1 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: Higain everybody on Dan Horde and thanks for downloading the 2 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 1: Bengals Booth Podcast. The Let's Dance addition, as one of 3 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: the most eagerly anticipated seasons in Bengals history, gets under 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:18,640 Speaker 1: way this Sunday with the one hundredth Battle of Ohio 5 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 1: between the Bengals and Cleveland Browns coming up. I'll talk 6 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 1: to the longest tenured player on the Bengals roster, Tyler Boyd, 7 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: who enters his eighth season in Cincinnati. Speaking of long tenures, 8 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:33,559 Speaker 1: Jeff Hobson has covered the Bengals for more than twenty 9 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,600 Speaker 1: five years. He'll join me to look ahead to the 10 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:40,479 Speaker 1: upcoming season and sticking with the theme, Tony Grossi has 11 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:43,199 Speaker 1: been on the Cleveland Browns beat since the mid eighties. 12 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:45,839 Speaker 1: He gives us the scoop from Cleveland on what to 13 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 1: anticipate from Deshaun Watson and the Browns on Sunday. The 14 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: Bengals Booth Podcast is presented by Bengals Picks and Ultimate Bengals. 15 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 1: They're free to play with tickets and signed merchandise up 16 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: for grabs. Find both inside the Bengals app. Now here's 17 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition 18 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: of this podcast delivered rite to your phone, tablet, or 19 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 1: computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the 20 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: greatest thing since hydrangea shrubs. Whatever the opposite of a 21 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 1: green thumb is, I have it. I am historically a 22 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 1: serial killer of plants and flowers, but this summer we 23 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: planted three hydrange of bushes in our yard, and at 24 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: least so far, they're flourishing with big pink, blue, and 25 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:37,759 Speaker 1: white blossoms. I've been sure to water them every couple 26 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: of days, but they've also helped me out by indicating 27 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 1: when they need water in extreme heat by drooping like 28 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: they're sad. So if you're like me and are under 29 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 1: the impression that the only thing you can grow are 30 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 1: your fingernails, consider planting hydrange of shrubs. They've convinced me 31 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: that I might not be the ted but of plants 32 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: after all. Now let's get to this week's game. The 33 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: Bengals are not only one of the NFL's best teams, 34 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: they're one of the youngest. According to bookies dot Com, 35 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: the average age of the players on the bengals fifty 36 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: three man roster is twenty five years, nine months, and 37 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: nine days. Only two teams have a younger average Green 38 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,359 Speaker 1: Bay and Tampa Bay, and the Bucks have the youngest 39 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: roster after the retirement of Tom Brady. The Jets with 40 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers have the oldest average roster in the NFL, 41 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 1: and Pittsburgh checks in at number six, with the oldest 42 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: of any team in the AFC North. Getting back to 43 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 1: the Bengals, Ted Karras is the only player on the 44 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 1: fifty three man roster who is thirty or older. He's 45 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: in his eighth NFL season, and so is Tyler Boyd, 46 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: who has spent all of those seasons in Cincinnati. I 47 00:02:55,080 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 1: talked to him this week. Tyler, this is the start 48 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 1: of year eight. How have you been able to maintain 49 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: such a high level of play for this long? 50 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 2: Uh? 51 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 3: You know, just coming in and being the same person 52 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 3: each and every day and just being consistent, you know. 53 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 2: I think that's what this game is about. 54 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 3: And availability, you know, is can account on me, you know, 55 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,239 Speaker 3: each and every day, each and every game. And I've 56 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 3: always been there and I always met that standard. 57 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 1: We've heard from a lot of players during training camp 58 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:31,080 Speaker 1: say that Zach Taylor's approach has been helpful to them, 59 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: not beating them up during the preseason games during camp. 60 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: How helpful has that been for you? 61 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 3: It's huge, you know, because you keep us fresh. You know, 62 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 3: it doesn't put wear and tear in our bodies. You know, 63 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 3: it's not many days where we're coming in sore, banged up. 64 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 3: You know, he's taking great care of us practicing and 65 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 3: just mentally as well. You know, it ain't mentally taxing 66 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 3: and meetings, and I mean, it's just overall. He correlated 67 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 3: it so good that I mean, it's it's a pleasure 68 00:03:57,600 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 3: for us. 69 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: You're twenty eight, You're still a young man in my book, 70 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: but you're a vat in NFL circles. Have you given 71 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 1: any thought to how long you'd like to do this? 72 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 2: I've been getting out a lot at this point. 73 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 3: I'm just gonna keep going till I feel like I can't, 74 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 3: you know, And like like you said, I still feel 75 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 3: fresh and young. I still feel like I'm on my 76 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 3: first deal. So I'm gonna try to go as long 77 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 3: as I can. 78 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 1: All right, let's take a look at the team. After 79 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:22,360 Speaker 1: missing about five weeks of training camp with this calf injury, 80 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 1: Joe Burrow returned twelve days before the season opener. Did 81 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 1: he look like normal Joe Burrow or could you tell 82 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 1: a slight difference. 83 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:33,480 Speaker 3: He still looked hisself, you know, his throwing mechanics looked well, 84 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:39,239 Speaker 3: his hip, mobility, just everything that I've seen. I felt 85 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:42,560 Speaker 3: that he was practically ready to go out there that play. 86 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 3: If we had a game tomorrow, then he would be 87 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 3: ready to go. In my eyes, I talked to him 88 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 3: and see how he feels. Sometimes it may be still sore, 89 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:52,839 Speaker 3: but at the end of the day, he knows what 90 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 3: he can do, and like I said, visualizing it, either 91 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 3: he's haiding it well or he's actually really good to go. 92 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 2: So in my he's good to go. 93 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: We're chatting to Tyler Boyd. Several weeks ago. I asked 94 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 1: t Higgins about the relationship between you, Jamar Chase and him. 95 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 1: He said, quote, we're like brothers. Blood couldn't make us 96 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 1: any closer. We love each other like we've got the 97 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: same mama. It's not always like that between elite wide 98 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 1: receivers on the same team. Why do you three have 99 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 1: a relationship like that? 100 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think cause it goes a long way. 101 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 3: You know, at the end of the day, we're all 102 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 3: great receivers and we all know that and like you said, 103 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:32,279 Speaker 3: it's hard for a great receiver group to stay connected, 104 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 3: you know, because everybody, every guy wants to be the guy, 105 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:35,720 Speaker 3: you know. 106 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 2: But here we are still all the guys. 107 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 3: You know, we get just as many plays as is 108 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 3: the other you know, some of us might get more targets, 109 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,279 Speaker 3: hair and there, you know, and I just feel we 110 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 3: all feel comfortable with what we bring and what we 111 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 3: do to this team. And uh, we're just genuine people, 112 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 3: you know that care for one another because we want 113 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 3: to win. You know, if somebody's having a good game, 114 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:57,599 Speaker 3: we want to cheer that guy up, and then it 115 00:05:57,640 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 3: could be holding different week where. 116 00:05:59,000 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 2: It's another guy up. 117 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 3: You guys that we don't get frustrated with numbers and 118 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 3: how games go, because uh, it's go always coming back around, 119 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,239 Speaker 3: you know, next the next go around, or Zach gonna 120 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 3: put us in position the next go around to uh 121 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 3: have that game, you know. So at the end of 122 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 3: the day, we spend a lot of our time together 123 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 3: oppisode as well, and that's probably uh the brotherhood what 124 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 3: we get. 125 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:22,599 Speaker 1: So his expression was, we're like brothers. Are you the 126 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 1: older brother? Is that your relationship with those guys? 127 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, just because I'm the oldest, you know. But I 128 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 3: don't treat them guys like the younger brother, you know. 129 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 3: I just look at it like we're all one. We're 130 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:32,919 Speaker 3: one unit. 131 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 2: Uh. We we we treat each other. 