WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Back To Tennessee

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<v Speaker 1>Hi, get everybody.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm Dan Hoard and thanks for downloading The Bengals Booth Podcast.

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<v Speaker 2>The Find My Way Back to Tennessee addition, as the

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<v Speaker 2>Bengals head to Nashville for the third year in a

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<v Speaker 2>row and look to beat the Tennessee Titans for the

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<v Speaker 2>third straight time. Coming up, I'll talk to former NFL

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<v Speaker 2>offensive lineman Ross Tucker, the host of the Ross Tucker

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<v Speaker 2>Podcast and a game analyst for CBS this year, and

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<v Speaker 2>find out if his opinion of the Bengals changed after

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<v Speaker 2>Monday Night's win over the Rams, and what he thinks

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<v Speaker 2>it's going to take to beat the Titans. On Sunday,

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<v Speaker 2>My one on one player interview this week is with

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<v Speaker 2>AJ McCarron, whose pro football career has come full circle

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<v Speaker 2>with a return to Cincinnati. Dave Lapham joins me and

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<v Speaker 2>shares a great story about Titans coach Mike Vrabel, and

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<v Speaker 2>in our No The Faux segment, we'll get the latest

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<v Speaker 2>time this week's opponent from Nashville's sports anchor and sports

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<v Speaker 2>talk show hosts John Burden. The Bengals Booth Podcast is

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<v Speaker 2>brought to you by Pai Corp, the official HR software

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<v Speaker 2>provider of the Bengals by Alta Fiber, future proof Fiber

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<v Speaker 2>Internet elevate your connection with Alta Fiber, and by Kettering Health,

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<v Speaker 2>the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now here's a

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<v Speaker 2>quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of

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<v Speaker 2>this podcast delivered rite to your phone, tablet, or computer

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<v Speaker 2>by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest

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<v Speaker 2>thing since sincey Light. That's the name of a light

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<v Speaker 2>beer from Ryenggeist Brewery in downtown Cincinnati that's one of

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<v Speaker 2>the hottest selling Cincinnati brewed beers of all time. As

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<v Speaker 2>the radio announcer for UC football and basketball, I had

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<v Speaker 2>the honor of pouring the first beer at the brewery

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<v Speaker 2>back in June, and a portion of the proceeds from

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<v Speaker 2>every sincey Light sold goes to Cincy Rains, the nil

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<v Speaker 2>collective that helps pay UC athletes through name, image and

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<v Speaker 2>likeness deals. So if you're a beer drinker and room

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<v Speaker 2>for UC in addition to rooting for the Bengals, give

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<v Speaker 2>since he lte a try every sip helps the Bearcats.

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<v Speaker 2>Now time to hear from my first guest, former offensive

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<v Speaker 2>lineman Ross Tucker, host to popular podcast calls NFL games,

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<v Speaker 2>for CBS and Westwood One and introduced me to my

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<v Speaker 2>front page story dot com. That made for the perfect

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<v Speaker 2>Mother's Day gift this year. I caught up with Ross

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<v Speaker 2>this week and started our conversation by asking if his

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<v Speaker 2>opinion of the Bengals changed after Monday Night's win over

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<v Speaker 2>the Rams.

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<v Speaker 1>Maybe a little bit, Dan.

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<v Speaker 3>I think they were obviously able to get Jamar Chase involved,

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<v Speaker 3>which they hadn't been able to do. And I thought

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<v Speaker 3>Mixon showed some real burst and juice, which I thought

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<v Speaker 3>was highly encouraging with some of his runs. Hadn't seen

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<v Speaker 3>that as much from him recently, so I think the

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<v Speaker 3>ability to get both those guys going a little bit

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<v Speaker 3>was encouraged. You know, obviously, Burrow missed throws that you

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<v Speaker 3>just never see him miss.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, he's so good and he's.

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<v Speaker 3>So accurate that it's like jaw dropping when he misses

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<v Speaker 3>some of the easy throws that he missed the other night.

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<v Speaker 3>But as long as he doesn't suffer a setback, and

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<v Speaker 3>I think even he said this, as long as you

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<v Speaker 3>know that Calf continues to get better and they can

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<v Speaker 3>manage it these next couple games. Now, listen, the Titans

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<v Speaker 3>D line is legit, so that won't be easy. But

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<v Speaker 3>if Joe can get through this portion of the calf injury,

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<v Speaker 3>I think the Bengals will be able to break through

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<v Speaker 3>to the other side and get back to being what

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<v Speaker 3>they've been in the last couple of years.

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<v Speaker 2>You played in the NFL, what would you think of

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<v Speaker 2>Joe's willingness to play if you are his teammate.

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<v Speaker 1>Just really appreciate it.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, just really appreciate it because you know that it's

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<v Speaker 3>not fun to play when you're injured. Now listen, I

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<v Speaker 3>will say this as a former offensive lineman. A lot

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<v Speaker 3>of those guys have something bothering him, right. I Mean

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<v Speaker 3>it's like I always laugh when these people say, are

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<v Speaker 3>you one hundred percent later in the year.

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<v Speaker 1>If you're a hundred percent later in the year, what

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<v Speaker 1>have you been.

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<v Speaker 3>Doing the whole time? I mean, you're not going to

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<v Speaker 3>feel like you're one hundred percent. But he very easily

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<v Speaker 3>could have sat that one out and said let's be

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<v Speaker 3>safe and let's be smart about this.

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<v Speaker 1>But I think.

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<v Speaker 3>Burrow knew the risk of going on three, didn't want

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<v Speaker 3>to take that chance, and especially I think the mental

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<v Speaker 3>toughness dan for him to battle through performing poorly in

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<v Speaker 3>the first half and just stick with it to be

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<v Speaker 3>able to lead his team to a critical, critical victory.

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<v Speaker 3>I think that's what the guys really appreciate as much

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<v Speaker 3>as anything.

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<v Speaker 2>We are visiting with Ross Tucker. The defense was awesome

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<v Speaker 2>on Monday Night, six sacks, two takeaways. Does that group

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<v Speaker 2>have to lead the team right now while Burrow and

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<v Speaker 2>the offense are still jelling well.

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<v Speaker 1>I think they do, and I think they have been.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm really impressed by the Bengals defense and have been

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<v Speaker 3>for the last few years. I said it last year,

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<v Speaker 3>I'll say it again this year. Dan, I'd be really

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<v Speaker 3>surprised if lou Ana Rumo does not get a head

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<v Speaker 3>coaching job.

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<v Speaker 1>But I don't know.

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<v Speaker 3>He didn't even get that many interviews, so maybe I

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<v Speaker 3>don't know what I'm talking about.

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<v Speaker 1>But they're just a really good group.

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<v Speaker 3>Love Logan Wilson and what he does Hendrickson on the

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<v Speaker 3>D line.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, it's been the same guys.

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<v Speaker 3>Now for a few years that are really high level

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<v Speaker 3>players in the prime of their career, and they're showing

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<v Speaker 3>it every week now. To have a corner like Cam

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<v Speaker 3>tayl Or Britt and what he brings the table, they

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<v Speaker 3>just have a really good team, and for them to

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<v Speaker 3>be able to massage the situation of losing both safeties

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<v Speaker 3>and still being able to play really good on that

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<v Speaker 3>side of the ball, I think speaks really well. Even

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<v Speaker 3>more so, I would say I have Anna Rumo and

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<v Speaker 3>the position coaches for that matter.

