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Speaker 1: Hig and everybody. I'm Dan Hord and thanks for downloading

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Speaker 1: the Bengals Booth Podcast. The last night I took an

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Speaker 1: l but tonight a bounce back addition, as the Bengals

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Speaker 1: look to rebound from Sunday's loss to the Texans as

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Speaker 1: they face the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football coming up,

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Speaker 1: Andrew Whitworth will be part of the Amazon Prime broadcast

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Speaker 1: team and I'll talk to Big Wit about the Cincinnati

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Speaker 1: Baltimore rivalry and his friendship with Joe Burrow. Then I'll

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Speaker 1: go one on one with safety Michael Thomas, who hasn't

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Speaker 1: appeared in a game yet this year, but continues to

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Speaker 1: be one of the biggest leaders on the team. The

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Speaker 1: Bengals Booth Podcast has brought to you by pay Corps,

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Speaker 1: proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by

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Speaker 1: Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business,

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Speaker 1: and community to a new level, and by Kettering Health

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Speaker 1: the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is

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Speaker 1: the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now here's a

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Speaker 1: quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of

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Speaker 1: this podcast delivered write to your phone, tablet, or computer

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Speaker 1: by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest

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Speaker 1: thing since Jeff Wagner aka Bengal banner Boy. If you've

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Speaker 1: ever been to a game at pay Court Stadium, chances

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Speaker 1: are you've seen one of the forty foot long banners

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Speaker 1: hanging high above the fifty yard line in section three forty.

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Speaker 1: They've been made for every home game for more than

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Speaker 1: twenty years by a rider dive Bengals fan named Jeff Wagner.

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Speaker 1: His social media handle is at Bengal banner Boy. The

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Speaker 1: banners are skillfully painted, very clever, and often paid tribute

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Speaker 1: to specific players or coaches. Examples include Joey to Chase

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Speaker 1: was the Choice and Loudini's d is Elite.

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Speaker 2: Well.

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Speaker 1: Last week, the banner read coffin Nails Bam Bam bam,

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Speaker 1: a nod to what Dave Lapham and I typically say

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Speaker 1: after plays that clinch Bengals wins. Unfortunately, there was no

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Speaker 1: such play against Houston last week, but here's hoping we

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Speaker 1: get to scream that on Thursday night. Now time for

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Speaker 1: a game preview, beginning with one of the best players

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Speaker 1: in Bengals history. He was a four time Pro Bowler.

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Speaker 1: He was the NFL's Man of the Year in twenty

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Speaker 1: twenty one, and one day he will be in the

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Speaker 1: Pro Football Hall of Fame. It is great to visit

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Speaker 1: with our friend Andrew Widworth. Which are going to be

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Speaker 1: part of the broadcast team on Thursday Night when the

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Speaker 1: Bengals take on the Ravens and you were part of

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Speaker 1: that rivalry twenty two times. What stands out about Bengals

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Speaker 1: Ravens games?

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Speaker 3: Man, I got so many good stories of playing those games.

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Speaker 3: I you know, some really good ones. I think one

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Speaker 3: of my first starts in Primtime actually was Bengals Ravens

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Speaker 3: in Cincinnati. Might have been Thursday Night Football actually playing

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Speaker 3: Terrell Suggs. So I'll never forget that moment, you know,

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Speaker 3: for first time ever growing up as a fan watching

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Speaker 3: him play, getting drafted to Cincinnati and realizing you got

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Speaker 3: to playim and prime Time wasn't as exciting, but it

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Speaker 3: was fun. There's a lot of great robberies there, man,

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Speaker 3: there's a lot of fun. I'll also remember, I think

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Speaker 3: twenty ten or eleven, maybe I try to finish Ray

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Speaker 3: Lewis after a play and I found out real quick.

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Speaker 3: While he's considered their leader in Captain because I think

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Speaker 3: the entire defense jumped me.

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Speaker 2: After the snap. So I've had some great Bengals Ravens memories.

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Speaker 3: Man, it's a lot of fun. The band, the Flags.

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Speaker 3: I always loved playing in Baltimore. I tell people now

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Speaker 3: it's still one of the places I thought was the.

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Speaker 2: Most fun to go play. Just the energy of that stadium.

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Speaker 1: The atmosphere is going to be awesome on Thursday night.

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Speaker 1: It always is in Baltimore. Let's talk a little bit

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Speaker 1: about Joe Burrow. You two became close back in twenty

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Speaker 1: twenty when he was recovering from knee surgery and you

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Speaker 1: were recovering from knee surgery, hung out on your couch

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Speaker 1: in California. What'd you learn about Joe during that time period.

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Speaker 3: I think just what a rare duty is man. I mean,

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Speaker 3: on the football, off of it, just a rare human being,

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Speaker 3: I think I was.

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Speaker 2: I walked away from that. Uh. You know, obviously you're.

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Speaker 3: Playing at LSU as a fan of his, playing in

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Speaker 3: Cincinnati at place I love, you know, like two places

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Speaker 3: that I really special in my heart. But I walked

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Speaker 3: away from it just a fan of Joe Burrow, the

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Speaker 3: man and the competitor, and so I have been an

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Speaker 3: avid aviod border of him, and and uh, you know,

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Speaker 3: I I producers are guys on the crew. They always

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Speaker 3: laugh they know I'm taking Joe's side on anything. Uh,

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Speaker 3: just because I believe in him that much. I think

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Speaker 3: he's that specially young human being, you know. And and

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Speaker 3: I think in this career and where he is in

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Speaker 3: this league as a young man, I think that sky's

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Speaker 3: the limit. And I can't wait to watch the journey

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Speaker 3: and the ride because I think he's just one of

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Speaker 3: those guys that being at your best when your best

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Speaker 3: is require competitive greatness. He's one of the most unique

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Speaker 3: people when he comes to that that I've been around,

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Speaker 3: and he has the mindset of it. And so I

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Speaker 3: always just get excited and look forward to what the

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Speaker 3: journey is going to look like.

