WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Manic Monday 0:00:03.640 --> 0:00:06.519 Hi, get everybody on Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.559 --> 0:00:13.680 The Bengals Booth Podcast. The just another Manic Monday addition, 0:00:14.000 --> 0:00:16.360 as we get to set from Monday Night Football in 0:00:16.520 --> 0:00:19.000 Cleveland as the four and three Bengals take on the 0:00:19.079 --> 0:00:22.279 two and five Browns. Coming up, I'll talk to the 0:00:22.360 --> 0:00:26.160 new voice of Monday Night Football on ESPN, Joe Buck 0:00:26.760 --> 0:00:29.920 Dave Lapham ways in on a topic that Bengals fans 0:00:30.000 --> 0:00:34.160 don't seem too concerned about anymore, the offensive line. I'll 0:00:34.240 --> 0:00:37.200 chat with Sam Hubbard and get his reaction to something 0:00:37.240 --> 0:00:40.920 that Chris Collinsworth recently said on this podcast that Sam 0:00:41.120 --> 0:00:44.400 is quote, one of the best football players that I've 0:00:44.440 --> 0:00:48.360 seen on tape. And finally, you know the faux segment, 0:00:48.600 --> 0:00:51.280 we'll get the latest on the Browns from Zack Jackson, 0:00:51.320 --> 0:00:54.720 who covers the team for The Athletic. The Bengals Booth 0:00:54.720 --> 0:00:57.319 Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps. More than 0:00:57.440 --> 0:01:03.160 twenty nine thousand customers trust pay to help them recruit, pay, engage, 0:01:03.160 --> 0:01:08.520 and retain employees. Learn more at paycorp dot com. Now 0:01:08.800 --> 0:01:11.119 here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest 0:01:11.240 --> 0:01:14.600 edition of this podcast delivered write to your phone tablet 0:01:14.720 --> 0:01:18.839 or computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's 0:01:18.840 --> 0:01:23.240 the greatest thing since I An Eagle getting to broadcast 0:01:23.440 --> 0:01:27.360 the Final Four. Jim Nance recently announced that this year's 0:01:27.360 --> 0:01:29.399 Final Four in Houston will be the last one that 0:01:29.440 --> 0:01:33.119 he will broadcast for CBS, and the network immediately named 0:01:33.160 --> 0:01:36.840 Ian Eagle as his replacement. If you've heard Ian before 0:01:36.880 --> 0:01:38.800 as a guest on this podcast, you know that we 0:01:38.880 --> 0:01:42.600 are longtime friends, so I'm happy for him personally, but 0:01:42.720 --> 0:01:45.960 I am also thrilled to see a great broadcaster finally 0:01:46.000 --> 0:01:49.840 get the opportunity to shine on a huge stage. Ian 0:01:49.880 --> 0:01:53.200 will do a tremendous job of calling future Final Fours, 0:01:53.240 --> 0:01:58.240 hopefully a few that include the UC Bearcats or insert 0:01:58.520 --> 0:02:02.800 your school of choice. Now let's get to my first guest, 0:02:03.240 --> 0:02:05.920 a guy who has certainly had opportunities to shine on 0:02:06.000 --> 0:02:09.920 a huge stage, as he's called seven Super Bowls and 0:02:10.160 --> 0:02:14.480 twenty three World Series. I met this guy when we 0:02:14.480 --> 0:02:17.560 were young minor league baseball announcers just getting started, and 0:02:17.680 --> 0:02:20.000 now he's one of the best play by play guys 0:02:20.000 --> 0:02:23.040 to ever do it. My friend Joe Buck, Joe, it 0:02:23.080 --> 0:02:25.760 seems like you and Troy are having a ball doing 0:02:25.760 --> 0:02:29.040 Monday night football. I think sometimes change is good. Has 0:02:29.560 --> 0:02:33.280 change reinvigorated the two of you? It has, But let 0:02:33.320 --> 0:02:36.640 me start by saying, I remember those days in Triple 0:02:36.680 --> 0:02:41.080 A baseball. You had more hair. I had about the 0:02:41.120 --> 0:02:43.200 same amount of hair. I just have gone the hair 0:02:43.240 --> 0:02:47.119 transplant road and here we are in twenty twenty two. 0:02:47.160 --> 0:02:49.000 But thanks for that, and you're you're one of the best. 0:02:49.040 --> 0:02:53.080 I've always loved listening to you, and I appreciate coming on. 0:02:53.200 --> 0:02:56.760 It's been a blast. I didn't know what to expect, 0:02:56.919 --> 0:02:59.160 you know. I think ESPN was always kind of that 0:03:00.480 --> 0:03:03.040 that dark cloud over on the horizon, like do I 0:03:03.120 --> 0:03:05.920 really want to go to ESPN because it Fox? They 0:03:06.000 --> 0:03:10.240 kind of left me alone, and in the best possible way. 0:03:10.360 --> 0:03:13.399 I loved every minute that I was there. But you're right, 0:03:13.560 --> 0:03:16.560 change has been great. I think it's it's given a 0:03:16.560 --> 0:03:19.560 shot of life to Boute, Troy and me. ESPN has 0:03:19.600 --> 0:03:21.760 been great to work for. The games have been fun. 0:03:22.440 --> 0:03:27.000 And this is normally a month where I'm I don't 0:03:27.000 --> 0:03:29.080 know where I am when I wake up, and I 0:03:29.080 --> 0:03:32.040 don't know what sport I'm doing that night, But having 0:03:32.080 --> 0:03:35.000 just one game a week, it feels like stealing so 0:03:35.520 --> 0:03:38.520 it's been great and hopefully that comes through on the air. 0:03:39.720 --> 0:03:42.800 It definitely does so. This past Monday night, during the 0:03:42.840 --> 0:03:46.040 Patriots Bears game, ESPN ran a promo for the upcoming 0:03:46.080 --> 0:03:48.640 game between the Bengals and Browns, and it was obvious 0:03:48.640 --> 0:03:51.600 how excited Troy Aikman was that Joe Burrow was coming 0:03:51.680 --> 0:03:54.400 up next week. He referred to him as an assassin. 0:03:54.800 --> 0:03:57.320 What do you think of Joe on and off the field. 0:03:58.240 --> 0:04:02.400 He's awesome and there are so many organizations that are 0:04:02.760 --> 0:04:06.600 dying to have a Joe Burrow everywhere we go. You know, 0:04:06.680 --> 0:04:08.560 you look at one team after the next, there's a 0:04:08.560 --> 0:04:11.680 handful of guys that you know, the obvious ones, and 0:04:11.760 --> 0:04:14.040 then there's Joe Burrow, who's a stud on and off 0:04:14.040 --> 0:04:15.640 the field. I think he's a leader. I think he 0:04:15.680 --> 0:04:18.520 says all the right things coming off the game they're 0:04:18.520 --> 0:04:23.080 coming off of, which was I mean that that's them 0:04:23.120 --> 0:04:26.840 at their best against Atlanta and showing all those weapons 0:04:26.839 --> 0:04:30.279 on the outside, and Tyler Boyd has a big game. 0:04:31.080 --> 0:04:33.200 Just when you go into a game and you know 0:04:33.320 --> 0:04:35.160 Dan when you're going to see a lot of offense. 0:04:35.839 --> 0:04:38.159 That's those are the fun games to call. So for 0:04:38.240 --> 0:04:41.159 a quarterback, like Troy, and the game's changed so much 0:04:41.200 --> 0:04:43.880 since Troy built his Hall of Fame career. You know, 0:04:43.960 --> 0:04:47.159 the statistics are crazy now with three hundred yard games, 0:04:47.160 --> 0:04:50.920 four hundred yard games by quarterbacks. But man, it's I 0:04:51.000 --> 0:04:53.440 can't wait to go there. We've only had him a 0:04:53.440 --> 0:04:56.480 couple of times, and you know we've got him also 0:04:57.000 --> 0:04:59.720 late in the year at Buffalo against Buffalo at home, 0:04:59.800 --> 0:05:02.520 so this will be one of two and I can't 0:05:02.520 --> 0:05:05.599 wait to watch it. We're visiting the Joe Buck TV 0:05:05.880 --> 0:05:09.599 loves star Power. The Bengals have Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase, 0:05:09.720 --> 0:05:12.919 te Higgins, Joe Mix, and Trey Hendrickson, whatever name you 0:05:12.920 --> 0:05:15.200 want to pick out. Do you look at the Bengals 0:05:15.240 --> 0:05:18.200 as one of the quote unquote sexiest teams in the NFL? 0:05:19.360 --> 0:05:21.760 I do you know? I mean, you know, they're the 0:05:21.800 --> 0:05:24.680 AFC champs. I think people will kind of forget that. 0:05:25.240 --> 0:05:27.440 I know they don't dare, but around the NFL and 0:05:27.480 --> 0:05:31.120 everybody's got Buffalo Bills fever and oh my gosh, the 0:05:31.160 --> 0:05:35.400 Buffalo Bills. The Bengals are the reigning AFC champions, and 0:05:35.560 --> 0:05:38.880 you know, had every reason to feel good about that 0:05:38.960 --> 0:05:40.960 Super Bowl. I know they didn't get it done. But 0:05:41.800 --> 0:05:44.640 they were right there with the Rams. So yes they are. 0:05:44.839 --> 0:05:48.680 They are a sexy team. They are a star studded team, 0:05:49.440 --> 0:05:52.040 and that's what these networks latch onto. But I think 0:05:52.080 --> 0:05:54.960 that's what the casual fanland latches onto. Why the NFL 0:05:55.000 --> 0:05:58.560 is so popular. I mean, it doesn't matter who they're playing. 