Sponsor
Columns
Sneak Preview - SNEAK PREVIEW: Ravens @ Bengals
Enlarge Text
Decrease Text
Print this Article
send this article to a friend
comment
Add This
bookmark
facebook
twitter
rss
Posted On: 9/10/07
Written By:
For the 1st time in franchise history, the Baltimore Ravens are featured in the season-opening Monday night showcase. The Ravens, who won the AFC North by 5 games with a 13-3 record a year ago, play at the Cincinnati Bengals, who finished in a tie for 2nd with the Steelers, both 8-8. The Ravens/Bengals’ clash, which will be aired by ESPN-TV, will kick off at 7 p.m. on Sept. 10 at Paul Brown Stadium. Baltimore is 13-9 all time against the Bengals, including a 5-6 mark in Cincinnati...
ON THE ROAD AGAIN ~ This will be the Ravens’ 4th road opener in the last 5 seasons, losing 3 of the previous 4. Baltimore is 4-7 in season openers and 2-4 in those contests played on the road...
The Ravens have reached the postseason 3 out of the 4 years they have won their season opener. The only time they failed to make the playoffs was after winning their 1st game in their inaugural 1996 campaign...The Ravens begin the season on the road for the 2nd straight year and for the 7th time in their last 9 openers...
MONDAY, MONDAY ~ The Ravens are 4-3 on Monday Night Football, all games played under head coach Brian Billick. Baltimore is also 11-13 all time in prime time games...
Catching the Spotlight: Since 2000, when WR Derrick Mason made his Monday Night Football debut, only 2 players (Torry Holt - 96 and Isaac Bruce - 65) have exceeded Mason’s 63 Monday night receptions. Holt and Bruce have also each played in at least 2 more MNF contests than Mason over that span. (Note: In his 2 seasons with the Ravens, Mason has 15 grabs for 233 yards -- a 15.5-yard average -- in 3 MNF games.)
DID YOU KNOW?
That Ravens’ QB Steve McNair was by the Seattle Mariners as a pitcher out of high school? When asked why he never tested his fastball in the major leagues, McNair chuckled, “Haha, well as a young kid, I needed a little more growing up. Being separated from my parents at 18 wasn’t a good idea. But I love the game of baseball, and I don’t regret anything I did and the decision I made. I’ve been having a great NFL career.”
In 15 games vs. Cincinnati, McNair is 246-of-406 passing (60.6%) with 21 TDs and 5 INTs for a 95.7 QB Rating. He owns a 10-5 record, including 7 games with a 100-plus rating. In 7 games on the road against the Bengals, McNair owns a 5-2 record, and has 1,228 passing yards, 9 TDs and 2 INTs in those games. Has rushed 59 times for 316 yards, averaging 5.4 yards per carry and has scored 4 TDs, with 14 runs of 10-plus yards.
In franchise history, the Ravens have produced 9 shutouts, ranking as the most in the NFL since the club’s inception in 1996 and the team’s 1st shutout (which came against Cincinnati) in 1999. Of their 9 blankings, the Ravens have registered 3 of those against the Bengals. That number is the most of any team Baltimore has shut out.
RAVENS/BENGALS CONNECTIVITY
Ravens DT Kelly Gregg was a Bengals’ 6th-round draft choice in 1999. After a brief stint with the Eagles, Gregg joined the Ravens’ practice squad in 2000...Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis will always be remembered as the leader of the Ravens’ 2000 Super Bowl defense. Baltimore’s defensive coordinator from 1996-2001, Lewis is in his 5th year as the head man in Cincy...Ravens G Ikechuku Ndukwe (practice squad) is the big brother of Bengals rookie S Chinedum Ndukwe...Bengals signal-caller Carson Palmer and Ravens QB Kyle Boller were both selected in the 1st round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Palmer was the No. 1 pick out of USC, while Boller was chosen 19th out of Cal-Berkeley. Further extending the Cali connection is Ravens offensive coordinator Rick Neuheisel, who quarterbacked UCLA to a 1984 Rose Bowl victory...Bengals S Madieu Williams grew up in Lanham, Md. After moving from Sierra Leone at age 9. Williams played 2 years at Towson University before transferring to Maryland...Ravens rookie G Ben Grubbs was a teammate of Cincy rookie RB Kenny Irons for 2 years at Auburn. From 2005-06, Grubbs helped Irons rush for 2,186 yards and 17 TDs...
