WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Safety Dance 0:00:03.640 --> 0:00:06.640 Hi, Get everybody. I'm Dan Horden. This is the Bengals 0:00:06.680 --> 0:00:10.640 Booth Podcast, the Safety Dance Edition, as we analyze the 0:00:10.680 --> 0:00:14.880 Bengals decision to release veteran safety George I Loca following 0:00:14.880 --> 0:00:17.919 a preseason win over the Dallas Cowboys. Coming up, my 0:00:18.000 --> 0:00:21.040 broadcast partner Dave Lappom will join me to discuss that move, 0:00:21.320 --> 0:00:23.160 as well as the players that stood out to him 0:00:23.160 --> 0:00:26.120 in the Dallas game. I will also ask Lap if 0:00:26.160 --> 0:00:29.600 his confidence in the offensive line took a hit from 0:00:29.600 --> 0:00:31.800 what he saw in the first half at at and 0:00:31.840 --> 0:00:37.760 T Stadium aka Jerry World aka the Palace in Dallas. 0:00:38.400 --> 0:00:40.239 The next time you're in Dallas, by the way, you 0:00:40.240 --> 0:00:42.800 can take a guided tour of the stadium and have 0:00:42.880 --> 0:00:45.520 your picture taken on the start the fifty yard line 0:00:45.920 --> 0:00:49.640 for a mere thirty two bucks plus. In this week's 0:00:49.640 --> 0:00:52.280 fun Fact segment, you'll get to know German born tight 0:00:52.400 --> 0:00:55.880 end Moretz bo Ringer, who made NFL history a couple 0:00:55.920 --> 0:00:58.880 of years ago when he became the first player ever 0:00:59.040 --> 0:01:02.640 drafted straight out of Europe without playing college football in 0:01:02.680 --> 0:01:07.560 the US. First, he has a remarkable story and a 0:01:07.640 --> 0:01:10.800 cool accent. All of that is straight ahead, but first 0:01:10.840 --> 0:01:13.440 Here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest 0:01:13.560 --> 0:01:16.720 edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, 0:01:16.840 --> 0:01:22.240 or computer by subscribing on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play. 0:01:22.319 --> 0:01:27.600 It's the greatest invention since pie. When it comes to dessert, 0:01:27.880 --> 0:01:31.320 some people like cake, others like pudding or chocolate mouse. 0:01:31.720 --> 0:01:34.520 But I am a pie guy. And I mentioned it 0:01:34.600 --> 0:01:37.040 now because there is an apple pie a few feet 0:01:37.040 --> 0:01:40.000 away as I record this, and I will be crushing 0:01:40.000 --> 0:01:43.160 a slice as soon as I finish. Now, time to 0:01:43.240 --> 0:01:46.640 bringing my broadcast partner Dave Lapham to discuss the Iloca 0:01:46.720 --> 0:01:50.360 news and the standouts in Saturday's twenty one to thirteen 0:01:50.440 --> 0:01:54.280 win in Dallas. Lap Let's start with Sunday's big news, 0:01:54.280 --> 0:01:57.520 the release of George Iloca. Some people were shocked. I 0:01:57.560 --> 0:02:01.960 would say I was mildly surprised. How about you, Yeah, 0:02:02.000 --> 0:02:04.920 I'd say that maybe the timing, you know, a little bit. 0:02:05.280 --> 0:02:07.680 I think a lot of his teammates were surprised because 0:02:07.680 --> 0:02:11.040 of the timing. But when you look at it, I mean, 0:02:11.360 --> 0:02:13.680 Jesse Bates has shown that he can play. I thought 0:02:13.680 --> 0:02:15.800 he you know, I thought he made a lot of 0:02:15.800 --> 0:02:18.360 good plays in the game against Dallas. The one on 0:02:18.440 --> 0:02:20.600 one in space, he's hitting people and they're getting nothing. 0:02:20.639 --> 0:02:23.160 I mean, the journey is over. And that was the 0:02:23.240 --> 0:02:26.360 question about him, you know, coming in, Uh, you know, 0:02:26.440 --> 0:02:30.240 great guy tracking the football, interceptions, making players in the football, 0:02:30.280 --> 0:02:33.000 but would he tackle? And he's to me, he's answered 0:02:33.040 --> 0:02:37.480 that question with flying colors. So I think, um, you know, 0:02:37.520 --> 0:02:40.320 the fact that they have a belief in him, and 0:02:40.639 --> 0:02:42.720 you know, I think they're trying to clear some some 0:02:42.840 --> 0:02:46.680 cap space to sign extend the contracts of either Geno Atkins, 0:02:46.720 --> 0:02:49.960 Carlos Dunlapper both. So you know, when you look at 0:02:49.960 --> 0:02:52.560 the two moves they made with older players, there were, uh, 0:02:52.760 --> 0:02:55.400 there was money to be had for salary cap purposes. 