0:05:58.600 --> 0:06:00.760 And I think it's good that it's a it's a 0:06:00.800 --> 0:06:04.479 divisional battle and all that, but you've got players that 0:06:04.520 --> 0:06:08.920 are on everybody's fantasy football team, and everybody salivates to 0:06:08.960 --> 0:06:11.040 coming off a game like they're coming off of. So 0:06:11.600 --> 0:06:14.360 give me star power, give me Burrow. We'll have cameras. 0:06:14.400 --> 0:06:17.000 I know it's ESPN. Well if cameras all over him 0:06:17.160 --> 0:06:20.839 as he's getting dressed, let alone walking into the stadium. 0:06:20.880 --> 0:06:24.960 So yeah, that that stuff sells on TV. After the 0:06:25.120 --> 0:06:27.120 Row and two start, the Bengals have gone four and 0:06:27.240 --> 0:06:30.960 one since. Did you have any doubts early? And if so, 0:06:31.160 --> 0:06:35.640 are they gone? They're gone? Yeah? I think everybody would 0:06:35.680 --> 0:06:37.880 have doubts. You know, when you come back off of 0:06:38.200 --> 0:06:41.520 loss in the Super Bowl, all the changes on the 0:06:41.560 --> 0:06:44.880 offensive line. That line seems to be getting better and 0:06:45.080 --> 0:06:50.279 better as they grow together and kind of mesh so yeah, 0:06:50.360 --> 0:06:53.719 I was like, man, this it wasn't just that they lost, 0:06:53.800 --> 0:06:57.560 it was the way they lost and how the offense looked. 0:06:57.560 --> 0:06:59.520 And then all of a sudden, here they are. So 0:07:00.720 --> 0:07:05.360 the any doubts I had are erased. And you know, 0:07:05.400 --> 0:07:09.720 I see this team as one of the top three 0:07:09.840 --> 0:07:14.160 teams in the AFC, and maybe the top two. I 0:07:14.200 --> 0:07:17.480 think that matchup with Buffalo is going to be like 0:07:17.560 --> 0:07:20.640 a champ game. I'm just hoping to God everybody stays 0:07:20.640 --> 0:07:24.480 healthy between now and the end of the season. So 0:07:24.560 --> 0:07:26.960 the Browns have dropped four in a row. There's still 0:07:27.000 --> 0:07:30.600 four games away from Deshaun Watson coming back from his suspension. 0:07:31.080 --> 0:07:32.560 What do you think are a few of the keys 0:07:32.600 --> 0:07:36.520 on Monday Night? Well, everybody there is screaming for them 0:07:36.560 --> 0:07:39.000 to run the ball more. And when we've had the Browns, 0:07:39.520 --> 0:07:42.760 you know, they've got three running backs that are really talented. 0:07:43.080 --> 0:07:45.640 They are banged up a little bit on their offensive line, 0:07:45.640 --> 0:07:48.840 They've got a good offensive line. When everybody's there, you know, yeah, 0:07:48.920 --> 0:07:53.360 they don't have Deshaun Watson. They do have Jacoby Brissette, 0:07:53.840 --> 0:07:57.239 which to me means you better concentrate on running the football. 0:07:57.320 --> 0:08:00.840 I don't know that he's the quarterback point in his 0:08:00.920 --> 0:08:03.840 career that you hang your hat on go He's gonna 0:08:03.880 --> 0:08:05.720 just take you up and down the field and win games. 0:08:05.720 --> 0:08:08.760 They need to kind of go back to old school football, 0:08:08.840 --> 0:08:12.280 So I expect them to come in running the ball 0:08:13.720 --> 0:08:17.000 and you know, trying to keep Joe Burrow off the field. 0:08:17.080 --> 0:08:20.080 That's the other part of this equation. I think when 0:08:20.120 --> 0:08:23.680 you're playing Cincinnati playing Buffalo, you're playing Kansas City and 0:08:23.720 --> 0:08:25.720 that's the other team of the top three in the AFC. 0:08:26.440 --> 0:08:28.440 You're trying to keep that other guy off the field. 