WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Get Right Back 0:00:03.560 --> 0:00:06.240 Hi, get everybody. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.280 --> 0:00:10.559 The Bengals Booth Podcast. The we gotta get right back 0:00:10.560 --> 0:00:14.640 to where we started from edition as I visit with 0:00:14.680 --> 0:00:17.759 one of my favorite guests, radio and TV host and 0:00:18.040 --> 0:00:22.360 NFL dot Com columnist Adam Shine. Then Bengals dot Com 0:00:22.440 --> 0:00:25.919 editor Jeff Hobson joins me to discuss the biggest positives 0:00:25.920 --> 0:00:28.440 coming out of training camp, as well as our biggest 0:00:28.440 --> 0:00:32.559 concerns heading into the season opener against Pittsburgh. The Bengals 0:00:32.560 --> 0:00:36.920 Booth Podcast is presented by Ultimate Bengals. Download Ultimate Bengals 0:00:36.960 --> 0:00:39.560 ahead of the twenty twenty two season. It's free to 0:00:39.640 --> 0:00:44.600 play next level fantasy football with fantastic Bengals prizes. Get 0:00:44.640 --> 0:00:47.159 it now on the App Store and Google Play. And 0:00:47.280 --> 0:00:49.520 here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest 0:00:49.640 --> 0:00:52.640 edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, 0:00:52.760 --> 0:00:57.240 or computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's 0:00:57.240 --> 0:01:02.560 the greatest thing since a good steak. Last weekend, I 0:01:02.600 --> 0:01:05.560 traveled to Arkansas to call the UC Bearcat season opener, 0:01:05.600 --> 0:01:07.440 and I figured it would be wise to get a 0:01:07.440 --> 0:01:12.200 Friday night dinner recommendation from former razorback star Brandon Allen, 0:01:12.240 --> 0:01:15.520 who not only played at Arkansas but grew up near campus. 0:01:16.000 --> 0:01:20.200 The Bengals backup quarterback set me and my friends to Doze. 0:01:20.400 --> 0:01:25.600 That's d Oe apostrophe S, a casual steakhouse with four 0:01:25.680 --> 0:01:30.360 locations in Arkansas. I took our servers recommendation and ordered 0:01:30.360 --> 0:01:32.880 the Ribi, and I'm here to tell you that it 0:01:33.000 --> 0:01:37.319 was not only delicious, but it was gigantic. It would 0:01:37.319 --> 0:01:41.160 have tipped over Fred Flintstone's car. As I told Brandon, 0:01:41.640 --> 0:01:45.640 my arteries hate him, but it was an excellent recommendation 0:01:46.000 --> 0:01:48.640 in one I am happy to pass along. If you 0:01:48.800 --> 0:01:54.560 like a big, juicy steak when in Arkansas, go to Doze. 0:01:55.120 --> 0:01:59.560 Now time to get to my first guest. He hosts 0:01:59.560 --> 0:02:02.600 a nash No radio show, He hosts a nightly TV 0:02:02.720 --> 0:02:06.120 show on CBS Sports Net. He has his own podcast. 0:02:06.320 --> 0:02:09.520 He writes a column for NFL dot Com. He is 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:14.120 my guy, Adam Shy. Now, with that schedule, Adam, there's 0:02:14.160 --> 0:02:16.239 not a lot of free time, so I really appreciate 0:02:16.280 --> 0:02:20.480 you doing this. Let's start with Joe Burrow. Your admiration 0:02:20.680 --> 0:02:23.720 for the Bengals quarterback is well documented. I think you've 0:02:23.800 --> 0:02:28.120 used the word obsessed before give us the national perspective. 0:02:28.240 --> 0:02:31.280 What has Joe Burrow done for the Cincinnati Bengals. Well, 0:02:31.320 --> 0:02:34.000 first and foremost, Dan, It's always great to be with you. 0:02:34.280 --> 0:02:37.720 Love you, lovely, love your podcast, love listening to your 0:02:37.720 --> 0:02:42.080 play by play calls of the Cincinnati Bengals, and listen. 0:02:42.160 --> 0:02:45.440 I I'm obsessed with Joe Burrow. I love Joe Burrow, 0:02:45.480 --> 0:02:50.000 and I think I think everyone nationwide knows Joe has it. 0:02:50.280 --> 0:02:52.480 I mean, I think it goes back to that year 0:02:52.560 --> 0:02:55.480 at LSU where I'd make the case and now as 0:02:55.560 --> 0:03:00.920 years later, non subject to exaggeration or hyperbley, great offensive 0:03:00.960 --> 0:03:04.079 season ever in the history of college football, and that 0:03:04.240 --> 0:03:08.120 starts with Joe Burrows. Then he goes to Cincinnati ads 0:03:08.240 --> 0:03:15.160 needed talent, swagger, attitude at the quarterback position. Look, the 0:03:15.200 --> 0:03:18.399 Bengals caught a lot of people off guard last year. 0:03:19.040 --> 0:03:21.200 I thought they'd be great. I did not think they 0:03:21.200 --> 0:03:23.920 would be Super Bowl great. I thought the offense would 0:03:23.919 --> 0:03:26.400 be excellent. I was all in on Burrow. But what 0:03:26.560 --> 0:03:30.000 really impressed me, I think what really translated with a 0:03:30.040 --> 0:03:34.800 lot of people nationwide. Joe Burrow wouldn't use Cinderella, He 0:03:34.800 --> 0:03:38.000 wouldn't use this as some kind of little engine that 0:03:38.120 --> 0:03:41.920 could story, or you know, the plucky upstart Bengals. It's no, 0:03:42.840 --> 0:03:46.000 we expect to win these games. We expect to be here, 0:03:46.240 --> 0:03:50.240 we expect to beat Baltimore, we expect to beat Kansas City, 0:03:50.320 --> 0:03:52.560 we expect to win the super Bowl. And he was 0:03:52.640 --> 0:03:55.320 pissed off when the Bengals didn't win the Super Bowl. 0:03:55.560 --> 0:03:58.040 I thought it all just fit the genius on and 0:03:58.120 --> 0:04:00.560 off the field of what Joe Burrow is all about. 0:04:01.640 --> 0:04:04.240 You have had some big name quarterbacks on your podcast 0:04:04.280 --> 0:04:07.680 in recent weeks, Josh Allen from the Bills, Aaron Rodgers 0:04:07.720 --> 0:04:09.720 from the Packers. I'm sure you would love to have 0:04:09.840 --> 0:04:13.120 Joe Burrow on the Adam Shine Podcast if you were 0:04:13.160 --> 0:04:15.680 able to book him. What are some things you would 0:04:15.680 --> 0:04:18.800 like to know from Joe Burrow? Well, first of all, 0:04:18.839 --> 0:04:20.840 I would love to have Joe Burrow on the podcast 0:04:20.960 --> 0:04:23.960 just I want to know what makes him tick because 0:04:24.160 --> 0:04:28.279 we talk about how there's no element of surprise or 0:04:28.320 --> 0:04:32.760 Cinderella story. I mean, his story is pretty amazing considering 0:04:32.839 --> 0:04:35.799 his path and his ride in college. I mean, even 0:04:35.920 --> 0:04:39.440 before that year at Elis You we weren't talking about 0:04:39.520 --> 0:04:42.920 him necessarily as being that number one overall pick. I 0:04:43.000 --> 0:04:45.719 mean going back to the Ohio State days and then 0:04:46.000 --> 0:04:50.080 the transfer, so you know where he got that amazing 0:04:50.279 --> 0:04:55.000 confidence from and at what point he developed into this 0:04:55.120 --> 0:04:59.480 great quarterback but natural leader. And I'm just obsessed with 0:04:59.520 --> 0:05:03.320 his work ethic. I'm obsessed with his accountability. I'm obsessed. 0:05:03.520 --> 0:05:06.640 You know, he's one of those quarterbacks. He always knows 0:05:06.720 --> 0:05:09.799 from a young age, never point the finger, always point 0:05:09.839 --> 0:05:13.080 the thumb. Whether that's right, wrong, or indifferent, it's on him. 0:05:13.360 --> 0:05:16.520 You know. If something good happens or something positive from Bengals, 0:05:17.279 --> 0:05:20.960 credit the teammates, something that doesn't go our way, that's 0:05:21.000 --> 0:05:24.440 on me. That's my responsibility. So I would love to 0:05:24.440 --> 0:05:27.000 talk to him about his work ethic, his leadership, his 0:05:27.120 --> 0:05:31.640 mentality and his swagger. Dan. It's I'm kind of when 0:05:31.680 --> 0:05:34.719 I say obsessed, I mean he's one of those cock 0:05:34.800 --> 0:05:38.000 shore quarterbacks. It's like right out of Central Casting. I'm 0:05:38.000 --> 0:05:41.200 gonna kick bought, take names, tell you I'm gonna do it, 0:05:41.240 --> 0:05:44.400 and have fun in the process. I just love watch him. 0:05:44.839 --> 0:05:46.400 By the way, if you want to help me get 0:05:46.440 --> 0:05:48.880 him on the Adam Schian podcast, I'd love that too. 0:05:48.960 --> 0:05:52.359 I'd love to talk to Joe Burrow right after he 0:05:52.400 --> 0:05:56.279 does the Bengals Booth podcast. I'd be happy to try 0:05:56.320 --> 0:05:59.920 to help. Adam Shine is our guest. It's no secret 0:06:00.040 --> 0:06:02.719 that Joe got sacked too many times last year seventy 0:06:02.760 --> 0:06:05.679 times if you include the postseason. The Bengals did something 0:06:05.720 --> 0:06:09.120 about it. They went out and signed three established veteran 0:06:09.200 --> 0:06:12.160 free agents. With that in mind, Adam, do you think 0:06:12.200 --> 0:06:15.360 the Bengals have changed the narrative that's been out there 0:06:15.400 --> 0:06:19.920 forever that they won't participate in free agency. I think 0:06:19.920 --> 0:06:22.120 they completely change it, and I think they had to 0:06:22.240 --> 0:06:24.400 change it, and I think they had to change it 0:06:24.480 --> 0:06:28.040 because you know, it was real, it was legit, it 0:06:28.120 --> 0:06:31.840 was a fair criticism. And I think with Joe Burrow 0:06:32.440 --> 0:06:36.359 there's now accountability and there's now a standard, and it 0:06:36.400 --> 0:06:39.239 goes back to that hole that was not Cinderella quote 0:06:39.240 --> 0:06:42.000 shit that I talked about earlier. Okay, so what do 0:06:42.200 --> 0:06:46.719 great organizations do? See a problem, fix a problem, have 0:06:46.839 --> 0:06:51.200 a franchise quarterback, surround him with what he needs to win. Okay, 0:06:51.320 --> 0:06:53.800 you want Jamar Chase And by the way, that was 0:06:53.839 --> 0:06:55.640 the right pick, the only pick. We talked about that 0:06:55.720 --> 0:06:58.960 on your podcast last year. Griggs, you want te Higgins 0:06:59.320 --> 0:07:02.159 greats Joe Mixon, who was there before a top five 0:07:02.279 --> 0:07:04.719 running back in my opinion in the National Football League. 