I made the comment during the game log that the Bengals defense was very aggressive. By my count, Ahmad Brooks blitzed 17 times! Landon Johnson and Madieu Williams blitzed 10 times each. Kevin Kaesviharn blitzed three times and Caleb Miller twice. Brian Simmons, Johnathon Joseph and Dexter Jackson each had a blitz. The Panthers ran 53 offensive plays and the Bengals blitzed on 34 of them -- 64% of the time.
Ahmad Brooks sacked Jake Delhomme on a blitz in the second possession. On the play, Brooks passed the Panthers line and sacked the quarterback after Delhomme's second step. It was quick -- and sweet.
When the Bengals blitzed on third down, they were rewarded.
- On the fourth possession, the Bengals blitzed on third down for the first time in the game. Both Williams and Brooks blitzed and Smith sacked the quarterback. Punt.
- On third-and-one on the Panthers fifth possessions, Landon Johnson came on a delayed blitz and Jake Delhomme overthrew the pass. Punt.
- On the first play of the second half, Williams and Brooks blitzed. Williams found a way threw and hit Jake Delhomme causing the pass to fall harmlessly out of bounds. Punt.
- On the Panthers third possession of the second half, again Brooks and Williams blitzed. Delhomme overthrew #83. Punt.
- The fourth possession of the second half, Landon Johnson blitzed -- with pressure from Bryan Robinson -- forcing Delhomme to throw an incomplete. Punt.
- On the fifth possession of the second half, the Panthers marched down the field with an 18-yard pass to Smith (with a major facemask), a 23-yard pass to Smith and a 15-yard run by Foster. On third down of the final drive (Panthers had another one play possession to end the game), Landon and Brooks blitzed causing Delhomme to throw innocently to K.Johnson. The pass was interception. Keyshawn said K.K. was lucky. Personally, who cares. You got beat dip. Interception.
The stats on this post by no means qualify as official. I watched the game and wrote down when someone blitzed.