Bengals DB wants Miss Terry vs. Nick Saban 1-on-1 pass rep
Jordan Battle credits coach Nick Saban and Alabama for preparing him for a starting NFL role as a third-round rookie with the Cincinnati Bengals. But he thinks his Crimson Tide coach should freshen up his joke stockpile and, at 72 years old, maybe drop the idea that he could still cover a wide receiver.
“He’s always getting into his DB stance,” Battle said of Saban during an appearance on “Renee All Dey” for the Bengals’ YouTube channel. “Like, ‘Coach, you can’t guard nobody.’ I think Miss Terry can catch a ball on him. I think Miss Terry is more athletic than him. I would like to see that matchup, too.”
Battle took on a heavier role with the Cincinnati defense beginning in 34-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 16, when he played 57 defensive snaps along with 25 special-teams plays. That was more than twice as many defensive snaps than Battle had played in any previous game, and the rookie has started the past four games at safety, dropping most of his special-team duty for the increased defensive responsibilities.
“I kind of thank Bama for that because I had to be locked in my freshman year going into Bama,” Battle said. “I got a chance to play early, after the Duke game, I started the next game. Duke was the first game. I caught an interception in that game, but I came in late in the game, so it was really like garbage minutes. Then the following game, I had to start, which was kind of, like, nerve-wracking because I was a freshman, and here I am at the best college starting right away, so it was kind of nerve-wracking.
“But from there, I knew I had to grow into a leader early, and it’s kind of helped me here because now I have to grow into a leader early in my rookie year and become the starter.”
The Bengals have won three of their four games with Battle in the lineup, even though quarterback Joe Burrow sustained a season-ending injury against Baltimore.
“It’s been getting more and more comfortable as we play more and more together,” Battle said. “We’re just trying to get the communication right on the back end so that we’re all on the same page and can play winning football. Lately as a defense, I feel like we been doing a pretty good job.”
Battle played four seasons at Alabama, and he recorded an interception in the first and last games he played for the Crimson Tide.
“I was going to come out my junior year,” Battle said, “but I had to get surgery on my ankle, and I wanted to do the (NFL Scouting) Combine and everything and I wanted to graduate because my mom wanted me to graduate. She was big on that. …
“Came back, played my senior year, obviously with hopes to win the national championship, but that didn’t happen. But it was a fun year. Got my degree.”
At 8-6, Cincinnati occupies the second wild-card spot in the AFC playoff standings. But the Indianapolis Colts, in the final wild-card spot, also have an 8-6 record, as do the outside-looking-in Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills, with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos one game back in the postseason race at 7-7 with three weeks remaining in the regular season.
The Bengals and Steelers square off at 3:30 p.m. CST Saturday at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. NBC will televise the game.
Cincinnati will finish its regular-season slate on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 31 and at home against the Cleveland Browns on Jan. 7.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.