WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Waiting All Day 0:00:03.640 --> 0:00:06.519 Hi, get everybody. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.519 --> 0:00:11.120 the Bengals Booth Podcast. The I'm Waiting all Day four 0:00:11.360 --> 0:00:15.200 Sunday night addition, as we gear up for a Sunday 0:00:15.320 --> 0:00:20.120 night playoff showdown in the Jungle between two AFC North rivals, 0:00:20.160 --> 0:00:23.240 the twelve and four Bengals and the ten and seven Ravens. 0:00:23.600 --> 0:00:26.960 Coming up, I'll catch up with NBC's Mike Arco he 0:00:27.040 --> 0:00:29.800 called last year's home playoff win over the Raiders, and 0:00:30.040 --> 0:00:33.640 we'll be on the call again this Sunday. Offensive line 0:00:33.640 --> 0:00:37.320 coach Frank Pollock joined me to discuss going into postseason 0:00:37.400 --> 0:00:41.440 play without two of his five starters. And then you'll 0:00:41.479 --> 0:00:45.720 hear from ESPN's Coolie Harvey, who has done exceptional work 0:00:45.760 --> 0:00:49.239 over the last week reporting on Damar Hamlin at his 0:00:49.320 --> 0:00:52.920 incredible recovery. The Bengals Booth Podcast has brought to you 0:00:52.960 --> 0:00:57.040 by Kettering Health, the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. 0:00:57.040 --> 0:00:59.880 With more than one hundred twenty care facilities and fifth 0:01:00.280 --> 0:01:03.639 hundred care providers, Kettering Health is committed to guiding you 0:01:04.000 --> 0:01:07.920 to your best health. Visit ketteringhealth dot org to learn more. 0:01:08.440 --> 0:01:10.400 Now here's a quick reminder that you can have the 0:01:10.480 --> 0:01:13.880 latest edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, 0:01:14.000 --> 0:01:18.080 or computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's 0:01:18.120 --> 0:01:22.679 the greatest thing since Bad Sisters. At the end of 0:01:22.680 --> 0:01:26.920 every calendar year, I love reading critics lists, such as 0:01:27.319 --> 0:01:31.200 the top ten TV shows of twenty twenty two. When 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:33.920 I read those this year, I kept seeing a show 0:01:34.000 --> 0:01:38.040 I had never heard of called Bad Sisters. So my 0:01:38.080 --> 0:01:40.880 wife and I started watching it. We've seen five of 0:01:40.920 --> 0:01:44.800 the ten episodes so far, and we are hooked. It's 0:01:44.800 --> 0:01:48.720 an Irish show and a black comedy that revolves around 0:01:48.720 --> 0:01:52.000 the death of the husband of one of five sisters. 0:01:52.320 --> 0:01:55.320 And let me just say, the husband character played by 0:01:55.320 --> 0:01:58.240 an actor I had never heard of named klace Bang, 0:01:58.920 --> 0:02:02.720 might be the biggest a hole in TV or movie history. 0:02:03.200 --> 0:02:05.920 So once again, the show is called Bad Sisters and 0:02:06.040 --> 0:02:10.520 it's on Apple TV. Perhaps you're like me and subscribe 0:02:10.520 --> 0:02:13.280 to Apple TV in order to watch ted Lasso and 0:02:13.320 --> 0:02:16.000 then completely forgot that you had it for the last 0:02:16.040 --> 0:02:20.000 fifteen months. I now feel a little less stupid for 0:02:20.120 --> 0:02:24.920 not canceling. Now let's look ahead to Sunday night. For 0:02:24.960 --> 0:02:27.960 the second straight year, the Bengals opened the playoffs at home. 0:02:28.280 --> 0:02:31.359 They ended a three decade drought without a playoff victory 0:02:31.480 --> 0:02:34.040 last year, and now they'll try to do something they 0:02:34.080 --> 0:02:37.920 have never done before, win playoff games in back to 0:02:38.000 --> 0:02:41.120 back seasons. If you're not fortunate enough to have a 0:02:41.160 --> 0:02:44.280 ticket on Sunday and plan to watch the game on NBC, 0:02:45.000 --> 0:02:48.600 you'll be listening to my first guest on this episode 0:02:48.639 --> 0:02:52.079 of the pod, my Drico and Chris collins Earth will 0:02:52.120 --> 0:02:54.240 be in the TV booth on Sunday night, and my 0:02:54.320 --> 0:02:57.040 old college buddy I shouldn't have said old. My college 0:02:57.040 --> 0:03:03.480 buddy from university joins older. Actually you're older. It's nice 0:03:03.480 --> 0:03:07.119 to be around young people. I always like you. How 0:03:07.120 --> 0:03:10.600 are you, pal, Mike? I'm great now. I know that 0:03:10.680 --> 0:03:13.320 you would have been thrilled to call any playoff game 0:03:13.560 --> 0:03:17.080 this weekend. But what was your reaction to NBC getting 0:03:17.080 --> 0:03:19.760 the Bengals and Ravens on Sunday night? Well, you look 0:03:20.480 --> 0:03:24.480 much like marriage. If your other half is happy, you're happy. 