0:02:55.440 --> 0:02:58.239 Though that that kind of makes you think the timing 0:02:58.320 --> 0:03:00.560 is coming sooner rather than later to have one of 0:03:00.560 --> 0:03:03.560 those guys extended potentially. So I mean, when you add 0:03:03.600 --> 0:03:06.360 it all, added it all up and thought about it, 0:03:06.440 --> 0:03:09.840 not really a shock, but I guess the timing may 0:03:09.840 --> 0:03:12.800 have been maybe a little surprising. I wasn't shocked for 0:03:12.800 --> 0:03:14.720 a couple of reasons. Number One, the Bengals made it 0:03:14.760 --> 0:03:17.880 abundantly clear in the offseason they wanted upgrade the safety position. 0:03:17.919 --> 0:03:20.400 They talked to Kurt Colem and he wind up signing 0:03:20.400 --> 0:03:22.600 with the Saints instead of the Bengals. They talked to 0:03:22.680 --> 0:03:24.800 Eric Reid, who still hasn't signed with anybody, and then 0:03:24.800 --> 0:03:28.040 they drafted a safety in the second round. So clearly 0:03:28.440 --> 0:03:31.320 they weren't thrilled with the play at least last year. 0:03:31.320 --> 0:03:34.480 If Sean Williams and George Iloka, and then secondly to me, 0:03:34.880 --> 0:03:37.880 Sean Williams and George Iloka are kind of the same guy, 0:03:38.600 --> 0:03:44.920 good tackling, solid, very solid players, but neither one is 0:03:44.960 --> 0:03:46.880 a center field type that's going to get a lot 0:03:46.880 --> 0:03:50.160 of picks. Sean Williams is a year younger, quite a 0:03:50.160 --> 0:03:54.160 bit cheaper. Seems to make sense to me. If you've 0:03:54.160 --> 0:03:55.880 got two guys that are more or less the same, 0:03:56.400 --> 0:04:00.200 keep the younger, less expensive guy. Yeah. And I think also, um, 0:04:00.560 --> 0:04:03.320 when when Jesse Bates showed that he could be the 0:04:03.400 --> 0:04:05.800 quarterback of the defense, because that's what George was. George 0:04:05.880 --> 0:04:09.119 was like a coach on the field, getting everybody lined up. Um, 0:04:09.200 --> 0:04:10.880 he's the guy that makes the calls and then makes 0:04:10.880 --> 0:04:13.360 the adjustments and coverages, you know, based on what the 0:04:13.400 --> 0:04:15.960 offense is doing, and that that's going to be a 0:04:16.000 --> 0:04:19.400 big responsibility. There's going to be some pressure quote Une 0:04:20.000 --> 0:04:23.320 Air quotes on on Bates to get that done. He'll 0:04:23.360 --> 0:04:26.400 make some mistakes. You know, he's a younger player. George 0:04:26.800 --> 0:04:29.840 was remarkable in that way though he had tremendous has 0:04:29.920 --> 0:04:32.279 tremendous football LIKEQ and I think they feel like Bates 0:04:32.320 --> 0:04:35.080 does as well. And and let's face it, you know 0:04:35.120 --> 0:04:38.480 what George Alka is, Bates is ceiling. You have no 0:04:38.520 --> 0:04:41.760 clue yet. And if they're close right now, why not 0:04:41.920 --> 0:04:44.440 go with the younger, less expensive guy that has a 0:04:44.480 --> 0:04:47.800 bigger upside. So from the business standpoint, you know, it 0:04:47.839 --> 0:04:49.560 makes it makes sense for a lot of the reasons 0:04:49.600 --> 0:04:52.400 that you know you mentioned earlier as well, and um, 0:04:52.600 --> 0:04:54.480 you know, it's just that's just the way it is 0:04:54.520 --> 0:04:57.719 in the national football A good example this week's opponent, 0:04:57.760 --> 0:04:59.960 the Buffalo Bills. They get ten interceptions out of their 0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:02.800 starting safeties, five apiece, one made the Pro BOL, the 0:05:02.839 --> 0:05:06.120 other one probably should have. Bengals got two out of 0:05:06.160 --> 0:05:08.800 their starting safety. So what they want is they want 0:05:08.800 --> 0:05:12.040 more plays like Buffalo has given them given that