132 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 3: The same with respect, and we're loyal and we we 133 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 3: protect one another. We got each other's back, and I 134 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 3: think that's what drives us to keep resetting the standard 135 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:50,600 Speaker 3: on being the best each year. So just being well connected, 136 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:55,119 Speaker 3: uh is just gonna uh make all of us better. 137 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 1: On the topic of great Bengals wide receivers, it's already 138 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 1: been announced that the ruler of the jump for the 139 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: home opener is going to be Aj Green. What did 140 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 1: AJ do for you early in your career? 141 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 3: He was basically the guy that I am now and 142 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 3: for everybody else now, you know, he was the guy 143 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 3: that I can come in and lean on and talk 144 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 3: to and get a vice, you know, because he I mean, 145 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 3: he was the best at the position of the time, 146 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 3: and that would really that's that's the position you want 147 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 3: to come in as a young receiver to. You could 148 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 3: actually see him do it, and AJ wasn't as vocal 149 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 3: as he was showing it. And that's probably the difference 150 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 3: between how other people go about it, but for him 151 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 3: to show it and see how it's done, and me 152 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 3: going being able to go up to him and pick 153 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 3: his brain and ask him how to run a certain 154 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 3: route and certain leverage and things like that. I mean, 155 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 3: at the end of the day, he I mean, he 156 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 3: was the big brother for me, So I kind of 157 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 3: embraced that role and kind of paved the way for 158 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 3: me to share with these other guys. 159 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: Were you excited to hear that he was going to 160 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: be the ruler of the jungle? 161 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 2: Yes? 162 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 3: I actually was, you know, because I mean, he's a 163 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 3: great due. He's probably one of the greatest. 164 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 2: Dudes I ever met. You know, he's he's. 165 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,119 Speaker 3: Super super upfront man. He doesn't he doesn't party, doesn't 166 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 3: go out. He's a he's a real stand up man. 167 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: Yeah. 168 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 2: Man, he just does everything right. 169 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: Man. 170 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 2: I never he never got gets in trouble. We never 171 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 2: do stupid stuff. 172 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 3: You know, he's the perfect exam example of being a 173 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 3: football player and a man. 174 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: You open the season in Cleveland. The Bengals have lost 175 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: their last five road games. There, does that stick under 176 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:27,360 Speaker 1: your crow going into this game? 177 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 2: Yeah? 178 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 3: We all know that, you know, and but each and 179 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 3: every game we don't kind of think of that. We 180 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 3: look at it as we're gonna go up there and 181 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 3: win each and every game. So it is a battle 182 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:40,719 Speaker 3: for us because that's been the case going up there 183 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 3: and leaving and losing. But we gotta rewrite it now, 184 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 3: I'll guesswitch it up for. 185 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: The passing game to thrive. The offensive line's got a 186 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:52,080 Speaker 1: block Miles Garrett and Zadarius Smith and Dalvin Tomlinson, et cetera. 187 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: Is that the bottom line on Sunday. 188 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 3: It's a huge part, you know, But like, like again, 189 00:08:57,400 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 3: it's a football game. Everybody got to play their part 190 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:02,679 Speaker 3: to win, you know, from us being able to make 191 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 3: plays against their dbs, you know, our running backs be 192 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 3: able to pick up blitzers and our running backs being 193 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 3: able to run the ball on them, and just I 194 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 3: think as long as we just stay locked in and 195 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 3: I'll execute those guys, you know, and stay polished, and 196 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:16,439 Speaker 3: the game will always grow away. 197 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: A couple more questions for Tyler Boyd. You've got your catchphrase, 198 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 1: big levels and the gesture that goes with it. Maybe 199 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: I should know this, but I don't. Where'd that come from? 200 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 3: It kind of kind of been a part of me 201 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 3: since high school actually, and then going into college because 202 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 3: it had came out of a song and I can't 203 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:40,320 Speaker 3: really put my my mind doing I forget. It's a 204 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 3: rap song and it will always stay level with and 205 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 3: at that point I will go with it because it 206 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 3: made sense. When you go out in the field, you 207 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 3: dominate and you look like you're disuperior and you're out 208 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 3: there killing them, and so it's levels to this. So 209 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 3: you got to step up your crabs, step up your 210 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 3: work to compete with me, you know, and try to 211 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 3: stop me. So, uh, that's I kind of reference to. 212 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: It's unique, it fits you perfectly. Final question, I think 213 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 1: the Comeback Player of the Year award has already been 214 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: decided because your friend Tamar Hamlin made the Bills fifty 215 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,320 Speaker 1: three man roster. How do you feel about that? 216 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 2: Oh? 217 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,080 Speaker 3: Man, I'm I'm happy for him, you know, especially from 218 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 3: what he overcame and that was that was that was 219 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 3: that was a big time man. 220 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 2: That was a sad moment. 221 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 3: And it's because I know he's a great, great person, 222 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 3: you know, and by him recovering and beating it and 223 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 3: beating it and oways being against him, he's uh been 224 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 3: a warrior to them times, you know, and even just 225 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 3: coming up. You know, he's still competing and fighting for 226 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 3: spots and having to deal with things like that. 227 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 2: Personally, it was crazy. But he has a great support. 228 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 3: System and I'm a I'm a part of that, and uh, 229 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 3: he's a great player as well. He's even an even 230 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:52,720 Speaker 3: better person. So's it'll be well deserving. 231 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:55,679 Speaker 1: Best of luck on big levels in twenty twenty three. 232 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 1: Hope you get a ring. 233 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 2: Indeed, appreciate you brother. 234 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:00,679 Speaker 1: The That Goes Booth podcast is brought to you by 235 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 1: Kettering Health, the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. With 236 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:06,840 Speaker 1: more than one hundred and twenty care facilities and fifteen 237 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 1: hundred care providers. Kettering Health is committed to guiding you 238 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: to your best health. Visit ketteringhealth dot org to learn more. 239 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:18,200 Speaker 1: The big question for the Bengals going into Sunday's opener 240 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 1: in Cleveland is obviously the status of Joe Burrow. He 241 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 1: was listed as a full participant at practice on Wednesday 242 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 1: and told reporters that barring a setback on Thursday or Friday, 243 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:32,480 Speaker 1: he expects to be good to go on Sunday. As 244 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 1: for his contract extension, who knows it could be finished 245 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:38,559 Speaker 1: by the time you listen to this podcast, but Joe 246 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: says he is not worried about it. 247 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 4: You know, you definitely realize that it's a business. But 248 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:50,319 Speaker 4: you know, at the end of the day, we're playing 249 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 4: football professionally, and you know, I'm with great people, some 250 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 4: of my best friends in there. Like I said, that's 251 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 4: icing on the cake. It'll come when it comes. But 252 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 4: I'm folks on being the Browns right now. Yeah, this 253 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 4: is where I want to be. This is where I 254 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 4: want to be my whole career. We're working towards making 255 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:11,839 Speaker 4: that happen. You know, you've seen what the front office 256 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:14,200 Speaker 4: has done and what Zach has done in their time here, 257 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 4: and you know, I'm a small part of that, and 258 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 4: you know, I'm excited to be a part of that. 259 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 4: And we have great people in the locker room that 260 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 4: grind every day that you know, are excited to go 261 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 4: and showcase their talents and excited to do it. 262 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 5: In the city of. 263 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:29,560 Speaker 4: Cincinnati, you know, we have the best fans and so 264 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:30,880 Speaker 4: this is this is where I want to be. 265 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 1: Now, time to preview the upcoming season with Bengals dot 266 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 1: Com editor Jeff Butch Hobson. Which how many years have 267 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 1: you been on the Bengals beat, And is this the 268 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 1: best roster that you've seen going into a season. 