0:03:24.680 --> 0:03:27.600 So Collinsworth getting a home game makes him happy. Therefore, 0:03:27.800 --> 0:03:33.480 the entire aura feel around the game immediately changed. We 0:03:33.680 --> 0:03:36.360 didn't know until that Lions game ended. In fact, like 0:03:36.400 --> 0:03:39.760 that game ended, we're short and postgame watching Aaron Rodgers, 0:03:39.800 --> 0:03:42.800 look around, Lambo and all that. And as we're going 0:03:42.800 --> 0:03:45.360 off the air, I'm handed what the schedule is, and 0:03:45.440 --> 0:03:48.520 so I looked at Chris and said, we're going to Cincinnati, 0:03:48.640 --> 0:03:51.680 and he's really happy, and so am. I too wanted 0:03:51.720 --> 0:03:53.600 to drive, So that's good. I don't have to go. 0:03:53.640 --> 0:03:56.080 I don't have to clear security to get to the city, 0:03:56.280 --> 0:03:58.680 which is always a bonus for me living in Michigan. 0:03:59.080 --> 0:04:02.720 But secondly, it'll be nice to be back. There was 0:04:02.880 --> 0:04:05.360 no way in the world when I did this drive 0:04:05.880 --> 0:04:08.480 fifty two weeks ago did I think the Bengals were 0:04:08.480 --> 0:04:11.600 about to embark on a run to the Super Bowl. 0:04:11.640 --> 0:04:13.839 I got a chance called the Raiders game last year, 0:04:14.360 --> 0:04:17.719 and you know what, now, they're right there in the 0:04:17.720 --> 0:04:20.600 conversation with Buffalo and Kansas City. Nobody would be surprised 0:04:20.640 --> 0:04:23.599 if they repeat and go back. What stood out to 0:04:23.640 --> 0:04:26.160 you in calling that game, that victory over the Raiders 0:04:26.240 --> 0:04:28.920 last year in Cincinnati. I'll tell you what stood out Dan. 0:04:29.040 --> 0:04:32.680 It was that morning. I'm like you, a breakfast guy, 0:04:32.720 --> 0:04:34.960 an O dark thirty guy, especially on a game day. 0:04:34.960 --> 0:04:38.240 I was ready to go. It was a mid afternoon start, 0:04:38.480 --> 0:04:40.320 so I got up early and just took a walk 0:04:40.360 --> 0:04:43.800 into downtown round seven thirty eight whatever it was, and 0:04:43.880 --> 0:04:47.440 people were tailgating, and people were just out, and Bengals 0:04:47.520 --> 0:04:50.640 jerseys were out, and I remember we're still We're kind 0:04:50.640 --> 0:04:53.080 of in another COVID surge at that point, so it 0:04:53.160 --> 0:04:56.200 was just a little bit from being fully opened, right. 0:04:56.839 --> 0:04:59.760 People were so excited for the game, and I remember 0:05:00.000 --> 0:05:02.239 walking backing, this is gonna be a really good scene. 0:05:02.320 --> 0:05:05.080 And as the bowl of the stadium filled and the 0:05:05.279 --> 0:05:10.000 entire day was just this great energy and passion that 0:05:10.279 --> 0:05:14.400 a city dying for a winner would show, and they 0:05:14.480 --> 0:05:16.480 did in spades. It was a great It was so 0:05:16.600 --> 0:05:18.919 loud the fourth quarter. That was a fun day to 0:05:18.960 --> 0:05:22.520 be in what is now Paid Course Stadium. You also 0:05:22.600 --> 0:05:25.600 hosted the Super Bowl coverage from SOFI Stadium. Did you 0:05:25.680 --> 0:05:28.719 consider Cincinnati making it that far to be one of 0:05:28.720 --> 0:05:33.560 the great Super Bowl underdog stories of all time? Absolutely? Absolutely, 0:05:33.600 --> 0:05:36.760 because you've gone all the years, as we've well documented, 0:05:36.800 --> 0:05:40.839 without a playoff win and all of that, and to 0:05:41.040 --> 0:05:45.200 see this team just keep building and gaining