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Ravens safety Ed Reed dares Steelers to throw deep
By Ralph N. Paulk, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, November 6, 2011
OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens are perpetually upbeat, mostly because of the presence of hard-hitting safety Ed Reed.
"Do these guys look uptight?" Reed asked while pointing to a scattering of pumped-up Ravens laughing it up before their final practice in pads in preparation for their rematch with the Steelers today at Heinz Field.
The Ravens are a reflection of their leaders -- Reed and linebacker Ray Lewis -- two former Miami (Fla.) stars still full of swagger. They carry a lot of weight in a locker room full of experienced, pressure-tested veterans.
Reed has been tested often by Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He made the Steelers pay with two interceptions in the Ravens' 35-7 victory on Sept. 11.
"It's been their game plan for a while to challenge me and shake me up," said Reed, whose 1,463 career interception return yards are 20 shy of surpassing former Steelers cornerback Rod Woodson's total. "I don't know the method to their madness. It's all good."
"Detroit used to try to take Michael Jordan out when he went to the hole, but he kept coming back. Pittsburgh knows they are going to get a full game worth of play from me. They know if they don't account for me, it's going to cost them."
Reed's talent, intensity and unadulterated enthusiasm are matched only by Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu. Reed is the antithesis of the even-tempered, soft-spoken Polamalu.
Reed and Polamalu might be worlds apart off the field, but they are similar in the way they play the game -- except Polamalu is a head-hunter and Reed is a ball hawk. Reed's 56 career interceptions are best among active players.
Yet, their styles fit perfectly for the No. 1- and No. 2-ranked defenses in the NFL. The Ravens and Steelers have proven they can win without either, but they are much better with them.
"I don't sit back and compare myself to Troy, but I study guys like Ronnie Lott who paved the way for me," said Reed, a seven-time Pro Bowler. "I have lot of respect for Troy's game. We talked about that at the Pro Bowl. We talked about taking our game to another level."
The Steelers have nowhere to go but up after getting hammered in the teams' first meeting.
"Everybody gets better as the season goes," Reed said. "We've definitely gotten better. We know they've made adjustments, because Roethlisberger and their receivers are playing some good football."
For all the big numbers put up by Roethlisberger and Joe Flacco in wins last Sunday, the outcome of this battle between bitter AFC North rivals might come down to one big play by the league's best safeties.
Of course, the Steelers have perhaps the best deep threat in receiver Mike Wallace. He has caught touchdown passes covering 81 yards (vs. Indianapolis) and 95 yards (vs. Arizona).
Roethlisberger didn't try to stretch the Patriots' defense. He did most of his damage with short to intermediate routes, but the Ravens' linebackers -- including Terrell Suggs, Jarrett Johnson and Jameel McClain -- shut down passing lanes.
Wallace had eight catches for 107 yards in the first meeting. The Ravens are expecting the Steelers to use a similar passing attack that confused New England, but they're daring Roethlisberger and Wallace to swing for the fence.
"Big strikes against us?" Lewis asked. "We've got Ed Reed. That might be a problem.
"We know they're going to try to get 17 (Wallace) on a deep ball behind us. There are no secrets with us. Whether they try or not, we're be prepared for it."
Reed, though, doesn't expect the Steelers to shy away from what worked in beating New England, 25-17.
"They will try the same thing with us," Reed said. "They got it all, so you have to expect everything. It'll go according to how the game flows. If they need to go four-wide, they'll call it up.
"Nobody is going to pound the ball between the tackles on us. They can try. They're not just going to line up like that. It's not there type of game.
"I'll love for Roethlisberger to throw the ball 50 times," Reed added. "That will be more opportunities for us. So, if they're going to throw it, throw it."
[url="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_765848.html#ixzz1ctQls3UV"]http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... z1ctQls3UV[/url]
By Ralph N. Paulk, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, November 6, 2011
OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens are perpetually upbeat, mostly because of the presence of hard-hitting safety Ed Reed.
"Do these guys look uptight?" Reed asked while pointing to a scattering of pumped-up Ravens laughing it up before their final practice in pads in preparation for their rematch with the Steelers today at Heinz Field.
The Ravens are a reflection of their leaders -- Reed and linebacker Ray Lewis -- two former Miami (Fla.) stars still full of swagger. They carry a lot of weight in a locker room full of experienced, pressure-tested veterans.
Reed has been tested often by Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He made the Steelers pay with two interceptions in the Ravens' 35-7 victory on Sept. 11.
"It's been their game plan for a while to challenge me and shake me up," said Reed, whose 1,463 career interception return yards are 20 shy of surpassing former Steelers cornerback Rod Woodson's total. "I don't know the method to their madness. It's all good."
"Detroit used to try to take Michael Jordan out when he went to the hole, but he kept coming back. Pittsburgh knows they are going to get a full game worth of play from me. They know if they don't account for me, it's going to cost them."
Reed's talent, intensity and unadulterated enthusiasm are matched only by Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu. Reed is the antithesis of the even-tempered, soft-spoken Polamalu.
Reed and Polamalu might be worlds apart off the field, but they are similar in the way they play the game -- except Polamalu is a head-hunter and Reed is a ball hawk. Reed's 56 career interceptions are best among active players.
Yet, their styles fit perfectly for the No. 1- and No. 2-ranked defenses in the NFL. The Ravens and Steelers have proven they can win without either, but they are much better with them.
"I don't sit back and compare myself to Troy, but I study guys like Ronnie Lott who paved the way for me," said Reed, a seven-time Pro Bowler. "I have lot of respect for Troy's game. We talked about that at the Pro Bowl. We talked about taking our game to another level."
The Steelers have nowhere to go but up after getting hammered in the teams' first meeting.
"Everybody gets better as the season goes," Reed said. "We've definitely gotten better. We know they've made adjustments, because Roethlisberger and their receivers are playing some good football."
For all the big numbers put up by Roethlisberger and Joe Flacco in wins last Sunday, the outcome of this battle between bitter AFC North rivals might come down to one big play by the league's best safeties.
Of course, the Steelers have perhaps the best deep threat in receiver Mike Wallace. He has caught touchdown passes covering 81 yards (vs. Indianapolis) and 95 yards (vs. Arizona).
Roethlisberger didn't try to stretch the Patriots' defense. He did most of his damage with short to intermediate routes, but the Ravens' linebackers -- including Terrell Suggs, Jarrett Johnson and Jameel McClain -- shut down passing lanes.
Wallace had eight catches for 107 yards in the first meeting. The Ravens are expecting the Steelers to use a similar passing attack that confused New England, but they're daring Roethlisberger and Wallace to swing for the fence.
"Big strikes against us?" Lewis asked. "We've got Ed Reed. That might be a problem.
"We know they're going to try to get 17 (Wallace) on a deep ball behind us. There are no secrets with us. Whether they try or not, we're be prepared for it."
Reed, though, doesn't expect the Steelers to shy away from what worked in beating New England, 25-17.
"They will try the same thing with us," Reed said. "They got it all, so you have to expect everything. It'll go according to how the game flows. If they need to go four-wide, they'll call it up.
"Nobody is going to pound the ball between the tackles on us. They can try. They're not just going to line up like that. It's not there type of game.
"I'll love for Roethlisberger to throw the ball 50 times," Reed added. "That will be more opportunities for us. So, if they're going to throw it, throw it."
[url="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_765848.html#ixzz1ctQls3UV"]http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... z1ctQls3UV[/url]
You have to get pick-6's to give up 50 passing plays and still have a chance. We had a 40:20 TOP advantage last time Ben threw 50 passes.
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