1 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 1: Hi, get everybody, I'm Dan Horden. Thanks for downloading the 2 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:12,319 Speaker 1: Bengals Booth Podcast. The Golden Years addition, as we get 3 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: set for a battle between forty something quarterbacks as the 4 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: Bengals host the Steelers on Thursday Night, football coming up. 5 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: Much like Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers, I'll talk to 6 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,960 Speaker 1: another guy who played in his forties, former Bengals offensive 7 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: lineman Andrew Whitworth. Joe Flacco's second half performance was certainly 8 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: impressive last week. I'll discuss that with his two time 9 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,160 Speaker 1: teammate Dalton Reisner. And in this week's no The Faux Segment, 10 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: Pittsburgh writer and broadcaster Tim Benz shares his thoughts on 11 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,879 Speaker 1: just how good the four and one Steelers really are. 12 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps, 13 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: Proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by 14 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:56,280 Speaker 1: Alta Fiber future Proof Fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business, 15 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: and community to a new level, and by Kettering Health 16 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: us care for the best Fans. Cattering Health is the 17 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:06,559 Speaker 1: official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now here's a quick 18 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 1: reminder that you can have the latest edition of this 19 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 1: podcast delivered write to your phone, tablet, or computer by 20 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing 21 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:23,120 Speaker 1: since easy crossword puzzles. About once a year, for no 22 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: apparent reason, we get a People magazine delivered to our house. 23 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: I suppose the publisher's hope is that the freebie will 24 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 1: get us to subscribe. That ain't going to happen. But 25 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 1: when we get our random edition of People. I love 26 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: doing the crossword puzzle because it is ridiculously easy and 27 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: therefore makes me feel smart. I'll give you a few 28 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: examples from the current puzzle, which has a Travis Kelcey theme. 29 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: Twenty eight across plays for the Blank City Chiefs. Forty 30 00:01:56,680 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: across is his fiancee with the at a hint that 31 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: it's a two word answer. Yes, I was able to 32 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 1: complete the puzzle, and now I'll try to get to 33 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: the bottom of why People magazine has never named me 34 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: the sexiest man alive. Now let's get to my first guest, 35 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: who will be the ruler of the jungle. On Thursday 36 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:25,360 Speaker 1: night at pay Corse Stadium, the Amazon Prime crew rolls 37 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,799 Speaker 1: into Cincinnati for Thursday night football, and that includes one 38 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 1: of the greatest Bengals of all time, our friend Andrew 39 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 1: Whitworth wit it is great to see. What did you 40 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:39,359 Speaker 1: think of Joe Flacco's Bengals debut on Sunday? 41 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 2: Well, I loved it. It was good to see him. 42 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:42,959 Speaker 3: You know, at the first of the part of the game, 43 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:44,799 Speaker 3: you can tell he's just feeling it out, trying to 44 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 3: get get it used to the guys you're throwing to 45 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:48,639 Speaker 3: and just running the whole thing, right. I mean, I 46 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 3: don't think we can, any of us can respect how 47 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 3: difficult that is of a challenge to come in one 48 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 3: week and trying to do something like that. But in 49 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 3: the second half, you could see like you started to 50 00:02:57,240 --> 00:02:59,639 Speaker 3: kind of get some feel and they started moving the 51 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 3: football better. And I think this week will only be 52 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 3: a more improvement from that. I think that you definitely 53 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 3: could feel off the I thought, you know, a veteran 54 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 3: quarterback kind of settling the huddle, settling guys down a 55 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 3: little bit, you know, not that Jake Browning is doing 56 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 3: a bad job, but just having somebody else who's not 57 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,399 Speaker 3: learning on the fly in the huddle, having somebody who's 58 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 3: kind of been there, done that, been through it all. 59 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 2: He's not going to overact to things that you could 60 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 2: see that. 61 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,239 Speaker 1: I want you to put the degree of difficulty into perspective. 62 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: Joins the team on Tuesday, practices for the first time 63 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 1: on Wednesday, faces the Packers in Green Bay on Sunday, 64 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: and it's a six point game late in the fourth quarter. 65 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: Just how hard was that? 66 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 3: I think it's about as difficult as you can imagine. 67 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 3: And then think of this that the Packers were even 68 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 3: coming off a bout week, So I mean, they've had 69 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:46,839 Speaker 3: all this time to prepare for what Cincinnati has been. 70 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 3: So you're walking into something where they can't really change 71 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 3: the plan with you in there because you've gotten there 72 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 3: so late. But they've also been planning for you for 73 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 3: two weeks and you're going to Green Bay to try 74 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 3: and beat him. So I thought it was an unbelievable 75 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 3: challenge to into It felt like people were going to 76 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 3: be right that this Wooden game wouldn't even being very 77 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 3: close to being a competitive game. But instead, you know, 78 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 3: the Bengals and Joe, you know, kind of rose up 79 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 3: to the occasion, made it a game late, had an 80 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 3: opportunity there in the fourth quarter to do something special. 81 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 3: So I mean, I don't think you could really put 82 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 3: a level of difficulty any higher than. 83 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 2: What that one is. 84 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 3: I mean, you know, I think that even you look 85 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 3: at years that maybe this has happened before Baker Mayfield 86 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 3: the year he came and played for the Rams on 87 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,599 Speaker 3: Thursday Night Football and a short notice. Even in that sense, 88 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 3: he was taken over a team that was pretty much 89 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 3: healthy in the centsel offense to where they kind of 90 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 3: had a system. They'd done it before. He'd played in 91 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 3: some similar systems, you know, and the Raiders weren't as 92 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 3: good that year, so you know, it wasn't like it 93 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 3: was a challenge that this was. But he did it 94 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 3: in two days and that was an unbelievable game. We 95 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:48,920 Speaker 3: had it on Thursday Night Football and never forget how 96 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:51,840 Speaker 3: electric that moment was at the end. But what Joe 97 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 3: did just now is absolutely insane, and so I look 98 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:56,159 Speaker 3: forward to seeing where they can take it from here. 99 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: Which are one of only five offensive linemen and history 100 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 1: who played at the the age of forty. Do you 101 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 1: identify with a guy playing quarterback at forty with a 102 