Sunday, September 12, 1999Who has the edge?
How Bengals, Oiler match up
QUARTERBACKS
Bengals - Two of Jeff Blake's four biggest games came against Jeff Fisher's defenses in 1995 (354 yards) and 1996 (356) and he's beaten this team three times. His last start was a 367-yard effort and McNair has just one 300-yard game in his career.Titans — McNair has beaten the Bengals just once and completed just 55 perce nt of his passes. In 38 starts, he has 38 TD passes. In 54 starts, Blake has 77 TDs.
EDGE: Bengals.
RUNNING BACKS
Bengals — Corey Dillon has dented the Titans for 461 yards in his last three games, the last two without his fullback totally healthy. Besides Carl Pickens standing on the sidelines, Dillon is the best thing the Bengals have going for them. If the Bengals run him less than 25 times, they lose by three touchdowns.Titans — Eddie George was putting up Hall-of-Fame numbers BEFORE the Titans decided to give him a lead-blocking fullback. And they just didn't get him a guy. They got him Lorenzo Neal, a seven-year vet who has been a key guy for playoff teams.
EDGE: Titans
RECEIVERS
Bengals — Pickens has tortured the Titans down through the years, but he's clearly not ready for a monster game. He could do spot damage on third down and in the red zone, but that might not be enough. In the last week, including the Bengals' kickoff luncheon, coach Bruce Coslet has publicly challenged the tight ends to get open.Titans — They have just the right combination of speed (Kevin Dyson, Chris Sanders) and savvy (Yancey Thigpen) to cause problems for the Bengals' young corners. Sanders is one of those players who is just a guy until he plays Cincinnati. Last year, he had three of his five catches for 101 yards against the Bengals. Tight end Frank Wycheck also gives them fits.
EDGE: Titans
OFFENSIVE LINE
Bengals — The only guy in the same spot from last season is right tackle Willie Anderson, in an interesting matchup on passing downs with Titans No. 1 pick Jevon Kearse. They look terrific blocking the run, but not as coordinated on the pass. The Titans' eight-man front is a good test for converted center Rich Braham.Titans — The Oilers have solid veterans in the two key spots, left tackle Brad Hopkins and 17-year center Bruce Matthews. Budding Pro Bowler Jon Runyan at right tackle has a huge matchup with left end John Copeland. Meanwhile, the Bengals' Rod Jones is making just his ninth career start at left tackle and fir st since '97.
EDGE: Titans
DEFENSIVE LINE
Bengals — They've looked strong in the pre-season stopping the run, but until they do it for real, they're still unproven. Look for the Bengals to use much of their “Elephant,” defense, a four-man line with Jevon Langford at right end and Michael Bankston moving into tackle.Titans — Tennessee delved into the free-agent market to pluck two solid tackles in Mike Jones and Jason Fisk. They helped the Titans lead the AFC in defense during the pre-season, when they allowed just one touchdown in the last eight quarters.
EDGE: Titans
LINEBACKERS
Bengals — Even Eddie George is impressed with this group, calling the Benagls' defense the most aggressive he's seen yet in Cincinnati. And these guys are why, even though all the starters are two-year players. It's inside backer Takeo Spikes' first game as the defensive captain.Titans — These guys have been in Texas and Tennessee longer than Houston and Jakson. OLBs Joe Bowden and Eddie Robinson and MLB Barron Wortham have 207 starts among them, compared to the 30 the Bengal backers have started. The Tita n trio is solid, but a bit small and nowhere near as fast as the Cincy kids.
EDGE: Bengals.
SECONDARY
Bengals — Their top three cornerbacks have 16 NFL games among them , and they all belong to right cornerback Artrell Hawkins in just his second season. Of the other two corners, Ty Howard just arrived five days ago, and Roosevelt Blackmon, has all of 15 games in the league. Safeties Myron Bell and Greg Myers try to cut down on the several blown coverages against the Titans last season.Titans — Like the Bengals, Tennessee is excited about their young corners, but they have more experience. Third-year Denard Walker has started 27 straight games at left corner and second-year right corner Samari Rolle — picked three spots after Hawkins in the second round of the '98 draft — started just one exhibition game but showed enough to cause the release of Darryl Lewis. Safeties Blaine Bishop and Marcus Robertson have a combined 42 career turnovers.
EDGE: Titans
SPECIAL TEAMS
Bengals — It's been a struggle with the injury to punter/holder Brad Costello and coverage guys Kelvin Moore and Ric Mathias. Coslet's week-long gag is that he forgets the name of the new punter. Hey coach, it's Will Brice with six previous NFL starts, but don't get too attached.Titans - Is there a better foot duo than kicker Al Del Greco and punter Craig Hentrich in the NFL? Del Greco was 24-for-24 from inside the 40 last year, when he had his fourth straight 100-point season. Hentrich put 18 kicks inside the 20 last season with the fifth best net average (39.2 yards) in history.
EDGE: Titans
COACHES
Bengals - Coslet did a good job getting his team interested again in the off-season, but it all threatens to blow up if an 0-4 exhibition season is followed by a blowout in the opener.Titans — Fisher's done a great job keeping his club competitive during a franchise shift and three straight years having different home fields. But like Coslet, he has something to prove. Can he take his team beyond 8-8?
EDGE: Even.
THE PICK
After the way they looked in an 0-4 exhibition season and the fact the Titans are opening their new stadium, you'd be committed if you picked the Bengals. Or, worse, they'd strip you of your Pro Football Writers card:Titans 24, Bengals 13.
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Pickens set to go back to work
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By the numbers
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Box, runs
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TROY STATE 31, UC 24
Game statistics
UC NOTEBOOK
NEXT: WISCONSIN (2-0)
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Madeira 26, Indian Hill 0
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