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<v Speaker 2>So after three weeks, the other three teams in the

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<v Speaker 2>AFC North, the Browns, the Ravens, and the Steelers are

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<v Speaker 2>all off to two and one starts. Does anything jump

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<v Speaker 2>out about the other three teams in the division so far?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I would say one thing jumps out for sure,

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<v Speaker 3>and it's the Browns defense. The Browns defense is really

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<v Speaker 3>really good. So now you've got a team where the

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<v Speaker 3>Browns defense was a liability last year they were horrendous,

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<v Speaker 3>and now it's a strength. I mean, I'm watching those

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<v Speaker 3>guys and they've been almost unblockable so far.

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<v Speaker 1>To start this year.

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<v Speaker 3>Miles Garrett is as good of a defensive player as

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<v Speaker 3>there is in the NFL. So to see what those

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<v Speaker 3>guys have been able to do on that side of

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<v Speaker 3>the ball, that's probably the most noteworthy thing, right. I mean,

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<v Speaker 3>the Steelers are probably about where I thought they'd be.

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<v Speaker 3>The Ravens losing to the Colts. That was a bad

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<v Speaker 3>loss for the Ravens and a good one for the Bengals.

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<v Speaker 3>Obviously that the Ravens lost that game at home against

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<v Speaker 3>the Colts in overtime.

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<v Speaker 1>But I would say the Ravens and Steelers.

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<v Speaker 3>Are about who or what I thought they'd be. It's

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<v Speaker 3>the Browns defensively that has done the biggest one to

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<v Speaker 3>eighty from last season.

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<v Speaker 2>You're a Princeton guy. The Bengals drafted one this year

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<v Speaker 2>and rookie Andre Yosi Bosch the wide receiver. What do

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<v Speaker 2>you think of Andre and his long term NFL potential?

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<v Speaker 3>I think he needs to go back to Princeton because

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<v Speaker 3>we lost to Bryant last Saturday, and I'm not real

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<v Speaker 3>happy about it. We need Andre back in our black

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<v Speaker 3>and orange, not the Bengals black and orange.

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<v Speaker 1>By the way, what are the odds of that?

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<v Speaker 3>The odds there aren't that many teams that have orange

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<v Speaker 3>and black. For him to be able to go from

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<v Speaker 3>Princeton to the Bengals is pretty wild.

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<v Speaker 1>But no, it sounds like you had a good preseason.

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<v Speaker 3>I saw where you guys mic him up for a

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<v Speaker 3>game that was pretty funny. You know, it's so interesting

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<v Speaker 3>because a guy like that, they don't usually get that

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<v Speaker 3>many snaps unless someone ahead of them gets hurt or

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<v Speaker 3>they kind of earn that opportunity.

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<v Speaker 1>But I'm excited for him. I'm excited for you guys.

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<v Speaker 3>He's never just been a you know, I mean, and

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<v Speaker 3>I'm sure you talked about it. But he's doing winter track,

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<v Speaker 3>he's doing spring track. He's an All American decathlete. I

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<v Speaker 3>think if this guy's just doing football year round, he

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<v Speaker 3>obviously has the physical ability. He's got terrific guys to

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<v Speaker 3>learn from, with Chase and Boyd and Higgins, and so

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<v Speaker 3>you've got he has a mental acuity, he's got the

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<v Speaker 3>physical ability, and he's got.

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<v Speaker 1>Good guys to learn from.

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<v Speaker 3>There's certainly a really good recipe there for him to

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<v Speaker 3>be able to have some success.

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<v Speaker 2>So the Bengals are at Tennessee on Sunday. What are

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<v Speaker 2>a few keys to beating the one in two Titans.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, I don't think they're gonna be able to run

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<v Speaker 1>the ball very well, because.

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<v Speaker 3>Nobody runs the ball very well against the Tennessee Titans.

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<v Speaker 3>That is clearly their focus. So I guess I would

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<v Speaker 3>start with protecting Burrow. They've got some real difference makers

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<v Speaker 3>up front, whether it's Landry or arn Key. On the outside,

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<v Speaker 3>Jeffrey Simmons is probably about as good of a defensive

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<v Speaker 3>tackle as there is in the NFL. So I would

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<v Speaker 3>say run it enough to keep them honest, and then

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<v Speaker 3>make sure you're double teaming Jeffrey Simmons and trying to

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<v Speaker 3>get the ball out of Burrow's hands quickly, which.

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<v Speaker 1>By the way, he does very well.

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<v Speaker 3>It's a huge positive for Burrow, but that's a big

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<v Speaker 3>concern when they're on offense and on defense.

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<v Speaker 1>Kind of interesting.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't know why the Titans aren't leaning on Derrick

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<v Speaker 3>Henry as much as they have in recent years. Maybe

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<v Speaker 3>it's game script, they've gotten behind or whatever, but they've

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<v Speaker 3>been having that Tajy Spears play a lot, the rookie

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<v Speaker 3>out of Tulane. You can't let Henry get going. They're

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<v Speaker 3>clearly better at home than they are on the road.

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<v Speaker 3>And if they get a lead and they can just

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<v Speaker 3>pound away at Henry, that's tough for any defense.

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<v Speaker 2>Your schedule is nuts. I appreciate your time. Keep up

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<v Speaker 2>the great work.

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<v Speaker 1>Dan, it's my pleasure love hearing you. Love those all

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<v Speaker 1>white unis. You guys were rocking on Monday night. I

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<v Speaker 1>don't know you guys call it White Tiger. That was awesome.

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<v Speaker 1>Always good to be with you, Happy to be on

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<v Speaker 1>with you. Thank you so much for having me.

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<v Speaker 2>As Ross noted, the Bengals defense can't allow the King

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<v Speaker 2>Dereck Henry to get rolling this week, and Cincinnati has

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<v Speaker 2>contained him on the road in each of the last

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<v Speaker 2>two years. Henry had sixty two yards on twenty carries

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<v Speaker 2>in the Bengals playoff win two years ago and just

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<v Speaker 2>thirty eight yards on seventeen carries when Cincinnati beat the

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<v Speaker 2>Titans in the regular season last year. That's two point

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<v Speaker 2>six yards of carry in those two games. As for

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<v Speaker 2>the Bengals offense, barring a setback at practice, we won't

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<v Speaker 2>be doing the Willie play or Won'ty play thing with

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<v Speaker 2>Joe Burrow this week. He threw for two hundred and

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<v Speaker 2>fifty nine yards with a passer rating of fifty nine

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<v Speaker 2>point eight in the win over the Rams, and I

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<v Speaker 2>discussed that performance with Dave Lapham. His personal numbers weren't

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<v Speaker 2>spectacular on Monday night. He didn't throw a touchdown pass.

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<v Speaker 2>It's the first time in the Joe era they have

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<v Speaker 2>won a regular season game where he did not throw

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<v Speaker 2>at least one touchdown pass. Now, his numbers would have

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<v Speaker 2>been better if t Higgins didn't have a rare case

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<v Speaker 2>of the dropsies, But in any case, Joe did enough

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<v Speaker 2>for the Bengals to get a badly needed win over

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<v Speaker 2>the Rams. Let's hear from offensive coordinator Brian Callahan.

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<v Speaker 4>It was a tough week, you know, just not knowing

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<v Speaker 4>for a long stretch of it what it was, who

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<v Speaker 4>was going to be, what it was going to look like.

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<v Speaker 4>And then you know, there was a beginning part of

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<v Speaker 4>the game where like what is this going to look like?

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<v Speaker 1>You know?

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<v Speaker 4>And Joe Guy's an absolute warrior to be able to

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<v Speaker 4>go out there and play the way he played and

0:11:40.679 --> 0:11:43.640
<v Speaker 4>those in that state was really impressive.