confidence, well, 0:05:45.800 --> 0:05:48.160 that was nice, that nice little win. Congratulations, you're not 0:05:48.200 --> 0:05:50.240 going to go on the road. Oh wait, you won 0:05:50.320 --> 0:05:53.560 that game Tennessee, there's no way you're gonna be kids. 0:05:53.800 --> 0:05:57.000 Well wait, you went to arrow Hunt. So yes, it 0:05:57.279 --> 0:06:00.960 built all the way through. And the odd art is 0:06:01.000 --> 0:06:05.240 that Cincinnati didn't come in as the unbeatable team this year. 0:06:05.839 --> 0:06:08.200 So this year has almost been a microcosm of that. 0:06:08.520 --> 0:06:10.960 You know, haven't lost since wat Hollowey Night right in 0:06:11.040 --> 0:06:14.240 Cleveland and run eight in a row here through November 0:06:14.240 --> 0:06:17.960 and December, and it really has a feel like it's 0:06:18.000 --> 0:06:22.119 been sneaking up on people because Buffalo was the hot 0:06:22.120 --> 0:06:25.279 team to start, and then as they went through many 0:06:25.320 --> 0:06:30.120 many things, even before the Hamlin tragedy, Kansas City had 0:06:30.200 --> 0:06:32.680 kind of emerged as okay, well that can't beat them. 0:06:32.720 --> 0:06:36.800 But nobody nationally has buzzed enough about Cincinnati until the 0:06:36.880 --> 0:06:39.520 last two or three weeks ago. Wait a minute, they've 0:06:39.520 --> 0:06:41.360 won eight. I think maybe it was the second half 0:06:41.360 --> 0:06:45.599 against Tampa when everybody saw them do that and go, oh, 0:06:45.640 --> 0:06:48.160 they can do that on a defense that we think 0:06:48.240 --> 0:06:51.040 is pretty good. This team might be just as good again. 0:06:51.080 --> 0:06:53.279 So I think that buzz is now starting to happen. 0:06:53.800 --> 0:06:56.840 So you've got that Syracuse banner over your shoulder, so 0:06:56.880 --> 0:06:59.800 I'm going to test your new House School of Public 0:07:00.000 --> 0:07:05.320 Communication Education. Give give me one word to describe Joe 0:07:05.360 --> 0:07:10.160 Burrow and why you would choose it. I've got like seven, 0:07:10.760 --> 0:07:16.800 only one, all right, I got I got one going, dude, 0:07:18.600 --> 0:07:20.520 And now there are a bunch of adjectives you can 0:07:20.520 --> 0:07:23.240 put on the front front end of dude to kind 0:07:23.240 --> 0:07:25.800 of build that out a little bit. He's a cool dude. 0:07:25.800 --> 0:07:28.520 We know that, the Joe cool, the cigar, the whole deal. 0:07:30.040 --> 0:07:32.360 He's a talented dude. Like man, I wish I was 0:07:32.440 --> 0:07:36.000 talented as that dude. I said it on the Super 0:07:36.000 --> 0:07:38.000 Bowl pregame and it got picked up in a couple 0:07:38.000 --> 0:07:42.600 of spots. He has an embraceable cockiness that's a super 0:07:42.640 --> 0:07:44.400 hard lane to fill, you know what I mean. I 0:07:44.400 --> 0:07:47.720 mean most cocky guys are jerks, right, He's not a jerk. 0:07:48.280 --> 0:07:50.680 There's just like you know, he comes in dressed to 0:07:50.720 --> 0:07:53.480 the nines, the cigar post game. Most guys you make 0:07:53.880 --> 0:07:57.440 come on for some reason. With him, everything he does 0:07:57.560 --> 0:08:03.080 has a cool dude And there's that when he throws 0:08:03.120 --> 0:08:06.680 the ball, you know, he's just like a stunt. He's 0:08:06.720 --> 0:08:08.600 one of those great passers of the ball. And I 0:08:08.680 --> 0:08:11.240 think Dann when I watched at scramble. I guess it 0:08:11.280 --> 0:08:14.120 was the first drive last week out of trouble. It'll 0:08:14.160 --> 0:08:16.840 throw people in around and gaining seven yards down that 0:08:16.920 --> 0:08:20.120 right sideline, and he's like all the way back from 0:08:20.160 --> 0:08:24.480 that ACL injury. Right. He's a really tough, talented dude. 0:08:24.520 --> 0:08:26.840 So I'm gonna go, dude, and I hope that I 0:08:26.840 --> 0:08:29.680 hope that answers the question sufficiently for me to keep 0:08:29.720 --> 0:08:33.359 my three zero in your class. Your new house professors 0:08:33.480 --> 0:08:36.880 would be proud. We're visiting with Mike Rico at this point. 