defensive 0:05:12.080 --> 0:05:14.400 football team on the back end, and they're hoping that, 0:05:15.279 --> 0:05:17.400 you know, Bates could be a big contributor to that. 0:05:17.920 --> 0:05:21.240 Let's follow up on the timing slash salary aspect of this, 0:05:21.400 --> 0:05:23.520 because George was in the third year of a five year, 0:05:23.880 --> 0:05:27.160 thirty million dollar deal. It reportedly frees up about five 0:05:27.240 --> 0:05:31.080 million bucks against the salary cap. Do you think that 0:05:31.120 --> 0:05:36.000 this is pointing toward a deal with Geno, Carlos or both. Yeah, 0:05:36.080 --> 0:05:39.160 you'd have to assume that. You'd have to think that 0:05:39.160 --> 0:05:43.760 that it's it's eminent, you know, it's they saved saved 0:05:43.800 --> 0:05:47.839 money by waving a veteran receiver, save money by veteran 0:05:48.000 --> 0:05:51.520 waving a veteran safety. It just, you know, it makes 0:05:51.560 --> 0:05:54.000 sense that they're on the customer getting something done with 0:05:54.040 --> 0:05:56.720 one of them, hopefully both, but at least one of them. 0:05:56.760 --> 0:06:00.560 And the timing is about when it has happened, you know, 0:06:00.760 --> 0:06:03.680 right right before the season starts, So it would not 0:06:03.920 --> 0:06:05.920 be a surprise at all if in the next few 0:06:06.000 --> 0:06:08.520 days or the next week or so, there's some kind 0:06:08.520 --> 0:06:11.040 of some kind of deal that's going to be announced 0:06:11.040 --> 0:06:13.080 and hopefully they're just thought in the eyes and crossing 0:06:13.120 --> 0:06:15.960 the tees. Let's face it, if they extend Geno Atkins, 0:06:16.040 --> 0:06:19.520 it all makes sense, absolutely, yeah, no question about it. 0:06:19.520 --> 0:06:22.720 And players we were talking about that you know Dre 0:06:23.040 --> 0:06:25.960 in conversation with Dre today, you know that's that's the business. 0:06:26.000 --> 0:06:28.719 And you know he said, I know there's guy's going 0:06:28.800 --> 0:06:30.760 to be making a pile of money on this football 0:06:30.800 --> 0:06:34.480 team here shortly. So it's it's no mystery. It's no secret. 0:06:34.520 --> 0:06:37.360 It's just life in the National Football League, in today's economy, 0:06:37.360 --> 0:06:39.600 in the UNFL, for sure. All right, Let's go back 0:06:39.600 --> 0:06:42.880 to Saturday's win in Dallas. Bengals win at twenty one thirteen, 0:06:42.960 --> 0:06:45.760 but the starters were outperformed by the Cowboys in the 0:06:45.800 --> 0:06:49.000 first half when Dallas led ten nothing. Let's specifically talk 0:06:49.000 --> 0:06:51.520 about the offensive line. Are you more concerned about the 0:06:51.520 --> 0:06:53.560 O line coming out of that game than you were 0:06:53.600 --> 0:06:56.480 going in? Yeah, I mean questions weren't answered, you know 0:06:56.640 --> 0:06:59.560 that that you were hoping might be. In looking at 0:06:59.560 --> 0:07:03.479 it a little bit, I thought that the running game 0:07:03.839 --> 0:07:07.560 wasn't as bad as my initial reaction was. It was 0:07:07.560 --> 0:07:10.520 a twofold thing. It certainly needs to be better than 0:07:10.560 --> 0:07:13.720 it was upfront, But I thought the running backs were 0:07:13.720 --> 0:07:16.120 trying to do too much, making cuts that they didn't 0:07:16.160 --> 0:07:18.600 have to make. They weren't running attack the tracks as 0:07:18.600 --> 0:07:20.560 tightly as they could have, and they were trying to 0:07:20.560 --> 0:07:23.280 create a home run and doing a little bit too much. 0:07:23.760 --> 0:07:25.880 So I think it's just a matter of you know, 0:07:25.920 --> 0:07:28.360 settling on whoever it is in the offensive line with 0:07:28.440 --> 0:07:30.800 the running backs and getting that rhythm and timing. I mean, 0:07:30.880 --> 0:07:34.800 you know, the relationship between your blockers and your running 0:07:34.840 --> 0:07:38.120 back is something that just comes with repetition, and repetition 0:07:38.200 --> 0:07:41.239 breeds comfort level and breeds excellence. And they're not there 0:07:41.280 --> 0:07:43.200 at this point in time. It's just it's just not 0:07:43.720 --> 0:07:46.040 in sync. It's not you know, they all talked about, 0:07:46.080 --> 0:07:48.840 like AJ talked about being off a tick after the 0:07:48.920 --> 0:07:51.920 game offensively with the passing game. Well they're off a tick, 0:07:52.000 --> 0:07:54.440 maybe a tick and a half in the running game. 0:07:54.480 --> 0:07:57.040 And it is it's all just a timing thing that 0:07:57.120 --> 0:07:59.200 you can only get done when you're at full speed. 