Bengals: Rex Ryan interviews with Ravens

Monday, January 07, 2008

Rex Ryan interviews with Ravens

Rex Ryan might be Marvin Lewis' top choice as Bengals defensive coordinator, but he'll have to wait to talk to him.

Ryan interviewed Sunday for the vacant head coaching job with the Baltimore, The Baltimore Sun reported today, though, as Ravens defensive coordinator for the past three seasons, he was fired last week along with Brian Billick and his entire staff.

Ryan is now expected to get interviews for vacant head coaching positions in Atlanta and Miami. Former Bengals defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, now Vikings defensive coordinator, is reported to be in Miami today to interview for the Dolphins head coaching job.

So far, the list of candidates to replace Chuck Bresnahan as Bengals defensive coordinator consists of Ryan, Panthers defensive backs coach Tim Lewis, Bengals defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle, Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and Bengals consultant Donnie Henderson.

26 Comments:

at 1/07/2008 9:27 AM

Anonymous said...

No one presently employed or used as a consultant by the Bengals deserves a job with the Bengals next season.

Clean house doesn't mean vacuuming the dirt off half the carpet!

This franchise is so poorly run it's a joke. Cincinnati sports is crippled by "yes-men" and yes-men mentality. What the Reds and Bengals need is someone who will step on toes, put noses out of joint, call a spade a spade, and fire those who have shown to much mediocre results.

Too bad Mike Brown and all the Browns can't be divested of their Bengals' holdings.

2008 will be yet another joke of a season if only because most of the coaches will still be here.

You Browns don't get it and never will!

at 1/07/2008 9:29 AM

Anonymous said...

Who cares about Rex! What about Lane Kiffin from the Tampa Bay? He has had a top 5 defense year in year out for over a decade? Open your eyes Marvin & his contract is up.

at 1/07/2008 9:32 AM

Who dey head hunter said...

To Nick
I have tried desperately to give you my email address on here and other pertinent info so that we can get together and I can pummell your sorry silly ass. The moderator won't let me and also won't give you any personal messages from me. I think you are a stone cold coward hiding behind anonymous. Sure you signed your email, Nick, but I highly doubt that is even your real name. Now you are signing on as Who Dey Head Hunter and putting that crap out there. That is weak bro, you are weak and since I know I am in your head so badly, I know I own you. I own you Nick, I'm in your head, you hate me and I love it. I will keep owning you Nick, every time you come on here and look for my posts and get fired up at what I am saying, I will own you. You are my beeotch Nick. Owning you bro, owning you. Man up and post your email address or some way to contact you and I promise we can get together so you can show me how badass you are. I suspect you are about 160 lbs tops, white trash. Just a guess.
PS- Bring me your gun and I'll shoot myself in the head, I promise, you first though.
3S

at 1/07/2008 9:47 AM

Anonymous said...

I lived in Dallas when Zimmer was the defensive coordinator and he's a good one.

at 1/07/2008 9:53 AM

Who dey head hunter said...

Nick- I just realized that my email has been available to you this whole time. Click on my id and it will take you to my blogger page. On there, you will see my email address. If you wanna man up at any time. simply shoot me an email. You get personal and try to attack me because of things I say about your team, a loose confederation of paid professionals with no ties to you, or even your hometown. You make it personal when it is not. Now back it up, take it back, or lose all respect from anyone reading this and more importantly, lose your self respect.
Man up sissy Nick, I'll respond.
3S

at 1/07/2008 9:56 AM

The REAL Who Dey Head Hunter said...

Nick is a sissy

at 1/07/2008 10:19 AM

Anonymous said...

Once again, what's the purpose of moderating posts when you allow personal threats and language like those being allowed here?

It took two days over the weekend to get this blog updated with any news or comments about the defensive coordinator search, which is what most people really want to discuss, but somehow people angling for an alley fight and being called sexual names and confronted by blog bullies is just fine.

If you're going to allow this sort of stuff, just open up the blog to real time so we can discuss the true subjects.

Why allow this garbage otherwise?

at 1/07/2008 2:01 PM

REddlegg in Colorado said...

Rick, go get some cheese with your whine,you big cry baby!!! You going go tell on me for that too! Your the problem Rick,little weenie cry baby(tattletale) sports fan who takes it up the "You know what" from carpetbagger owners with a smile.No wonder our beloved Queen city has changed,there are a bunch of D-queens posting as sports fans!

