Bengals’ DC Lou Anarumo declares Jordan Battle starter over Nick Scott
Get ready to see more of rookie safety Jordan Battle as the Cincinnati Bengals are making a change to their starting lineup on defense.
After 10 games of rotation between Nick Scott and Battle, Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo declared Battle the starter over Scott moving forward.
“He has earned some more (time) obviously based on (the fact he) had 11 tackles,” Anarumo said of Battle. “So, let's start with that. I think Nick will still have a role. Jordan will take a little bit bigger role.”
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The Bengals signed Scott to replace Vonn Bell in free agency this offseason. Scott's first couple months in Cincinnati haven’t gone as well as Scott or the Bengals would have hoped. After four games of inconsistent play at the starting strong safety spot, Anarumo started playing Battle in combination with Scott starting in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Anarumo was looking for one player to step up and solidify the job and after the Bengals’ most recent loss to the Ravens, Cincinnati’s fifth-year defensive coordinator has settled on his decision.
As for what made Anarumo decide to start Battle in favor of Scott, he said it came down to who is tackling better. According to Pro Football Focus, Battle has only missed one tackle. Scott is credited with missing nine tackles.
“Tackling, first and foremost,” Anarumo said. “11 tackles showed up (from Jordan Battle against Baltimore) and Gus Edwards is a sturdy, good running back, and he was able to get him to the ground in one-on-one situations. So, let's just start with that. You know, let's start with getting a guy on the ground tackling A-one-A.”
When the Bengals selected Battle in the third round of this year’s NFL draft, it was one of the more surprising picks the team made simply because it wasn’t viewed as an immediate need. Scott signed a three-year deal with Cincinnati in March.
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Battle played four seasons at Alabama under coach Nick Saban where he started three seasons. The Bengals liked that Battle came from a collegiate program that has earned so much respect because of the way Saban coaches his players.
The Bengals are young in the secondary. Anarumo is now starting two rookie defensive backs in second-round pick cornerback DJ Turner and Battle at safety. When asked back in May if someone would have told Anarumo that he would be starting two rookie defensive backs this season, would he resist the idea?
“To be honest, I would have said, I wouldn't be totally shocked, you know, just because there was a lot of unknown and (you wondered) how is it all gonna play out? It’s played out that way so I'm not totally shocked.”
Battle’s biggest task on Sunday will be to ensure Pittsburgh’s running back duo of Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris don’t dominate the game. The Bengals’ run defense has been one of the league’s worst this season. Cincinnati ranks No. 31 in run defense, giving up 138.3 yards on the ground per game.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bengals’ DC Lou Anarumo declares Jordan Battle starter over Nick Scott