0:07:59.280 --> 0:08:01.600 You know, in game conditions, you can rep it and 0:08:01.640 --> 0:08:03.640 practice all you want, but until you get out there 0:08:03.640 --> 0:08:07.360 and it's it's the real speed, the real deal, you know, 0:08:07.440 --> 0:08:09.960 things are a lot different for sure. Let's get to 0:08:10.000 --> 0:08:12.600 the positive. Let's pass out some game balls after the 0:08:12.840 --> 0:08:15.080 victory in Dallas. Give me a few guys that stood 0:08:15.080 --> 0:08:17.000 out to you on both sides of the ball. Well, 0:08:17.160 --> 0:08:20.000 I tell you. I thought that offensively, you know, you 0:08:20.080 --> 0:08:22.520 look at you look at Brian Hill. He took advantage 0:08:22.560 --> 0:08:24.960 of his opportunities fully. You know, he averaged twenty three 0:08:24.960 --> 0:08:27.040 and a half yards of catch and he averaged six 0:08:27.120 --> 0:08:30.080 yards of rush, so you know, that's pretty pretty proficient, 0:08:30.080 --> 0:08:33.320 pretty efficient. He had his four play fifty nine yard 0:08:33.400 --> 0:08:37.040 drive that was all him. So guys like Trey Carson, 0:08:37.040 --> 0:08:39.719 who I thought stepped up as well. Trey Carson and 0:08:40.000 --> 0:08:42.720 Brian Hill are saying, don't forget me. You know, I'm 0:08:42.840 --> 0:08:46.080 here here, I am I'm out here performing. And if 0:08:46.160 --> 0:08:48.199 it's not the Bengals that are going to answer the 0:08:48.600 --> 0:08:50.679 raised hand, it might be another team in the NFL, 0:08:50.760 --> 0:08:52.280 or it might be a team in Canada or these 0:08:52.320 --> 0:08:54.800 new leagues, or what these guys are doing in these 0:08:54.840 --> 0:08:58.080 preseason games is trying to extend their football life, trying 0:08:58.080 --> 0:09:01.520 to extend their football career. So they know that they're 0:09:01.520 --> 0:09:05.240 not putting tape down just to be evaluated by the 0:09:05.280 --> 0:09:08.840 Cincinnati Bengals organization. It's being looked at by everybody, and 0:09:08.920 --> 0:09:12.760 everybody is looking at every every single bit of tape 0:09:13.120 --> 0:09:15.480 that they possibly can from every single football team in 0:09:15.480 --> 0:09:19.600 the National Football League. So it's competitive to make that 0:09:19.679 --> 0:09:23.480 fifty three man roster, but there are other opportunities. You know. 0:09:23.520 --> 0:09:25.400 It's it's maybe you don't hit a home run, but 0:09:25.400 --> 0:09:27.280 why not hit a ground rule double. You know, if 0:09:27.360 --> 0:09:29.600 you if you can stay alive and you might score, 0:09:29.760 --> 0:09:32.520 somebody might knock in, you know. So it's the same 0:09:32.559 --> 0:09:35.120 same type of thing. You just you're scratching and clawed 0:09:35.160 --> 0:09:38.120 to continue your your career. And I thought, you know, 0:09:38.120 --> 0:09:40.400 those two guys stepped up, I thought, on the on 0:09:40.440 --> 0:09:43.480 the offensive side of the football, and then defensively, Nick Vigil, 0:09:43.600 --> 0:09:45.920 I mean Vigil. Vigil was strong. I think he had 0:09:45.920 --> 0:09:48.240 feign assisted tackles and a couple of assists, and he 0:09:48.240 --> 0:09:51.000 had the quarterback sack, one of the five sacks. The 0:09:51.040 --> 0:09:54.120 Bengals did have five sacks on the day and Dallas 0:09:54.120 --> 0:09:57.200 only had one. And I thought Bates, Jesse Bates, with 0:09:57.200 --> 0:10:00.920 feign assisted tackles. We saw him hit his game responsibilities 0:10:00.960 --> 0:10:04.080 properly and make plays, and I thought, that's the so 0:10:04.120 --> 0:10:06.480 we talked about earlier. That was the big plus. He's 0:10:06.480 --> 0:10:08.080 done it in a couple of games now, and you know, 0:10:08.120 --> 0:10:10.280 two preseason games does not a career make or a 0:10:10.320 --> 0:10:12.960 season make by any stretch. But it's encouraging to see 0:10:13.040 --> 0:10:15.720 him doing that, you know, that type of thing. And 0:10:15.800 --> 0:10:18.040 I thought Billings, you know, we talked about it before 0:10:18.040 --> 0:10:21.319 the game. Have they solved the nose tackle position. We 0:10:21.400 --> 0:10:23.520 thought maybe that's the closest one to be insolved. He 0:10:23.600 --> 0:10:26.719 took another step. I thought it wasn't Travis Frederick, but 0:10:27.080 --> 0:10:29.080 it was a good offensive line still in there when 0:10:29.080 --> 0:10:32.000 he was playing, and he had three unassisted tackles and 0:10:32.040 --> 0:10:34.760 as an interior guy, and that's not counting the disruptions 0:10:34.800 --> 0:10:36.960 that he took back to somebody else. One of his 0:10:37.000 --> 0:10:39.280 tackles was a tackle for lost four yard loss on 0:10:39.280 --> 0:10:41.439 his own, but then there were other plays that were 0:10:41.480 --> 0:10:44.120 negative plays because he made that back make his first 0:10:44.160 --> 0:10:46.400 cut and teammates were there to finish it up. So 0:10:46.440 --> 0:10:48.880 I thought, I thought Billings really showed up. And then 0:10:48.960 --> 0:10:50.880 you know the young guys, Jordan Willis with a couple 0:10:50.920 --> 0:10:53.360 of sacks and Sam hovered with the strip sacks. So 0:10:53.559 --> 0:10:57.720 defensively I thought they did. I thought they miss misfit 0:10:57.920 --> 0:11:00.760 one gap responsibility that hurt him in the running game, 0:11:01.120 --> 0:11:03.680 but overall, I thought they played the run decently against 0:11:03.679 --> 0:11:07.760 a pretty good, you know, offensive line. So you know 0:11:07.800 --> 0:11:11.199 even though they were they get outplayed. I agree with you, Dan, 0:11:11.400 --> 0:11:13.199 meaning in the football game, it wasn't like they were 0:11:13.200 --> 0:11:16.200 totally embarrassed and dominated. When when you look at it, 0:11:16.200 --> 0:11:17.760 it's never as bad as you think, and it's never 0:11:17.800 --> 0:11:19.320 as good as you think. You know once you really 0:11:19.320 --> 0:11:21.960 take a look at it. So I think you know 0:11:21.960 --> 0:11:23.560 you can work from it and build off it, that's 0:11:23.600 --> 0:11:26.160 for sure. Are you ready for my game ball? What's 0:11:26.160 --> 0:11:28.600 your game ball? I am giving it to Bengals head 0:11:28.600 --> 0:11:32.400 coach Marvin Lewis for the following reason, going for two 0:11:33.040 --> 0:11:35.040 with a minute to go in the third quarter to 0:11:35.280 --> 0:11:38.240 more or less guarantee that that game would not go 0:11:38.280 --> 0:11:40.160 to overtime. And of course it worked on a nice 0:11:40.200 --> 0:11:43.439 catch by John Ross half a fastball from Jeff driscoll. 0:11:43.600 --> 0:11:45.120 But you know what, we need to turn the clock 0:11:45.160 --> 0:11:47.640 back to the first preseason game because we did not 0:11:47.880 --> 0:11:53.560 kill Bears coach Matt Naggey nearly enough for attempting a 0:11:53.720 --> 0:11:57.520 game tying fifty two yard field goal with less than 0:11:57.520 --> 0:12:00.280 a minute to go that would have forced overtime. And 0:12:00.400 --> 0:12:03.800 there is over time in preseason games. Brook, you mistake 0:12:04.240 --> 0:12:09.080 I head coach, for I bet his teammates said, you 0:12:09.120 --> 0:12:11.240 make it, you're walking home, You're not flying. I mean 0:12:12.000 --> 0:12:14.440 that that was that was kind of nuts. And speaking 0:12:14.440 --> 0:12:16.560 of kickers, what about Brown? How about him getting the 0:12:16.600 --> 0:12:20.200 game ball fifty five yard or I honestly, I wonder 0:12:20.520 --> 0:12:22.240 if he was supposed to do all that