By Shannon Russell
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Baltimore Ravens safety Chad Williams had waited his entire career for a day like Sunday, when he picked off a Jon Kitna pass for a 98-yard touchdown return.

But he didn't savor the feeling.

"I was thinking about what I had to do next," Williams said. "I'm on the kickoff team, too, so I had to catch my breath so I could run 60 more yards."

Williams, a rookie safety, is one of the newcomers that have re-energized the 6-6 Ravens.

The young players have been thrust in the spotlight as the former Super Bowl champions rebuild. And Sunday, the rookies preyed on the Bengals.

Williams, who had his first career pick last week against the Tennessee Titans, said first-round draft pick Ed Reed has received the most attention this season. Reed, a safety, leads the team in interceptions with four.

But Williams found his opportunity in the second quarter, on second-and-8 from the Baltimore 8. . Keeping his eyes on Kitna, he snagged the quarterback's pass intended for Corey Dillon.

"Just before that, (secondary) coach (Donnie) Henderson said, `Be patient, see everything,' and it just happened I stepped right in front of it," Williams said.

His interception return was the longest against the Bengals since the New York Jets' Darrol Ray returned one for a 98-yard touchdown on Jan.9, 1982. Williams' return also tied a Ravens record, set by Chris McAlister on Dec.24, 2000, also against the Jets.

But Williams wasn't finished. At the start of the fourth quarter, he blocked Nick Harris' punt. Fellow rookie Ron Johnson picked up the deflected ball and ran in for a 22-yard score.

"That's just game plan - coming up and under and getting inside. And unfortunately, he got a little too close," Harris said. "On the punt before that, they got really close, too. I think that excited them, so they really went for it on (the next one) and got it."

For the Bengals, it was the first time an opponent had scored off a blocked punt since Dec.2, 2001.

It wasn't the first time the Bengals had been troubled by a Baltimore rookie this season. Special-teamer Lamont Brightful scored on a 95-yard punt return in the teams' first meeting Nov.10.

Ravens coach Brian Billick said youth worked in his team's favor Sunday, even on the Bengals' last drive.

"These guys, they don't know enough to panic. They're just too young," Billick said. "They just do what they're told, execute under conditions you can't imagine, against a team that has been up and down the field and has an incredible amount of talent. We grew up a little bit today."

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