Gameday - Bengals vs. Ravens (MNF)

GAME: Baltimore Ravens (0-0) @ Cincinnati Bengals (0-0)
WHEN: Monday, September 10, 2007 at 7 p.m.
LOCATION: Cincinnati
BROADCAST: ESPN with Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Tony Kornheiser, Suzy Kolber & Michelle Tafoya. Sirius: 124, 123 (Cincinnati) 126 (Baltimore)
SB NATION: Baltimore Beatdown

NFL.com GameCenter

Manually refresh this page to get the latest updates. Reminder: Since this is a nationally televised game, the updates will be less than normal.

Notes/Drive Summaries

[9:20] Signing off. I'm signing off to sit back and watch the remainder of this game. Thanks for joining fellas. See ya tomorrow.

[9:07] BENGALS TOUCHDOWN! McNair drops back, loses the ball and Landon Johnson takes the fumble/sack all the way back (34 yards) for the TOUCHDOWN. Graham makes the PAT. Bengals lead 19-10.

[9:01] I don't get that. The Ravens are STACKING the line. So the Bengals call two runs for -3 and 1 yard setting up a long 3rd-and-12. Then no one blocks the inside man coming untouched for Palmer. Punt.

[9:00] On the 9-yard pass to Daniel Coats, Tab Perry came off the field with the full attention of the medical staff. He seems alright, moving around again.

[8:55] Scott Kooistra coming in for Willie and Alex Stepanovich for Eric Ghiaciuc.

UPDATE, INJURY: Ghiaciuc, knee to the head. Questionable.

Half-time

Palmer: 14/21, 158 yards, TD
Rudi: 9 carries, 23 yards, 3 rec. 26 yards
Chad: 5 rec. 95 yards, TD
T.J. 6 rec. 37 yards

Williams, 5 tackles
Brooks, FF and Sack.

[8:39] Then, flop. Special teams allows Sams to return it 47 yards to the Cincinnati 41. Then Smith picks up 11 yards on a draw leading to a 12-yard pass to Mason. McNair in shotgun, drops back and O'Neal made A GREAT deflection for incomplete. Stover kicks a 36-yard field goal. Bengals lead 12-10.

[8:35] Shayne Graham is gutting it out. After Carson Palmer had another receiver fail him -- either drops or miscommunication -- on third down, Graham had no problems kicking 40 yards to put the Bengals up 12-7.

[8:29] Two minute warning. The Bengals are driving also. After the shock of seeing Jeremi Johnson have a rush attempt wore off, Palmer completed passes to T.J. for nine yards and then Chad Johnson for 13 yards. The pass to Chad, while under heavy pressure, was a thing of timing perfection.

[8:24] There we go. After an eight-play 88-yard drive, the Bengals defense were brought back to life. After a holding call push the Ravens back to 2nd and 16, the Bengals snuffed out a draw for -4. Then Dexter Jackson BLEW up Todd Heap for an incomplete. Bengals ball.

[8:15] WOOT. On 2nd and 14, after another holding call, Chad hooks and picks up a Palmer pass, turns around and picks up a total 33 yards. That's the second time a big play after a holding call by the offense.

[8:14] Willie Anderson hasn't been playing all game. He's been rotating in and out with Scott Kooistra. Chad Johnson has his daily cramps.

[8:10] Notes. The Bengals defense has been on the field now for 10:33 for almost 17 game minutes. Bengals offense has drives of 2:04, 1:34, 0:07, 2:49 and 1:01.

[8:05] The Ravens offense started moving the ball and blocking better. Our blitzes aren't getting through anymore and the rush has lanes opened. It appears that the Ravens are keeping a lot in to block. Then Musa Smith, almost without being touched, score a touchdown. Bengals lead 9-7.

First Quarter

Palmer, 5/11 83 yards, TD
Rudi, 7 carries, 16 yards.
Chad, 1 rec. 39 yards, TD
T.J, 3 rep. 25 yards

Brooks, sack and forced fumble.

[7:57] The Bengals offense is still off. After an incomplete pass to Rudi (he should have caught that), Johnson lost a yard after Rolle side stepped a Chad Johnson block. Then Palmer led T.J. and Ed Reed ripped Housh. I mean, ripped him.

On the Bengals defensive foul -- 12-men on the field -- Lap wonders, where?

[7:53] Nice job by the coverage team. Clayton originally caught the pass but was slapped around by Landon Johnson for an incomplete.

[7:49] After the Bengals picked up their third fumble in the first quarter, they've only cashed in with nine points -- TD (missed PAT) and FG.

[7:45] Shayne Graham is back on the field and warming on.

[7:44] After Reggie Kelly held Suggs for a ten-yard loss, Bob Bratkowski calls a screen to Rudi Johnson on the right picking up 18 yards. Well done.

[7:42] BENGALS FOOTBALL. The Ravens just lost their third fumble. Landon Johnson held up the receiver, Brooks' hit holds the runner up, Lemar Marshall pops the ball out with his helmet and Madieu Williams recovers.

[7:40] Quickly pointing out. The Bengals defense is blitzing like mad. They're getting penetration and the blitzes are making their way. The Bengals offensive rush is allowing a little too much penetration on the three plays run.

[7:35] On the first play post-turnover, Palmer drops back AND HITS CHAD JOHNSON over the shoulder, 39-yard touchdown! Bengals lead, 6-0. PAT blocked on Kyle Larson attempt.

[7:34] BENGALS HAVE THE BALL. Geathers pressured McNair up and Brooks stripped the football. HELL YEA! Bengals DEFENSE baby! Ravens fear the Bengals defense. Fear da Tiger.

