VS.

POSTGAME QUOTES
NOVEMBER 30, 2006

Back to Bengals Gameday

Initial comments:
"It's a good win — a big win. Big game. And it's important. It's been six weeks of humping. Guys have come through it and they've done well. We've just got to keep working and playing better. Now we've put together a couple of complete games — somewhat. We've just got to keep playing and being more consistent. Our thing is to win on third down and we'll be all right. We've got to take the football game and not give it away. We knew the key to the football game was going to be third down, takeaways, and tackling. That's big."

What has your defense done better in the past two games?
"They played better on third down tonight. We tackled better, didn't give up an explosive play, (we were) where you're supposed to be, (and) it made a big difference in the football game."

Were you setting Baltimore up for the fleaflicker?
"Do you mean all those runs in there for zero? Yeah we were really working on that. We're glad we won. Our guys did good things. We did some good things in a lot of areas. We've just got to keep it up. It's unfortunate that our defense didn't get a second straight shutout. That would've been awesome. We just have to keep playing. Now we've got a stretch (of time) before we play the Raiders. Guys are going to get some time away from here, because we've been grinding. So they'll get a chance to regroup a little bit, which is good."

Are you going to get CB Johnathan Joseph some gloves?
"Well, yeah, we need to work on that. We need to keep Johnathan here and make him do some jugs drills, I guess."

How did you feel about the fleaflicker that was called?
"I was a little nervous. I didn't have a good view of the secondary. I knew he was open because of the crowd reaction. He did a great job of selling the play, and they (the offensive linemen) did a great job up front giving us time to get rid of the ball, because it's a long-developing play. If you get the protection like we had, it makes it easy."

Obviously you guys were very successful tonight and executed well:
"I thought we were in parts. There are definitely parts that we need to play better, and we will play better. That's a team we hope to see again in the playoffs. There's a good chance that can happen. And hopefully they'll keep winning some games, and we'll win out and get a shot of playing them again, because we left some plays out there and didn't execute with every chance we had. We're good enough to do that. We're good enough to execute all the time and be successful all the time. When your defense plays the way they did, and they hold them to as few of points as they did, you can get away with being sloppy here and there. So we were sloppy on a couple of occasions, but did a good job overall. On third down we made some plays, got some points, got a couple of field goal opportunities and did a good job that way."

What were you thinking when C Eric Ghiaciuc went down? Were you surprised they went with Ben Wilkerson?
"Not at all. He's the second stringer and the backup to Ghiaciuc. But the way that those guys have been getting knocked out, and new guys have been filtering in and playing different positions, it doesn't worry me at all. Those guys have been making plays and coming in. Ben (Wilkerson) wasn't shaken at all. He played at LSU. He's played a lot of big games. He played in the National Championship game. This was nothing for him to come in and just make some plays."

Did the fleaflicker called by Bratkowski surprise you at all, being that he normally doesn't call such creative plays?
"I think Brat is very creative. I think we do a good job changing things up with the no-huddle calls. I think we do a good job running reverses and screens. The third-down play to Kenny Watson — the shovel pass — ... I don't think he's uncreative at all. I thought tonight was one of the best games he has called. There were a couple of opportunities we had for big plays. The screen to T.J. (Houshmandzadeh) where we got tackled on third down ... (we) might have scored if we had not missed the block. He had the right play against the right defense and the right blitz, and it was a very well called game."

What it's like to see the defense play another successful game?
"It makes it easy on us. When you're the quarterback and you're playing against a defense like that, you go into the game thinking we have to make some big plays — throw the ball over their heads for big 20-, 30-yard completions. But I felt, and we felt as an offense, in the second quarter that we had their number on defense, and that they were going to do a good job and slow them down on their running game and hold them (in the passing game). And when you can go into a game with that mindset, it changes your mindset offensively. When the defense comes out and plays like that, it just takes pressure off of us offensively."

What was it like in the locker room during halftime after the missed field goal by the Ravens and being up 6-0 instead of 6-3?
"As it turns out, it really wouldn't have mattered. But we felt going into halftime that we had a whole bunch of points that we left on the field, and we were going to come out in the second half and score anyway. We didn't quite come out and do that, but we're happy with the way we played. But it really didn't matter if he had hit that field goal or not."

Would it be fair to say that you played with desperation today?
"I wouldn't say desperation, not at all. We played very consistently on offense today. We played very smart football. We took what was available, and we didn't force anything."

What do you think about the way the defense has played the last two weeks?
"I'm not on the defensive side of the ball. All I know is they're playing well. We almost had our second shutout in a row. They're playing really well."

WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh said after the first game against Baltimore that you were the better team. Do you think you proved that tonight?
"In a sense, we did. We're now 1-1 against them, so the best way to decide who's better would be to play again (in the playoffs)."

How do you feel physically?
"I feel good. We have a long break before our next game, so we have time to get healthy as a team. I'm a little banged up, so I'm glad we have the time off."

You are getting closer and closer to your first career interception:
"I'm getting closer to my first career pick, but there's a lot of time left, so hopefully I'll get it."

You are really getting to the ball, and your tackling has been very solid:
"As a defensive back, that's what I'm expected to do. A lot of corners don't tackle in this league, but you have to be able to do more than get to the ball. We did a good job of that tonight."