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Speaker 2: Man, I can't wait to keep following it.

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Speaker 1: Let's turn to the guys that are protecting Joe. Since

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Speaker 1: their Super Bowl loss to your Rams, the Bengals have

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Speaker 1: certainly addressed the offensive line. They've signed three free agents

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Speaker 1: that are starting. They drafted Cordel Vohlson. How do you

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Speaker 1: think that group is playing?

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Speaker 2: I think they've continued to get better and better this year.

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Speaker 3: I think that one thing it really sticks out to

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Speaker 3: me is that, you know, Jona Williams man what a

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Speaker 3: move for him. I mean I was telling somebody this

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Speaker 3: a couple of weeks ago. I did a podcast on

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Speaker 3: offensive line play, and to me, he's one of those

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Speaker 3: guys that this may literally have gone from something that

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Speaker 3: you know, you always say in life with career opportunities,

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Speaker 3: you know, sometimes what you think could be the worst

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Speaker 3: thing ever is the best, I think, and moving to

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Speaker 3: the right side maybe something that extends his career and

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Speaker 3: even maybe his ceiling in the league as a player.

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Speaker 2: I thought. I think he's.

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Speaker 3: Really shown that he's got a lot of upside there

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Speaker 3: and could be a really solid, you know, consistent player, you.

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Speaker 2: Know, and even maybe an elite one. I think that

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Speaker 2: he's looked really good.

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Speaker 3: So it's being signed to watch and then, you know,

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Speaker 3: I think with Orlando and everybody else, it's just it's

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Speaker 3: been fun to watch as they've grown together, got to

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Speaker 3: know each other. He's me playing a new offense, you know,

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Speaker 3: it's for him coming over from Kansas City. It's it's

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Speaker 3: still different and getting to know your quarterback.

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Speaker 2: Uh.

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Speaker 3: He's continued to show why he was that prize free

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Speaker 3: agent at that position. And then you know, the rest

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Speaker 3: of that group has gotten better and better over the years.

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Speaker 3: You know, I know Rod Fitzpatrick, my teammate with the Amazon,

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Speaker 3: has plosed with Teddy Karris, so we we get updates

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Speaker 3: from Teddy and what a fun guy he is, and

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Speaker 3: that group and the interior has really gotten better and better.

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Speaker 3: So I think it's a fun group to watch. Maybe

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Speaker 3: you know, potentially, you know, the best O line for

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Speaker 3: sure that Burrows had since he's been there, and one

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Speaker 3: of the better old lines. And you know, in the

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Speaker 3: recent memory of Cincinnati, if they continue to progress this way,

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Speaker 3: really what they're going to have to lean on though,

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Speaker 3: When you've got a special quarterback as unique as Joe,

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Speaker 3: you need a special offensive line to go with them.

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Speaker 3: And so it's been good to see that group continue

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Speaker 3: to get better and better every week.

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Speaker 1: Going back to that Super Bowl game you were matched

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Speaker 1: up against, Trey Hendrickson has become one of the elite

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Speaker 1: pass rushers in the NFL. We've heard that Trey takes

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Speaker 1: on a different personality when he's on the field. There's

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Speaker 1: on field tray and off field tray. Was it a

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Speaker 1: unique experience for you.

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Speaker 3: It was you know, he's he's a funny guy man

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Speaker 3: on the field, he talks a lot and just a character,

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Speaker 3: you know.

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Speaker 2: I think there's that famous clip of him and I.

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Speaker 3: You know, when a play gets blown dead that he

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Speaker 3: keeps rushing and then asked me to stop blocking him

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Speaker 3: and like screaming at me by it, and I'm like,

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Speaker 3: if you're gonna keep moving, I'm gonna keep moving. That's

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Speaker 3: how football works, like, you know, so I don't stop

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Speaker 3: till you stop. So it's it's entertaining, but it's fun

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Speaker 3: to watch. I mean, he's he's a guy man, his

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Speaker 3: energy and passion and he's one of the guys to

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Speaker 3: me that that really changed this era of Cincinnati Bengal

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Speaker 3: history and the way they play. I mean, honestly on

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Speaker 3: that side of the football, the energy and passion he

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Speaker 3: plays with, I think that that's who they lean on now,

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Speaker 3: especially with some of the safeties gone with Von Bell

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Speaker 3: and then Jesse Bates gone. I mean, he's kind of

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Speaker 3: that one of those guys that it's like, hey, we're

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Speaker 3: gonna look to a veteran on this football team and

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Speaker 3: how we play the game of football and compete He's

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Speaker 3: that guy. So it's been fun to continue to watch

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Speaker 3: him and had a lot of fun playing with him

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Speaker 3: in the Super Bowl, just because I'd played him in

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Speaker 3: New Orleans a couple of times. But you know, it's

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Speaker 3: unique when you go somewhere else and you're kind of

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Speaker 3: signed there to be the guy. I think your personality

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Speaker 3: comes out a little more. And I thought New Orleans

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Speaker 3: I couldn't even remember him speaking, And in Cincinnati he

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Speaker 3: was quite a character and we had a good time.

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Speaker 1: We're visiting with Andrew Whidworth. You overlapped with Zach Taylor

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Speaker 1: for two years in Los Angeles. What are his biggest

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Speaker 1: strengths as a leader?

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Speaker 2: Oh, man, I.