I really Doubt Rex would come here to coach.The talk in the league is NOBODY WANTS to work for the Bengals or Mike Brown.He's the cheapest owner in sports.EX. Kijana Carter story about towels,PBS tax free stadium, understaffed scout team,NO GM, & the list keeps going.I think you yall get the point.

The Bungles are doomed with MB at the helm.I always thought ML was brought here to bring his defensive excellence to the forefront.He fired LF who now owns one of the leagues top defenses in Minnesota.He hired CB,who always looked confused on the sideline, really underachived,and now where are we????

Why doesn't MB make ML coach the defense,put him on the hot seat.See if he really still has it.If ML's Defense is horribly then he gets fired,if he proves himself then he gets to stay.I like ML and what he's done here,but he's not progressing.He's sitting still in the water. It might be time for a change,(A new owner would be nice)ML gets 1 more chance in my eyes.If he fails,He gets fired,if he prevails.he gets another year.

Just Remember that MB is the laughing stock of the sports franchises in the U.S.A. The NFL collective bargaing agreement proved that!

Reddlegg exit stage left

at 1/07/2008 2:21 PM

Anonymous said...

I agree with ricnmd. Challenging someone to a fight on a sports blog is one of the most immature things I have ever heard of. Why even post something from head hunter, he never provides any useful thoughts, other than "email me so I can beat you up" What are you going to spam him to death?

at 1/07/2008 2:53 PM

Anonymous said...

Perhpas the Bengals need to focus on someone outside the camp instead of from within? Who is this "consultant" and what does he do anyway??

at 1/07/2008 2:58 PM

Anonymous said...

We should consider the Jags' DC.

at 1/07/2008 3:16 PM

Anonymous said...

I like Zimmer or the Tampa DC who's contract just ended.

at 1/07/2008 3:26 PM

Anonymous said...

I am with you guys! To all poster's on here looking to call each other names, and threaten, I hope you do get each other's emails and keep it off here. Granted, I get into a back and forth with people on here, but its about opinions on the issues and philosophies, not personal jr. high stuff. On this issue though, I guess Ryan would be better than any others listed. He is a proven DC and isn't already in the system. Kiffin would be an interesting pick also, both would be worlds ahead of Chuck B, and at least would be a step in the right direction. BUT, I still think we need to fill a GM spot first and let the ML and the new GM fill the DC spot. It needs to be done soon, because the scouting period (should have been ongoing) starts tomorrow. College players will be in full draft mode and the true NFL winners are already going over film, checking school records, interviewing sources, etc. The most exciting time of the Bengals season is coming up, THE DRAFT, that is sad, but we all know for the last 15+ years, april is always are most exciting time, not January! Sign a GM, and draft OL/DL and build your base up first. ALSO, to all posters on here and to Mark, its not to early to talk FA. I think no matter what we have to make a run at Haynesworth or Allen up front, and get real serious in the Faneca sweepstakes at OG.

at 1/07/2008 3:46 PM

Anonymous said...

Why wouldn't the Bengals look at Ron Rivera? He's coaching linebackers in SD after getting run out of Chicago after the Superbowl. Compare the Bears D lat year to this year. I don't think Tank Johnson was the diference.

at 1/07/2008 3:55 PM

Anonymous said...

Think about this, Lane Kiffin has not been resigned by Tampa Bay. Do the Bengals really want an improved defense? Are they ready to buld a bette D-Lne? Only time will tell.

at 1/07/2008 4:05 PM

Anonymous said...

Did the Raiders fire Rex's brother? I know he was on Al Davis's bad list recently. I thought I heard a rumor that he was gone but I think it's just that. Thoughts? Comments? I think he'd be solid.

at 1/07/2008 4:55 PM

Anonymous said...

Mark or others,

If the Ravens fired Ryan, then he's not under contract any more, so how could they have any say over moves, lateral or otherwise? (

at 1/07/2008 5:15 PM

Anonymous said...

All,
Monte Kiffin is the Tampa DC who's contract just ended. His sone Lane is the head coach of the Raiders. Now maybe you can sound more intelligent when posting.

at 1/07/2008 5:29 PM

Anonymous said...

Zimmer is the front runner?

There were just five teams with defenses worse than the Bengals this year. Zimmer's Falcons were one of them.

at 1/07/2008 5:53 PM

Anonymous said...

Folks: Get real M.L. is the on the field problem....he fired 1 good DC (Leslie F.).It won't matter as long as we have this misfit as a HC we will keep imploding!!Keep Chad FIRE LEWIS

at 1/07/2008 7:12 PM

Anonymous said...

