Sunday, December 26, 1999
Who's got the edge?
QUARTERBACK
Bengals: Bet you didn't know Jeff Blake's career TD-to-interception ratio (93-to-58) is better than Boomer Esiason's 187-to-131 and Ken Anderson's 197-to-160
Ravens: Tony Banks has been great lately, but he threw three interceptions last week and completed just eight of 26 passes the week before that
EDGE: Bengals
RUNNING BACK
Bengals: The NFL's best bargain. Each of Corey Dillon's 1,173 yards has cost the Bengals just $428.82
Ravens: Priest Holmes can bounce it outside at 6 yards per pop. Errict Rhett likes to cut back inside to run over people. But neither are going to the Pro Bowl
EDGE: Bengals
RECEIVERS
Bengals: Darnay Scott could have gone to Pro Bowl with TD in each of last five games. He's got as many TDs as Keyshawn Johnson (7) and bigger yards per catch (15-13.5)
Ravens: Qadry Ismail has rocketed even past his brother. In last three games he's got 486 yards. Will real Qad please stand up? It took him season's first 11 games to get 517
EDGE: Bengals
OFFENSIVE LINE
Bengals: They don't have Pro Bowler like Ravens' Jonathan Ogden, but Willie Anderson is playing like a Pro Bowler for a unit that's allowed four sacks in last four games and is 84 yards from NFL team rushing title
Ravens: They do OK blocking run, but Banks has been sacked 12 times since Bengals nailed him seven times. Cincy has just five sacks since
EDGE: Bengals
SPECIAL TEAMS
Bengals: Who ever would have thunk it? Bengals get special teams Pro Bowler (kick returner Tremain Mack) in season of five long snappers, four holders, two punters and a partridge in a pear tree
Ravens: Kicker Matt Stover beat Bengals at gun with one of his 12 straight field goals and punter Kyle Richardson has been devastating with 37 kicks inside the 20 compared to seven in the end zone
EDGE: Ravens
DEFENSIVE LINE
Bengals: They're coming off finest outing in franchise history after allowing Browns 11 yards rushing. But LE John Copeland (hamstring) probably won't play amid best month of his life
Ravens: They allow just 77.8 yards rushing per game and RE Michael McCrary fuels NFL's seventh most prolific (40) sack attack
EDGE: Ravens
LINEBACKERS
Bengals: Inside backer Takeo Spikes goes for some kind of triple crown in leading team with four forced fumbles and four fumbles recovered, second in interceptions with two, second in tackles and fourth in sacks with three
Ravens: These guys are immense. Pro Bowl middle backer Ray Lewis is on verge of leading NFL in tackles for second time in three years, and Peter Boulware is going to Pro Bowl with one arm in sling with dislocated shoulder
EDGE: Ravens
SECONDARY
Bengals: This isn't group that got blown away by Kurt Warner and Peyton Manning, but remember what Banks did to them in 2-minute drill. And what's it say when waiver wire pickup is their best cover guy without playing a snap?
Ravens: Rookie corner Chris McAlister got some Pro Bowl votes and veteran Rod Woodson is going as a safety after seven trips as a corner. But the right corner and strong safety slot have hurt them
EDGE: Ravens
COACHING
Bengals: Give Bruce Coslet an “A,” for keeping this team together long enough to put together a three-game winning streak. But if his players aren't interested in last two games, Bengal brass won't be interested in him next year
Ravens: Maybe Brian Billick is NFL's Rookie Coach of the Year. He's playing with mirrors on offense, yet has revived two retreads in Banks and Ismail to bring them to brink of playoffs
EDGE: Even
THE PICK
Mike Brown's only victory this weekend - nearly 37 years to the day Ravens owner Art Modell fired his father as coach of the Browns — comes as Modell steps aside. RAVENS, 30-23
Bengals Stories
Sophomore slump? Not for XU's Frey
Turner back practicing with Xavier
Naehring giving best off the field
'99 Sports: Color the year Red
Ruth or Jordan? Tune in
State baseball back to Columbus
Couch still the story in Kentucky