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Speaker 3: Think just consistency and really the pulse he has on

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Speaker 3: his guys and his team in his locker room. I mean,

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Speaker 3: I can remember him being here and coming to me

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Speaker 3: and telling me that he was going to take the

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Speaker 3: interview opportunity. And I also remember talking to Duke, you know,

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Speaker 3: way before that, even about guys that I thought across

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Speaker 3: the league that would be possible candidates.

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Speaker 2: And so I was excited to hear that they were

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Speaker 2: going to interview.

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Speaker 3: Zach and he because he was down one of the

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Speaker 3: guys on that list for me, and then to hear

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Speaker 3: his act excitement about going there. I can remember him

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Speaker 3: talking about Cincinnati with me and us kind of going

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Speaker 3: through the city and everything else, and we had some

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Speaker 3: good memories of that, and then him getting the job. Man,

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Speaker 3: I was so excited for him. I think he's I

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Speaker 3: always thought he was this guy to me that like,

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Speaker 3: if you've ever played on a team with a really

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Speaker 3: good just like a quarterback or backup quarterback who just

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Speaker 3: kind of is the guy that you're like, Man, when

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Speaker 3: this dude's in the game, you just feel like we're

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Speaker 3: gonna do something because he just has that energy and

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Speaker 3: belief about himself and just carries himself in a way

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Speaker 3: where you know, like when it just comes down to competition,

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Speaker 3: we're going to compete in a way that.

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Speaker 2: We're gonna have some fun and get after it and

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Speaker 2: we're gonna wing it and let it ride.

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Speaker 3: And he has that personality and I'm sure his players

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Speaker 3: feel that too, that that's who he is. He's a

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Speaker 3: fighter and a competer, competitor, and so I think, you know,

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Speaker 3: I couldn't be more happy for him.

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Speaker 2: Man. I'm really excited to see and continue to watch

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Speaker 2: how his coaching career goes.

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Speaker 1: There's one player left from your last year in Cincinnati,

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Speaker 1: and that's why Tyler Boyd, who's had a great year

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Speaker 1: but unfortunately had a costly drop at the end of

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Speaker 1: the game last week. As a teammate and friend, how

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Speaker 1: would you approach that?

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Speaker 3: Oh, Man, I mean, I think you got to remember

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Speaker 3: who he's been and what he's been for this franchise.

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Speaker 3: I mean, moments are exactly that. They're small moments, and

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Speaker 3: that'll be forgotten in three weeks when you know they

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Speaker 3: have a chance to get back on this thing. If

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Speaker 3: they get back to winning and doing things the right way,

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Speaker 3: he'll continue to make plays and be exactly who he's

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Speaker 3: always been and.

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Speaker 2: Nobody will remember that moment. Man.

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Speaker 3: You know, look, setbacks are just great opportunities for amazing comebacks.

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Speaker 3: And so anytime you have those moments, I've given up sacks,

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Speaker 3: you know, in a critical moment of a game, or

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Speaker 3: let a quarterback get hit, or maybe I had your

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Speaker 3: best snap. Guys that are wired like Tyler Boyd is man,

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Speaker 3: he's gonna have something special happen because that's who he is.

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Speaker 3: And you watch those kind of guys play, you know,

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Speaker 3: It's almost like having this small thing that you consider

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Speaker 3: a setback or a moment that they failed set up

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Speaker 3: for an insane run after. And so I expect nothing

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Speaker 3: less from him, man, because of the guy he is

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Speaker 3: and the competitor is with.

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Speaker 1: The Bengals are last in rushing yards per game, They're

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Speaker 1: twenty eighth and rushing yards per attempt. Does it matter

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Speaker 1: when Burrow and these receivers or do they need to

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Speaker 1: get more out of the running game.

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Speaker 2: Well, I think you look at it up.

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Speaker 3: You know, a lot of people always compare Joe and

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Speaker 3: Tom Brady and put them in those sentences of you know, hey,

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Speaker 3: these are guys that are similar, those comparisons, and I

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Speaker 3: think there is and there's been years where Tom Brady,

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Speaker 3: you know, especially in the Tampa years, struggle.

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Speaker 2: To run the football.

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Speaker 3: His offenses did, but they were still really productive and

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Speaker 3: really good football team.

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Speaker 2: You know.

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Speaker 3: I still think for me, you know, and how I

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Speaker 3: love football, I would love to see him, you know,

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Speaker 3: find a way to be more effective in the run game.

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Speaker 3: I've always said this about him. I mean that's usually

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Speaker 3: the first thing that I look to, and when the

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Speaker 3: Cincinnati Bengals are running the football well under Joe Burrow.

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Speaker 2: They're unstoppable.

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Speaker 3: I don't think anybody can stop them offensively if they

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Speaker 3: can run the football well, because when they do it

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Speaker 3: seems like that offense there's really no answers. And so

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Speaker 3: them figuring out the run game and how they can

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Speaker 3: run it well and and what situations and who with

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Speaker 3: I think that it's a big part of this offense.

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Speaker 3: And to me, I put that right there with his

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Speaker 3: ability to check the ball down and be able to

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Speaker 3: get yards out of that as well, you know, and

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Speaker 3: I think that you look over time when Burrow can

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Speaker 3: do that, he has the kind of guys that get

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Speaker 3: him some yat yardage off of those checkdowns, and also

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Speaker 3: the you know, kind of a you know, almost like

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Speaker 3: a run, but it's a short version of it, you know,

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Speaker 3: and then throwing it. But when you see him be

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Speaker 3: able to do that, spread the ball around, get yat yardage,

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Speaker 3: and then also them run the football effectively, they're a

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Speaker 3: really tough offense to get off the field. And so

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Speaker 3: those are really the things I look to when I

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Speaker 3: turn on the tape and say, hey, how Cincinnati playing

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Speaker 3: up front and how they're playing on offense.