0:11:43.840 --> 0:11:46.480
<v Speaker 2>Good enough to beat the Rams. But let's be honest,

0:11:46.760 --> 0:11:49.880
<v Speaker 2>the offense has to get much better if the Bengals

0:11:49.880 --> 0:11:51.800
<v Speaker 2>are truly going to be the type of team that

0:11:52.120 --> 0:11:54.160
<v Speaker 2>we all expected them to be going into the season.

0:11:54.520 --> 0:11:59.640
<v Speaker 5>Well, in reality, dan three football games offensively, their highest

0:11:59.640 --> 0:12:02.719
<v Speaker 5>production was the nineteen points net one win against the

0:12:02.800 --> 0:12:06.400
<v Speaker 5>Rams twenty seven to twenty. Fourth Baltimore offense scored seventeen.

0:12:06.640 --> 0:12:09.960
<v Speaker 5>There was an eighty one yard punt return, special teams touchdown.

0:12:10.280 --> 0:12:13.640
<v Speaker 5>So offensively, they scored three in the opener, they scored

0:12:13.679 --> 0:12:17.199
<v Speaker 5>seventeen points in Week two against Baltimore offensively, and then

0:12:17.320 --> 0:12:19.960
<v Speaker 5>nineteen points in the victory against the Rams.

0:12:19.679 --> 0:12:20.880
<v Speaker 1>So it's trending up.

0:12:20.960 --> 0:12:27.000
<v Speaker 5>Yeah, So hopefully that continues in the Tennessee. I you know,

0:12:27.040 --> 0:12:32.720
<v Speaker 5>it's the Bengals have won down there. The interesting thing

0:12:33.880 --> 0:12:39.240
<v Speaker 5>is against Zach Taylor, Mike rabelers zero and three's that's

0:12:39.280 --> 0:12:42.680
<v Speaker 5>his worst record against any individual coach head to head.

0:12:43.360 --> 0:12:47.120
<v Speaker 5>So the Bengals and Zach Taylor at this juncture, we've

0:12:47.200 --> 0:12:49.920
<v Speaker 5>kind of had the Titans in Mike Rabel's number. And

0:12:50.440 --> 0:12:53.160
<v Speaker 5>I remember, I can't remember if it was the playoff

0:12:53.200 --> 0:12:56.680
<v Speaker 5>game or the last regular season game last year, where

0:12:56.720 --> 0:12:58.560
<v Speaker 5>I just happened to be walking out of the locker

0:12:58.640 --> 0:13:02.360
<v Speaker 5>room trailing Vrabel, and man, he went to his car.

0:13:02.400 --> 0:13:04.160
<v Speaker 5>I was going to the bus. He walked to his car.

0:13:04.559 --> 0:13:06.880
<v Speaker 5>He started kicking his car, dent in his car.

0:13:07.080 --> 0:13:09.960
<v Speaker 1>Come on, he was pissed kicking his car.

0:13:10.080 --> 0:13:12.840
<v Speaker 5>He kicked the side of his car, put two huge

0:13:12.880 --> 0:13:15.680
<v Speaker 5>dentst and I'm like, whoa boy. It was after the

0:13:15.679 --> 0:13:19.040
<v Speaker 5>playoff loss down there, he was I mean, he was

0:13:19.080 --> 0:13:20.320
<v Speaker 5>hot man, he was human.

0:13:21.400 --> 0:13:23.720
<v Speaker 2>The Bengals have not scored a ton of points in

0:13:23.800 --> 0:13:27.200
<v Speaker 2>those two most recent victories over Tennessee twenty last year

0:13:27.640 --> 0:13:30.440
<v Speaker 2>nineteen in the playoff game, but that's been enough. It

0:13:30.480 --> 0:13:32.319
<v Speaker 2>was similar to the Rams game on Monday night. Their

0:13:32.360 --> 0:13:36.320
<v Speaker 2>defense has really shut down the Titans. We talked about

0:13:36.840 --> 0:13:39.559
<v Speaker 2>how they slowed down Derreck Henry the last couple of games,

0:13:39.600 --> 0:13:43.480
<v Speaker 2>but they've really given Ryan Tannehill trouble. Three interceptions in

0:13:43.520 --> 0:13:44.280
<v Speaker 2>that playoff game.

0:13:44.360 --> 0:13:47.840
<v Speaker 5>Absolutely the last two times the two victories sixteen points

0:13:47.880 --> 0:13:50.360
<v Speaker 5>that held him two both times twenty to sixteen. And

0:13:50.480 --> 0:13:53.719
<v Speaker 5>just like last week's score in the victory, they'd beat

0:13:53.800 --> 0:13:59.480
<v Speaker 5>Tennessee nineteen sixteen as well in the playoffs. So you know,

0:13:59.800 --> 0:14:02.200
<v Speaker 5>it's a tough place to play. It's going to be

0:14:02.320 --> 0:14:05.640
<v Speaker 5>loud down there. It's crazy down there. As I recall,

0:14:06.080 --> 0:14:09.160
<v Speaker 5>the stands are right on top of the players. I mean,

0:14:09.600 --> 0:14:12.600
<v Speaker 5>it's just I remember the players talking about people could

0:14:12.600 --> 0:14:15.319
<v Speaker 5>have been throwing things out of me. They could hear everything,

0:14:15.320 --> 0:14:17.600
<v Speaker 5>they were right on top of them. So the noise

0:14:18.000 --> 0:14:21.800
<v Speaker 5>kind of just hangs right in there, and it's very

0:14:21.920 --> 0:14:27.360
<v Speaker 5>very difficult. So your non spoken communication has to be

0:14:27.560 --> 0:14:30.200
<v Speaker 5>top shelf because you're not going to be able to hear.

0:14:30.600 --> 0:14:34.040
<v Speaker 5>And what bothered me is it's third and one, back

0:14:34.080 --> 0:14:37.120
<v Speaker 5>to back fall starts at home when you don't have

0:14:37.120 --> 0:14:41.840
<v Speaker 5>to deal with crowd noise, two separate veteran players, Tyler

0:14:41.880 --> 0:14:44.880
<v Speaker 5>Boyd or Orlando Brown junior back to back fall starts.

0:14:45.080 --> 0:14:47.200
<v Speaker 5>Now it's third in eleven, third and one where you

0:14:47.200 --> 0:14:49.400
<v Speaker 5>have a short guardage goal line play to convert. Now

0:14:49.400 --> 0:14:51.600
<v Speaker 5>it's starting eleven, and it's like one of the many

0:14:51.640 --> 0:14:54.600
<v Speaker 5>times there were third and ten or more and struggled

0:14:54.640 --> 0:14:57.720
<v Speaker 5>on third down having those kind of down a distance conversions.

0:14:57.800 --> 0:15:00.320
<v Speaker 5>So you're going to have to play a clean game

0:15:00.400 --> 0:15:03.960
<v Speaker 5>down there, and the Tennessee Tits are going to lean

0:15:04.000 --> 0:15:06.520
<v Speaker 5>on those fans to give the Bengals there's as many

0:15:06.520 --> 0:15:08.080
<v Speaker 5>promis with crowd noise as they can.

0:15:09.200 --> 0:15:11.520
<v Speaker 2>The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by Alta

0:15:11.600 --> 0:15:15.120
<v Speaker 2>Fiber future Proof Fiber Internet elevate your connection with Alta

0:15:15.240 --> 0:15:18.840
<v Speaker 2>Fiber by Kettering Health, the official healthcare provider of the Bengals,

0:15:19.200 --> 0:15:23.200
<v Speaker 2>and by pay Corps, the team's official HR software provider.