0:08:36.960 --> 0:08:39.840 We're having this conversation on Wednesday. There's no official word 0:08:39.880 --> 0:08:42.960 as to whether Lamar Jackson will play. He apparently did 0:08:43.000 --> 0:08:47.400 not practice on Wednesday. For the Ravens. Is Baltimore's formula 0:08:47.480 --> 0:08:50.080 for victory at this point essentially the same, whether he 0:08:50.120 --> 0:08:54.080 plays or doesn't, it is it's just not as dynamic, right, 0:08:55.280 --> 0:08:58.880 whether it's Tyler Hunley or Anthony Brown who played okay, 0:08:59.120 --> 0:09:02.000 I thought he played pasably well in the second half, 0:09:02.120 --> 0:09:05.959 especially given that was his first full game in the NFL. 0:09:07.160 --> 0:09:10.440 You know, Dan, there's no one who can do what 0:09:10.559 --> 0:09:14.320 Lamar Jackson does, which is the conundrum that the Ravens 0:09:14.320 --> 0:09:16.800 are facing. This is about the playoffs, and it's one game, 0:09:16.920 --> 0:09:19.440 and that's really more important than a contract deal. But 0:09:19.559 --> 0:09:24.320 I am fascinated by this story playing out because you 0:09:24.400 --> 0:09:27.000 want to give him a lot of money because he's 0:09:27.559 --> 0:09:30.240 supremely talented. Look at this offense, like twelve and a 0:09:30.280 --> 0:09:32.960 half points since he's been out per game. They need 0:09:33.040 --> 0:09:36.360 him to be dynamic. How many times has he been 0:09:36.400 --> 0:09:39.120 trapped in trouble and he's scooted to the skates and 0:09:39.240 --> 0:09:41.120 he's got a first down, he's gained thirteen yards, he 0:09:41.120 --> 0:09:44.800 goes out of balance, right, But the last two years 0:09:44.840 --> 0:09:48.040 he has not been able to finish the race. Four 0:09:48.080 --> 0:09:51.079 games last year. Five. If it's a playoff miss this year, 0:09:51.120 --> 0:09:54.720 that's six. And I don't know if you say, hey, 0:09:54.760 --> 0:09:57.880 I'm comfortable guaranteeing him all this money considering that he 0:09:57.920 --> 0:10:00.880 can never get this all the way through or hasn't 0:10:00.880 --> 0:10:02.640 gotten it all the way through the end of the 0:10:02.920 --> 0:10:06.640 last two seasons. So there's a big conundrum there to 0:10:06.760 --> 0:10:09.800 the specifics of this game. You can't be as dynamic. 0:10:09.880 --> 0:10:12.800 The receiving corps is not one of those elite receiving 0:10:12.840 --> 0:10:15.959 corps by a wide stretch. It's probably as weak as 0:10:15.960 --> 0:10:19.880 any receiving Corps in the NFL playoffs. That's not disrespecting 0:10:19.880 --> 0:10:23.360 those players. But Tyland Wallace hasn't done anything. James Prochet 0:10:23.440 --> 0:10:26.440 only caught eight balls this year. Sammy Watkins, we know 0:10:26.480 --> 0:10:28.600 he's bounced around because the top five pick. His best 0:10:28.640 --> 0:10:31.240 days are behind him. And they brought into Marcus Robinson 0:10:31.240 --> 0:10:34.280 to be a three. They could not be faulted for 0:10:35.120 --> 0:10:38.200 Rashad Bateman and Devin Duvernet getting injured with foot injuries 0:10:38.360 --> 0:10:41.199 going out, so you don't have that. It's Mark Andrews 0:10:41.200 --> 0:10:44.640 and a very unique, very dynamic run game, and I 0:10:44.720 --> 0:10:47.880 don't know you lived every snap in the game. I 0:10:48.000 --> 0:10:50.760 just wonder if they ran the ball less than they 0:10:50.800 --> 0:10:54.480 normally do last week, just so they could keep a 0:10:54.520 --> 0:10:58.960 couple of their run game looks and tricks off tape 0:10:58.960 --> 0:11:00.679 for the Bengals for this week that the Bengals can 0:11:00.800 --> 0:11:03.360 go find them on tape. But this is one of 0:11:03.360 --> 0:11:05.400 the more unique running games in the NFL, and I 0:11:05.400 --> 0:11:07.680 wonder if they just kind of kept a few, And 0:11:07.760 --> 0:11:09.960 if they did, that's great. Great coaching by Roman and 0:11:10.000 --> 0:11:12.680 by Harball and all those guys. So it is a 0:11:12.720 --> 0:11:15.480 somewhat unusual situation to have teams meet in the final 0:11:15.559 --> 