0:07:04.760 --> 0:07:07.800 All right, pass protection is not what it's supposed to 0:07:07.839 --> 0:07:12.160 be passed on some offensive tackles. Right, move to draft Chase. Now, 0:07:12.680 --> 0:07:15.800 let's go out and be active in free agency. Let's 0:07:15.840 --> 0:07:21.080 spend the money not haphazardly, wisely, and I think it 0:07:21.200 --> 0:07:23.880 got everybody's attention. I mean, you know, a lot of 0:07:23.920 --> 0:07:26.440 Collins could have picked a lot of different places to go. 0:07:26.600 --> 0:07:31.000 I mean people were flocking to Cincinnati to be part 0:07:31.080 --> 0:07:34.080 of this, to be part of Joe Burrow's offensive line, 0:07:34.120 --> 0:07:37.680 to be one of his body protectors. Because a free agency, 0:07:37.960 --> 0:07:40.800 let's not kid ourselves, right, money is at the top, 0:07:41.040 --> 0:07:43.880 but you want an opportunity to win. So the Bengals 0:07:43.920 --> 0:07:46.640 had to join the party. And I just thought they 0:07:46.640 --> 0:07:49.320 did so brilliantly. Dan in the off season, you ran 0:07:49.360 --> 0:07:53.240 down the skill position talent Chase Higgins, Mixon. We can 0:07:53.280 --> 0:07:56.119 throw Tyler Boyd in there as well. Let's talk about 0:07:56.160 --> 0:07:58.760 the defense, because the defense really was the key to 0:07:58.800 --> 0:08:01.040 the three playoff victory that led to the appearance in 0:08:01.080 --> 0:08:04.920 the Super Bowl. Do people sleep on the Cincinnati Bengals defense? 0:08:05.400 --> 0:08:08.600 Without question, they do I think everybody's guilty of it 0:08:08.640 --> 0:08:12.320 because the offense is so great and so dynamic. But 0:08:12.920 --> 0:08:16.440 you know, I don't think you're exaggerating at all. I 0:08:16.480 --> 0:08:20.680 mean that defense was so tough, so clutch. You know, 0:08:20.760 --> 0:08:22.600 you look at the Raider game, you look at the 0:08:22.600 --> 0:08:25.440 Tennessee game, you look at the Kansas City game. You 0:08:25.480 --> 0:08:28.920 know that, to me is the ultimate defense for the 0:08:29.040 --> 0:08:34.960 juggernaut offense and the fantastic quarterback. You need a playmaking defense. 0:08:35.000 --> 0:08:37.840 Look at the Kansas City defense when the Chiefs who 0:08:37.840 --> 0:08:40.559 were winning a Super Bowl. Look at the Rams defense. 0:08:40.960 --> 0:08:43.319 You don't have to be in Cincinnati, in my opinion, 0:08:43.800 --> 0:08:47.080 a top ten defense. You have to be tough, you 0:08:47.160 --> 0:08:50.040 have to be clutch. You have to get the opportunistic 0:08:50.080 --> 0:08:54.160 interception and quarterback sack, get the ball back to Joe. 0:08:54.400 --> 0:08:57.200 That that's what it's all about. The front seven I 0:08:57.200 --> 0:09:00.880 thought was excellent. The dbs made plays. You're right, I 0:09:00.960 --> 0:09:04.120 think we're all guilty of it. I'm guilty of it. 0:09:04.320 --> 0:09:08.920 This defense is really under the radar, and it's not 0:09:09.000 --> 0:09:11.120 a fluke. It's not a flash in the pan. I 0:09:11.160 --> 0:09:14.319 thought the team drafted well on defense, and I think 0:09:14.360 --> 0:09:17.760 the Bengals will be back in the Super Bowl conversation. So, 0:09:17.840 --> 0:09:20.760 prior to last year, the Bengals were six twenty five 0:09:20.800 --> 0:09:23.839 and one the previous two seasons. You did say prior 0:09:23.880 --> 0:09:25.480 to last year that you thought they were going to 0:09:25.520 --> 0:09:28.160 be good. I will give you credit for that. Had 0:09:28.240 --> 0:09:31.240 they pulled off the Super Bowl title and they had 0:09:31.280 --> 0:09:33.520 to lead with less than two minutes to go, would 0:09:33.600 --> 0:09:37.360 you have considered it one of the great underdog championship 0:09:37.400 --> 0:09:42.120 stories of all time? Yes, absolutely, And I think that 0:09:43.120 --> 0:09:45.240 you know, a lot of things tie in first to 0:09:45.360 --> 0:09:47.840 your point the record, right, because I could like a 0:09:47.920 --> 0:09:50.080 team where you could like a team. But you know, 0:09:50.120 --> 0:09:52.920 as Bill Parcels once said, you are which record says 0:09:53.000 --> 0:09:55.000 it is at the end of the day. So you 0:09:55.000 --> 0:09:57.320 know a lot of people wanted to see it before 0:09:57.360 --> 0:10:01.080 they believed it with the Cincinnati Bank, so I think 0:10:01.120 --> 0:10:04.040 that that's fair. And you know I also think too. 0:10:04.120 --> 0:10:08.360 I mean, I picked Cincinnati to beat Tennessee that and 0:10:08.840 --> 0:10:12.360 people kept calling my radio show on Sirius XM. They 0:10:12.360 --> 0:10:15.959 thought I was crazy, Like they thought that was an 0:10:16.000 --> 0:10:21.120 assinine pick Cincinnati over Tenniseate. Now Albeita came down to 0:10:21.160 --> 0:10:24.360 the final play, great game. You know, I think people 0:10:24.480 --> 0:10:28.600 kept going against and betting against and just not believing 0:10:28.679 --> 0:10:32.240 in the Bengals because of Bengal history and that that 0:10:32.360 --> 0:10:34.760 wasn't fair. So I think that history is a part 0:10:34.760 --> 0:10:38.000 of that. And you know, the division historically tough, the 0:10:38.080 --> 0:10:42.720 conference historically tough. So yeah, I think I think that 0:10:42.720 --> 0:10:45.920 would have been considered one of the greats from the 0:10:46.000 --> 0:10:50.959 beginning to the end single season super Bowl rides if 0:10:50.960 --> 0:10:54.840 the Bengals won in NFL history. So the Bengals open 0:10:54.920 --> 0:10:58.120 at home, they get the Pittsburgh Steelers at pay Course Stadium. 0:10:58.360 --> 0:11:01.040 Where do you think of that Week one matchup? I 0:11:01.120 --> 0:11:03.280 think it's great. You know, I had Mike North, the 0:11:03.600 --> 0:11:06.839 VP of Programming and scheduling, on my Serious XM radio 0:11:06.880 --> 0:11:10.400 show and Dan. He made the point to me Week 0:11:10.440 --> 0:11:13.600 one schedule was done with a purpose where he wanted 0:11:13.640 --> 0:11:17.360 to put big games, rivalry games week one, get the 0:11:17.440 --> 0:11:21.240 juices flowing for the NFL season, And to me, this 0:11:21.360 --> 0:11:25.280 is one of them Steelers Bengals, I mean Cincinnati. That 0:11:25.520 --> 0:11:29.880 scene is gonna be unbelievable and it's a rare year 0:11:29.920 --> 0:11:33.920 based upon history where you clearly feel better about the 0:11:34.000 --> 0:11:38.480 Bengals compare contrast to Pittsburgh, and I think Joe Burrow's 0:11:38.559 --> 0:11:42.440 gonna come out on fire. I think that Joe Mixon's 0:11:42.440 --> 0:11:45.520 gonna have an excellent game. I think Jamar Chase is 0:11:46.000 --> 0:11:50.520 absolutely special. And I think that Bengals defense going up 0:11:50.559 --> 0:11:54.560 against a newbie at quarterback for the Pittsburgh Stealers, either 0:11:54.640 --> 0:11:58.319 they're gonna thrive, feel the energy, and I think Cincinnati 0:11:58.360 --> 0:12:01.160 will absolutely take care of business in Week number one. 0:12:01.600 --> 0:12:03.640 Adam Shine is our guest. Let's get you on the 0:12:03.679 --> 0:12:05.959 record for this season. Where do you see the Bengals 0:12:05.960 --> 0:12:08.640 in the AFC North and in the AFC in general. 