0:15:23.760 --> 0:15:26.440
<v Speaker 2>Following the Baltimore game, where Joe Burrow's status was up

0:15:26.480 --> 0:15:28.800
<v Speaker 2>in the air after he tweaked his calf injury. The

0:15:28.840 --> 0:15:31.680
<v Speaker 2>Bengals signed an old friend and added him to the

0:15:31.720 --> 0:15:35.840
<v Speaker 2>practice squad. AJ McCarron, who spent his first four NFL

0:15:35.880 --> 0:15:40.840
<v Speaker 2>seasons in Cincinnati before bouncing around to Buffalo, Oakland, Houston, Atlanta,

0:15:41.160 --> 0:15:45.960
<v Speaker 2>and even Saint Louis of the XFL. AJ, it's great

0:15:46.000 --> 0:15:48.280
<v Speaker 2>to have you back here in Cincinnati. I know Bengals

0:15:48.280 --> 0:15:51.040
<v Speaker 2>fans have been rooting for you since you left. What

0:15:51.080 --> 0:15:52.760
<v Speaker 2>was it like for you to walk back into the building.

0:15:53.040 --> 0:15:57.280
<v Speaker 6>Yeah, that was awesome. Listen, I've told everybody since I've

0:15:57.280 --> 0:15:59.800
<v Speaker 6>got here, you can feel the love that the city

0:15:59.840 --> 0:16:06.120
<v Speaker 6>has for me, and it's greatly appreciated. And I loved

0:16:06.200 --> 0:16:09.520
<v Speaker 6>coming back to this organization and being back in this city.

0:16:10.080 --> 0:16:12.240
<v Speaker 6>It's awesome to be a part of it again and

0:16:12.760 --> 0:16:16.480
<v Speaker 6>see the excitement within the city surrounding the organization. It

0:16:16.560 --> 0:16:17.000
<v Speaker 6>is awesome.

0:16:17.360 --> 0:16:19.040
<v Speaker 2>It sounds like it was in the back of your

0:16:19.080 --> 0:16:21.840
<v Speaker 2>head to possibly come back to Cincinnati someday.

0:16:22.160 --> 0:16:25.040
<v Speaker 6>Oh yeah, you always want to kind of go back

0:16:26.600 --> 0:16:29.280
<v Speaker 6>as a player and where you first started and be

0:16:29.360 --> 0:16:33.560
<v Speaker 6>able to, you know, maybe retire there. But I mean,

0:16:33.600 --> 0:16:36.440
<v Speaker 6>I don't plan on retiring anytime soon. But yes, it's

0:16:36.480 --> 0:16:40.120
<v Speaker 6>awesome to kind of full circle and come back to

0:16:40.240 --> 0:16:41.880
<v Speaker 6>this organization. It's special for sure.

0:16:42.480 --> 0:16:45.160
<v Speaker 2>You have already played a football season this year in

0:16:45.240 --> 0:16:48.400
<v Speaker 2>the latest version of the XFL with Saint Louis after

0:16:48.480 --> 0:16:50.800
<v Speaker 2>nearly a decade in the NFL. Why did you make

0:16:50.800 --> 0:16:51.440
<v Speaker 2>that choice?

0:16:51.880 --> 0:16:55.840
<v Speaker 6>It was mainly just my oldest son wanting to watch

0:16:55.880 --> 0:16:59.920
<v Speaker 6>me play. And I tour my ACL in twenty one

0:17:00.640 --> 0:17:05.640
<v Speaker 6>in Atlanta, So it's really just coming back and being

0:17:05.680 --> 0:17:09.520
<v Speaker 6>able to play and lead a team and play, you know,

0:17:09.800 --> 0:17:14.159
<v Speaker 6>weekend and week out and have him experience and my

0:17:15.640 --> 0:17:18.760
<v Speaker 6>middle son Cash as well, so have him both be

0:17:18.800 --> 0:17:21.320
<v Speaker 6>a part of it and see daddy play. Was you

0:17:21.320 --> 0:17:25.239
<v Speaker 6>know something that every player that has kids dreams of.

0:17:25.560 --> 0:17:27.800
<v Speaker 2>Your oldest son was born when you were here. Yeah,

0:17:27.800 --> 0:17:30.280
<v Speaker 2>back in twenty sixteen, I believe. Was he able to

0:17:30.320 --> 0:17:31.920
<v Speaker 2>be around the team much?

0:17:32.040 --> 0:17:32.280
<v Speaker 5>Yeah?

0:17:32.359 --> 0:17:37.200
<v Speaker 6>Yeah, he was ball boy and we come to practice,

0:17:37.280 --> 0:17:40.239
<v Speaker 6>come to meetings, sit in and hang out, and it

0:17:40.320 --> 0:17:44.960
<v Speaker 6>really helped him from playing. You know, me as a

0:17:45.080 --> 0:17:48.080
<v Speaker 6>dad coaching him in baseball and in flag football, but

0:17:49.000 --> 0:17:52.560
<v Speaker 6>seeing how dad got coached at practice and knowing like, okay,

0:17:52.600 --> 0:17:54.560
<v Speaker 6>well Dad's not mad at me. He's just coaching me,

0:17:54.760 --> 0:17:57.359
<v Speaker 6>So it really actually helped him grow as a player.

0:17:58.560 --> 0:18:01.520
<v Speaker 6>And this year base ball and then leading into football

0:18:01.600 --> 0:18:04.919
<v Speaker 6>was such a huge difference for him, and I mean,

0:18:04.960 --> 0:18:07.119
<v Speaker 6>he grew as a player. So it's it was awesome

0:18:07.119 --> 0:18:07.880
<v Speaker 6>to see.

0:18:08.080 --> 0:18:10.280
<v Speaker 2>You led the league in touchdown passes, you led the

0:18:10.320 --> 0:18:13.840
<v Speaker 2>league in passing efficiency. Did it renew the belief that

0:18:13.880 --> 0:18:15.320
<v Speaker 2>you can help an NFL team win?

0:18:15.720 --> 0:18:15.960
<v Speaker 5>Yeah?

0:18:16.880 --> 0:18:19.240
<v Speaker 6>I mean listen that that was the first time in

0:18:19.320 --> 0:18:21.359
<v Speaker 6>twenty one tear my ACL that I've ever had an

0:18:21.520 --> 0:18:25.639
<v Speaker 6>injury to not be able to play football that season,

0:18:25.760 --> 0:18:31.200
<v Speaker 6>so and sit out, and you know, as somebody that's

0:18:31.240 --> 0:18:33.520
<v Speaker 6>going through the injury like that, you always have doubts

0:18:33.520 --> 0:18:36.200
<v Speaker 6>can you get back to where you were and can

0:18:36.200 --> 0:18:36.840
<v Speaker 6>you still play at.

0:18:36.800 --> 0:18:37.399
<v Speaker 5>A high level.

0:18:37.440 --> 0:18:41.160
<v Speaker 6>So being able to come out and prove not only

0:18:41.160 --> 0:18:43.400
<v Speaker 6>to myself but everybody else that I can still play

0:18:43.400 --> 0:18:48.040
<v Speaker 6>at a high level and play the QB position in

0:18:48.040 --> 0:18:51.840
<v Speaker 6>an efficient way, it was something that I was excited

0:18:51.840 --> 0:18:54.919
<v Speaker 6>about and have the opportunity to do. And you know,

0:18:54.960 --> 0:18:57.320
<v Speaker 6>I had great teammates that helped all that, you know,

0:18:57.400 --> 0:19:00.520
<v Speaker 6>be possible. And so it was a year.

0:19:01.240 --> 0:19:03.840
<v Speaker 2>Let's turn the clock back to twenty fifteen. Your first

0:19:03.920 --> 0:19:06.560
<v Speaker 2>year on the Bengals active roster. The team was ten

0:19:06.600 --> 0:19:09.480
<v Speaker 2>and two when Andy Dalton broke his thumb. You took

0:19:09.520 --> 0:19:11.520
<v Speaker 2>over for the rest of the year despite not having

0:19:11.640 --> 0:19:14.840
<v Speaker 2>really any NFL experience and played great. What was your

0:19:14.840 --> 0:19:16.360
<v Speaker 2>most vivid memory of that stretch.

