Ed Reed not worried about interception drought

Ravens free safety Ed Reed is dealing with an eight-game streak of zero interceptions, but the seven-time Pro Bowler insisted that he has no concerns about this current drought.

“No, man. I’ve been playing ball, being where I’m supposed to be,” Reed said Wednesday. “To be perfectly honest, they haven’t thrown my way. That’s the game plan that some teams come with. So plays will come. I’m not worried about that. We have a winning record, we’ve been winning, and if me not making a play [means] us winning the game, then that’s the game.”

Reed’s drought is one game shy of a career-worst mark of nine consecutive games without an interception in 2005. That streak was broken up by a six-contest stretch during which he was sidelined by an ankle injury.

Since intercepting two Ben Roethlisberger passes and breaking up four in the Ravens’ season-opening rout of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Reed has broken up just one pass and he couldn’t prevent quarterback Matt Schaub from connecting with wide receiver Jacoby Jones for a 32-yard touchdown pass on Oct. 16.

But Reed did sack and strip quarterback Mark Sanchez – a turnover that inside linebacker Jameel McClain turned into his first career fumble return for a touchdown – on Oct. 2.

Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton, who will lead the Cincinnati Bengals into Sunday’s AFC North showdown with the Ravens, said he has no plans of overlooking Reed.

“He has great instincts,” Dalton told Cincinnati media Wednesday. “He plays the eyes really well, and he’s got a really good feel for the game. You definitely have to know where he is.”

Despite Dalton’s inexperience, Reed said he didn’t anticipate the Bengals giving the young quarterback free reign to throw the ball against the Ravens this Sunday.

“They have a great staff over there,” Reed said. “I’ve been playing against these guys for two years now, and they do a great job of protecting their quarterbacks and making sure they know where to go with the ball and like I just said, keeping an eye on [No.] 20. So it’s a good thing, it’s a respect thing. Never too boring, but it happens sometimes. You’ve just got to be patient and wait for those plays to come like they always do.”

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(baltimoresun.com)