kicking. I 0:12:22.240 --> 0:12:24.640 haven't asked the coaches yet, but because you know, he 0:12:24.640 --> 0:12:26.960 didn't have the opening kickoff right, that was the only 0:12:27.000 --> 0:12:29.679 time we saw a kitching right right and uh in 0:12:29.720 --> 0:12:31.720 the opening kickoff, and then after that when he made 0:12:31.720 --> 0:12:34.320 that fifty five yard or maybe you know, Darren says 0:12:34.360 --> 0:12:37.080 to Marvin, let's let's let's take a look at let's 0:12:37.080 --> 0:12:39.480 you know, let him can he deserves to continue here? 0:12:39.760 --> 0:12:42.160 He made that. Who knows, maybe it was planned. I've 0:12:42.240 --> 0:12:43.839 not checked that out. I don't know if it was 0:12:43.880 --> 0:12:45.400 planned that way or not, or if he just kind 0:12:45.400 --> 0:12:49.560 of kicked himself into additional opportunities and continued to shine. 0:12:49.600 --> 0:12:52.320 I mean, that kickoff goes through the end zone, hits 0:12:52.360 --> 0:12:55.920 the crossbar. That would have been at least another ten 0:12:56.000 --> 0:12:58.120 yards past the back line of the end zone. This 0:12:58.559 --> 0:13:01.560 that's that's twenty yard. It's you know, out of out 0:13:01.559 --> 0:13:03.720 of bounds, almost to the seats. I mean, the guy 0:13:03.760 --> 0:13:07.240 has a kin and a howitzer hanging off that right hip, 0:13:07.240 --> 0:13:09.600 and uh, the hang time he gets with it not 0:13:09.640 --> 0:13:13.199 only distance, but I mean that's a big parabola. Well 0:13:13.280 --> 0:13:16.880 that's that's in that dome. To get it was like 0:13:16.920 --> 0:13:21.319 an Adam upper deck home run, majestic trajectory on his kicks. Man, 0:13:21.360 --> 0:13:23.840 it's crazy. Marvin said after the game that it's not 0:13:23.920 --> 0:13:26.400 an open competition. It's still Mike Nugent's and not Mike 0:13:26.480 --> 0:13:30.840 Nugent Randy Bullock's job. And let's you know, give credit 0:13:30.880 --> 0:13:32.960 to Randy Bullock. He made ninety percent of his field 0:13:32.960 --> 0:13:34.680 goals last year. He hasn't missed a kick in a 0:13:34.720 --> 0:13:37.480 game so far this year. But I will say this, 0:13:38.040 --> 0:13:41.439 I used to think that if Randy Bullock went down, 0:13:42.200 --> 0:13:44.560 they would not have the nerve to go to John 0:13:44.600 --> 0:13:47.160 Brown just because he's never done it in a game before. 0:13:47.200 --> 0:13:50.160 I figured, well, if Randy tweaked something, they would do 0:13:50.160 --> 0:13:51.960 what they did last year. They would go find another 0:13:52.000 --> 0:13:54.800 Marshal Kane to kick in a game or two. John 0:13:54.840 --> 0:13:57.160 Brown is changing my mind about that. I think that 0:13:57.240 --> 0:14:00.319 if Randy Bullock were to suffer an injury, I think 0:14:00.400 --> 0:14:02.640 John Brown is showing them enough that they would say, 0:14:02.679 --> 0:14:05.200 you know what, let's give him a shot. And I 0:14:05.240 --> 0:14:07.360 think that's the reason they let him do the additional 0:14:07.440 --> 0:14:10.360 kicking is to build a resume that not only the 0:14:10.360 --> 0:14:12.640 Bengals have that opinion, but other teams in the league 0:14:12.679 --> 0:14:14.760 look at it and say, man, he's on my short list. 0:14:14.800 --> 0:14:16.120 You know, I'm gonna I'm gonna bring him in for 0:14:16.120 --> 0:14:18.520 at least a tryout where he wouldn't have been on 0:14:18.520 --> 0:14:22.360 on the tryout list. When kickers either you know, lose 0:14:22.440 --> 0:14:26.680 their opportunity due to ineffectiveness or injury and then they're 0:14:26.720 --> 0:14:29.520 looking for somebody else. He might be on a few 0:14:29.520 --> 0:14:31.800 people's list by the time this preseasons are what then, 0:14:31.880 --> 0:14:35.160 like we said again, Canadian football, these new leagues, he's 0:14:35.160 --> 0:14:37.440 trying to extend his career. I mean he is. He 0:14:37.520 --> 0:14:41.240 is a neophyte for sure. So every every opportunity he 0:14:41.280 --> 0:14:44.280 gets is going to be it's like gold. It's like 0:14:44.280 --> 0:14:47.320 a gold bar for him to have kicks that kind 0:14:47.360 --> 0:14:50.720 of magnitude and that kind of opportunity. So and he responded, 0:14:50.800 --> 0:14:52.760 so I think he is. You know, he's gonna he's 0:14:52.760 --> 0:14:55.440 gonna make his mark and make some lists. For sure. 0:14:55.760 --> 0:14:58.240 It seems like every year, or maybe every couple of years, 0:14:58.280 --> 0:15:01.640 somebody makes this team based on returns. In the preseason. 