0:11:17.280 game of the regular season and then in the first 0:11:17.320 --> 0:11:19.560 round of the playoffs. It has happened before, but it 0:11:19.600 --> 0:11:23.040 doesn't happen very often. The Bengals are pretty candid after 0:11:23.080 --> 0:11:25.240 the game last week, saying they didn't like some of 0:11:25.280 --> 0:11:27.960 the Ravens behavior. What kind of game do you expect 0:11:28.000 --> 0:11:30.960 on Sunday night? Right, So let's just start the game 0:11:31.000 --> 0:11:34.079 disliking each other. Let's right, division rivals in a playoff game, 0:11:34.160 --> 0:11:36.400 that's good. And if you just played last week, that's 0:11:36.440 --> 0:11:38.720 even better. If you've just played you kind of ticked 0:11:38.720 --> 0:11:42.640 each other off, it's great. Now for the teams, go 0:11:42.840 --> 0:11:46.280 take a stupid penalty, right, you know what's that line? 0:11:46.320 --> 0:11:49.200 That line's always hard to find. But don't give a 0:11:49.280 --> 0:11:53.240 free fifteen to a team that and either side, it's true, 0:11:53.640 --> 0:11:56.720 fifteen yards could mean given one of those really really 0:11:56.760 --> 0:12:00.480 good kickers a field goal opportunity, and no matter who, 0:12:00.480 --> 0:12:03.000 I feel like, if they threw us, well maybe not us, 0:12:03.080 --> 0:12:06.760 but but somebody of reasonable athletic ability under center or 0:12:06.920 --> 0:12:09.960 taking the pistol and shotguns snaps of the Ravens, I 0:12:09.960 --> 0:12:11.880 feel like they're gonna end up in some four point 0:12:11.960 --> 0:12:15.400 sixteen to twelve game in the fourth quarter. Their defense 0:12:15.640 --> 0:12:18.319 is good and I think it's gotten better, and they 0:12:18.360 --> 0:12:21.600 were not too awful last week. And Marcus Peters wasn't there. 0:12:21.720 --> 0:12:24.520 So if you add him back into the mix with 0:12:24.559 --> 0:12:27.840 the guys up front, and they they got a Jabo 0:12:28.080 --> 0:12:31.439 ninety their defensive end who was drafted and who was 0:12:31.480 --> 0:12:34.520 on the other side of Aidan Hutchinson in Michigan. They've 0:12:34.559 --> 0:12:36.280 got people who can put some pressure on the quarterback. 0:12:36.400 --> 0:12:37.640 We know that has not been a strength of the 0:12:37.679 --> 0:12:41.360 Bengals this year. Protecting Joe Burrow wasn't last year. It's better, 0:12:41.400 --> 0:12:44.640 but it's not great right now. So they're gonna They're 0:12:44.640 --> 0:12:46.720 gonna stay in the game. They always find a way 0:12:46.760 --> 0:12:49.320 to hang and stay in the game. So with all 0:12:49.320 --> 0:12:53.199 this little dislike amongst the teams, here, between the teams 0:12:53.200 --> 0:12:55.960 and amongst the players, don't don't give him a free 0:12:56.000 --> 0:12:58.240 fifteen because you know Tucker can hit a fifty five 0:12:58.280 --> 0:13:02.439 yard or you know from sleep pretty much the atmosphere 0:13:02.480 --> 0:13:06.280 is going to be tremendous. We can't wait, appreciate your time, 0:13:06.480 --> 0:13:09.000 look forward to seeing you on Sunday, and not wait 0:13:09.080 --> 0:13:11.600 to be there back in the jungle for a playoff game. Hey, 0:13:11.600 --> 0:13:13.760 if it's gonna start. If it's just start an annual tradition, 0:13:14.040 --> 0:13:15.640 this is a really good one. I get to see you, 0:13:15.720 --> 0:13:18.160 I get to be in Cincinnati, Collinsworth gets a home game, 0:13:18.440 --> 0:13:20.920 I get the drive. So life's good. Look forward to 0:13:21.000 --> 0:13:22.560 being there. Thanks for having me on you the best. 0:13:23.480 --> 0:13:26.000 I'll take it a step further. Mica schedule to call 0:13:26.120 --> 0:13:29.600 his first Super Bowl for NBC after the twenty twenty 0:13:29.600 --> 0:13:34.040 five season. Here's hoping that's one of his future Bengals 0:13:34.080 --> 0:13:37.880 postseason broadcasts. The Bengals Booth podcast is brought to you 0:13:37.920 --> 0:13:41.800 by Paycorps. More than twenty nine thousand customers trust Paycorps 0:13:41.840 --> 0:13:47.040 to help them recruit, pay, engage, and retain