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,480 Speaker 1: lot of money in the bank, five kids at home, 103 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: and yet still out there grinding chasing a ring. 104 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, I do. I mean, I get it. I see 105 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:13,840 Speaker 2: both sides of it. I don't know. 106 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:16,840 Speaker 3: The part I guess maybe I don't identify with is 107 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 3: just the moving around, Like I don't know if I 108 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 3: could do that. I don't know, you know, it's different, 109 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:24,279 Speaker 3: I guess being the role he's in the last few years, 110 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 3: being a backup quarterback, being a starter some places, you've 111 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:31,040 Speaker 3: been a little bit in that journeyman mode. I had 112 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 3: never really been in that, so maybe I don't understand 113 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 3: that part as much like you're kind of used to it. 114 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 3: Probably for him bouncing around so it's not as big 115 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 3: a deal. But I think for me, once I hit 116 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:43,160 Speaker 3: that forty stretch, it was kind of like, man, it's 117 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:46,600 Speaker 3: here or nowhere, you know, And so I think that 118 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 3: that's kind of how it ended for me, you win 119 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 3: a super Bowl, But also for me it was kind 120 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 3: of like, man, you know, I don't see myself play 121 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:53,840 Speaker 3: anywhere else. They've kind of got a young guy that 122 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 3: will move on to so I think this is enough 123 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 3: for me. For Joe, though, I think once you're kind 124 00:05:58,000 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 3: of in that mode and you're enjoying it. I love 125 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:02,719 Speaker 3: what he said about you know, never taking it for granted. 126 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 2: And I think for me. 127 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:06,599 Speaker 3: That's one of those things that has always resonated is 128 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,359 Speaker 3: that you know, people might think you're crazy for playing 129 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 3: into your forties in the NFL, but I always thought, man, 130 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 3: never take it for granted. I remember running into Wayne 131 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 3: Gretzky and having a conversation about playing pro sports. And 132 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 3: here I am, like in all meeting the great one 133 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 3: and the only thing he left me with. And when 134 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:25,839 Speaker 3: we walked away from each other and said, hey man, 135 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,480 Speaker 3: that's cool story about you playing to this age, he said, listen, 136 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 3: just make sure they rip that jersey off your back, Like, 137 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 3: don't ever walk away until you're ready to make them 138 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 3: rip it off of you, because you'll nothing will ever 139 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 3: replicate that moment. And so I think that's kind of 140 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 3: what Joe's talking about, is, you know what, he wants 141 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:43,480 Speaker 3: to play this thing until they just tell him flat 142 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,919 Speaker 3: out you can't play anymore because you'll never replicate what 143 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 3: it is to be inside an NFL locker room and 144 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 3: to be leading the huddle. 145 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:53,880 Speaker 1: When I hate the expression must win, especially in week 146 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:56,839 Speaker 1: seven of a season. But how pivotal is this game 147 00:06:57,200 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: for Cincinnati on Thursday? 148 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,359 Speaker 3: Well, I think to really legitimize their season and to 149 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 3: make it say hey, all right, we're we have a 150 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,360 Speaker 3: lot to play for, and we think we can take 151 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 3: Joe Flacco and make a run here and get ourselves 152 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:09,239 Speaker 3: back in the picture. 153 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 2: This is the game that you can make the statement 154 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 2: with it. 155 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 3: You think of Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers and how 156 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 3: steady they've kind of been this year. They haven't been 157 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 3: just out of this world impressive, but they've been really steady, 158 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 3: and they've kind of been, you know, finding ways to 159 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 3: win the game and finding what they need to do 160 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 3: to be successful. They've been steady and look like, because 161 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 3: of injuries to Baltimore and really what Cleveland's been, they 162 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 3: look like that team that's just going to take over 163 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 3: the AFC North this year and kind of have a 164 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 3: smooth run to win in this division. So if you 165 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 3: want to mess that up, you want to be the 166 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 3: guy who comes in and ruins that whole story, you know, 167 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 3: and you want to say there's still a lot of 168 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 3: promise left in the season. These are the kind of 169 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 3: games you got to rise to the occasion. 170 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 2: Last week, you. 171 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 3: Rose to the occasion in Green Bay, heck of a challenge, 172 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 3: all these things, you almost got it done. But this 173 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 3: week it's one of those that you have to get 174 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 3: it done. And so, you know what, who can go 175 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 3: out and be the best burdens of ourselves? 176 00:07:58,840 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 2: Every gall on our team. 177 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 3: Let's go out and give you our absolute best to 178 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 3: really change the narrative of the rest of our season. 179 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 3: Because you win that one, you will You'll change the 180 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 3: way people are talking about you. You'll change the way 181 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 3: you believe in yourself, and you'll change the vision you 182 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 3: have for the rest of the season and how it's 183 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 3: going to go. 184 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 1: You and Joe bonded back in twenty twenty when you 185 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 1: were both recovering from surgery. How gutted were you when 186 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 1: he went down in Week two? 187 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 2: Really get it? 188 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 3: I mean, I'm gonna spend some time with him again 189 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 3: this offseason and just somebody that me and my family 190 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 3: and all those around me couldn't, you know, love him 191 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 3: more and then think more of him, couldn't be a 192 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 3: bigger fan of him. And so all I want for 193 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 3: that kid is to be successful because of his mindset 194 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:39,640 Speaker 3: and how rare he is as a human being. You know, 195 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 3: so it completely get it. I mean it was heartbreaking 196 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 3: and you know, reached out to him. It's just it's 197 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 3: one of those tough things that. Man, the game you 198 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 3: love is the game you hate sometimes. And what makes 199 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 3: football so special is that sometimes it can be the 200 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 3: greatest joy we've ever had in our life, and sometimes 201 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 3: it can literally be the biggest heartbreak ever. And I 202 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 3: think Joe, it's been a frustrating few years with some 203 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 3: of that stuff, and you just you worry about too 204 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 3: as a friend, like man, just continuing to have some 205 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 3: of those moments. 