0:19:16.680 --> 0:19:18.879
<v Speaker 6>Yeah, I think just being kind of thrown into the

0:19:18.880 --> 0:19:24.359
<v Speaker 6>fire because rookie year, being on NFL, never getting any experience,

0:19:24.400 --> 0:19:29.680
<v Speaker 6>and then really had that preseason of fifteen and then

0:19:30.960 --> 0:19:33.440
<v Speaker 6>other than that it was scout team practice reps because

0:19:33.440 --> 0:19:37.639
<v Speaker 6>didn't I didn't get any reps as a two for

0:19:37.760 --> 0:19:40.439
<v Speaker 6>our own offense that year, So all of a sudden

0:19:40.440 --> 0:19:44.320
<v Speaker 6>being thrown in in that Pittsburgh game here and then

0:19:44.400 --> 0:19:46.960
<v Speaker 6>having to go from there to San fran and then

0:19:47.080 --> 0:19:51.280
<v Speaker 6>Denver and then Baltimore again and then playoff game against

0:19:51.359 --> 0:19:54.480
<v Speaker 6>pitt here. Listen, it was a special year. It was

0:19:54.520 --> 0:19:58.280
<v Speaker 6>a lot of great memories for my family. I mean,

0:19:58.600 --> 0:20:01.920
<v Speaker 6>definitely sucks and it was tough to lose that playoff game,

0:20:01.960 --> 0:20:05.800
<v Speaker 6>but it was still something that I'll, you know, cherish

0:20:05.800 --> 0:20:06.720
<v Speaker 6>for the rest of my life.

0:20:06.960 --> 0:20:09.439
<v Speaker 2>Your touchdown past aj Green with one fifty to go

0:20:09.560 --> 0:20:11.520
<v Speaker 2>gave the Bengals a one point lead. It would have

0:20:11.560 --> 0:20:14.080
<v Speaker 2>gone down as one of the most memorable plays in

0:20:14.160 --> 0:20:17.800
<v Speaker 2>franchise history. If not for what happened after that, does

0:20:17.840 --> 0:20:18.680
<v Speaker 2>it still sting?

0:20:19.359 --> 0:20:23.760
<v Speaker 6>Oh for sure, because you know, you just never know

0:20:25.320 --> 0:20:29.840
<v Speaker 6>what would have happened from a career standpoint, and then

0:20:30.000 --> 0:20:32.600
<v Speaker 6>maybe being able to start, you just you don't know

0:20:32.800 --> 0:20:36.320
<v Speaker 6>what the next year leads to. But listen, I've always

0:20:36.359 --> 0:20:38.520
<v Speaker 6>been a firm believer. God has a plan for everything,

0:20:38.640 --> 0:20:43.200
<v Speaker 6>So just roll with the punches sometimes and enjoy the

0:20:43.280 --> 0:20:44.159
<v Speaker 6>journey while you're on it.

0:20:44.520 --> 0:20:46.520
<v Speaker 2>A couple more questions for AJ mccaron. There are a

0:20:46.520 --> 0:20:48.480
<v Speaker 2>couple of guys left from when you were here previously,

0:20:48.600 --> 0:20:50.960
<v Speaker 2>Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon, but the other guys are new,

0:20:51.359 --> 0:20:54.320
<v Speaker 2>including Joe Burrow. Would have been your impressions of him

0:20:54.600 --> 0:20:55.480
<v Speaker 2>watching from afar?

0:20:56.160 --> 0:20:57.639
<v Speaker 6>I told him when I first got here, it's been

0:20:57.680 --> 0:20:58.640
<v Speaker 6>awesome to watch him.

0:20:58.720 --> 0:20:58.959
<v Speaker 5>You know.

0:20:59.520 --> 0:21:01.360
<v Speaker 6>I got to watch him a little bit in college

0:21:02.200 --> 0:21:06.080
<v Speaker 6>just staying so busy, but mainly the big games, and

0:21:06.119 --> 0:21:11.119
<v Speaker 6>then now meeting him and watching him in person the

0:21:11.200 --> 0:21:15.160
<v Speaker 6>other night was something that was awesome to see. But listen,

0:21:15.200 --> 0:21:19.800
<v Speaker 6>he's a special talent. He's special quarterback, and I mean,

0:21:20.040 --> 0:21:23.000
<v Speaker 6>this guy's the limit. He's an awesome leader and a

0:21:23.040 --> 0:21:26.320
<v Speaker 6>great quarterback, and it's it's fun to be in that

0:21:26.440 --> 0:21:29.760
<v Speaker 6>room with him and you know, help in any way possible.

0:21:30.600 --> 0:21:34.280
<v Speaker 2>You're thirty three, father of three young boys, You're financially

0:21:34.359 --> 0:21:36.439
<v Speaker 2>secure from your time in the NFL. What do you

0:21:36.480 --> 0:21:38.359
<v Speaker 2>still have left that you would like to accomplish in

0:21:38.400 --> 0:21:38.879
<v Speaker 2>the NFL?

0:21:40.040 --> 0:21:42.720
<v Speaker 6>Well, I mean I'd like to, you know, work my

0:21:42.800 --> 0:21:46.639
<v Speaker 6>way to either playing or being on the active roster

0:21:46.760 --> 0:21:50.200
<v Speaker 6>again and and helping the team out in a certain way.

0:21:50.320 --> 0:21:53.760
<v Speaker 6>So but right now, I'm taking it day by day,

0:21:53.880 --> 0:21:58.720
<v Speaker 6>just enjoying this this ride and and then we'll figure

0:21:58.760 --> 0:22:02.320
<v Speaker 6>everything out once this season ends. But for right now,

0:22:02.359 --> 0:22:04.760
<v Speaker 6>I'm just I just want to enjoy my time while

0:22:04.760 --> 0:22:07.000
<v Speaker 6>I'm back in the city and part of this organization,

0:22:07.119 --> 0:22:09.720
<v Speaker 6>and then we'll see what the future holds.

0:22:10.240 --> 0:22:12.360
<v Speaker 2>Welcome back the Orange and Black. Looks good on you.

0:22:12.600 --> 0:22:13.960
<v Speaker 2>Nice to have you back in this locker room.

0:22:14.040 --> 0:22:15.800
<v Speaker 6>Thanks for the time, Thank you, I appreciate it.

0:22:16.640 --> 0:22:19.720
<v Speaker 2>Now time for this week's Know the Faux segment. John

0:22:19.800 --> 0:22:23.320
<v Speaker 2>Burton is a Nashville sportscaster and joined Lapping Me this

0:22:23.359 --> 0:22:25.280
<v Speaker 2>week on the Bengals Game Plan show.

0:22:26.520 --> 0:22:29.600
<v Speaker 7>It's an interesting Titans football team. We're watching, you know,

0:22:29.720 --> 0:22:33.560
<v Speaker 7>one win, two losses, both losses. They haven't scored an

0:22:33.600 --> 0:22:37.359
<v Speaker 7>offensive touchdown, which is certainly not expected. So you know,

0:22:37.400 --> 0:22:39.920
<v Speaker 7>in the ultimate week to week league, the Titans appear

0:22:39.960 --> 0:22:42.160
<v Speaker 7>to be the ultimate week to week team, at least

0:22:42.160 --> 0:22:44.080
<v Speaker 7>so far through three games.

