WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: All I Need 0:00:03.440 --> 0:00:06.160 Hi, get everybody. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.200 --> 0:00:14.239 the Bengals Booth Podcast. The alleed addition as the O 0:00:14.400 --> 0:00:17.000 and two Bengals head to New York badly in need 0:00:17.040 --> 0:00:19.439 of a victory if they face the one and one 0:00:19.560 --> 0:00:22.600 New York Jets. Coming up, I'll be joined by Ian 0:00:22.680 --> 0:00:26.360 Eagle from CBS Sports, who called that wild season opener 0:00:26.400 --> 0:00:28.840 against the Steelers and will be in the booth this 0:00:29.000 --> 0:00:32.960 Sunday in the Meadowlands. Running Back samaj p Rhin joins 0:00:32.960 --> 0:00:35.760 me to discuss something he did against the Cowboys last 0:00:35.760 --> 0:00:39.640 week that wowed coaches and teammates. I'll discuss the Bengals 0:00:39.680 --> 0:00:42.919 offensive line issues with Dave Lapham and finally, it's our 0:00:43.040 --> 0:00:45.680 no the Faux segment as we visit with Rich Samini, 0:00:45.880 --> 0:00:49.640 who covers the Jets for ESPN. The Bengals Booth Podcast 0:00:49.720 --> 0:00:54.280 is presented by Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet capable 0:00:54.360 --> 0:00:58.240 of delivering multi gigabit speeds designed to take your home, 0:00:58.320 --> 0:01:02.160 business and community to a level. Elevate your connection with 0:01:02.280 --> 0:01:05.120 all to Fiber. Now. Here's a quick reminder that you 0:01:05.160 --> 0:01:07.880 can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered right 0:01:07.920 --> 0:01:11.360 to your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing wherever you 0:01:11.400 --> 0:01:15.880 get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing since the Rule 0:01:16.240 --> 0:01:20.440 of three. I love grilling, and I was recently introduced 0:01:20.440 --> 0:01:24.560 to the rule of three. When grilling steak. First, set 0:01:24.640 --> 0:01:27.480 up a two zone cooking system where one side of 0:01:27.480 --> 0:01:30.559 your grill has direct heat and the other side has 0:01:30.720 --> 0:01:33.720 indirect heat. If you're cooking with charcoal, that means you 0:01:33.840 --> 0:01:36.720 pile all the charcoal on one side. If you're cooking 0:01:36.760 --> 0:01:39.640 with gas, one set of burners will be on medium 0:01:39.720 --> 0:01:43.000 high and the other will be on low. Here's where 0:01:43.000 --> 0:01:45.800 the rule of three comes in. You cook the steak 0:01:45.920 --> 0:01:49.200 over direct heat for three minutes, then flip it over 0:01:49.240 --> 0:01:52.000 and cook the other side over direct heat for three 0:01:52.040 --> 0:01:55.760 more minutes. That gives the steak a great seer. Then 0:01:56.280 --> 0:01:59.840 follow the same formula over indirect heat three minutes on 0:02:00.120 --> 0:02:03.280 one side and three on the other. Remove the stake 0:02:03.320 --> 0:02:06.000 from the grill, let it rest for five minutes, and 0:02:06.080 --> 0:02:11.040 the result is juicy, mouthwatering perfection. But don't take it 0:02:11.080 --> 0:02:16.519 from me, try it yourself with the rule of three. Now, 0:02:17.040 --> 0:02:20.400 let's look ahead to Sunday's game against the Jets, beginning 0:02:20.560 --> 0:02:24.799 with one of my favorite broadcasters. He called the Bengal 0:02:24.880 --> 0:02:26.800 season opener, and he will be back in the booth 0:02:26.840 --> 0:02:30.360 for CBS this Sunday. My pal I an Eagle, So 0:02:30.440 --> 0:02:34.040 that season opening game was a broadcaster's dream, although Bengals 0:02:34.080 --> 0:02:37.560 fans obviously did not like the finish. You had a 0:02:37.600 --> 0:02:42.000 classic what is happening here call in overtime on a 0:02:42.080 --> 0:02:44.679 missed Steelers field goal. But ian was that one of 0:02:44.720 --> 0:02:47.880 the wackier final stretches of a game you've had in 0:02:47.919 --> 0:02:50.760 a while. Dan, I've been doing this a long time now, 0:02:50.760 --> 0:02:54.000 It's twenty five years at CBS, and I don't know 0:02:54.000 --> 0:02:57.040 if I could come up with another roller coaster Rye 0:02:57.080 --> 0:02:59.919 type of finish. I've had game winners, I've at Hail Mary, 0:03:00.320 --> 0:03:04.800 I've had flea flickers, But the sequence of events that 0:03:04.919 --> 0:03:08.800 led to where we ultimately got to, I'm not sure 0:03:08.880 --> 0:03:12.960 anybody could have possibly imagined it. It's rare that long 0:03:13.040 --> 0:03:18.040 snappers become parts of the narrative and the conversation, and 0:03:18.080 --> 0:03:21.800 we realized very much in the moment that this could 0:03:21.840 --> 0:03:24.280 play a big role in the final and it did 0:03:24.919 --> 0:03:29.960 for Cincinnati. Obviously, that's a heartbreaking loss, but from a 0:03:30.040 --> 0:03:33.760 broadcasters point of view, it had just about everything that 0:03:33.800 --> 0:03:38.280 you look for in these Week one mysteries because that's 0:03:38.320 --> 0:03:41.280 what it feels like every year in the NFL, and 0:03:41.440 --> 0:03:44.880 we will never take the long snapper for granted. Again, 0:03:45.520 --> 0:03:48.280 let's talk about the Bengals. Through two games, they've surrendered 0:03:48.280 --> 0:03:52.480 thirteen sacks. They obviously addressed the offensive line in the offseason. 0:03:53.000 --> 0:03:55.720 Do you consider that to still be the biggest question mark. 0:03:56.280 --> 0:03:58.320 I think it was the biggest question mark coming into 0:03:58.360 --> 0:04:01.720 the season. Clearly it's still an issue. I wouldn't pin 0:04:02.120 --> 0:04:06.080 everything on the offensive line. I think when you break 0:04:06.120 --> 0:04:08.720 things down and try to figure out how to make 0:04:08.720 --> 0:04:12.800 it better, it's a lot of different parts. Running game 0:04:12.880 --> 0:04:16.599 has to be better. I think there's probably a way 0:04:16.720 --> 0:04:21.560 to create a bit more in play action and movement 0:04:22.680 --> 0:04:27.040 in trying to put Burrow in positions where it's not 0:04:27.160 --> 0:04:31.520 all on his shoulders at all times and they're going 0:04:31.560 --> 0:04:34.000 to get there. There's too much talent, there's too much 0:04:34.080 --> 0:04:37.240 belief in that locker room, there's too much shared success 0:04:37.600 --> 0:04:40.920 from last year for it to completely evaporate. But what 0:04:41.040 --> 0:04:43.800 ends up happening is every year in the NFL you 0:04:43.920 --> 0:04:49.400 get this very strong reminder it's hard to win. It's 0:04:49.440 --> 0:04:52.720 hard to win games, and when you have it rolling 0:04:53.000 --> 0:04:57.440 like the Bengals did last season. It's hard to imagine 0:04:58.000 --> 0:05:03.000 not seeing things go smooth and having everything work out 0:05:03.040 --> 0:05:06.520 the way that you think it's supposed to. This is 0:05:06.680 --> 0:05:09.520 a league where you enjoy success, but you also have 0:05:09.560 --> 0:05:12.919 to deal with adversity, and the Bengals right now they're 0:05:12.960 --> 0:05:15.320 in the second part of that equation. They're trying to 0:05:15.320 --> 0:05:18.440 figure out how to bounce back from these adverse results. 0:05:19.200 --> 0:05:21.080 There's no such thing as a must win game in 0:05:21.120 --> 0:05:25.280 Week three, but there are critical games, particularly after an 0:05:25.279 --> 0:05:27.920 O and two start. How critical is this game for 0:05:27.920 --> 0:05:30.720 Cincinnati in your opinion, Well, you just look at the numbers, Dan, 0:05:31.000 --> 0:05:34.600 and over the course of NFL history since the merger, 0:05:34.640 --> 0:05:37.479 if you start O and three, you have a two 0:05:37.560 --> 0:05:41.599 point five percent chance of making the playoffs. Can it 0:05:41.680 --> 0:05:47.480 happen yes? Does it happen often? No? So you need 0:05:47.560 --> 0:05:51.520 to win. You need to get that feeling back a 0:05:51.920 --> 0:05:54.320 just for your own locker room and for the guys 0:05:54.839 --> 0:05:59.440 and the staff to experience it. And then secondly, the 0:05:59.440 --> 0:06:03.600 mathematic the stats don't lie. You put yourself