0:08:28.440 --> 0:08:30.920 So if they don't come in and try to pound 0:08:30.920 --> 0:08:35.240 the football, I would be stunned, just because of how 0:08:35.240 --> 0:08:40.079 good Cincinnati is offensively. Joe, You've mentioned that Cincinnati Buffalo 0:08:40.160 --> 0:08:42.840 game a couple of times. That's the final Monday Night 0:08:42.920 --> 0:08:46.000 game of the year January second at pay Course Stadium 0:08:46.040 --> 0:08:49.200 in Cincinnati. When the schedule came out and you saw 0:08:49.400 --> 0:08:53.680 Bengals Bills early January, did you think this could be 0:08:54.080 --> 0:08:56.760 the game of the year on Monday Night football? I did. 0:08:56.880 --> 0:08:59.000 I mean, there are a couple that jumped out of me, 0:08:59.080 --> 0:09:01.400 but they were AFE West games, and I think the 0:09:01.480 --> 0:09:05.440 AFC West has been a dud so far. Compared to 0:09:05.480 --> 0:09:09.040 what everybody thought it would be rams at Green Bay 0:09:09.200 --> 0:09:11.880 Christmas Week the Monday before Christmas, it was like, man, 0:09:12.040 --> 0:09:14.880 that's that's typically a game. I was doing a Fox 0:09:14.920 --> 0:09:17.440 and now we're doing it on Monday Night Football at ESPN. 0:09:17.880 --> 0:09:20.040 But that was the one. It's like, we're gonna build 0:09:20.120 --> 0:09:23.680 all season long, both on the field and in the 0:09:23.720 --> 0:09:26.560 booth to see what should be a hell of a 0:09:26.640 --> 0:09:29.840 game on that last Monday Night. So yes, that was 0:09:29.880 --> 0:09:33.559 the one that I circled. I'm glad it's at the end. 0:09:33.679 --> 0:09:35.439 It's kind of that carrot at the end of the 0:09:35.520 --> 0:09:38.960 race that keeps you going all year. So you know, 0:09:39.360 --> 0:09:41.719 we got a long way to go between now and then, 0:09:41.960 --> 0:09:44.280 and again it's injuries that that's the only thing that 0:09:44.360 --> 0:09:48.000 scares me. But that's gonna be a great night. Final 0:09:48.120 --> 0:09:50.440 question for Joe Buck. Your dad was one of the 0:09:50.480 --> 0:09:53.840 great baseball broadcasters of all time, but he was also 0:09:53.960 --> 0:09:57.439 the voice of Monday Night Football on national radio for decades. 0:09:57.920 --> 0:10:00.640 How did that impact your love of the NFL and 0:10:00.760 --> 0:10:04.080 your love for now doing Monday Night football? Dan I 0:10:04.120 --> 0:10:06.080 grew up in the back of the broadcast booth for 0:10:06.160 --> 0:10:09.280 baseball down in Saint Louis, a bush stadium. That's that 0:10:09.360 --> 0:10:12.480 was my playground as a little boy. But my dad 0:10:12.520 --> 0:10:15.360 took me on a lot of road trips and I 0:10:15.440 --> 0:10:16.960 was in the back of the booth and Monday Night 0:10:17.040 --> 0:10:19.640 Football when he was doing the games with Hank Stram. 0:10:19.679 --> 0:10:21.200 But I've told this a couple of times. When I 0:10:21.200 --> 0:10:24.480 was a little kid, I was my dad was my hero. Was' 0:10:24.559 --> 0:10:26.920 until the day he died, still is to this day. 0:10:26.920 --> 0:10:28.880 But I used to go to those games, like my 0:10:29.040 --> 0:10:31.360 dad is the coolest guy going on the planet. He's 0:10:31.360 --> 0:10:34.360 doing Monday Night Football on the radio. And then they 0:10:34.440 --> 0:10:37.640 basically made a broom closet into the radio booth and 0:10:37.840 --> 0:10:41.560 I'm looking two booths down at Howard Cosell and Frank 0:10:41.600 --> 0:10:45.079 Gifford and Don Meredith and bright lights and yellow jackets 0:10:45.120 --> 0:10:47.640 and all that. It just like, man, I thought what 0:10:47.720 --> 0:10:50.280 my dad did was cool. So he's been gone for 0:10:50.320 --> 0:10:52.560 twenty years now, he'd be over the moon that I 0:10:52.600 --> 0:10:55.520 was doing this and kind of made a family decision 0:10:55.679 --> 0:11:01.400 to change up my work life. So it's it's it's true. 0:11:01.440 --> 0:11:03.560 He was the voice of Monday Night Football for over 0:11:03.600 --> 0:11:07.480 ten years, just on the radio side. And there was 