employees. Learn 0:13:47.120 --> 0:13:51.360 more at paycorps dot com. For the first fifteen games 0:13:51.360 --> 0:13:53.880 of the season, the Bengals had the same five starters 0:13:53.920 --> 0:13:58.280 on the offensive line. Then right tackle l Collins tore 0:13:58.400 --> 0:14:01.400 his ACL on Christmas Eve even New England and was 0:14:01.440 --> 0:14:06.679 replaced by Hakimadenage and now right guard Alex Kappa suffered 0:14:06.679 --> 0:14:10.400 an ankle injury and last week's regular season finale, meaning 0:14:10.440 --> 0:14:13.360 that twenty six year old Max Sharping will take over. 0:14:13.960 --> 0:14:16.720 The timing couldn't be much worse and I discussed it 0:14:16.800 --> 0:14:21.600 this week with offensive line coach Frank Pollock. Frank, injuries 0:14:21.800 --> 0:14:25.440 unfortunately are part of football, but can you describe the 0:14:25.480 --> 0:14:28.120 emotional toll on your group when you lose two of 0:14:28.160 --> 0:14:31.360 your starters in the final three weeks of the season. Yeah, 0:14:31.400 --> 0:14:33.720 I mean, the guys have built a bond up with 0:14:33.760 --> 0:14:35.640 each other over the course of the season, so when 0:14:35.680 --> 0:14:38.960 you when you lose two kind of mainstays that have 0:14:39.040 --> 0:14:41.840 been their steady through most of the year. Both those 0:14:41.840 --> 0:14:44.080 guys kind of got off to a rough start with 0:14:44.120 --> 0:14:47.320 some injuries in camp, but they've been there since week 0:14:47.360 --> 0:14:50.880 one and and grown and improved that throughout that course. 0:14:50.920 --> 0:14:53.160 So just losing those two guys, especially what they bring 0:14:53.160 --> 0:14:55.320 to the table from a tangel standpoint, leadership and the 0:14:55.440 --> 0:14:58.840 veteran roles that they really played for us, I mean, 0:14:58.880 --> 0:15:01.920 it's you miss those guys, and you know, guys, guys 0:15:01.920 --> 0:15:04.680 are going to rally around him, and you know it's 0:15:04.760 --> 0:15:07.720 just a cap, but obviously guys will worry on the sideline, 0:15:07.760 --> 0:15:11.040 you know, how bad is it? And so so we're 0:15:11.280 --> 0:15:13.320 hopefully he can come back at some point. Hopefully we're 0:15:13.320 --> 0:15:16.480 still we're still around. Dave Lapham has been saying for 0:15:16.520 --> 0:15:19.840 at least a month that Alex Kappa played at a 0:15:19.880 --> 0:15:22.960 Pro Bowl level this year. What stood out to you 0:15:23.080 --> 0:15:26.960 in your first year. It's his coach, his awareness and 0:15:27.120 --> 0:15:33.800 smarts as a as a football player. He's very, very aware, 0:15:33.880 --> 0:15:37.120 very knowledgeable on schemes, not only from what we're trying 0:15:37.160 --> 0:15:39.760 to do offensively and then but what the defense is 0:15:39.760 --> 0:15:42.480 trying to do, and he sees things. It's really impressive 0:15:42.560 --> 0:15:45.320 that he can a lot of times players don't see 0:15:45.880 --> 0:15:48.240 everything on the field when they're up in the trenches, 0:15:48.280 --> 0:15:50.080 even to me as a coach on the sideline trying 0:15:50.080 --> 0:15:51.520 to see everything. He talked to guys in a booth 0:15:51.520 --> 0:15:52.720 to get a better vision, but you're looking at the 0:15:52.720 --> 0:15:56.680 pictures to get confirmation. He sees everything, and you can 0:15:56.680 --> 0:15:58.920 tell you right away, like he'll ask me, hey, did 0:15:58.920 --> 0:16:00.600 we get a pressure on that on the backside, He's 0:16:01.000 --> 0:16:02.400 I don't know how to check that out because yeah, 0:16:02.400 --> 0:16:03.960 because I feel you know, it's amazing because he knows 0:16:04.080 --> 0:16:06.200 the movement of the d line or the linebacker where 0:16:06.200 --> 0:16:09.480 he was playing or triggered wasn't normal, out of the ordinary, 0:16:09.480 --> 0:16:12.120 and he sees all that's got great recall. So it's 0:16:12.160 --> 0:16:15.520 fantastic because that allows us on the sideline to have better, 0:16:15.760 --> 0:16:19.560 more meaningful conversations, to get to adjustments quicker