269 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean I've been with the team for twenty 270 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 5: This is my twenty fourth opener, and I would say 271 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:55,199 Speaker 5: it is probably my pretty close to my thirtieth opener 272 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 5: with the Bengals, And yeah, I mean it's if it's 273 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 5: not the best team, it's certainly the most anticipated team. 274 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:05,320 Speaker 5: But certainly it's the most accomplished team, you know. I 275 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 5: mean they're coming off No Bengals teams ever won two 276 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:12,079 Speaker 5: straight division titles, no Bengals team's ever gone to two 277 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:15,160 Speaker 5: straight AFC Championship games, and they have the core back. 278 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 5: So I mean, I would just, just you know, pure 279 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 5: pure reason would say this is the best. And of course, 280 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 5: you know, of course it's not a reasonable league. 281 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 1: But yeah, we have no idea what injuries will happen 282 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:35,840 Speaker 1: for the Bengals or for anybody else. But I don't 283 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 1: see a glaring weakness. People talk about the loss of 284 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 1: Bates and Bell. They're very, very good players, but I 285 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: think Hill and Scott are maybe not as talented, but 286 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 1: talented in different ways. Yes, so I jp Ryan's loss significant, 287 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:55,920 Speaker 1: but third down back is not the most important role 288 00:13:55,960 --> 00:13:59,200 Speaker 1: on an NFL roster. Like I said, I don't see 289 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 1: a glaring weakness. 290 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 5: No, I mean I agree. I mean I I saw something. 291 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 5: Somebody had them as the most vulnerable division winner, and 292 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 5: I just I really don't. I really kind of I didn't. 293 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 5: I didn't understand that because okay, they lost both safeties, 294 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 5: but that they haven't lost anybody on the edge. The 295 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 5: game's played in one on the edge, you know. I mean, 296 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:24,720 Speaker 5: obviously safeties are important, but I mean they've got all 297 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 5: their playmakers back, you know, which is is the stunning 298 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 5: thing to me and I and I and I think 299 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 5: you made the point on a you know, on a 300 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 5: who day conversation, is there is there really there's stunning 301 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 5: continuity in coaching, which I think is just as important 302 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 5: as having a Pro Bowl or at some position. You know. 303 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 5: I mean I think that you can't you just can't. 304 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 5: You can't put a price on that, the continuity of it. 305 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 5: That's why I think the safety thing is a bit 306 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 5: overblown because it's the same you know, it's the same system, 307 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 5: and it's and it's the guys who around the safeties, 308 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 5: the two lines, back the three corners and Anna Rumo 309 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 5: calling the shots. They've all been through the thing. So 310 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 5: I think, you know, I think really that the coaching 311 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 5: staff thing is underrated. It shouldn't be. I think you've 312 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 5: got to consider it as a you know, as a 313 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 5: Pro Bowl player, it's huge. 314 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 1: I made the analogy that it's like starting from the 315 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 1: fifty yard line in a one hundred yard dash because 316 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: you don't have to start from square one. It's not 317 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 1: all right, this is my system. These are the words 318 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 1: I use. And all of that time I don't want 319 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:34,880 Speaker 1: to say wasted, but all that time spent getting up 320 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 1: to speed in somebody else's system is a nonentity for 321 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 1: all of the Bengals veterans. And I think that's really 322 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 1: important on defense because we make a big deal and 323 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 1: part of it's true about the loss of Bates and 324 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:50,000 Speaker 1: Bell and the continuity and the communication. But there's no 325 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 1: rule that says the safeties are the guys that have 326 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 1: to be quote unquote the quarterbacks of the defense that 327 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: can come from other spots, and early this season it will. 328 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 5: And to me, this is one of the reasons the 329 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 5: first two games why I think they have an edge 330 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 5: in the first two games Cleveland, they're really high in 331 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 5: their defense, but it's the first tear on the Jim Schwartz, 332 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 5: you know. So it's the first it's their first game, 333 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 5: you know, in that system. And granted they're talented and 334 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 5: Jim Schwartz is a hell of the coach, but this 335 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:21,600 Speaker 5: is their first time together in an actual game. Edge Bengals. 336 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 5: You know, the next week, Lamia Jackson is a great player, 337 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:27,880 Speaker 5: but this is the first time he is not in 338 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 5: in in uh, the offense of right in the offensive 339 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 5: Greg Roman, he's you know in Edge Bengals, all right, 340 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 5: because you know edge edge because on on on Sunday, 341 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 5: the offense has been together for four years going against 342 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 5: the newly coordinated defense, and then you flip it. Uh, 343 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 5: the next week, you've got you know, Louanna Rumo in 344 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 5: five years in the same scheme going against the new 345 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 5: offensive Coten in Baltimore. I mean, I think that's a 346 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 5: to me. You've got to make those matchups count against 347 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 5: first year coaching staffs, and and you got to make 348 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:06,359 Speaker 5: that you know, we say, we sit back and we say, oh, 349 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 5: it's great having coach a continuity, but these are two 350 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:14,160 Speaker 5: weeks where you hopefully, hopefully that you see. 351 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:17,919 Speaker 1: That Joe Burrow basically missed five weeks with his calf strain, 352 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:20,119 Speaker 1: which gives him about a week and a half to 353 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:23,439 Speaker 1: get ready for the opener in Cleveland. Assuming that he plays, 354 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:27,640 Speaker 1: and I'm assuming that he does, do you expect vintage Burrow? 355 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 1: Slightly limited Burrow? What does Joe Burrow look like in Cleveland? 356 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:34,840 Speaker 1: Assuming he plays a week from Sunday? 357 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 5: I think you get that Joe Burrow, who's good enough. 358 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:42,119 Speaker 5: I don't know. I don't think he's going to be 359 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 5: vintage Borrow. I don't think he can ask that of 360 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 5: a guy that sat out all this time. But I 361 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:52,439 Speaker 5: also don't think he's going to be throwing it just 362 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:55,480 Speaker 5: a bit outside either, you know. I think he's going 363 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 5: to be uh now, we don't I don't know. We well, 364 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 5: we're out out there practice. Can he run around Miles Garrett? 365 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 5: Can he run around Zadarius Smith? You know? Will he 366 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 5: go down if he can't? You know? Or will he 367 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:11,720 Speaker 5: try to make a play? And you know, so these 368 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 5: things I do not know, you know, And but hopefully 369 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:17,720 Speaker 5: that would go into the decision making, you know. So 370 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 5: I think if they put him out there, I'm gonna 371 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 5: guess he can run around Garrett, you know, although he 372 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:25,520 Speaker 5: hasn't yet. I guess, right, how many sacks does Garrett 373 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:30,639 Speaker 5: h Hey against the Mangles nine games? Yeah right, so 374 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:34,159 Speaker 5: bad analogy. But you know, but the other guy is 375 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:36,359 Speaker 5: good too. You know, Zadarius Smith is a is a 376 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 5: is a hell of an edge and Schwartz is using 377 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 5: You know, they're they're they're beating their chests up in Cleveland. 378 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:44,920 Speaker 5: They rotating seven defensive linemen, four tackles, three edge guys 379 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:45,880 Speaker 5: and all fire it up. 380 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 1: So you know. 381 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 5: They're there. There's there's certainly no pushovers, and Joe is 382 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 5: gonna have to be as you know, he's going to 383 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,000 Speaker 5: have to be able to do it athletically. If they 384 00:18:57,040 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 5: put him out there, I assumed he can do it athletically, 385 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 5: and at that point I say he's good enough to win. 386 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 1: I agree. I think of it more like two years 387 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:09,639 Speaker 1: ago than last year. So coming off the knee injury, 388 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 1: up until the Denver Road game, Joe, by his own admission, 389 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:16,400 Speaker 1: wasn't one hundred percent confident in his ability to run. 390 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 1: He would move as needed, he didn't take off and run, 391 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:21,119 Speaker 1: and then late in the year on the Super Bowl run, 392 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 1: he did. I don't think it's as drastic now as 393 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: it was then coming off tearing basically every ligament in 394 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 1: his knee. But I do think maybe early this year 395 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:32,880 Speaker 1: he runs a little less. 396 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 5: And I think he'll be And people have talked about this, 397 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 5: you know, there's a hell of a difference between cap stream, 398 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 