0:15:01.680 --> 0:15:04.640 It was Dane Sonzenbacher. A few years ago, it was 0:15:04.680 --> 0:15:08.600 Alex Ericson two years ago. Is Darius Phillips becoming that 0:15:08.640 --> 0:15:10.560 guy this year? Maybe he would have made it anyway? 0:15:10.760 --> 0:15:12.920 Fifth round draft, picked to play quarterback, But he had 0:15:12.920 --> 0:15:15.240 a forty four yard kick return. He had a twenty 0:15:15.240 --> 0:15:18.360 four yard punt return. He was very successful as a 0:15:18.440 --> 0:15:21.520 kick returner in college, and I'm wondering if he is 0:15:21.600 --> 0:15:23.560 showing them enough as a return man to more or 0:15:23.640 --> 0:15:25.800 less guarantee that he's going to stick around on the 0:15:25.800 --> 0:15:28.800 fifty three. I mean, he's he's making a making a 0:15:28.840 --> 0:15:31.960 statement for sure. He's shown up twice in both games. 0:15:32.000 --> 0:15:35.520 He showed the wiggle of short space quickness. He definitely 0:15:35.520 --> 0:15:39.240 has an innatability. Those return guys. Some of the things 0:15:39.240 --> 0:15:41.760 that they do you can't really coach. It's instinct, it's feel, 0:15:41.800 --> 0:15:43.680 it's knack. Guys have a knack for it and other 0:15:43.680 --> 0:15:46.560 guys don't. You know. That's why it's like, well, John Ross, 0:15:46.640 --> 0:15:48.680 why you know, why isn't he returning? Well, you saw 0:15:48.720 --> 0:15:52.200 in that punt he wasn't really too sure about messing 0:15:52.240 --> 0:15:56.040 with it, said he lost in the lights. Okay, that's happens. 0:15:56.080 --> 0:15:59.200 It happens. It definitely happens. And if you feel like 0:15:59.280 --> 0:16:01.920 you have you don't want to, you know, stab at 0:16:01.960 --> 0:16:05.400 it and cause cause issues. But I mean he is, 0:16:05.600 --> 0:16:08.400 he's totally comfortable back there. You know, when when guys 0:16:08.400 --> 0:16:10.840 are running down at you like they are in the 0:16:10.920 --> 0:16:15.200 National Football League on special teams, it's a it's a 0:16:15.320 --> 0:16:18.720 very very unique feeling. And he has to come and 0:16:18.720 --> 0:16:21.000 the composure to handle it and deal with it, make 0:16:21.040 --> 0:16:23.640 good decisions in the return game. And he has shown 0:16:24.360 --> 0:16:26.200 Darren Simmons the first thing you have to do is 0:16:26.400 --> 0:16:28.880 secure the football, and he's done a good job at 0:16:28.920 --> 0:16:32.360 catching the football. So and that's what Alex Erickson was 0:16:32.360 --> 0:16:35.120 all about. He was very very sure back there, as 0:16:35.120 --> 0:16:37.080 well as his ability to return it. But you know, 0:16:37.160 --> 0:16:38.840 now you look at it and you say, okay, well, 0:16:39.280 --> 0:16:41.600 alex Erickson and Phillips. So they in a battle because 0:16:41.640 --> 0:16:44.240 you're not just fighting all the wide receivers. If you've 0:16:44.240 --> 0:16:46.200 got a defensive back trying to make the back end 0:16:46.240 --> 0:16:48.720 of that roster and he can return kicks and you're 0:16:48.760 --> 0:16:50.360 a receiver trying to make the back end of the 0:16:50.440 --> 0:16:53.680 roster and you can return kicks. You're going against each other. 0:16:53.840 --> 0:16:56.920 You're not going against Auton Tat or whoever else, Cody Corps. 