and get 0:16:19.600 --> 0:16:23.200 to the right adjustments. Before he suffered his knee, entry 0:16:23.640 --> 0:16:27.360 Al Collins had been managing a bad back. He'd managed 0:16:27.400 --> 0:16:30.320 to answer the bell every Sunday. What did he show 0:16:30.360 --> 0:16:34.520 you this year? He really showed me the maturity having 0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:36.840 him as a young player, saw him grow from a 0:16:36.880 --> 0:16:39.400 really a green rookie kind of wide eyed even coming 0:16:39.440 --> 0:16:42.680 from a big program as LSU, Just like, oh my god, 0:16:42.720 --> 0:16:44.040 because a lot of the guys that we had at 0:16:44.040 --> 0:16:47.520 that time in Dallas two are very very professional, very veteran, 0:16:48.440 --> 0:16:51.120 a a lot of young guys around, and him being 0:16:51.200 --> 0:16:52.600 kind of the young guy trying to come in and 0:16:52.640 --> 0:16:54.680 earn a spot, his eye opening for him and just 0:16:54.680 --> 0:16:57.840 seeing his growth and learning everything. And then now having 0:16:57.880 --> 0:17:02.960 him come out here playing that role of mentor as 0:17:02.960 --> 0:17:05.080 the veteran and teaching the younger guys. It was kind 0:17:05.080 --> 0:17:06.520 of fun and neat to see him because he was 0:17:06.560 --> 0:17:09.119 the guy getting mentored when I was really there with 0:17:09.200 --> 0:17:11.960 him his first three years, and then now he's kind of, 0:17:12.359 --> 0:17:14.679 you know, graduated, if you will, and then providing that 0:17:14.800 --> 0:17:17.119 veteran leadership and that mentorship for some of the younger players. 0:17:17.160 --> 0:17:20.000 That was awesome to see. We're visiting with Frank Pollock. 0:17:20.119 --> 0:17:22.800 One of those younger players is Hakim Adenigi, who's now 0:17:22.800 --> 0:17:25.720 playing right tackle, and it's basically taken virtually all of 0:17:25.760 --> 0:17:28.320 the snaps the last couple of games. Does he look 0:17:28.400 --> 0:17:31.679 more comfortable back at tackle, his college position than he 0:17:31.680 --> 0:17:34.720 looked last year playing guard? Yeah, I mean I think so. 0:17:35.000 --> 0:17:37.600 I think that's natural for everybody if you've played so 0:17:37.720 --> 0:17:40.000 long in one position, especially as a young guy, young 0:17:40.040 --> 0:17:42.720 player to try to learn something new. It's different in 0:17:42.800 --> 0:17:45.480 the NFL, especially to go from outside the inside. Some 0:17:45.560 --> 0:17:48.560 guys make the adjustment. Some guys have a little harder 0:17:48.560 --> 0:17:51.000 time with it. But yeah, he looks play more comfortable. 0:17:51.000 --> 0:17:52.480 He looks more comfortablecause he'd be getting a ton of 0:17:52.520 --> 0:17:55.199 reps too, So like you mentioned LC, you know, we 0:17:55.200 --> 0:17:57.359 gave him a veteran day's rest to keep him healthy 0:17:57.480 --> 0:18:00.240 throughout the course of the season, so keem guy all 0:18:00.240 --> 0:18:02.600 those reps. So that's that's really paying dividends for him. 0:18:02.600 --> 0:18:06.159 And you could see the comfort and the confidence that 0:18:06.280 --> 0:18:09.640 he's playing with and and doing a nice shot before 0:18:09.720 --> 0:18:11.159 is going to commend him. So he stepped in and 0:18:11.200 --> 0:18:13.639 done a really nice job. So the Bengals picked up 0:18:13.680 --> 0:18:16.720 Max Sharping off of waivers at the end of training camp. 0:18:16.880 --> 0:18:19.240 He'll make his first start as a Bengal this Sunday night. 