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Speaker 1: Happy Holidays, everybody. I'm Dan Horden. Thanks for downloading the

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Speaker 1: Bengals Booth Podcast. The have a Holly Jolly Christmas edition

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Speaker 1: as the Bengals look to extend the holiday celebration with

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Speaker 1: a home win over Arizona on Sunday. Coming up, I'll

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Speaker 1: talk to former Bengals wide receiver Andrew Hawkins about trying

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Speaker 1: to be the voice of reason where Cincinnati is concerned.

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Speaker 1: On ESPN, a one on one player interview is with

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Speaker 1: Jordan Battle, who is tied for second in the NFL

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Speaker 1: in a category that should be an official NFL stat

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Speaker 1: and my broadcast partner Dave Lappam will join me to

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Speaker 1: discuss the value of a strong finish even in a

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Speaker 1: disappointing season. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you

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Speaker 1: by pay Corps, proud to be the Bengals official HR

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Speaker 1: software provider, by Alta Fiber future proof Fiber Internet designed

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Speaker 1: to elevate your home, business, and community to a new level,

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Speaker 1: and by Kettering Health the best care for the best fans.

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Speaker 1: Kettering Health is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals.

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Speaker 1: Now here's a quick reminder that you can have the

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Speaker 1: latest edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet,

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Speaker 1: or computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's

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Speaker 1: the greatest thing since Jay and Nicky Morrison. Jay Morrison,

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Speaker 1: who's been writing about the Bengals for nearly three decades,

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Speaker 1: most recently for Bengals Talk dot Com, lost his wife

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Speaker 1: Nicki this week when a medical procedure turned catastrophic. I've

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Speaker 1: had the opportunity to socialize with the Morrisons on several

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Speaker 1: occasions over the years, and Nicky lit up a room

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Speaker 1: with her smile, laugh, and what I would describe is

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Speaker 1: her game for anything personality. In sharing the tragic news

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Speaker 1: on social media, Jay described his wife of thirty seven

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Speaker 1: years as a beautiful, caring, badass rocker chick. Jay is

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Speaker 1: liked and respected among Bengals players and coaches, as well

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Speaker 1: as those of us who cover the team. If you've

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Speaker 1: enjoyed his work over the years, please keep Jay and

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Speaker 1: his two kids in your thoughts and rip to Nicky, who,

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Speaker 1: in my experience, made every occasion a little more fun.

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Speaker 1: Now let's get to my first guest, who's enjoying remarkable

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Speaker 1: success off the field after playing in the NFL for

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Speaker 1: the Bengals. And Browns. You talk about an impressive resume.

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Speaker 1: He played in the NFL for seven years. He's got

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Speaker 1: a master's degree from an Ivy League school. He's one

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Speaker 1: an Emmy, he's one an Oscar. He's a successful entrepreneur.

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Speaker 1: We see him regularly on ESPN. He is former Bengals

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Speaker 1: wide receiver Andrew Hawkins Hawk. We are catching you a

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Speaker 1: few days after a forty five to twenty one win

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Speaker 1: for the Bengals in Miami. Did you see anything last

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Speaker 1: Sunday that made you think, Okay, maybe this is a

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Speaker 1: preview of what's to come in twenty twenty six.

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Speaker 2: Yes, yes, and no, because I feel like it was

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Speaker 2: a confirmation of things that I already knew, which is

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Speaker 2: the team plays so much better when Joe Burrow is

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Speaker 2: in a lineup, right, Because even when you look at

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Speaker 2: some of the grades, you know for a lot of

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Speaker 2: the offense when he's out versus when he's in, there's

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Speaker 2: just a lift that somebody with that amount of talent

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Speaker 2: like it means for them. And it's not just because

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Speaker 2: he's talented, it's because his leadership. It's like people feel accountable, right,

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Speaker 2: they're doing their job. They understand like the gravity of

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Speaker 2: the situation every time he's in there, and it was

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Speaker 2: an all around great win. Brown played great. You know,

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Speaker 2: this is a Miami team. Yeah, they had a new quarterback,

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Speaker 2: but for the most part, they've also played really hard

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Speaker 2: down the stretch. You know, for the situation they're in

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Speaker 2: where their GM goes, they benched their quarterback. You have

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Speaker 2: a head coach who, you know, all the national media

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Speaker 2: is saying, you know, he probably is not going to

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Speaker 2: be there. He can't get them to play. They play

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Speaker 2: really hard. So for the Bengals to come out there

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Speaker 2: and put that kind of effort forward and all around

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Speaker 2: when I do feel like it's what's to come, but

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Speaker 2: more of what it could be if they can keep

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Speaker 2: that for the entirety of a seventeen game stretch.

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Speaker 1: You've been in an interesting position in recent weeks on ESPN.

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Speaker 1: Some of your colleagues I'm not going to name names,

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Speaker 1: have taken comments from Joe Burrow and kind of run

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Speaker 1: wild with it. Have you felt like you've had to

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Speaker 1: be the voice of reason at times?

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Speaker 3: I do, man, and it's hard for me.

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Speaker 4: Dan.

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Speaker 2: I'm not going to lie, because I really do have

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Speaker 2: a deep Bengals fandom, right and you know my history.

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Speaker 2: I've obviously played for the Browns for a number of years.

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Speaker 2: That organization has been incredible to me. I grew up

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Speaker 2: a Bengals fan. I've been a part of Woday nation

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Speaker 2: since nineteen ninety eight, like I could name all the quarterbacks.