0:12:09.400 --> 0:12:12.240 So I've put a lot of thought into this. First 0:12:12.240 --> 0:12:16.320 of all, I think the AFC this year is the 0:12:16.400 --> 0:12:20.520 strongest conference in the history of the NFL. Seriously, in 0:12:20.640 --> 0:12:24.920 terms of quarterback play, in terms of overall talent. You 0:12:24.960 --> 0:12:28.200 look at all the players that you know got traded 0:12:28.320 --> 0:12:31.280 or free agents that moved from the NFC to the AFC, 0:12:31.520 --> 0:12:35.600 the great quarterback talent in in the conference, players returning 0:12:35.640 --> 0:12:39.200 from injury. I don't think that that is crazy talk 0:12:39.600 --> 0:12:43.080 before the season starts. So I've Cincinnati winning the division 0:12:43.240 --> 0:12:47.000 and I don't even remotely hesitate, And I think the 0:12:47.120 --> 0:12:50.760 North is going to be strong. I think by every 0:12:50.800 --> 0:12:55.200 single team's own metric. All four teams in the division 0:12:55.520 --> 0:12:58.440 are better than what they were last year. I think 0:12:58.440 --> 0:13:02.200 the Bengals are better. Another year for Joe, the offensive line, 0:13:02.200 --> 0:13:05.240 that defense, everything Dan we just talked about. I think 0:13:05.240 --> 0:13:09.200 this Dealers are better. I think Trubisky picked. I think, 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:12.160 no matter what happens, that's an upgrade over the version 0:13:12.200 --> 0:13:15.520 of Ben Roethlisberger we saw in the field last year. 0:13:15.559 --> 0:13:18.120 I love George Pickens, can't believe he lasted to the 0:13:18.120 --> 0:13:23.319 second round. Miles Jack excellent talent. Cleveland not to the 0:13:23.440 --> 0:13:27.400 level they wanted, but they're better even with six games 0:13:27.440 --> 0:13:30.360 of Deshaun Watson down the stretch of the season. I 0:13:30.400 --> 0:13:33.520 don't think Cleveland's a playoff team, don't misinterpret, but I 0:13:33.559 --> 0:13:37.600 think they're better. The Ravens are better. Lamar's healthy, Dobbins 0:13:37.679 --> 0:13:41.400 is healthy, Stanley's healthy, and Baltimore, to me, is kind 0:13:41.400 --> 0:13:44.160 of a bit of a factory in terms of, you know, 0:13:44.200 --> 0:13:47.960 excellent owner, excellent gam excellent coach. Baltimore is always going 0:13:48.040 --> 0:13:50.000 to be in the mix. So I have them winning 0:13:50.000 --> 0:13:53.480 the division. The Bengals because I think an amazing talent 0:13:54.360 --> 0:13:59.200 at quarterback, great coach, great organization. Bengals are ready to rock. 0:14:00.080 --> 0:14:02.960 I think the Bengals I have them super Bowls the 0:14:03.040 --> 0:14:06.320 upside as the third best team in the AFC go 0:14:06.400 --> 0:14:08.720 into the season. Now, if I'm a Bengals fan listening, 0:14:08.800 --> 0:14:11.479 and I'm Bengals fans are listening to this on your podcast, 0:14:12.120 --> 0:14:14.520 I think, I hope you can appreciate where I'm coming 0:14:14.520 --> 0:14:17.440 from without being offended. I think the Bills are the 0:14:17.480 --> 0:14:21.000 most talented team in the AFC. Now the second one 0:14:21.240 --> 0:14:23.960 to me, team number two on the AFC list might 0:14:24.080 --> 0:14:28.119 be offensive, and that's the Chargers. I think the Chargers 0:14:28.160 --> 0:14:31.240 had the best offseason of any team in the league, 0:14:31.280 --> 0:14:34.800 calculated with J C. Jackson and Khalil Mack and Joseph 0:14:34.880 --> 0:14:38.000 Day to stop the run, resigning Mike Williams, drafting a 0:14:38.200 --> 0:14:41.840 needed offensive lineman, and I love Herbert. I think Herbert 0:14:42.000 --> 0:14:45.320 is fantastic. So I think the Bengals are the winner 0:14:45.360 --> 0:14:47.880 of the AFC North. I think of the third best 0:14:47.920 --> 0:14:50.960 team in the AFC, and I think they're upside is 0:14:51.000 --> 0:14:52.640 to go to the Super Bowl and win it. But 0:14:53.200 --> 0:14:56.000 that's where I will pick them for this upcoming season. 0:14:56.600 --> 0:14:59.080 I can't imagine any Bengals fan will be too offended 0:14:59.080 --> 0:15:01.920 by that. Last thing for Adam Shine. You do a 0:15:01.920 --> 0:15:04.640 column every year for NFL dot com where you make 0:15:04.800 --> 0:15:08.360 nine bold predictions. Now this was filed in June, but 0:15:08.480 --> 0:15:10.520 I have to ask you about one of those predictions. 0:15:11.000 --> 0:15:16.280 You've got the Patriots as the third worst team in 0:15:16.360 --> 0:15:20.160 the AFC, Bill Belichick third worst team in the AFC. 0:15:20.320 --> 0:15:23.440 Do you still feel that way? You know, it's interesting. 0:15:23.480 --> 0:15:26.800 I'm glad that you brought this up because it's funny. 0:15:26.840 --> 0:15:29.760 You're you know, we're all creating content, right and my 0:15:29.840 --> 0:15:32.600 editors asked me to do that fronto call dot Com. 0:15:32.760 --> 0:15:36.800 I didn't even hesitate, and that's stamped when I did 0:15:36.800 --> 0:15:41.520 it in June. You know, oftentimes we're all suckers for 0:15:42.040 --> 0:15:45.320 training camp at preseason football. You know, I call it 0:15:45.400 --> 0:15:47.960 dan a little bit of Joey Harrington disease, where you 0:15:48.000 --> 0:15:50.840 see someone like Joey Harrington and go fifteen to sixteen 0:15:50.880 --> 0:15:53.360 and oh, Joey's gonna be great. Now that's you know, 0:15:53.600 --> 0:15:56.400 all slowdown. It's not gonna be that good or in 0:15:56.400 --> 0:15:58.200 the league at all when it's all said and done, 0:15:59.680 --> 0:16:03.200 paid Stots August has been a train wreck. So I 0:16:03.360 --> 0:16:07.720 not only believed it, then I feel even better about it. Now, 0:16:07.800 --> 0:16:10.520 and I mean, you help me with the numbers here. 0:16:10.880 --> 0:16:13.320 I think all four teams in the Bengals Division are 0:16:13.360 --> 0:16:15.960 better than the Patriots. I think all four teams in 0:16:16.000 --> 0:16:20.000 the AFC West are better than the Patriots. I think 0:16:20.160 --> 0:16:24.200 bare bones minimum two teams in the South are better 0:16:24.240 --> 0:16:27.080 than the Patriots. I think the Bills are better than 0:16:27.080 --> 0:16:30.720 the Patriots. I think Dolphins are better than the Patriots. 0:16:30.800 --> 0:16:35.320 And really I like the players more in Jacksonville than 0:16:35.360 --> 0:16:38.120 I do in New England. I mean, I don't know 0:16:38.160 --> 0:16:40.440 what Bills do. And again, I think he's the greatest 0:16:40.440 --> 0:16:42.640 coach in the history of sports, not just football. I 0:16:42.640 --> 0:16:47.200 think the Patriots dynasty will never be duplicated. But I 0:16:47.440 --> 0:16:49.520 don't know what he's doing with the offensive coordinator. I 0:16:49.520 --> 0:16:51.720 don't like talent on offense. I don't like the talent 0:16:51.760 --> 0:16:55.760 on defense. If they win eight games, i'll solely be 0:16:55.760 --> 0:17:00.400 because of Bill Belichick. I do not like the dress 0:17:00.480 --> 0:17:03.360 this year at all. I like the bold prediction, and 0:17:03.480 --> 0:17:07.959 I love the term Joey Harrington disease. I don't know 0:17:07.960 --> 0:17:10.600 how you fit everything you do into your schedule, but 0:17:10.640 --> 0:17:13.000 I love everything that you do and I really appreciate 0:17:13.040 --> 0:17:15.920 your time. Thanks so much. Adam for joining us. Damn, 0:17:15.960 --> 0:17:18.200 You're the best. I have an unbelievable season, my friend. 0:17:19.160 --> 0:17:22.120 You can hear Adams radio show Shine on Sports every 0:17:22.119 --> 0:17:25.879 weekday from nine to noon on Sirius XM. His TV 0:17:26.000 --> 0:17:30.000 show Time to Shine Here's weeknights at six pm on 0:17:30.200 --> 0:17:34.240 CBS Sports Network. The Bengals Booth podcast is presented by 0:17:34.320 --> 0:17:37.720 Ultimate Bengals, the free to play fantasy football game. This 0:17:37.800 --> 0:17:40.840 past season, Ultimate Bengals awarded a weekly winner during the 0:17:40.840 --> 0:17:44.720 course of the year, with tickets, autograph merchandise, and money 0:17:44.760 --> 0:17:49.120 can't buy experiences all up for grabs. Find Ultimate Bengals 0:17:49.200 --> 0:17:52.520 in the App Store and Google Play. Now that it's 0:17:52.560 --> 0:17:55.800 opening week, it's time for some final thoughts on training 0:17:55.880 --> 0:18:01.120 cap who stood out, what concerns remain, and did Zach 0:18:01.160 --> 0:18:04.760 Taylor do the right thing by not playing his starters 0:18:04.800 --> 0:18:08.560 in the preseason. I discussed those questions and more with 0:18:08.720 --> 0:18:14.200 Bengals dot Com editor Jeff Butch Hobson. What's It's opening week. 0:18:14.200 --> 0:18:16.240 We're getting ready to kick off the season against the 0:18:16.280 --> 0:18:19.480 Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at pay Corps Stadium, but we're 0:18:19.480 --> 0:18:21.680 going to take some time today to review what took 0:18:21.680 --> 0:18:24.760 place during training camp on a regular basis, you give 0:18:24.760 --> 0:18:28.120 out the player of the day. So in a similar 0:18:28.200 --> 0:18:31.040 vein who is your training camp MVP? I don't know 0:18:31.080 --> 0:18:34.800 if he ever wanted the coveted player of the day. 0:18:34.880 --> 0:18:36.800 I'm gonna go with two of them. Actually, I'm gonna 0:18:36.800 --> 0:18:41.720 go with co Evan McPherson, who you know hardly ever 0:18:41.800 --> 0:18:46.359 missed and which is self explanatory. And then I think 0:18:47.200 --> 