206 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 2: You know, you don't want them to lose sight of 207 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 2: who they. 208 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 3: Are and while they're so special, just because some bad 209 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 3: breaks are going against them, you know, stay resilient. I mean, 210 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 3: I you know, I think that's part of this game too, 211 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 3: is that ability to continue to keep running into that 212 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 3: wall regardless of the situation and circumstance. And so for Joe, 213 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 3: I just want him know how much he means to 214 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:31,200 Speaker 3: to franchise and to everyone else, and how much we 215 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 3: think of him, regardless of the football player he is, 216 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 3: We love the human being. 217 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 1: You played in the Bengals Steelers rivalry when it was 218 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 1: probably about its nastiest. What stood out about those games, 219 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 1: oh man. 220 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 3: I think of you know, probably getting my helmet beat 221 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 3: in by James Harrison week in and week out every 222 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 3: time we had to play him. I mean, what a 223 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:52,680 Speaker 3: physical specimen that dude was. And really some of the 224 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 3: greatest Steelers defenses I got a chance to play against, and. 225 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 2: You know, it was an unbelievable run. 226 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 3: Really to have some of those moments I think got 227 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 3: O nine, you know, winning the division in Pittsburgh and 228 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 3: having that late drive where we're trying to run the 229 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 3: clock out to kind of seal the game, and I 230 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:11,680 Speaker 3: was able to draw a personal foul on James coming 231 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 3: back after me after a run play. I think of 232 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 3: those moments, you know, I think it's some of those 233 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 3: big ones. And there's also a heartbreak, like I just said, 234 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 3: I mean the heartbreak of fifteen in the playoffs, you know, 235 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 3: fumbling the ball when the game's over and all we 236 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 3: had to do was basically run the clock out. You know, 237 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 3: that one's another heartbreaker. And so there's some really cool 238 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 3: moments against them, some heartbreaking moments, but man, it was 239 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:33,920 Speaker 3: just felt like what you sign. 240 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 2: Up to play football for. 241 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 3: Every time we got a chance to go against them, 242 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,320 Speaker 3: and always playing in pretty meaningful games there in that stretch. 243 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 3: So I think that's what you aspire to do. And 244 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 3: we got the opportunity to do it. And sometimes you're 245 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 3: on the winning edge and sometimes you're not. But that 246 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 3: is the games you want to be playing in, the 247 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 3: games that mean something. 248 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: Pittsburgh's four and one so far in this year. They've 249 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: got a couple of wins over teams with winning records 250 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 1: and the Patriots and the Vikings. Did they look like 251 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 1: a legit contender to you or is the jury still out? 252 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 3: I think it's the jury still out a little bit, 253 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 3: only because I think right now they've kind of handled 254 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 3: some teams I would expect them to if they want 255 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:10,320 Speaker 3: to be a contender. They've kind of adapted a little 256 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 3: bit as the season's gone, which I think is impressive. 257 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 3: Like I just said, I mean that ability to adapt 258 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 3: to what you're best at. They've changed their style a 259 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 3: little bit over the last few weeks. I think that 260 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 3: it'll be interesting to see where they go from here 261 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 3: and as they face some of these better teams that 262 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 3: might come in for a plan with a plan to 263 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:28,319 Speaker 3: kind of, you know, take away some of these quick throws, 264 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 3: take away some of these heavy old line packages and 265 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:31,439 Speaker 3: multiple tight end stuff. 266 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 2: They want to do. They run the. 267 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:36,080 Speaker 3: Football, you know, as teams adapt to them, then what's 268 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:39,440 Speaker 3: their answer there? Offensively and then defensively. You know, they've 269 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 3: played better, but I wouldn't say they've played against offenses 270 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:43,559 Speaker 3: that you start to think, all right, these are the 271 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 3: teams that should threaten them. So I think it'll be 272 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 3: interesting to see this week, you know, as Joe Flacco 273 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:50,840 Speaker 3: gets another week in the offense and they can really 274 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 3: throw the ball on them what they can do. And 275 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 3: you know, and as they go this year and play 276 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 3: some of these better offenses out they're able to adapt 277 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:59,120 Speaker 3: defensively because I don't think it was the start they 278 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 3: really anticipated on that side of the football, and I 279 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 3: think they're going to have to be kind of that 280 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 3: group they were last year a little bit more as 281 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 3: this run goes. 282 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 1: Last thing for our friend Andrew Whitworth, you'll be in 283 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 1: the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Someday, you'll be in 284 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 1: the Bengals Ring of Honor. What do you look forward 285 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 1: to when you come back to Cincinnati? 286 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 2: Oh? 287 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 3: Man, I think to me, it's just it's always that nostalgic, 288 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 3: just feels like home. And you know, for me, every 289 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 3: time I get a chance, it's it's you know, stopping 290 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 3: by the places I love to go eat the people 291 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 3: I still remember there to get a chance to give 292 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 3: a hug and give some love to And it's a place, 293 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:36,240 Speaker 3: you know, all four of our kids, you know, we 294 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 3: had while we were living in Cincinnati, and you know, 295 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 3: we think of their childhood, We think of living in 296 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 3: Cincinnati and Fort Thomas, Kentucky, and so you know, it 297 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:45,680 Speaker 3: will forever be a home to us and a place 298 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 3: that's so so special because of the people, and you know, 299 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 3: and and the relationships we formed in some of the 300 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 3: places that we hold near and dear to our heart. 301 00:12:53,679 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 3: Me and Ryan Fitzpastor just recently went on a bus 302 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 3: tour and last week we got a chance to stop 303 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 3: at Elis Barbecue and pop in. I was telling him, man, 304 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 3: I can remember, you know, bringing my kids out of 305 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 3: daycare and everything else and sitting out on the picnic 306 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 3: tables and having some lunch with them and just kind 307 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 3: of reminiscent on some of those moments, you know. 308 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 2: And so we got a chance. 