WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: All I Want For Christmas 0:00:03.760 --> 0:00:06.600 Hi, Gain everybody. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.680 --> 0:00:13.840 The Bengals Booth Podcast. The All I Want for Christmas addition, 0:00:14.000 --> 0:00:16.159 as the Bengals look to extend their winning streak to 0:00:16.200 --> 0:00:19.079 seven and remain alone in first place in the AFC 0:00:19.280 --> 0:00:23.160 North with a Christmas Eve victory in New England. Coming up, 0:00:23.400 --> 0:00:26.120 I'll talk to Joe Mixon about how our running back's 0:00:26.200 --> 0:00:29.920 body feels in Game fifteen and about his friendship with 0:00:30.000 --> 0:00:34.200 samaj p Ryan. NFL insider Tom Pellicero from the NFL 0:00:34.280 --> 0:00:37.199 Network joins me to discuss where the Bengals stand with 0:00:37.280 --> 0:00:40.440 the playoffs approaching, and this week's Know the Faux segment, 0:00:40.640 --> 0:00:42.720 we'll spend a few minutes with the voice of the 0:00:42.760 --> 0:00:46.720 New England Patriots, Bob Socie. The Bengals Booth Podcast is 0:00:46.720 --> 0:00:49.400 brought to you by Paycorps. More than twenty nine thousand 0:00:49.440 --> 0:00:54.080 customers trust Paycorps to help them recruit, pay, engage, and 0:00:54.160 --> 0:00:58.960 retain employees. Learn more at paycorps dot com. Now here's 0:00:58.960 --> 0:01:01.440 a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition 0:01:01.520 --> 0:01:04.679 of this podcast delivered write to your phone, tablet, or 0:01:04.720 --> 0:01:08.920 computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the 0:01:09.000 --> 0:01:13.959 greatest thing since the Post Office fed x ups and 0:01:14.280 --> 0:01:20.479 anybody that delivers packages. My Christmas shopping started on Monday, Yes, 0:01:21.000 --> 0:01:25.040 this Monday, as in December nineteenth. Between the Bengals, you 0:01:25.160 --> 0:01:28.520 see football and you see basketball. It's an especially busy 0:01:28.600 --> 0:01:32.440 time of the year and it's difficult to go shopping. Thankfully, 0:01:32.720 --> 0:01:36.560 between the Internet and the various delivery options, the gifts 0:01:36.600 --> 0:01:39.800 will be under the tree in time. It brings to 0:01:39.840 --> 0:01:44.400 mind the old Postal creed. Neither snow nor rain, nor heat, 0:01:44.720 --> 0:01:48.160 nor gloom of night, nor broadcasters who put off their 0:01:48.160 --> 0:01:51.560 shopping until the last minute stays these couriers from the 0:01:51.600 --> 0:01:56.360 swift completion of their appointed rounds now. Let's look ahead 0:01:56.360 --> 0:01:59.240 to Sunday's game between the ten and four Bengals and 0:01:59.400 --> 0:02:04.440 the seven seven Patriots. Cincinnati's offense is cooking. The Bengals 0:02:04.440 --> 0:02:06.640 are tied for fifth in the league and scoring at 0:02:06.680 --> 0:02:09.960 twenty six point four points a game, but we're facing 0:02:10.040 --> 0:02:13.680 New England defense that's tied for seventh in fewest points 0:02:13.680 --> 0:02:18.000 allowed at nineteen point four. This week, I caught up 0:02:18.000 --> 0:02:21.520 with Joe Mixon, who leads the team with one thousand 0:02:21.520 --> 0:02:25.880 and seventy nine yards from scrimmage. Jars speaking to Mike 0:02:25.880 --> 0:02:28.519 Brown the other day, and he brought up his respect 0:02:28.560 --> 0:02:31.519 for running backs. He pointed out that you guys get 0:02:31.600 --> 0:02:34.520 hit by multiple people about every time he carry the 0:02:34.520 --> 0:02:37.880 ball and bounce up like it's nothing. Here's my question, 0:02:38.200 --> 0:02:42.680 how do you feel the day after? I mean, it's 0:02:42.720 --> 0:02:45.480 not too bad as bad as people think, you know, 0:02:45.600 --> 0:02:49.160 especially being used to that type of pounding. I mean, 0:02:49.200 --> 0:02:51.160 that's pretty much why are we train the way we 0:02:51.200 --> 0:02:54.920 do specifically in the offseason. I mean, is definitely not 0:02:54.960 --> 0:02:57.399 a fun feeling, you know what I'm saying, but as 0:02:57.480 --> 0:03:00.919 definitely something that has not as bad as people think. 