0:18:51.000 Von Bell. I think Vaughn did get it once, but 0:18:51.080 --> 0:18:54.680 I think the reason he's the MVP is I think 0:18:55.480 --> 0:18:59.320 how much he helped Dax Hill. You know, Jesse Bates 0:18:59.320 --> 0:19:02.679 did not show up really until after training camp, and 0:19:02.760 --> 0:19:07.120 so Dax Hill played his spot. And you know, he's 0:19:07.160 --> 0:19:10.520 a rookie. I guess he made some rookie mistakes, I guess, 0:19:10.560 --> 0:19:14.240 but it show didn't look blatant, you know, And I think, yes, 0:19:14.320 --> 0:19:16.800 I think Dax Shill is a smart guy. He showed 0:19:16.840 --> 0:19:19.200 all the things why they made him the first round pick. 0:19:19.240 --> 0:19:22.919 But I think Havin Vaughan Bell next to him, no doubt, 0:19:23.000 --> 0:19:25.160 helped to help to make it that much easier. So 0:19:25.800 --> 0:19:28.600 Bell for what he did off the field, and Mac 0:19:28.680 --> 0:19:31.919 for what he did on the field. Oddly enough, I 0:19:31.960 --> 0:19:34.680 wrote down two guys as well, and Evan McPherson is 0:19:34.680 --> 0:19:36.760 one of mine. You had the sixty five yard field 0:19:36.760 --> 0:19:39.000 goal and Welcome Back Saturday, you had the fifty six 0:19:39.080 --> 0:19:42.280 and fifty eight yarders in the first preseason game. I 0:19:42.320 --> 0:19:46.240 think it just underscored how valuable he has become this 0:19:46.440 --> 0:19:49.400 quickly in his NFL career. He had the five walkoff 0:19:49.440 --> 0:19:52.080 game winners last year, and then if you look back 0:19:52.119 --> 0:19:55.600 at those playoff games, if he had missed one of 0:19:55.600 --> 0:19:58.280 those kicks leading up to the Super Bowl, that might 0:19:58.320 --> 0:20:01.440 have doomed them. But for four against the Raiders, four 0:20:01.480 --> 0:20:03.800 for four against the Titans, including the fifty two yarder 0:20:03.840 --> 0:20:06.000 to win the game, four for four against the Chiefs, 0:20:06.160 --> 0:20:08.200 including a fifty two yard or in the fourth quarter 0:20:08.240 --> 0:20:10.640 that helped them get to overtime. And then he picked 0:20:10.720 --> 0:20:12.520 up where he left off in training camp. So I'm 0:20:12.520 --> 0:20:14.720 with you on Evan McPherson. The other one for me 0:20:14.800 --> 0:20:18.680 would be Trey Hendrickson. I thought on a daily basis, 0:20:19.080 --> 0:20:23.119 he was the most dominant player during training camp. He 0:20:23.200 --> 0:20:25.200 had thirteen and a half sacks a couple of years ago, 0:20:25.320 --> 0:20:28.119 fourteen sacks last year, so he went up by a 0:20:28.119 --> 0:20:30.359 half a sack. I'm going to predict he goes up 0:20:30.359 --> 0:20:32.760 by a half a sack again, fourteen and a half 0:20:32.800 --> 0:20:36.600 sacks is my prediction for this season. And you know, 0:20:36.920 --> 0:20:40.280 when they practiced against the Rams, we got to see 0:20:40.320 --> 0:20:43.600 Andrew Wittworth's replacement, Joseph Noteboom, a guy that's kind of 0:20:43.600 --> 0:20:46.880 been waiting in the wings for the Rams, and they 0:20:46.920 --> 0:20:48.920 trusted him enough to give him a forty million dollar 0:20:49.000 --> 0:20:52.240 contract going into this year. They might want their money 0:20:52.240 --> 0:20:55.000 back after seeing what Trey Hendrickson was doing to him 0:20:55.000 --> 0:20:58.240 in those two joint practices. So I thought he was great. 0:20:58.800 --> 0:21:01.840 His contracts certainly looks like a bargain these days, a 0:21:01.960 --> 0:21:04.440 year two of a four year, sixty million dollars deal. 0:21:04.480 --> 0:21:06.760 People scoffed thought it was a bad deal when the 0:21:06.760 --> 0:21:09.160 Bengals handed it out, and now it seems like one 0:21:09.160 --> 0:21:12.080 of the better bargains in the NFL. So each of 0:21:12.160 --> 0:21:15.360 us choosing Evan McPherson plus a member of the Bengals 0:21:15.400 --> 0:21:19.920 defense as our training camp MVPs. Let's move to topic 0:21:20.040 --> 0:21:22.320 number two. What did you consider to be the biggest 0:21:22.320 --> 0:21:25.679 positives coming out of training camp? Oh? I think the 0:21:25.720 --> 0:21:29.480 fact that nobody get hurt. I think was a big thing. 0:21:29.520 --> 0:21:32.000 And I know we'll probably talk about that later. I 0:21:32.040 --> 0:21:36.200 guess it's a bit of a gamble with not playing 0:21:36.240 --> 0:21:40.399 anybody during the season. But I think Zach has taken 0:21:40.480 --> 0:21:44.320 the nod. I think he's taken the key from the quarterback. 0:21:44.359 --> 0:21:49.000 And a quarterback has played all of Joe Burrow specifically, 0:21:49.040 --> 0:21:52.000 has played all of three preseason snaps in his career. 0:21:53.119 --> 0:21:57.520 It doesn't seem to have hurt him. So given that, 0:21:58.000 --> 0:22:01.879 you know the appendi sitis, probably when that happened, they 0:22:01.880 --> 0:22:04.440 probably said, well, he definitely won't play in the preseason. 0:22:04.480 --> 0:22:07.040 I'm not sure he was gonna play anyway, you know. 0:22:07.200 --> 0:22:10.800 And so to me, that's the big thing is everybody's pretty. 0:22:10.840 --> 0:22:12.119 You know, he gets him to the gate, and I 0:22:12.160 --> 0:22:14.440 think in this league, if you get him to the gate, 0:22:14.880 --> 0:22:17.200 you get a shot. And then you know, I think 0:22:17.200 --> 0:22:19.479 the other positive two is and I think we hit 0:22:19.520 --> 0:22:23.320 on it. I picked Bell, you picked Hendrickson. But the 0:22:23.320 --> 0:22:28.520 theme's the same. This defense is back. They don't miss anybody. 0:22:29.119 --> 0:22:32.320 They're a year older there, they've been in a year 0:22:32.320 --> 0:22:36.240 in the system with lou Anna Rumo. So I think 0:22:36.240 --> 0:22:38.359 it's and they and they and they look ready to go. 0:22:38.440 --> 0:22:40.520 I mean, I thought they didn't miss a beat. I 0:22:40.560 --> 0:22:43.520 thought they looked good against the Rams, although I have 0:22:43.640 --> 0:22:46.520 to be honest with you, Hordy, I didn't see much 0:22:46.520 --> 0:22:49.359 of that because I was watching Burrow. I said to 0:22:49.440 --> 0:22:53.600 Jay Gruden. I said Jake Gruden, the former Bengals offensive 0:22:53.640 --> 0:22:56.720 coordinator now consultant for the Rams. I said, Jay, I've 0:22:56.720 --> 0:22:58.640 never been able to figure out how to cover one 0:22:58.640 --> 0:23:03.119 of these uh joint practices. You know, you can't watch 0:23:03.160 --> 0:23:05.240 both he goes, he goes. I fire you, I'd go 0:23:05.320 --> 0:23:08.359 when number nine is so I took. I took that 0:23:08.520 --> 0:23:11.960 advice and I followed number nine, which was good because 0:23:11.960 --> 0:23:14.760 I had a bird's eye view for the for the 0:23:15.119 --> 0:23:19.720 extra curriculus. But defensively, when I whenever I did turn around, 0:23:20.240 --> 0:23:24.160 you know they looked like they did against the Bengals offense. 0:23:24.200 --> 0:23:27.679 You know they look I just think the defense. I 0:23:27.680 --> 0:23:30.359 think nobody said anything about the defense. It's all Burrow, 0:23:30.400 --> 0:23:34.119 it's all Chase, it's all Higgins and Boyd and rightfully so. 0:23:35.240 --> 0:23:38.439 But two things I can't wait to see her the 0:23:38.560 --> 0:23:41.359 two best secrets of training camp in my opinion, the 0:23:41.520 --> 0:23:45.640 defense and Joe Mixon. For the record, Matthew Stafford also 0:23:45.680 --> 0:23:49.720 wears number nine. Sorry, Are you sure that Jay Gruden 0:23:49.760 --> 0:23:52.159 wasn't talking about the Rams quarterback since he's now a 0:23:52.200 --> 0:23:54.520 consultant with the Rams, But no, I'm sure he was 0:23:54.800 --> 0:23:57.159 referring to Joe Burrow. And I agree with you on 0:23:57.160 --> 0:24:00.280 the big positive, particularly where the defense has can learned. 