309 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:14,560 Speaker 3: I took the bus crew through Greater's ice Cream and 310 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,440 Speaker 3: got them all ice cream and the drivers and everything else, 311 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 3: and so they had they had a blast and loved it, 312 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 3: and it was really cool. So for me every time 313 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 3: getting to go there, it's just some of the nostalgia 314 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 3: of everything that I remember from there, the great memories 315 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:30,440 Speaker 3: of football, but more importantly, you know, off the football field, 316 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 3: all the great people we got a chance to form 317 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 3: relationships with. 318 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,200 Speaker 1: We will welcome you back with open arms on Thursday night. 319 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 1: Appreciate your time as always, thanks so much with. 320 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 2: I appreciate d and thank you. Brother. 321 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:44,720 Speaker 1: Andrew Wigworth was drafted by the Bengals in two thousand 322 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: and six. That was actually one year after Aaron Rodgers 323 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:52,679 Speaker 1: was selected by the Green Bay Packers. Joe Flacco was 324 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 1: part of the two thousand and eight draft, and at 325 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: age forty, is facing a quarterback who's forty one. 326 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 4: Good one thing you guys can't talk about this week 327 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:04,439 Speaker 4: in terms of me being older at least, but it's 328 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 4: it's pretty neat. I mean, Aaron's been in the league 329 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 4: a few years longer than me, but we both started 330 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 4: playing in two thousand and eight, so I've been doing 331 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 4: it for a long time. 332 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 2: It's pretty cool. 333 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 5: How you thought about how unique aspect is the fact 334 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,120 Speaker 5: that the two quarterbacks in the game are combined over 335 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 5: eighty years. 336 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 4: Has it happened before. I'm sure there's been some old 337 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 4: guys Brady and Breeze. Yeah, yeah, you know, when I'm 338 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 4: in a lot, I've been in a locker room my 339 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:31,960 Speaker 4: whole life, so you know, ages and something that I 340 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 4: think about. I just view myself as one of those 341 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 4: twenty something year old in the locker room, and so 342 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 4: it's not something I really think about, but I think 343 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 4: one day when you look back on it, it's just 344 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 4: one of those things that'll be pretty cool to be 345 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 4: able to, you know, have a matchup like this. 346 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 1: Fourth down end goal. The Bengals line up to go 347 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:51,120 Speaker 1: for it a little more than two yards away. Higgins 348 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 1: and yoc bosh out to the right, Hudson and Chase 349 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 1: out to the left, pee Ryan in the backfield. Flacco 350 00:14:56,880 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 1: catches the shotgun snap pub fakes throws into the end 351 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: Yes Scott in the back of the end zone under 352 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 1: the goalpost by Tanner Hudson. Flacco second half performance last 353 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: week in Green Bay was pretty remarkable. He completed seventy 354 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 1: percent of his passes for one hundred and seventy nine 355 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: yards and two touchdowns with a passer rating of one 356 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 1: oh seven point five. And that's despite the fact that 357 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: he probably didn't know the names of half of his teammates. 358 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 1: One guy he did know was Dalton Reisner, a former 359 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: teammate in Denver who started last week at left guard 360 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 1: in place of the injured Dylan Fairchild. Dalton, what did 361 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 1: Joe Flacco show you on Sunday at Green Bay. 362 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 6: He's poised, he's calm, he's collected, he's a pro. 363 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 5: He showed us that he's, you know, near in his forties, 364 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 5: near and somewhere in there, and had been playing over 365 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:50,880 Speaker 5: fifteen years in this league. Right, That's what he did, 366 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 5: and that's what you'd hope to get when you get 367 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 5: a guy like that. 368 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 6: Played with him. He's my first quarterback ever in the NFL. 369 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 6: Call him flat Daddy. 370 00:15:55,920 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 5: So when I get a grin out of him, which 371 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 5: is maybe once a day, it means a lot two weeks. 372 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:02,400 Speaker 6: It's hard to get him to do that. But super 373 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 6: Happy's here. 374 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 1: He was just a kid back then. He was only 375 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 1: thirty four. When you were a rookie, I'm. 376 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 5: Much thirty four or whenever I was twenty three years old. 377 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 5: I mean I was only getting my diapers changed. Washington 378 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 5: win Super Bowls with the Ravens, So. 379 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: I mean how much respect do you have for a 380 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 1: guy still doing it at age forty. 381 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 6: Well, you know he loves the game. It's not for money. 382 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 5: Joe Flacco doesn't need the cash. Joe Flacco isn't doing 383 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 5: this for fame. Joe Faco's doing this for his legacy 384 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 5: and for the love of the game. And you just 385 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 5: respect that because you see the work, You see the 386 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 5: way the guy's still attacking the game this many years later, 387 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 5: and you know he just loves it and you know 388 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 5: he wants to win, so it's hard not to get 389 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 5: behind him. 390 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 1: We're visiting with Dalton Reisner. You got thrown in there 391 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 1: in Week one with just a couple of practices under 392 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: your belt and played well, and I thought that that 393 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: was a great accomplishment. But can you put into perspective 394 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:53,080 Speaker 1: what Flacco did last week as a quarterback? 395 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 6: Yeah? 396 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:56,120 Speaker 5: I mean from a guy that's had to do this 397 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 5: a time or two of my career, I understand how 398 00:16:58,000 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 5: tough it is, but I've never had to do it. 399 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:03,040 Speaker 5: Getting here on a Tuesday or Wednesday and playing on 400 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 5: a Sunday. I cut it close, but I also haven't 401 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:08,159 Speaker 5: done it from getting traded and getting back from London 402 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:09,760 Speaker 5: or wherever the heck they were at. 403 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 6: So it was a huge feat. 404 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 5: Only a guy like Joe Flacco could pull something like 405 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:16,199 Speaker 5: that off, in my opinion, only a vets Vet, a 406 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:17,880 Speaker 5: pros pro, could do it, and he was the guy 407 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 5: for the job. 408 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:23,199 Speaker 1: Talking to offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher yesterday, I think he 409 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 1: inadvertently came up with a nickname for Joe Flacco, because 410 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: Joe Burrow is the man of a million nicknames, Joe Cool, 411 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:32,679 Speaker 1: Joe Shisty, et cetera. How about Joe Calm for Joe Flacca. 