in an 0:06:03.600 --> 0:06:06.200 O and three hole, it's going to be very difficult 0:06:06.279 --> 0:06:10.280 to climb out of this division. Still very much up 0:06:10.320 --> 0:06:13.560 in the air, Pittsburgh trying to figure things out. Cleveland 0:06:14.279 --> 0:06:16.919 clearly has dealt with a great deal of drama, coming 0:06:16.920 --> 0:06:21.800 off among the worst losses I've ever seen in Week two, 0:06:21.920 --> 0:06:27.479 and Baltimore, a team whose identity was very much entrenched 0:06:27.480 --> 0:06:32.320 in our brains as NFL observers, now redefining who they 0:06:32.320 --> 0:06:35.200 are just a little bit. So. The division's up for grabs. 0:06:35.400 --> 0:06:37.240 You got to win football games to be part of 0:06:37.240 --> 0:06:40.200 the mix. We're chatting with I an Eagle. Let's talk 0:06:40.200 --> 0:06:42.440 about the Jets. The Jets were the team that handed 0:06:42.480 --> 0:06:46.839 Cleveland that unbelievable loss last week, scoring fourteen points in 0:06:46.880 --> 0:06:49.120 the last minute and a half. They only won four 0:06:49.160 --> 0:06:51.680 games last year. They're one and one this year. Joe 0:06:51.680 --> 0:06:54.560 Flacco is playing better. What stands out to you about 0:06:54.600 --> 0:06:58.320 the Jets through two games an injection of youth more 0:06:58.360 --> 0:07:02.159 than anything else. They desperately needed an impact draft class, 0:07:02.560 --> 0:07:06.440 and they've gotten it with Wilson who emerged last week. 0:07:06.560 --> 0:07:09.920 And certainly they're Ohio fans that are very familiar with 0:07:10.000 --> 0:07:13.480 his work with Sauce Gardner, who you know quite well, 0:07:13.800 --> 0:07:18.280 and Cincinnati fans know quite well. They just needed legit 0:07:18.720 --> 0:07:22.720 talent guys that step onto that field and you know 0:07:23.320 --> 0:07:26.600 on first glance that they're going to actually be good 0:07:26.640 --> 0:07:29.480 pros that you don't have to worry about what they're 0:07:29.520 --> 0:07:31.760 going to be in the next five to seven years. 0:07:32.680 --> 0:07:36.600 Bruce Hall, same deal. Really talented running back out of 0:07:36.640 --> 0:07:40.320 Iowa State who was highly productive, and you're seeing that 0:07:40.840 --> 0:07:46.440 at this level. His subtle movement, his burst, his abilities 0:07:47.040 --> 0:07:50.840 in both running the football and catching the ball. That's apparent. 0:07:51.520 --> 0:07:55.200 They desperately needed young players to step forward, and they've 0:07:55.200 --> 0:07:58.280 gotten it in the first two weeks. They're seeing results. 0:07:58.960 --> 0:08:00.800 They know they're a better team than they were a 0:08:00.880 --> 0:08:03.520 year ago, but it's hard to evaluate them until Zach 0:08:03.560 --> 0:08:08.120 Wilson's under center and until their franchise quarterback is gaining 0:08:08.120 --> 0:08:11.720 the necessary experience. Just like Bengals fans needed to see 0:08:11.720 --> 0:08:14.800 it with Joe Burrow, Jets fans need to see it 0:08:14.840 --> 0:08:17.960 with Zach Wilson. The injured right knee suffered on the 0:08:18.000 --> 0:08:22.880 second possession of the preseason. That's curtailed the timetable a bit, 0:08:23.000 --> 0:08:26.680 but that's why Joe Flacco was brought in. Veteran presence, 0:08:27.200 --> 0:08:31.320 been through everything, experienced and can still throw the football 0:08:31.320 --> 0:08:34.000 around a little bit. That was a huge win for 0:08:34.120 --> 0:08:36.800 their team, the question can they back it up and 0:08:36.920 --> 0:08:41.400 sustain success? That's tough to do in this league. You 0:08:41.520 --> 0:08:44.079 typically visit with some players and coaches before you call 0:08:44.120 --> 0:08:46.680 a Bengals game. Is there anybody in particular on the 0:08:46.760 --> 0:08:49.040 roster on the coaching staff that you look forward to 0:08:49.080 --> 0:08:52.920 talking to? Yeah, I gotta tell you. Jamar Chase in 0:08:53.160 --> 0:08:56.400 just one year has come a very long way. When 0:08:56.400 --> 0:08:58.920 we sat down with them as rookie season, I think 0:08:59.080 --> 0:09:01.959 there was still the feeling out process. A he didn't 0:09:02.000 --> 0:09:05.200 know quite the success level that he was going to have, 0:09:05.440 --> 0:09:10.160 so there might be that trepidation of being yourself until 0:09:10.200 --> 0:09:13.040 you have the success to back it up. But this year, 0:09:13.120 --> 0:09:16.400 sitting down with him week one, what a pleasure. Really smart, 0:09:17.720 --> 0:09:22.160 clearly mature, understands what the job is, what it entails. 