0:24:00.320 --> 0:24:03.719 To me, that was the most impressive thing overall at 0:24:03.760 --> 0:24:06.000 training camp. It looked like the defense picked up right 0:24:06.119 --> 0:24:08.520 where it left off, and the defense was the key 0:24:08.560 --> 0:24:12.480 to the postseason run last year. And I think you've 0:24:12.480 --> 0:24:14.520 got some guys that are emerging that are going to 0:24:14.520 --> 0:24:17.680 help make that defense even better. Dax Hill is going 0:24:17.720 --> 0:24:20.040 to be a nice versatile piece for lou Anna Rumo. 0:24:20.320 --> 0:24:22.440 And I'm really interested to see what a Keem Davis 0:24:22.560 --> 0:24:25.080 Gaither is going to do this year because while Logan 0:24:25.119 --> 0:24:29.560 Wilson was not practicing eleven out eleven for two thirds 0:24:29.560 --> 0:24:33.440 of training camp, Keem Davis Gaither looked really good. So 0:24:33.560 --> 0:24:36.080 he's going to be used in a lot of situations 0:24:36.640 --> 0:24:38.440 by lou Anna Rumo. We know he's good in the 0:24:38.480 --> 0:24:41.160 passing game. I think they might be able to get 0:24:41.200 --> 0:24:44.280 more use out of him in early down So with 0:24:44.359 --> 0:24:46.840 those two editions and the guys they've got coming back. 0:24:46.880 --> 0:24:49.520 I think the defense is something to be very excited 0:24:49.560 --> 0:24:54.640 about for Bengals fans. Let's move to topic number three, 0:24:55.359 --> 0:24:57.040 and this is the flip side of what we were 0:24:57.040 --> 0:25:01.239 just talking about. What's your biggest concern into Week one? Oh, 0:25:01.280 --> 0:25:04.119 I'm the classic front runner here. My biggest concern is 0:25:04.720 --> 0:25:07.760 they didn't play anybody in the in the preseason, So 0:25:07.840 --> 0:25:09.920 that's a that's a classic front runner for you. But 0:25:10.320 --> 0:25:12.720 you know, I guess if that's one thing, you know, 0:25:12.920 --> 0:25:14.959 that maybe what we're you know, how long we'll take 0:25:15.040 --> 0:25:18.080 him to get into sinking the opener? You know, will 0:25:18.280 --> 0:25:20.640 you know, will will they come out sluggish? Will they 0:25:20.720 --> 0:25:23.280 you know, will they not come out of the gate quickly? 0:25:23.760 --> 0:25:27.040 And will they have to knock off Rustum? And how 0:25:27.080 --> 0:25:29.800 long we'll take him a knockoff rust? But I think 0:25:29.840 --> 0:25:32.639 I'd rather be healthy. I think I'd rather be healthy. 0:25:33.000 --> 0:25:35.080 And if it takes you know, if it takes a 0:25:35.160 --> 0:25:37.600 quarter and a half, you know, to get into it, 0:25:37.960 --> 0:25:42.000 then then I think over a seventeen a seventeen game, 0:25:42.200 --> 0:25:47.639 eighteen wink eighteen wink week Valley Forge swag that the 0:25:47.720 --> 0:25:50.880 NFL has become, then I think I'll take the first 0:25:50.920 --> 0:25:54.280 you know, the first you know, two quarters getting into it, 0:25:54.320 --> 0:25:56.880 and uh, you know, I think I think that's worth 0:25:57.119 --> 0:25:59.359 I think that's worth the uh the risk. And I 0:25:59.400 --> 0:26:01.600 think the way they play the game now, you know, 0:26:01.680 --> 0:26:04.719 I just think it's I think they I think they 0:26:04.800 --> 0:26:06.880 got enough work in. You know, the way the game 0:26:07.000 --> 0:26:10.200 is played now. Uh, they you know, they get about 0:26:11.000 --> 0:26:12.840 they gotta lock. You know, they get a lot of 0:26:12.840 --> 0:26:15.879 work in. I think they got in more work against 0:26:15.920 --> 0:26:19.320 the Rams, which was pretty close to live. It was 0:26:19.400 --> 0:26:22.560 live for everything but tackling. You know, they got in 0:26:22.600 --> 0:26:24.320 to play as much work as they would have if 0:26:25.200 --> 0:26:28.159 they did the preseason before, when they played about fifteen 0:26:28.600 --> 0:26:32.600 preseason snaps. So you know, maybe that's you know, I 0:26:32.600 --> 0:26:34.920 think they probably have done just as much work. It's 0:26:34.920 --> 0:26:38.200 in a different it's in a different fashion. So maybe, 0:26:38.200 --> 0:26:42.600 like like any fan, I'm worried about nothing. My biggest 0:26:42.640 --> 0:26:46.359 concern is the offensive line. I think it's going to 0:26:46.440 --> 0:26:48.960 be better. I liked what they did in the offseason. 0:26:49.080 --> 0:26:51.359 I liked the new pieces on the offensive line, but 0:26:51.400 --> 0:26:54.280 we still haven't seen it. When they take their first 0:26:54.320 --> 0:26:56.960 stat snap against the Steelers, it will be their first 0:26:57.000 --> 0:27:01.560 snap together in a game. I don't know if three 0:27:01.640 --> 0:27:05.600 weeks basically working together is enough to develop that chemistry 0:27:05.720 --> 0:27:09.359 and timing and communication that an offensive line needs to 0:27:09.400 --> 0:27:12.240 be good. Dave Lapham seems to think that's enough time. 0:27:12.320 --> 0:27:14.760 Frank Pollock seems to think that's enough time. I hope 0:27:14.760 --> 0:27:17.800 it's enough time, But I guess until I see it, 0:27:18.240 --> 0:27:20.479 I'm going to remain a little bit concerned about it. 0:27:20.560 --> 0:27:24.320 Plus l Collins, you know the amount of time he missed, 0:27:24.359 --> 0:27:26.280 how much rust is there going to be there to 0:27:26.320 --> 0:27:29.320 begin the season? He looked pretty good in the first 0:27:29.600 --> 0:27:32.600 joint practice against the Rams. Not so good the next day. 0:27:32.680 --> 0:27:35.080 Maybe he was just, you know, exhausted because he had 0:27:35.119 --> 0:27:38.280 not taken part in eleven on eleven football prior to that. 0:27:38.800 --> 0:27:41.920 Will Cordell Wolson be able to pick up the type 0:27:41.920 --> 0:27:44.440 of stuff that the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to show 0:27:44.520 --> 0:27:46.720 him in Week one and the Ravens are going to 0:27:46.760 --> 0:27:49.760 show him when they get to the Baltimore game. So again, 0:27:50.680 --> 0:27:52.919 I think it should be better. I think it should 0:27:52.920 --> 0:27:56.239 be at least league average, But until I see it, 0:27:56.480 --> 0:27:58.240 there's going to be a little bit of concern there 0:27:58.280 --> 0:28:01.600 for me. The other thing I would say that is 0:28:01.600 --> 0:28:04.719 shaping up as a current concern would just be cornerback depth. 0:28:05.400 --> 0:28:08.800 Should it be a Wouge looks great, looks healthy, That's fine. 0:28:08.920 --> 0:28:12.160 Mike Kilton, same thing, looks great, looks healthy. After that, 0:28:12.200 --> 0:28:14.400 you've got some question marks. Elie Apple had a good 0:28:14.400 --> 0:28:17.520 training camp but then had fluid drained from his thigh 0:28:17.560 --> 0:28:20.080 at the end of camp. We'll see how that looks 0:28:20.119 --> 0:28:22.639 going into the season. Opener Cam Taylor Britt's going to 0:28:22.720 --> 0:28:25.720 be out for a while. After you get by the starters. 0:28:25.760 --> 0:28:28.280 You've got Trey Flowers, who is pretty good in a 0:28:28.359 --> 0:28:31.400 situational role, but how good would he be as your 0:28:32.000 --> 0:28:35.119 starting corner if he had to go in there. Jalen 0:28:35.200 --> 0:28:37.600 Davis has been good in preseason games over the past 0:28:37.600 --> 0:28:39.320 couple of years, but if you had to rely on 0:28:39.400 --> 0:28:41.960 him in the slot taking Mike Hilton's place, how good 0:28:42.000 --> 0:28:45.120 would he be? Alan George good for him, I mean, 0:28:45.160 --> 0:28:47.080 I think it's great that he's made this team as 0:28:47.120 --> 0:28:50.560 an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt, But how confident 0:28:50.600 --> 0:28:51.840 would you be if he had to be in there 0:28:51.840 --> 0:28:54.640 for meaningful snaps? So I guess those are the two 0:28:54.720 --> 0:28:57.520 things that stand out to me as the biggest concerns 0:28:57.560 --> 0:29:00.400 that I have. Will the offensive line be as good 0:29:00.400 --> 0:29:02.520 as we hoped it would be when they made those additions, 0:29:02.920 --> 0:29:05.880 and uh, well they have enough enough depth at the 0:29:05.960 --> 0:29:10.120 beginning of the season at the cornerback position. Yeah, I mean, 0:29:10.160 --> 0:29:12.840 I would just say a court nobody has any depth 0:29:12.920 --> 0:29:15.680 of cornerback right what you what you just ran through 0:29:16.600 --> 0:29:19.880 is I would have bet what thirty one other teams 0:29:19.880 --> 0:29:22.360 are going through right now. Certainly the Rams are ye 0:29:22.720 --> 0:29:25.120 after looking at what they had after the you know, 0:29:25.200 --> 0:29:27.800 the the you know, the third and fourth corner. I mean, 0:29:28.000 --> 0:29:29.640 that's how you make it live in this league. How 0:29:29.640 --> 0:29:32.320 many times have we had Chase or Boyd or he 0:29:32.400 --> 0:29:34.320 could scorn a touchdown and you look down at you 0:29:34.840 --> 0:29:37.800 you look down at your flip card to see who 0:29:37.840 --> 0:29:40.719 they beat. You never heard of the guy, you know, 0:29:40.800 --> 0:29:45.080 And that's uh, that's that's that's what happens, you know. So, um, 0:29:45.200 --> 0:29:47.440 I don't you know, I think, uh, and I think 0:29:47.560 --> 0:29:50.000 kind of just switched flop them back of the offensive line. 0:29:50.720 --> 0:29:54.280 I understand the concern. But the thing that I think 0:29:54.320 --> 0:29:56.680 maybe different and you know, yeah, and we won't know. 0:29:56.720 --> 0:29:58.480 We won't know if three weeks is enough. We won't 0:29:58.520 --> 0:30:00.640 know if LC will hold up these or questions that 0:30:01.280 --> 0:30:03.440 you know, they can't be answered. But I like the 0:30:03.480 --> 0:30:06.640 fact that you know, all three guys are veterans and 0:30:06.680 --> 0:30:08.360 they know how to play. They know how to play 0:30:08.400 --> 0:30:10.920 the game, you know, And I think, well, that's the 0:30:10.960 --> 0:30:15.640 one thing I thought Elcu looked. I mean, there was 0:30:15.680 --> 0:30:18.040 some ugly moments against Floyd, but heat, but but he 0:30:18.120 --> 0:30:20.120 made you the quarterback didn't get you know, he didn't 0:30:20.160 --> 0:30:22.280 make you know the quarterback. There were no there were 0:30:22.280 --> 0:30:24.040 no free runners when they were out there, you know 0:30:24.120 --> 0:30:26.400 what I mean. He knows how to keep the guy 0:30:26.440 --> 0:30:30.240 away from the quarterback. I think all those Carass Kappa, 0:30:30.560 --> 0:30:33.479 you know, they haven't had experience up like that up 0:30:33.520 --> 0:30:37.600 front in a while. So I'm I'm thinking that's going 0:30:37.640 --> 0:30:40.600 to be the difference this trip. Which are there any 0:30:40.600 --> 0:30:43.240 surprises on the fifty three man roster to begin the 0:30:43.280 --> 0:30:46.480 season or in the position battles now that we're set 0:30:46.480 --> 0:30:49.959 for the start of the season. Yeah, yet not really. 