412 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:33,880 Speaker 6: Joe COM's great man. 413 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 5: You know, I'm always gonna call him flat daddy, But 414 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:37,200 Speaker 5: Joe COM's pretty cool too. 415 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:37,440 Speaker 2: Man. 416 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 1: All right, let's talk offensive line with Dalton Reisner. No sacks, 417 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:45,400 Speaker 1: no quarterback hits for Michah Parsons last week. It ended 418 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:47,400 Speaker 1: a streak of eleven straight games where he had one 419 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:51,960 Speaker 1: or the other. How did the offensive line neutralize arguably 420 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 1: the best pass rusher in the league. 421 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 5: Oh well, we game plan, We game planned for him. 422 00:17:55,080 --> 00:18:00,360 Speaker 5: We got amazing coaches. I think Zach Taylor, Pitch our 423 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 5: offensive line coaches and Scott and my coming. Those guys 424 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 5: do a great job. So and there's so many people 425 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:06,960 Speaker 5: behind the scenes too, you know what I mean, Like 426 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 5: Justini Scott, he does a great job. And there's just 427 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:10,880 Speaker 5: so many people here in this building that make this 428 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 5: thing go that I have to give a shout out 429 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:14,440 Speaker 5: to because they developed these game plans. Man our jobs 430 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:15,840 Speaker 5: players just to come in here and make it happen 431 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:17,879 Speaker 5: and and grah them in our brains and go out 432 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 5: there and execute. 433 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 6: But they're the ones putting them together, and they put 434 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 6: together a great game plan to. 435 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:25,919 Speaker 5: Keep him at Bay and the players that had to 436 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 5: have one on ones while he was getting kept at 437 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:30,200 Speaker 5: Bay one, they're one on once and that was important. 438 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:33,400 Speaker 1: You started at left guard, I thought you did extremely well. 439 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 1: How'd you feel about your play? 440 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 5: I felt really good. You know, I hold myself to 441 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 5: a super high standard. Of course, Week one, with the 442 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:41,960 Speaker 5: Browns being here on short notice, awesome way to start 443 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:44,920 Speaker 5: my career here as a Bengal. Week two and three 444 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:48,679 Speaker 5: weren't weren't weren't the same, and I lost myself by 445 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:50,760 Speaker 5: spot because of it, And you know that's a that's 446 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:51,360 Speaker 5: a tough deal. 447 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:53,120 Speaker 6: But in the NFL, that's how. 448 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:55,160 Speaker 5: It works is you expect to perform at a high 449 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:57,159 Speaker 5: level at all times and I didn't perform up to 450 00:18:57,200 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 5: my standard or the standard that I'm sure the Bengals 451 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:01,439 Speaker 5: expected as me in Week two and week three. So 452 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 5: I've been doing nothing but zero pouting and one hundred 453 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:08,160 Speaker 5: percent of getting myself right to be ready when called upon. 454 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 6: And I was called upon last. 455 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:12,159 Speaker 5: Week, and I'm just so grateful that I had the 456 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 5: opportunity to play against the Packers, play at left guard 457 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:17,199 Speaker 5: and perform the way I did. And now it's the 458 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 5: same mindset every single week, every single day. 459 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 6: How can I be better when called upon for this team? 460 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:24,919 Speaker 1: Rookies have been starting at those guard spots. I know 461 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:27,200 Speaker 1: you obviously want to play, but what do you think 462 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 1: of Dylan Fairchild and Jalen Rivers and the way that 463 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:30,920 Speaker 1: they are learning on the fly? 464 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:32,919 Speaker 5: I think that they're doing a great job. Jalen and 465 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:35,159 Speaker 5: Dylan are, first of all, such great young men. I 466 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 5: really respect the way that they attack their work, the 467 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 5: way that they come in here and want to be great. 468 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 5: I think the Bengals found some great dudes in those guys, 469 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:44,879 Speaker 5: some guys that can make a living. 470 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 6: And in this league for a very long time. 471 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 5: So nothing but great things to say about them off 472 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:51,439 Speaker 5: the field and when it comes to on the field. 473 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:52,679 Speaker 6: Man, these guys are pretty. 474 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:56,360 Speaker 5: They love to work hard, they're acceptable to coaching, they 475 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:59,119 Speaker 5: want to be better. They come in every single day 476 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:01,000 Speaker 5: and they attack their work and they're super talented. 477 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:03,159 Speaker 6: So they got nothing. But sky's the limit for them, 478 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 6: that's for sure. 479 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: I hate the expression must win. As Hall of Fame 480 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:10,399 Speaker 1: coach Marvel Levy said, World War Two is the last 481 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:14,360 Speaker 1: must win. But this is a pivotal game for the Bengals. 482 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 1: Do you embrace that and acknowledge it or do you 483 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:20,120 Speaker 1: just take the Hey, every game is just a game. 484 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:22,639 Speaker 5: For me personally, I would never say every game is 485 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:24,119 Speaker 5: just a game. I would say every game is a 486 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:25,960 Speaker 5: must win. I go into every game and I'm gonna 487 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 5: do everything I can to win that football game. 488 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 6: I'm not gonna go into the game and say, oh, 489 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:31,359 Speaker 6: this one's not a must win. I can give ninety 490 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 6: five percent. 491 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:34,080 Speaker 5: So maybe some guys are talented enough to do that, 492 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:36,360 Speaker 5: But from my perspective, I go into every single week 493 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:38,680 Speaker 5: and I do I scratch and crawl and I gotta 494 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 5: do everything I can to perform the best I can 495 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:42,960 Speaker 5: for my team to win the football game. So this 496 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:45,440 Speaker 5: is a division game, though we know these ones mean more. 497 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:47,119 Speaker 5: We know these ones count more. I mean, playing it 498 00:20:47,119 --> 00:20:47,960 Speaker 5: simple to count more. 499 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 6: That's just how it works. And we know they mean 500 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:52,159 Speaker 6: more too because of the rivalry and the history. 501 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:56,440 Speaker 5: So these guys are tough nosed, you know, big tough 502 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 5: football players that pride. 503 00:20:57,640 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 6: Themselves on defense. 504 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 5: And we got a huge task ahead of them and 505 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:02,359 Speaker 5: got nothing to do but face it and go right 506 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:02,679 Speaker 5: for it. 507 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:06,480 Speaker 1: Man, it's your seventh year. You've undoubtedly faced the Steelers 508 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:11,400 Speaker 1: several times before the personnel changes, But does the defense change? 509 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 2: You know? 510 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 5: I mean, I remember I played these guys six years ago, 511 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:16,400 Speaker 5: my rookie year with Denver, or maybe my second year. 512 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 5: I think it was my second year with Denver, and 513 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:19,880 Speaker 5: you watch the tape and you know, these guys look 514 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 5: super similar. 