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Sports TwitterBengals defense steps it up
Monday, November 12, 2007
BALTIMORE — The Cincinnati defense finally came alive in a 21-7 victory as it forced six Baltimore turnovers and held the punchless Ravens to just 272 total yards of offense in sending them down to a third straight defeat.
Safety Dexter Jackson and cornerback Leon Hall authored the biggest turnover of the game.
Extras
With the Ravens in the shadow of the Bengals' goal line at 0:18 of the second quarter, Jackson tipped a Steve McNair pass intended for tight end Todd Heap that Hall intercepted, preserving Cincinnati's 6-0 halftime lead.
"I turned around and saw where Dexter had tight coverage on (Heap)," Hall said. "It was a great play by Dex. He tipped it up a couple times, and I was just fortunate enough to be there and get the tipped ball."
Doctor Doom
Bengals safety Chinedum Ndukwe turned in a fantastic performance: five tackles, an interception (against Kyle Boller) and forced fumble (against Steve McNair).
McNair seemed headed for a first down on a third-and-9 scramble to open the third quarter, but Ndukwe's tomahawk chop caused the ball to pop loose.
"I was trying to track him down," Ndukwe said. "I wanted that sack. I just tried to make a secure tackle, and I always try to get the ball out."
Red zone woes
The Bengals marched inside the Ravens' 20-yard line seven times. The result? Seven field goals and zero touchdowns.
"My hat goes off to the defense," quarterback Carson Palmer said. "They kept 'em out of the end zone almost all the way to the end of the game. They got us the ball in good field position. We just need to keep working in the red zone, keep getting better and find ways to get in the end zone."
Second-half philosophy
As badly as the Bengals wanted a TD, they were not going to force the issue in the second half.
Head coach Marvin Lewis and offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski kept the play-calling conservative because the Bengals had a comfortable lead.
"I'm always in Brat's ear a little bit just to make sure," Lewis said. "(Palmer) knows we've got this lead. Let's make sure we get the points. We're trying to score, but we don't want to be careless with it."
Empathy for Billick
Lewis expressed empathy for Ravens head coach Brian Billick, who has lost three straight.
"I can't have a closer colleague or friend than Brian," Lewis said. "Going through what we've both been going through, it's tough. He's just working his tail off trying to find a way to get the thing righted."
Quick hitters
• Bengals defensive end Jonathan Fanene got the trifecta on one play — a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery against McNair.
• The Ravens were at a disadvantage because starting cornerbacks Samari Rolle (illness) and Chris McAlister (knee) were sidelined.
• The Bengals' victory snapped the Ravens' eight-game home winning streak.
• The Ravens are 11-2 at home in November since 2002. Both losses came at the hands of the Bengals.