5: which is has challenges in itself, and a surgery, you 399 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 5: know what I mean. So I'm just not sure, you know, 400 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 5: physically that he was really in that great shape when 401 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 5: he went out there, you know, And I don't know, 402 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:53,399 Speaker 5: you know, he's been through a lot of rehab and 403 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 5: I think CaTiO, so I think we know he'll be 404 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:58,119 Speaker 5: in he'll have his body that he didn't have in 405 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:00,880 Speaker 5: last year's open up. And you know, I just look 406 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 5: at their openers with Burrow, you know, and the two 407 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 5: losses they've they've had have been very easily wins. I mean, 408 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:12,159 Speaker 5: the referee takes his flag out on AJ on the 409 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:15,080 Speaker 5: AJ greenplay, which is absurd, but they should have won 410 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:17,680 Speaker 5: that game. And how many different times they turned it 411 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:20,359 Speaker 5: over five times and still should have won five ways 412 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 5: against Pittsburgh, So you know, they usually come out of 413 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,200 Speaker 5: the you know, they come out of the box and 414 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:29,439 Speaker 5: play a game there that they should win. 415 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: And Joe's playing behind a better offensive line. They've got 416 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 1: four starters back and the one new guy as a 417 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:37,720 Speaker 1: four time Pro bowler in Orlando Brown Junior. Is this 418 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:42,159 Speaker 1: the year that the offensive line is a strength, not 419 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:45,640 Speaker 1: just good enough, but actually one of the better offensive 420 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 1: lines in the league. 421 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 5: Well, Brown certainly gives them that. They haven't had a 422 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:52,920 Speaker 5: guy like that since Whitworth, you know, really a franchise 423 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:56,840 Speaker 5: bookend left tackle. But you know, I thought they were. 424 00:20:57,800 --> 00:21:02,200 Speaker 5: I think there there. I thought they played for the 425 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 5: most part last year until everybody, you know, get hurt. 426 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 2: And I said this. 427 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 5: Somebody was asking me this on a show the other day. 428 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:12,359 Speaker 5: Well you know, how come how come the line is 429 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:15,359 Speaker 5: so bad? It was? You know, they get to remember 430 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 5: they beat Buffalo with three backup offensive line. Now you 431 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 5: know they lost to Yeah, they couldn't block Chris Jones. 432 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:22,920 Speaker 5: Nobody can, but they were trying to block him with 433 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 5: three backup offensive line. And I thought they were as 434 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:28,520 Speaker 5: they were rolling down the stretch in December. It's proven 435 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 5: by their ten game winning streak that they were. The 436 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:35,960 Speaker 5: offensive line was playing pretty well. I I just you know, Capa, 437 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:39,960 Speaker 5: Harris and Volson gave them, gave them a new look 438 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 5: and a better look. And I thought it was it 439 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 5: was that, you know, I thought they played. I thought 440 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:46,920 Speaker 5: they played well. I thought they played that it was 441 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:49,359 Speaker 5: a I thought it was a strength at some points 442 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:53,119 Speaker 5: in November and decemberuntil everybody get hurt. But you know, 443 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:55,440 Speaker 5: I thought, you know, they won some smath shweouts games 444 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 5: in Pittsburgh and Tennessee, you know, in November when I 445 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:02,240 Speaker 5: and I've seen, you know, I've seen we're offensive lines 446 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 5: for the Bengals that didn't happen that they get that 447 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:09,200 Speaker 5: they can control by those teams. So but Brown makes 448 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 5: them much better, you know, Brown makes them much better. 449 00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 5: And Kapa, Carris and Wolsen been together for a year, 450 00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:18,160 Speaker 5: which I think is also huge, big question mark, of course, 451 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 5: So I think they're better there at those four positions 452 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:21,160 Speaker 5: are better. 453 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:23,840 Speaker 1: Right, Yeah. I do think in the second half last 454 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 1: year they were playing as a top third offensive line 455 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:30,120 Speaker 1: in the NFL. Now, if you think of thirty two teams, 456 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:32,960 Speaker 1: that puts them around tenth or eleventh best. If they're 457 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 1: like that for seventeen games this year, they're going to 458 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:36,920 Speaker 1: put a lot of points on the board. 459 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 5: Yeah, I agree, And you know, and I think we 460 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:44,159 Speaker 5: you know, I think why Brown is I think why 461 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:46,680 Speaker 5: Orlando Brown is a good fit. And I know Willie 462 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:48,640 Speaker 5: Anderson and you were there when Willie Anderson was talking 463 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 5: about a blind side and what really is a blind 464 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:53,920 Speaker 5: side and what is not a blind side? But I 465 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:57,680 Speaker 5: think it's going to help that for Burrow that he 466 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 5: knows that when Orlan you know that he knows Brown 467 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:04,160 Speaker 5: is gonna rarely get beat, and when he does get beat, 468 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:06,399 Speaker 5: it is probably gonna be on the outside. He's not 469 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:08,520 Speaker 5: going to get bold. He's not gonna probably get beat 470 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 5: inside because he's so big, you know, it's just tired 471 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:14,399 Speaker 5: to get around the man. So he knows that. And 472 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 5: I think he knows you know, that's and that's that's 473 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 5: he'll be in a better spot than he has been 474 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 5: in the last couple of years there and uh, you know, 475 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:25,440 Speaker 5: he'll he'll he'll know where to step up, how to 476 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 5: step up, and uh, you know, I think that's gonna 477 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:29,640 Speaker 5: I think that's gonna be a big advantage. And we'll 478 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:32,480 Speaker 5: we'll see, you know, there's you know, they don't do 479 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:34,639 Speaker 5: you know, they don't go into the they don't put 480 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:37,400 Speaker 5: the playbook on the shelf. They're also tweaking with it too, 481 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:40,280 Speaker 5: So you know, you figure they're going to fire something 482 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:44,360 Speaker 5: out that Cleveland that Cleveland hasn't hasn't seen, and who 483 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 5: knows that could be? You know, is that show mixing 484 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:49,639 Speaker 5: in the run game? You know who? Who knows? What 485 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 5: better way to for the Bengals to shock you? And 486 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 5: they come out and maybe and maybe try to nick 487 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 5: Chubby a little bit? You know, So I I think, 488 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 5: you know, I think Zach's done. I think Zach's done 489 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:06,320 Speaker 5: a really good job building this with he in tandem 490 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:09,520 Speaker 5: with Frank Pollack. You know, remember where this offensive line 491 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:11,359 Speaker 5: was just a couple of years ago. It was in tas. 492 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:13,640 Speaker 5: You just got to go back to the last play 493 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 5: to Super Bowl, right, you know? So Zach and Zach 494 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:19,200 Speaker 5: and Pollack I think have done a really, really a 495 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:23,320 Speaker 5: good job because they've also had to marry the past 496 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:24,919 Speaker 5: game with a run game, and I think that's been 497 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 5: a work in progress and I think they've done a 498 00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:28,119 Speaker 5: I think they've done a real good job with that. 499 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 1: Speaking of the running game, do we know who the 500 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 1: third down back is on Sunday? 501 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 5: No, we don't, But like you, it's not keeping me 502 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:36,880 Speaker 5: up nights. I'm going to tell you that I don't think. 503 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 5: I don't think he ever walked out of a Super 504 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 5: Bowl saying, man, if we had well, I don't know. 505 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 5: If we had had that, we had played that guy 506 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 5: six more snaps, maybe we would have won. But I 507 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:49,880 Speaker 5: think it's obviously important. You need guys to come off 508 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:52,919 Speaker 5: the bench. I think people have forgotten about treaty on Williams. 509 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:53,680 Speaker 1: I know he was hurt. 510 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:56,200 Speaker 5: Looks like he's back, but you know, you go back. 511 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 5: I mean, you call the games. Remember, hadn't done anything 512 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:00,440 Speaker 5: he was he was, hadn't done anything for the first 513 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:03,399 Speaker 5: half of the year, comes out of a snowbank in 514 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 5: Pittsburgh in Tennessee, makes huge plays, makes huge contributions in 515 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 5: special teams, picked up the blitz, made some big catches 516 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:13,359 Speaker 5: out of the backfield. I mean, I think, you know, 517 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 5: he's a five year guy. He knows the system, so 518 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:18,680 Speaker 5: you know, you know he's not Yeah, he's not somebody 519 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 5: j pre rhyme. But he hasn't had the opportunities. It's 520 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:24,000 Speaker 5: some I JP his head had so uh. But that's 521 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:26,200 Speaker 5: gonna be interesting. That will be an interesting active list. 522 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,680 Speaker 5: You got to figure, you know, you would think Trevion 523 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:31,920 Speaker 5: being the veteran would be active, But will they go 524 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:34,200 Speaker 5: with Chase Brown or rookie? Will they go with the 525 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:37,159 Speaker 5: receiver Chris Evans? You can probably only keep three active. 