515 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:22,840 Speaker 6: They're super big and strong, they hold their gaps. 516 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:25,200 Speaker 5: There's a guy there that's been there for eighty years, 517 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 5: it seems like, in terms of Cam Hayward, and I 518 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:29,679 Speaker 5: got so much respect for him. You know, he's probably 519 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:31,399 Speaker 5: got kids my age at this point, but you know, 520 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 5: he's just such a good football player. He's big and strong. 521 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:36,680 Speaker 5: You would think this guy would get less strong from 522 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 5: year to year, and you know, look a little worse 523 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 5: on tape, but he continues to look really good. So yeah, 524 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:43,840 Speaker 5: this front that's what they do in Pittsburgh. They pride 525 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:45,639 Speaker 5: themselves on the front seven and they look the same. 526 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:48,640 Speaker 1: Final question for Dalton riiseen there, it's your first night 527 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: game as a Bengal at pay Corpse Stadium. I think 528 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:53,959 Speaker 1: this place is as electric as any in the NFL 529 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:56,760 Speaker 1: for the primetime games. It's going to be a white 530 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 1: Bengal game. Are you excited for Thursday Night? 531 00:21:59,160 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 6: Super excited? 532 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:00,199 Speaker 2: Man? 533 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:02,919 Speaker 5: Not only did it represent the Cincinnati Bengals, but be 534 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 5: here at pay Corps. 535 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 6: Be on display for the whole world on. 536 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 5: Thursday night football against a division opponent and the Pittsburgh 537 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:13,160 Speaker 5: Steelers and Aaron Rodgers coming to town. 538 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:15,840 Speaker 6: Gonna ask for more. Man, this is a blessing. There's 539 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 6: so many people that would kill to do this. 540 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 5: So as you soak it up and try to kick 541 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 5: some tail, got to look at it and embrace it 542 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:21,640 Speaker 5: a little bit too. 543 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 1: Reisner was the Bengals highest graded O lineman last week 544 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 1: according to Pro Football Focus, but Dylan Fairchild has been 545 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 1: a full participate in practice this week and should have 546 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:35,920 Speaker 1: the green light to return at left guard. The Bengals 547 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:38,359 Speaker 1: Booth podcast is brought to you by pay Corps, proud 548 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 1: to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by Alta 549 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 1: Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business, 550 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:49,359 Speaker 1: and community to a new level, and by Kettering Health, 551 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 1: the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is 552 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 1: the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. The Bengals face 553 00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:59,640 Speaker 1: the four and one Steelers on Thursday, and head coach 554 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:04,119 Speaker 1: Mike Tomlin made headlines this week by calling out Cleveland 555 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 1: Browns GM Andrew Berry for trading Joe Flacco to Cincinnati. 556 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 2: You know, to be honest, it was shocking to me. 557 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:14,920 Speaker 7: Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me or us, 558 00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 7: because it doesn't make sense to me to trade a 559 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:22,160 Speaker 7: quarterback that you think enough of to make your opening 560 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:25,800 Speaker 7: day starter to a division opponent that's hurting in that area. 561 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 2: But that's just my personal feelings. 562 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,639 Speaker 1: Flacco beat the Steelers last year, coming off the bench 563 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:34,439 Speaker 1: for an injured Anthony Richardson with five point thirty to 564 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 1: go in the first quarter and leading the Colts to 565 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 1: a twenty seven to twenty four. When I discussed Tomlin's 566 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:44,600 Speaker 1: comment and much more, in Our knowther Faux segment this 567 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:50,240 Speaker 1: week with Pittsburgh sportswriter and broadcaster Tim Benns. Tim, let's 568 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 1: start with your forty something quarterback. How has Aaron Rodgers 569 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:59,440 Speaker 1: played and how has he behaved since joining Pittsburgh. 570 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:03,639 Speaker 8: The behavior part has been fine. He's not exactly warm 571 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:07,119 Speaker 8: and fuzzy. I think there are other people besides just 572 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 8: me that weren't wild about the idea of him coming here, 573 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:14,359 Speaker 8: and I feel like he's constantly ready for a fight 574 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:18,119 Speaker 8: from the media, But honestly, with just one loss so 575 00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 8: far and him playing pretty well, there's been no reason 576 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 8: to have that fight, And to be frank, there never 577 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 8: really was one that developed with Russell Wilson despite the 578 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:30,960 Speaker 8: five game losing streak at the end of the year, 579 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:35,360 Speaker 8: and everybody really liked justin Fields personally, So I don't 580 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:38,159 Speaker 8: know if that's ever going to happen, but Rogers is 581 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 8: probably more inclined to look for a reason to make 582 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:43,920 Speaker 8: it happen should they have a three or four game 583 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:46,200 Speaker 8: losing streak along the way. But the way he's played 584 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:50,920 Speaker 8: has also largely been pretty good, if not minimized by 585 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:53,119 Speaker 8: what they have to deal with in terms of the 586 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:56,880 Speaker 8: pass blocking and the limitations that they have at wide receiver. 587 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:02,000 Speaker 8: It's a pretty basic offense right now. The complexities of 588 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:06,200 Speaker 8: the offense do not necessarily befit a player of Rogers 589 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:10,560 Speaker 8: Hall of Fame reputation. Then again, he doesn't move well 590 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:14,199 Speaker 8: enough to have that full scale of an offense behind 591 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:17,399 Speaker 8: this line, which can be shoddy at times. Although it 592 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 8: will give Rogers credit when he's had to move, he's 593 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:20,880 Speaker 8: moved pretty decently. 594 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:24,520 Speaker 1: Let me follow up on the offensive line. Pittsburgh has 595 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 1: used a lot of draft capital in recent years to 596 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:31,360 Speaker 1: try to make it better. Is it showing at all? 597 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:34,480 Speaker 8: It did this week and maybe it started the week 598 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:38,680 Speaker 8: before that in Ireland against Minnesota, but Miles Garrett was 599 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 8: a ghost in this game against Cleveland. They gave Roder 600 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:45,960 Speaker 8: Jones a lot of help, admittedly on the left side, 601 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:49,320 Speaker 8: but then again, you know, watch the Steelers game sometime 602 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:52,400 Speaker 8: how much help does whoever's block and TJ. Watt always get. 603 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 8: So sometimes that just needs to happen. The draft CAPITALI 604 00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:59,359 Speaker 8: you talk about, well, it was delayed because they messed 605 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 8: around with rod Rick Jones just to have Dan Moreby 606 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 8: out there for some reason. We're still trying to figure 607 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:06,880 Speaker 8: out why there was such an agenda there. I still 608 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:09,960 Speaker 8: don't get it. Jones is a left tackle who they 609 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:10,359 Speaker 8: put on the. 610 