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Speaker 2: The first training camp or NFL practice I ever went

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Speaker 2: to was actually before my rather even played for the team,

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Speaker 2: and Eric b Enemy pulled me out of the stands

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Speaker 2: randomly and took me in the locker room to get

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Speaker 2: autographs and that kind of cement to me as a

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Speaker 2: Bengals fan. And so I'm always in this weird situation,

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Speaker 2: obviously rooting for both franchisees, but more importantly, when I'm

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Speaker 2: on television or we're having these conversations, it is really

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Speaker 2: tough for me to separate people being analysts and me being,

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Speaker 2: you know, letting the thirteen year old version of me

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Speaker 2: speak in my answers and what my perspective is. And

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Speaker 2: I do feel like I need to be the voice

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Speaker 2: of reason at times, just because you know, I think

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Speaker 2: it's easy to look at all these situations in a vacuum.

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Speaker 2: And why I give the detail of being a fan

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Speaker 2: of the Bengals organization since I was a kid. It

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Speaker 2: is because every situation plays back in your mind, like

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Speaker 2: you do, go back to a baseline of like, well,

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Speaker 2: what is the last situation we saw with this happening?

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Speaker 2: What is the last situation we saw with that? What

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Speaker 2: are the time when the organization has been successful, when

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Speaker 2: the players have been SUCCESSU what is the mindset?

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Speaker 3: And you know?

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Speaker 2: And so I feel like in a lot of those

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Speaker 2: conversations I find myself sometimes probably skewing a little bit

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Speaker 2: more bangal than player, which is just the opposite of

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Speaker 2: what I do for all other thirty one organizations. But

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Speaker 2: at the same time, I think there's validity to it,

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Speaker 2: meaning like, look, nothing's ever going to be perfect. And

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Speaker 2: in the NFL and my experience, the better you are,

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Speaker 2: the better that you say you are, the better the

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Speaker 2: fans think you are, the better, the organization pays you

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Speaker 2: and puts more. There is more on your shoulders. The

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Speaker 2: standard is different. And is it fair. Absolutely not. But

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Speaker 2: I can remember being in those games in close environments

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Speaker 2: and if I don't make a play, it's like, damn Hawk,

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Speaker 2: we wish you would have made that play. When AJ

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Speaker 2: has to make a play, it's like, hey, what this

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Speaker 2: hat like we're banking on this the old everybody your

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Speaker 2: expected and he understood that, right, because with great power

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Speaker 2: comes great responsibility. So yeah, I do find myself being

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Speaker 2: trying to be the voice of reason, trying to give

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Speaker 2: you know, the sky isn't falling and this isn't this

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Speaker 2: isn't on anybody's one piece of the conversation shoulder, Whereas

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Speaker 2: if everybody takes the ownership, then you can you can

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Speaker 2: find ways to make the leap to the next level.

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Speaker 1: I do wonder at times why certain things where the

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Speaker 1: Bengals are concerned never seem to change in the mind

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Speaker 1: of the national media. For example, the Bengals are cheap,

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Speaker 1: so they signed Joe Burrow to the greatest contract that

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Speaker 1: a quarterback had at the time in the NFL. They

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Speaker 1: extend Jamar and t this past offseason, and no matter

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Speaker 1: what they do, that just seems to be cemented in

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Speaker 1: the minds of some people and they are not going

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Speaker 1: to move off that position. And you often find yourself

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Speaker 1: on sets with some of those people.

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Speaker 2: I'm with you, I'm like, everything can't be true. That's

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Speaker 2: the saying that I always use, right, and you know,

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Speaker 2: we have probably with Cincinnati the best wide receiver duo

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Speaker 2: in the NFL, and we have at the very least

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Speaker 2: a top three quarterback in the NFL, if not higher,

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Speaker 2: depending on what week it is or who you're talking to.

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Speaker 3: Those things are cheap, those things, aren't.

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Speaker 2: You know, Like, we can't have that and have every

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Speaker 2: position being top five unless you just you hit a

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Speaker 2: lights out draft or you go get players situationally that

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Speaker 2: you probably shouldn't get or that you luck into a

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Speaker 2: lot of time. So to your point, I try to

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Speaker 2: remind people of like, Okay, we're you see the contracts,

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Speaker 2: we talk about them week in and week out, so

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Speaker 2: that the narrative that it's just being cheap and you're

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Speaker 2: not players for players sake. It's just it's just it's

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Speaker 2: just wrong, you know. So I'm with you one thousand percent.

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Speaker 1: Hawk. When you were in Cincinnati, the Bengals had an

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Speaker 1: unbelievable receiving corps. AJ Green, Marvin Jones, Mosts, a New

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Speaker 1: your Elf, Tyler Raiford, Jermaine Gresham. It was pretty impressive,

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Speaker 1: certainly among the best in the NFL. What do you

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Speaker 1: think of the group now?

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Speaker 3: Yes, I still feel the same way.

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Speaker 2: I think it's I think it's the talent wise, you're

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Speaker 2: getting a lot of the talent that we had in

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Speaker 2: that core.

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Speaker 3: With even fewer guys.

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Speaker 2: You know, I think T Higgins is a number one

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Speaker 2: receiver in this league. I think he's one of the

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Speaker 2: best thirty two receivers in the National Football League, and

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Speaker 2: I don't think he's thirty two.