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Speaker 1: You see the Thursday Night game every week now with Amazon,

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Speaker 1: what's the biggest challenge for players to participate in a

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Speaker 1: Thursday night game.

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Speaker 3: I mean when I was playing, you know, I don't know.

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Speaker 3: I was just one of those guys ever sided with

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Speaker 3: the guys who thought it was tough. I mean, to me,

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Speaker 3: it's like, you know, if you're a daily rhythm guy,

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Speaker 3: to where on Sunday you playing a game, and on

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Speaker 3: Monday you come in, you get your lift and you're

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Speaker 3: in really your flush or your body and everything else.

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Speaker 3: On Tuesday you move. I mean, you look at our week,

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Speaker 3: Wednesday and Thursday are usually our roughest, you know, most

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Speaker 3: physical days, you know, in our practice schedule anyways, And

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Speaker 3: so even later in my career when I didn't practice

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Speaker 3: on Wednesdays, Thursday was still like even my career of

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Speaker 3: the Rams, I still practiced in every padded practice on

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Speaker 3: Thursday because that was our padded day. So I could

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Speaker 3: handle that load that day. So to me, when you said,

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Speaker 3: all right, man, I get into my rhythm of like

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Speaker 3: it's practice Thursday, I'm going in pads playing this game

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Speaker 3: and then get a little bit of a bye week

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Speaker 3: after it. Man, I was signed up for that any

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Speaker 3: week now, maybe that was my age and just want

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Speaker 3: a little bit of a break to go in the building.

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Speaker 3: But you know, I think to me, the biggest challenge

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Speaker 3: really is just, you know, do you have a process.

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Speaker 3: And so I think that you see some of these

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Speaker 3: guys that maybe they've always trusted their by he just

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Speaker 3: heals by the time the next time they play, and

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Speaker 3: they're not as on top of those things, take care

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Speaker 3: of their body day in and day out, they might

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Speaker 3: not enjoy these game as much. But I think if

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Speaker 3: you're on top of those type things, then man, you enjoy. Hey, man,

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Speaker 3: I get extra couple of days to let the body reset,

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Speaker 3: even maybe get more conditioning and different things in that

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Speaker 3: I wouldn't only get to get in between games. I've

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Speaker 3: always thought to me it was a positive looking at

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Speaker 3: this matchup.

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Speaker 1: The Ravens defense is number one in the NFL and

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Speaker 1: fewest points allowed, number two in yards allowed. What makes

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Speaker 1: this defense so formidable?

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Speaker 2: Man? They have been special.

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Speaker 3: I think, you know, really since the addition of Rokwan Smith,

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Speaker 3: you've really seen this defense take that next little step.

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Speaker 3: And then they continue to have some guys show up,

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Speaker 3: you know, young guys that they relied on. You know,

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Speaker 3: that's said, hey, we know these guys eventually are going

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Speaker 3: to be who we think they are. And you've seen

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Speaker 3: that in their past, Russ, You've seen it in their secondary.

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Speaker 3: You know, it's really they're starting to become in a

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Speaker 3: group that has a little bit of, you know, similar

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Speaker 3: to what Cincinnati had.

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Speaker 2: Go on there.

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Speaker 3: You know, when you really saw Trey Hendrickson come in

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Speaker 3: and DJ Reader and then when Jesse Bates and Von

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Speaker 3: Bell and those guys, you almost saw different guys stepping

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Speaker 3: up all different levels.

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Speaker 2: Of the defense.

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Speaker 3: And I think that's one of those things that's really

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Speaker 3: made this group tough is that you kind of can

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Speaker 3: see playmakers at every different level of it, and they're

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Speaker 3: all feeding off of Hey, we got this guy in

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Speaker 3: the middle named Rokwan Smith who's a tackling machine. And

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Speaker 3: really is that tone center that sets that this is

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Speaker 3: the identity and who we are and how we're gonna

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Speaker 3: play football.

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Speaker 1: Final thing for Andrew Whitworth, what are a couple of

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Speaker 1: keys for the Bengals to get out of Baltimore with

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Speaker 1: a victory on Thursday night.

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Speaker 3: I think they're gonna be really have to be really efficient.

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Speaker 3: I mean this team, this team, you know, Baltimore is

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Speaker 3: gonna mix it up. They're gonna do some things similar

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Speaker 3: to a Buffalo did. Try to disguise mix it up

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Speaker 3: a little bit of what they're doing. How they're gonna

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Speaker 3: come after you, and they're going to force, you know,

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Speaker 3: the Bengals to have some answer for you know what,

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Speaker 3: if you're not run the football, we're gonna tee off

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Speaker 3: on you. And so they're going to try to make

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Speaker 3: Joe get the ball out of his hand, and you

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Speaker 3: can't let that pass rush.

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Speaker 2: I'm gonna chew.

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Speaker 3: But you look at this team Cincinnati typically under Joe

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Speaker 3: burrow Man, they've had a response when they've had a

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Speaker 3: setback and when they've had a loss, and so it's

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Speaker 3: gonna be a lot of fun. And then to see

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Speaker 3: Baltimore coming off the two. I mean, somebody was telling

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Speaker 3: me the other day that, you know, man, I can't

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Speaker 3: believe this happened to us. We got their game and

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Speaker 3: they both end up losing. I said, man, this is

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Speaker 3: the greatest thing that ever happened to us. Because if

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Speaker 3: you know Baltimore and Cincinnati, it's gonna be an absolute

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Speaker 3: war come Thursday night, because both these teams do not

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Speaker 3: handle losing very well. So it's gonna be fun to

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Speaker 3: watch who comes out he gets this done, because I

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Speaker 3: know for Cincinnati, you're gonna have to be prepared for

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Speaker 3: all the things that this new offense under Lamar really brings.

