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Bengals' Geathers OK with move to linebacker
Defensive end who had 10.5 sacks last year makes move because of team's injuries.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
CINCINNATI — Robert Geathers is used to placing his hand on the ground, rushing off the edge, slamming into offensive tackles and sacking quarterbacks as the Cincinnati Bengals' left defensive end.
Nowadays, he's a stand-up guy — sealing off the outside run, covering the tight end on pass plays and blitzing once in awhile.
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Geathers' job description has changed. He's the club's new strong-side linebacker. For the second straight game, he'll start at that position Sunday.
"Whatever it takes for us to get a win," Geathers said. "(Head coach Marvin Lewis) asked me to do it, and I'm like, 'If it's going to help us be better on defense, then why not?'
"I never played linebacker a day in my life until this year. It's not bad. I'm getting used to it. The biggest thing is getting the drops and pass stuff down. I think I'll be all right."
So does Lewis.
"Oh, he's what you want," Lewis said. "He's got all the athleticism and skills to be a fine linebacker."
Geathers generated 10.5 sacks in 2006, becoming the club's first double-digit sack man since Alfred Williams in 1992.
Geathers is off to a slow start in that category this year (one sack), but his other statistics — 29 tackles (11 solos), two pass breakups, one interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery — are proof that he's disruptive.
A rash of injuries left the linebacker corps depleted. The club's search for help led to Geathers, who came to the rescue at Kansas City last week. He'll answer the call again Sunday against the New York Jets.
"I like it when they keep me going downhill," said Geathers, meaning he loves attacking the line of scrimmage. "But we can't be predictable by blitzing every down, so I've got to get more comfortable at playing the base stuff. I'll be all right as time goes on.
"However long they need me to play linebacker, I'll do it. I might be there for the rest of the season."
Is the move permanent or temporary? "As permanent as right now can be," Lewis said.