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Speaker 3: Obviously.

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Speaker 2: Jamar Chase is one of the best receivers you know,

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Speaker 2: in his time since he's stepped foot in the NFL.

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Speaker 2: And I think that that's what the Bengals have always

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Speaker 2: done well, you know, I think I think the Steelers

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Speaker 2: for a long time got a lot of credit for

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Speaker 2: their ability to go get receivers in the second, third

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Speaker 2: round and turn them into like, you know, household names

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Speaker 2: or Pro Bowl caliber players. And I would argue that

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Speaker 2: the Bengals have done even even better, which is why

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Speaker 2: it's it's been such a departure from what they not

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Speaker 2: only have done, but what they've had to do, where

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Speaker 2: they pay two incredibly good wide receivers because we want

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Speaker 2: to keep that core intact.

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Speaker 3: Because they've had so much luck.

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Speaker 2: Even the names that you mentioned, those are third round picks,

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Speaker 2: fifth round picks, guys that came from Canada, the second

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Speaker 2: round tight ends, and it goes back to.

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Speaker 3: The Hushman's side of days, the Jo Choe sinkles.

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Speaker 2: These aren't top ten wide receivers drafted, you know, Tyler Boys,

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Speaker 2: I mean, you name it. They've done incredibly well in

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Speaker 2: that department. And they've been able not only to find

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Speaker 2: guys with talent, you know, on that core. I mean,

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Speaker 2: I let an NFL team in receiving most of the news,

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Speaker 2: let an NFL team in receiving. Marvin Jones has let

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Speaker 2: an NFL team in receiving. Aj Green has led an

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Speaker 2: NFL team in receiving. That is a rarity, right for

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Speaker 2: your fourth receiver to end up going to be a

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Speaker 2: number one somewhere. And so you know, to your point,

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Speaker 2: when I look at this team now, there is so

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Speaker 2: much to build on there because even when you look

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Speaker 2: at like some of the matchups are going into this week,

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Speaker 2: there's just things you can bank on.

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Speaker 3: There's no way you can.

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Speaker 2: Cover both t and Jamar with Joe at the helm

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Speaker 2: and just completely take their receivers away unless their self

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Speaker 2: inflicted wounds on the Cincinnati offense side.

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Speaker 3: And that's what makes them special.

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Speaker 1: It is Christmas week. We have items at the top

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Speaker 1: of our wish lists. What should the Bengals have at

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Speaker 1: the top of their wish list going forward for next year?

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Speaker 2: Continuing to invest into the defense however possible. I think,

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Speaker 2: you know, doing whatever we can. And again, a lot

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Speaker 2: of this happenstance, it's luck, it's the way the ball bounces.

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Speaker 2: Joe Burrow playing a seventeen game season makes this a

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Speaker 2: completely different team, you know. And the hope is that,

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Speaker 2: you know, in any fifteen year career, there's going to

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Speaker 2: be on average, probably three seasons that you're going to end.

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Speaker 3: And I are right.

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Speaker 2: The hope is that, Okay, we've seen those seasons now

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Speaker 2: and now Joe Burrow going forward is like, you know,

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Speaker 2: he's in the lineup constantly because it's just a completely

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Speaker 2: different team.

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Speaker 3: Right.

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Speaker 2: This is such a quarterback driven league. So if you

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Speaker 2: have a quarterback that's just decent, you have a chance.

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Speaker 2: If you have a quarterback that is elite as Joe

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Speaker 2: Burrow and he's in the lineup, this is no kidd.

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Speaker 3: And you can miss the playoffs three years in.

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Speaker 2: A row, and immediately next year you could be in

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Speaker 2: the running to win the Super Bowl. And that's what's special.

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Speaker 2: When I think you know, making sure you are building

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Speaker 2: in a way that is supportive for the absolutes that

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Speaker 2: you have in Joe Burrow or the receiving corps or

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Speaker 2: these pieces that you can bank on. It's now, how

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Speaker 2: do you lift everything else to put that insurance policy

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Speaker 2: in place?

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Speaker 1: Hockey, you spent your entire career in the AFC North.

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Speaker 1: What do you make of the Steelers being two games

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Speaker 1: up with two games to go?

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think at this point I'm not surprised.

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Speaker 2: I think Mike Tomlin has done an incredible job.

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Speaker 3: You just know what you get with him. Kind of

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Speaker 3: little we talk about with absolutes.

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Speaker 2: We've seen him do it, Yes, with Aaron Rodgers, who's

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Speaker 2: far past his prime. That's the reality of the situation.

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Speaker 2: We've seen him do it with Roethlisberger for a year,

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Speaker 2: but we seen him do it, you know, with Kenny Pickett.

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Speaker 2: We've seen them do it with every other quarterback that

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Speaker 2: has like medaled in the middle. He's still able to

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Speaker 2: produce winning seasons. So, but the reality for them and

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Speaker 2: their standard is nobody in Steelers fandom or a part

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Speaker 2: of that organization is going to be happy with them

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Speaker 2: just winning the division, right because that is not what

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Speaker 2: they play for. And because it's an absolute, it's like

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Speaker 2: guaranteed we're going to win nine games. We know that,

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Speaker 2: we understand that nine games plus. How do we turn

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Speaker 2: that into playoff wins?

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Speaker 3: How do we.

