When Zac Taylor asked Karras to pick a guy to lead the Who Dey chant, Battle was another solid decision at the end of a day there were many. His play midway through the third quarter gave them a short field and the winning points on Evan McPherson’s field goal.
“A new year,” Battle said. “To set a clearer standard all year. Ball disruption and takeaways and that’s what we did today. We talked about it all OTAs and training camp and today you saw it.”
What you also saw was more adversity than a soap opera. No team in the last 25 years has had fewer yards in the fourth quarter and won. No Zac Taylor team has gained fewer yards than Sunday’s 141. They lost their right guard less than 15 snaps in. They lost Wilson, one of their defensive captains, for two series.
“Two yards a carry. I know that was the same as us,” Taylor said. “But if we’re playing a game where our defense is doing that, I’m going to feel really good about the outcome.”
Joe Burrow had been saved by his defense. They hope this becomes a more common theme than his first five seasons.
The man himself was certainly impressed.
“You can make as many plays in practice as you want, but you go out there on Sunday and don’t make any plays, then that’s all that really matters,” Burrow said. “They made big-time plays today in big spots. I thought they stopped the run and put some pressure on Joe in some key spots. The two turnovers were just great plays by our guys.”
They won gritty. But they didn’t do “The Griddy.”
That was the point, too. From Griddy himself.
“Worship my defense right now. I’ve been congratulating them since a minute and twenty seconds left on the clock,” said wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. “Nothing but praise to those guys. Can’t say anything more than just a hell of a job today.
“From being in the NFL for so long now, the games that are ugly and we win, we’ve got to take it. Every game is not going to be pretty. Every game is not going to be the best. For me, for Tee, for Joe. It’s not going to be best for us. We’ve got to take everything we can, and get the W.”
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