0:22:44.040 --> 0:22:44.480
<v Speaker 1>So John.

0:22:44.560 --> 0:22:47.280
<v Speaker 2>When these teams met last year, the Titans were seven

0:22:47.320 --> 0:22:50.680
<v Speaker 2>and three. The Bengals won a tight game. The Bengals

0:22:50.680 --> 0:22:53.880
<v Speaker 2>didn't lose again until the AFC Championship game. The Titans

0:22:53.920 --> 0:22:57.520
<v Speaker 2>never won again. They lost their last seven. They're one

0:22:57.600 --> 0:23:01.160
<v Speaker 2>and two so far this year. What are the biggest issues?

0:23:01.200 --> 0:23:03.760
<v Speaker 2>What is plaguing the Tennessee Titans.

0:23:04.960 --> 0:23:10.640
<v Speaker 7>Well, offensively, it's inconsistently inconsistency, especially along the offensive line.

0:23:10.880 --> 0:23:13.160
<v Speaker 7>You know, they lost two pillars of that offensive line

0:23:13.240 --> 0:23:16.439
<v Speaker 7>last year or this past offseason. And Taylor Lawan and

0:23:16.480 --> 0:23:19.359
<v Speaker 7>Ben Jones. Not only were they two Pro Bowl type

0:23:19.600 --> 0:23:22.040
<v Speaker 7>productive players la one at left tackle and of course

0:23:22.119 --> 0:23:24.800
<v Speaker 7>Jones at center, but they were also two big time

0:23:24.880 --> 0:23:27.200
<v Speaker 7>leaders in that locker room. And you know, you lose

0:23:27.280 --> 0:23:30.359
<v Speaker 7>you lose production and leadership there. You know, you had

0:23:30.560 --> 0:23:33.640
<v Speaker 7>Peter Skronsky, who they drafted first in the first round

0:23:33.680 --> 0:23:36.640
<v Speaker 7>out of Northwestern. You know, he's dealing with an appendectomy.

0:23:36.680 --> 0:23:39.280
<v Speaker 7>He hasn't played in a couple of games. He's probably

0:23:39.280 --> 0:23:40.760
<v Speaker 7>not going to be back for a while. And they

0:23:41.520 --> 0:23:43.840
<v Speaker 7>you know, they have four new starters, actually I believe

0:23:43.880 --> 0:23:47.199
<v Speaker 7>five new starters on along that offensive line, and you know,

0:23:47.240 --> 0:23:48.960
<v Speaker 7>they're the one guy that they were counting on the

0:23:49.080 --> 0:23:54.000
<v Speaker 7>right tackle, Petique Frere. You know, he's suspended six games

0:23:54.040 --> 0:23:57.439
<v Speaker 7>for gambling violations. So they've had all kinds of problems

0:23:57.440 --> 0:24:00.399
<v Speaker 7>along that offensive line. And you know, with thes you

0:24:00.440 --> 0:24:02.439
<v Speaker 7>guys know this, it starts with the running game. It

0:24:02.520 --> 0:24:05.120
<v Speaker 7>starts with Derrick Henry. They haven't been able to get

0:24:05.160 --> 0:24:08.119
<v Speaker 7>that going on a consistent basis. And last week they

0:24:08.119 --> 0:24:11.240
<v Speaker 7>had a lot of trouble against the Browns protecting Ryan Tannehill.

0:24:11.480 --> 0:24:13.639
<v Speaker 7>He got sacked five times, three and a half of

0:24:13.680 --> 0:24:16.000
<v Speaker 7>those by Miles Garrett, who you guys know is an

0:24:16.080 --> 0:24:19.960
<v Speaker 7>absolute beast. You know, they signed Andre Dillard at left

0:24:19.960 --> 0:24:23.040
<v Speaker 7>tackle during the offseason from the Eagles. He hasn't really

0:24:23.080 --> 0:24:26.119
<v Speaker 7>provided much, to be honest with you. So that's the

0:24:26.160 --> 0:24:29.399
<v Speaker 7>problems on offense. Defensively, a lot of breakdowns in the secondary.

0:24:29.720 --> 0:24:31.680
<v Speaker 7>You know, this Titans team is one of the best

0:24:31.720 --> 0:24:34.240
<v Speaker 7>front sevens in all the football, you know, led by

0:24:34.320 --> 0:24:38.200
<v Speaker 7>their superstar defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons. But if you can

0:24:38.240 --> 0:24:40.639
<v Speaker 7>get that front seven blocked, We've seen a lot of

0:24:40.640 --> 0:24:43.960
<v Speaker 7>breakdowns in the secondary with the corners in the safeties,

0:24:44.280 --> 0:24:46.120
<v Speaker 7>and teams have been able to get big plays over

0:24:46.160 --> 0:24:48.480
<v Speaker 7>the top in the passing game. So you know, those

0:24:48.520 --> 0:24:50.879
<v Speaker 7>those are the issues facing this team, and you know

0:24:51.000 --> 0:24:54.119
<v Speaker 7>they're they're a lot more inconsistent than a lot of

0:24:54.200 --> 0:24:56.400
<v Speaker 7>us thought we were going to see here in Nashville.

0:24:57.760 --> 0:25:02.400
<v Speaker 5>So that the defensive line, like you talk about Jeffrey Simmons,

0:25:02.400 --> 0:25:05.440
<v Speaker 5>I mean, the Bengals go from Aaron Donald last week

0:25:05.480 --> 0:25:08.280
<v Speaker 5>with the La Rams to Jeffrey Simmons, who I think

0:25:08.320 --> 0:25:12.320
<v Speaker 5>of the best two interior defensive players the National Football

0:25:12.359 --> 0:25:15.359
<v Speaker 5>League has to offer. I do think that Simmons has

0:25:15.400 --> 0:25:18.680
<v Speaker 5>a better supporting cast around him right now than Aaron

0:25:18.720 --> 0:25:22.440
<v Speaker 5>Donald does. I mean, You've got you know, Autrey, You've

0:25:22.440 --> 0:25:26.840
<v Speaker 5>got Key, You've got Landry. I mean it's that down

0:25:26.880 --> 0:25:29.960
<v Speaker 5>line group is responsible for six sacks, I mean eight

0:25:30.000 --> 0:25:35.119
<v Speaker 5>sacks already. So are they playing well enough? Is it

0:25:35.160 --> 0:25:37.640
<v Speaker 5>a surprise there's breakdown in the secondary because I look

0:25:37.680 --> 0:25:41.920
<v Speaker 5>at the two guys. In my mind, defensively, Jeffrey Simmons

0:25:41.960 --> 0:25:46.240
<v Speaker 5>is way big a cut above, and I thought that

0:25:46.359 --> 0:25:49.520
<v Speaker 5>Bayer at safety was way big a cut above as well.

0:25:49.760 --> 0:25:53.760
<v Speaker 5>Is with twenty seven career interceptions, number one for safeties

0:25:53.840 --> 0:25:56.639
<v Speaker 5>in time he's been in the NFL, number two overall

0:25:56.640 --> 0:25:59.120
<v Speaker 5>in the NFL. Is he not playing up to snuff?

0:26:00.400 --> 0:26:02.560
<v Speaker 7>Yeah, I think Dave A lot of it has to

0:26:02.600 --> 0:26:04.720
<v Speaker 7>do with the fact that and we talked about this

0:26:04.800 --> 0:26:07.639
<v Speaker 7>after the game on Sunday when they lost to the Browns,

0:26:07.960 --> 0:26:11.040
<v Speaker 7>communication appears to be an issue in that secondary and

0:26:11.359 --> 0:26:13.840
<v Speaker 7>he talked about, guys need to be on the same page.