526 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 5: And it sounds like, even though you know it sounds 527 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:43,440 Speaker 5: like forty, that Zach is gonna it's it's this is 528 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 5: gonna be a rotation until somebody, until somebody puts their 529 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 5: foot down. So the activation is going to be real 530 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:51,959 Speaker 5: interesting on Sunday. 531 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:54,200 Speaker 1: The good news is that Evans and Brown are both 532 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:56,800 Speaker 1: impressive in the preseason. It wasn't like one of those 533 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 1: guys like, dear God, he's not going to be able 534 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 1: to help. They all look like they can do something. 535 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:02,840 Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, they all look but yeah, I mean yeah, 536 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:05,639 Speaker 5: I mean, uh, you know, they're just like the rookie class. 537 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 5: I mean I thought it was one of the more 538 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 5: impressive rookie you know, just going off at Chase Brown, 539 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:12,879 Speaker 5: you know, and we and we know what Chris Sevans 540 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 5: could do. He's won games for this team, and uh, 541 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:19,919 Speaker 5: but you know, Chase Brown as advertised, but so are 542 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,960 Speaker 5: all the rookies pretty much, which I which I thought 543 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:25,119 Speaker 5: was which I thought was impressive. I can't think of 544 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:27,680 Speaker 5: a of a rookie way said, oh my God, you know, 545 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:30,080 Speaker 5: they might they might have worked there. You know, I 546 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:32,920 Speaker 5: think probably, I think everybody showed up, you know, which 547 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:36,040 Speaker 5: was uh, you know which was which was And they're 548 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:38,480 Speaker 5: gonna have to now whenever, you know, with the way 549 00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:41,920 Speaker 5: the salary is going, you know, with the expected borrow deal, 550 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:44,480 Speaker 5: you know, they're gonna have to They're gonna have to 551 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:46,200 Speaker 5: hit the draft out of the park, you know, just 552 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:49,119 Speaker 5: like they've done for the entire decade. They got to 553 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:49,679 Speaker 5: keep doing it. 554 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 1: Well with Jeff and a Malmo. But here's a quick 555 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:54,760 Speaker 1: reminder that the Bengals Booth podcast is brought to you 556 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:58,120 Speaker 1: by pay Corps. More than twenty nine thousand customers trust 557 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 1: pay Corps to help them recruit, pay, engage, and retain employees. 558 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 1: Learn more at pay corps dot com. What is the 559 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:10,639 Speaker 1: most legitimate concern going into the seasons? Is it the 560 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:12,200 Speaker 1: safeties or is it something else. 561 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 5: I'm not worried about the safeties. Dax still runs like 562 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:19,040 Speaker 5: a deer. Nick Scott's got a Super Bowl rang. Every 563 00:27:19,080 --> 00:27:20,760 Speaker 5: time Dax hill is on the field, he does something. 564 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 5: Bozz not worried about the safeties. Have a little bit 565 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:28,400 Speaker 5: concerned about special teams. You've got a rookie returner, you've 566 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:31,200 Speaker 5: got a Uh, you're gonna have rookie gunners. You're not 567 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 5: gonna have you know, you don't have Mike Thomas as 568 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 5: personal protector. You don't have Stanley Morgan as a gunner 569 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 5: or as a core teamer. So you've got you know, 570 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:42,639 Speaker 5: you've got you've got a rookie punter, You've got a 571 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:46,879 Speaker 5: you've got a rookie punt returner. You know, you've got 572 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:50,480 Speaker 5: rookies and key positions on teams. Uh, that's a little 573 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 5: bit of a concern, but I have, I have. You know, 574 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:54,639 Speaker 5: I'm a Darren Simmons believer. We all should be a 575 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:57,320 Speaker 5: Darren Simmons leader. In his twenty first season, you know, 576 00:27:57,400 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 5: he's gonna find a way to make it work. And 577 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:02,760 Speaker 5: you know, I mean, you know, money maclooks as good 578 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:05,600 Speaker 5: as ever what perfect in the preseason three from fifty 579 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:08,920 Speaker 5: you know, so, uh that makes you feel good too. 580 00:28:09,119 --> 00:28:12,480 Speaker 5: So I guess that you know that that I guess 581 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:15,680 Speaker 5: you know, that's pretty good. If if like if the 582 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:18,359 Speaker 5: gunners are keeping up at night, you know, I mean, 583 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:20,480 Speaker 5: that's that shows you how deep your club is. But 584 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 5: I guess you know, the probably the overriding concern is 585 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:26,640 Speaker 5: just this offense hasn't been hasn't been together. They haven't 586 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,920 Speaker 5: taken a snap together. You know, Borrow hasn't played for 587 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:32,440 Speaker 5: five weeks. That's the concern. The concern is they go 588 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:35,520 Speaker 5: out there and they're invisible in the first half because 589 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:38,560 Speaker 5: it's their you know, because it's the you know, their 590 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:41,240 Speaker 5: preseason is going to be the first half, and what's 591 00:28:41,280 --> 00:28:43,080 Speaker 5: that going to look like. That's a concern. I mean, 592 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 5: but like I say, they've been together for so long, 593 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 5: and Zach and Brian and Pitcher have been together for 594 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:50,680 Speaker 5: so long coaching wise, you just feel like that they 595 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:51,440 Speaker 5: can overcome that. 596 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:56,040 Speaker 1: I think tight end is the biggest concern, largely because 597 00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:59,080 Speaker 1: of earth Smith Junior's recent injury history. I think if 598 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:00,920 Speaker 1: he's healthy, he's going to be able to put up 599 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 1: similar numbers to ce j U Zama and Hayden Hurst. 600 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 1: So we'll see. 601 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:05,400 Speaker 5: Uh. 602 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:08,240 Speaker 1: But with Drew Sample coming back from a serious injury, 603 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:11,320 Speaker 1: Mitch Willcox coming back from a serious injury, Tanner Hudson 604 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:14,400 Speaker 1: begins the year on the practice squad, that position group, 605 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: to me, is the biggest question mark. It doesn't mean 606 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 1: that they're not going to be productive. Like I said, 607 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 1: I think a healthy earth Smith Junior should be pretty good. 608 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:24,680 Speaker 5: But we'll see, right if he's hurt, I mean one 609 00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:28,360 Speaker 5: of his what if his injury history continues? And then 610 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 5: you know, I I it's a good point. That's a 611 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 5: that's a good point because you just kind of you're forgetting. 612 00:29:34,040 --> 00:29:37,520 Speaker 5: You just plug in, you plug in RV for CJ 613 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 5: and Hayden Hurst numbers. You know, you just assume, oh, 614 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:43,320 Speaker 5: he'll get he'll catch fifty balls because he's with Borrow, 615 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 5: you know, and they have and then they're gonna and 616 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 5: they can't cover him because they got to cover the 617 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 5: three wide receivers. But you know, you just have to 618 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:53,600 Speaker 5: hope that he's uh healthy. But it certainly seems like 619 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:56,440 Speaker 5: they've got a I'm not saying that Tanner Hudson is 620 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 5: IRV Smith, but you know, it looks like Tanner Hudson 621 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 5: catch some balls for you. But yeah, I mean it's 622 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:06,440 Speaker 5: a but again, it's not a it's an important position, 623 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:09,320 Speaker 5: but I'm not sure it's a I'm not sure it's 624 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 5: a killer position. But then I say that, and and 625 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:14,440 Speaker 5: then I think of what a big factors CJ was 626 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:16,440 Speaker 5: in some of those games in twenty one and some 627 00:30:16,560 --> 00:30:18,680 Speaker 5: of the big catches that Hayden had down to stretch. 628 00:30:18,760 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 5: So you know, you're just you know, you hope that 629 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:23,360 Speaker 5: Hayden's you know, you hope a nerve is healthy. 630 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:26,880 Speaker 1: All right, let's put the finishing touch on training Camp. 631 00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:33,840 Speaker 1: Who is your most outstanding veteran offensive player of Training Camp? 632 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:37,320 Speaker 5: Angles dot Com doesn't have a coveted award for that. 633 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:41,040 Speaker 5: We may, we may, we may evolved, But I would say, 634 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 5: I would say whatrdy, And I watched a lot of 635 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:45,320 Speaker 5: the stuff standing next to you, so I'll be interested 636 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:47,840 Speaker 5: in your reaction. But I mean I thought T Higgins 637 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:52,120 Speaker 5: quietly had a monstrous camp. I thought I thought he 638 00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 5: was he caught everything thrown at, you know, and uh, 639 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:59,360 Speaker 5: you know, granted a Woozier wasn't out there, but I 640 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:01,479 Speaker 5: mean he was. You know, there was some pretty good 641 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:04,160 Speaker 5: coverage there, and he's just every time I look at 642 00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:05,959 Speaker 5: the Higgins, I get the same reactions when I look 643 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:10,560 Speaker 5: at Borrow. They're so tall, they're so tall, and yet 644 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:12,720 Speaker 5: the things they do, they just don't play that way. 645 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:14,720 Speaker 5: But then you see him out there and just T 646 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:16,920 Speaker 5: is just a monster. He is. I thought he had 647 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 5: a great camp. 648 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:20,640 Speaker 1: I agree, hard to go wrong with Chase or Higgins. 