0:03:01.000 --> 0:03:03.440 But it can take a toll on you depending on 0:03:03.480 --> 0:03:06.280 what type of hits you take. You've been known to 0:03:06.280 --> 0:03:09.000 deliver the punishment as much as take it. Can you 0:03:09.040 --> 0:03:11.760 tell when a guy doesn't want to tackle you anymore? Yeah, 0:03:11.800 --> 0:03:14.440 pretty much. I mean you just see they start really 0:03:14.480 --> 0:03:18.119 diving at the floor, just diving that air, and sometimes 0:03:18.120 --> 0:03:21.600 they're just really hoping to get lucky depending on Most 0:03:21.639 --> 0:03:25.320 of the time, with the space and opportunity at that point, 0:03:25.320 --> 0:03:26.960 you just try to do whatever you can and make 0:03:27.000 --> 0:03:32.160 them miss or basically make them indecisive on what they 0:03:32.200 --> 0:03:34.600 really want to do. I mean, obviously, most likely they're 0:03:34.639 --> 0:03:37.160 going to try to dive at our legs or our 0:03:37.240 --> 0:03:40.480 knees or ankles. But well, most of the time, too 0:03:40.520 --> 0:03:42.560 many it's not too many dvs that's really going to 0:03:43.040 --> 0:03:46.440 sit there and hit you up top. I know you 0:03:46.480 --> 0:03:49.119 hate to miss games. You recently had to miss about 0:03:49.160 --> 0:03:52.440 two and a half games in retrospect, which is a 0:03:52.480 --> 0:03:55.240 good thing to get a break at this time of 0:03:55.240 --> 0:03:57.160 the year. Like you said, as much as you hate 0:03:57.200 --> 0:04:02.240 to miss him, it was definitely good for the long 0:04:02.360 --> 0:04:06.680 run the body. And I think that the guys did 0:04:06.720 --> 0:04:10.240 a great job, especially p Run and Trey and Chris 0:04:10.320 --> 0:04:13.280 them guys did a great job coming in and filling 0:04:13.320 --> 0:04:15.400 in and just picking up where we left off. And 0:04:16.400 --> 0:04:17.960 I think they did a hell of a job. And 0:04:18.040 --> 0:04:20.679 I hang my hat and I'm just, you know, proud 0:04:20.680 --> 0:04:24.600 of how they came out and responded. I mean, in 0:04:24.680 --> 0:04:27.119 terms of life for me, it was it was tough, 0:04:27.160 --> 0:04:28.839 but at the same time, like I said, it was 0:04:28.880 --> 0:04:32.800 definitely good enough for other parts in my body to 0:04:33.080 --> 0:04:36.560 heal up, So it was definitely good. So following up 0:04:36.600 --> 0:04:38.760 on that, the Bengals have this running back. I'm not 0:04:38.760 --> 0:04:42.720 sure if his name is Joe P. Ryan or Sam J. Mixon, 0:04:43.000 --> 0:04:45.400 but he's rushed for a thousand and ninety five yards 0:04:45.440 --> 0:04:49.800 this year. In what ways are two guys better than one? 0:04:49.960 --> 0:04:54.400 Sometimes when you have that compliment back, it keeps it 0:04:54.520 --> 0:04:57.080 keeps the other one fresh and really keeps both of 0:04:57.080 --> 0:05:00.200 them fresh. And I think that there's definitely some it's 0:05:00.520 --> 0:05:03.040 cool sometimes to be able to have that change of 0:05:03.120 --> 0:05:06.440 pace back, whether it's a thumper or whether it's a 0:05:06.760 --> 0:05:09.800 you know, a guy that's gonna make somebody miss all 0:05:09.800 --> 0:05:13.159 the time. Like sometimes that could definitely be very beneficial 0:05:13.279 --> 0:05:17.680 to both guys. So I think that's, um, you know, 0:05:17.760 --> 0:05:20.080 pretty much the biggest thing that you really can get 0:05:20.120 --> 0:05:23.520 from that you guys your teammates at Oklahoma Matt on 0:05:23.600 --> 0:05:27.120 a recruiting trip NFL teammates now for several years. Do 0:05:27.160 --> 0:05:29.800 you remember your first impressions of some ij when you 0:05:29.880 --> 0:05:32.600 met way back in Norman. Yeah, I mean I remember 0:05:32.640 --> 0:05:36.599 he thinks about eighteen years old, and I just remember 0:05:36.720 --> 0:05:39.320 us both at the spring game and then I'm like, man, like, 0:05:40.520 --> 0:05:42.480 I'm like, wait, who