How frustrating was it to just miss your second straight shutout?
"It wasn't a frustrating thing. We played hard all night and stopped them several times on third down. When we were called on to do our job, we did I tonight."

Did you prove tonight that you are a better team than Baltimore?
"I'm not going to boast and brag about today. I felt we were the better team, and I think we proved it tonight. That being said, Baltimore is a hell of a team. It was a hard-fought game. We didn't turn the ball over, which I thought was a big key, and our defense played extremely well. Without the defense playing the way they played, the win doesn't happen."

How important is it to have a balanced team as you enter the stretch run?
"I think it's big. I thought we played well as a team, and that was the loudest I've ever heard our crowd since I've been here. That's much appreciated."

December begins tomorrow. Are you ready for the stretch run?
"Yes, we know we can't slip up. Our backs are against the wall. Everyone in the AFC is playing well, so we know we can't slip up."

Was the aggressiveness of Ravens S Ed Reed the key to scoring on the fleaflicker?
"That's one of those system touchdowns. All I have to do is catch the ball. He is an aggressive safety, and it was the right call at the right time. It was the coverage we wanted, and it worked out."

Your thought on tonight's game?
"The Bengals played a great game. They deserved to get the victory tonight. It is a disappointment always when you miss an opportunity. We missed an opportunity to capture the division. We will have more opportunities with the position that we have put ourselves in, and that is what we will focus on when we come back and get ready for the Chiefs."

Would you call this lose a disappointment?
"Yes. Anytime you lose, it is disappointing. Anytime you have an opportunity to capture the division and don't, it is disappointing. When you put yourself in that position, and don't follow through, that is unsatisfactory. Fortunately, we are in a position where we can control our own destiny as we move forward. We don't have to rely on anyone else. Nothing else has to happen accept for us to play good football, and we are capable of that."

Defensively, what was the problem tonight?
"I couldn't get anything going tonight. I could not get us into a rhythm. That is my responsibility to get that rhythm going for the team. We did some good things tonight. We completed some passes, and had some good runs. We just couldn't sustain anything."

How big was the missed field goal before the half?
"Matt (Stover) is usually automatic for us. That could have recaptured some momentum for us, possible stirring up some emotion. We were in position to — at that point — cut the lead in half. It is always disappointing, but no more than Matt feels."

How big is the loss of B.J. Sams for the season?
"Huge. He is one of the top return guys in the game right now. Like any team, the next guy has to step up and we will adapt."

Overall, how do think the secondary played against the Bengals?
"The Bengals are a talented offensive football team. We gave up some plays tonight, but I felt, on the whole, we played very well."

Were you surprised that since the Bengals were missing three offensive line starters that they were able to handle the blitz so well?
"That group has been playing together for a while. They must have a lot of confidence, and (they) are obviously getting better. They played well tonight."

At the end of the first half when McNair spiked they ball, do you think there was enough time to run a play?
"You run the risk at that point of only having a shot at the end zone. To put our quarterback in that position where he would have to force the ball, make a call at the line, and possibly have poor protection while the clock had ran down to so little time ... it only made sense to bring the field goal team onto the field."

How will you use the extra time off this week?
"We will use this mini-break to get refreshed. We will take these next couple days off and come with physical practice starting as normal next Wednesday as we prepare as normal for Kansas City. We will use these next couple days to get refreshed."

Were you guys frustrated with being unable to move the ball?
"We just couldn't get things started. We weren't frustrated. They (did) a good job playing defense. We were just backed up too many times, and we couldn't get into our game plan. They played solid football backing us up. We made too many penalties. We were backed up with false starts, and things like that. You can't win ball games like that. We are 9-3, and just have to move ahead and continue to get better. We'll take a few days off and come back and be ready for Kansas City."

With Marvin Lewis having a more active role in the defense, do you see anything different from the last time you played them?
"No. Every time you play them, you are going to see something different as far as their game plan. When you are in a short week, you can't do too much. You go for what you know and what you do best. We were just too inconsistent tonight. We made good plays tonight, but we played bad too. We were in too many third and longs."

Is it disappointing to have to put off the title of AFC North Champs?
"Absolutely. We wanted to close it out tonight. Every week is going to be a challenge from here on out. We just have to be ready to go for Kansas City."

What do you take from this loss?
"That we have to go forward. We have to continue to prepare, and go into the next game focused."

How does this team move forward?
"As a unit. We have to execute, be efficient and put together a good drive and score points."

How do you think the Bengals defense played today?
"Tremendously. They played good ball. They stopped us. They held us to just a fourth-quarter touchdown, and they won the game."

Was tonight a lost opportunity?
"It was a lost opportunity, exactly what you said. We had a chance to come in here and win the division, but we didn't get the job done. Give them some credit — they played a great ball game. A lot of things went their way. We have to come back and regroup, and figure out how to win the next one."

It didn't seem like you guys could get anything going offensively:
"We have had parts of games go like that in the past where we couldn't get it going, but somewhere down the line, we find it. That didn't seem to happen today. We never got in the grove where we were consistently moving the ball. We had a few plays here and there, but even the scoring drive was too late."

What happened at the end of the first half where the ball was spiked with 12 seconds left in the half?
"With the time allowed, do you take a shot with 12 seconds left? That's kind of up in the air. I think we made the right decision there. We made it the first one, and the ball didn't bounce our way the second one."