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Speaker 3: It's a different style offense than he's had in the past.

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Speaker 3: And then defensively they are really good, so you're gonna

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Speaker 3: have to be efficient and you know, hopefully if t

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Speaker 3: Higgins is back, you know that'll help them. If not,

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Speaker 3: you know what it's gonna be. Jamar Chase is the

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Speaker 3: superstar and we're gonna have to prove why.

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Speaker 1: Wit after a Hall of Fame career, you are doing

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Speaker 1: a fantastic job. It's a broadcaster. It's no surprise. I

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Speaker 1: appreciate your time and look forward to seeing you on Thursday.

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Speaker 2: Appreciate so much, Sam Man, Thank you always for the time.

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Speaker 1: The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps,

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Speaker 1: Proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by

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Speaker 1: Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home,

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Speaker 1: business and community to a new level, and by Kettering

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00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:25,400
Speaker 1: Health the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health

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Speaker 1: is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. I've seen

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Speaker 1: a lot of references this week to the bengals lousy

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Speaker 1: record in primetime games on the road. Our friend Jay Morrison,

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Speaker 1: who covers the Bengals for Pro Football Network, pointed out

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Speaker 1: this week that they've dropped fourteen in a row. Those

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Speaker 1: numbers are accurate, but as I like to point out,

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Speaker 1: this is the year for JB as in Joe Burrow.

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Speaker 1: Anything before that should be disregarded. Does Andy Dalton throwing

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Speaker 1: a pick six in a primetime road game back in

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Speaker 1: twenty thirteen really matter now? No, but it's fair to

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Speaker 1: point out that the Bengals are zero to four in

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Speaker 1: the Borough Era in primetime road games, losing in the

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Speaker 1: AFC Championship Game last year at Kansas City, losing twice

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Speaker 1: in Cleveland, and losing last year in Baltimore, where Joe

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Speaker 1: gave them the lead with a touchdown run with one

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Speaker 1: fifty eight to go, only to have Justin Tucker answer

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Speaker 1: with a game winning field goal at the gun. When

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Speaker 1: Joe Burrow is presented with an obstacle that he hasn't

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Speaker 1: been able to overcome in the past, he usually takes

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Speaker 1: care of it. Hopefully he'll cross a primetime road win

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Speaker 1: off the list on Thursday night. Now time for this

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Speaker 1: week's one on one player interview, I caught up with

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Speaker 1: thirty three year old Bengals safety Michael Thomas this week.

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Speaker 1: The former pro bowler for his special teams excellence is

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Speaker 1: on the practice squad this year and hasn't been activated

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Speaker 1: for a game yet, but as you'll hear, he continues

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Speaker 1: to play an important role thanks to knowledge and leadership. Mike,

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Speaker 1: I don't think anybody took the Texans lightly last week.

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Speaker 1: I don't really believe that. But in every line of work,

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Speaker 1: some weeks you bring your a game and some weeks

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Speaker 1: you don't. Did you feel like things were just a

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Speaker 1: little bit off last week?

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Speaker 4: No, no question. I mean, and we're not gonna make

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Speaker 4: any excuses.

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Speaker 5: Dan, you turn on that tape and that's not us,

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Speaker 5: that's not being a football you know, across the board.

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Speaker 5: So you got to look at it. He's like, I

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Speaker 5: don't think we thought it was a you know, quote

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Speaker 5: unquote trap game, sleeper game, or we're taking them lightly.

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Speaker 5: What I do think is that Texans team is probably

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Speaker 5: a little better than what the whole NFL probably thought.

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Speaker 5: And then two that we just got to play up

437
00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:45,480
Speaker 5: to our standards, played better. Just do our job, that's it.

438
00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:48,200
Speaker 5: And that wasn't the case on Sunday.

439
00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:50,600
Speaker 1: So Houston had a lot of yards in the game.

440
00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:53,800
Speaker 1: Five hundred and forty four yards, three fifty six passing,

441
00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,760
Speaker 1: one to eighty eight rushing. You want to fix everything

442
00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:59,800
Speaker 1: if you can, But what's the number one thing you

443
00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:00,600
Speaker 1: us fix?

444
00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:03,080
Speaker 4: Oh, you gotta fix the run game. You gotta fix

445
00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:03,640
Speaker 4: the run game.

446
00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:08,320
Speaker 5: Like and no level of football now Peewee High School College,

447
00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:12,600
Speaker 5: definitely not the NFL is giving up over one hundred

448
00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:15,680
Speaker 5: yards one hundred and fifty something rushing yards acceptable, Right,

449
00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:18,560
Speaker 5: everything starts with stopping them run. You stop the run,

450
00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:21,040
Speaker 5: you make that team one dimensional. You're able to get

451
00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,040
Speaker 5: more exotic with the type of calls and pressures. You're

452
00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:25,639
Speaker 5: dictating the game. Right when you allow them to rush

453
00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:28,040
Speaker 5: for over one hundred yards on hundred and fifty yards,

454
00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:30,720
Speaker 5: they're controlling the tembo home. So if you got to

455
00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:33,360
Speaker 5: fix one thing, and trust me, we heard from Lou,

456
00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:35,679
Speaker 5: but we heard it from ourselves as well. But we

457
00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:37,600
Speaker 5: heard from Lou. The one thing you gotta fix this

458
00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:40,840
Speaker 5: our run game. And clearly we're down, guys, But this

459
00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:42,919
Speaker 5: is the NFL, A lot of people down guys, So

460
00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:45,160
Speaker 5: whoever's in there, you got to play up to the standard.