is this? And all of a 0:05:42.480 --> 0:05:44.320 sudden it was like, okay, that's the other running back. 0:05:44.400 --> 0:05:46.599 I'm like Okay, that's what's up. But then when I 0:05:46.600 --> 0:05:49.120 see him, like Dan looked like a grown ass man 0:05:49.279 --> 0:05:51.479 right there, and you know, he just had a big 0:05:51.520 --> 0:05:55.000 ass beard and just really looked like he's somebody dad 0:05:55.080 --> 0:05:58.440 or somebody uncle. And literally, like, you know, he's been 0:05:58.440 --> 0:06:00.359 he's been my teammate ever since, and you know, I 0:06:00.440 --> 0:06:04.320 just loved having that relationship with him. And hasn't nothing changed, 0:06:04.360 --> 0:06:07.160 you know, since we've known each other literally since day one. 0:06:07.600 --> 0:06:10.040 We're chatting with Joe Mixon. Here comes a tough question 0:06:10.080 --> 0:06:13.039 for you. In your first year together at Oklahoma, he 0:06:13.160 --> 0:06:16.400 set the NCAA single game rushing record four hundred and 0:06:16.440 --> 0:06:20.200 twenty seven yards against Kansas. Two years later, you had 0:06:20.200 --> 0:06:22.760 a game with two hundred and sixty three rushing yards 0:06:22.760 --> 0:06:25.920 and two touchdowns and one hundred fourteen receiving yards and 0:06:25.960 --> 0:06:30.440 three touchdowns. Who had the better individual performance? I mean, 0:06:31.520 --> 0:06:34.080 I don't know, man. I mean it's it's kind of 0:06:34.120 --> 0:06:40.039 hard to penn point out which individual effort was better. 0:06:40.200 --> 0:06:42.280 I mean, at the end of the day, they were 0:06:42.400 --> 0:06:46.400 both record setting numbers. But at the same time, it's 0:06:46.440 --> 0:06:50.080 just you know, depending on what you like, it's all opinionated, 0:06:50.200 --> 0:06:53.800 you know, depending on what you like as a as 0:06:53.800 --> 0:06:56.600 a runner or do you like, you know, mix of 0:06:56.720 --> 0:07:00.159 both or receiving, Like it's just I just think it depends. 0:07:00.200 --> 0:07:03.560 But I think, you know, I'm definitely I'm a firm believer. 0:07:03.680 --> 0:07:06.839 Like if you break a record that's never been done 0:07:06.880 --> 0:07:11.240 before or that's you know, been locked in for years, 0:07:11.800 --> 0:07:14.240 I mean, I'll give it to him. You know, having 0:07:14.240 --> 0:07:18.200 a four twenty seven like that was definitely an incredible 0:07:18.240 --> 0:07:22.000 moment for him. Like I definitely felt like that was 0:07:22.040 --> 0:07:25.440 definitely special. The correct answer was, that's a stupid question. 0:07:25.480 --> 0:07:28.240 They were both awesome performances. All Right, you face the 0:07:28.240 --> 0:07:32.440 Patriots on Saturday. That's a salty defense top ten against 0:07:32.440 --> 0:07:35.760 the run and against the pass. Does anything or anyone 0:07:36.160 --> 0:07:40.040 jump out when you watch that defense? Mainly obviously, I 0:07:40.080 --> 0:07:43.080 mean you have to go with Matt judonh He's been 0:07:43.680 --> 0:07:47.240 a monster since he's since day when he entered the league. 0:07:47.240 --> 0:07:49.760 And I remember him in his Baltimore days and I 0:07:49.840 --> 0:07:52.160 just remember the front that they had. It's like they 0:07:52.200 --> 0:07:55.000 got all of these all pros, like Zadarius Smith went 0:07:55.040 --> 0:07:58.040 to Green Bay, like I mean, as they had a 0:07:58.080 --> 0:08:00.840 lot of guys that really was very stout and that 0:08:01.120 --> 0:08:05.080 you know, they went separate ways and Matt Judon he 0:08:05.400 --> 0:08:07.560 went to New England and ever since he went to 0:08:07.600 --> 0:08:10.200 New England, like he was even crazy than what he 0:08:10.280 --> 0:08:13.400 was at Baltimore. So um, he's definitely number one that 0:08:13.480 --> 0:08:16.240 jumps out on the list. But they have they have 0:08:16.320 --> 0:08:20.240 a very solid defense. Like you say, they're top ten 0:08:20.320 --> 0:08:24.560 and every individual or every stat you know with regarding 0:08:24.600 --> 