Several members of the Cincinnati Bengals and associated media had quite a bit to say about Sunday's match-up between the Raiders and the Bengals as the two teams kick off the 2015 regular season.
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Head Coach Marvin Lewis**
"When Jack was a player, he was a guy that I wanted Ray Lewis to emulate and learn from. I went to Ozzie (Newsome) in '97 and said we should hire that guy as a player, and he ended up retiring. He's the kind of guy you want. I had the chance to be around him, we were coaching the Pro Bowl one year when I was with the Steelers, and I had a chance to observe him and knew he was the kind of guy you'd like to have your young players emulate. He did a fantastic job coaching the linebackers there in Baltimore, and of course moving on to Carolina and so forth, and then being the head coach at Jacksonville. He did a fabulous job in Denver for a few years. Everywhere he's been, he's been successful, and they're going to be a well-coached team, we know that."
Quarterback Andy Dalton
"They're big and physical up front. That's one of the things you see right from the start. You turn on the tape, you see them run to the ball. They get guys around the ball and they play really hard. We've got a tough task ahead of us, but we know what we're going up against. We know the type of defense they're playing, the type of style that they are. We've got to match that effort."
From Bengals.com Media Roundtable
Bengals Radio Analyst Dave Lapham
"They have to be ready. Oakland defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr., has these guys playing like wild men. Not only in the Seattle scheme, but attitude. They're ripping at the ball, their gang tackling. Everything the Seahawks do. Mack is a man at defensive end. In the base defense, where he lines up is predicated on the call in the huddle. But in nickel, I think he tries both tackles."
Paul Dehner, Jr., Cincinnati Enquirer
"The mismatch with the Bengals wide receivers is a big part of the game. At least going off credentials, that's what you would expect. A.J. Green, Mohamed Sanu, Marvin Jones should get a lot of one-on-ones. God love Charles Woodson at safety, but at year 18? We do know Oakland can rush the passer. They've got a lot of young stars there. But that was the Bengals' strength last year. Protect the quarterback. Get the ball out of the quarterback's hand fast. Let the other guys win their battles. In theory that should set up well for them."