0:16:57.080 --> 0:16:59.920 You're going against those guys and a guy from an 0:17:00.080 --> 0:17:02.080 the position group. And that's that's the life in the 0:17:02.160 --> 0:17:05.720 NFL from a roster standpoint. But if both of them 0:17:05.720 --> 0:17:08.359 make it, Darren Simmons even in a better situation because 0:17:08.440 --> 0:17:10.119 one gets nicked up, you just tossed the other one 0:17:10.119 --> 0:17:13.080 in there. And he had that with Adam Jones. Now 0:17:13.080 --> 0:17:15.639 with Adam Jones, you know, not on the football team. 0:17:16.040 --> 0:17:18.600 You know, Phillips might be a guy that would be 0:17:18.800 --> 0:17:21.080 you know, potentially at some point in time and some 0:17:21.119 --> 0:17:23.000 of the sub packages if he works his way up 0:17:23.000 --> 0:17:25.760 to that. Plus he could provide a return opportunity if 0:17:26.080 --> 0:17:28.119 Ericson gets knicked up. I guess the good news for 0:17:28.160 --> 0:17:31.240 Alex Rickson is he's having excellent camp as a wide receiver. 0:17:31.440 --> 0:17:34.800 Made a tremendous toe tap catch on third and eleven 0:17:34.880 --> 0:17:37.280 for a twenty eight yard gain, drew a key pass 0:17:37.359 --> 0:17:41.640 interference penalty in the Dallas wins, so he doesn't necessarily 0:17:41.760 --> 0:17:43.960 have to hold on to his job as a return man. 0:17:44.280 --> 0:17:46.440 Because I think he's one of their top five wide receivers. 0:17:46.560 --> 0:17:48.520 I think he's one of their you know, if you 0:17:48.560 --> 0:17:51.280 look at the fifty three men roster, he's not He's 0:17:51.320 --> 0:17:55.159 not like number you know, forty six, the last guy. 0:17:55.600 --> 0:17:58.400 To me, he's a solid member of the football team. 0:17:58.720 --> 0:18:01.480 I was just pointing out. You know, it's like the competition. 0:18:01.520 --> 0:18:04.040 You can't have television just oh, I'm competing with these 0:18:04.080 --> 0:18:06.440 cornerbacks or you're competing with a lot of people when 0:18:06.480 --> 0:18:09.120 you're not, you know, one of the top twenty two 0:18:09.160 --> 0:18:12.000 guys on the football team. So it becomes the more 0:18:12.080 --> 0:18:15.480 you can do. And yeah, to me, Alex Erritson, it's 0:18:15.520 --> 0:18:17.760 it's it's gold stamp. I mean, he's he's on my 0:18:17.800 --> 0:18:20.280 football team and he will be as long as he 0:18:20.320 --> 0:18:22.679 can probably play. I love the kid. I love everything 0:18:22.680 --> 0:18:25.679 he gives to uh you on the football field, in 0:18:25.720 --> 0:18:28.920 the locker room. You know, he's a he's a great 0:18:28.960 --> 0:18:32.480 member of the organization. But that's uh you know, Phillips. 0:18:32.760 --> 0:18:36.000 Phillips is making showing it, showing that he can h 0:18:36.080 --> 0:18:38.200 It's all based on number of snaps you can provide, 0:18:38.320 --> 0:18:40.280 you know, and he's showing he could be maybe a 0:18:40.320 --> 0:18:43.280 factor in the sub packages. If if he's if he 0:18:43.320 --> 0:18:47.480 continues to improve and progress with what they want systematically here, 0:18:47.480 --> 0:18:51.280 and then with his natural gift of a return guy 0:18:51.440 --> 0:18:54.000 like you mentioned a few times. Anybody at any level 0:18:54.280 --> 0:18:56.920 that returns as many balls or scores as many touchdowns 0:18:56.920 --> 0:18:58.920 as that kid did, as many different ways as he did, 0:18:59.560 --> 0:19:01.240 he's got to be a football player, and he is. 0:19:01.280 --> 0:19:03.919 He's a good football player. Five kick return touchdowns, one 0:19:03.960 --> 0:19:07.760 punt return touchdown in college for Darius Phillips. Final topic 0:19:07.880 --> 0:19:12.200 is John Ross had a twenty nine yard catch, excellent 0:19:12.280 --> 0:19:14.200 play on the two point conversion to hold on to 0:19:14.280 --> 0:19:17.160 that throw from Driscoll before getting popped, and then early 0:19:17.200 --> 0:19:20.399 in the game failed to catch a punt that cost 0:19:20.440 --> 0:19:22.760 the Bengals field position. They had to start their first 0:19:22.800 --> 0:19:24.320 drive of the game from the four yard line as 0:19:24.320 --> 0:19:26.600 a result, I feel like in the first two weeks 0:19:26.680 --> 0:19:29.480 we have seen what the Bengals are going to get 0:19:29.640 --> 0:19:32.000