461
00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:46,600
Speaker 4: There can be no drop off. We gotta fix our

462
00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:47,040
Speaker 4: run game.

463
00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:49,639
Speaker 1: We're visiting with safety Michael Thomas. You're part of a

464
00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:53,320
Speaker 1: secondary room with a lot of young guys, Cam Taylor,

465
00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:55,720
Speaker 1: Brits in his second year, Dak Shills in his second year.

466
00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:56,960
Speaker 2: You've got rookies.

467
00:20:56,640 --> 00:21:01,399
Speaker 1: Jordan Battle, DJ Turner, Dji who hasn't played yet but

468
00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:02,480
Speaker 1: will at some point.

469
00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:05,240
Speaker 4: What stands out to you about all these young guys.

470
00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:10,080
Speaker 5: I think is their resiliency and willing to learn quickly

471
00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:12,800
Speaker 5: because this when it is the NFL, this is not

472
00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:14,360
Speaker 5: the college you know what I'm saying, the college game

473
00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:16,360
Speaker 5: that they're just coming from, either in the second year

474
00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:18,320
Speaker 5: or as rookies, like you said, and we're calling on

475
00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:22,000
Speaker 5: them to play significant amount of time and insignificant roles.

476
00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:25,200
Speaker 5: So the fact that they're picking up this playbook, and

477
00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:29,040
Speaker 5: you know lou he you know, he was nicknamed, you know,

478
00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:31,600
Speaker 5: the mad Scientist for a reason. He's switching it up weekend,

479
00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:35,240
Speaker 5: week out, and their attention to detail, coming in you know,

480
00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:36,840
Speaker 5: extra meetings, they're coming in early.

481
00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:38,080
Speaker 4: They're asking the right questions.

482
00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:41,399
Speaker 5: They're going out to practice early, staying out late, doing

483
00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:44,520
Speaker 5: extra drills because they it means something to them and

484
00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:46,080
Speaker 5: they want to be right for all the vets in

485
00:21:46,119 --> 00:21:48,120
Speaker 5: our rooms. So to see them and their growth week

486
00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:51,399
Speaker 5: in and week out, it's impressive. And again at this point,

487
00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:54,119
Speaker 5: you know, ten games into the NFL season or ten weeks,

488
00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,560
Speaker 5: you know, you hardly can't even consider them rookies anymore,

489
00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:59,399
Speaker 5: especially with the snap state of played. So you know,

490
00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:01,720
Speaker 5: proud of them, but again, young dudes gotta grow quick

491
00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:04,479
Speaker 5: because we're playing some some almost like playoff football.

492
00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:07,119
Speaker 1: From this point forward, You've grown very close as a

493
00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:10,240
Speaker 1: friend and mentor to Tyson Anderson. He took him under

494
00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:11,879
Speaker 1: your wing last year. He had him over to the

495
00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:14,720
Speaker 1: house for Thanksgiving dinner. He was hurt last year and

496
00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:18,000
Speaker 1: unfortunately towards ACL a few weeks ago against San Francisco.

497
00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:19,119
Speaker 2: How is he doing?

498
00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:20,320
Speaker 1: And how did that one hit you?

499
00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:23,359
Speaker 5: Yeah, that one hit hard one because time on Tasor,

500
00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:25,879
Speaker 5: you just just spent so much time and invested so

501
00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:29,520
Speaker 5: much you know, time and energy to help this young man,

502
00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:32,000
Speaker 5: you know, make that transition from college to the NFL, right,

503
00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,320
Speaker 5: and you know what type of player he wants to be.

504
00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:38,400
Speaker 5: So I'm doing everything in my power giving him all

505
00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:40,240
Speaker 5: the game and now said, I have known that eventually

506
00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:41,960
Speaker 5: he's going to be the one that steps in and plays,

507
00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:43,919
Speaker 5: and that's fine. I want to see it. So you

508
00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:47,200
Speaker 5: start seeing the success. Before he left, he was leading

509
00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:50,240
Speaker 5: the league in the NFL special teams tackles and then

510
00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:54,800
Speaker 5: to boom get hurt again for a season and you know, injury.

511
00:22:55,359 --> 00:22:58,119
Speaker 5: That's tough. But he's in good spirits. I know his

512
00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:01,560
Speaker 5: surgery went well. Uh talked to him just yesterday. You know,

513
00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:03,600
Speaker 5: keeping him up in spirits because this is a journey.

514
00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:06,120
Speaker 5: He's gonna go through a process where you know, might

515
00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:08,320
Speaker 5: be some dark days. But just like your rookie year,

516
00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:11,280
Speaker 5: you kept working, you kept grinding, knowing that at some

517
00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:13,160
Speaker 5: point you don't know when, At some point it's gonna

518
00:23:13,160 --> 00:23:15,600
Speaker 5: pay off, and it paid off this way, it's gonna

519
00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:16,720
Speaker 5: be the same thing. As a matter of fact, this

520
00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:18,879
Speaker 5: story is gonna be even greater because now you've proven

521
00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:20,439
Speaker 5: you can play at a high level in the NFL.

522
00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:24,000
Speaker 5: Goings to the special teams or defense. Let's get through

523
00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:25,359
Speaker 5: this injury, come back stronger.

524
00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:26,280
Speaker 4: You'll be fine.

525
00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:27,400
Speaker 2: Mike.

526
00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:29,159
Speaker 1: Here in your twelfth NFL season.

527
00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:30,760
Speaker 2: You're a former pro bowler.

528
00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:33,520
Speaker 1: You played more than one hundred and twenty NFL games,

529
00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:37,280
Speaker 1: but this year you're on the practice squad and haven't

530
00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:39,680
Speaker 1: been elevated to the game day roster yet.