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Speaker 2: Actually start to put a DT in there? And you know,

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Speaker 2: for them, I would argue that there's nobody in Pittsburgh

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Speaker 2: fandom organization, in the city of Pittsburgh that care about

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Speaker 2: them being two games up in the division at this

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Speaker 2: point if it doesn't equate to a first round playoff win.

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Speaker 1: The Bengals host the Cardinals this week at pay Court Stadium.

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Speaker 1: What are a couple of keys for the Bengals coming

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Speaker 1: away with a victory at home?

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Speaker 2: Big key for their defense would be trying to limit

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Speaker 2: Trade McBride right, I think the Bengals defense, obviously, they've

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Speaker 2: struggled against tight ends. I think they lead the league

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Speaker 2: in receptions, giving up yards, given up touchdowns, giving up

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Speaker 2: the tight ends. And Trey was a little quiet last week,

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Speaker 2: and I think the Falcons did a really good job

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Speaker 2: against him. So if the Bengals can take a page

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Speaker 2: out of their book and limit Trey down the middle

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Speaker 2: of the field, that's going to be a really really

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Speaker 2: big deal for them, and I think if they can

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Speaker 2: limit that offense because Jacoby Prissett, he does have the

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Speaker 2: ability to be really really productive on offense. And you've

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Speaker 2: seen a lift not to the Joe Burrow level, but

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Speaker 2: you've seen a lift from their offense when Jacobi's in

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Speaker 2: there because you understand what he can do. He's gotten

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Speaker 2: even the most out of Wilson at the wide receiver position.

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Speaker 2: I think Trade McBride is going to be absolutely the

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Speaker 2: most important piece of that defense to try.

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Speaker 3: To stop Hawk.

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Speaker 1: I mentioned off the top that you are an entrepreneur.

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Speaker 1: One of your ventures is Status Pro, a virtual reality

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Speaker 1: company that has partnered with the NFL. Tell us a

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Speaker 1: little bit about what's going on with that because we

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Speaker 1: see Dan Orlovsky use it to great effect on NFL Live.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a company my co founder, Troy Jones, and

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Speaker 2: I started about seven years ago with the idea of like,

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Speaker 2: how do we deepen fandom, how do we deepen understanding

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Speaker 2: of what's going on because we are football guys.

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Speaker 3: As you know, this has been.

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Speaker 2: My life's work, and you know, if I can show

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Speaker 2: people just how hard it is for Joe Burrow out

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Speaker 2: there or John Kittner or Jeff Blake or you know,

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Speaker 2: insert whatever quarterback for the Bengals we've watched over the years.

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Speaker 2: Then I think it helps fans understand a little bit more.

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Speaker 2: So what we do is the technology. We take the

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Speaker 2: NGS data that NFL players wear in their shoulder pads

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Speaker 2: and we convert it to a simulation, and we take

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Speaker 2: that simulation and the output can be in three different ways.

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Speaker 2: Number one is gaming, so we have a VR video

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Speaker 2: game that's one of the best selling video games in

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Speaker 2: VR history and the top selling sports video game. And

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Speaker 2: then we put it in training, so we have literal

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Speaker 2: you know, NFL teams, high level college teams that use

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Speaker 2: it for their quarterbacks, for their special teams, for their

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Speaker 2: running backs, for blitz pickup, for route recognition, formation recognition,

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Speaker 2: so they can get actual reps where it feels like

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Speaker 2: you're on the field and take the wear and tear

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Speaker 2: off their body. And then lastly, like you mentioned, we

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Speaker 2: use it in media where Dan or insert whatever analysts

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Speaker 2: will put it on and explain to the fans, like

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Speaker 2: the decisions that a quarterback like Joe Burrow has to make,

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Speaker 2: all the considerations that have to go into that decision,

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Speaker 2: making and how fast he has to make it with

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Speaker 2: a limited view, right, and so it's been awesome to

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Speaker 2: kind of continue to.

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Speaker 3: Bring into life.

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Speaker 2: Like I said, if I can contribute to the game

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Speaker 2: of football in a way that makes somebody love it

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Speaker 2: a little bit more than I feel like I've been

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Speaker 2: a good steward of the which has been so good

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Speaker 2: to me.

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Speaker 1: You're doing a tremendous job on ESPN and in all

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Speaker 1: of your ventures. I really appreciate your time. Happy holidays

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Speaker 1: and look forward to chatting with you again down the road.

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Speaker 3: My pleasure, Dan, thanks for having me man.

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Speaker 1: Until recently, Andrew ranked fiftieth all time and receiving yards

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Speaker 1: for the Bengals and fiftieth all time and receiving yards

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Speaker 1: for the Browns. Jerry Judy recently passed him on Cleveland's

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Speaker 1: all time list, but when Andrea Yosi Vosh adds seventeen

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Speaker 1: yards to his career total, the symmetry will be back.

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Speaker 1: Hawk will rank fifty first for both teams. Pro Bowl

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Speaker 1: rosters were announced this week, and Jamar Chase was named

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Speaker 1: to the AFC team for the fifth time in five years.

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Speaker 1: AJ Green is the only other player in team history

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Speaker 1: to start his career in similar fashion, and AJ made

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Speaker 1: it in each of his first seven seasons. T Higgins,

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Speaker 1: DJ Turner, and kick returner Charlie Jones were named Pro

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Speaker 1: Bowl all times and could wind up being added if

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Speaker 1: others are unable to play. DJ Turner, who's tied for

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Speaker 1: the NFL lead and passes defense, seem to have a

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Speaker 1: particularly strong case for making it this year. I discussed

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Speaker 1: that and more this week with Bengals safety Jordan Battle. Jordan,

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Speaker 1: I thought there was a good chance that DJ Turner

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Speaker 1: was going to make the Pro Bowl roster this year.