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:12,119 Speaker 2: Right side, so he had to get used to that. 611 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 8: Now he's got to get used to going back over 612 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:17,159 Speaker 8: the left. Troy Fautano was delayed a year because he 613 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:20,119 Speaker 8: barely played with his knee injury a season ago, so 614 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaker 8: he's just getting up to speed. Zach Frazier's pretty good 615 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,240 Speaker 8: as a center from West Virginia, maybe not as good 616 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:30,360 Speaker 8: as we are willing him to be. Mason McCormick has 617 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 8: gotten a lot of time for a fourth round pick 618 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 8: from the FCS, but he's decent, and they're getting whatever's 619 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 8: left out of Isaacs Camalu that they can. That's basically 620 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:43,639 Speaker 8: the offensive line, and it was rather shoddy for the 621 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:47,879 Speaker 8: first three games. It's been better for the last two 622 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:51,640 Speaker 8: and now we'll see what happens against the Bengals. And 623 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 8: at the time that you and I are speaking anyway, 624 00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:58,320 Speaker 8: with however injured Trey Hendrickson truly is Pittsburgh. 625 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:01,480 Speaker 1: Writer and broadcaster Tim Bens our guests. The Steelers acquired 626 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:05,119 Speaker 1: DK Metcalf in the offseason. They parted ways with George Pickens. 627 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:08,640 Speaker 1: Both guys are having good years for their current team. 628 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 1: But how has the impact been in Pittsburgh in the 629 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:15,920 Speaker 1: locker room from getting rid of George a. 630 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:18,159 Speaker 8: Lot calmer, And maybe it's not even so much in 631 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 8: the locker room as it is calmer on game day. 632 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:25,840 Speaker 8: You're not constantly having to manage George's emotions and reactions. 633 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:29,000 Speaker 8: That was the bigger deal. It was game day and 634 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:32,560 Speaker 8: how Pickens would react to things more than it was practice, 635 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:34,560 Speaker 8: or if you would show up on time, as was 636 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 8: the case on Christmas against the Kansas City Chiefs. But 637 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 8: no such issues as the Metcalf He's a yes sir, 638 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 8: no sir guy, or at least he has been here. 639 00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 8: Maybe not so much at the end with the Seahawks 640 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:50,480 Speaker 8: when he wanted out, but you know he has benefited 641 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:53,160 Speaker 8: by being the only wide receiver here. I think Pickens 642 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:57,639 Speaker 8: has benefited by being the number one guy with cdee 643 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:01,879 Speaker 8: lamb Out. I don't know if the Pickens Metcalf combination 644 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:04,200 Speaker 8: was ever gonna work here like that could have been 645 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:08,960 Speaker 8: too combustible, especially on Pickens end, because Metcalf would have 646 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 8: gotten paid to come here and George still would not 647 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:14,840 Speaker 8: have Not only that, but other guys have gotten paid 648 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:18,280 Speaker 8: since Metcalf, and they weren't gonna pay Pickens, which is 649 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:20,440 Speaker 8: the big reason why he's a Dallas cowboy right now. 650 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:24,160 Speaker 8: So it would have been a wonderful vision to have 651 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,720 Speaker 8: Kickens on one side and Metcalf on the other running 652 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 8: streak routes to open everything up underneath, and then having 653 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 8: you know, Rogers pick whichever guy wasn't double to bombit downfield. 654 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 8: That sounds fantastic. But anytime that Pickens didn't get the 655 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:41,840 Speaker 8: ball and Metcalf did, I think we would have had problems. 656 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:46,480 Speaker 1: Tim What did you make of Mike Tomlin criticizing Cleveland 657 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:49,480 Speaker 1: for its willingness to trade Joe Flacco to Cincinnati. 658 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:54,040 Speaker 8: It was a little weird, Like he is usually so 659 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:57,760 Speaker 8: careful to never do anything like that. I mean, I 660 00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:00,320 Speaker 8: can count on one hand in eighteen years the number 661 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:02,520 Speaker 8: of times that tom wins ever said anything that was 662 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:06,320 Speaker 8: incendiary in the week of a game for an opponent 663 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 8: coming up, you know, like he had that weird shot 664 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,600 Speaker 8: at Anthony Richardson a couple of weeks ago, again with 665 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:15,840 Speaker 8: Flacco as sort of the crux of the conversation, ironically enough, 666 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:18,080 Speaker 8: but you know, they weren't playing the Colts that week. 667 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:19,480 Speaker 8: They will in a couple of weeks. I'm sure it 668 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:21,720 Speaker 8: will come up, whether he's playing or not. I'm sure 669 00:29:21,720 --> 00:29:24,400 Speaker 8: he'll be brought up. It just it was weird for 670 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 8: he's treating Joe Flacco like he's Joe Montana here, you know, 671 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:33,280 Speaker 8: like you know, they're seeing an elder version of Joe Flacco. 672 00:29:33,320 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 8: They're not seeing the guy who was going bombs away 673 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 8: down the sideline when he was getting the Ravens to 674 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:41,640 Speaker 8: the Super Bowl and beating the Steelers eleven times and 675 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:44,240 Speaker 8: twenty two tries. I don't think that's the same version 676 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:46,800 Speaker 8: of the guy that they're seeing. And look, I don't 677 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 8: think that was just about the Flacco thing, Dan, I don't. 678 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 8: I think that was because this is the same general 679 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 8: manager in the same organization that acquired and paid Deshaun 680 00:29:56,960 --> 00:30:00,040 Speaker 8: Watson an outrageous contract. As the Steelers are going in 681 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:03,360 Speaker 8: to the post Ben Roethlisberger era and reset the QB market. 682 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:06,000 Speaker 8: This is the same organization that paid and reset the 683 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:09,600 Speaker 8: market on edge rushers and files Garrett's contract three months 684 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:11,760 Speaker 8: before they had to give TJ. Watt a new deal. 685 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:13,960 Speaker 8: I think there are other things to put here than 686 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:16,000 Speaker 8: just the trade that got under Tomlin's skin. 687 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:20,000 Speaker 1: Pittsburgh's four and one. The best team the Steelers have 688 00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:22,440 Speaker 1: beaten so far as New England at four and two. 689 00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:25,840 Speaker 1: The Patriots lost four fumbles in that game. How good 690 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:27,280 Speaker 1: are the Steelers? 