531
00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:42,400
Speaker 4: How have you dealt with That's.

532
00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:45,119
Speaker 5: An interesting question, Dan, And to be honest, my perspective

533
00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:47,879
Speaker 5: is different at thirty three versus that twenty two and

534
00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:49,720
Speaker 5: twenty three year old kid coming out of college.

535
00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:50,000
Speaker 2: Right.

536
00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:53,200
Speaker 5: It's it's one of those things where it's like, look,

537
00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:55,800
Speaker 5: I'm gonna prepare every day like, yo, I'm gonna be

538
00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:57,800
Speaker 5: that speed I running down on kick oven oh if

539
00:23:57,840 --> 00:23:59,720
Speaker 5: we you know, getting the pinch and need another dB

540
00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:02,919
Speaker 5: play wherever in the secondary, I'm preparing every week like that.

541
00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:09,440
Speaker 5: And now versus at twenty three, I understand that these

542
00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:12,000
Speaker 5: young guys well, even though I might not be able

543
00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,320
Speaker 5: to help them by being a teammate on the field,

544
00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:17,520
Speaker 5: I can help them with my knowledge and I can

545
00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:22,639
Speaker 5: see the mistakes that are made. I can see the

546
00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:25,160
Speaker 5: issues that they might face even before they get there,

547
00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:28,160
Speaker 5: and just trying to like help them ask those questions,

548
00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:31,000
Speaker 5: help them, you know, change their alignments, help them with

549
00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:34,359
Speaker 5: their technique. And for me not being elevated and playing.

550
00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:37,920
Speaker 5: Yet I'm still finding gratification and seeing them go out

551
00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:40,439
Speaker 5: and execute on something we might have worked on personally,

552
00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:41,879
Speaker 5: not something the coach asked us to do.

553
00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:42,679
Speaker 4: He and asked me to go.

554
00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:45,120
Speaker 5: You know, I had these extra meetings, not something that

555
00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:47,199
Speaker 5: you know, I'm trying to do so I can get

556
00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:49,040
Speaker 5: brownie points so I could get elevated. It's just out

557
00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:52,120
Speaker 5: of pure love for the game, because I had vets

558
00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:54,440
Speaker 5: mentor meet and love for these young dudes that I'm

559
00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:56,080
Speaker 5: going out there and helping them. And I see them

560
00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:57,800
Speaker 5: go out there execute that and.

561
00:24:57,720 --> 00:24:58,440
Speaker 4: Go make a play.

562
00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,399
Speaker 5: That's the best, best feeling. The world almost closes like

563
00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:03,879
Speaker 5: I'm making the play. So I'm handling it well and

564
00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,920
Speaker 5: just knowing that, Hey, if that opportunity comes where I'm

565
00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:08,399
Speaker 5: called upon a play, I'll be ready.

566
00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:13,400
Speaker 4: But even if it's not, Dan, I'm good. I'm good, blessed.

567
00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:18,040
Speaker 1: I asked safeties coach Robert Livingston what your willingness to

568
00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:20,280
Speaker 1: be on the practice squad means to the team. Here's

569
00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:22,000
Speaker 1: what he said, Oh, it means the world.

570
00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:25,200
Speaker 6: You know, Mike is as special as anybody I've ever

571
00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:27,960
Speaker 6: been around. Mike could could do anything in the world.

572
00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:29,919
Speaker 6: He could work at Procter and Gamble. He could be

573
00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:32,560
Speaker 6: in the government, he could be in secret service, he

574
00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:35,119
Speaker 6: could do anything. And he's here with us, and he's

575
00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:37,920
Speaker 6: away from his family, and he's he's putting himself through

576
00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:40,080
Speaker 6: you know what a lot of other thirty three year

577
00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:42,040
Speaker 6: olds won't do for the for the good of the team.

578
00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:43,680
Speaker 6: You know, we talk all the time about a team

579
00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:45,680
Speaker 6: mentality and what does that look like. That looks like

580
00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:48,400
Speaker 6: Mike Thomas. So he's a special, special guy. I think

581
00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:50,359
Speaker 6: the world of him. I do anything in the world

582
00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:52,200
Speaker 6: for him. You know, He's made me a better person,

583
00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,000
Speaker 6: a better coach, and just really grateful to have him.

584
00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:57,480
Speaker 1: What do those words mean to you and what do

585
00:25:57,520 --> 00:25:58,480
Speaker 1: you think your impact is?

586
00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:02,200
Speaker 5: I mean, you know, Dan, I try to be tough,

587
00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:04,840
Speaker 5: but I get emotions sometimes, so I will not get

588
00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:08,520
Speaker 5: choked up right here. But Rob's a great man and

589
00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:12,240
Speaker 5: been a great mentor. And it's for the secondary for

590
00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:13,919
Speaker 5: the past three years since I've been here. And I

591
00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:16,919
Speaker 5: appreciate those words by you. Rob means more than you know,

592
00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:20,760
Speaker 5: especially right now. But for me, hearing those things of

593
00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:23,200
Speaker 5: what other people's perspective of me and how they see

594
00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:26,679
Speaker 5: me think of me Man. I mean, I don't do

595
00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:29,560
Speaker 5: any of this for that, Dan, but you know it,

596
00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:31,840
Speaker 5: like anybody else, it feels good to hear those things.

597
00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:35,040
Speaker 5: But for me, Man, just being the best teammate, best

598
00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:37,040
Speaker 5: person every single day when I walk through those doors,

599
00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:39,560
Speaker 5: that's just me and I'm gonna continue to do that

600
00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:41,160
Speaker 5: regardless of what my role is. Dan.