0:08:28.200 the run and past. So I think that's gonna be 0:08:28.560 --> 0:08:30.800 m We got our work cut off for us for sure, 0:08:31.280 --> 0:08:33.120 but at the end of the day, they do too. 0:08:33.240 --> 0:08:35.839 So we just got to do whatever we can go 0:08:35.880 --> 0:08:38.600 out there and execute. And that's that's the number one 0:08:38.640 --> 0:08:41.439 you know thing that's going out there executing and winning 0:08:41.440 --> 0:08:44.000 the game. That's just what it is. Last week, can 0:08:44.000 --> 0:08:46.880 tap by the temperature was in the mid sixties, probably 0:08:46.920 --> 0:08:49.600 the last time you'll play in warm weather unless you 0:08:49.640 --> 0:08:52.280 make it for the Super Bowl in Arizona. Does the 0:08:52.360 --> 0:08:56.680 running game gain importance in cold weather games late in 0:08:56.679 --> 0:08:59.319 the year, Oh yeah, for sure. I think more so 0:09:00.080 --> 0:09:03.240 because sometimes teams get up for the past. So I 0:09:03.280 --> 0:09:06.720 think most of the time that the teams that make 0:09:06.800 --> 0:09:09.000 that run and you know, to stretch down in the 0:09:09.000 --> 0:09:11.920 playoffs tend to be able to run the ball and 0:09:12.040 --> 0:09:15.040 run it effectively. And you know, coach Kyle Lahan, he 0:09:15.080 --> 0:09:18.640 tries to make an emphasis on, you know, be very 0:09:18.679 --> 0:09:21.640 efficient in a run game. And we've I think we've 0:09:21.640 --> 0:09:24.640 been doing a great job leading up to last week. 0:09:24.960 --> 0:09:26.840 I think we've done a great job of that. And 0:09:27.000 --> 0:09:29.240 you know, just try to keep continuing to build and 0:09:29.280 --> 0:09:31.840 get better because at some point that they're gonna have 0:09:31.880 --> 0:09:34.320 to be leading on and I feel like at any 0:09:34.360 --> 0:09:37.040 moment we'll be ready for that moment for sure. Last 0:09:37.080 --> 0:09:40.280 question for Joe Mixon. I saved some old interviews that 0:09:40.360 --> 0:09:43.480 I find interesting sometimes I can use them again and 0:09:43.559 --> 0:09:45.720 the various things that I do. I have one of 0:09:45.760 --> 0:09:48.679 you from the final game of the year a few 0:09:48.760 --> 0:09:50.960 years ago when the team is really struggling and you 0:09:51.000 --> 0:09:54.600 said the following, I promise you we ain't gonna be 0:09:54.640 --> 0:09:58.240 in this for long and that's a fact. Did you 0:09:58.360 --> 0:10:02.400 believe it or were you trying to convince yourself that 0:10:02.400 --> 0:10:04.400 that would be the case. It was a little bit 0:10:04.440 --> 0:10:08.120 of both. And I because the thing about me, I 0:10:08.200 --> 0:10:11.000 felt like we definitely had the talent, we just have 0:10:11.160 --> 0:10:14.040 to figure out and find ways to win. And when 0:10:14.040 --> 0:10:17.120 we got a lot of them guys from winning football teams. 0:10:17.760 --> 0:10:20.600 I mean, it just made it like it turned the page. 0:10:20.760 --> 0:10:23.480 And from that point when we got them guys from 0:10:23.480 --> 0:10:27.679 winning organizations and guys that's dying to do whatever, you know, 0:10:27.840 --> 0:10:30.839 to you know, do their all to get the job done, 0:10:32.160 --> 0:10:35.280 that's that's just it's that's that changed the tempo. And 0:10:35.320 --> 0:10:38.160 I felt like at that point when we got them 0:10:38.240 --> 0:10:41.240 high character guys and built that chemistry with each other 0:10:41.320 --> 0:10:44.360 in the locker room hunting off the field, I thought 0:10:44.360 --> 0:10:46.360 that was a game changer. Man. So when we got 0:10:46.400 --> 0:10:50.120 them guys, that turned everything around, and um, you know 0:10:50.160 --> 0:10:52.600 what I said, that's that's still true, and you know, 0:10:52.640 --> 0:10:55.160 we just got to do whatever we can to obviously 0:10:55.240 --> 0:10:58.480 keep building. But I mean the number one ultimate goals to, 0:10:58.760 --> 0:11:01.840 you know, win that super and I feel like we 0:11:01.840 --> 0:11:04.360 