0:09:22.559 --> 0:09:25.120 I think he is already one of the leaders on 0:09:25.160 --> 0:09:27.240 this team. He's going to emerge as an even bigger 0:09:27.360 --> 0:09:30.319 leader because of his production and because of the way 0:09:30.400 --> 0:09:33.920 that it carries himself. I just think that he's the 0:09:33.920 --> 0:09:36.920 whole package and the Bengals are fortunate to have him, 0:09:37.400 --> 0:09:41.040 and I think he wants to be great, And I 0:09:41.160 --> 0:09:44.000 know that's an assumption in this leak. Everybody wants to 0:09:44.000 --> 0:09:48.800 be great, there's another level of dedication that's required to 0:09:48.840 --> 0:09:52.200 be among the best, and I think he happens to 0:09:52.240 --> 0:09:56.880 have that gene and that attribute that's going to put 0:09:56.960 --> 0:10:01.160 him above the rest very well. Put in twenty five 0:10:01.240 --> 0:10:04.199 years of doing this, is there anybody league wide in 0:10:04.240 --> 0:10:07.480 those meetings that stands out as the all time best? 0:10:08.600 --> 0:10:11.720 Peyton Manning was the first player I talked to when 0:10:11.720 --> 0:10:14.200 I got the CBS job. Dan nineteen ninety eight, I 0:10:14.240 --> 0:10:17.080 did his NFL debut. It happened to be my CBS 0:10:17.160 --> 0:10:22.120 debut with Mark May Indianapolis, Miami, Dan Marino the QB 0:10:22.360 --> 0:10:25.880 for the Dolphins, and Peyton Manning making his first NFL start. 0:10:25.880 --> 0:10:28.400 We have our production meeting. First guy we meet with, 0:10:28.440 --> 0:10:31.160 Peyton walks in the room. First of all, he's bigger 0:10:31.160 --> 0:10:33.480 than you think. He walks in the room and you're like, 0:10:33.480 --> 0:10:37.960 oh wow, he's legitimately six foot five. He filled out 0:10:38.240 --> 0:10:40.600 over the course of his career. But he extends his 0:10:40.720 --> 0:10:44.200 hand and says, Hey, Ian I'm Peyton Manning. Nice to 0:10:44.200 --> 0:10:47.120 meet you. So he knows my name. That means that 0:10:47.160 --> 0:10:49.240 he did a little research ahead of time, and there 0:10:49.360 --> 0:10:53.600 was a thoroughness and attention to detail and his answers. 0:10:53.720 --> 0:10:57.560 Even then, I'm filling up my yellow pad. I've got 0:10:57.600 --> 0:11:00.400 ten twelve things that I can use on the podcast. 0:11:00.800 --> 0:11:03.559 And he never disappointed in all those years. He might 0:11:03.600 --> 0:11:06.280 be the only NFL player that called me by my name, 0:11:06.320 --> 0:11:08.360 and it just happened to be the first one in 0:11:08.400 --> 0:11:10.679 twenty five years of doing it. But I think if 0:11:10.679 --> 0:11:12.560 you were going to put a Hall of Fame together 0:11:12.679 --> 0:11:16.960 of production, meeting interviews, Peyton Manning is a first ballot 0:11:17.000 --> 0:11:20.800 Hall of Famer. All right, final question for I an Eagle, 0:11:20.920 --> 0:11:24.560 and it's a personal one. Your parents were entertainers. Your 0:11:24.640 --> 0:11:26.719 dad was an actor and a comedian. Your mom was 0:11:26.760 --> 0:11:29.920 a singer. When you are a little kid, at least 0:11:29.920 --> 0:11:32.000 some of the times you are part of their act. 0:11:32.600 --> 0:11:35.600 I want to know how old you were, what the 0:11:35.679 --> 0:11:41.920 costume was, and what the act consisted of, Dan hard hitting. 0:11:42.520 --> 0:11:47.720 These are the answers the people want to know. I 0:11:47.800 --> 0:11:51.400 was six years old. I was the last part of 0:11:51.440 --> 0:11:54.559 their act for about ten months and then I retired. 