Week 3 Bengals vs Ravens: Player and coaching connections

The Bengals and Ravens coaching connections run deep with Marvin Lewis having been the Ravens' defensive coordinator from 1996-2001, during which he earned a Super Bowl ring with the 2000 World Champion team. "They’re still my second favorite team," Lewis said of the Ravens at a press conference this week.

But when the two teams meet this weekend, it's clear Lewis' goal will be taking down his "second favorite team" and bringing the Bengals to a 3-0 record, the opposite of where the Ravens would stand, should that be the case. Here are the other connections between players and coaches on the two AFC North squads.

Ravens who were Bengals

• Ravens DT Christo Bilukidi (Reserve/Injured) played for the Bengals in 2013 and was waived by Cincinnati prior to Week 1 of the 2014 season.

Bengals who were Ravens

• Bengals HB Cedric Peerman was drafted by the Ravens (sixth round) in 2009 but was waived in final preseason cuts.

College Connections

• Ravens OLB Courtney Upshaw and ILB C.J. Mosley and Bengals QB AJ McCarron and CB Dre Kirkpatrick won the 2011 BCS National Championship with Alabama. Mosley and McCarron also won the 2012 title. Upshaw and Bengals T Andre Smith played for ‘Bama in 2008.
• Ravens SS Will Hill and Bengals DE Carlos Dunlap won the 2009 BCS National Championship with Florida.
• Ravens T James Hurst and Bengals C Russell Bodine and RB Giovani Bernard played together at University of North Carolina.
• Ravens DE Kapron Lewis-Moore and Bengals TE Tyler Eifert played together at Notre Dame.
• Ravens G/C Jeremy Zuttah and Bengals LS Clark Harris played together at Rutgers.

Ravens with Cincinnati area connections

• Ravens OLB Elvis Dumervil played at Louisville.
• Ravens FB Kyle Juszczyki is from Medina, OH.
• Ravens OLD Za'Darius Smith went to the University of Kentucky.

Coaching Connections

• Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis was Ravens defensive coordinator from 1996-2001 and earned a Super Bowl ring with the 2000 World Champions.
• Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is from Perrysburg, Ohio, played DB at Miami (Ohio) and coached at Morehead State (1988) and the University of Cincinnati (1989-96).
• Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson was on the Ravens' coaching staff from 2008-09.
• Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther coached at Western Maryland in 1994-95.
• Bengals special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons entered NFL coaching with the Ravens in 1998.
• Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees is from Dunkirk, Ohio, attended Bowling Green and coached in college at Findlay (1979-82), Miami-Ohio (‘83-86) and Toledo (‘90-93).
• Ravens assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg was on the University of Cincinnati staff from 1992-95.
• Bengals defensive backs coach Mark Carrier was on the Ravens staff from 2006-09.
• Bengals strength and conditioning coach Chip Morton was assistant S/C coach for the Ravens from 1999-2001.
• Bengals assistant strength and conditioning coach Jeff Friday was on the Ravens staff from 1999- 2007.
• Ravens assistant special teams coach Chris Hewitt played at the University of Cincinnati from 1993-96.
• Ravens inside linebackers coach Don Martindale is from Dayton, Ohio, played at Defiance College from 1981-84, and coached at Defiance (‘86-87), University of Cincinnati (‘96-98) and Western Kentucky (2001-03).
• Ravens senior offensive assistant Craig Ver Steeg was on the University of Cincinnati staff from 1990-93.