649 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:23,240 Speaker 1: I mean they make great plays day after day after day. 650 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:25,800 Speaker 1: I would throw Trenton Irwin in there as just a 651 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 1: guy that you never really think about, and then at 652 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 1: the end of every practice, huh, Trenton Irwin had seven 653 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:33,640 Speaker 1: more catches today. But none of those guys is my answer. 654 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 1: My answer is Cordel Volson. I think Volson is primed 655 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:41,480 Speaker 1: to just make this huge step forward. He's ten pounds 656 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:46,640 Speaker 1: of muscle, bigger, lowest fat percentage of any offensive lineman 657 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,680 Speaker 1: on the team. We know he's, you know, tremendous work ethic, 658 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 1: very smart player. I think Cordel Volson takes a big 659 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:54,240 Speaker 1: step in year two. 660 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 5: Well, Joe mixonergrees you because he says he's a future 661 00:31:57,320 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 5: Hall of Famer or a potential Hall of Famer, So 662 00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:01,320 Speaker 5: know what Mixing thinks about. 663 00:32:01,120 --> 00:32:04,080 Speaker 1: Him, I'm not willing to go quite that far. 664 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:07,240 Speaker 5: You know another guy you know what as as and 665 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:08,880 Speaker 5: you know you were you were good to go look 666 00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 5: at the line because I I kind of went the 667 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:12,640 Speaker 5: lazy way out in training camp. You never look at 668 00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 5: those guys. But Trey Hendrickson is a guy too that 669 00:32:15,520 --> 00:32:17,720 Speaker 5: maybe you could have. Oh no, we're talking defense. 670 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:21,000 Speaker 1: Let's move to defense. Is he your most outstanding defensive veteran? 671 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:24,160 Speaker 5: No, because I because I'm again I'm taking a lazy 672 00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:25,640 Speaker 5: way out. I'm looking at the segment. You gotta go 673 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:27,680 Speaker 5: with Mike Hilton. I mean, Mike Hilton did everything. I mean, 674 00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:33,120 Speaker 5: I mean, you know, he did everything but private golf card. Yeah, 675 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:36,520 Speaker 5: maybe he did that too, But I thought Hilton was 676 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:38,400 Speaker 5: terrific with that. But you got I think you got 677 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:41,160 Speaker 5: to say something about Hendrickson too, because Hendrickson is just uh, 678 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 5: and he's going you know, he's going up against Orlando Brown, 679 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:46,400 Speaker 5: and so that's not an easy matchup, but he's just 680 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:50,000 Speaker 5: that was a great matchup. And Henderson just he keeps uh, 681 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:54,680 Speaker 5: he just he. I thought he showed just how how 682 00:32:54,920 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 5: or where his mentality is. He doesn't care if it's 683 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:00,160 Speaker 5: a game, if it's a practice, or he just uh, 684 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:03,520 Speaker 5: he's just going hot, you know. And I saw it. 685 00:33:03,520 --> 00:33:06,320 Speaker 5: But I but you can't. I mean, Hilton, what I mean, 686 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:08,760 Speaker 5: every time you looked up Hilton had picked six, it seemed. 687 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:11,360 Speaker 1: Like they are my one and one A and I 688 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:13,480 Speaker 1: agree with that order. Mike Hilton would be my most 689 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:16,920 Speaker 1: outstanding veteran defensive player. He had more interceptions in training 690 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 1: camp than he's ever had before in his life. He 691 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:21,560 Speaker 1: had a bunch of quote unquote sacks where you touch 692 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:24,840 Speaker 1: the quarterback, you can't hit him. Obviously, during training camp, 693 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:28,680 Speaker 1: you know, he's showing seven years of NFL experience and 694 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:31,960 Speaker 1: talent and it's all coming together as the best slot 695 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 1: corner in the NFL. 696 00:33:33,480 --> 00:33:35,360 Speaker 5: And obviously we know what his teammates think of him, 697 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:37,840 Speaker 5: because they just voted him a captain for the first time. 698 00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 5: And maybe we'll have to name it will be the 699 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:43,680 Speaker 5: maybe the Mike Hilton Training Camp Defensive Player of the 700 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:46,240 Speaker 5: Year of wolpengles dot Com Award next year, will name 701 00:33:46,280 --> 00:33:48,800 Speaker 5: it after Mike because he deserves. 702 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:52,320 Speaker 1: He does deserve it, all right, most outstanding offensive rookie, 703 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 1: Yeah right, it. 704 00:33:54,800 --> 00:33:57,160 Speaker 5: Has to be, got to be, has to be, has 705 00:33:57,240 --> 00:33:59,640 Speaker 5: to yeah, I mean the guy caught everything and then 706 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:01,760 Speaker 5: did you go right to the defense. The other guy 707 00:34:01,840 --> 00:34:04,479 Speaker 5: has to be the guy who was always covered DJ Turner, correct, 708 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:06,400 Speaker 5: the guy who was always covered him. They were in 709 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:08,279 Speaker 5: they always seem to be in the same frame. Eighty 710 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:10,319 Speaker 5: and twenty I think goes to the two. 711 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:13,600 Speaker 1: We are in agreement on both of those guys. Yo, 712 00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:16,160 Speaker 1: si Vash is an amazing story to me. I mean, 713 00:34:17,160 --> 00:34:19,640 Speaker 1: he might have been able to be an Olympic to 714 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:23,200 Speaker 1: cathlete a year from now in Paris in the Summer 715 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:27,760 Speaker 1: Olympics because he did the heptathlon, because that's the indoor 716 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:32,640 Speaker 1: version of the dcathlon. Had he had fall and summer 717 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:34,800 Speaker 1: to just work on track and wasn't trying to be 718 00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:37,080 Speaker 1: an NFL football player, he could be one of the 719 00:34:37,160 --> 00:34:41,560 Speaker 1: top dcathletes in the world and be, you know, trying 720 00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:43,200 Speaker 1: to compete for a gold medal next summer. 721 00:34:43,880 --> 00:34:45,680 Speaker 5: I mean, this was a guy who was like the 722 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:48,959 Speaker 5: youngest you know, he's like the youngest secondary black belt 723 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:52,719 Speaker 5: in Hawaii, I think. And I mean he was in 724 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:55,520 Speaker 5: Hawaii in the state in the state track meet. They 725 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:57,840 Speaker 5: he could only go in four events and they let 726 00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:00,880 Speaker 5: him go in five and he want five gold medals. 727 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:06,719 Speaker 5: So I mean, this guy's athleticism is just is like unquestioned, 728 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:09,799 Speaker 5: you know. I think the only question about him was Kenny, 729 00:35:10,520 --> 00:35:13,960 Speaker 5: you know, can he catch? And yes he can't, because 730 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:16,239 Speaker 5: you know he and he's just he can tell he's 731 00:35:16,280 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 5: just kind of learning how to how to do it, 732 00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:20,800 Speaker 5: you know. I mean, really, you know, think about that 733 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:24,640 Speaker 5: boardy I mean his he he's never really only played football. 734 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:26,520 Speaker 5: What's he going to be like after he only plays 735 00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:28,279 Speaker 5: football for two years and he's not out? 736 00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:32,560 Speaker 1: You know, Vault never did spring football at Princeton. 737 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 5: It's an amazing story. Talk to Bob Serras's his coach 738 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:40,400 Speaker 5: at Princeton, you know, and uh, it's it's to have 739 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:42,960 Speaker 5: a guy walk like that into his you know, he 740 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:46,040 Speaker 5: didn't know who the guy was from Adam watched him play, 741 00:35:46,120 --> 00:35:48,240 Speaker 5: and then he went from doing a guy a favor 742 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:51,440 Speaker 5: to don't let him get on the plane, you know. 743 00:35:51,680 --> 00:35:54,839 Speaker 5: And so because that's how you know, I think Bob 744 00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:56,879 Speaker 5: kind of envisioned he would be looking up and looking 745 00:35:56,880 --> 00:35:59,320 Speaker 5: at a guy playing at Boshington College or Duke or 746 00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:01,719 Speaker 5: something like that, if you let him out of the play. 747 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:03,800 Speaker 5: It's amazing that a kind of like that could kind of, 748 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:07,239 Speaker 5: you know, go go so far under the radar. No 749 00:36:07,480 --> 00:36:08,719 Speaker 5: No Power five took a. 750 00:36:08,719 --> 00:36:13,400 Speaker 1: Shot specifically Stanford, because he made it abundantly clear to 751 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:15,640 Speaker 1: Stanford that that was where he wanted to go. He 752 00:36:15,719 --> 00:36:18,200 Speaker 1: went to their football camp, he made every effort to 753 00:36:18,280 --> 00:36:21,160 Speaker 1: try to get noticed by Stanford, and for whatever reason, 754 00:36:21,200 --> 00:36:22,000 Speaker 1: they looked the other way. 755 00:36:22,719 --> 00:36:24,960 Speaker 5: Well, the guy from Stanford noticed them. They just had 756 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:28,600 Speaker 5: the Bengals wide receivers coach Troy Wallers. 757 00:36:30,040 --> 00:36:32,719 Speaker 1: That's correct. And in a year where a sixth round 758 00:36:32,719 --> 00:36:36,359 Speaker 1: Bengals draft pick has entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame, 759 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:40,000 Speaker 1: they have landed on another seemingly impressive sixth round draft 760 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:43,240 Speaker 1: pick in andre Yosi vash Let's look ahead to Sunday 761 00:36:43,239 --> 00:36:45,920 Speaker 1: in Cleveland. Browns were seven to ten last year. They 762 00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:49,400 Speaker 1: choked away several games that they should have won. They 763 00:36:49,480 --> 00:36:53,160 Speaker 1: didn't have Deshaun Watson for the first eleven games. Now 764 00:36:53,280 --> 00:36:56,880 Speaker 1: he's had a normal off season and preseason. He played 765 00:36:56,920 --> 00:36:59,600 Speaker 1: in some of the preseason games. We know about Chubb, 766 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:02,200 Speaker 1: we know about Garrett. They spent a ton of money 767 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:06,120 Speaker 1: on their defense in free agency. How good are the Browns? 768 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:09,480 Speaker 5: Well, on paper, they're a lot better than they were. 769 00:37:10,520 --> 00:37:13,600 Speaker 5: You know, I think as it plays out, they're only 770 00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:15,759 Speaker 5: going to be as good as Chubb, you know, I mean, 771 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:17,280 Speaker 5: that's there, that's their meal ticket. 772 00:37:17,520 --> 00:37:18,600 Speaker 1: Not as good as Watson. 