“It’s an offensive-driven league and the league rules and how the game is officiated plays so much into the offense,” said [Marvin] Lewis. “You’ve got a defensive back running down the field for his life trying to cover this dude and he gets a little nudge by the receiver. People don’t realize how much that changes him in trying to defend. If it’s the same call on the other side, three flags are flown.”
“You coach defensive backs to run, stay on the top edge, use your athleticism and win the play,” said Lewis. “They’ve got to be able to run and jump, turn on them which is what [cornerbacks] Duane [Starks] and Chris [McAlister] did so well in our day.