were set up and we're in prime position to make 0:11:04.400 --> 0:11:07.520 that run. I'll tell everybody, we've been there and we 0:11:07.640 --> 0:11:09.160 know how to get there, and we know what it's 0:11:09.200 --> 0:11:11.400 going to take. And that's the best thing about these 0:11:11.440 --> 0:11:13.360 guys in the locker owner are willing to do whatever 0:11:13.440 --> 0:11:16.400 it takes, man. So we just got to play it 0:11:16.400 --> 0:11:18.240 out one week at a time. Every game is a 0:11:18.240 --> 0:11:21.800 playoff game from here on. Out and you know, may 0:11:21.840 --> 0:11:24.720 all the cars fall in place and we end up 0:11:24.760 --> 0:11:27.640 there and win him. Always great to spend a few 0:11:27.640 --> 0:11:30.640 minutes with you. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, best of luck 0:11:30.720 --> 0:11:32.240 the rest of the way, Yes Sah saying to you 0:11:32.280 --> 0:11:36.360 and a family for sure. Joe needs to average about 0:11:36.480 --> 0:11:39.280 ninety three yards a game over the final three to 0:11:39.400 --> 0:11:42.520 reach one thousand yards rushing for the fourth time in 0:11:42.600 --> 0:11:45.800 his career. The Bengals Booth podcast is brought to you 0:11:45.840 --> 0:11:49.720 by Bengals Picks and Ultimate Bengals. They're free to play 0:11:50.000 --> 0:11:53.760 with tickets and signed merchandise up for grabs. Find both 0:11:53.960 --> 0:11:58.240 inside the Bengals app and by Alta Fiber future proof 0:11:58.240 --> 0:12:02.520 fiber Internet capable of delivering multi gigabit speeds designed to 0:12:02.520 --> 0:12:05.319 take your home, business, and community to a new level. 0:12:05.679 --> 0:12:09.920 Elevate your connection with all to Fiber. The Bengals will 0:12:10.000 --> 0:12:13.240 not have Sam Hubbard this week. He injured his left 0:12:13.280 --> 0:12:16.600 calf last Sunday at Tampa Bay and Tom Pella Sero 0:12:16.760 --> 0:12:19.840 from the NFL Network was the first report that Sam 0:12:19.920 --> 0:12:22.760 is likely to miss a few weeks, but the Bengals 0:12:22.760 --> 0:12:25.640 are hopeful to have him back in time for the playoffs. 0:12:26.080 --> 0:12:28.400 I spoke to Tom Pelli Sero about that and much 0:12:28.400 --> 0:12:31.880 more this week. Tom. The Bengals are on a roll. 0:12:31.920 --> 0:12:34.679 They've won sixth straight, They've climbed into sole possession of 0:12:34.760 --> 0:12:37.480 first place in the AFC North. What stands out to 0:12:37.520 --> 0:12:39.880 you when you watch the Bengals right now, Well, I 0:12:39.960 --> 0:12:41.960 think it's just the fact that once again, this team 0:12:42.040 --> 0:12:44.439 is improving as the season goes on. They went through 0:12:44.480 --> 0:12:46.800 that patch there where they're a little bit beat up 0:12:47.559 --> 0:12:50.640 a wide receiver, obviously Jamar Chase was not playing for 0:12:50.679 --> 0:12:52.440 a stretch here. But now that you're getting a lot 0:12:52.480 --> 0:12:54.520 healthier here, and you've got Joe Mixon back after you 0:12:54.559 --> 0:12:58.040 miss time with the concussion, you got chased back, and 0:12:58.160 --> 0:13:00.920 that defense just continues to play and better. That might 0:13:00.960 --> 0:13:02.960 be the biggest thing. We know, all the weapons that 0:13:03.280 --> 0:13:06.760 the Bengals have on offense with Jason Mixon and of 0:13:06.760 --> 0:13:09.560 course Joe Burrow distributing the football, but it's what that 0:13:09.679 --> 0:13:11.840 defense that probably doesn't have a lot of names that 0:13:11.880 --> 0:13:14.840 we talk about on a regular basis on NFL Network, 0:13:14.880 --> 0:13:17.000 and one of the big names, Trey Hendrickson being out 0:13:17.080 --> 0:13:19.880 right now with a risk injury. The fact that they 0:13:19.960 --> 0:13:23.360 continue to find ways they're so good in terms of 0:13:23.360 --> 0:13:25.800 halftime adjustments. Lu On A. Rumo deserves a ton of 0:13:25.800 --> 0:13:28.360 credit for what he's doing with that unit right now. 0:13:28.400 --> 0:13:31.920 They just look very