[7:33] Bengals offense has no rhythm. Palmer has only two completions on five attempts for 16 yards. And I don't think that it's the Ravens defense either. Palmer is a little off on his receivers and they aren't really helping him.

[7:31] Shayne Graham came up slow and went to the locker room on the Ed Reed missed field goal return. Ray Lewis is heading to the locker room.

[7:27] BENGALS HAVE THE BALL. McGahee either drops the ball or.... who cares. Bengals have the ball. Landon Johnson picks up the fumble. Yea, baby. The Ravens FEAR the Bengals defense. They FEAR them.

[7:25] T.J. should have caught that. Slightly behind him, maybe. But he snags those passes most of the time with ease. Ray Lewis comes off the field hurt. I would put my money on cramping.

[7:23] There's one legacy that continues with Rich Braham. Suggs jumped off and Eric Ghiaciuc snapped the ball early. Five yards, baby.

[7:22] Daniel Coats made his first appearance on the first play of the Bengals season. Rudi Johnson lost about two yards. Eric Ghiaciuc is in the game also. On the first pass play -- second offensive play -- Reggie Kelly took out a blitzing Bart Scott. FIRST DOWN!

[7:18] Justin Smith says that Brooks makes: His first debut. As opposed to second debut? On third and three, McNair overthrew Mason with Leon Hall about two steps behind and Dexter Jackson on Mason's inside. If McNair hits Mason's outside shoulder, uh-oh. Bengals have the ball.

[7:14] Shayne Graham kicked the ball two yards into the endzone. On second down, WOOT, McNair looks right and holds onto the ball. First Jackson missed the sack then Brooks brought down McNair in slow motion. Peko finished with some Super Jimmy fly swan dive. McNair calls Ravens timeout #1.

[7:08] Reggie Kelly, Carson Palmer, Madieu Williams, Caleb Miller, John Thornton are captains at the coin toss. Bengals will kickoff and moving from South to North. No, 42-3.

[7:05] Anthony Munoz hands out the game ball. Man, the night is perfect. I expect 30-3 win.

[7:04] Last time the Bengals lost a game in September, 9/26/2004... against the Ravens. Tony K. is talking. All I hear is the sweet sounds of Dave Lapham.

[7:00] All the hard working posts and words that lacked proper context concludes tonight. There's no more offseason fodder, preseason expectations and absolutely zero off-the-field stuff. This is football. This is Bengals football. This is the moment that the Reds handoff the torch to their roommates. You've waited over half a year for the mouth-wash to remove that bitter taste out of our mouths. The season starts... RIGHT NOW!

Scoring

• Palmer completes 39-yard pass to Chad Johnson for touchdown. Missed PAT (6-0)
• Shayne Graham kicks 23-yard field goal. (9-0)
• Musa Smith 6-yard run (9-7)
• Shayne Graham kicks 40-yard field (12-7)
• Matt Stover kicks a 36 yard field goal (12-10)
• Landon Johnson recovers McNair fumble and returns it 34 yards. (19-10)
• Matt Stover kicks 23-yard field goal (19-13)

Penalties

• Reggie Kelly holding -- holding Suggs.
• 12-men on the field.
• Madieu Williams, illegal contact.
• Andrew Whitworth, holding.
• Nate Lawrie, personal foul face mask

Injuries

• Shayne Graham walked into the locker room on the Ed Reed return after missed field goal. Graham returned later to kick a short field goal, but continues to limp.
• Eric Ghiaciuc, on the screen with just over a minute left in the half, was a little dinged up. Perhaps, woozy. Knee to the head, return Questionable.
• Dexter Jackson appears to be suffering from cramps in his lower leg.
• At the end of the third quarter, both Madieu and Deltha came off the field -- presumably cramping.

More Notes

Great game by Leon Hall. Broken up touchdown pass. Play afterwards, great job by Caleb Miller to break up third down pass to force a field goal.

Third Downs

Personnel Changes
ALSO: Bengals radio reports that Reggie Kelly is under the weather. [6:08 pm]

ALSO: Hall and Marshall to start
After a preseason fraught with injury, the Bengals' regular starting lineup lacked only three players for Monday night's opener against the Ravens at Paul Brown Stadium with left tackle Andrew Whitworth getting the start in place of Levi Jones, rookie cornerback Leon Hall in place of Johnathan Joseph and Lemar Marshall in place of Rashad Jeanty at strong-side linebacker.[5:40, Bengals.com]

ALSO: Marvin White inactive. Listed as inactive are Marvin White, Dan Santucci, David Jones and Clifton Dawson.

Whitworth, Anderson start, Ghiaciuc game time decision: ESPN's Michelle Tafoya reports that Levi Jones will NOT start because he's, as per Marvin Lewis, not 100% yet. Willie Anderson is expected to start and Eric Ghiaciuc will be a game time decision. If he can't go, Alex Stepanovich will get the nod. [5:10 pm]

Uniform: Black jersey | White pants

Half-time Show: The Ohio State Buckeyes band.

Ravens win, 26-20, in regular season game #1 in 2006.
Bengals win, 13-7, in regular season game #2 in 2006

Starters (not official)

This page will be update throughout the remainder of the day up until game time when the updates are continuous.
Change of pace. The one change this week is that since the game is nationally televised, the updates will be less frequent since most of you will have no problems watching the game. This will be true for all nationally televised games.

How do I keep tabs?
I watch the game on television, listen to the radio and confirm yardage and other loose ends with NFL.com's Game Center. All things published on Game Logs originate from any of those sources.