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Speaker 1: We learned on Tuesday that he's an alternate.

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Speaker 5: What was your reaction, obviously, you know, if he's frustrated.

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Speaker 6: I feel, you know, obviously having a great year, easily

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Speaker 6: easily a top five corner in the league this year,

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Speaker 6: and I feel all his frustration. I feel where he's

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Speaker 6: coming from, obviously, you know, ME see him like wow,

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Speaker 6: I think him in I think him and the other

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Speaker 6: guy from the Bears, right, I think he. I think

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Speaker 6: they both got pretty bad.

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Speaker 1: I'm glad you mentioned right n Sean Wright. So in

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Speaker 1: the official NFL stats, we see league leaders for interceptions,

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Speaker 1: league leaders for fumbles. They never add up the two

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Speaker 1: and make that into a stat for yeah, for takeaways.

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Speaker 1: If they did, he's number one, you're tied for number two.

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Speaker 1: He's got seven. You've got six, four interceptions and two

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Speaker 1: forest fumbles. Should that be like an official NFL stat?

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Speaker 1: And what's been the key for you to do so

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Speaker 1: well in that category this year?

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Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean they added as a stat. You know,

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Speaker 6: I would love that obviously, you know, a dozen off

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Speaker 6: this year, but yeah, just this year, you know, trying

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Speaker 6: to be more ball away, you know, as a season

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Speaker 6: going on, just understanding you know, whenever whenever there's a chance,

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Speaker 6: you know, to make a tackle, you know there's a

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Speaker 6: chance for the ball to come out, and obviously you

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Speaker 6: know when the ball is in there, you know, just.

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Speaker 5: Trying to make a play on the ball. You know, however,

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Speaker 5: I can you know, I know most.

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Speaker 6: Of them been been tips this year, but you know,

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Speaker 6: even just going to get the ball out of the air.

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Speaker 1: Sometimes going back to training camp, you guys would do

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Speaker 1: drills even before you stretched to begin practice, where you're

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Speaker 1: working on ripping the ball away, punching the ball away,

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Speaker 1: anything you can to create takeaways. Does that because second

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Speaker 1: nature muscle memory when you do that every day.

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Speaker 6: Yeah, I feel like this year, like the first year

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Speaker 6: I could say like I've actually been like going to

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Speaker 6: punch at the ball, Like it's been on my mind,

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Speaker 6: like going for a tackle, to to go for the ball.

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Speaker 6: So I feel like that's that's helped me starting the

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Speaker 6: training camp. OTA's you know, even when like when coach

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Speaker 6: our first got here, like that was his main thing,

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Speaker 6: you know, takeaways, takeaways, takeaways, rip at the ball, punch

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Speaker 6: at the ball. So I feel like, uh, that's kind

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Speaker 6: of been like second nature to me, like going into

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Speaker 6: the games.

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Speaker 1: Now, were visiting with Jordan Battle. Let me circle back

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Speaker 1: to DJ Turner for a second. You guys were part

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Speaker 1: of the same draft class. It's turned out to be

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Speaker 1: an excellent draft for the Bengals. What have you seen

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Speaker 1: in Dj this year that's taken him from the level

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Speaker 1: he was at prior to this season to being one

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Speaker 1: of the top five corners in the NFL.

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Speaker 6: Yeah, I think just the way he's prepared, you know,

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Speaker 6: coming into the week. You know, this year, he had

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Speaker 6: a mindset of you know, going and garden the best

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Speaker 6: even on East team. You know, I told coach Chuck that,

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Speaker 6: you know, told us that, you know, and he's been

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Speaker 6: living up to it. You know, he's been going out

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Speaker 6: you know to practice, you know, ready to cover you know,

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Speaker 6: whoever's the opponent's best receiver. You know, he's been taking

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Speaker 6: that challenge very well. You know, he's been locked in

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Speaker 6: into his off the field things, you know, with meditation,

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Speaker 6: with his reading, you know, getting his body right, you know.

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Speaker 6: And that's kind of like been been to help for

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Speaker 6: me as well, you know, like just doing pilates, like

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Speaker 6: doing the extra things and massages. You know, I haven't

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Speaker 6: I wasn't really into pilates or you know, like stretching

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Speaker 6: outside of the building, you know, and I got into that.

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Speaker 6: So I feel like that's you know, elevating my game

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Speaker 6: a little bit as well.

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Speaker 1: Miles Murphy's part of your draft class as well. What

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Speaker 1: is he showing you in the second half of this season?

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Speaker 6: Uh, you know, he showed us you know everything everything,

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Speaker 6: you know what he drafting them for. You know, the

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Speaker 6: effort on the edge, you know, the speed, the physicality

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Speaker 6: you know, setting the edge and being able to play

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Speaker 6: the run game, you know, and create TFLs for defense,

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Speaker 6: you know, and then obviously the speed off the edge

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Speaker 6: to to get some sacks. You know, in the past

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Speaker 6: few games, I feel like that he's been taking this

434
00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:57,480
Speaker 6: game to the next level and he's only gonna get better.