dangerous right now in all three phases. Tom, 0:13:31.960 --> 0:13:34.200 you were the first report that Sam Hubbard is likely 0:13:34.240 --> 0:13:35.920 to miss a few weeks with the injury that he 0:13:36.000 --> 0:13:40.320 suffered to his calf on the defensive ent specifically, are 0:13:40.360 --> 0:13:44.760 those injuries starting to mount? There's no question that they're 0:13:44.800 --> 0:13:46.720 starting to mount. I mean, you take away your top 0:13:46.760 --> 0:13:50.760 two edge rushers. That's going to impact any team. Again, 0:13:50.960 --> 0:13:52.400 I would have faith in Lou that he's going to 0:13:52.440 --> 0:13:54.840 be able to dial some things up and account for 0:13:54.920 --> 0:13:56.400 some of that. You know, the good news is it 0:13:56.440 --> 0:13:59.640 does sound like Hubbard should be back for the playoffs, 0:13:59.720 --> 0:14:02.240 and the hope is that Trey Henderson is also back. 0:14:02.720 --> 0:14:04.440 So you just got to kind of weather the storm 0:14:04.520 --> 0:14:07.160 here in the short term and hope you can get 0:14:07.200 --> 0:14:09.840 after Mac Jones coming up this weekend. You were here 0:14:09.880 --> 0:14:12.160 in training camps. You got a first hand look at 0:14:12.160 --> 0:14:14.720 the Bengals going into the season. What was your reaction 0:14:14.760 --> 0:14:18.320 when they started owing two and had trouble protecting Joe Burrow? 0:14:19.040 --> 0:14:21.680 You always, I think when you talk about the team 0:14:21.720 --> 0:14:23.400 that played in the super Bowl the prior year. You 0:14:23.400 --> 0:14:26.680 always worry about the super Bowl hangover. There's a long history. 0:14:26.720 --> 0:14:28.640 I think people are familiar with the stats about the 0:14:28.640 --> 0:14:30.640 team that goes to the super Bowl and doesn't win 0:14:31.000 --> 0:14:34.440 and kind of what happens to them after that. But 0:14:34.560 --> 0:14:36.720 you know, again, credit to this coaching staff for being 0:14:36.760 --> 0:14:38.920 able to turn things around. I don't think that there 0:14:38.960 --> 0:14:41.760 was any panic at any point. You know, Joe Burrows 0:14:41.840 --> 0:14:44.160 too good for one thing. Let's start there. Joe Burrows 0:14:44.200 --> 0:14:46.440 one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He's an 0:14:46.520 --> 0:14:50.480 MVP candidate in my mind this year. You know that 0:14:50.560 --> 0:14:52.400 he's going to find a way to kind of right 0:14:52.480 --> 0:14:54.840 the ship, and he should only be getting better here 0:14:54.880 --> 0:14:57.560 for years to come. So, you know, just the fact 0:14:57.600 --> 0:15:00.120 that they kind of found their identity. I think that 0:15:00.400 --> 0:15:02.920 anytime that you don't play and correct me if I'm wrong, 0:15:02.920 --> 0:15:04.480 I don't think that they played their starters much of 0:15:04.520 --> 0:15:07.440 at all in the preseason. You know, anytime that you 0:15:07.000 --> 0:15:09.240 don't don't get those reps, there's you kind of use 0:15:09.280 --> 0:15:11.880 those first couple of games as the preseason. So the 0:15:11.920 --> 0:15:14.400 Bengals did that. They got out of that stretch and 0:15:14.520 --> 0:15:17.680 they look as dangerous as anybody right now, Tom Pellisiero 0:15:17.760 --> 0:15:19.760 from the NFL Network is our guest. Let me follow 0:15:19.800 --> 0:15:22.360 up on Joe Burrow. You did an in depth look 0:15:22.400 --> 0:15:25.520 at the quarterback class of twenty twenty prior to that draft, 0:15:25.560 --> 0:15:27.240 and it turned out to be an excellent class with 0:15:27.360 --> 0:15:30.760 Burrow and Herbert and Tongo Vyloa and Jalen Hurts and others. 