0:11:54.720 --> 0:11:58.280 It was an emotional ceremony where I ended my reign. 0:11:58.360 --> 0:12:03.679 And entertainment act was five minutes long. It consisted of 0:12:04.000 --> 0:12:10.679 Impressions Howard Cosell conducting interviews with Muhammad Ali WC. Fields. 0:12:11.480 --> 0:12:15.319 This was very topical humor at the time, nineteen seventy five, 0:12:16.040 --> 0:12:19.559 and my parents dressed me in a three piece suit. 0:12:20.400 --> 0:12:26.840 Three piece suit. Social Services came to our apartment about 0:12:26.880 --> 0:12:29.880 six months afterwards to question my parents as to whether 0:12:29.960 --> 0:12:31.560 or not they were putting me on the right track 0:12:32.000 --> 0:12:36.000 for life success. They say, he can find everything on YouTube. 0:12:36.559 --> 0:12:39.559 There is no amount of money I wouldn't pay to 0:12:39.600 --> 0:12:42.439 see six year old Iron Eagle in his three piece 0:12:42.480 --> 0:12:45.480 suit doing his five minute act. Then I mentioned it 0:12:45.520 --> 0:12:50.600 was brown, The suit was brown, and dan last part 0:12:51.600 --> 0:12:56.800 I killed Iyan's dad. Jack Eagle started a famous Super 0:12:56.840 --> 0:12:59.960 Bowl commercial in the nineteen seventies. He played a month 0:13:00.559 --> 0:13:04.079 brother Dominic who was assigned to make five hundred copies 0:13:04.120 --> 0:13:08.040 of a handwritten document. After sneaking away from the monastery 0:13:08.240 --> 0:13:11.680 to use a xerox copy machine, he returns quickly with 0:13:11.760 --> 0:13:15.400 a giant stack of copies, and a fellow monk says 0:13:16.120 --> 0:13:19.120 it's a miracle. It was voted one of the top 0:13:19.160 --> 0:13:22.960 ten Super Bowl commercials of all time. The Bengals Booth 0:13:22.960 --> 0:13:27.360 podcast is presented by Bengals Picks and Ultimate Bengals. They're 0:13:27.400 --> 0:13:31.400 free to play with tickets and sign merchandise up for grabs. 0:13:31.840 --> 0:13:36.080 Find both inside the Bengals app. The Bengals players and 0:13:36.120 --> 0:13:38.480 coaches met with a media on Wednesday, and I felt 0:13:38.480 --> 0:13:40.880 like a time machine had taken me to Green Bay 0:13:40.920 --> 0:13:44.720 in twenty fourteen when the Packers started the season one 0:13:44.760 --> 0:13:49.079 and two and Aaron Rodgers said five letters for everybody 0:13:49.080 --> 0:13:52.839 out there in Packer Land R E L a X 0:13:53.320 --> 0:13:57.520 Relax Rogers and the Packers backed it up by finishing 0:13:57.559 --> 0:14:01.720 that season twelve and four. Well. Joe Burrow has a 0:14:01.800 --> 0:14:05.400 similar message for Bengals fans after two straight losses to 0:14:05.440 --> 0:14:10.440 begin the season, everyone is frustrated, but like I said, 0:14:10.440 --> 0:14:13.600 we're not panicking. Two games in, we got fifteen games left. 0:14:14.160 --> 0:14:17.679 Let's all just take a deep breath and relax. We're 0:14:17.720 --> 0:14:19.640 gonna be fine. We got to go out and play 0:14:19.640 --> 0:14:22.360 well this week and get a win. Can't go down 0:14:22.760 --> 0:14:25.320 oh and three, But like I said, we're not panicking. 0:14:25.320 --> 0:14:27.720 We're focused on one week at a time, so we're 0:14:27.720 --> 0:14:30.600 gonna go out there and get our best shot this week. 0:14:30.640 --> 0:14:32.320 We're gonna have a great game plan, we're gonna execute 0:14:32.320 --> 0:14:35.680 it well, and we've got great players, great coaches, understand 0:14:35.880 --> 0:14:38.080 our plan and know what we need to do to 0:14:38.120 --> 0:14:39.880 fix it. We did it last year. We were in 0:14:39.920 --> 0:14:43.280 here talking about the same exact stuff several times last 0:14:43.360 --> 0:14:46.240 year and everyone saw how it worked out. So now 0:14:46.440 --> 0:14:49.680 we're focused on getting it right, getting better. But like 0:14:49.760 --> 0:14:52.000 I said, no panic, a lot of urgency, but no panic. 