0:30:50.040 --> 0:30:52.560 I mean, I mean maybe the numbers wise, I was 0:30:52.640 --> 0:30:56.200 kind of surprised they went with six receivers and four 0:30:56.320 --> 0:30:58.840 running backs. You know, I don't know if that's a 0:30:58.880 --> 0:31:02.320 major Is that a major surprise? You know, that's not major. 0:31:02.680 --> 0:31:07.000 It's a little tweak. Um you know, Alan George making it. Yeah, 0:31:07.000 --> 0:31:10.320 that was gonna happen when Eli get thinged and Cam 0:31:10.320 --> 0:31:13.160 Taylor Brentman down, so that that really wasn't a surprise. 0:31:13.920 --> 0:31:17.520 I think probably maybe shelv in the fourth round or 0:31:17.560 --> 0:31:20.960 not being able to stick, you know. I think, you know, 0:31:21.000 --> 0:31:22.880 I think they thought the way he came back, I 0:31:22.920 --> 0:31:27.160 think they were encouraged that he came back in shape. 0:31:27.640 --> 0:31:29.560 But I think the Risks kind of bothered him, maybe 0:31:29.600 --> 0:31:32.400 more than we thought. So I think they're hopefully he 0:31:32.400 --> 0:31:36.200 can you know a little more seizing on the practice squad. 0:31:36.680 --> 0:31:39.440 But I think other I think other than that, Wardy, 0:31:39.520 --> 0:31:43.600 I'm I'm not surprised that Hubern Harris made it. I thought, 0:31:43.720 --> 0:31:46.560 uh that, you know, with those gut with those two guys, 0:31:47.200 --> 0:31:48.840 it was gonna have to be a knockout. You know, 0:31:48.880 --> 0:31:50.720 it was gonna be a have to be a third round. 0:31:50.760 --> 0:31:53.560 You knocked them down four times in the third round. 0:31:53.960 --> 0:31:57.000 Just didn't happen. It was they were raised or you know, 0:31:57.080 --> 0:32:01.440 they were Clark Harris I thought, can still obviously get 0:32:01.480 --> 0:32:07.240 down the field. And Huber Huber has you know, he 0:32:07.280 --> 0:32:10.720 has knocked the ball inside the twenty against the Steelers, 0:32:10.960 --> 0:32:13.880 So I think that that probably although his ke As 0:32:13.880 --> 0:32:15.800 I was talking to Darren Simmons about this, he said, now, 0:32:15.840 --> 0:32:18.200 I remember he said Kevin Huber hadn't done it either 0:32:18.520 --> 0:32:21.880 when he got the job. But I think Kevin showed enough, 0:32:22.800 --> 0:32:24.960 and I think Drew show I think Drew Christmas showed 0:32:25.040 --> 0:32:28.680 enough talent that's worthy enough to develop, and Hubers showed 0:32:28.720 --> 0:32:33.840 he's got, you know, enough left to bail out this 0:32:33.960 --> 0:32:37.600 offense if they if they do need bailing out. To me, 0:32:37.720 --> 0:32:40.400 Alan George from the guys that were in training camp 0:32:40.440 --> 0:32:42.600 would be the biggest surprise to make the roster, But 0:32:42.640 --> 0:32:46.040 I guess my biggest surprise overall was that they were 0:32:46.040 --> 0:32:48.320 able to get three guys that look like they can help, 0:32:48.600 --> 0:32:51.800 as Waiver claims, and I think that's the big surprise 0:32:51.880 --> 0:32:54.120 to them as well, since they were thirty first in 0:32:54.120 --> 0:32:56.520 the order after being the Super Bowl runner up last year. 0:32:56.560 --> 0:33:00.280 I don't think they dreamt it'd be possible to add 0:33:00.280 --> 0:33:05.080 three guys that they like most, especially Max Sharping, because 0:33:05.120 --> 0:33:07.040 this is a guy who's been a three year starter 0:33:07.120 --> 0:33:10.720 in the NFL. Now, admittedly he doesn't have extraordinarily good 0:33:10.840 --> 0:33:14.080 PF grades, he wouldn't have been available if that had 0:33:14.120 --> 0:33:17.000 been the case, but I think if nothing else, he's 0:33:17.080 --> 0:33:21.160 league average. Last year, he was ranked fifty six out 0:33:21.160 --> 0:33:24.920 of ninety guards that had enough snaps by Pro Football Focus. 0:33:24.960 --> 0:33:27.719 And he's not coming in to start in Cincinnati. So 0:33:27.760 --> 0:33:30.320 when you can get a guy like that, proven guy 0:33:30.440 --> 0:33:33.120 that you liked when he was drafted, that has at 0:33:33.200 --> 0:33:36.400 least been okay in the NFL to add to your 0:33:36.440 --> 0:33:39.080 depth on the offensive line, I think that's a really 0:33:39.080 --> 0:33:42.640 good addition right before the start of the season. Yeah, 0:33:42.640 --> 0:33:45.600 I agree, that's I mean, basically, it was a supplemental draft. 0:33:45.720 --> 0:33:48.200 I mean they had guys, you know I you know, 0:33:48.400 --> 0:33:51.320 fairly high draft picks make it through. And I also 0:33:51.400 --> 0:33:53.280 think I think the guy who's going to end up 0:33:53.320 --> 0:33:56.560 helping them probably quicker than anybody, is probably the tight 0:33:56.680 --> 0:33:59.240 end that they picked up from the patrons because they 0:33:59.280 --> 0:34:02.480 need to help it ight end. Even before Wilcox get hurt, 0:34:02.800 --> 0:34:05.320 I think that was a position of need that they 0:34:05.320 --> 0:34:06.920 were focused on that they were going to try and 0:34:07.040 --> 0:34:11.239 upgrade in the last week or two of the preseason. 0:34:11.719 --> 0:34:13.440 And I think that that's I think you're right. I 0:34:13.440 --> 0:34:16.080 think that's surprising that they could get a guy of 0:34:16.280 --> 0:34:18.799 U And I'm gonna have trouble pronouncing his name, but 0:34:18.960 --> 0:34:22.880 of getting the tight end from USC, I believe is 0:34:22.880 --> 0:34:28.839 that No? From Yeah? From USC? Right? Um, yes, right? 0:34:29.000 --> 0:34:31.640 And uh they you know, the guy's a block and 0:34:31.680 --> 0:34:33.080 I think that's what they were looking for. I mean, 0:34:33.160 --> 0:34:35.960 I know there was interesting O. J. Howard, I guess 0:34:36.440 --> 0:34:40.360 according to some reports, but I think Acasi probably fits 0:34:40.400 --> 0:34:43.399 them better because I think they're looking for the kind 0:34:43.440 --> 0:34:45.799 of the blocking and like James Casey said, we got 0:34:45.800 --> 0:34:47.879 to protect the quarterback. You know, we got to block 0:34:47.920 --> 0:34:50.879 the defensive end. And here's the other thing they don't use. 0:34:51.800 --> 0:34:53.440 You know, they don't use three tight ends a lot. 0:34:53.480 --> 0:34:56.480 They don't use two tight ends a lot. But you know, 0:34:56.520 --> 0:34:58.400 I think that's so that's why I think this is 0:34:58.440 --> 0:35:01.080 what they had in mind. And I think he'll be out. 0:35:01.160 --> 0:35:03.560 He'll probably be I'm I would imagine he'd be active. 0:35:03.880 --> 0:35:06.920 I would think, uh and uh so I think he's 0:35:06.960 --> 0:35:09.520 a guy that could you know, I'm gonna get to 0:35:09.520 --> 0:35:11.440 see you to see the first short. Yeah, the situation, 0:35:11.480 --> 0:35:14.160 we'll see, yuh see how good of a blocker he is. 0:35:15.480 --> 0:35:18.399 All right, let's touch on a topic that you referred to, 0:35:18.480 --> 0:35:22.200 and that is how Zach Taylor used his starters or 0:35:22.280 --> 0:35:25.960 didn't use his starters in the preseason games. Was that 0:35:26.040 --> 0:35:29.760 the right decision. I'm all for it. I'm one hundred 0:35:29.760 --> 0:35:33.200 percent for it, even if the tack buyers in the opener. 0:35:33.280 --> 0:35:35.799 I think, what did we do all camp? We spent 0:35:35.960 --> 0:35:39.160 you know, we spent it looking at pull football talk 0:35:39.239 --> 0:35:42.240 to see what was the what was the latest biggest injury. 