435
00:21:58,119 --> 00:22:01,080
Speaker 1: In recent weeks, after the injury to Cam Taylor Brett,

436
00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:04,200
Speaker 1: Jalen Davis became the starting slide corner. Dax Hill move

437
00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:06,879
Speaker 1: to outside corner. Let's start with Jalen. What do you

438
00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:08,320
Speaker 1: admire and respect about him?

439
00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:11,720
Speaker 6: Yeah, I just respect his just how how bored in

440
00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:13,879
Speaker 6: he is and he's been, you know, even when he

441
00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:16,960
Speaker 6: wasn't playing. You know, just I just respected his game,

442
00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,080
Speaker 6: you know, respect his knowledge for the game, you know,

443
00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:22,520
Speaker 6: obviously being a guy who wasn't given a chance in

444
00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:25,560
Speaker 6: his career, you know, and obviously now he's been starting

445
00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:27,359
Speaker 6: to pass a few games and he's been playing very

446
00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:30,359
Speaker 6: well for us, you know. Uh, and he's that's predicated

447
00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:31,960
Speaker 6: to all the work he's put in, you know, coming

448
00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:34,880
Speaker 6: uh of living up to this moment. You know, even

449
00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:36,920
Speaker 6: in the training camp, you know, see him making players

450
00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:39,040
Speaker 6: in one on ones. You know, see him making plays

451
00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:41,360
Speaker 6: in practice. You know, when guys aren't practicing, he comes in.

452
00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:44,359
Speaker 6: He makes players, create, create turnovers in practice.

453
00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:44,560
Speaker 4: You know.

454
00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:47,000
Speaker 6: So, uh, when she in the game, it's like, okay,

455
00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:48,479
Speaker 6: we knew he We knew he was gonna do that.

456
00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:50,280
Speaker 6: You know, we knew he can trust him. You know,

457
00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:52,600
Speaker 6: that's why he's out there. So just see him, you know,

458
00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,960
Speaker 6: continue to do good. And then you know, obviously knowing

459
00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:57,320
Speaker 6: that he has a great family, you know, I know

460
00:22:57,320 --> 00:22:58,280
Speaker 6: they're proud of him as well.

461
00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:00,720
Speaker 1: Do you feel like the team is found the best

462
00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:01,600
Speaker 1: spot for Dax?

463
00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:03,360
Speaker 3: Uh?

464
00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:07,760
Speaker 6: Yes and no, but I feel like that's a guy

465
00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:10,199
Speaker 6: who can play, you know, anywhere. Obviously we all know that.

466
00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:14,040
Speaker 6: But seeing the way he's playing, you know, obviousitly DJ

467
00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:17,119
Speaker 6: right now, like he's he's getting locked into that and

468
00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:20,600
Speaker 6: he's he's getting comfortable in that, and uh like this

469
00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:22,359
Speaker 6: might be where he where he I mean, when he

470
00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:24,240
Speaker 6: the next few years might.

471
00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:24,879
Speaker 5: Be where he stays.

472
00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:28,640
Speaker 6: You know, obviously he's playing very well carrying Pobu's playing

473
00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:30,800
Speaker 6: real good in the run game, you know, setting edges

474
00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:33,719
Speaker 6: which makes it easier for safeties and linebackers to make tackles,

475
00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:35,959
Speaker 6: uh and for him to make plays himself.

476
00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:38,520
Speaker 5: So like, you know, he's find his spot for the

477
00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:39,520
Speaker 5: next few years for sure.

478
00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:42,200
Speaker 1: We're chatting with Jordan battle. You take on the Cardinals

479
00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:44,760
Speaker 1: this week. They've got a tight end and Trey McBride,

480
00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:47,920
Speaker 1: who's got one fewer catch than Jamar Chase. That's how

481
00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:51,040
Speaker 1: often they're getting the ball to Trey McBride. What stands

482
00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:53,280
Speaker 1: out about him, like you've watched the Cardinals this week.

483
00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:55,959
Speaker 6: Yeah, he's a very physical route runner. He uses his

484
00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,880
Speaker 6: hands very well coming out of his brakes. Obviously he's

485
00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:04,560
Speaker 6: he's a high hot target. You know, a lot of

486
00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:07,480
Speaker 6: Brissetts you know, reads or starts with him and then

487
00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:11,080
Speaker 6: he goes back away to either fourteen or eighteen, you know,

488
00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:12,960
Speaker 6: So he's got to understand that nor he is on

489
00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:15,800
Speaker 6: the field, we kind of got a good you know

490
00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:18,800
Speaker 6: feel for you know, his routes and where he's lined up,

491
00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:21,080
Speaker 6: you know, so we've got to understand that, know where

492
00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:22,720
Speaker 6: he is, you know, and to be able to play

493
00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:25,120
Speaker 6: the routse that we that we know will will come.

494
00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:27,440
Speaker 5: And obviously they like to give him a lot of a.

495
00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:29,680
Speaker 6: Lot of screens or you know a lot of quick throws,

496
00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:31,480
Speaker 6: you know, because he's a lot he's very physical runner

497
00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:32,320
Speaker 6: as well, and he guys the ball.

498
00:24:32,359 --> 00:24:34,399
Speaker 5: He has gets good rack, so you know you have

499
00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:35,720
Speaker 5: to do a good job tackling as well.