Since 2000, a mere 6 players have been selected in the NFL supplemental draft: 2 of them square off Monday in Ravens T Jared Gaither and Bengals LB Ahmad Brooks...Bengals WRs coach Mike Sheppard was an assistant coach for Baltimore during the 1996 season. Special teams coach Darrin Simmons served as the Ravens’ assistant coach for special teams, as well as strength and conditioning in 1998. Chip Morton, Cincinnati’s current strength coach, was an assistant for Baltimore from 1999-2001...
RAVENS TURNOVER RATIO RECORDS
The Ravens are nearly unbeatable during the Brian Billick Era when posting a “plus” rating in turnover ratio:
When turnover ratio is +2 or better . . . . . . .41-0
When turnover ratio is +1 or better . . . . . . .58-5
When turnover ratio is +1, +2 or +3 . . . . . .51-5
When turnover ratio is even . . . . . . . . . . .12-10
When turnover ratio is negative . . . . . . . . .8-40
QUOTABLES
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR REX RYAN ON THE 2006 AND 2007 SEASONS: “Everybody in our organization is ready to get that taste out of our mouths. [We had] a great season and won 13 games, but [we] feel like it was a disaster, because [we] lost in the first round [of the playoffs]. The fact that it was the Colts, and what it meant to the City of Baltimore, we all felt it, believe me. We’re ready to get back and do our thing, and put ourselves in the same position this year. We expect to dominate. That’s our defensive mindset.”
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/QBS COACH RICK NEUHEISEL ON WR DEMETRIUS WILLLIAMS: “He can close and adjust on a ball as well as any receiver I’ve ever seen. He has the ability to adjust and that makes him really, really special. During one of our OTA [organized team activity] practices, a long ball was clearly outside of him. Most receivers lose speed trying to get to the outside and adjust, but he just flipped his head, kept running at the same pace and made the catch.. It was truly remarkable.”
NT KELLY GREGG ON NATIONAL ATTENTION: “I love that guys underestimate me because of my height, and that works to my advantage. People are always trying to bring you down, but if you do what you are supposed to do, who cares about your size? I just keep working hard. If I wasn’t playing in the NFL, I’d be trying to get in a game back home on the sidewalk.”
2006 TALE OF THE TAPE / RANKINGS
A TALE OF THE TAPE ~ Here’s how the Ravens and Steelers compare in key statistical categories from 2006:
|
RAVENS |
CATEGORY |
BENGALS |
|
13-3 |
2006 Record |
8-8 |
|
W5 |
Current Streak |
L1 |
|
W 19-7 v. Bills |
Last game |
L 17-23 v. Steelers |
|
352 |
Points Scored |
373 |
|
38 |
Touchdowns Scored |
43 |
|
11 |
Rushing Touchdowns Scored |
14 |
|
21 |
Passing Touchdowns Scored |
28 |
|
6 |
Touchdowns on Returns |
1 |
|
201 |
Points Against |
331 |
|
21 |
Touchdowns Allowed |
40 |
|
5 |
Rushing Touchdowns Allowed |
15 |
|
16 |
Passing Touchdowns Allowed |
24 |
|
0 |
TDs Allowed by Return |
1 |
|
+17 |
Turnover Ratio |
+7 |
|
42.3% |
Red Zone TD Pct. For |
57.7% |
|
33.3% |
Red Zone TD Pct. Against |
55.8% |
|
23.2 |
KOR Avg. For |
20.5 |
|
21.8 |
KOR Avg. Against |
21.0 |
|
7.8 |
PR Avg. For |
6.6 |
|
9.2 |
PR Avg. Against |
5.6 |
Post your comment
«Go back to the previous page.
Enlarge Text
Decrease Text
Print this Article
send this article to a friend
Add This
bookmark
facebook
twitter
rss
Posted On: 9/10/07
Written By:
Sponsor
Polls
Press Feeds
Check us out on Twitter
- 5/23/12: @cacaw410 @masnroch I agree. Pinch hitting could have helped. Oh and their fundamental ineptness on the bases didn't help either. Next time!
- 5/23/12: Somebody hit me up...at O's game and Flaherty can't hit his way out of a wet paper bag...is something wrong W/ Hardy?
- 5/23/12: #Ravens Beach Bash details here >>> http://t.co/sFoLuPe2
- 5/23/12: Details of #Ravens’ Rookie Contracts and the basement bargains they've signed = #UDFA's: http://t.co/e9J2pfFm
- 5/22/12: There's a Betemit Sandwich!
View all tweets & follow us!
E-News
Sign up for Email Alerts and get the best deals and news in your inbox.
Copyright © 2012 24x7 Network, LLC, All Rights Reserved
Website Design by D3Corp Ocean City Maryland
Website Design by D3Corp Ocean City Maryland