601
00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:45,199
Speaker 1: A couple of Baltimore specific questions. Now, this game was

602
00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:49,399
Speaker 1: already going to be important, but after last week, what

603
00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:51,160
Speaker 1: are your feelings about this matchup now?

604
00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:51,640
Speaker 4: Right?

605
00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:55,679
Speaker 5: I mean, like you said, it's the visual game, almost

606
00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:58,879
Speaker 5: rivalry feeling game, right, regardless of what the circumstance is.

607
00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:03,320
Speaker 5: But now that you add five and four, that's the reality.

608
00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:04,920
Speaker 5: We can't hide from that, right, five and four? And

609
00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:08,000
Speaker 5: then you look across the AFC. Everyone's kind of sitting

610
00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:10,880
Speaker 5: right there. You know, everybody's within range, like maybe two

611
00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:14,680
Speaker 5: games out, three games out the best. You don't want

612
00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:17,120
Speaker 5: to say must win, but the sense of urgency needs

613
00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:18,639
Speaker 5: to be high, right, and you can feel it. And

614
00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:21,560
Speaker 5: it's a short week, so you're battling that, right, You're

615
00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:25,760
Speaker 5: battling you know, injuries. Now you're going to face a

616
00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:29,200
Speaker 5: tough Baltimore team that before this week, you know, taking

617
00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:32,119
Speaker 5: that loss to Cleveland, they were on the road, so

618
00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:35,200
Speaker 5: we were hitting that stride. We're dealing with a lot.

619
00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:38,920
Speaker 5: We're both coming off tough losses. We're both coming, i mean,

620
00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:41,119
Speaker 5: going into a short week on Thursday night football. So

621
00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:43,520
Speaker 5: the challenge is there in itself with all those elements,

622
00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:46,440
Speaker 5: but I think understanding the landscapes the AFC and the

623
00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:48,920
Speaker 5: goals of us trying to make it to the playoffs.

624
00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:51,560
Speaker 5: Win a division, make it to the playoffs. This is

625
00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:54,160
Speaker 5: a must win. And I think the cyst, the urgency

626
00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:56,840
Speaker 5: in this locker run by every single player, by every

627
00:27:56,840 --> 00:27:59,639
Speaker 5: single coach. I mean it's felt, but it's not a

628
00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:04,119
Speaker 5: nervous energy. It's just it's time. Does this rivalry feel different,

629
00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:07,359
Speaker 5: Oh definitely. I Mean, like I said, I it was

630
00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:09,800
Speaker 5: fortunate enough to play, you know, for a couple of

631
00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:12,120
Speaker 5: different teams in the NFL, a couple different divisions, and.

632
00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:15,000
Speaker 4: They don't really have.

633
00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:17,199
Speaker 5: That college feel, you know, like, yo, yeah, that's our rivalry,

634
00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:18,359
Speaker 5: you know, that's the team we got to beat in

635
00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:21,960
Speaker 5: the division. But it's not that much emotion invested with here.

636
00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:24,479
Speaker 5: You can see it with the fans, you just feeling

637
00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:26,640
Speaker 5: you see them all throughout the week talking about it,

638
00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:29,040
Speaker 5: wearing orange around. You know what I'm saying. The stadium

639
00:28:29,119 --> 00:28:32,520
Speaker 5: just just in Cincinnati. We know when we go over

640
00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:35,160
Speaker 5: to that stadium, it's gonna be a hostile environment. I've

641
00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:38,200
Speaker 5: never felt that in NFL until I played here. Going

642
00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:41,440
Speaker 5: to one of those stadiums, it's gonna be electric. It's

643
00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:44,080
Speaker 5: Thursday night football, so we're excited. There's a lot of energy.

644
00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:45,760
Speaker 5: That's all were talking about braining the energy this week.

645
00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:51,560
Speaker 5: So this rivalry, it was already tense and heated the

646
00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:53,560
Speaker 5: two games back to back last year. I remember that

647
00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:54,880
Speaker 5: like the back of you know what I'm saying, like

648
00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:57,800
Speaker 5: it was yesterday. Oh man, So it's gonna it's gonna

649
00:28:57,800 --> 00:28:59,560
Speaker 5: be sparts, gonna be flying. I'm trying to trying to

650
00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:02,120
Speaker 5: keep it right now, Davids, this boy's gonna be flying.

651
00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:03,960
Speaker 5: It's gonna be heated as Thursday night football.

652
00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:04,320
Speaker 4: Let's go.

653
00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:08,120
Speaker 1: I'm with Rob Livingston. I'm grateful you're on this team.

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Speaker 1: Always appreciate your time. Best of luck this week from

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Speaker 1: thank you so much.

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Speaker 4: Man.

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Speaker 1: The Bengals are currently a four point underdog for Thursday's

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Speaker 1: game as they look to boost their chances of winning

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00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:21,960
Speaker 1: the AFC North for the third year in a row.

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Speaker 1: That's going to do it. For this episode of the

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Speaker 1: Bengals Booth Podcast brought to you by pay Corps, Proud

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Speaker 1: to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by Alta

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Speaker 1: Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home,

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00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:38,240
Speaker 1: business and community to a new level, and by Kettering

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00:29:38,240 --> 00:29:41,920
Speaker 1: Health the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health

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00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:45,240
Speaker 1: is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. If you

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00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:48,520
Speaker 1: haven't done so already, please subscribe to this podcast and

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Speaker 1: if you have a minute, give it a rating or

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Speaker 1: share a comment that helps more Bengals fans find us.

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Speaker 1: I'm Dan Hord and thanks for listening to The Bengals

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Speaker 1: Booth Podcast.