0:18:19.600 --> 0:18:22.360 He was a three year starter in Houston. What did 0:18:22.400 --> 0:18:25.000 you know about him before you got him and how 0:18:25.119 --> 0:18:29.119 valuable is that experience under these circumstances. Yeah, we obviously 0:18:29.119 --> 0:18:32.080 when he came out in the draft, really really liked him. 0:18:32.240 --> 0:18:34.880 In fact, we Frasier when I worked together with the Jets, 0:18:34.920 --> 0:18:37.640 we went out and worked him out. Frasier did out 0:18:37.680 --> 0:18:39.560 of Northern Illinois, so we were very aware of him. 0:18:39.560 --> 0:18:41.240 We liked him when he came out of the draft, 0:18:41.280 --> 0:18:44.400 like when he brought to the tables and tangibles his grids, toughness, 0:18:44.480 --> 0:18:48.800 is smarts and on top of his football skills. But 0:18:50.040 --> 0:18:52.119 and then him starting in the league is why we 0:18:52.200 --> 0:18:54.800 really were excited to get him here because he brought experience. Obviously, 0:18:54.880 --> 0:18:57.360 we were gonna roll with a young rookie and Cordell 0:18:57.440 --> 0:19:00.440 who's proven that he belongs, which has been found tastic. 0:19:00.480 --> 0:19:03.600 But just to have that, for lack of a better term, 0:19:03.600 --> 0:19:05.480 in insurance policy, guy has been there, done that, and 0:19:05.520 --> 0:19:07.359 played a lot of games that came available to us. 0:19:07.359 --> 0:19:09.159 It's kind of a no brainer. Really excited because I 0:19:09.200 --> 0:19:11.400 knew that we liked him, and he's played a lot, 0:19:11.400 --> 0:19:13.919 He's played a lot of good football. So we're fortunate 0:19:13.960 --> 0:19:16.359 enough to get him, and now we're fortunate enough that 0:19:16.760 --> 0:19:20.160 he's a guy's able to step in for Kappa. Ted 0:19:20.240 --> 0:19:22.399 Carris is one of those guys who makes me chuckle 0:19:22.640 --> 0:19:24.919 every time I see him. What has he added to 0:19:24.960 --> 0:19:30.760 your room? He's added leadership, He's he's added an attitude, 0:19:31.119 --> 0:19:37.080 He's added a mindset with how the room needs to prepare, 0:19:37.240 --> 0:19:43.960 how the room needs to view the game. As he's 0:19:44.000 --> 0:19:46.480 helping the younger guys, really learned to what it means 0:19:46.480 --> 0:19:49.440 by being a professional. This isn't This isn't college. You're 0:19:49.480 --> 0:19:52.399 not on scholarship. There's no twenty hour rule. There's no 0:19:52.480 --> 0:19:54.800 limit on how much film you could watch or should watch, 0:19:54.880 --> 0:19:57.440 no limit on how much work you need to put 0:19:57.480 --> 0:20:02.119 in outside of the mandatory meeting and the practice time. 0:20:02.640 --> 0:20:04.719 What it means to take care of your body. Just 0:20:04.760 --> 0:20:07.400 having that veteran guy that's been there, done that, and 0:20:07.520 --> 0:20:10.360 just kind of the road that he's taken to get there, right. 0:20:10.440 --> 0:20:13.600 I mean, he wasn't a high draft pick, so he's 0:20:13.600 --> 0:20:17.040 had to work and learn and grow to become that guy. 0:20:17.160 --> 0:20:20.439 And he's he's transferred or passed that along to a 0:20:20.440 --> 0:20:23.359 lot of these guys and it's been fantastic. He's what 0:20:23.440 --> 0:20:26.439 you want in the center. His leadership he exudes, and 0:20:26.520 --> 0:20:28.640 he's kind of in that same mold as cap as 0:20:28.640 --> 0:20:32.520 I mentioned earlier. He's very smart, knowledgeable of football. It 0:20:32.640 --> 0:20:36.200 just adds to the conversation throughout the week in the room, 0:20:36.240 --> 0:20:38.440 but also on the sideline on game day to make 0:20:38.520 --> 0:20:41.639 meaningful adjustments. So the information that that he gives me, 0:20:41.680 --> 0:20:45.399 I know it's accurate and we're not speculator or guessing 0:20:45.520 --> 0:20:48.120 or just don't know. We're chatting. Frank Pollock. It took 0:20:48.160 --> 0:20:51.560 a little while for the offensive line to gel as anticipated. 0:20:51.800 --> 0:20:55.159 But were you concerned in weeks one and two or 0:20:55.160 --> 0:20:57.960 did you think it's only a matter of time. Yeah, 0:20:58.000 --> 0:21:00.240 I mean it's it's a matter of time. Tim. I 0:21:00.320 --> 0:21:01.840 knew the type of guys that we had. I knew 0:21:01.880 --> 0:21:05.320 how we work and how we prepare here, just with 0:21:05.359 --> 0:21:08.800 my experience that men. Of course, you wanted it to 0:21:08.840 --> 0:21:11.080 be sooner than later. I think anybody with the right 0:21:11.119 --> 0:21:13.320 frame of mind in this business has a sense of urgency. 0:21:14.960 --> 0:21:17.440