0:35:42.280 --> 0:35:44.880 You know, even the Steelers, the team they're gonna play, 0:35:45.560 --> 0:35:47.840 two of their guys getting knocked out. T J. Watt, 0:35:47.880 --> 0:35:50.360 their best defensive player, the player of the year, the 0:35:50.400 --> 0:35:52.759 defensive player of the year, he got you know, he 0:35:52.760 --> 0:35:56.560 he nicked his knee, and uh, you know, I'm not 0:35:56.640 --> 0:35:58.239 you know, I'm sure he'll be fine. I you know, 0:35:58.280 --> 0:35:59.880 I hope he's fine. I'm sure he's fine, he'll be 0:36:00.200 --> 0:36:04.200 for the opener. But I mean, I just not sure 0:36:04.280 --> 0:36:05.840 you have to do that in this day and age, 0:36:06.239 --> 0:36:07.920 the way they play the game, you know. So I 0:36:07.960 --> 0:36:10.799 think it was also, you know, I think I was 0:36:10.840 --> 0:36:14.600 talking to Dan Pitch about how much work bar got 0:36:14.600 --> 0:36:18.080 against the Rams. Think, uh, if you throw in the 0:36:18.360 --> 0:36:21.240 seven on seven stop, you get up to about sixty snaps, 0:36:21.800 --> 0:36:24.840 you know, not granted that wasn't you know, guys weren't 0:36:24.920 --> 0:36:28.279 hitting him. But you know it was good. You know 0:36:28.400 --> 0:36:30.879 it was good. Uh it was good. Uh. I hate 0:36:30.920 --> 0:36:32.800 to say because this is what everybody says, good work, 0:36:33.160 --> 0:36:35.520 but it was kind of but it was. I think 0:36:35.560 --> 0:36:39.200 it was good work. I mean considering that what he 0:36:39.200 --> 0:36:42.120 would have faced in a regular preseason game, you know, 0:36:42.160 --> 0:36:45.440 with a thread of injury or something happening. So yeah, 0:36:45.520 --> 0:36:47.440 I'm I'm I think, you know, and I think this 0:36:47.520 --> 0:36:49.280 is the I think this is the way of the future. 0:36:49.280 --> 0:36:53.080 I mean, guys like Sean McVey and Zach, the young 0:36:53.120 --> 0:36:56.319 head coaches, h they look at it, they see what 0:36:56.400 --> 0:37:00.880 it is, and uh, I think they've adjusted accordingly. Here's 0:37:00.880 --> 0:37:04.279 the answer to that question. Should Zach have rested the 0:37:04.280 --> 0:37:07.839 starters as much as he did? Tyrn Smith Cowboys left 0:37:07.880 --> 0:37:13.680 tackle out indefinitely. David Bakhtiari Packers at left tackle. He's 0:37:13.719 --> 0:37:16.720 out for Week one in all likelihood. McKay Beckton, Jets 0:37:16.719 --> 0:37:20.399 offensive lineman, he's out for the season. You just can't 0:37:20.400 --> 0:37:23.080 afford in this day and age, to have your best 0:37:23.200 --> 0:37:27.800 players knocked out in preseason action, So you do whatever 0:37:27.880 --> 0:37:30.839 you can to try to keep those guys healthy. And 0:37:31.000 --> 0:37:32.680 like you said, if it means you get off to 0:37:32.719 --> 0:37:35.240 a bit of a slow start. That's the calculated gamble 0:37:35.560 --> 0:37:37.840 that you're taking. But I think it's a smart gamble. 0:37:38.120 --> 0:37:40.360 And I do think along the lines of what you 0:37:40.360 --> 0:37:43.560 were saying that those two joint practices against the Rams 0:37:43.880 --> 0:37:49.680 probably gave them more legitimate preseason work than a handful 0:37:49.719 --> 0:37:52.640 of snaps at the beginning of a preseason game would 0:37:52.680 --> 0:37:55.160 have given them. So that seems to be the formula 0:37:55.239 --> 0:37:58.560 going forward. Always try to have a joint practice lined 0:37:58.640 --> 0:38:02.000 up against the team, make sure your starters get some 0:38:02.160 --> 0:38:07.120 legitimate work with restrictions that make serious injuries less likely, 0:38:07.600 --> 0:38:10.080 and that that's the best way to get get your 0:38:10.080 --> 0:38:12.800 team to Game one healthy. Yeah, the only thing I 0:38:12.840 --> 0:38:15.319 would do is I would make it. I would make 0:38:15.320 --> 0:38:18.440 it with two teams and only do it once a day. 0:38:18.440 --> 0:38:20.880 The second day seems to be a bit of a 0:38:20.880 --> 0:38:24.360 bit of a problem, So just sign up two teams 0:38:25.840 --> 0:38:28.759 won the second week in the training camp, and then 0:38:28.760 --> 0:38:30.400 the next one like they did with the Rams the 0:38:30.520 --> 0:38:33.759 third week in training camp, and let's go. And I guess, 0:38:33.800 --> 0:38:35.520 but you know, they still want to sell tickets to 0:38:35.520 --> 0:38:38.479 the games. So but that's always a good spot, good 0:38:38.480 --> 0:38:41.719 spot to get your the games is a great way 0:38:41.800 --> 0:38:43.520 really to to find out what the bottom of the 0:38:43.560 --> 0:38:45.720 roster is going to look like. Really, I think they 0:38:46.440 --> 0:38:48.839 the way they planned it was really just about right. 0:38:49.800 --> 0:38:53.040 And one of those joint practices and preseason games should 0:38:53.120 --> 0:38:55.799 be against the Colts like it used to be. Yeah, 0:38:56.080 --> 0:38:59.080 the two teams are so close together. How they've gone 0:38:59.080 --> 0:39:02.399 a couple of years after the reduction of preseason games 0:39:02.400 --> 0:39:04.680 from four to three without playing each other is a 0:39:04.719 --> 0:39:08.439 mystery to me. It makes too much sense not to do. Yeah, yeah, 0:39:08.520 --> 0:39:11.840 and uh bringing in the team from the West Coast 0:39:11.880 --> 0:39:16.320 and um, you know, and I don't know, is maybe 0:39:16.400 --> 0:39:18.920 matching up matching up two teams that just played in 0:39:18.960 --> 0:39:22.040 the Super Bowl. That's kind of interesting, but that might 0:39:22.160 --> 0:39:25.960 you know. Uh, I thought that was really interesting because 0:39:26.000 --> 0:39:28.319 that's I think there was that was good from the 0:39:28.360 --> 0:39:31.759 standpoint of I think there was some opening day adrenaline there. 0:39:32.280 --> 0:39:34.440 They couldn't help me, but just you know, to be 0:39:34.640 --> 0:39:38.200 something left over from February thirteenth. All right, a few 0:39:38.239 --> 0:39:41.080 more topics. What do you expect from Jesse Bates to 0:39:41.120 --> 0:39:45.160 begin the season? Jesse, he's so consistent, you know, he's 0:39:45.160 --> 0:39:48.759 one of these guys you uh, you know, you you 0:39:48.880 --> 0:39:50.799 wind them up, your roll them out there, and he's 0:39:50.840 --> 0:39:53.319 gonna and he's gonna be good, you know. Uh, And 0:39:53.360 --> 0:39:56.279 I think, uh, I think he'll be better than last year. 0:39:56.640 --> 0:40:00.000 I think he was pretty open about how he struggles 0:40:00.200 --> 0:40:02.480 last year trying to come to terms with his contract 0:40:02.560 --> 0:40:06.400 and playing, and he was pretty open about that. So 0:40:06.480 --> 0:40:08.560 I think he's got his arms around that now. I 0:40:08.560 --> 0:40:11.279 think he's in a better place. And so I think 0:40:11.400 --> 0:40:12.919 I think he's going to be good. I think he's 0:40:14.760 --> 0:40:16.600 you know, he's a hell of a player. And look 0:40:16.640 --> 0:40:19.880 what he did in the postseason. You know, he had 0:40:19.920 --> 0:40:21.879 a great postseason. You know. So if he can come 0:40:21.920 --> 0:40:27.000 anywhere near that, you know, they'll they'll be fine. Historically 0:40:27.000 --> 0:40:30.719 he's played nearly every snap. That might go down a 0:40:30.719 --> 0:40:33.680 little bit, especially early in the season. Maybe they'll give him, 0:40:34.080 --> 0:40:36.640 you know, the occasional break just because of the amount 0:40:36.680 --> 0:40:38.879 of time missed, but I expect him to play well. 0:40:38.920 --> 0:40:42.200 I'm with you, Do you have an under the radar 0:40:42.320 --> 0:40:46.200 candidate to have a breakout year? Yeah, just probably because 0:40:46.200 --> 0:40:48.600 I just wrote about him and you know, cam Sample, 0:40:49.040 --> 0:40:53.120 I think the versatile defensive lineman, I think he's a 0:40:53.320 --> 0:40:55.600 And I agree with you on on Davis Gaither. I think, 0:40:55.640 --> 0:40:58.040 I think that's a great guy to watch, and it 0:40:58.160 --> 0:41:01.279 Cam too. You know, Cam's I think last year he 0:41:01.360 --> 0:41:04.120 was hurt a little bit. He got hurt late in 0:41:04.120 --> 0:41:07.840 the year with a hamstring with a hamstring issue that 0:41:07.880 --> 0:41:10.080 took him out of the last two games. But and 0:41:10.239 --> 0:41:12.120 I also think he was you know, he also had 0:41:12.120 --> 0:41:14.399 some other stuff going on with his court. He ended 0:41:14.480 --> 0:41:17.880 up having having surgery on his core. So you know, 0:41:17.920 --> 0:41:21.040 they say, you know, he looked really good in camp. 0:41:21.080 --> 0:41:23.960 I thought he was very active. He gives him a 0:41:24.040 --> 0:41:27.680 guy that can go inside and outside. He's not you know, 0:41:27.719 --> 0:41:30.200 you don't want to use him as a three technique 0:41:30.320 --> 0:41:33.120 a lot, but you can. He's a really good edge 0:41:33.160 --> 0:41:35.279 put placement, run really well. I thought. I thought that 0:41:35.320 --> 0:41:37.759 was one of the major reasons last year that they 0:41:37.760 --> 0:41:39.600 were so good against the run was Cam. I think 0:41:39.680 --> 0:41:42.399 Cam played about three hundred and ten snaps. He's really 0:41:42.400 --> 0:41:44.360 good against him run, and he can give you some 0:41:44.520 --> 0:41:47.160 pressure inside too, really very you know, like Loui and 0:41:47.280 --> 0:41:49.160 Rumo said the other day, this guy he'll play for 0:41:49.200 --> 0:41:51.880 ten years just because he knows, just because he'll always 0:41:51.880 --> 0:41:53.919 be in the right spot, you know. So I think 0:41:54.160 --> 0:41:58.520 a guy like that, who's serious, committed another year in 0:41:58.560 --> 0:42:02.400 the system, and he's healthy, and I think, you know, 0:42:02.880 --> 0:42:05.960 you know, we're looking to kind of lowry open jobie 0:42:06.040 --> 0:42:08.720 seven sacks. It doesn't come from really the same position, 0:42:08.800 --> 0:42:11.279 but maybe camp can help you get some of those. 0:42:11.960 --> 0:42:13.919 I don't know if this guy should count as under 0:42:13.920 --> 0:42:16.719 the radar because I've been talking about him so much 0:42:16.719 --> 0:42:18.920 in camp, but hayden Hurst would be my guy. I 0:42:19.000 --> 0:42:21.920 just think he's poised to surpass the numbers that c 0:42:22.120 --> 0:42:24.640 j Uzama put up last year. And admittedly those were 0:42:24.680 --> 0:42:27.080 not Pro Bowl like numbers, but he was pretty productive. 0:42:27.520 --> 0:42:30.720 But I think hayden Hurst could have sixty plus catches. 0:42:31.160 --> 0:42:35.560 I think he could have seven hundred plush yards, eight touchdowns, 0:42:35.600 --> 0:42:37.320 with a bunch of them coming in the red zone. 0:42:37.680 --> 0:42:40.560 I just think there's going to be so many opportunities 0:42:40.719 --> 0:42:43.160 for him with all of the attention on the three 0:42:43.200 --> 0:42:45.759 great wide receivers, and we know that Joe Burrow will 0:42:45.760 --> 0:42:48.880 find the open man. So if hayden Hurst stays healthy, 0:42:49.120 --> 0:42:51.840 I think he's got the chance to earn a huge 0:42:51.880 --> 0:42:54.200 contract at the end of this year, since he signed 0:42:54.200 --> 0:42:57.040 a one year deal with the Bengals. Let's get to 0:42:57.080 --> 0:43:01.000 our final topic and that is next Sunday Week one 0:43:01.200 --> 0:43:04.880 Pittsburgh Steelers. Do you have an early key to that 0:43:05.120 --> 0:43:07.640 Week one matchup? Yeah, you can't have mentioned it. I 0:43:07.640 --> 0:43:11.280 mean it's it's it's always the Bengals offensive line burst 0:43:11.320 --> 0:43:16.000 and Steelers defensive line. I always thought in this previous 0:43:16.520 --> 0:43:21.280 era of Dalton and Green, there wasn't a hex against 0:43:21.280 --> 0:43:24.800 the Steelers. There wasn't a jinx against the Steelers. He 0:43:24.920 --> 0:43:28.040 had to block Hayward into it. That's that's what that 0:43:28.200 --> 0:43:31.279 series came down to in that stretch. And I think 0:43:31.360 --> 0:43:34.960 now with the Steelers in the post been era, trying 0:43:34.960 --> 0:43:38.800 to find some weapons, got a basically a new offense. 0:43:39.280 --> 0:43:41.120 You know they're gonna ride that defense. You know they 0:43:41.200 --> 0:43:43.719 got three They got three good minds over there. Mike 0:43:43.760 --> 0:43:47.080 Tomlin h he hasn't gone anywhere hell of a coach, 0:43:47.080 --> 0:43:50.800 but he's also got Brian Flores there a good defensive 0:43:50.800 --> 0:43:54.480 mind as long. With Terrell Austin, the former Bengals defensive coordinator, 0:43:54.520 --> 0:43:57.000 he's he's now the Steelers defensive coordinator. So you know, 0:43:57.440 --> 0:43:59.879 you know they're gonna be good on defense. They got way. 0:44:00.520 --> 0:44:02.680 So to me, it always comes down to protect and 0:44:03.200 --> 0:44:06.040 protect and Borrow against I mean against those guys. You 0:44:06.120 --> 0:44:09.400 can't you can't let the Steelers defense dictate to you. 0:44:10.000 --> 0:44:12.120 You got to attack them. I thought they did great 0:44:12.160 --> 0:44:14.600 to let their first game down in Pittsburgh last year. 0:44:14.600 --> 0:44:17.160 If I'm not mistaken, they broke their sack. They broke 0:44:17.160 --> 0:44:21.840 the Steelers consecutive game for sacks. Borrow didn't gets sacked. 0:44:21.880 --> 0:44:25.160 And you know need another one like that being great, 0:44:25.160 --> 0:44:27.200 it's a great be a great way for this offensive 0:44:27.239 --> 0:44:29.480 line to get off the and I think that's the 0:44:29.480 --> 0:44:33.520 other thing that's the key. But guys like Carris and Kappa, 0:44:33.800 --> 0:44:36.080 they can get they can get Volson through a game 0:44:36.160 --> 0:44:38.960 like that. All those guys have played in Super Bowls, 0:44:39.000 --> 0:44:41.680 you know, So I think, you know, I think that's 0:44:41.719 --> 0:44:44.200 a this is trip around. I think it's a pretty 0:44:44.239 --> 0:44:47.440 good matchup at home. The Steelers have led the NFL 0:44:47.480 --> 0:44:49.680 and sacks in each of the last five years. That 0:44:49.840 --> 0:44:52.000 is a record for longest streak by any team in 0:44:52.120 --> 0:44:55.799 NFL history. So what you're saying makes sense. And yet 0:44:56.480 --> 0:45:00.279 I am shocked because the Steelers were dead la in 0:45:00.280 --> 0:45:02.719 the NFL. It's stopping the run last year, which is 0:45:03.040 --> 0:45:06.160 highly unusual for them. I thought, for sure, I was 0:45:06.200 --> 0:45:10.359 going to get a Joe Mixon versus that questionable run 0:45:10.480 --> 0:45:13.919 stopping defense would be the key to the game. Well, yeah, 0:45:13.920 --> 0:45:17.440 well the Steelers gave up five yards per bolt, which 0:45:17.480 --> 0:45:22.239 is very very Unsteeler like. But I you know, I 0:45:22.719 --> 0:45:26.720 don't know, because then that would be the great answer, 0:45:27.040 --> 0:45:29.279 you know, to you know, for for Volson and that 0:45:29.400 --> 0:45:32.680 new offensive line. What's the answer, Well, run the ball. 0:45:33.080 --> 0:45:35.440 You know you want to get them. You know you 0:45:35.440 --> 0:45:38.200 don't want to get them in a past sets right away, 0:45:38.239 --> 0:45:40.080 you know what I mean, You don't want them, you know, 0:45:40.160 --> 0:45:42.600 you know they haven't If you want to get into 0:45:42.640 --> 0:45:44.400 a rhythm in the season, what's the way to do it. 0:45:44.680 --> 0:45:46.879 I guess it would be to give Mixing a give 0:45:46.960 --> 0:45:50.600 them thirty touches or something like that. But I still 0:45:50.640 --> 0:45:54.360 think when push comes to shove, you got to protect 0:45:54.400 --> 0:45:57.920 the big fellow. It's gonna be a fun week. It's 0:45:57.920 --> 0:46:01.640 going to be an unbelievable atmosphere on Sunday taking the 0:46:01.680 --> 0:46:04.960 field as defending AFC champions in a regular season game 0:46:05.000 --> 0:46:08.000 for the first time. Have never played the Steelers in 0:46:08.080 --> 0:46:10.799 an opener, which is which is unbelievable, And I think 0:46:10.800 --> 0:46:13.600 they've played them more than any other team, right think, 0:46:14.239 --> 0:46:16.640 and yet they've they've never played an open I find 0:46:16.640 --> 0:46:20.719 that unbelievable. I can't wait to hear Dan Horde welcoming 0:46:20.800 --> 0:46:24.160 the audience with about five minutes to go before kickoff. 0:46:24.160 --> 0:46:27.080 That's always a great It's always one. I'm dialing in 0:46:27.120 --> 0:46:30.040 there and you and Lapp get me jacked up. There'll 0:46:30.080 --> 0:46:33.200 be I'll be waiting for this one because the first 0:46:33.200 --> 0:46:35.640 time they take the field since the Super Bowl is 0:46:35.719 --> 0:46:39.600 AFC champions Here's the heads up that our Bengals weekly 0:46:39.600 --> 0:46:43.560 on location radio shows get started this week. Dave Lappham 0:46:43.600 --> 0:46:46.560 and I will be at Bucketheads on Harrison ad for 0:46:46.600 --> 0:46:50.080 the Bengals Game Plan Show Wednesday night from six to eight. 0:46:50.560 --> 0:46:53.440 Then on Friday, we'll be at the Buffalo Wings and 0:46:53.560 --> 0:46:56.720 Rings location in Oakley for the Bengals pep Rally Show 0:46:56.760 --> 0:47:01.040 from three to six. We hope to see you. That's 0:47:01.040 --> 0:47:02.880 going to do it for this episode of the Bengals 0:47:02.880 --> 0:47:07.520 Booth podcast, presented by Ultimate Bengals. Download Ultimate Bengals ahead 0:47:07.560 --> 0:47:10.120 of the twenty twenty two season. Gets free to play 0:47:10.239 --> 0:47:14.799 next level fantasy football with fantastic Bengals prizes. Get it 0:47:14.880 --> 0:47:17.680 now on the App Store and Google play and if 0:47:17.719 --> 0:47:20.560 you haven't done so already, please subscribe to this podcast 0:47:20.600 --> 0:47:22.080 and if you have a minute, give it a rating 0:47:22.200 --> 0:47:26.200 or share a comment that helps warm Bengals fans find us. 0:47:26.680 --> 0:47:29.720 I'm Dan Horde and thanks for listening to the Bengals 0:47:29.760 --> 0:47:30.960 Boot Podcast.