0:14:53.040 --> 0:14:56.000 Clearly that no panic message came from the top is 0:14:56.160 --> 0:15:01.960 Zach Taylor made nearly identical comments since the panic from others, 0:15:02.000 --> 0:15:04.200 and that's just not what's happening for us. So I 0:15:04.240 --> 0:15:06.400 think sometimes it's the easiest thing to say just to 0:15:06.400 --> 0:15:08.880 tell everybody to calm down. We're okay, We're a good 0:15:08.880 --> 0:15:11.280 football team. We'll get to where we need to be, 0:15:11.640 --> 0:15:14.880 and it's just about going and having a great Wednesday. 0:15:14.880 --> 0:15:18.280 That's really what we are focused on today. Having tremendous energy, 0:15:18.800 --> 0:15:21.240 understanding the plan, asking questions of the plan, going out 0:15:21.280 --> 0:15:23.440 there and having our best Wednesday we can possibly have. 0:15:23.960 --> 0:15:25.480 To put ourself in a great position to go have 0:15:25.480 --> 0:15:28.760 a great Thursday and continue to piggyback on that and 0:15:28.880 --> 0:15:31.680 just gain some momentum, find our first win, and then 0:15:31.960 --> 0:15:33.880 take a deep breath and continue to get the ball roll. 0:15:34.800 --> 0:15:36.920 If you go back to last season and don't count 0:15:36.960 --> 0:15:40.040 the regular season finale where coach Taylor rested his starters. 0:15:40.360 --> 0:15:43.280 The bengals last seven games have come down to the 0:15:43.320 --> 0:15:47.480 final minute before the Super Bowl. Last second interceptions and 0:15:47.560 --> 0:15:50.560 dramatic field goals allowed the Bengals to win, but in 0:15:50.600 --> 0:15:53.040 the Super Bowl. In the first two games of this year, 0:15:53.440 --> 0:15:56.600 the defense played well but could not get a stop 0:15:56.600 --> 0:15:58.720 when the game was on the line, and the other 0:15:58.800 --> 0:16:05.040 team won romatic fashion. I discussed it with Dave Lapham. 0:16:05.400 --> 0:16:08.240 For the sake of two plays, they could be two 0:16:08.280 --> 0:16:11.360 and oh literally one playing either game, and they're two 0:16:11.360 --> 0:16:14.840 and o. And the truth is they still would have 0:16:14.840 --> 0:16:17.840 the problems that they have to rectify, but it's a 0:16:17.920 --> 0:16:20.280 much easier pill to swallow when you're two and oh 0:16:20.640 --> 0:16:23.800 as opposed to oh and two. And that's the problem, 0:16:23.800 --> 0:16:26.280 and that that's why everybody's like, oh my gosh, this 0:16:26.440 --> 0:16:30.040 guy's following what's going on, because the expectations after finishing 0:16:30.040 --> 0:16:33.040 the way they finished. But like you described, Dan, they 0:16:33.040 --> 0:16:35.440 were winning games down the stretch and through the playoffs 0:16:35.480 --> 0:16:38.040 this way, but they were finishing them. They were the 0:16:38.040 --> 0:16:40.160 ones kicking the game winning field goals instead of the 0:16:40.200 --> 0:16:43.360 other team kicking game winning field goals against them. It's 0:16:43.440 --> 0:16:46.840 just a fine line. It's razor thin. And when you 0:16:46.920 --> 0:16:49.120 when you kind of tightrote that kind of a line, 0:16:49.600 --> 0:16:52.480 you know this kind of thing can take place. There's 0:16:52.520 --> 0:16:54.840 there's no two ways about it. That is life in 0:16:54.880 --> 0:16:59.040 the National Football League. Life in the NFL also includes injuries, 0:16:59.080 --> 0:17:01.040 and we learned and when day the tight end Drew 0:17:01.120 --> 0:17:04.000 Sample is going to have knee surgery and will be 0:17:04.000 --> 0:17:07.120 out of action for months, if not the entire year. 0:17:07.760 --> 0:17:10.639 Devin Asiassi, who has claimed off waivers from New England 0:17:10.720 --> 0:17:13.200 just before the start of the season, is expected to 0:17:13.280 --> 0:17:17.000 join Hayden Hurst and Mitchell Wilcox as the Bengals active 0:17:17.040 --> 0:17:20.919 tight ends. One of Drew Sample's strengths is blocking, and 0:17:21.000 --> 0:17:22.760 when he left the game in Dallas, one of the 0:17:22.800 --> 0:17:26.040 guys who helped fill his role was running back samaj 0:17:26.240 --> 0:17:29.000 p Ryan. In fact, if you watched the two point 0:17:29.000 --> 