Early in the first quarter of Sunday?s 26-20 loss to the Ravens, Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer had a throw go through the arms of receiver Chad Johnson and into the hands of the man who needed it more than other.
Unfortunately for Palmer, whose team was already down 7-0, that man was Samari Rolle.
Pro Bowlers Joe Horn and Steve Smith had burned the Ravens cornerback in every way possible in recent weeks, but in an AFC North game that dripped with importance Sunday, Rolle was there for the interception.
Rolle ran the ball 24 yards before handing it to safety Ed Reed, who carried it another 24 yards to the end zone, giving the Ravens a 14-0 lead in the blink of an eye.
Rolle smiled when asked if the play was vindication after weeks of struggling.
“I guess you could say that,” Rolle said. “Things happen. I may have three bad games in a month and everybody wants to say I can?t play anymore.”
In an odd bit of symmetry, the play was Rolle and Reed?s way of imitating a similar play from Reed?s college days at the University of Miami.
“The crazy thing is last night I told Ed I saw him take the ball from a guy in the Boston College game and it happened again today.”
Reed said: “It was just Samari having good awareness. It was a great play on his part in making the play first and foremost, letting it go and realizing it was me.”
Rolle covered each of the Bengals dangerous receivers at various times, including the mouthy Chad Johnson. Earlier in the week, Johnson had said Rolle was not worthy of inclusion on his list of players he planned on beating in Sunday?s game.
Throughout the city, Rolle had become the focal point for criticism, even while the team had jumped out to a 5-2 record before Sunday?s game. When the team signed Rolle before last season, he was touted as one of the NFL?s elite cover cornerbacks, but had one interception in 2005. He had one interception this season.
Ravens head coach Brian Billick called Rolle?s effort Sunday a “great comeback.”
“Samari has been under attack,” Billick said. “I have huge faith in that young man. He?s going to be a huge part of the success we have going forth.”
Rolle had looked exasperated in recent weeks, trying to answer questions about what was going wrong. He looked particularly dejected following a loss to the Carolina Panthers three weeks ago, after giving up a game-sealing 72-yard touchdown to Smith.
Those plays were distant memory following the win over the Bengals.
“He had a great game,” Billick said.
Rolle said there were more important things at play than his ego.
“This was a good win and we needed this,” he said.