0:11:07.520 --> 0:11:10.760 an article that somebody sent me a while ago where 0:11:10.800 --> 0:11:14.240 he was talking about the phenomenon that at the time 0:11:14.320 --> 0:11:17.440 people either loved or hated Howard Cosell, and everybody was 0:11:17.480 --> 0:11:20.240 turning down the volume on TV and listening to my 0:11:20.320 --> 0:11:23.520 dad and Hank do the game on the radio. You know, 0:11:23.760 --> 0:11:25.880 maybe they're still doing that. I don't know with me 0:11:25.960 --> 0:11:28.920 doing the TV with Troy, but hopefully not. We're having 0:11:28.920 --> 0:11:31.520 a blast and I know my dad would be really proud. 0:11:32.160 --> 0:11:34.920 High lied. I have one more question. Monday night is Halloween. 0:11:35.040 --> 0:11:38.800 Will we see the yellow jackets on Halloween Night? Yeah? 0:11:38.800 --> 0:11:40.920 The problem is that that's kind of been that was 0:11:40.960 --> 0:11:43.280 our plan to the last couple of weeks. They gave 0:11:43.400 --> 0:11:47.400 us like kind of joke Monday night yellow blazers that 0:11:47.559 --> 0:11:50.720 look awful. I mean they are so cheap and so 0:11:50.760 --> 0:11:55.600 the stitching in it, the fabrics pulling it doesn't really 0:11:55.679 --> 0:11:58.400 fit well. The Troy's like, I don't know if we 0:11:58.400 --> 0:12:01.200 should wear those, you know, he's mister straight list. I'm like, 0:12:01.679 --> 0:12:03.640 I'm wearing it. I don't care if you wear it 0:12:03.720 --> 0:12:06.480 or not. I may go to a thrift shop here 0:12:06.480 --> 0:12:11.040 in Saint Louis and by the nastiest seventies dress shirt 0:12:11.440 --> 0:12:15.520 with a fat wide maroon tie and just leaded rip. 0:12:15.600 --> 0:12:18.400 But I am wearing it. Troy can do whatever he wants. 0:12:18.480 --> 0:12:20.880 It'll be on me. I love it. Can't wait to 0:12:20.880 --> 0:12:22.640 see it on Monday night and I get to see 0:12:22.640 --> 0:12:24.960 it in person, which is going to be fun. Joe, 0:12:24.960 --> 0:12:27.440 I appreciate your time, keep up the great work, and 0:12:27.520 --> 0:12:30.080 thanks so much for joining us. Yeah, you keep up 0:12:30.080 --> 0:12:33.079 the great work. I'll see him Monday. The Bengals Booth 0:12:33.080 --> 0:12:37.480 Podcast is presented by Alta Fiber, future proof fiber Internet 0:12:37.520 --> 0:12:41.720 capable of delivering multi gigabit speeds designed to take your home, business, 0:12:41.800 --> 0:12:45.320 and community to a new level. Elevate your connection with 0:12:45.440 --> 0:12:48.760 Alta Fiber. Over the last two weeks, the Bengals have 0:12:48.840 --> 0:12:52.520 scored thirty and thirty five points and Joe Burrow has 0:12:52.559 --> 0:12:57.320 put up insane numbers. Six touchdown passes, two touchdown runs, 0:12:57.559 --> 0:13:02.240 no interceptions, seven hundred one passing yards and a passer 0:13:02.320 --> 0:13:05.520 rating of one thirty three has appendeck to me and 0:13:05.640 --> 0:13:08.800 resulting weight loss is clearly no longer an issue and 0:13:08.880 --> 0:13:11.439 you don't hear much griping these days about the Bengals 0:13:11.520 --> 0:13:16.360 offensive line from fans and media. According to Pro Football Focus, 0:13:16.360 --> 0:13:19.600 over the past three weeks. The Bengals O line has 0:13:19.640 --> 0:13:23.200 graded as the fourth best in the NFL in pass blocking. 0:13:23.679 --> 0:13:28.520 Here's my broadcast partner, Dave Lapham. The offensive line improvement 0:13:29.240 --> 0:13:32.760 is significant and it's obvious, and I think it's health 0:13:32.800 --> 0:13:37.600 related as well. Elsie had back issues, didn't do much 0:13:37.600 --> 0:13:43.480 at training camp at all. You know, when you're in 0:13:43.520 --> 0:13:48.040 a situation where you can't take reps next to each 0:13:48.040 --> 0:13:51.480 other for all a training camp, which is what the 0:13:51.559 --> 0:13:54.920 situation was that they were facing there. You have Elsie 0:13:55.360 --> 0:13:59.720 had had the back issue, Alex Kappa had the core problem. 