Bengals

Bengals S Jordan Battle has established a reputation for celebrating on the field alongside his teammates. He believes that their joyful approach to defense significantly disrupts opposing offenses.

“Have fun, celebrate with your guys after the play,” Battle stated, as reported by Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. “Show excitement. Other teams hate that. When they see us showing motivation and building momentum going into a drive, it’s somewhat intimidating. You can feel a heightened level of energy at practice that wasn’t there earlier in the season.”

Joe Burrow also praised their defense for injecting “great energy” into team practices.

“We’ve had great energy in practice,” Burrow remarked. “Players are flying around, dancing, and being vocal. The last couple of weeks have made practice enjoyable, and I believe that starts with the defense. The DBs consistently bring fantastic energy. Although I tend to focus on the specifics of plays and operations, the motivation and vibe from the defense truly enhance the practice experience.”

Burrow recognizes that a productive defense alters the quarterback’s game strategy.

“As a quarterback, witnessing the defense making plays shifts how you approach the game,” Burrow explained. “You may be less inclined to extend a play and accept a sack instead. Knowing your defense is on point allows you to protect the ball better in those situations.”

• Bengals DT Sheldon Rankins has been officially ruled out for Week 17, and his status for Week 18 remains uncertain. (Ben Baby)

Ravens

This Christmas Day, the Ravens will face the Texans in Week 17, with the possibility of meeting again in the playoffs. John Harbaugh has indicated there will be no changes to their play calling to conceal their strategy ahead of a potential postseason matchup against Houston.

“It’s not a priority,” Harbaugh commented, via the team’s official site. “Our focus is on winning the game. We have numerous strategies we can implement for the next matchup.”

Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley considers it an “honor” to play on Christmas, recognizing the significance of the day and the attention it brings.

“I don’t mind it at all. It’s an honor to compete on Christmas Day, as it’s a major occasion, and there aren’t many games being played, providing a grand stage,” Stanley expressed.

• Ravens DL Nnamdi Madubuike was fined $16,883 for roughing the passer (body weight penalty) in Week 15.

Titans

The Titans were defeated by the Colts 38-30, largely due to QB Mason Rudolph‘s three pivotal interceptions. Titans HC Brian Callahan remains focused on addressing their turnover problems and has not committed to Rudolph despite acknowledging some positive aspects of his performance.

“Turning the ball over as frequently as we have will lead to a lot of losses. We’re talking about 30 or 31 turnovers—that’s outrageous,” Callahan stated, as reported by Terry McCormick of Main Street Media. “This is why the last two games slipped away from us. We’ve had back-to-back games with two turnovers each, especially in the critical last minutes of the half. It could have changed everything.”

“I haven’t made any decisions on the quarterback situation. Aside from the single interception at the end of the half, which Mason would like to retract, I thought he displayed numerous positive attributes. He completed 23 out of 34 passes for 252 yards and executed well, which was commendable.”