0:26:13.920 --> 0:26:16.000
<v Speaker 7>And you know, there was a play where Amari Cooper

0:26:16.040 --> 0:26:20.440
<v Speaker 7>got free right down the seam, wide open, caught a

0:26:20.520 --> 0:26:23.080
<v Speaker 7>pass from Deshaun Watson from the touchdown that really put

0:26:23.119 --> 0:26:26.240
<v Speaker 7>this game away. And you know there's there appear to

0:26:26.280 --> 0:26:29.160
<v Speaker 7>be communication issues and that the one phrase you hear

0:26:29.320 --> 0:26:31.320
<v Speaker 7>from the secondary guys is we need to be on

0:26:31.400 --> 0:26:33.879
<v Speaker 7>the same page. We're not on the same page. And

0:26:33.960 --> 0:26:36.960
<v Speaker 7>again it's about getting that front seven blocked. If you

0:26:37.000 --> 0:26:39.560
<v Speaker 7>can get Simmons blocked, if you can get Harold Landry blocked,

0:26:39.560 --> 0:26:42.040
<v Speaker 7>if you can get the Nico autrey blocked and give

0:26:42.160 --> 0:26:44.680
<v Speaker 7>quarterbacks time to throw. You see a lot of big

0:26:44.720 --> 0:26:46.880
<v Speaker 7>plays down the field. So yeah, it is a price.

0:26:47.160 --> 0:26:49.399
<v Speaker 7>It is a surprise to see a guy like Kevin

0:26:49.400 --> 0:26:51.560
<v Speaker 7>Byer not be able to be the ballhawk he's been

0:26:51.640 --> 0:26:54.040
<v Speaker 7>his entire career. And this goes back to his college

0:26:54.119 --> 0:26:57.120
<v Speaker 7>days at Middle Tennessee State just down the road. So yeah,

0:26:57.119 --> 0:27:00.560
<v Speaker 7>there are issues in the secondary. And you know, obviously

0:27:00.600 --> 0:27:02.399
<v Speaker 7>the further you go in the season, you're gonna be

0:27:02.400 --> 0:27:06.119
<v Speaker 7>playing better quarterbacks and better passing attacks. They need to

0:27:06.160 --> 0:27:09.160
<v Speaker 7>get that cleaned up quickly because you know your face,

0:27:09.320 --> 0:27:11.879
<v Speaker 7>they're gonna be faithing Joe Burrow and those great receivers

0:27:11.880 --> 0:27:14.520
<v Speaker 7>coming up this weekend, and they don't get these problems fixed,

0:27:14.520 --> 0:27:15.720
<v Speaker 7>it could be a long day for him.

0:27:16.240 --> 0:27:20.560
<v Speaker 2>We're visiting with Nashville broadcaster John Burton. Let's talk Ryan Tannehill.

0:27:20.640 --> 0:27:24.399
<v Speaker 2>The Bengals have beaten his teams the last five times

0:27:24.400 --> 0:27:25.840
<v Speaker 2>he started against Cincinnati.

0:27:26.119 --> 0:27:28.240
<v Speaker 1>How's he playing a.

0:27:28.160 --> 0:27:30.880
<v Speaker 7>Little up and down right now? But you know, unfortunately

0:27:30.920 --> 0:27:33.360
<v Speaker 7>for him, he's not getting the protection that he needs now.

0:27:33.359 --> 0:27:35.680
<v Speaker 7>He was terrible in the first game against the Saints,

0:27:36.000 --> 0:27:40.080
<v Speaker 7>got sacked three times, I believe through three interceptions. Was

0:27:40.160 --> 0:27:44.119
<v Speaker 7>just absolutely really bad, to be honest with you bounce

0:27:44.200 --> 0:27:47.240
<v Speaker 7>back nicely in the almost s at San Diego. In

0:27:47.280 --> 0:27:50.440
<v Speaker 7>the LA Charger game, you know, completed twenty to twenty

0:27:50.440 --> 0:27:55.960
<v Speaker 7>four passes, you know, no no interceptions, no turnovers. Really

0:27:56.080 --> 0:27:58.199
<v Speaker 7>was a big reason why they won that game. And

0:27:58.240 --> 0:28:01.000
<v Speaker 7>then this past week, you know, he barely throws for

0:28:01.040 --> 0:28:05.040
<v Speaker 7>one hundred yards, no turnovers. But man, Miles Garrett and

0:28:05.520 --> 0:28:08.840
<v Speaker 7>that Cleveland defensive front, we're all over him all day.

0:28:08.880 --> 0:28:12.680
<v Speaker 7>And you know, he's got some talented receivers to work with,

0:28:12.800 --> 0:28:15.879
<v Speaker 7>and obviously DeAndre Hopkins, we know what he's done in

0:28:15.920 --> 0:28:19.000
<v Speaker 7>this league. Treylan Burks is the second year guy that

0:28:19.040 --> 0:28:21.960
<v Speaker 7>they hope will be the replacement for aj Brown, who

0:28:21.960 --> 0:28:24.680
<v Speaker 7>they traded away last week. They've got a talented, athletic

0:28:24.720 --> 0:28:27.840
<v Speaker 7>tight end in Chigakonkuo. But I think it comes down

0:28:27.880 --> 0:28:31.320
<v Speaker 7>to inconsistency in the running game and lack of protection

0:28:31.440 --> 0:28:33.880
<v Speaker 7>in the passing game. And you know, Tannehill is a

0:28:33.920 --> 0:28:37.440
<v Speaker 7>good quarterback, He's not an elite level guy. I don't

0:28:37.440 --> 0:28:39.440
<v Speaker 7>believe he's the type of guy that can just put

0:28:39.480 --> 0:28:41.240
<v Speaker 7>a team on his back and go to the Super Bowl.

0:28:41.320 --> 0:28:43.360
<v Speaker 7>He needs help and right now, he's not getting the

0:28:43.400 --> 0:28:44.920
<v Speaker 7>help he needs. At least in two out of the

0:28:44.920 --> 0:28:46.320
<v Speaker 7>first three games, we haven't seen it.

0:28:47.400 --> 0:28:52.280
<v Speaker 5>Derrick Henry has averaged over three hundred rushes the last

0:28:52.320 --> 0:28:55.080
<v Speaker 5>four years. Is there any sign of where and tear

0:28:55.320 --> 0:28:58.000
<v Speaker 5>or is Derrick Henry still the beast he once was?

0:28:59.120 --> 0:29:02.360
<v Speaker 7>In all honesty, I really think Derek has lost a step.

0:29:02.760 --> 0:29:05.720
<v Speaker 7>And you know, he's twenty nine years old and he's

0:29:05.920 --> 0:29:07.640
<v Speaker 7>he's had a lot of carries, as you mentioned, the

0:29:07.680 --> 0:29:09.680
<v Speaker 7>last couple of years. What they've tried to do is

0:29:09.680 --> 0:29:13.240
<v Speaker 7>they drafted Tai J. Spears out of Tulane to be

0:29:13.440 --> 0:29:15.520
<v Speaker 7>like the change of pace running back. And trust me,

0:29:15.760 --> 0:29:17.760
<v Speaker 7>ever since Derek has been here, they've been looking for

0:29:17.800 --> 0:29:21.440
<v Speaker 7>that quote unquote change of pace back. But Spears appears

0:29:21.480 --> 0:29:23.200
<v Speaker 7>to be the guy that can get it done. You know,

0:29:23.240 --> 0:29:25.360
<v Speaker 7>he's good out of the backfield, he can catch the ball.