0:17:32.600 conversion passed the Tyler boyd p Rhyan wound up having 0:17:32.640 --> 0:17:36.679 to block Cowboys star Micah Parsons one on one and 0:17:36.840 --> 0:17:40.400 handled him like he was an all Pro tackle. That's 0:17:40.400 --> 0:17:42.399 not why you called the play to match up a 0:17:42.480 --> 0:17:44.679 running back on Michael Parsons. I promise you that you know, 0:17:44.880 --> 0:17:46.159 a guy can line up on the left side of 0:17:46.160 --> 0:17:48.040 the entirety of the drive and then all of a 0:17:48.080 --> 0:17:49.840 sudden be on the right and you just got to 0:17:49.840 --> 0:17:51.439 call the protection the way you want to call it, 0:17:52.760 --> 0:17:55.879 trying to trying to help everybody there, and just the 0:17:55.880 --> 0:17:58.000 way he worked out. He lined up outside samaj and 0:17:58.040 --> 0:18:00.480 Smage did a great job holding him off. Refit in 0:18:00.520 --> 0:18:04.919 his hands. So that's just what he veteran player like 0:18:05.000 --> 0:18:08.560 him brings the table. Smage did not practice that, you know, 0:18:08.600 --> 0:18:11.959 that was devas rue Sample and Hayden and Somaje get 0:18:12.000 --> 0:18:14.040 stornto the fire he's got at halftime or in the 0:18:14.080 --> 0:18:16.800 O two package and do a good job executing a 0:18:16.880 --> 0:18:18.440 unique play down there in the goal line that was 0:18:18.480 --> 0:18:21.280 really just meant for inside the three and steps up 0:18:21.320 --> 0:18:23.880 does it initially maybe lined up wrong, but but got 0:18:23.880 --> 0:18:26.159 it fixed, tightened down. There was a little concern there 0:18:26.160 --> 0:18:28.840 for a moment, lines up right and then and then 0:18:28.880 --> 0:18:31.240 just blocks his tail off for you know, five seconds 0:18:31.280 --> 0:18:33.560 or whatever it seemed like, and allowed for us to 0:18:33.560 --> 0:18:36.879 tie the game. I talked to p Ryan about that block, 0:18:37.240 --> 0:18:40.320 the team Z and two start and the final offensive 0:18:40.320 --> 0:18:44.400 play of the Super Bowl this week? Let's start with 0:18:44.440 --> 0:18:47.879 the two point conversion last week against the Dallas Cowboys. 0:18:47.920 --> 0:18:51.920 You have the assignment of blocking Micah Parsons one on 0:18:51.920 --> 0:18:54.560 one and did a great job. Gave Joe plenty of 0:18:54.600 --> 0:18:57.800 time to throw that ball. Describe that process when you 0:18:57.840 --> 0:19:00.239 know that you're matched up against that guy, You've got 0:19:00.280 --> 0:19:03.679 to keep them away from your quarterback blocking this ninety 0:19:03.680 --> 0:19:08.520 percent effort and ten percent technique. So just gave everything 0:19:08.560 --> 0:19:11.840 that I had and came out on the winning side 0:19:11.840 --> 0:19:15.680 of it. How does that satisfaction compared to a big 0:19:15.720 --> 0:19:19.360 play with the ball? A big player is a big 0:19:19.359 --> 0:19:22.919 play where it's blocking, whether it's uh, you actually doing it, 0:19:23.000 --> 0:19:26.439 so you know the the end result is what we 0:19:26.480 --> 0:19:28.840 wanted it to be. So I can never complain about that. 0:19:29.480 --> 0:19:32.119 Do you consider blocking to be one of your strengths? 0:19:32.800 --> 0:19:36.879 I take pride in it, So you know, to be 0:19:37.000 --> 0:19:40.679 able to block block an elite player like that for 0:19:41.720 --> 0:19:43.800 as long as I did, you know it was it 0:19:43.880 --> 0:19:46.560 was a definite win for me. Was that enjoyable to 0:19:46.560 --> 0:19:49.640 see again? When you guys watch tape on Monday? I mean, 0:19:49.680 --> 0:19:52.119 I guess it was cool that they showed it, but 0:19:52.280 --> 0:19:54.600 you know, it was just the end of the day, 0:19:54.640 --> 0:19:56.560 it's just me, you know, doing whatever I have to 0:19:56.600 --> 0:19:58.280 do to help the team be in position to win 0:19:58.359 --> 0:20:01.560 a game. We're visiting the my JP Ryan. The team 0:20:01.560 --> 0:20:03.720 has dropped the first two games and walk off field 0:20:03.720 --> 0:20:06.560 goals of fifty