500
00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:38,440
Speaker 1: Be honest, I haven't watched a lot of the Cardinals

501
00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:41,360
Speaker 1: this year, so studying them this week, I'm surprised by

502
00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:45,640
Speaker 1: how prolific their passing tack is. After Kyle Murray went down,

503
00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:49,000
Speaker 1: it got better. Koby Perssetts playing well. There's seventh in

504
00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:52,320
Speaker 1: the NFL in passing yards. This is an offense that

505
00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:53,400
Speaker 1: has earned your respect.

506
00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:54,240
Speaker 5: Yeaheah, for sure.

507
00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:58,000
Speaker 6: Obviously coming into the game, there's's probably gonna be the

508
00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:00,800
Speaker 6: team that passed the most this year that we played against.

509
00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:04,439
Speaker 5: Coming to the game, they were, They're very.

510
00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:07,520
Speaker 6: They take the most i think play action shots this

511
00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:09,119
Speaker 6: year out of any team.

512
00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:10,360
Speaker 5: So we got to understand that.

513
00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:13,200
Speaker 6: Know that Jacob's not a phrase to go the ball downfield,

514
00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:15,240
Speaker 6: you know, So that gives us a chance to make

515
00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:17,080
Speaker 6: players as well. So we've got to be in position

516
00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:18,520
Speaker 6: and then go out there and make those plays.

517
00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:20,919
Speaker 1: To the end of year three for you, unfortunately you

518
00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:23,879
Speaker 1: haven't been to the playoffs yet. How desperate are you

519
00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:27,960
Speaker 1: to turn next season, season four into the type of

520
00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:30,440
Speaker 1: year that you probably expected to have when you came here.

521
00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:33,800
Speaker 6: Very desperate, you know, already ready to make a playoff

522
00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:35,960
Speaker 6: and win the Super Bowl, you know, I feel like

523
00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:37,480
Speaker 6: that's the last thing on my checklist.

524
00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:38,680
Speaker 5: You know the cross off.

525
00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:41,280
Speaker 6: You know I got to the high school championship, high

526
00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:44,440
Speaker 6: school national championship, got the national championship in college.

527
00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:45,920
Speaker 5: I think super Bowl is the.

528
00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:49,000
Speaker 6: Last thing, but first making the playoffs and then getting

529
00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:49,560
Speaker 6: a Super Bowl.

530
00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:52,879
Speaker 1: Appreciate your time as always, Merry Christmas, Thanks for spending

531
00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:53,760
Speaker 1: a few minutes with us.

532
00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:55,080
Speaker 5: May Christmas Holladays.

533
00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:59,119
Speaker 1: The Bengals Booth podcast is brought to you by Paid Corps,

534
00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:03,080
Speaker 1: Proud to be the ben official HR software provider, by

535
00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:06,720
Speaker 1: Ulta Fiber future Proof Fiber Internet designed elevate your home,

536
00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:10,640
Speaker 1: business and community to a new level, and by Kettering

537
00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:13,800
Speaker 1: Health the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health

538
00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:18,280
Speaker 1: is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Joe Burrow

539
00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:21,280
Speaker 1: has a history of leading the Bengals to strong finishes.

540
00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:24,960
Speaker 1: They ended last season with a five game winning streak.

541
00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:28,639
Speaker 1: He missed the final seven games of the previous season

542
00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:31,040
Speaker 1: with his wrist injury. So if you go back to

543
00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:34,240
Speaker 1: the year before that, the Bengals ended the regular season

544
00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:37,760
Speaker 1: with an eight game winning streak and in twenty twenty

545
00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:41,640
Speaker 1: one they won three straight. Had to have at games

546
00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:43,720
Speaker 1: to win the AFC North At the end of the

547
00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:47,960
Speaker 1: year before Joe set out the regular season finale prior

548
00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,120
Speaker 1: to the Bengals Super Bowl run. This year, the best

549
00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:53,600
Speaker 1: they can do is end with a three game winning streak,

550
00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:56,879
Speaker 1: and that seems like a strong possibility since their final

551
00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:00,359
Speaker 1: two opponents are the three and twelve Cardinals and the

552
00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:03,800
Speaker 1: three and twelve Browns. I discuss that with my broadcast

553
00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:06,280
Speaker 1: partner Dave Lapham.

554
00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:08,560
Speaker 4: It would mean a lot in my estimation. You know,

555
00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:11,159
Speaker 4: as a former player, I can say that, you know,

556
00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:14,840
Speaker 4: winning the last three games of the season is is

557
00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:17,320
Speaker 4: a plus. It's a factor going into the getting your

558
00:27:17,359 --> 00:27:21,000
Speaker 4: mind right for the following season for twenty twenty six. Now,

559
00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:25,280
Speaker 4: you know, you just put the records out there, three

560
00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,560
Speaker 4: and twelve, three and twelve, six and twenty four not great,

561
00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:31,600
Speaker 4: not great. Fan base is going to be who cares?

562
00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:32,040
Speaker 3: Right?

563
00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:35,679
Speaker 4: You know, you beat those two football teams, who really cares? Well,

564
00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:38,280
Speaker 4: You'll care if they lose to one of them, That's

565
00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:40,920
Speaker 4: that's for sure. You'll hear about that all day long,

566
00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:44,720
Speaker 4: on every day of the week until the next football game.

567
00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:47,200
Speaker 4: But you do you you want to be a pros pro.

