selection after recording 159 tackles and 12.5 sacks in his career. During the threesome's season together (2000), the Beavers finished the campaign ranked No. 4 after a Fiesta Bowl victory over Gerome Sapp and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Not only will Chad Johnson be facing his former teammate, but he will also be facing his cousin, Ravens CB Samari Rolle.
 
MORE BALTIMORE & OHIO CONNECTIVITY: Bengals P Kyle Larson and Ravens P Sam Koch were punting mates at the University of Nebraska. Larson was the punter for the Cornhuskers from 1999 until 2003. During Larson's junior and senior years, Koch waited in the wings. After backing up Larson for 2 seasons and taking the kickoff duties in 2003, Koch took over the punting chores, eventually breaking the Nebraska record for punting average (46.5 yards) and earning 1st-team All America honors for the Big Red.
 
TAKE IT AWAY: The Ravens’ 22 takeaways are tied for the most with the Bears in the NFL (a +11 turnover ratio).  The Ravens are 1st in the NFL in red zone defense, giving up a 14.3 percentage. The 29 points they have permitted in the zone are the lowest in the NFL this season.
 
This number is certainly tainted by the Ravens disturbing propensity to give up the big play.  The Ravens have allowed 9 touchdowns this season, 7 coming from 25 yards and out.  The touchdowns allowed on average are from 34.7 yards out.  The Ravens have allowed the 4th-fewest 1st downs in the NFL but that too is tainted by their susceptibility to the big play.

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Posted On: 11/1/06
Written By:  
Tony Lombardi

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