plus yards. How much of a gut 0:20:06.560 --> 0:20:09.440 punch has that been? Um, you never want to lose, 0:20:09.440 --> 0:20:12.680 whether it's getting blown out or whether it's like you said, 0:20:12.720 --> 0:20:16.639 walk off field goals. So it's unfortunate, but you know, 0:20:16.680 --> 0:20:18.320 we know what kind of team we have. We just 0:20:18.359 --> 0:20:22.159 have to continue to come together and uh, you know, 0:20:22.280 --> 0:20:24.480 we've got to start faster. You know, these past two 0:20:24.520 --> 0:20:26.600 games we haven't started as fast we were like, so 0:20:27.119 --> 0:20:29.280 you know, we just have to come out and and 0:20:29.440 --> 0:20:33.120 start fast and finish faster because we know now we're 0:20:33.119 --> 0:20:35.480 gonna get everyone's best shot. You know, there's no more 0:20:35.840 --> 0:20:38.000 looking over the Bengals, there's no more circling the Bengals 0:20:38.000 --> 0:20:39.600 and all. Yet this is a for sure win. Now 0:20:39.720 --> 0:20:41.679 we're the team that everyone wants to beat, So we 0:20:41.720 --> 0:20:44.320 have to come out and and act like it. You know, 0:20:44.400 --> 0:20:47.399 these past two games we haven't we haven't started like 0:20:47.440 --> 0:20:49.760 we wanted too, so you know, we just have to 0:20:49.800 --> 0:20:53.320 continue to put our heads down and grind and just 0:20:53.400 --> 0:20:55.720 trusting each other and you know, things will start coming 0:20:55.720 --> 0:20:59.639 together for us. Other than talking about it and emphasizing it, 0:20:59.680 --> 0:21:03.160 is there any way to try to create a better start, 0:21:03.160 --> 0:21:06.679 a faster start, Uh, just not play behind the chains. 0:21:07.400 --> 0:21:11.280 You know, we've had penalties, we had breakdown protections, whatever 0:21:11.280 --> 0:21:14.440 it is. We've always just just found a way to 0:21:14.480 --> 0:21:16.600 shoot ourselves in the foot. And we just have to 0:21:16.600 --> 0:21:20.719 be you know, more sound and starts in practice. You know, 0:21:20.800 --> 0:21:23.040 we have to we have to continue to put together 0:21:23.200 --> 0:21:26.399 great practices. We can't go out and have okay practices 0:21:26.560 --> 0:21:29.919 or good practices. We have to consistently have great practices 0:21:29.960 --> 0:21:32.120 because you know, like I said, we're gonna get everyone's 0:21:32.160 --> 0:21:34.919 best shot, and we have to match and exceed that 0:21:34.960 --> 0:21:38.480 intensity weekend and week out. Is the intensity different after 0:21:38.520 --> 0:21:40.960 you lose a couple in a row. I feel like 0:21:41.080 --> 0:21:44.240 it's up to us to set that intensity. Like the 0:21:44.320 --> 0:21:46.879 coaches aren't going to be able to do it, you know, 0:21:46.920 --> 0:21:48.439 whoever else is going to be able to. We have 0:21:48.520 --> 0:21:52.919 to go out and be intentional about technique and you know, 0:21:53.080 --> 0:21:55.040 being on top of things. If someone messes up, we 0:21:55.080 --> 0:21:57.360 have to redo it and that's gonna come to come 0:21:57.400 --> 0:21:58.720 from us, because at the end of the day, we're 0:21:58.720 --> 0:22:00.560 the ones out there, We're the ones who have to play. 0:22:00.600 --> 0:22:02.879 So you know, we're really gonna have to step up 0:22:03.359 --> 0:22:06.800 and just be intentional about the little things, because that's 0:22:07.119 --> 0:22:09.280 what it always comes down to, you know, whether it's 0:22:09.440 --> 0:22:12.000 a little twitch and a false start, or you know, 0:22:12.119 --> 0:22:13.879 someone doesn't get the right call. We just have to 0:22:13.880 --> 0:22:16.560 be intentional about the little things, all right. A couple 0:22:16.600 --> 0:22:19.080 more questions for some I JP Ryan. You celebrated a 0:22:19.119 --> 0:22:22.800 birthday last week, happy twenty seventh, and the Bengal social 0:22:22.800 --> 0:22:26.080 media team did something that I found hysterical. They created 0:22:26.160 --> 0:22:29.720 a Sami jp Ryan filter so that as your teammates 0:22:29.720 --> 0:22:32.119