691 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:30,760 Speaker 8: The offense is still very flawed for some of the 692 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 8: reasons we pointed out. Statistically, I think they're like twenty 693 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:39,000 Speaker 8: fifth in passing, twenty ninth and rushing, and twenty ninth 694 00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 8: overall or something like that. And they've gotten the points 695 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 8: that they've gotten because they got a great kicker who 696 00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:47,720 Speaker 8: never misses unless the field slips out from underneath them. 697 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 8: And they've got a really good red zone percentage, at 698 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:53,200 Speaker 8: least they did until they played Cleveland. That's why their 699 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:59,000 Speaker 8: points per game isn't so bad. The defense has been very, 700 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:03,560 Speaker 8: very opportunity stick. I think it's best two games have 701 00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:06,800 Speaker 8: been the last that they have played. I do think 702 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:10,200 Speaker 8: they deserve some credit for ball hunting and getting the 703 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:12,680 Speaker 8: ball free in New England more than they've gotten. That 704 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:16,520 Speaker 8: game was largely just characterized as the Patriots handing the 705 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:19,360 Speaker 8: ball over to the Steelers five times. They are to 706 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 8: be faulted, but I think the Steelers are to be 707 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:24,720 Speaker 8: credited for creating those turnovers. They run, they hit, they 708 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:26,760 Speaker 8: get to the ball, they search the ball, They're good 709 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:30,440 Speaker 8: at it. So the defense is the biggest reason why 710 00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:32,680 Speaker 8: they are where they are, even though the defense was 711 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:35,360 Speaker 8: really lousy in terms of yards allowed for the first 712 00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:38,320 Speaker 8: three weeks. So, you know, I think they are a 713 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:43,240 Speaker 8: byproduct of a lowering tide in the AFC. North has 714 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:46,960 Speaker 8: really risen their boats. That might be the case for 715 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:49,560 Speaker 8: the entire conference, in the entire league because they've only 716 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:52,280 Speaker 8: played one divisional game, but where they sit in the 717 00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:56,160 Speaker 8: division is because where everybody else is, they're pretty mediocre. 718 00:31:56,480 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 8: But you know what, so is the rest of the 719 00:31:58,680 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 8: NFL right now. 720 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:03,600 Speaker 1: Cam Hayward's thirty six, TJ Watt is thirty one. They 721 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:06,200 Speaker 1: traded for a thirty one year old Jalen Ramsey. Are 722 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:11,120 Speaker 1: those guys still among the NFL's best at their positions? 723 00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:14,160 Speaker 8: You know, Cam hasn't had a great year, not to 724 00:32:14,200 --> 00:32:16,040 Speaker 8: the level that he had two years ago, not to 725 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:17,840 Speaker 8: the level that he was playing in the first three 726 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:22,560 Speaker 8: quarters of last year. What's been good, if not statistically dominant, 727 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:25,880 Speaker 8: he's been very good. And Ramsey, when he's been healthy, 728 00:32:26,520 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 8: he's a real X factor. You know, like if you 729 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:30,440 Speaker 8: just have Jalen Ramsey go out there and try to 730 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 8: cover a guy. It's not as pretty as it used 731 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:35,840 Speaker 8: to be. But when they deploy him in different ways, 732 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:37,600 Speaker 8: when they bring him on a blitz, when they have 733 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:42,800 Speaker 8: him sort of roam and be a rover, he's really impressive. 734 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:47,160 Speaker 8: And he's just a tough one to eleventh to figure 735 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:50,959 Speaker 8: out for the opposing offensive coordinator and the opposing quarterback. 736 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:54,160 Speaker 8: I think that was part of the problem for Dylan Gabriel. 737 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:57,360 Speaker 8: Baby Joe Flacco has an easier time diagnosing what they 738 00:32:57,480 --> 00:33:01,720 Speaker 8: do with him. Sam Darnold sure did when the Seahawks 739 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:05,920 Speaker 8: were here. So the shorter answer your question, or any 740 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:07,440 Speaker 8: of those guys that they used to be when they 741 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:10,280 Speaker 8: were at their peak, No, they're not, but the collective 742 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:12,920 Speaker 8: of them and some of the rising young players like 743 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:17,200 Speaker 8: Herbig Peyton Wilson, Patrick Queen is much better than he 744 00:33:17,320 --> 00:33:20,200 Speaker 8: was here a year ago. Harmon has made a big 745 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:22,320 Speaker 8: difference in the middle of the defensive line since he 746 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:24,560 Speaker 8: got healthy three games in. I think that's been an 747 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:28,040 Speaker 8: underdiscussed part of why the defense has gotten better. All 748 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:31,560 Speaker 8: those guys, I think have improved and they have more 749 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:35,480 Speaker 8: usable pieces in this secondary. If guys should get hurt. 750 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:40,120 Speaker 1: Final question for my guy Tim Benz in Cincinnati. This 751 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 1: is a pivotal game. Win it and you're in it. 752 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:46,920 Speaker 1: Lose it and the path to the playoffs looks very difficult. 753 00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:51,840 Speaker 1: How are the stakes being viewed in Pittsburgh. 754 00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 8: Significant because they're usually lousy and road divisional Thursday night games. 755 00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 8: You know, everybody remembers when Ryan Finley beat them. You know, 756 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:02,239 Speaker 8: regardless of what day of the week it was. They 757 00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:04,400 Speaker 8: can lose any quarterback in the division at any time. 758 00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 8: They've lost to Anthony Brown, they've lost to Tyler Huntley, 759 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:10,320 Speaker 8: they've lost a DTR in Cleveland. So you know, regardless 760 00:34:10,320 --> 00:34:13,800 Speaker 8: of Cincinnati's quarterback position, everybody in Pittsburgh is acutely aware 761 00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:17,239 Speaker 8: of what could happen in a game like this. They 762 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:21,720 Speaker 8: see this, fans do the landscape of the league right now. 763 00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:26,240 Speaker 8: Five and one would almost equate to the best stretch 764 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:28,680 Speaker 8: they had last year when Russ won six of seven 765 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:30,279 Speaker 8: to start the year and that was good enough to 766 00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:32,680 Speaker 8: get them to ten and seven in the playoffs. And 767 00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:36,160 Speaker 8: everybody knows what's coming after the long weekend following this 768 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:40,480 Speaker 8: Thursday game. It's Green Bay, Indy and the Chargers granted 769 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:43,600 Speaker 8: to are at home, but that might be their toughest 770 00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:46,279 Speaker 8: stretch of the season, and you don't want to give 771 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:50,480 Speaker 8: Cincinnati or Baltimore any reason for life to think that 772 00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:53,239 Speaker 8: they can still chase the division. It's viewed as a 773 00:34:53,320 --> 00:34:56,359 Speaker 8: huge game because you get to five and one. That's 774 00:34:56,400 --> 00:34:58,320 Speaker 8: five and one where the best team of the conference 775 00:34:58,400 --> 00:34:59,959 Speaker 8: is five and one right now and it's the colt 776 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:04,359 Speaker 8: And then you also have what in a four game 777 00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:06,480 Speaker 8: lead on anybody else who three game lead on anybody 778 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:09,640 Speaker 8: else in division with Baltimore still trying to figure out 779 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:10,719 Speaker 8: if they can get healthy. 780 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:11,439 Speaker 2: When Lamar comes back. 781 00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:13,520 Speaker 8: So its being viewed as a huge game here in 782 00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:14,439 Speaker 8: Pittsburgh as well. 783 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:17,520 Speaker 1: Tim great stuff is always appreciate your time. 784 00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:18,719 Speaker 8: Man, you got Dan, Thanks for having me. 785 00:35:19,640 --> 00:35:21,320 Speaker 1: That's going to do it for this episode of the 786 00:35:21,320 --> 00:35:24,240 Speaker 1: Bengals Booth podcast, brought to you by pay Core. Proud 787 00:35:24,239 --> 00:35:28,160 Speaker 1: to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by Alta 788 00:35:28,239 --> 00:35:32,520 Speaker 1: Fiber future proof Fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business, 789 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:35,720 Speaker 1: and community to a new level, and by Kettering Health 790 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:38,799 Speaker 1: the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is 791 00:35:38,840 --> 00:35:42,399 Speaker 1: the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. If you haven't 792 00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:45,600 Speaker 1: done so already, please subscribe to this podcast and if 793 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:47,919 Speaker 1: you have a minute, give it a rating or share 794 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:52,279 Speaker 1: a comment that helps more Bengals fans find us. I'm 795 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:55,840 Speaker 1: Dan Hord and thanks for listening to the Bengals Booth 796 00:35:56,200 --> 00:36:08,120 Speaker 1: podcast