0:15:31.160 --> 0:15:34.320 An NFL coach told you back then quote, Joe Burrow 0:15:34.480 --> 0:15:37.400 is not a natural thrower and would be a high 0:15:37.520 --> 0:15:40.800 risk pick at number one. I'm not going to ask 0:15:40.800 --> 0:15:44.880 you to divulge who that NFL NFC coach was. But 0:15:45.240 --> 0:15:48.040 when you talk to people around the league now about 0:15:48.160 --> 0:15:50.920 Joe Burrow, what do they say. Well, I think they're 0:15:50.920 --> 0:15:52.560 going back to that piece. And I did that every year, 0:15:52.560 --> 0:15:54.440 and I write the good end bad of everything that 0:15:54.520 --> 0:15:56.520 coaches and scouts say. So there were plenty of more 0:15:56.520 --> 0:15:59.560 positive quotes about Joe Burrow in that story as well. 0:15:59.560 --> 0:16:01.840 But here was the thing. Joe Burrow, going into his 0:16:01.960 --> 0:16:04.760 last year at LSU was not regarded as the number 0:16:04.760 --> 0:16:06.680 one pick. He wasn't regarded as a first dround pick. 0:16:06.720 --> 0:16:09.080 A lot of people had him as a Day three 0:16:09.120 --> 0:16:12.480 pick and that's just because of what they evaluated in 0:16:12.560 --> 0:16:14.920 terms of the traits, and you're looking at, you know, 0:16:14.960 --> 0:16:17.160 the way that he throws the football. You're looking at 0:16:17.160 --> 0:16:19.240 the fact that the productivity was not nearly where it 0:16:19.320 --> 0:16:22.320 was before his final year with the Tigers, when he 0:16:22.360 --> 0:16:25.680 threw fifty touchdown passes and had NFL players everywhere around 0:16:25.760 --> 0:16:28.160 him and took him to the National title Game. So 0:16:28.200 --> 0:16:30.160 there's a lot of people who, you know, we're looking 0:16:30.160 --> 0:16:33.800 at their original evaluations and thinking, Okay, are we being 0:16:33.920 --> 0:16:35.800 swayed by the fact that this guy just had this 0:16:35.880 --> 0:16:39.880 amazing season with literally NFL players started at almost every 0:16:39.880 --> 0:16:42.320 spot on that offense. And those are always the things 0:16:42.320 --> 0:16:44.360 that that teams have to judge, you know, a scouts, 0:16:44.360 --> 0:16:47.360 you're looking for traits. When you're coaches, you're looking at 0:16:47.400 --> 0:16:50.440 the mechanics, and you're looking at how somebody throws the football. 0:16:50.800 --> 0:16:53.600 I think that you know, in that particular year, you 0:16:53.680 --> 0:16:55.320 did have some other guys who could have had a 0:16:55.400 --> 0:16:57.120 claim to being the number one pick. I mean, justin 0:16:57.200 --> 0:16:59.520 Herbert his tape, he was not nearly as productive, but 0:16:59.560 --> 0:17:02.840 he also in a terrible offense at Oregon where they 0:17:02.920 --> 0:17:04.959 you know, in big games, they just basically turned him 0:17:04.960 --> 0:17:07.760 into a running quarterback. They didn't let him throw, and so, 0:17:07.880 --> 0:17:09.840 you know, you had people who really believed in Herbert 0:17:09.840 --> 0:17:12.600 and his ability, you know, in terms of the total package, 0:17:12.840 --> 0:17:14.879 in terms of how he's built and the height and 0:17:14.920 --> 0:17:17.360 the arm strength and all those things. And then Tua 0:17:17.520 --> 0:17:20.359 didn't check those physical boxes because he's a shorter quarterback, 0:17:20.680 --> 0:17:24.359 he's left handed. You know, he'd been injured a lot. 0:17:24.720 --> 0:17:26.720 But people, you know, if you were running a certain 0:17:26.760 --> 0:17:29.080 style of offense, some people were really really like that tape. 0:17:29.200 --> 0:17:31.359 So I think that was as much it as anything, 0:17:31.480 --> 0:17:33.400 was the fact that you know, it was Burrow far 0:17:33.440 --> 0:17:35.760 and away in terms of physical traits the guy no. 0:17:36.280 --> 0:17:37.560 But I think the other things that you see in 0:17:37.600 --> 0:17:41.000 that story looking back was he's extremely accurate, he's an 0:17:41.040 --> 0:17:44.960 extremely fast processor. Leadership traits are off the charts. All 0:17:45.000 --> 0:17:48.040 those things can make up for what a Peyton Manning 0:17:48.240 --> 0:17:50.800 or a Tom Brady or other guys might lack. And 0:17:50.800 --> 0:17:52.840 whether you're Peyton going number one or you're Brady going 0:17:52.880 --> 0:17:55.600 in the sixth round, you know, those guys tend to 0:17:55.640 --> 0:17:57.160 find a way to rise to the top. And Joe 