Updated: 9:30 p.m.
Robert Geathers doubts Willie Anderson is going to play right tackle this week for the Ravens, but if he does Geathers says it will be "cool" to go against a guy that has helped him with his game.
Anderson was on the practice field Friday.
Geathers, the Bengals left end whose last two Opening Days have been quite eventful, doesn't think having Anderson on the other sideline is going to be an emotional setback for his team.
 Geathers |
Although one of the reasons the Bengals cut Anderson is because his health issues cut into his practice time lately, Geathers has worked against him enough to get an idea.
"His technique is like no other," Geathers said. "He's so big. I've never faced anyone who has quite that blocking style that he has."
Left tackle Levi Jones thinks Anderson and Nate Lawrie, a former Bengals tight end the Ravens put on their practice squad, are going to be handing offensive info to the Ravens defensive coaches.
"We won't be able to fool them much," Jones said. "I think a lot of us in this locker room knew where he was headed, so it's not a big surprise. It's just a reminder that this is a business."
"It's going to be weird," said Jones of seeing the voice of the locker room dressed in Ravens purple. " Baltimore took care of him and he deserves to be taken care of."
Meanwhile, guys like Jones and Geathers are preparing to step up their profile in the locker room.
"We've still got a lot of good examples of leadership here," Geathers said. "Like Reggie Kelly and Carson (Palmer). Those guys aren't so vocal and lead by example, but when something needs to be said, they stand up and say it."
Last Opening Day in the 27-20 win over the Ravens, Geathers logged at least one stat in all the defensive categories. In the '06 opener, his flying tackle of Chiefs quarterback Trent Green resulted in a fine and Green's concussion. Geathers and mostly everybody else agreed it was unintentional, but he was fined anyway.
After Friday's practice head coach Marvin Lewis said the team knew Saturday night that Lawrie was headed to Baltimore and began revisions with quarterback Carson Palmer and the offensive coaches Sunday.
"We don't start (installing) the game plan until Monday so that's not a big worry," Lewis said. "Our offensive players have made an adjustment with communication and things like that. We've had to adjust the ship a little bit."
Lewis also said, "We're as healthy as we've ever been." He indicated the only two players sidelined Friday, defensive tackle Pat Sims (toe) and safety Chinedum Ndukwe (knee) could have worked and are going to return next week.
No players were questionable. Sims and Ndukwe were declared out for Sunday and only one, wide receiver Andre Caldwell (toe) was doubtful
As for seeing Anderson on the other team Sunday, Lewis said, "If he's standing in a T-shirt, that's how I've seen him."
While the Bengals prepared to get on a plane to Baltmore Friday afternoon, Anderson met the media in Baltimore but head coach John Harbaugh wouldn't say if he'll play.
Mike Duffy of Ravens.com sent along the transcript and here are the highlights:
On plans to make him a starter: "I don't know. It's day-to-day. Right now, you've got guys that have been battling there. Those guys have been there for the whole training camp, and I would be crazy to sit here and think that I'm more prepared than those guys right now and be up to speed for where they're at right now. I'm just trying to recover from this week of being off, being out of work for a week. I'll take it day-by-day and do what I can do to be out there."
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On Ravens QBs coach Hue Jackson, previously the receivers coach with Cincinnati:** "It was a big factor [in coming to Baltimore] because I know how much Hue meant for our offense and for our team in Cincinnati - [especially] the development of our offense and especially our receivers and our passing game with Carson [Palmer], Chad [Ocho Cinco] and T.J. [Houshmandzadeh] and those guys.
He was a big factor in that. Hue was a big O-linemen's guy that knew the importance of the offensive line and knew when to give the linemen credit and when to get on the guys. We all had that mutual respect for Hue. Even though he was a receivers coach, he was more like an assistant offensive coordinator because a lot of the stuff that we did in Cincinnati was because of Hue Jackson. Definitely, Hue being here, there's a whole comfort level for me."
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On his health:** "I'm good. I feel like any 13-year lineman feels. Nothing serious. Am I 21 again? No, I'm 33. That still weighs in. It's funny to me to talk about health because my whole career, I never talked about health as an issue until I took a thing to the knee last year for the first time in my career. It's funny to me talking about health and being questioned about health status now, because I always prided myself in being ready to play every game."
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On the reaction of his teammates, particularly T Levi Jones and G Bobbie Williams, to him being cut by Cincinnati:** "Guys are stunned and shocked right now. I told them, 'Just go ahead and get over it, and go move on.' Those guys took it kind of hard. Those two guys you named in particular are two competitive guys. The whole thing kind of shocked the whole team, and guys are still sending me messages and texting me, wishing me good and hating that I'm gone. I wish the best to those guys. There's no animosity with me and the organization. It was just an issue with people giving bad info. That's what it was."
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On whether he heard any reaction from WR Chad Ocho Cinco:** "All the guys - we all had love for each other. Chad's reaction was the same thing as everybody else. He was shocked that the whole thing went down. It was a decision for me. It was my decision. The Bengals didn't cut me because of play. They cut me because I said I didn't want to be there anymore. That was me saying that and not wanting to deal with the other non-football issues that I had to deal with for so long. The players, I love the players. I love the offensive line coach. I'm appreciative of Mike Brown and the Brown family and the Blackburn family for giving me the opportunity. But there were other issues that, after 13 years, you kind of get tired of dealing with non-football issues."