0:13:59.760 --> 0:14:02.240 So the right side of the offensive line really didn't 0:14:02.280 --> 0:14:04.319 do much at all, you know, working with each other 0:14:04.320 --> 0:14:07.840 at training camp. So and then Joe Burrow's injury, you know, 0:14:07.880 --> 0:14:13.040 with the appendix appendeck to mey appendicitis that caused the surgery, 0:14:13.120 --> 0:14:17.520 the appendectomy. He didn't play too much at training camp. 0:14:17.559 --> 0:14:21.720 So you have those three components are major that it 0:14:21.760 --> 0:14:24.840 took him a while time on task, a few reps. 0:14:25.680 --> 0:14:28.000 Joe Burrow and the opener against Pittsburgh was not the 0:14:28.080 --> 0:14:31.320 Joe Burrow that we've we've come to love Joe Burrow 0:14:31.600 --> 0:14:34.520 here in the last month. Is the Joe Borrow that 0:14:34.520 --> 0:14:37.720 we know and love. Same thing with LC, same thing 0:14:37.720 --> 0:14:41.960 with Alex Kappa. They've gotten healthier, they've taken reps, time 0:14:42.000 --> 0:14:45.560 on task, everybody's working together. I think I think that 0:14:46.360 --> 0:14:48.880 the health of Joe Burrow, the health of the offensive line, 0:14:49.240 --> 0:14:51.680 the number of reps that they've taken. I can remember 0:14:51.720 --> 0:14:54.360 talking about the fact that I thought in later September 0:14:54.400 --> 0:14:56.400 they'd be better than they were in the beginning of September, 0:14:56.400 --> 0:14:58.680 and I think that was the case. Now that we're 0:14:59.040 --> 0:15:02.080 closing in on the end to October, they're playing. I'll 0:15:02.080 --> 0:15:06.240 tell you, Alex Kappa, he's playing good football at right guard. 0:15:06.320 --> 0:15:09.320 I'm telling his past protection is very, very good. And 0:15:09.760 --> 0:15:13.760 Elc cam Jordan is a is a great football player. 0:15:14.040 --> 0:15:16.640 He went down there against the Saints and just locked 0:15:16.680 --> 0:15:19.240 him up. I mean that was his best game. So 0:15:19.360 --> 0:15:23.920 he showed what he still can do. And Kappa, now 0:15:23.960 --> 0:15:27.120 that he's healthy, he is he's playing good football. Alex 0:15:27.920 --> 0:15:31.160 ted Carris at the center position is showing, you know, 0:15:31.200 --> 0:15:34.000 the leadership and the ability that the Bengals holts when 0:15:34.000 --> 0:15:37.600 they signed him. So those three signings people were concerned 0:15:37.600 --> 0:15:40.000 about at the beginning of the season. Now that they're 0:15:40.040 --> 0:15:42.840 healthy and they've got some time on task and they've 0:15:42.960 --> 0:15:46.040 established a little bit of rhythm. They're playing well. That 0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:48.160 group's playing pretty darn well, and I think it's going 0:15:48.200 --> 0:15:52.520 to continue. After being sacked thirteen times in the first 0:15:52.520 --> 0:15:56.440 two games, Joe Burrow, He's only been sacked eleven times 0:15:56.440 --> 0:16:00.280 over the past five The Bengals Booth podcast just presented 0:16:00.320 --> 0:16:04.040 by Bengals Picks and Ultimate Bengals. They're free to play 0:16:04.080 --> 0:16:07.840 with tickets and sign merchandise up for grabs. Find both 0:16:08.000 --> 0:16:11.800 inside the Bengals App. And last week's win over Atlanta, 0:16:12.080 --> 0:16:15.480 the Bengals allowed one hundred seven rushing yards on twenty 0:16:15.560 --> 0:16:19.200 nine attempts. That's three point seven yards per carry to 0:16:19.280 --> 0:16:22.480 one of the best running teams in the league. They'll 0:16:22.520 --> 0:16:25.920 need a similar performance on Monday night against the Cleveland 0:16:25.960 --> 0:16:29.880 team that features NFL rushing leader Nick Chubb. He's on 0:16:29.920 --> 0:16:33.160 a pace to run for nearly eighteen hundred yards this 0:16:33.240 --> 0:16:38.000 year and averages five point nine yards per carry. Sam 0:16:38.080 --> 0:16:42.120 Hubbard is one of the NFL's best run stopping defensive ends, 0:16:42.440 --> 0:16:45.840 and I caught up with him this week. Sam, it 0:16:45.920 --> 0:16:48.800 seems like you are always doing something