Lane Kiffin is the head coach of the Oakland Raiders......I believe you are speaking of his dad MONTE Kiffin...the defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccs.

Bengal Expert

at 1/07/2008 10:09 PM

Anonymous said...

Zimmer is a great choice...don't judge him based off of a horrible Atlanta team.

In his six years as Dallas' D Coordinator they finshed ranked:

2006 - 13th

2005 - 10th

2004 - 16th

2003 - 1st against the Pass, 3rd vs. the run

2002 - 18th

2001 - 4th

2000 - 19th

A little research will save a lot of tears.

at 1/08/2008 9:01 AM

Anonymous said...

Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun comments . . . Rex Ryan:
While Rex Ryan is interviewing for head coaching jobs with the Ravens, Falcons and Dolphins, don't be surprised if he ends up as the defensive coordinator for the Bengals. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis recently fired his defensive coordinator, and has expressed an interest in Ryan. They remain friends going back to their days together here in Baltimore when Lewis was the defensive coordinator and Ryan was the defensive line coach.

If Ryan gets a head coaching job, then nothing will happen with the Bengals. But if he doesn't, he might end up with Cincy, and that would be payback for the Ravens not hiring him. The Bengals' Achilles' Heel has always been defense, but if they get some players and Ryan, along with that offense, look out.

at 1/08/2008 1:00 PM

Anonymous said...

More info on Zimmer's Dallas defenses:

Here is how they ranked in some individual yards per game and points per game stats back to 2002(that is as far as espn.com goes back):

Year: total yards per game(Bengals rank), running yards per game(Bengals rank), passing yards per game(Bengals rank), points per game(Bengals rank)

2006: 13(30), 10(15), 24(31), 20(17)

2005: 10(28), 15(20), 11(26), 12(22)

2004: 16(19), 10(26), 21(13), 27(21)

2003: 1(28), 3(25), 1(24), 2(28)

2002: 18(17), 15(22), 19(13), 13(32)

So really when you look at it there is not really any year you can say the Bengals would have been better off than the Cowboys. Any year it seems that the Bengals did better on points per game, they were significantly worse in the yardage areas, and in the year they had a better yardage ranking, the Bengals more than made up for it by being dead last in the league in points per game. So really Zimmer's defenses were over the course of time better than the BEngals defenses. It is easy to see if he can recapture his mojo from Dallas he would significantly improve the Bengals defense. So please try to look past his Falcons defense and see this guy knows his stuff. Heck to me his Falcons defense is easily explained by the fact that the Falcons offense was 29th in the league in time of possession. This means that his defense was on the field all of the time, and no matter who the team is if their defense is on the field for most of the game, it is impossible for the defense to put up good numbers. A good offense goes hand in hand with a good defense.

at 1/08/2008 5:00 PM

Anonymous said...

from all i've heard neither ryan or lewis has a snowballs chance in hell of becoming our DC. the ravens won't let him come to the bengals so besides those two who else is there with at least 5 open head coaching jobs available who are we going to get? i agree with an earlier post that we should put ML in charge of the D and see what he can do. maybe newsome was the man behind that nasty ravens D, i hope not but if ML keeps acting coy and not talking about himself coaching the D than what is the point of him being here?? he was brought in to fix the D, not spend all the money on the O. so MC whats the plan for the bengals D? or are we doomed to more awful seasons until MB finally dies?

at 1/08/2008 5:59 PM

Frank Robinson's Ghost said...

Tim Lewis can't become our DC because the Panthers won't let him interview with Cincinnati.

Rex Ryan can only become our DC if he doesn't get one of the three head jobs he's interviewing for AND if the Ravens don't bring him back as their DC. (Interestingly, he is still under a Ravens contract for next year even though they relieved him of his DC duties for now.) So, that's not too likely. But I do expect the Bengals to try to talk to him if he isn't hired as a head coach in the next couple weeks.

Zimmer has good credentials. Henderson is in an interesting position because he's been in the same "shadow" defensive consultant role that Bresnahan had before he replaced Frazier. I'm not sure his track record is as good as Zimmer's.

The thing to realize, though, is that Zimmer and Ryan have been top-notch defensive coaches working with top-notch defensive players. New/better coaches can help, but we won't get too far without improved play from the holdovers and some personnel changes. It will be interesting to see if Odell makes it back this year -- we'll know in about 3 weeks.

Previous Posts

Monday, January 07, 2008

Rex Ryan interviews with Ravens

26 Comments: