1 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:06,560 Speaker 1: Hi and everybody. I'm Dan Board and thanks for downloading 2 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: The Bengals Booth Podcast, the Prayers for Damar edition, as 3 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: we reflect on the life saving treatment that Damar Hamlin 4 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:18,080 Speaker 1: received on Monday night, and then look ahead to Sunday's 5 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 1: game against Baltimore Coming up. Bengals long snapper cal Adamidas 6 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: shares thoughts about his former high school and college teammate 7 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: who is making progress at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. 8 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:33,920 Speaker 1: Special Teams captain Michael Thomas describes how he and his 9 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 1: teammates are dealing with their emotions as they prepare to 10 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: return to action. Peter King from NBC Sports gives us 11 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: the national perspective on what took place in Cincinnati on 12 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: Monday night, and finally, in this week's Know the Fast 13 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 1: segment will spend a few minutes with former Ravens wide 14 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: receiver Codrea Smile. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to 15 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: you by Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet capable of 16 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: delivering multi game of its speeds, designed to take your home, business, 17 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: and community to a new level. Elevate your connection with 18 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: all to Fiber. Now. Here's a quick reminder that you 19 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 1: can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered. Write 20 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: to your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing wherever you 21 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 1: get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing since the NFL's 22 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:25,559 Speaker 1: Emergency Action Plan and the dedicated professionals at pay Course 23 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 1: Stadium who saved the life of Damar Hamlin. The NFL's 24 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: Emergency Action Plan or EAP, is utilized in instances of 25 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 1: severe trauma. Every team in the league is required to 26 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: rehearse it twice each year before the start of preseason games, 27 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 1: then sixty minutes before every game, the medical professionals in 28 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: attendance hold a meeting to go over everybody's assignment so 29 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: that there is no confusion if an emergency takes place. 30 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: After all, every second counts. On average, there are roughly 31 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 1: thirty medical staffers at every NFL game, including doctors, trainers, paramedics, 32 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: and an airway management physician that's the person responsible for 33 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 1: the emergency measures required to save a player who has 34 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: stopped breathing. There is an ambulance parked close to the 35 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 1: field at every stadium that includes cardiac life support equipment. 36 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:25,799 Speaker 1: Everything I just described proved to be crucial when Damar 37 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: Hamlin went into cardiac arrest. The EAP is comprehensive and 38 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: everybody involved at pay Course Stadium followed it with speed 39 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: and skill to restore Damar's heartbeat before he was transferred 40 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 1: to the hospital. As I record this podcast on Thursday, 41 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: there is encouraging news as Damar is awake and communicating 42 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: with family members. His doctors say he has shown substantial 43 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 1: improvement in the last twenty four hours. Damar Hamlin is 44 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:57,799 Speaker 1: in his second year with the Buffalo Bills after being 45 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: a four year starter at pitt Prior to that, he 46 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: was ranked as one of the top defensive back recruits 47 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 1: in the country while playing for Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School. 48 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 1: In high school and college, one of his teammates was 49 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: Bengals long snapper cal Adamidas. I talked to Cal about 50 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 1: his friend. You were his high school and college teammate. 51 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 1: What would you like people to know about tomorrow? I 52 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:27,079 Speaker 1: think you know, a lot of what he's done through 53 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 1: his career is kind of public knowledge now with you know, 54 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:31,920 Speaker 1: his his foundation and his toy drive and all that 55 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 1: those different things. But you know, UM, just really with 56 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: my experience, UM knowing Damar through high school and in 57 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 1: college and he's just always, Um, although he's you know, 58 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: in high school, he was our biggest recruit and you know, 59 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: the star of our team. He was always a good dude. 60 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: And you know, I was a guy who was always 61 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: fighting for playing time and uh, this is when I 62 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 1: was still a tight end. And he you know, always 63 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: treated everyone on that team the same way. And whether 64 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 1: you had thirty offers or you know, we're helping out 65 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: on the scout team. So I think that's a you know, 66 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: an important thing to remember about him. And while you 67 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 1: keep him in your prayers, could you tell from an 68 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 1: early age that he was likely to realize this dream 69 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: of being an NFL player? Oh? Yeah, absolutely, I mean 70 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: he uh, he definitely was just not only you know 71 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: as extremely physically gifted, um, even at high school. Um, 72 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: but you know had had a great work ethic always 73 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 1: as well. And uh you know in high school he 74 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: was always getting extra workouts and always working with two 75 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 1: tents speed and agility, which is you know the guy 76 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: that Aaron Donald trains with as well, and um, you 77 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: know he's constantly constantly worked with him. Um, and then 78 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:32,039 Speaker 1: you know even in college as well, Um, just the 79 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: way he prepared for every game and uh, you know, 80 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 1: took care of his body and I'm sure continues to 81 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 1: take care of his body throughout his professional career so far. 82 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: You know, he just knew he was he was a 83 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 1: pro before he was a pro. Basically, the outpouring of 84 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: support has been amazing. The last time I looked, more 85 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 1: than six million dollars has been raised for his children's 86 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: toy drive. What is that showing you? What does that 87 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 1: meant to you? You know, that's definitely the the uh, 88 00:04:57,560 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: the silver lining of all this so far, as just 89 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: seeing how many people you know, love dMar and care 90 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 1: for him and just just that outpouring of support. It's 91 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 1: been uh, you know, it's been a men's it's been 92 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 1: borderline overwhelming. You know, it's uh, and I can only 93 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:14,239 Speaker 1: imagine how how his family's feeling with just the roller 94 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:18,480 Speaker 1: coaster of emotions and uh, you know, just just pray 95 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:20,599 Speaker 1: that people keep supporting because you know it's uh, that's 96 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: still still gonna be a battle for for some time, 97 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 1: um from what I've heard, but UM, you know, if 98 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 1: there's anyone that's gonna I think, is capable to you know, 99 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 1: pull through and you know, be able to live the 100 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 1: rest of their life, the way they want to. I 101 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 1: think that's gonna be DeMar So, you are a captain 102 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: your last year at Pitt, he was a captain the 103 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: year before. That's a player elected title at at Pitt. 104 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:44,040 Speaker 1: Was he a no brainer to be in that role? Yeah? 105 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: I think so. I think everyone pretty much saw it 106 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 1: coming that that he'd be one of our captains just uh, 107 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 1: you know, for kind of the the reasons that um, 108 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: you know I just mentioned with him, you know, just 109 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 1: being a weight room guy. Not only just a gifted 110 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:58,479 Speaker 1: player on the field with you know, great football IQ 111 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 1: and and senses, but just um, just the way he 112 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 1: prepares for every game. And that was always something that 113 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: stuck out and you know, something that I learned from 114 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 1: as well, being a year younger him, you know, through 115 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: my time at Central Land at PIT. So it was 116 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,160 Speaker 1: definitely definitely a no brainer that that he was would 117 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 1: be one of our captains at pit. How emotional and 118 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 1: difficult has this been for you having known him for 119 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:22,280 Speaker 1: as long as you have and been his teammate. Yeah, 120 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 1: it's um, you know, to be quite frank, it's just uh, 121 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,280 Speaker 1: it's it's it's still things are still sinking in each day, 122 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 1: and um, it is odd because you know, obviously, uh, 123 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: I spent a lot of time with him, and you know, 124 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 1: it's it's weird. It's always uncomfortable, like get a ton 125 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 1: of people reaching out to you, and uh, it's great, 126 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 1: like you appreciate it, but also like just it can 127 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 1: be uncomfortable at times, like you don't necessarily want to 128 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 1: be the center of attention and a time like this, 129 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:52,919 Speaker 1: um and you just want to keep all the you know, 130 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 1: the prayers and the love going towards him and his family, 131 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: and you know, it's greatly appreciated all the support that 132 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 1: you know, with people reaching out to me, my brother 133 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 1: who also played with him in high school, and all 134 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 1: our high school teammates just getting back in touch with 135 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: each other and supporting each other. But it's just it's 136 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: just kind of too many emotions of process. Really appreciate 137 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: sharing some thoughts on Damar and we're obviously all praying 138 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: for his continued recovery and hope to get great news. 139 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: Suit Absolutely thank you. Kalla schedule to join us on 140 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: Friday for the Bengals pep Rally show at the Wings 141 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: and Rings location in Beckett Ridge. The show runs from 142 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: three to six and Cal will be there in the 143 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: final hour. The Bengals Booth podcast is brought to you 144 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 1: by Kettering Health, the official healthcare provider of the Cincinnati Bengals. 145 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: With more than one hundred twenty care facilities and fifteen 146 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 1: hundred care providers, Kettering Health is committed to guiding you 147 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: to your best health. Visit Kettering health dot org to 148 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 1: learn more. The Bengals are not only a legitimate Super 149 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: Bowl contender, they're young. There are only two players on 150 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: the active roster who are no longer in their twenties, 151 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 1: backup quarterback Brandon Allen, who is thirty and special teams 152 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: captain Michael Thomas, who is thirty two. Mike is in 153 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 1: his eleventh NFL season, and I reached out to him 154 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 1: this week to get his perspective on returning to the 155 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:19,480 Speaker 1: field on Sunday. Mike grabbing this conversation on Wednesday at 156 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 1: about one thirty in the afternoon. How are you and 157 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 1: your teammates doing? Still processing everything? I think, you know, 158 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 1: everybody's trying to get back to what it's normal to 159 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:36,440 Speaker 1: us since we, you know, have work to do. But 160 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:39,320 Speaker 1: there's no mistake, like there is no normal heels in normal. 161 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: What happened it's not normal, and I think guys are 162 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 1: still processing it. But it's good to be back around 163 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:48,080 Speaker 1: each other and you know, joking in the locker room, 164 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 1: you know, lifting weights and and and you know, it's 165 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 1: probably more questions than answers at this point, but I 166 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: think us doing being there together, I think that helps 167 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 1: WIT moving forward. Could you sleep on Monday night? What 168 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 1: you do on Tuesday? Yeah, there's absolutely no sleep. Man 169 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: and wife talking. Thank god they were here, just so 170 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 1: I can have somebody to go back to and be 171 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: with after the game. Just talking just put things in 172 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 1: perspective as the first time in my career where I 173 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: actually I had any type of thoughts of like and 174 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 1: as what I'm doing right? You know, it's just worth it. 175 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: As my wife and kids came from Houston for this 176 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 1: game and they were in the stands. Yeah, Tuesday though 177 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:42,720 Speaker 1: filled with a lot of calls, a lot of trying 178 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:44,560 Speaker 1: to figure out what's happening. A lot of guys had questions. 179 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 1: I still had questions. I'm still processing everything, wrapped my hand, 180 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: trying to wrap my head around of what we just experienced. 181 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 1: In my loving year career, I've never seen, heard of 182 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 1: or experience anything like that um and accepting the fact 183 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:01,560 Speaker 1: that like, yeah, I was a little shit and not 184 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:04,080 Speaker 1: trying to brush you know what I'm saying, like like 185 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 1: brush over that and trying to you know, a bunch 186 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: of teammates hitting me up asking questions, and you know, 187 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 1: I was trying to get answers, visiting constant communication with 188 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:15,679 Speaker 1: leadership or whether that's the NFLPA, and you know, as 189 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:18,559 Speaker 1: an execuve committee member, I was still serving. I'm in 190 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 1: even you know, I'm actively involved in experienced this, but 191 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: still serving. I'm in serving the Bills players, you know. 192 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:27,440 Speaker 1: But it was in contact with a couple of those 193 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: guys serving uh De mar Reese Smith actually flew down 194 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 1: and we took a visit to the hospital. We met 195 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 1: with DeMar's family and they were appreciative of that. And 196 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:47,080 Speaker 1: I just think that I'm thankful that the Bengals organizations, 197 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 1: the NFL, NFLPA were just providing so many resources to 198 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 1: their family because they felt the love, they felt the support. 199 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 1: So that's what about Tuesday looked like we're visiting that. 200 00:10:56,440 --> 00:11:01,440 Speaker 1: Michael Thomas, what did this episode, this incident tell you 201 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:06,520 Speaker 1: about the NFL brotherhood. It's bigger than football, man, It's 202 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: bigger than competing. It's bigger than trying to win a 203 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 1: Super Bowl or a conference championship or the Vision Championship. 204 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 1: Like at the end of the day, nobody ever wants 205 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: to see somebody injured, let alone fighting for their life 206 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 1: from playing on the field. I've never again, never experienced 207 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 1: nothing like then. And to see how we all came 208 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: together once we saw what happened and realize that, nah, 209 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: that's not no regular injury. There's something bigger than that. 210 00:11:36,679 --> 00:11:39,319 Speaker 1: Like I love the fact that we didn't have to 211 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 1: talk about it, we didn't have to huddle. It's just 212 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: instantly everybody like, nah, like this we're trying, we're trying 213 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:47,320 Speaker 1: to like come together, we're praying together. We we we've 214 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:49,679 Speaker 1: been together, we're fighting together because that's one of our 215 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 1: brothers down there. And then to see instantly how the 216 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: rest of our brothers across the league, in our membership 217 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: past present, came together. And then you saw it because 218 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: you saw that, you saw how the rest of the world, 219 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:06,439 Speaker 1: how the rest of the US, how the rest of 220 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 1: you know, sports world, just regular sittings, how they poured 221 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 1: their love and started prayer. Like that's just how you know, 222 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:14,520 Speaker 1: Like this is way bigger than a sport of competition 223 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:17,080 Speaker 1: like this, somebody fighting for their live. This is a 224 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 1: human you know what I'm saying. And that's that's we were. 225 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 1: We were, I guess, force to recognize that in that moment. 226 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 1: And we you know, we don't normally live in that 227 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:35,079 Speaker 1: with football. That's normally I escape football being in this facility, 228 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 1: and that's normally I escaped. And we were forced to 229 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 1: like deal with something real at that point. But I 230 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: just love the fact that we all there was no 231 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:43,959 Speaker 1: discussion needed, like we all just came together and did 232 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 1: the right thing, the human thing, the brotherhood thing. Man, 233 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 1: it just came together and was praying together. And because 234 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: that was one of our brothers on the field fighting 235 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:53,560 Speaker 1: for his life, the world is praying for Damar. Many 236 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 1: of us are also praying for t Higgins. It was 237 00:12:56,559 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 1: an unfortunate accident. It was a freak accident. I don't 238 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: think anybody could reasonably think that he did anything wrong. 239 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: And yet simply from being involved, many of us are 240 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: just worried about his mental space. How will you and 241 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 1: your teammates try to help Tea continue to ask him 242 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: if he's all right, which it will be like paying 243 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 1: a little close attention. And I'm saying that with a 244 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 1: smile and like a smirk because T's are naturally quiet, 245 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: you know, individual he has a different personality and you 246 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: know he's unique in that way. So to say, oh, 247 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:38,200 Speaker 1: well he's being quiet or he's being to himself like na, 248 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 1: that's actually kind of normal, you know. So it's like nah, 249 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 1: but spending a little bit extra time like saying what 250 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 1: up going by checking on him and I think guys 251 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 1: are naturally doing that. Don't want to make it, you know, 252 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:52,200 Speaker 1: too crazy, want to keep some type of normal seeing it, 253 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: but like just letting him know we're here from him, 254 00:13:55,480 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: and clearly there was nothing menacing or you know, like malicious. 255 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: There was nothing malicious or ill you know intended like 256 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:09,960 Speaker 1: play with T the more number. That was a football play. 257 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: That was just a and that to be honest, just 258 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:17,079 Speaker 1: for a second, that's kind of what shaking everybody too, 259 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:21,200 Speaker 1: because that was just a football play and that's what happened. 260 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:25,680 Speaker 1: And it's like so down we were gonna continue to like, 261 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:28,480 Speaker 1: you know, put our arms around tea and like brother, man, 262 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 1: you know what I say, you are brother, We got you, 263 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:31,960 Speaker 1: like you know, you didn't do nothing wrong, the Bills 264 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 1: all and so much love and support for everyone in 265 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 1: that Bills organization, the players, man. Like, we've been in 266 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: constant conversation, communication and having conversations with them, your regards 267 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:43,520 Speaker 1: if you had a relationship with guys, even the ones 268 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: we didn't. Everybody's still just been texting, hitting up, hitting 269 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 1: each other up on social media, CoA and just let 270 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 1: everybody letting each other know. No one you know what 271 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: I'm saying. That was nobody's fault and we're still trying 272 00:14:55,920 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: to understand what happened, you know. So it's as being 273 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 1: there for our brothers, being there for each other. Man. 274 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 1: That's it. As a Bengals fan, I'm proud to have, 275 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: proud to have Zach Taylor as our head coach. After 276 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 1: seeing how he conducted himself, after seeing him go to 277 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 1: the hospital to visit tomorrow that night. Does this incident 278 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 1: st a light on your head, coach? Absolutely? I Mean 279 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 1: there's so many things you can try to a ways 280 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 1: you can try to describe it and say, oh, this 281 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 1: is the reason why he's such a great head coach, 282 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 1: and this is the reason why he took that approach. 283 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: You know, he's a former player, he understand like that 284 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 1: aspect of it in the need to have a more 285 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 1: humane and personally, you know, personable reaction to what's happening 286 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 1: out there. Or you know, he's just a great guy 287 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 1: and he's just a great human being, or you know 288 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 1: he's he's passing, he's a players Like that's just who 289 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 1: Zach Taylor is. And he knew and understood the magnitude 290 00:15:56,880 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 1: of everything where football did not matter in that moment. 291 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 1: That was a son, that was an older brother, that 292 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 1: was a teammate that was laying down, They're fighting for 293 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 1: his life, and at that point football did not matter 294 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:10,880 Speaker 1: no more. And he knew as a head coach, if 295 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: I looked at as a leader of this organization, as 296 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 1: this team to face whatever, it's my job if I 297 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 1: got a team coming to my you know, my house, 298 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:21,040 Speaker 1: my stadium, that I stand up and say, like, nah, 299 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: we care that every single person in here, you know, 300 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: new came to compete. They're leaving out of here healthy 301 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 1: and if they can't, I'm gonna make sure that I 302 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 1: show y'all enough respect to come to y'all locker room 303 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:35,080 Speaker 1: and say what do y'all want to do? Oh, he 304 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 1: has to spend the night over here and y'all going 305 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: back home. I'm gonna go I'm gonna treat like you 306 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:40,600 Speaker 1: one of my players. I'm gonna go see you know 307 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, Like, that's who Zach Taylor is. So 308 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 1: there's nothing but respect. I mean, he had that most 309 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 1: respect for him before, but that's just you know, adds 310 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: on to who he is as you just know that 311 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: in the immediate aftermath, the game is insignificant, but player 312 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 1: is going to continue on Sunday. It's an important game 313 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 1: for the bank. You're taking on a division rival, you 314 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 1: are still in Super Bowl contention. You know, how do 315 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 1: you approach practicing and playing this way? I mean, again, Dan, 316 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:19,360 Speaker 1: with so many questions that we don't have answers too. 317 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:23,159 Speaker 1: At the end of the day, we know that life 318 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 1: continues to go like this, sport continues to go, and 319 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:31,160 Speaker 1: all we can do is keep pressing forward and we're 320 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: gonna find We're gonna find out what that looks like together. 321 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 1: We're gonna figure that out together. But at the end 322 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 1: of the day, I think there's something to it of us, 323 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:42,199 Speaker 1: you know, whatever that looks like, doing it together and 324 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:47,119 Speaker 1: getting back to our routine. It allows us to not 325 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 1: take our minds off of it, but just grow and 326 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 1: go through that process together to try to find healing 327 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:55,879 Speaker 1: in it. And if we have questions, I love the 328 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 1: fact that this organization has provided so many resources, the NFLP, 329 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: the NFL, They've provided so many resources for us to 330 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: just even have open space to talk, like ask a question, 331 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 1: even if we don't have to answer and ask a question, 332 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 1: because I know y'all feeling that, and I think that 333 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:11,919 Speaker 1: allows us to move forward and get and prepare for 334 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:15,439 Speaker 1: these games. And again, yeah, we're experiencing on the field, 335 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: but shoot, everybody else was watching. They're experiencing it too. 336 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 1: They got the same questions too, And we know that 337 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,680 Speaker 1: just because of our union and the calls we've had 338 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 1: just in these last twenty four forty eight hours, and guys, 339 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:31,159 Speaker 1: guys are feeling the same thing around the league. So 340 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:34,200 Speaker 1: it's like, yeah, we got an important game, but nothing's 341 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 1: more important than the more fighting for his life and 342 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 1: us trying to figure out when what happened in two 343 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 1: like is he gonna be okay, we didn't get that. Oh, 344 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:45,160 Speaker 1: the guy got injured, but he walked off on his own. 345 00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 1: The guy had to get on the court, but he 346 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 1: gave us a thumbs up. We haven't gotten that, and 347 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 1: normally that's what gives guys a strength to keep fighting, 348 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:52,879 Speaker 1: to keep putting that, putting it on the line out 349 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:55,199 Speaker 1: there on the field. We haven't gotten it. So the 350 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: prayers are going to continue to go. We just want 351 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 1: to see him continue fight and be trending into a 352 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:04,359 Speaker 1: positive direction when it comes to this healing. But our 353 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 1: prayers they're going out for him, his family, and we're 354 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,720 Speaker 1: just gonna keep finding a way whatever that looks like. Together. 355 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 1: I said at the beginning of the broadcast on Monday 356 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 1: night that it didn't feel like just a playoff atmosphere. 357 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 1: To me, it felt like a Super Bowl atmosphere. It 358 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 1: felt like the Olympic opening ceremonies. And you guys came 359 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:26,760 Speaker 1: out and it looked like you were going to play 360 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 1: your absolute best game. I think by my math, that 361 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:33,320 Speaker 1: was the one and twenty fifth NFL game that you've 362 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:36,879 Speaker 1: played in. Had you experienced anything like that in the 363 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 1: regular season? Like though, you, like you said, there, we 364 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:45,199 Speaker 1: approach and that's what I love about this team. We 365 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 1: approach everything like, nah, it's just another game. We got 366 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:50,199 Speaker 1: to go through our process and be who we are 367 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 1: and just do what we do. Guys knew what that 368 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 1: can be. And I love the fact that everybody was 369 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 1: executing at a high level. Well, even if we gave 370 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 1: up a play, there was something great either somebody you know, 371 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:07,640 Speaker 1: being physical coming off the ball, like making a play, 372 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 1: making a block, like everybody kind of raised they level 373 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 1: a little bit. And it definitely did have any electric feel. 374 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 1: It definitely did have that Super Bowl type just level 375 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 1: of concentration, level of focused, level of execution. So for 376 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 1: what is worth whatever it ends up being called a 377 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 1: dress rehearsal by no no contest whatever, Like I think, 378 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: I think we got the answers we wanted. I really 379 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:42,880 Speaker 1: appreciate your willingness to talk about this and your thoughtfulness. 380 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:46,400 Speaker 1: We are all thinking about you, guys. Obviously our prayers 381 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:49,879 Speaker 1: are mostly centered around tomorrow Hamlin, but we're thinking about 382 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:51,640 Speaker 1: all of you and we wish you all the best 383 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 1: going forward. Thank you, Dan, appreciate it Man that we're 384 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:56,159 Speaker 1: praying for his family too. Thank you for having me 385 00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 1: the Thos Booth Podcast. It's brought to you by pay. 386 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 1: More than twenty nine thousand customers trust Paycorps to help 387 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 1: them recruit, pay engage, and retain employees. Learn more at 388 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:14,239 Speaker 1: paycorps dot com. The NFL has not announced if the 389 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 1: Bengals game against Buffalo will be continued. The most likely 390 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 1: scenario seems to be that the game will be declared 391 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: no contest and that the Bengals and Bills will play 392 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:28,919 Speaker 1: one fewer game than everybody else. If that's the case, 393 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 1: the Bengals would no longer have a shot at the 394 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 1: number one seed in the AFC, but could still be 395 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 1: the number two seed if they beat Baltimore and Buffalo 396 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:42,439 Speaker 1: loses to New England. That's a big deal because the 397 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: number two seed gets a second home game if it 398 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:49,359 Speaker 1: wins its playoff opener. If the Bengals Bills game is 399 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:53,360 Speaker 1: declared no contest and Buffalo beats New England on Sunday, 400 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: then Cincinnati would be the AFC North champion and the 401 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:00,399 Speaker 1: number three seed in the AFC, regardless us of their 402 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:02,880 Speaker 1: game against the Ravens, because they would have a better 403 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:07,080 Speaker 1: winning percentage than Baltimore. If they're the number two seed, 404 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 1: the Bengals would potentially host the Dolphins, Patriots, or Steelers. 405 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:14,520 Speaker 1: If they're the number three seed, they would host the 406 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 1: Ravens or the Chargers for the national perspective on last 407 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:22,240 Speaker 1: week's events, we turned to Peter King from NBC Sports. 408 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: He's been covering the NFL for nearly forty years, beginning 409 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:28,959 Speaker 1: with a stint on the Bengals beat for the Cincinnati 410 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:33,560 Speaker 1: Inquirer back in nineteen eighty four. Peter, what did you 411 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 1: think of how the NFL and the two teams handled 412 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:39,959 Speaker 1: the terrifying situation on Monday night. I don't know how 413 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 1: they could have handled it a lot better. The only 414 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:44,880 Speaker 1: thing they probably could have done is called the game 415 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 1: a little bit sooner. But you know, I do think 416 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 1: there was a there was consideration on behalf of the 417 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:58,640 Speaker 1: league that they wanted to talk to everybody involved. They 418 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 1: wanted to talk to the union, they wanted to talk 419 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 1: to the officials, they wanted to talk to the coaches. 420 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:09,960 Speaker 1: They wanted to talk internally about what not playing this 421 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 1: game means. I don't know enough Dan to say whether 422 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 1: indeed somebody inside the league told both teams, although I 423 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 1: doubt that this happened. We're picking up this game in 424 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:29,680 Speaker 1: five minutes. Zach Taylor basically denied it, you know, in 425 00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:34,520 Speaker 1: his remarks to the press on Wednesday, so I certainly 426 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 1: take him at his word, and so I think, Dan, 427 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 1: I'm reminded of something when people would be critical of 428 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:47,719 Speaker 1: the fact that it took sixty six minutes from the 429 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,440 Speaker 1: time of the injury to the time that the game 430 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 1: was officially called. I think one thing I'm reminded of 431 00:23:56,440 --> 00:24:01,440 Speaker 1: is in twenty twenty when there was a COVID crisis 432 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 1: around the league and it was almost week to week 433 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:06,919 Speaker 1: when you wondered how many games we're going to get called, 434 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:09,679 Speaker 1: how many games would be played, wouldn't be played? All that. 435 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:15,280 Speaker 1: I'm just reminded of the fact that someone told me 436 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:19,400 Speaker 1: inside the league they're going to be multiple times this 437 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 1: year where you're going to say, what are they doing? 438 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 1: And just keep in mind Roger Goodell likes to wait 439 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 1: until either the last minute or until he's not going 440 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:35,160 Speaker 1: to make a decision until he has to, okay, And 441 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 1: so that is when I think about that. I think 442 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:43,360 Speaker 1: about this situation. You're going to hear from everybody, and 443 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: you're just going to sit there and you're gonna say, Okay, 444 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 1: what's the best decision. And obviously I think you and 445 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,520 Speaker 1: I and most observers thought about a half hour into this. 446 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:56,560 Speaker 1: As soon as I heard the three letters CPR. You know, 447 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 1: you know, a guy's heart stopped, it's pretty hard to 448 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 1: ask those players to continue to play after that. Zach 449 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 1: Taylor showed great compassion in the way he interacted with 450 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:10,920 Speaker 1: Sean McDermott agreed. He went to the hospital that night 451 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:14,880 Speaker 1: to visit Tamar Hamlin. Joe Burrow led the Bengals captains 452 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:17,080 Speaker 1: to the other side of the stadium to visit with 453 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 1: the Buffalo captains. What did you think of the leadership 454 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:25,359 Speaker 1: displayed by those two guys in particular? Fantastic. I mean, 455 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:31,920 Speaker 1: you know, as crazy as it sounds, I almost get 456 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:36,040 Speaker 1: emotional when I think about both guys, And it was 457 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 1: clear that they were the adults in the room. And 458 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 1: you know what Sean McDermott said to Zach Taylor when 459 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 1: Taylor walked across the field, and basically, Sean McDermott said, 460 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:52,680 Speaker 1: I belong with my player. I can't coach this game. 461 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 1: That's basically all you needed to know about the kind 462 00:25:56,080 --> 00:26:01,199 Speaker 1: of person Sean McDermott is. And and for Zach Taylor, 463 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:05,880 Speaker 1: Zach Taylor's whole attitude was, Hey, listen, whatever you want, 464 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 1: We're going to support. And I mean, I'm very oversimplifying 465 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 1: but I don't know how you'd want two better men 466 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 1: leading your programs. Do you think the game should be completed? No, 467 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:22,439 Speaker 1: I don't think it will be completed, nor do I 468 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:26,160 Speaker 1: think it should be I think it is borderline cruel 469 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:30,639 Speaker 1: asking the Buffalo Bills to return to Cincinnati to play 470 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:36,200 Speaker 1: this game on the field where their teammate was felled 471 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:40,800 Speaker 1: and very nearly died. So I don't think it should 472 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:42,639 Speaker 1: be played, and I don't think it will be played. 473 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 1: So let's get to the Bengals going into Sunday's game 474 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: against Baltimore. They've won seventh straight, they were off to 475 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:53,200 Speaker 1: a tremendous start on Monday night against the Bills. How 476 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:55,119 Speaker 1: do you think they stack up right now among the 477 00:26:55,200 --> 00:27:01,919 Speaker 1: NFL's elite. I think, right now, at this moment, the 478 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:06,919 Speaker 1: two best teams in football or Cincinnati in San Francisco. Now, 479 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: on a given day, Kansas City could beat him both 480 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:15,480 Speaker 1: by two touchdowns. You know, on a given day, Buffalo 481 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 1: could beat him both. But I'm just saying that right now. 482 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:22,879 Speaker 1: To me, if I were one of those power rankings people, 483 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:27,639 Speaker 1: I would have San Francisco or Cincinnati as the number 484 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:32,159 Speaker 1: one team in football. And I kind of feel for 485 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:35,640 Speaker 1: the Ravens. I honestly do I feel for the Ravens 486 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:39,640 Speaker 1: because it's clear that five weeks and two days ago, 487 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:44,120 Speaker 1: or however many days it's been now, that they did 488 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:48,200 Speaker 1: not think that Lamar Jackson's injury was going to end 489 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:50,480 Speaker 1: his season. And again, I don't know if he's going 490 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:54,719 Speaker 1: to play on Sunday or not, but it sure looks 491 00:27:54,760 --> 00:28:00,880 Speaker 1: doubtful that he will play and without without Lamar Jackson 492 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:04,200 Speaker 1: on Sunday. It's not that I don't give him any chance. 493 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:06,639 Speaker 1: I think it would be have to be an absolutely 494 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:12,480 Speaker 1: heroic performance by the running game of the Baltimore Ravens 495 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:16,440 Speaker 1: at also a defense that has at times really been 496 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:19,399 Speaker 1: able to be gouged this year for them to have 497 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:22,240 Speaker 1: a good chance to win. You might not be a 498 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:26,480 Speaker 1: power rankings person, but you are an MVP candidate rankings person, 499 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:28,960 Speaker 1: and you're a Football Morning in America column. You've had 500 00:28:29,119 --> 00:28:32,040 Speaker 1: Joe Burrow a listed fourth, I believe for the last 501 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:35,880 Speaker 1: few weeks. Why fourth? And were you looking at Monday's 502 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 1: game as a possible opportunity for him to jump to 503 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 1: the top of the list without any question? If Joe 504 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 1: Burrow had been able to play sixty minutes in this game, 505 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:50,240 Speaker 1: or the game had been able to be finished and 506 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:56,080 Speaker 1: Cincinnati won the game. There's a chance I can't. It's 507 00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:59,840 Speaker 1: so hypothetical. I would need to see the game. But 508 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 1: part of me would have been thinking, well, you know, 509 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 1: he ended the season winning whatever would be, what nine 510 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:13,000 Speaker 1: in a row or don't I forget what it would 511 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 1: be that they would have won at the end. Plus 512 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:18,360 Speaker 1: he would have ended the season with two of those 513 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:23,280 Speaker 1: wins being over two of the top four candidates for 514 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 1: the MVP. And so I would have given significant consideration 515 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:34,480 Speaker 1: to voting for Burrow. And again, look, I still have 516 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:37,400 Speaker 1: some thought to give, but my gut feeling is right 517 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:42,719 Speaker 1: now that, barring a major change this weekend, I'm probably 518 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:45,320 Speaker 1: going to vote for Patrick Mahomes number one. Now keep 519 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:48,960 Speaker 1: in mind this is a different year voting for the 520 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 1: Most Valuable Player. In the past, the fifty media members 521 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:54,600 Speaker 1: who have been handed a ballot I happen to be 522 00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:57,280 Speaker 1: one of them, have voted for one person for the 523 00:29:57,280 --> 00:30:02,240 Speaker 1: Most Valuable Player, the Associated S, which is the keeper 524 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 1: of the Holy Grail. This year, change the rules for 525 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:11,680 Speaker 1: voting and they are going to have us vote for 526 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:17,160 Speaker 1: five people in order so the number one person on 527 00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:21,920 Speaker 1: your list is going to get ten points. The number 528 00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 1: two person on your list is going to get five points. 529 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:32,000 Speaker 1: So there's a tremendous amount of importance given to the 530 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 1: person who you have number one on your list. So 531 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:43,040 Speaker 1: it's going to be very hard for the person who 532 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:48,720 Speaker 1: gets the magic. If one person gets you know, basically 533 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:53,200 Speaker 1: gets twenty six, twenty seven, twenty eight first place votes, 534 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:55,640 Speaker 1: it's going to be very hard to beat that person. 535 00:30:57,040 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 1: So look, I think as of now, mahomes as my 536 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:04,920 Speaker 1: leader in the clubhouse, and let's see what happens in 537 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:08,880 Speaker 1: week eighteen. We're visiting with Peter King from NBC Sports. 538 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 1: The Bengals have some of the great young stars in 539 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:13,960 Speaker 1: the NFL right now, and Burrow and Jamar Chase and 540 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:17,560 Speaker 1: Joe Mixon and others. Is there anybody on this team 541 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 1: or anything about this team that you think has flown 542 00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 1: under the radar and deserves more attention? Louie and Rumo 543 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 1: and I don't know what's going to happen in the postseason. 544 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:34,440 Speaker 1: NFL owners love to hire offensive coaches. Everybody wants to 545 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:37,360 Speaker 1: have the next Sean McVeagh, wants to hire the next 546 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:45,120 Speaker 1: Sean McVeigh. But I do think there are some there 547 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 1: would be some reason to really try to really do 548 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:56,200 Speaker 1: their best to in essence say that this year, maybe 549 00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 1: what we should do is we should consider the best 550 00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:07,800 Speaker 1: coaches overall. Okay, and I think this year, I think 551 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:12,720 Speaker 1: it would be unjust if people like Demiko Ryan's of 552 00:32:12,760 --> 00:32:17,560 Speaker 1: the forty nine Ers, Leslie Frasier the Buffalo Bills, lou 553 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:21,600 Speaker 1: An Arumo of the Cincinnati Bengals, if those guys don't 554 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:27,719 Speaker 1: get serious and significant consideration when head coaching opportunities are 555 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:31,880 Speaker 1: available after the season. Peter, the Chiefs have been a 556 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:35,800 Speaker 1: Super Bowl contender since Patrick Mahomes became their starting quarterback. 557 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:39,440 Speaker 1: By and large throughout the Aaron Rodgers era in Green Bay, 558 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:42,800 Speaker 1: they have been a Super Bowl contender just about every year. 559 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:45,680 Speaker 1: Do you see that in the future for the Bengals 560 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:50,840 Speaker 1: as long as Joe Burrows their quarterback. Yes, but I'll 561 00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:57,480 Speaker 1: give you an asterisk. I think what has happened to 562 00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:02,400 Speaker 1: this team right now? I remember thirteen months ago or so, 563 00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:04,880 Speaker 1: maybe a little bit longer, I was in Cincinnati and 564 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:10,440 Speaker 1: had an extended conversation with Mike Brown about about Burrow 565 00:33:11,160 --> 00:33:15,280 Speaker 1: and about about his team basically, but a lot of 566 00:33:15,280 --> 00:33:19,520 Speaker 1: it was about Burrow. And you know, when I asked 567 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:25,680 Speaker 1: him about the reports that I considered quite frankly, pretty 568 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:31,000 Speaker 1: reliable that Miami would have traded five number one draft 569 00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:36,520 Speaker 1: choices for the right to pick Joe Burrow or the 570 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:43,640 Speaker 1: equivalent of five number one draft choices, Mike Brown said, right, 571 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:47,000 Speaker 1: I mean literally, when that question came out of my mouth, 572 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:52,040 Speaker 1: the answer was, it would not have mattered what they offered. 573 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:57,480 Speaker 1: And look for everybody in Cincinnati, and I understand, I 574 00:33:57,560 --> 00:33:59,880 Speaker 1: lived there for five years. I covered the Bengals my 575 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:03,600 Speaker 1: last year there. I understand the feelings about the Brown 576 00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:07,640 Speaker 1: family and all that, But you know, I do also 577 00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:16,000 Speaker 1: understand that Mike Brown absolutely, totally, one hundred percent understands 578 00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:20,799 Speaker 1: that in many ways, the only thing that matters is 579 00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:24,239 Speaker 1: whether you've answered the question about your quarterback. If you 580 00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:29,040 Speaker 1: have a quarterback, you always have a chance. The big 581 00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:33,960 Speaker 1: thing about Kansas City that is special is that they 582 00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:37,960 Speaker 1: have a coach who's a metronome, you know, who just 583 00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:40,960 Speaker 1: wakes up. This is his life, this is what he 584 00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:44,920 Speaker 1: wants to do. He has trained a general manager in 585 00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:49,000 Speaker 1: Brett Veach, to say, I want you to go out 586 00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:53,120 Speaker 1: every year and use every opportunity to make us better. 587 00:34:53,600 --> 00:34:56,920 Speaker 1: And why do I mention that this year because before 588 00:34:56,960 --> 00:34:59,880 Speaker 1: the trading deadline, when nobody was even thinking about it, 589 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:03,600 Speaker 1: the Kansas City Chiefs went out and stole Cadarius Tony, 590 00:35:04,280 --> 00:35:08,600 Speaker 1: a top fifteen talent in the twenty twenty one draft, 591 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:12,560 Speaker 1: a receiver from Florida who happens to be a little 592 00:35:12,600 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 1: bit of a blockhead, okay, but he's an incredible talent. 593 00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:21,800 Speaker 1: Kansas City went out and got him. And you saw, 594 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:25,160 Speaker 1: you've seen a couple of times down the stretch, you know, 595 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:29,520 Speaker 1: most notably last week, Cadarius Tony was their most important 596 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:35,640 Speaker 1: offensive weapon on the field. So, Kansas City, it isn't 597 00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:43,840 Speaker 1: only Patrick Mahomes. It is the organization, the coach, the 598 00:35:44,160 --> 00:35:47,880 Speaker 1: ethos that Andy Reid has built there in his one 599 00:35:48,040 --> 00:35:53,520 Speaker 1: decade atop this team. And I just think that cannot 600 00:35:53,600 --> 00:36:00,920 Speaker 1: be eliminated from consideration. And look, I forget what exactly 601 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:05,000 Speaker 1: the record is now, but Patrick Mahomes, now this is 602 00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:07,920 Speaker 1: it's an amazing stat. Since the last game of the 603 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:13,719 Speaker 1: twenty seventeen season, which he started in Denver, you know, 604 00:36:13,760 --> 00:36:17,440 Speaker 1: against the Broncos. Since the last game of the twenty 605 00:36:17,480 --> 00:36:21,600 Speaker 1: seventeen season, Patrick Mahomes has never lost a Division road game, 606 00:36:22,280 --> 00:36:24,160 Speaker 1: and you'd have to add that up to figure out 607 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:26,520 Speaker 1: how many it is, but it's a lot. And that's 608 00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:31,800 Speaker 1: an absolutely amazing thing to say, especially because that division's 609 00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:35,319 Speaker 1: gotten a little bit better. Last thing for Peter King 610 00:36:35,920 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 1: Bengals versus Ravens Sunday at pay Corpse Stadium. At minimum, 611 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:42,719 Speaker 1: the Bengals are playing for the possibility of being the 612 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:45,480 Speaker 1: number two seed in the AFC and have the chance 613 00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:48,840 Speaker 1: at hosting a couple of playoff games. Are you curious 614 00:36:48,840 --> 00:36:52,080 Speaker 1: what it's going to look like on Sunday? I hadn't 615 00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:54,160 Speaker 1: even thought of that until you said that, Dan, But 616 00:36:54,239 --> 00:36:58,320 Speaker 1: I'm very I am curious. I'm quite curious. In fact, 617 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:03,440 Speaker 1: I think the biggest there's no question the fans will 618 00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:06,480 Speaker 1: come out and support this team that they have absolutely 619 00:37:06,480 --> 00:37:10,160 Speaker 1: grown to love over the last two years, which is 620 00:37:10,200 --> 00:37:14,920 Speaker 1: such a great thing. I mean, I was not in 621 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:19,200 Speaker 1: Cincinnati at a great time when I covered him. Anyway, 622 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:24,759 Speaker 1: they had had the incredible year to play San Francisco 623 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:28,560 Speaker 1: in the Super Bowl in Detroit, and whenever things got 624 00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 1: hot in Cincinnati and I was working at the Inquirer. 625 00:37:31,719 --> 00:37:35,640 Speaker 1: Then it's an incredible place to be a sports fan. 626 00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:38,799 Speaker 1: But obviously there's been a lot of lean years, and 627 00:37:38,840 --> 00:37:42,319 Speaker 1: I think the love of the Bengals has come back 628 00:37:42,360 --> 00:37:45,279 Speaker 1: with a vengeance. It's wonderful to see. I think you're 629 00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:49,120 Speaker 1: going to see incredible support for the Bengals on Sunday. 630 00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:53,160 Speaker 1: I think you'll see them go out and play a really, 631 00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:57,399 Speaker 1: really good game. And Dan, you know, there's this kind 632 00:37:57,400 --> 00:38:00,680 Speaker 1: of cliche. I'm not exactly sure why, but it's just 633 00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:05,160 Speaker 1: the way it's fallen that teams that lose the Super 634 00:38:05,200 --> 00:38:08,480 Speaker 1: Bowl tend to go down to slide the next year. Well, 635 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:11,520 Speaker 1: the Bengals have going in the opposite direction. They're better 636 00:38:11,640 --> 00:38:14,960 Speaker 1: than when they lost the Super Bowl. And so I 637 00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:18,040 Speaker 1: kind of look at this team right now and say, 638 00:38:19,040 --> 00:38:22,439 Speaker 1: you know, as long as Joe Burrows healthy and they 639 00:38:22,440 --> 00:38:25,920 Speaker 1: can be that attacking offensive team that they are and 640 00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:29,279 Speaker 1: be a better defense than anybody gives them credit for. 641 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:32,320 Speaker 1: I don't know if anybody's going to beat them, but 642 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:36,239 Speaker 1: whoever does is going to be a damn good football team. Peter, 643 00:38:36,239 --> 00:38:38,480 Speaker 1: I always appreciate your time and your wisdom. Thanks so 644 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:41,440 Speaker 1: much for joining us. You're welcome, Dan, Hey listen, have 645 00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:45,759 Speaker 1: a great time and enjoy the game. On Sunday, the 646 00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:48,760 Speaker 1: Bengals Booth podcast is brought to you by Bengals Picks 647 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:52,440 Speaker 1: and Ultimate Bengals. They're free to play with tickets and 648 00:38:52,520 --> 00:38:58,000 Speaker 1: signed merchandise up for grabs. Find both inside the Bengals app. Finally, 649 00:38:58,160 --> 00:39:01,000 Speaker 1: it's not for this week's No the Faux segment. Kagrey 650 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:03,520 Speaker 1: a Smile won a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens 651 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:06,840 Speaker 1: and has spent several years on their broadcast team. He 652 00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:09,880 Speaker 1: joined Dave Lapham and Wayne box Miller this week on 653 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:15,880 Speaker 1: the Bengals Game Plan Show. Are from an injury standpoint 654 00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:20,240 Speaker 1: going into this football game against the Bengals. The injury 655 00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:24,000 Speaker 1: reports or the estimated injury reports, because walkthroughs are pretty 656 00:39:24,080 --> 00:39:26,960 Speaker 1: much what's going on now these days. As the season 657 00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:29,920 Speaker 1: winds on, a lot of rest players, a lot of 658 00:39:29,920 --> 00:39:35,040 Speaker 1: players who were categorized as rested a little illness. You 659 00:39:35,120 --> 00:39:36,920 Speaker 1: get Nick Boyle with a little bit of illness. But 660 00:39:36,960 --> 00:39:38,719 Speaker 1: the one that you know jumps out at you is 661 00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:42,760 Speaker 1: Lamar Jackson still is not practicing with the knee injury, 662 00:39:42,760 --> 00:39:45,200 Speaker 1: and John Harbaugh has asked about it and didn't really 663 00:39:45,239 --> 00:39:49,080 Speaker 1: want to address it very much. Is there any truth 664 00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:50,799 Speaker 1: to the rumor that he's got a bone bruise on 665 00:39:50,840 --> 00:39:54,800 Speaker 1: his patella. Wow. I mean that you're literally the first 666 00:39:55,239 --> 00:39:59,040 Speaker 1: person that has mentioned something specific when it came to 667 00:39:59,120 --> 00:40:03,040 Speaker 1: the PCL injury. We know that they were saying it's 668 00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:07,000 Speaker 1: a PCL injury, and that you know, first reports it's 669 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:11,400 Speaker 1: one to three weeks, which falls under a grade one sprain, 670 00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:15,320 Speaker 1: and then it went into three to six week category, 671 00:40:15,360 --> 00:40:19,279 Speaker 1: which is a grade two and depending upon how it 672 00:40:19,320 --> 00:40:21,680 Speaker 1: continues to go, which is both we're at the full 673 00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:26,640 Speaker 1: week mark now, it could very well be what you know, Um, 674 00:40:27,080 --> 00:40:30,560 Speaker 1: you're saying, oh, we don't know. Here in Baltimore specifically, 675 00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:34,839 Speaker 1: everybody's been, you know, trying to speculate and figure out 676 00:40:34,920 --> 00:40:39,279 Speaker 1: what exactly is the degree of the injury. But you 677 00:40:39,320 --> 00:40:41,600 Speaker 1: know your your guess is as good as mine. We 678 00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:45,319 Speaker 1: know this that he has not practiced and stepped on 679 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:48,720 Speaker 1: the practice field during any portion of the media viewing. 680 00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:52,360 Speaker 1: So you know, we're right now looking at a game 681 00:40:52,360 --> 00:40:55,920 Speaker 1: in which Lamar is going to be held out yet again. 682 00:40:55,960 --> 00:41:00,520 Speaker 1: And obviously this team has made the playoffs, but you know, 683 00:41:00,680 --> 00:41:03,279 Speaker 1: I guess his first time back is going to be 684 00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:06,920 Speaker 1: playoff action, which I think it will be interesting to 685 00:41:06,920 --> 00:41:09,840 Speaker 1: see how it all unfolds. So you think he's definitely 686 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:12,040 Speaker 1: going to be held back. I guess the follow up 687 00:41:12,120 --> 00:41:14,160 Speaker 1: question would be if it's not you know, that type 688 00:41:14,200 --> 00:41:18,640 Speaker 1: of a situation with a more serious injury than initially thought. 689 00:41:19,320 --> 00:41:21,839 Speaker 1: It's it's not a contractual thing. And you don't think 690 00:41:21,840 --> 00:41:23,880 Speaker 1: he's playing a power play of any sort, do you? 691 00:41:24,600 --> 00:41:28,959 Speaker 1: So for him, it doesn't seem like that's how he's 692 00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:33,319 Speaker 1: wired in his DNA of you know, this is I mean, 693 00:41:33,360 --> 00:41:37,200 Speaker 1: this would be like the ultimate holding out flash holding 694 00:41:37,239 --> 00:41:42,759 Speaker 1: in power planning. Um, I've never seen it. And you know, 695 00:41:42,960 --> 00:41:45,640 Speaker 1: obviously you've had guys hold out for an entire year. 696 00:41:45,880 --> 00:41:49,040 Speaker 1: You've had guys hold out for training camps. You've had 697 00:41:49,600 --> 00:41:51,600 Speaker 1: you know, all sorts of things when it comes to 698 00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:55,520 Speaker 1: you know, different strategies. But this is brand new, and 699 00:41:55,840 --> 00:41:59,040 Speaker 1: I just, I just I don't see that being you know, 700 00:41:59,680 --> 00:42:02,680 Speaker 1: you know, something that Lamar Jackson would do as far 701 00:42:02,719 --> 00:42:06,320 Speaker 1: as you know who he is and his character, right, Yeah, 702 00:42:06,360 --> 00:42:10,480 Speaker 1: you know Cosreys. The game against Pittsburgh obviously didn't go 703 00:42:10,520 --> 00:42:12,839 Speaker 1: the way the Ravens wanted. If you looked at one 704 00:42:12,880 --> 00:42:15,239 Speaker 1: thing that they need to correct before they get to 705 00:42:15,320 --> 00:42:20,000 Speaker 1: Cincinnati this Sunday, what would be the priority? The main 706 00:42:20,040 --> 00:42:27,600 Speaker 1: priority would be defensively, like that final two four minutes 707 00:42:27,600 --> 00:42:32,360 Speaker 1: of the game, that four minute offense of whatever team 708 00:42:32,440 --> 00:42:36,560 Speaker 1: that they've faced has just gotten the advantage and edge 709 00:42:36,600 --> 00:42:39,400 Speaker 1: over this Ravens defense. And I think, you know, a 710 00:42:39,560 --> 00:42:43,880 Speaker 1: necessary stop, an interception of fumble or force fumble was 711 00:42:43,920 --> 00:42:48,840 Speaker 1: something that just seals the deal for a Ravens defense 712 00:42:48,880 --> 00:42:52,239 Speaker 1: that's been playing really, really well. I think on the 713 00:42:52,239 --> 00:42:55,080 Speaker 1: other side of the ball, it looks like it's gonna 714 00:42:55,080 --> 00:42:58,319 Speaker 1: be Tyler Huntley again, not exactly sure. You know, it's 715 00:42:58,400 --> 00:43:01,040 Speaker 1: interesting when you get a new quarterback and you see 716 00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:05,160 Speaker 1: it every single time. Um, I guess purty out in 717 00:43:05,360 --> 00:43:08,920 Speaker 1: and you know, San fran is kind of the exception 718 00:43:09,840 --> 00:43:14,160 Speaker 1: so far to the rule. But teams start to figure 719 00:43:14,200 --> 00:43:19,000 Speaker 1: you out and adjust to your game and your play. 720 00:43:19,360 --> 00:43:23,040 Speaker 1: And I think for Tyler, you know, there's an adjustment 721 00:43:23,160 --> 00:43:26,320 Speaker 1: that's going on that you know, he's now going to 722 00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:31,680 Speaker 1: have to readjust his game to how teams are playing them. Um, 723 00:43:31,960 --> 00:43:35,279 Speaker 1: but I think he needs to play way better than 724 00:43:35,320 --> 00:43:39,680 Speaker 1: what we saw against the Steelers. So yeah, there's there's 725 00:43:39,680 --> 00:43:42,200 Speaker 1: a lot of priorities to go up against. I think 726 00:43:42,200 --> 00:43:45,879 Speaker 1: a Bengals team that's hitting its stride and and look 727 00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:50,080 Speaker 1: in the part of the AFC representative from last year. 728 00:43:50,120 --> 00:43:53,920 Speaker 1: They're they're looking very poised to be the AFC representative 729 00:43:53,960 --> 00:44:00,880 Speaker 1: again and at worst AFC News Champions. So cocky, No surprise, 730 00:44:01,040 --> 00:44:05,759 Speaker 1: John Harbaugh, he's an outstanding football coach. Everybody knows that 731 00:44:06,840 --> 00:44:09,480 Speaker 1: he feels like he has to go old school football 732 00:44:09,520 --> 00:44:12,080 Speaker 1: with particularly with what's going on at the quarterback position. 733 00:44:12,719 --> 00:44:15,759 Speaker 1: All of his special teams worst case scenario, tied for 734 00:44:15,840 --> 00:44:18,759 Speaker 1: seventh or better. I mean, every single one is in 735 00:44:18,800 --> 00:44:22,000 Speaker 1: the top seven all four categories. They're running the ball, 736 00:44:22,360 --> 00:44:25,960 Speaker 1: they're stopping the run, they're dictating field position. I mean, 737 00:44:26,000 --> 00:44:30,319 Speaker 1: the flying the ointment obviously is quarterback play. But they're 738 00:44:30,320 --> 00:44:32,640 Speaker 1: still They're two and two in the four games that 739 00:44:32,800 --> 00:44:35,319 Speaker 1: Huntley has played. Even with the struggles that he has 740 00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:39,840 Speaker 1: had this football team. I mean, John Harbaugh has built 741 00:44:39,880 --> 00:44:43,840 Speaker 1: this team the way he wants to build it, hasn't he? 742 00:44:43,480 --> 00:44:47,560 Speaker 1: He has, and you know, I think both he and 743 00:44:47,719 --> 00:44:51,080 Speaker 1: general manager Erica Costa, you know, they they've hung their 744 00:44:51,120 --> 00:44:55,720 Speaker 1: hat on Lamar Jackson and surrounding him with an offensive 745 00:44:55,760 --> 00:44:59,440 Speaker 1: coordinator that likes to run the football and really feature 746 00:44:59,520 --> 00:45:04,239 Speaker 1: Lamar's talents. But it's a tight end centric offense. That 747 00:45:05,520 --> 00:45:08,360 Speaker 1: as of now, we we're seeing an offense that hasn't 748 00:45:08,360 --> 00:45:13,080 Speaker 1: really gotten into its rhythm this year, and it's been 749 00:45:13,320 --> 00:45:18,439 Speaker 1: very inconsistent. So yes, John has done a fine job 750 00:45:18,520 --> 00:45:21,839 Speaker 1: of you know, putting together a staff and all that, 751 00:45:21,920 --> 00:45:28,200 Speaker 1: but it's not as guests from the outside looking in, 752 00:45:28,280 --> 00:45:30,480 Speaker 1: it looks like, oh okay, well another typical rapis year. 753 00:45:30,480 --> 00:45:32,520 Speaker 1: They hey, they made the playoffs. I've horrible and all that. 754 00:45:32,560 --> 00:45:37,040 Speaker 1: But I think the expectation here in Baltimore, especially with 755 00:45:37,120 --> 00:45:40,319 Speaker 1: the generational talent the likes of Lamar Jackson, I think 756 00:45:40,520 --> 00:45:43,839 Speaker 1: there was an expectation of more than what's actually being 757 00:45:43,840 --> 00:45:46,640 Speaker 1: put out there on the field that's going to do it. 758 00:45:46,640 --> 00:45:49,160 Speaker 1: For this episode of the Bengals Booth podcast, presented by 759 00:45:49,400 --> 00:45:52,759 Speaker 1: Kettering Health, the official healthcare provider of the Bengals, by 760 00:45:52,800 --> 00:45:55,799 Speaker 1: Bengals Picks and Ultimate Bengals, they're free to play with 761 00:45:55,840 --> 00:45:59,799 Speaker 1: tickets and signed merchandise up for grabs by paycre, the 762 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:04,360 Speaker 1: official HR software provider of the Bengals, and by Alta 763 00:46:04,440 --> 00:46:10,040 Speaker 1: Fiber future Proof Fiber Internet elevate your connection with Alta Fiber. 764 00:46:10,440 --> 00:46:13,200 Speaker 1: If you haven't done so already, please subscribe to this 765 00:46:13,239 --> 00:46:15,319 Speaker 1: podcast and if you have a minute, give it a rating, 766 00:46:15,680 --> 00:46:19,759 Speaker 1: or share a comment that helps more Bengals fans find us. 767 00:46:20,239 --> 00:46:23,040 Speaker 1: I'm Dan Horde and thanks for listening to the Bengals 768 00:46:23,080 --> 00:46:24,160 Speaker 1: Booth podcast