0:29:25.800 --> 0:29:28.479
<v Speaker 7>He's small, but he can run between the tackles. I

0:29:28.520 --> 0:29:31.800
<v Speaker 7>think the hope is this year, let's get Spears involved

0:29:31.800 --> 0:29:33.800
<v Speaker 7>in the running game a little bit more because Derek,

0:29:33.840 --> 0:29:35.680
<v Speaker 7>as good as he's been, as great as he's been,

0:29:35.960 --> 0:29:37.880
<v Speaker 7>we all know, is not a three down back. He's

0:29:37.880 --> 0:29:40.600
<v Speaker 7>not a traditional three down back. So I think the

0:29:40.680 --> 0:29:44.400
<v Speaker 7>idea is to share. Maybe not obviously Derek's gonna get

0:29:44.640 --> 0:29:47.080
<v Speaker 7>the bulk of the carries, but I think they want

0:29:47.080 --> 0:29:49.040
<v Speaker 7>to involve Taij. Spears a little bit more for a

0:29:49.080 --> 0:29:52.000
<v Speaker 7>couple of reasons. Right Number one, it keeps Derek fresher

0:29:52.040 --> 0:29:54.880
<v Speaker 7>in the fourth quarter and obviously later in the season

0:29:55.280 --> 0:29:59.640
<v Speaker 7>as well, because you know, listen, the three of us,

0:29:59.840 --> 0:30:01.840
<v Speaker 7>we we all love to be twenty nine years old again.

0:30:02.240 --> 0:30:05.800
<v Speaker 7>But you know, as with running backs, you know as

0:30:05.800 --> 0:30:08.040
<v Speaker 7>you get closer to thirty year, production is going to

0:30:08.480 --> 0:30:12.080
<v Speaker 7>you know, probably diminish a little bit. And going back

0:30:12.120 --> 0:30:14.480
<v Speaker 7>to Tannehill and Derrick Henry, both these guys are in

0:30:14.520 --> 0:30:17.000
<v Speaker 7>the final years of their contracts, so you know, they're

0:30:17.080 --> 0:30:19.360
<v Speaker 7>days here in Tennessee may be numbered and we'll have

0:30:19.400 --> 0:30:22.160
<v Speaker 7>to see where what the future holds. But yeah, to me,

0:30:22.240 --> 0:30:25.400
<v Speaker 7>it appears Derek has slowed a bit. I mean, probably

0:30:25.400 --> 0:30:29.200
<v Speaker 7>his worst games. It's becoming the Titans full time bell

0:30:29.320 --> 0:30:32.640
<v Speaker 7>cow back last week, twenty yards on eleven carries. You

0:30:32.720 --> 0:30:34.000
<v Speaker 7>just don't see that from Derrick.

0:30:33.840 --> 0:30:39.080
<v Speaker 5>Henry Mike Rabels after a loss like like they suffered,

0:30:39.920 --> 0:30:43.560
<v Speaker 5>and this guy, his whole game was physicality, there's no

0:30:43.680 --> 0:30:47.360
<v Speaker 5>question about it. I mean, and to lose a football

0:30:47.400 --> 0:30:51.680
<v Speaker 5>game to Cleveland twenty seven to three and Henry rushes

0:30:51.720 --> 0:30:54.360
<v Speaker 5>for twenty yards and they're just kind of you know,

0:30:54.480 --> 0:30:57.680
<v Speaker 5>beaten up and beaten down. What is he like after

0:30:57.760 --> 0:31:02.000
<v Speaker 5>that type of that type of a game, and what

0:31:02.000 --> 0:31:04.440
<v Speaker 5>what a practice has been like? What can the Bengals

0:31:04.480 --> 0:31:08.120
<v Speaker 5>expect And they expect a Tennessee Titan team that is

0:31:08.160 --> 0:31:09.880
<v Speaker 5>going to be up in the bit and they better

0:31:09.920 --> 0:31:11.120
<v Speaker 5>put on the big boy pats.

0:31:13.200 --> 0:31:15.760
<v Speaker 7>Yeah, I would say so, Dave, because you know, the

0:31:15.840 --> 0:31:20.400
<v Speaker 7>one thing that Rabel preaches well a few things, effort, finish,

0:31:20.520 --> 0:31:23.080
<v Speaker 7>and violence. He wants his team within the rules to

0:31:23.120 --> 0:31:27.680
<v Speaker 7>be as violent as possible. So they're gonna they're gonna

0:31:27.680 --> 0:31:31.880
<v Speaker 7>emphasize physicality this week. Obviously with Joe Joe Burrow probably

0:31:31.920 --> 0:31:34.040
<v Speaker 7>still being a little bit limited because of that calf,

0:31:34.280 --> 0:31:37.000
<v Speaker 7>they're gonna want to go after him and test him early.

0:31:37.080 --> 0:31:39.720
<v Speaker 7>See you know, see how his mobility is, Uh, see

0:31:39.760 --> 0:31:42.720
<v Speaker 7>how he if he can avoid the rush. Obviously, this

0:31:42.880 --> 0:31:45.880
<v Speaker 7>defense has had a lot of success individually against Burrow

0:31:45.960 --> 0:31:48.040
<v Speaker 7>sect and what nine times in that playoff game, even

0:31:48.080 --> 0:31:51.400
<v Speaker 7>though the Bengals still won. As to what Rabel's like,

0:31:51.600 --> 0:31:55.720
<v Speaker 7>after a week like this, Uh, it's Belichick two point zero,

0:31:55.760 --> 0:31:58.080
<v Speaker 7>it's on the Cincinnati. That's kind of what he's been

0:31:58.080 --> 0:32:01.520
<v Speaker 7>preaching this week. And you know, he's a no nonsense guy,

0:32:01.560 --> 0:32:03.960
<v Speaker 7>as we all know, he's a hard nosed guy. He's

0:32:03.960 --> 0:32:08.560
<v Speaker 7>a Northeast Ohio guy, Ohio State, Pittsburgh Steeler, New England Patriot,

0:32:08.640 --> 0:32:12.640
<v Speaker 7>Kansas City Chiefs. So yeah, you know, we're not allowed

0:32:12.640 --> 0:32:14.800
<v Speaker 7>to watch practice. We can watch the warm ups and

0:32:14.840 --> 0:32:17.000
<v Speaker 7>all that stuff, but I would imagine he's going to

0:32:17.040 --> 0:32:19.160
<v Speaker 7>be turning the heat up and practice this week because

0:32:19.360 --> 0:32:21.320
<v Speaker 7>let's face it, guys, we got two one in two

0:32:21.320 --> 0:32:24.400
<v Speaker 7>teams going at each other. Neither team can can you know,

0:32:25.280 --> 0:32:27.480
<v Speaker 7>afford a loss because at one in three it's an

0:32:27.560 --> 0:32:30.320
<v Speaker 7>uphill climb and I think both teams realize that. And

0:32:30.720 --> 0:32:33.080
<v Speaker 7>you know, after the performance last week when they stunk

0:32:33.120 --> 0:32:36.200
<v Speaker 7>it up in Cleveland, Vrabel does not want to repeat performance,

0:32:36.320 --> 0:32:39.120
<v Speaker 7>especially in front of the home fans coming up this Sunday.

0:32:40.160 --> 0:32:41.800
<v Speaker 2>That's going to do it for this episode of the

0:32:41.800 --> 0:32:44.280
<v Speaker 2>Bengals Booth podcast, brought to you by Kettering Health, the

0:32:44.280 --> 0:32:47.880
<v Speaker 2>official healthcare provider of the Bengals by pay Corps. The

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0:33:01.840 --> 0:33:05.640
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0:33:05.960 --> 0:33:09.000
<v Speaker 2>I'm Dan Hord and thanks for listening to the Bengals

0:33:09.040 --> 0:33:10.240
<v Speaker 2>Booth podcast