to get your 0:16:48.840 --> 0:16:51.400 body ready for game day. Can you give us a 0:16:51.440 --> 0:16:54.560 sense of all the things you'd do to get ready 0:16:54.560 --> 0:16:57.720 for the riggers of this job. I think going through 0:16:57.760 --> 0:17:01.080 my routine on a week to week basis to get 0:17:01.120 --> 0:17:03.400 myself to Sunday, to walk through it day by day 0:17:03.440 --> 0:17:06.440 would take too long. But I try and utilize every 0:17:06.440 --> 0:17:09.240 every minute an opportunity I can. I think five years, 0:17:09.320 --> 0:17:12.639 I've had some time to just get my routine a 0:17:12.680 --> 0:17:14.600 little better every year, and that's what it's all about. 0:17:15.240 --> 0:17:18.760 James Harrison was here back in twenty thirteen. He estimated 0:17:18.800 --> 0:17:21.520 to us that he spent between four hundred thousand and 0:17:21.640 --> 0:17:26.720 five hundred thousand dollars a year. I'm therapists, acupuncturists, etc. 0:17:27.520 --> 0:17:30.480 Do you spend like a crazy amount of money just 0:17:30.600 --> 0:17:34.480 maintaining your physique. I wouldn't say more money, it's it's 0:17:34.520 --> 0:17:37.080 I would say it's time and energy. I you know, 0:17:37.119 --> 0:17:39.920 I have a great massaas person his name is Jim 0:17:40.000 --> 0:17:44.480 Nabby that I work with, who is you know, my 0:17:44.640 --> 0:17:49.720 secret weapon? And also Chef Kim on my food. Those 0:17:49.760 --> 0:17:51.919 are some expenses, but a lot of us just spending 0:17:51.960 --> 0:17:55.919 time in the weight room, doing a rehab, prehab, recovering, sleep, 0:17:56.000 --> 0:17:59.080 going to bed early. A lot of this stuff that 0:17:59.520 --> 0:18:02.960 over time can get pretty tedious, but it's necessary as 0:18:03.000 --> 0:18:05.480 that evolved a lot in your NFL career. Yeah, definitely. 0:18:05.520 --> 0:18:07.359 Each year I just try and get a little bit better, 0:18:07.400 --> 0:18:10.200 and I think now I'm feeling as healthy, strong, and 0:18:10.920 --> 0:18:13.840 as good as I can as I've ever felt going 0:18:13.880 --> 0:18:18.200 into later part of the season in my career or 0:18:18.280 --> 0:18:21.159 visiting with Sam Hubbard. I interviewed Chris Collinsworth before the 0:18:21.200 --> 0:18:23.800 Sunday night game in Baltimore. He said, I have not 0:18:23.920 --> 0:18:27.240 seen a better player on tape this year than Sam Hubbard. 0:18:27.600 --> 0:18:29.560 I'm going to ask you not to be too modest. 0:18:29.920 --> 0:18:32.760 Do you feel like you're all around game is as 0:18:32.800 --> 0:18:37.080 good it's just about any defensive lineman in the NFL. H. Yeah, 0:18:37.200 --> 0:18:40.320 I don't want to be, you know, talking myself up 0:18:40.359 --> 0:18:41.879 too much, but I take a lot of pride in, 0:18:43.040 --> 0:18:47.119 you know, doing things that not everyone does all the 0:18:47.160 --> 0:18:49.240 time at a very high level. You know, whether it's 0:18:49.680 --> 0:18:54.640 playing the run, you know, running screens down or being 0:18:54.680 --> 0:18:59.119 disciplined backside, or you know, just communication on defense. I 0:18:59.320 --> 0:19:01.800 just think that every part of it makes you what 0:19:01.880 --> 0:19:05.600 you are as a football player, and I just, you know, 0:19:05.840 --> 0:19:08.159 want that for from the respect to my teammates and 0:19:08.200 --> 0:19:11.120 the players that I play, and I think just over time, 0:19:11.119 --> 0:19:12.840 you got to earn your respect in this league and 0:19:13.200 --> 0:19:15.880 being consistent and doing things to play and play out. 0:19:15.960 --> 0:19:18.479 I think is my past to earn in my respect 0:19:18.480 --> 0:19:21.160 in this league. Let me follow up, I'm playing the run. 0:19:21.600 --> 0:19:26.960 Sacks equal recognition, sacks equal huge money doesn't annoy you 0:19:27.000 --> 0:19:29.720 at all. That's stopping the run doesn't get the attention 0:19:29.920 --> 0:19:33.520 that sacking the quarterback does. Attention is great and all that, 0:19:33.600 --> 0:19:35.800 but I like