773 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:21,240 Speaker 5: Well, I think I think Chubb makes Watson. 774 00:37:21,719 --> 00:37:24,160 Speaker 1: But but Chubb had fifteen hundred yards last year and 775 00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:26,480 Speaker 1: they weren't any good. I mean, he can you know, 776 00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:28,640 Speaker 1: he could have a little more than that. But to me, 777 00:37:28,840 --> 00:37:31,239 Speaker 1: it's Watson's got to be closer to what he was 778 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:33,759 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty than what he looked like in those 779 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:35,640 Speaker 1: six games last year. To me, that's the key. 780 00:37:36,239 --> 00:37:39,439 Speaker 5: I mean, I just assume he's going to be better 781 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:41,719 Speaker 5: than that. I assure he. 782 00:37:41,760 --> 00:37:44,880 Speaker 1: May never be what he was in Houston again, who knows, 783 00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:47,239 Speaker 1: but there's no way he's as bad as he was 784 00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:49,040 Speaker 1: last year, right, right, But. 785 00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:52,120 Speaker 5: You'd better make him one dimensional, you know, so I 786 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:54,080 Speaker 5: think the key. You know, you still have to stop 787 00:37:54,320 --> 00:37:57,560 Speaker 5: stop Chubb. I mean, I but you know we know 788 00:37:57,719 --> 00:37:59,920 Speaker 5: that that that Watson of Houston, We know it all 789 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:02,719 Speaker 5: all too well. He came into pay Corps and won 790 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:06,000 Speaker 5: his first NFL start, and he didn't exactly sip them 791 00:38:06,080 --> 00:38:08,680 Speaker 5: doing it. As you know, he broke away, He broke 792 00:38:08,719 --> 00:38:10,560 Speaker 5: a third and ten in the last He broke a 793 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:13,200 Speaker 5: third and ten scramble on the last play at the 794 00:38:13,280 --> 00:38:15,239 Speaker 5: first half, right and went for forty eight yards. And 795 00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:17,600 Speaker 5: I don't know if he can do that nowadays. But 796 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:20,920 Speaker 5: I think you would rather have Watson beat you than 797 00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:23,839 Speaker 5: get him or at least tried to beat you. Then 798 00:38:23,920 --> 00:38:25,799 Speaker 5: get into what you know they get into, because that's 799 00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:28,000 Speaker 5: that's how this team is to me, that's how this 800 00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:32,360 Speaker 5: team has not not not fared well against Cleveland in 801 00:38:32,440 --> 00:38:35,200 Speaker 5: the last you know, six years or whatever, going back 802 00:38:35,239 --> 00:38:38,759 Speaker 5: to Baker Makefield, because they've been able to run the 803 00:38:38,800 --> 00:38:41,239 Speaker 5: ball on the Bengals. Why, I don't know, because the 804 00:38:41,239 --> 00:38:44,600 Speaker 5: Bengals are have been pretty good against the run once, 805 00:38:44,680 --> 00:38:47,799 Speaker 5: you know, once they got DJ Reader, and I think 806 00:38:47,840 --> 00:38:50,239 Speaker 5: they'll be real tough to run against Sunday Cleveland. I 807 00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:53,360 Speaker 5: think I know the Browns have those two guys. To me, 808 00:38:53,480 --> 00:38:56,000 Speaker 5: the game is going to be decided by the Browns 809 00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:59,359 Speaker 5: offensive line and the Bengals defensive line. Browns have two 810 00:38:59,719 --> 00:39:02,400 Speaker 5: offensive guys and if and if they get two Pro 811 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:07,839 Speaker 5: Bowl offensive guys Buttonio and not and Wyatt, uh yeah 812 00:39:07,960 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 5: not whyet or but they are going to uh but 813 00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:13,719 Speaker 5: tell them on boys, Stroonio, you know they I mean, 814 00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:15,560 Speaker 5: if they get chased, you know, if they get Chubb going, 815 00:39:15,640 --> 00:39:18,600 Speaker 5: it's it's a different game. And if they can you know, 816 00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:21,160 Speaker 5: I mean, they're going to rotate. That's the whole the 817 00:39:21,320 --> 00:39:23,520 Speaker 5: Browns defenses, their whole thing is going to rotate. And 818 00:39:23,600 --> 00:39:25,640 Speaker 5: I think you're gonna I think you're going to see 819 00:39:25,680 --> 00:39:27,480 Speaker 5: probably the Bengals throw a lot of those. You know, 820 00:39:27,800 --> 00:39:29,680 Speaker 5: I think all those tackles are going to play a 821 00:39:29,760 --> 00:39:33,359 Speaker 5: lot might see three linebackers. You know, I just think you'll, uh. 822 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:36,640 Speaker 5: I think lou Will I think lou Will dare Watson 823 00:39:36,680 --> 00:39:37,360 Speaker 5: to be Watson. 824 00:39:37,920 --> 00:39:41,040 Speaker 1: Well, when the Bengals beat the Browns last year and 825 00:39:41,120 --> 00:39:44,440 Speaker 1: finally got a win with Joe burrowyd quarterback against Cleveland, 826 00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:47,040 Speaker 1: the key to the victory was holding Nick Chubb to 827 00:39:47,120 --> 00:39:48,640 Speaker 1: fewer than three yards per carry. 828 00:39:48,680 --> 00:39:51,960 Speaker 5: That was the bottom line, right exactly. That's what that's 829 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:55,320 Speaker 5: all decided on the on the on the linked front Sunday. 830 00:39:55,400 --> 00:39:58,839 Speaker 5: We'll just will be uh because if you know, if 831 00:39:58,920 --> 00:40:01,399 Speaker 5: Chubb gets going and Watson is going to be running wild. 832 00:40:02,120 --> 00:40:05,520 Speaker 1: All right, final topic before we wrap things up, give 833 00:40:05,560 --> 00:40:09,600 Speaker 1: me your order in the AFC North this year. 834 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:11,879 Speaker 5: Good. I'm glad you didn't ask them what the records are. 835 00:40:11,800 --> 00:40:14,560 Speaker 1: Going to be, But feel free to throw that in 836 00:40:14,680 --> 00:40:15,120 Speaker 1: if you'd like. 837 00:40:16,360 --> 00:40:23,359 Speaker 5: Cincinnati, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cleveland. But I don't feel I mean, 838 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:26,239 Speaker 5: I you know, since since since he's about the only 839 00:40:26,280 --> 00:40:28,279 Speaker 5: good thing I feel good about the other three, it 840 00:40:28,320 --> 00:40:32,680 Speaker 5: could be Could it be the Bengals battling with Baltimore? 841 00:40:33,560 --> 00:40:35,920 Speaker 5: Maybe but I could also see them being in a 842 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:40,320 Speaker 5: being in a tractor pull with Pittsburgh or with Cleveland. 843 00:40:40,440 --> 00:40:43,160 Speaker 5: I mean, I you know, I just it's in because 844 00:40:43,200 --> 00:40:46,439 Speaker 5: Pittsburgh and Cleveland are kind of in the same well yeah, 845 00:40:46,480 --> 00:40:48,040 Speaker 5: but they're kind of in the same boat. They're kind 846 00:40:48,080 --> 00:40:50,400 Speaker 5: of remade, you know, Pittsburgh and Cleveland a kind of remade. 847 00:40:50,600 --> 00:40:52,920 Speaker 5: Although Pittsburgh had a nice little finish, had a nice 848 00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:56,440 Speaker 5: little run to end it. So you know, you've got 849 00:40:56,560 --> 00:40:59,400 Speaker 5: to give Baltimore the edge and second place because of 850 00:40:59,560 --> 00:41:01,440 Speaker 5: my eye and to me, you got to give Pittsburgh 851 00:41:01,480 --> 00:41:04,920 Speaker 5: the edge of a Cleveland because Pickett is Pickett Is, 852 00:41:05,080 --> 00:41:07,759 Speaker 5: you know, did well down the stretch, you know, and 853 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:10,960 Speaker 5: Watson has still proud himself. But I talked to a 854 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:13,239 Speaker 5: guy today who said he thinks everybody's going to finish 855 00:41:13,320 --> 00:41:14,120 Speaker 5: ten and seven. 856 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:21,640 Speaker 1: Division Cincinnati, Baltimore, then Cleveland, then Pittsburgh. This is the 857 00:41:21,760 --> 00:41:24,640 Speaker 1: year that the Steelers finally finished with a losing record 858 00:41:24,719 --> 00:41:28,080 Speaker 1: under Mike Tomlin. They haven't yet in sixteen years, but 859 00:41:28,200 --> 00:41:31,520 Speaker 1: this year they go a game under five hundred. Keep 860 00:41:31,560 --> 00:41:33,640 Speaker 1: in mind he has had three seasons where they went 861 00:41:33,719 --> 00:41:36,200 Speaker 1: exactly five hundred, so it's not like they win eleven 862 00:41:36,280 --> 00:41:38,759 Speaker 1: games every year, they missed the playoffs three out of 863 00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:42,560 Speaker 1: the last five. Kenny Pickett did have a good home stretch, 864 00:41:42,960 --> 00:41:45,520 Speaker 1: but I still think he's the least talented of the 865 00:41:45,560 --> 00:41:48,960 Speaker 1: four quarterbacks in the division. I think because the division 866 00:41:49,040 --> 00:41:51,640 Speaker 1: is so tough, this is the year that the Steelers 867 00:41:52,200 --> 00:41:53,840 Speaker 1: just barely finish under five hundred. 868 00:41:54,560 --> 00:41:59,440 Speaker 5: Yeah, it's also too Cleveland might have the second best defense, 869 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:02,640 Speaker 5: you know, behind the Bengals to it. Actually, Cleveland might 870 00:42:02,719 --> 00:42:05,120 Speaker 5: actually have a defender defense than Baltimore Pittsburgh. 871 00:42:06,040 --> 00:42:08,120 Speaker 1: They might. They couldn't stop the run last year, but 872 00:42:08,200 --> 00:42:10,160 Speaker 1: they've certainly spent a lot of money trying to fix that. 873 00:42:10,480 --> 00:42:16,400 Speaker 1: So they Tomlinson and Zadarius Smith and the giant that 874 00:42:16,520 --> 00:42:19,400 Speaker 1: they drafted from Baylor, you know, helped shore up that 875 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:22,480 Speaker 1: interior defensive line. I think it should be a really 876 00:42:22,520 --> 00:42:23,080 Speaker 1: good defense. 877 00:42:23,560 --> 00:42:25,960 Speaker 5: I mean, on paper, I think it's I think it 878 00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:29,120 Speaker 5: can challenge you know, I think it's on paper it's better. 879 00:42:29,280 --> 00:42:31,759 Speaker 5: But you know, well, like I say, you still have 880 00:42:31,880 --> 00:42:35,400 Speaker 5: to you know, a factor in that They're they're going 881 00:42:35,480 --> 00:42:37,040 Speaker 5: to be evolving under Schwartz. 882 00:42:37,840 --> 00:42:39,840 Speaker 1: Yep, it's going to look very different in the final 883 00:42:39,880 --> 00:42:41,680 Speaker 1: game of the regular season than it will in Week 884 00:42:41,760 --> 00:42:44,320 Speaker 1: one with the Bengals playing them on both ends, and 885 00:42:44,360 --> 00:42:46,560 Speaker 1: who knows, maybe a third time in the postseason. It's 886 00:42:46,560 --> 00:42:50,160 Speaker 1: certainly possible. All right, I'm looking forward to it. I 887 00:42:50,239 --> 00:42:54,600 Speaker 1: appreciate your time as always, see in the building tomorrow, Orty. 888 00:42:54,640 --> 00:42:57,480 Speaker 5: I appreciate it. Sounds good. I know Kerry Hobson will 889 00:42:57,480 --> 00:43:01,719 Speaker 5: be very happy to hear this, as Freddy franchise is 890 00:43:02,080 --> 00:43:05,359 Speaker 5: continues to follow the Bengals ten months old. 891 00:43:05,520 --> 00:43:08,840 Speaker 1: It's huge. The Bengals Booth podcast is brought to you 892 00:43:08,920 --> 00:43:13,520 Speaker 1: by Alta Fiber, future proof fiber Internet capable of delivering 893 00:43:13,680 --> 00:43:16,840 Speaker 1: multi gigabit speeds designed to take your home, business, and 894 00:43:17,000 --> 00:43:22,080 Speaker 1: community to a new level. Elevate your connection with Alta Fiber. Finally, 895 00:43:22,320 --> 00:43:25,320 Speaker 1: it's time for our Know the Faux segment. As you 896 00:43:25,520 --> 00:43:29,080 Speaker 1: undoubtedly know, the Cleveland Browns have given Joe Burrow more 897 00:43:29,160 --> 00:43:33,000 Speaker 1: trouble than any other opponent. He dropped his first four 898 00:43:33,080 --> 00:43:37,080 Speaker 1: starts against Cleveland before finally beating the Browns last December. 899 00:43:37,640 --> 00:43:40,960 Speaker 1: But the problem really hasn't been Burrow, It's been stopping 900 00:43:41,040 --> 00:43:45,040 Speaker 1: the Browns. In Joe's four losses against Cleveland, the Browns 901 00:43:45,040 --> 00:43:48,279 Speaker 1: have averaged thirty six points and have scored at least 902 00:43:48,360 --> 00:43:52,640 Speaker 1: thirty two in every game. Tony Grossi has been covering 903 00:43:52,680 --> 00:43:56,080 Speaker 1: the Browns since the Bernie Cosar days, and when he 904 00:43:56,280 --> 00:43:58,399 Speaker 1: joined Dave Lapham and me on the Bengals Game Plan 905 00:43:58,520 --> 00:44:02,680 Speaker 1: Show this week, I asked him about Cleveland's current quarterback, 906 00:44:03,000 --> 00:44:03,960 Speaker 1: DeShawn Watson. 