Broncos wary of Ravens safety Reed

It will be on Kyle Orton's not-to-do list.

Because, frankly, it's on every quarterback's not-to-do list when the Baltimore Ravens' defense is across the line of scrimmage. Don't throw the ball near Ed Reed.

And then, all too often, the Ravens' veteran safety ends up with the ball in his hands anyway.

"You've just got to keep the ball out of his hands, because if he gets the ball, he's going to score," Orton said. "He's aggressive; he doesn't worry about getting beat."

Reed is one of the few holdovers remaining in a Ravens defense that finished among the league's top six in total yards allowed in nine of the past 10 seasons but sits at 19th this season. Reed has returned six career interceptions for touchdowns.

That total includes a 52-yard return for a score against Cincinnati this season when he snatched the ball before it reached wide receiver Chad Ochocinco.

"I'm not sure there's a better defensive back in terms of being able to read the rush and do what he needs to do in coverage at the same time than Ed Reed," Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said. "The reason he's where the ball is, is because he has such a great sense of how much longer the quarterback can hold it, or in many cases how much longer he can't hold it. And usually he's right, and that's the scary part."

The difficulty in avoiding Reed is that he has the freedom to move to where the ball is going because he has shown his coaches he will usually make the right choices.

Some term it "freelancing," but the fact is even if a quarterback thoroughly studies the Ravens' tendencies on defense and plays the percentages, Reed already has the OK to leave his assigned area to go make a play if he sees an opportunity. It's almost football jazz, with each performance a little different.

"He's got unbelievable confidence in himself; his teammates have unbelievable confidence in him," Orton said. "Every play you've got to find him, be aware of where he's at. Just because you see 10 other guys doing one thing doesn't mean he's going to fall in line."



(denverpost.com)