winning games. I think, you know, part 0:19:35.840 --> 0:19:38.879 of stopping the run and stuff took us to a 0:19:38.880 --> 0:19:40.480 super Bowl and it's gonna be a huge part to 0:19:40.600 --> 0:19:44.800 getting us back there in the future. You know. Obviously, 0:19:45.880 --> 0:19:50.240 I'm you know, happy with winning games, and I think 0:19:50.320 --> 0:19:53.600 we got a lot of great players that deserve recommend recognition, 0:19:53.680 --> 0:19:57.040 and my time will come. You and Trey Hendrickson have 0:19:57.080 --> 0:20:00.560 an interesting dynamic as the primary defense it ends for 0:20:00.600 --> 0:20:03.520 the Bengals. He seems a little nutty, especially on game day. 0:20:03.920 --> 0:20:07.040 You are as consistent, as level and as level headed 0:20:07.040 --> 0:20:10.560 as they come. Do you guys feed off each other? Yeah, definitely. 0:20:10.600 --> 0:20:12.440 I think we push each other day and day out, 0:20:12.520 --> 0:20:14.280 not just on game day. On game day. We kind 0:20:14.320 --> 0:20:17.600 of know how each other operates, and I have a 0:20:17.800 --> 0:20:20.320 really good relationship in that sense. But day and day out, 0:20:20.400 --> 0:20:24.399 it's we always say great, yin and yang on. You know, 0:20:24.600 --> 0:20:27.359 things we do well and the other person does not 0:20:27.440 --> 0:20:31.240 so well or they do even better. It's a great relationship. 0:20:31.720 --> 0:20:34.840 We're chatting with Sam Hubbard. There's an old saying, without 0:20:34.880 --> 0:20:39.480 the bitter, the sweet isn't as sweet. The Bengal struggled 0:20:39.520 --> 0:20:42.480 your first three years. Now Cincinnati's one of the best 0:20:42.480 --> 0:20:46.360 teams in the NFL. Is it sweeter? Definitely? I think 0:20:46.359 --> 0:20:49.800 it's just more so. I've been through some dark days 0:20:49.800 --> 0:20:54.000 and dark times, and I enjoy these wins and all 0:20:54.000 --> 0:20:57.720 the success, but I hate losing more than anything in 0:20:57.760 --> 0:20:59.720 the world. So I don't want to go back there, 0:20:59.760 --> 0:21:02.120 and I do everything in my power to make sure 0:21:02.160 --> 0:21:05.040 that we have put that in the past and we 0:21:05.160 --> 0:21:08.280 just keep moving forward in this direction. We're on. Let's 0:21:08.280 --> 0:21:10.080 talk about the Browns. This is one of the best 0:21:10.119 --> 0:21:13.080 running teams in the NFL. But it's not complicated, right, 0:21:13.960 --> 0:21:17.240 it's not too complicated. But what they are, they are, 0:21:17.640 --> 0:21:19.240 you know, the best in the league. Got the best 0:21:19.320 --> 0:21:22.560 running back in the NFL, probably the best offensive line 0:21:22.560 --> 0:21:26.800 in the NFL. Great coaches, great scheme, you really just 0:21:26.840 --> 0:21:30.679 have to be better than them, and that's what it 0:21:30.680 --> 0:21:33.919 comes down to in the run game. And that's no 0:21:34.000 --> 0:21:36.400 easy task, but we're gonna give it our best shot. 0:21:36.880 --> 0:21:40.560 Describe trying to tackle Nick Chubb. It's hard. He is 0:21:40.600 --> 0:21:42.840 strong and you just bounce off him. It's kind of 0:21:42.920 --> 0:21:46.520 unlike anything I've ever played against. You really got to 0:21:46.560 --> 0:21:48.359 wrap up and you need more than one guy to 0:21:48.359 --> 0:21:52.440 bring him down. Don't even try and think about getting 0:21:52.440 --> 0:21:55.600 the ball out and until you've got him secured, it's 0:21:55.840 --> 0:21:57.800 it's a challenge, and he is the best back in 0:21:57.840 --> 0:22:00.440 the NFL in my opinion. Last thing when I was 0:22:00.480 --> 0:22:03.160 a kid, Monday night football was it. There wasn't Sunday 0:22:03.240 --> 0:22:05.760 night football. There wasn't Thursday night football. This was the 0:22:05.800 --> 0:22:08.399 primetime show. Is it still a big deal for you 0:22:08.400 --> 0:22:10.600 guys to play at Monday night? Oh? Yeah, it's Monday 0:22:10.680 --> 0:22:13.720 night football. This is a one of the biggest stages 0:22:13.720 --> 0:22:18.120