Saved By the Bell. It’s the name of a classic NBC sitcom from the early ’90s and the recent reboot on Peacock. It’s also a classic term in boxing when a fighter is knocked down but the bell rings before the referee counts to ten.
So what the heck is a boxing phrase doing in a football article? Well, Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has a good reason.
To help motivate his players before a game, Anarumo has been showing clips of classic boxing matches such as Riddick Bowe vs. Evander Holyfield. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo explained during a recent broadcast:
From @gmfb Weekend: #Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has been showing his players clips of late rounds in boxing matches (Ward-Gatti, Bowe-Holyfield) to show they need to keep swinging to the final bell. Cincy’s D has done that with clutch stops and turnovers. pic.twitter.com/crgJtBxXlW
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 9, 2021
The reason is for his players to get the motivation to reach down deep late in the game and find the strength to deal that final blow. And the Bengals have been dealing blows when they need to, including the forced fumble on Dalvin Cook to set up their game-winning field goal against the Vikings in Week 1 or the goal-line stand in the first half against the Jaguars in Week 4.
They’ll need to pack a punch this week as Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers come to town. Strap on your gloves, boys. It’s time for a heavyweight battle. Just no biting any ears.