907 00:44:05,360 --> 00:44:09,720 Speaker 6: Watson's in a great place this year, great place mentally, 908 00:44:10,080 --> 00:44:16,080 Speaker 6: great place physically. He has only appeared briefly in two 909 00:44:16,120 --> 00:44:20,520 Speaker 6: of the preseason games. He moved the team each time 910 00:44:20,600 --> 00:44:23,520 Speaker 6: he was out there, but you could tell that they're 911 00:44:23,600 --> 00:44:29,040 Speaker 6: concealing a lot on offense and really the final product 912 00:44:29,120 --> 00:44:32,680 Speaker 6: of it's going to be a different offense from what 913 00:44:32,840 --> 00:44:36,000 Speaker 6: we all saw last year, even in the six games 914 00:44:36,400 --> 00:44:39,399 Speaker 6: that Watson got on the field. So they've incorporated, they've 915 00:44:39,440 --> 00:44:43,160 Speaker 6: had the whole offseason. He and Kevin Savanski and Alex 916 00:44:43,239 --> 00:44:47,560 Speaker 6: van Pelt, the offensive coordinator, they've they've they've you know, 917 00:44:47,760 --> 00:44:51,800 Speaker 6: they've been meeting since April to tailor this offense to 918 00:44:51,920 --> 00:44:55,759 Speaker 6: Deshaun Watson, and we're really looking forward to seeing what 919 00:44:55,880 --> 00:44:59,480 Speaker 6: the end product is. You know, obviously they'll be more passing, 920 00:45:00,080 --> 00:45:04,320 Speaker 6: more three receiver sets and how that how that affects 921 00:45:04,640 --> 00:45:06,960 Speaker 6: Nick Chubb is kind of like the big mystery to us. 922 00:45:09,080 --> 00:45:10,680 Speaker 7: Yeah, that's what I was going to say, Boy, you 923 00:45:10,760 --> 00:45:13,239 Speaker 7: have a weapon like Nick Chubb. I mean, you don't 924 00:45:13,280 --> 00:45:16,279 Speaker 7: want to totally get away from what this guy can 925 00:45:16,360 --> 00:45:19,360 Speaker 7: provide for you. That's an interesting dynamic there that that 926 00:45:19,480 --> 00:45:23,160 Speaker 7: they're going through. How About defensively with the addition of 927 00:45:23,280 --> 00:45:25,359 Speaker 7: Jim Schwartz. I have a lot of respect for uh 928 00:45:25,760 --> 00:45:28,120 Speaker 7: for what Jim Schwartz brings to the table from a 929 00:45:28,160 --> 00:45:33,239 Speaker 7: schematic standpoint, the aggressive mindset that he has. I think 930 00:45:33,280 --> 00:45:36,719 Speaker 7: he's a master at creating one on one pass rush 931 00:45:36,800 --> 00:45:41,759 Speaker 7: opportunities for his best his best rush people. I think 932 00:45:41,840 --> 00:45:45,800 Speaker 7: the guy is really a talented defensive coordinator. Have the 933 00:45:45,840 --> 00:45:46,920 Speaker 7: players responded to. 934 00:45:47,000 --> 00:45:51,880 Speaker 6: Him, Yeah, Dave. When Schwartz was hired, and it was 935 00:45:52,160 --> 00:45:56,279 Speaker 6: it was really shortly after the season ended last year. 936 00:45:56,320 --> 00:45:59,120 Speaker 6: When he was hired, I thought he was going to 937 00:45:59,160 --> 00:46:02,360 Speaker 6: be the most import important new face in the building, 938 00:46:02,520 --> 00:46:06,040 Speaker 6: including all new players and anybody else they brought in. 939 00:46:06,280 --> 00:46:09,759 Speaker 6: And I could say after four preseason games in the 940 00:46:09,840 --> 00:46:12,560 Speaker 6: training camp, I'm going to be right on that. I mean, 941 00:46:12,640 --> 00:46:17,399 Speaker 6: he has made a profound impact. They have completely completely 942 00:46:17,520 --> 00:46:20,840 Speaker 6: redone their defensive line. The only guy you'll recognize is 943 00:46:20,880 --> 00:46:25,200 Speaker 6: Miles Garrett. And they've invested a lot in new tackles, 944 00:46:26,000 --> 00:46:30,240 Speaker 6: two new defensive ends, and you know, Schwartz's whole idea 945 00:46:30,280 --> 00:46:33,560 Speaker 6: is to come at you in waves. He needs seven 946 00:46:33,560 --> 00:46:37,360 Speaker 6: to eight deep, which the Browns have not been nearly 947 00:46:37,520 --> 00:46:40,880 Speaker 6: close to that in recent years. So it's very defensive 948 00:46:40,960 --> 00:46:44,960 Speaker 6: line oriented and it you know, they scored two safeties 949 00:46:45,120 --> 00:46:48,719 Speaker 6: and a pick six in the preseason. They held their 950 00:46:49,160 --> 00:46:51,480 Speaker 6: you know, it's only preseason, but it's what we got 951 00:46:51,520 --> 00:46:54,480 Speaker 6: to go on. They held their four preseason opponents to 952 00:46:54,719 --> 00:46:59,120 Speaker 6: fifteen percent and third down conversions. I mean, geez, that's 953 00:46:59,200 --> 00:47:01,720 Speaker 6: not going to keep up, but it's a big change 954 00:47:01,800 --> 00:47:04,120 Speaker 6: from forty percent of a year ago. 955 00:47:05,480 --> 00:47:08,600 Speaker 1: Tony Grossie is our guest. Let's talk about the Browns 956 00:47:08,680 --> 00:47:13,320 Speaker 1: best cornerback. Two time Pro Bowler Denzel Ward suffered a concussion, 957 00:47:13,600 --> 00:47:15,880 Speaker 1: the fourth of his pro football career in that final 958 00:47:15,920 --> 00:47:19,480 Speaker 1: preseason game. What do you think will Denzel Ward play 959 00:47:19,560 --> 00:47:20,120 Speaker 1: on Sunday? 960 00:47:21,840 --> 00:47:24,399 Speaker 6: He was on the practice field today for the first 961 00:47:24,480 --> 00:47:28,640 Speaker 6: time since the preseason finale in August twenty sixth. He 962 00:47:28,800 --> 00:47:31,920 Speaker 6: was listed as limited. In the open period that the 963 00:47:32,040 --> 00:47:35,600 Speaker 6: media was able to view. He was participating in the 964 00:47:35,680 --> 00:47:38,560 Speaker 6: position drills with the other dbs and looked great to me. 965 00:47:38,840 --> 00:47:42,640 Speaker 6: So I guess part of the protocol he's still technically 966 00:47:42,760 --> 00:47:48,880 Speaker 6: in protocol, and part of that depends on how he 967 00:47:49,040 --> 00:47:52,120 Speaker 6: reacts overnight. Does he have a headache, you know, does 968 00:47:52,160 --> 00:47:54,600 Speaker 6: he get through it? It appears that he'll be ready 969 00:47:54,640 --> 00:47:56,960 Speaker 6: to go, but these things are unpredictable. 970 00:47:57,719 --> 00:48:02,960 Speaker 7: You mentioned the acquisitions with the defensive line, because the 971 00:48:04,160 --> 00:48:07,200 Speaker 7: Brown's defense got gashed in the middle, it seemed like 972 00:48:07,280 --> 00:48:10,200 Speaker 7: in the running game pretty regularly last year. Picking up 973 00:48:10,280 --> 00:48:14,680 Speaker 7: Dalvin Tomlinson is huge, But how stirring has the battle 974 00:48:14,800 --> 00:48:17,880 Speaker 7: been between what I think is a top five offensive 975 00:48:17,920 --> 00:48:20,400 Speaker 7: line in the NFL that the Cleveland Browns have with 976 00:48:20,520 --> 00:48:22,960 Speaker 7: a pair of Pro Bowl guards Potonio is the best 977 00:48:23,000 --> 00:48:26,120 Speaker 7: polling guard in football in my opinion, and whyatt Teller. 978 00:48:26,000 --> 00:48:26,600 Speaker 5: Is a beast? 979 00:48:27,160 --> 00:48:29,719 Speaker 7: And then this new defense, you know, this defensive line 980 00:48:29,760 --> 00:48:33,839 Speaker 7: that they've accumulated, how a practice has gone between those 981 00:48:33,880 --> 00:48:35,200 Speaker 7: two position groups. 982 00:48:37,080 --> 00:48:42,560 Speaker 6: Well, and everything I've seen the defense from day one 983 00:48:42,719 --> 00:48:46,560 Speaker 6: of training camp was ahead of the Browns offense, which 984 00:48:46,640 --> 00:48:50,479 Speaker 6: is kind of Although that's normal I guess around the league, 985 00:48:50,560 --> 00:48:54,120 Speaker 6: it's surprising because it's completely new defense, and from day 986 00:48:54,200 --> 00:48:57,719 Speaker 6: one you could see the impact of their investment on 987 00:48:57,840 --> 00:49:02,719 Speaker 6: the d line and then Sports really masterminding that. So 988 00:49:03,440 --> 00:49:07,160 Speaker 6: I do think the defensive line will be the most 989 00:49:07,200 --> 00:49:12,040 Speaker 6: improved part of the Browns team, and that's going to 990 00:49:12,120 --> 00:49:17,120 Speaker 6: carry them. I think, you know, everyone has Deshaun Watson 991 00:49:17,320 --> 00:49:21,480 Speaker 6: conscious nationally, like they'll go as far as he'll take them. 992 00:49:22,640 --> 00:49:25,040 Speaker 6: I kind of think the defense is going to be 993 00:49:25,800 --> 00:49:29,480 Speaker 6: the energy on this team this year as a result 994 00:49:29,560 --> 00:49:30,640 Speaker 6: of their changes. 995 00:49:31,600 --> 00:49:33,719 Speaker 1: Tony, I know, the kicking situation was kind of a 996 00:49:34,120 --> 00:49:37,560 Speaker 1: disaster in training camp. They had to cut Kade York, 997 00:49:37,560 --> 00:49:40,440 Speaker 1: who they drafted last year and trade for Dustin Hopkins, 998 00:49:40,480 --> 00:49:42,560 Speaker 1: who's had a fine NFL career. I'm sure he'll be 999 00:49:42,760 --> 00:49:45,920 Speaker 1: okay now that they've done that. What's your big question 1000 00:49:46,080 --> 00:49:47,760 Speaker 1: mark at this point going into the season. 1001 00:49:49,200 --> 00:49:51,520 Speaker 6: Well, you know that still is a question mark for me. 1002 00:49:51,719 --> 00:49:55,239 Speaker 6: Dustin Hopkins. Yeah, he's a legit NFL kicker going on 1003 00:49:55,400 --> 00:49:58,759 Speaker 6: this what ninth year. He has never attempted a field 1004 00:49:58,800 --> 00:50:02,359 Speaker 6: goal in Cleveland Brown's stadium in nine years. He's only 1005 00:50:02,400 --> 00:50:06,560 Speaker 6: appeared in one game there, and we know that's one 1006 00:50:06,600 --> 00:50:09,680 Speaker 6: of the toughest places in football to kick. And it 1007 00:50:09,800 --> 00:50:13,840 Speaker 6: usually takes a kicker a whole year to master the 1008 00:50:14,239 --> 00:50:18,120 Speaker 6: wins and the climate and all that. And that's why 1009 00:50:19,480 --> 00:50:22,920 Speaker 6: it's still a concern to me. They traded for Hopkins, 1010 00:50:23,719 --> 00:50:26,160 Speaker 6: they did not trade for Nick Falk, They did not 1011 00:50:26,320 --> 00:50:29,319 Speaker 6: sign Robbie Gold. Can't get an answer why they weren't 1012 00:50:29,360 --> 00:50:32,600 Speaker 6: interested in those two kickers. But Dustin Hopkins was next 1013 00:50:32,680 --> 00:50:34,600 Speaker 6: on the list, and we'll see how he does. I 1014 00:50:35,800 --> 00:50:39,600 Speaker 6: fear a concern is that's going to be a concern 1015 00:50:39,680 --> 00:50:42,399 Speaker 6: all year. But we'll see. Maybe he'll prove me wrong. 1016 00:50:42,719 --> 00:50:46,640 Speaker 6: So that's a big concern because they drafted kate Yorick thinking, 1017 00:50:46,960 --> 00:50:49,600 Speaker 6: you know, we've got to end this carousela kicker. And 1018 00:50:49,760 --> 00:50:53,840 Speaker 6: now Hopkins is the eleventh kicker in eleven season since 1019 00:50:54,200 --> 00:50:57,480 Speaker 6: phild Austin the left via free agency. So still not 1020 00:50:58,320 --> 00:51:00,920 Speaker 6: you rectified in my opinion, I see him kick at 1021 00:51:00,960 --> 00:51:01,920 Speaker 6: Clinton Brown Stadium. 1022 00:51:03,480 --> 00:51:05,719 Speaker 7: Eleventh kicker in eleven seasons. 1023 00:51:06,640 --> 00:51:10,879 Speaker 6: Yep, yep, man, Yeah, no kicker since Phil Dawson here 1024 00:51:11,360 --> 00:51:14,879 Speaker 6: has made it through two complete seasons. And like I said, 1025 00:51:14,920 --> 00:51:17,800 Speaker 6: it takes a year to figure out the nuances of 1026 00:51:17,880 --> 00:51:20,880 Speaker 6: that place. You've been there a lot, you know that 1027 00:51:21,000 --> 00:51:24,160 Speaker 6: that's a tough place to kick, and here we go 1028 00:51:24,280 --> 00:51:26,800 Speaker 6: again breaking in the new kicker. They did not expect it. 1029 00:51:27,560 --> 00:51:32,760 Speaker 6: They did not expect us. So that's probably my biggest concern, 1030 00:51:32,920 --> 00:51:35,480 Speaker 6: which you know, if you're worried about only your kickers, 1031 00:51:35,680 --> 00:51:37,879 Speaker 6: I guess you're ahead of the head of the game. 1032 00:51:38,000 --> 00:51:40,919 Speaker 6: But it's something to watch, you know, how close these 1033 00:51:41,400 --> 00:51:46,560 Speaker 6: these games are every every week. So we'll see how 1034 00:51:46,600 --> 00:51:47,239 Speaker 6: that works out. 1035 00:51:48,480 --> 00:51:51,320 Speaker 7: Let me circle back to the change in the offensive 1036 00:51:51,360 --> 00:51:54,760 Speaker 7: philosophy that you were talking about, wastfans k and Alex 1037 00:51:54,880 --> 00:51:58,239 Speaker 7: van Pelt and you know, determining they're going to throw 1038 00:51:58,320 --> 00:52:00,600 Speaker 7: the football more with Deshaun Watts, and they spent a 1039 00:52:00,680 --> 00:52:03,800 Speaker 7: fortune with Deshaun Watson, so I can understand, you know, 1040 00:52:04,000 --> 00:52:10,520 Speaker 7: the philosophical reason for that. But the skill position, guys, receivers, 1041 00:52:10,640 --> 00:52:14,319 Speaker 7: tight ends, they feel like they've made upgrades there as well. 1042 00:52:14,400 --> 00:52:16,799 Speaker 7: Do they feel real comfortable about what they have going 1043 00:52:16,880 --> 00:52:18,600 Speaker 7: on to to support Watson? 1044 00:52:20,640 --> 00:52:22,880 Speaker 6: Yeah, you know, there was a pretty good pickup in 1045 00:52:22,960 --> 00:52:27,759 Speaker 6: this receiver, Elijah Moore from the New York Jet. They're 1046 00:52:27,880 --> 00:52:31,279 Speaker 6: using him everywhere in the slot, they're using them in 1047 00:52:31,400 --> 00:52:35,360 Speaker 6: the backfield, they're handing off to him, he's running routes 1048 00:52:35,400 --> 00:52:38,920 Speaker 6: from the backfield. He's kind of like a Percy Harvin. 1049 00:52:39,080 --> 00:52:41,279 Speaker 6: They're trying to turn him into, at least that's what 1050 00:52:41,400 --> 00:52:45,919 Speaker 6: it looks like. So he'll be he'll be very instrumental 1051 00:52:46,040 --> 00:52:49,799 Speaker 6: in their offense. You know, they're, like I said, they're 1052 00:52:49,840 --> 00:52:54,000 Speaker 6: going to more eleven personnel three receivers. They were very 1053 00:52:54,120 --> 00:52:59,719 Speaker 6: tight end oriented under Stefansky. They're not ditching multiple tight ends, 1054 00:52:59,760 --> 00:53:03,080 Speaker 6: but I think you'll see a lot more free receiver. 1055 00:53:03,640 --> 00:53:07,280 Speaker 6: You'll see Watson primarily in the shotgun or the pistol, 1056 00:53:07,760 --> 00:53:10,839 Speaker 6: and they'll be running out of those formations. He's been 1057 00:53:10,920 --> 00:53:14,200 Speaker 6: in empty a lot, so that's what they're turning into. 1058 00:53:14,960 --> 00:53:21,319 Speaker 6: And again, I'm really interested to see how they incorporate 1059 00:53:21,520 --> 00:53:22,840 Speaker 6: Chubb into all of that. 1060 00:53:24,040 --> 00:53:26,120 Speaker 1: Here's an invitation to join us for the Bengals pep 1061 00:53:26,200 --> 00:53:29,440 Speaker 1: Rally Show on Friday from three to six at Wings 1062 00:53:29,480 --> 00:53:33,239 Speaker 1: and Rings in Fairfield. Safety Nick Scott is scheduled to 1063 00:53:33,320 --> 00:53:36,480 Speaker 1: be our guest in the final hour. That's going to 1064 00:53:36,560 --> 00:53:38,800 Speaker 1: do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth podcast, 1065 00:53:38,920 --> 00:53:42,359 Speaker 1: brought to you by Bengals Picks and Ultimate Bengals. 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