0:17:57.160 --> 0:18:00.920 Burrow's doing exactly that. Tom. You're always in involved heavily 0:18:01.240 --> 0:18:04.239 with coverage of the combine and of the draft. Do 0:18:04.240 --> 0:18:06.879 you think Duke Tobin and his staff get enough credit 0:18:07.000 --> 0:18:10.320 nationally for the job they've done in building this roster. No, 0:18:10.440 --> 0:18:12.399 I don't, and I think that Duke is, you know, 0:18:12.480 --> 0:18:14.800 obviously one of the underrated people. It's a unique set up, 0:18:14.840 --> 0:18:17.800 of course in Cincinnati, because Mike Brown is very involved, 0:18:17.800 --> 0:18:20.720 the family's very involved in personnel. But you know, Duke 0:18:20.840 --> 0:18:23.080 functions on kind of a day to day basis as 0:18:23.119 --> 0:18:26.400 a general manager type of a role. You know, they've 0:18:26.400 --> 0:18:29.040 got a it's not the biggest scouting staff. The Bengals 0:18:29.040 --> 0:18:31.439 send their coaches out as much as anybody, probably more 0:18:31.440 --> 0:18:34.280 than any team in the NFL on scouting trips to 0:18:34.359 --> 0:18:36.680 kind of fill in some of those gaps. But they've 0:18:36.720 --> 0:18:40.320 always had a unique eye for players. They've been willing 0:18:40.359 --> 0:18:42.879 to dig in and frankly take some chances at times 0:18:43.359 --> 0:18:45.560 with players and other teams were not going to touch 0:18:45.600 --> 0:18:48.600 for a variety of reasons. But they've assembled a really, 0:18:48.640 --> 0:18:51.760 really good roster. I always think it's also, you know, 0:18:51.960 --> 0:18:54.199 there is a little bit of luck through the draft process, 0:18:54.200 --> 0:18:55.760 and that's not to attribute the way the Bengals are 0:18:55.760 --> 0:18:57.840 built to luck. But you know the fact that you 0:18:57.920 --> 0:18:59.880 happen to have the number one pick when a job 0:19:00.000 --> 0:19:02.879 burrow comes out the fact that somehow Jamar Chase is 0:19:02.920 --> 0:19:04.760 not one of the top four picks in the draft 0:19:04.800 --> 0:19:07.560 and you're able to get them where they were. You know, 0:19:07.600 --> 0:19:09.199 those are the things that you just you never know. 0:19:09.359 --> 0:19:11.000 I mean, there's other teams look around the league. The 0:19:11.119 --> 0:19:14.560 Vikings got Justin Jefferson at number you know, Jamar's former 0:19:14.600 --> 0:19:17.320 college teammate, at like number eighteen or something in the draft, 0:19:17.359 --> 0:19:19.239 and now if you redrafted that, you go, the guy 0:19:19.280 --> 0:19:21.359 should be one of the top picks. But that's just 0:19:21.480 --> 0:19:23.639 kind of there's the same draft. That's just kind of 0:19:23.640 --> 0:19:26.000 how the thing goes. But in terms of, yeah, the 0:19:26.280 --> 0:19:28.520 talent that they've assembled, and I think also making some 0:19:28.600 --> 0:19:31.720 shrewd pickups in free agency, that's maybe the undersoul part. 0:19:32.000 --> 0:19:33.959 I think people always look at the Bengals as well, 0:19:34.000 --> 0:19:36.639 they don't they don't spend money in free agency and 0:19:36.680 --> 0:19:38.399 they're not going to make trades. Well, when they do 0:19:38.480 --> 0:19:41.280 spend money, they get von Bell and they get Trey 0:19:41.359 --> 0:19:44.879 Hendrickson and they fill in those really important pieces. Or 0:19:44.920 --> 0:19:47.399 this year bringing in the offensive alignment, you mentioned that 0:19:47.480 --> 0:19:49.600 group struggled out of the gate. Well, there's five guys 0:19:49.640 --> 0:19:52.159 who've never played with each other before, so they're starting 0:19:52.160 --> 0:19:55.400 to gel. They're getting better burrows, getting a rhythm with them, 0:19:55.400 --> 0:19:58.000 which is a big thing for quarterbacks as well. It 0:19:58.080 --> 0:20:00.119 all adds up to a team that, you know, a 0:20:00.200 --> 0:20:02.400 really tough AFC, because let's remember, you got to get 0:20:02.400 --> 0:20:04.720 through the Chiefs and you got to get through the Bills. 0:20:04.800 --> 0:20:06.480