568
00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:50,399
Speaker 4: You want to finish is with the best ruck you

569
00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:53,520
Speaker 4: possibly can and seven and ten, you know, is nothing

570
00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:56,160
Speaker 4: right home about. You know, it's not anything to raise

571
00:27:56,160 --> 00:28:00,560
Speaker 4: the flag over. But considering where they were to crawl

572
00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:03,000
Speaker 4: back to a seven and ten mark and to finish

573
00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:05,480
Speaker 4: the season on an uptick, and the graft was going

574
00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,440
Speaker 4: up as the season finished off, I think that's important.

575
00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:11,000
Speaker 1: I think the other thing that's really important is that

576
00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:13,600
Speaker 1: even if they win these last two games to get

577
00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:16,679
Speaker 1: to seven wins, you still have to remember, Okay, our

578
00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:19,560
Speaker 1: job's not done. That doesn't really change the big picture.

579
00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:22,680
Speaker 1: This team needs to fix the defense absolutely to get

580
00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:25,560
Speaker 1: where they want to go next year. So even if

581
00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:28,199
Speaker 1: they finish on a high, it doesn't change the mission.

582
00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:32,160
Speaker 1: Attack the offseason and surround Joe Burrow with a defense

583
00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:33,840
Speaker 1: that can help him get the Bengals back to the

584
00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:34,320
Speaker 1: Super Bowl.

585
00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:36,879
Speaker 4: Bingo, Dan, you know your football, no question about it.

586
00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:40,480
Speaker 4: You're doing games a while now, and it's been very enjoyable,

587
00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:45,720
Speaker 4: my man, right back back at you. You know, it's yeah. Defensively,

588
00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:51,360
Speaker 4: they've got some pieces, very few though they don't have

589
00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:53,400
Speaker 4: a whole lot of them. The thing they do have

590
00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:56,680
Speaker 4: those youth and they have young football players I think

591
00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:00,800
Speaker 4: that have shown enough to forecast promising futures. You know,

592
00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:03,120
Speaker 4: I don't think that they've got a bunch of tents

593
00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:05,920
Speaker 4: out there that can't play the game and can't understand

594
00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:08,080
Speaker 4: the game of football. I think they've got players that

595
00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:10,480
Speaker 4: they can work with. I think, uh, you know, you're

596
00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:12,720
Speaker 4: not going to have a superstar at every single position.

597
00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:15,040
Speaker 4: That's unrealistic in the National Football League. It's just not

598
00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:19,600
Speaker 4: going to happen. But you know, you want to have good, solid,

599
00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:23,320
Speaker 4: sound football players, and uh, you know, the National Football

600
00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:25,000
Speaker 4: League is the best of the best. You know, you're

601
00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:27,880
Speaker 4: you're bringing in the cream of the crop. You're bringing

602
00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:30,600
Speaker 4: in the best college football players every year in the draft,

603
00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:33,480
Speaker 4: and you're trying to get you know, good football players.

604
00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:36,640
Speaker 4: They might not have been in need on the team

605
00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:39,680
Speaker 4: that they were on, so they're on the market and

606
00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:41,440
Speaker 4: you can go and get them. And you have a

607
00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:43,560
Speaker 4: need on your football team, go get a free agent

608
00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:46,680
Speaker 4: and solidify it your football team even a little bit

609
00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:49,840
Speaker 4: more so the front office, you know, Duke Tobin and

610
00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,560
Speaker 4: his people in the scouting department, all those people have

611
00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:56,520
Speaker 4: have some work ahead of them. Their season really is

612
00:29:56,600 --> 00:29:57,160
Speaker 4: just beginning.

613
00:29:57,320 --> 00:30:00,240
Speaker 1: A good description the Bengals, depending on what website you

614
00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:04,280
Speaker 1: check out, have either the seventh or eighth most salary

615
00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,720
Speaker 1: cap space. They've got all of their high draft picks,

616
00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:10,760
Speaker 1: they will have resources to attack fixing the defense in

617
00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:14,440
Speaker 1: the off season. Here's a quick invitation to join lap

618
00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:17,000
Speaker 1: in me for the Bengals Pep Bradley Show This week

619
00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:20,160
Speaker 1: will be at the on the Rhine Eatery that's the

620
00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:23,200
Speaker 1: food hall on the second floor above the downtown Kroger

621
00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:26,920
Speaker 1: on Friday from three to six and our scheduled guest

622
00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:29,880
Speaker 1: in the final hour of that show will be rookie

623
00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:33,720
Speaker 1: offensive lineman Dylan Fairchild. That's going to do it for

624
00:30:33,800 --> 00:30:36,120
Speaker 1: this episode of the Bengals Booth podcast, brought to you

625
00:30:36,160 --> 00:30:39,360
Speaker 1: by pay Corp. Proud to be the Bengals official HR

626
00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:44,280
Speaker 1: software provider, by Alta Fiber future proof Fiber Internet designed

627
00:30:44,280 --> 00:30:47,160
Speaker 1: to elevate your home, business and community to a new level,

628
00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:51,240
Speaker 1: and by Kettering Health the best care for the best fans.

629
00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:55,080
Speaker 1: Kettering Health is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals.

630
00:30:55,440 --> 00:30:58,280
Speaker 1: If you haven't done so already, please subscribe to this

631
00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:00,360
Speaker 1: podcast and if you have a minute, give it a

632
00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:04,240
Speaker 1: rating or share a comment that helps more Bengals fans

633
00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:08,640
Speaker 1: find us. Merry Christmas and thanks for listening to the

634
00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:10,120
Speaker 1: Bengals Booth podcast,