Cincinnati Bengals
Hall, Joseph shut down Ravens
By Scott Priestle, CNATI.com Posted November 8, 2009 6:25 PM ET
Because they face the Ravens twice per season, Bengals defenders have seen better than most how the Baltimore offense has evolved from a plodding group content to minimize mistakes into a dangerous collection of playmakers.
Because they watched so much film last week, Bengals defenders saw reason for optimism where others might have seen concern.
"We felt so comfortable," safety Chris Crocker said. "We knew what they were going to do."
Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer frequently left cornerbacks Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph in man-to-man coverage with one safety deep and the other near the line of scrimmage to stop the run. Hall and Joseph shadowed receivers Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton, and the rest of the Bengals stuffed running back Ray Rice and put heat on quarterback Joe Flacco for a 17-7 win.
The Ravens gained only 98 yards through the first three quarters and topped 200 for the game only because the Bengals sat back and allowed Rice to gain 35 yards on the final play while running out the last few seconds.
Johnathan Joseph
"You can feel momentum shift throughout the game, but this time it felt like we were in control of it all the way, you know?" Joseph said. "They took their shots, but we did a good job as a defense, not giving up the big plays."
Joseph and Hall each intercepted a pass, as they did during the teams' first meeting, a 17-14 Bengals win in Baltimore. They combined to catch four passes in the two games, while Mason and Clayton caught seven.
Flacco threw 13 passes to Mason on Sunday but connected on only three, for a total of 31 yards. Joseph was credited with five passes broken up, and Hall and strong safety Chinedum Ndukwe broke up two apiece.
"You have to give them credit. They stayed around the ball and on the guys," Flacco said. "As soon as the ball got there, they were ready to hit them."
Hall said Zimmer used multiple coverages during the game and tried to disguise them as much as possible. Zimmer also used the Ravens' reputation for defensive excellence as a source of motivation.
"We have a lot of pride in our defense," Hall said. "Coach said all week that especially when you're playing a great defense like the Ravens, the best defense on the field that day is going to win. So even through you're playing their offense, you kind of look over at their defense and see what they're doing."
Ravens safety Ed Reed missed multiple tackles, and cornerbacks Fabian Washington, Domonique Foxworth and Lardarius Webb gave Bengals receivers just enough room, particularly on third down. The Bengals converted 8 of 18 third-down plays into first downs.
Meanwhile, the Ravens converted only 1 of 10. They entered the game ranked third in the NFL, converting 48 percent of third downs into first downs. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis called it "the key to winning this football game."
In two games against the Bengals, the Baltimore offense averaged seven points and 236 yards, and it converted only 4 of 21 third downs. In the Ravens' other six games, their offense averaged 29.7 points and 399 yards and converted 51.2 percent of third downs.
"They're stout," Rice said. "They play the game the way it's supposed to be played. They keep everything in front of them and don't give up the big play. They played the ball well whenever it was in the air. That's what good defenses do."
Leon Hall
Hall intercepted a pass late in the second quarter, just seconds after the Cincinnati offense punted for the first time. The Bengals led 17-0 at the time, and the Ravens were itching for a big play. Flacco threw deep for Mason, but Hall ran with him step for step.
Joseph's interception also was on a deep pass, this one intended for Clayton on the opening drive of the second half.
The cornerbacks, each a recent first-round pick, are among the league leaders with four interceptions apiece. Their high level of play has allowed Zimmer to be more aggressive with the rest of the defense, trusting that Hall and Joseph can handle one-on-one coverage on the perimeter.
"They are both playing fundamentally sound and smart, and I put a big capital on `smart,' " Lewis said. "That's key to playing cornerback in this league. Both guys have tremendous athleticism, speed and ability to play the ball in the air. What gets you in trouble at that position is when you try to do too much. Today those guys played a nice, clean game."
Categories: Cincinnati Bengals, Featured Stories, News
Tags: Bengals, Chris Crocker, Joe Flacco, Johnathan Joseph, Leon Hall, Ravens
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