WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Our House 0:00:03.520 --> 0:00:06.320 Hi, get everybody. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.320 --> 0:00:12.399 The Bengals Booth Podcast. The house is a very very 0:00:12.560 --> 0:00:16.959 very fine house. Addition, as the Bengals play a home 0:00:17.000 --> 0:00:19.840 game for just the second time in six weeks as 0:00:19.880 --> 0:00:24.120 they host the Atlanta Falcons, coming up, Sirius XM NFL 0:00:24.239 --> 0:00:27.880 radio host Solomon Wilcots joins me to discuss the state 0:00:27.880 --> 0:00:31.319 of the Bengals after six games. Dave Lapham ways in 0:00:31.680 --> 0:00:34.479 on why the Bengals scored a season high thirty points 0:00:34.600 --> 0:00:38.360 last week. I'll chat with defensive tackle j to Fell 0:00:38.800 --> 0:00:40.880 who is going to play an important role, with DJ 0:00:41.080 --> 0:00:44.519 Reader and Josh Tupo out with injuries, and in our 0:00:44.560 --> 0:00:46.920 Know the Faux segment, we'll get the latest down the 0:00:46.960 --> 0:00:51.159 Falcons from their longtime radio voice, West Durham. The Bengals 0:00:51.200 --> 0:00:53.680 Booth Podcast is brought to you by Kettering Health, the 0:00:53.720 --> 0:00:56.920 official healthcare provider of the Bengals. With more than one 0:00:57.040 --> 0:01:01.560 hundred twenty care facilities and fifteen hundred care providers, Kettering 0:01:01.640 --> 0:01:04.639 Health is committed to guiding you to your best health. 0:01:05.080 --> 0:01:08.760 Visit ketteringhealth dot org to learn more. Now here's a 0:01:08.840 --> 0:01:11.280 quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of 0:01:11.319 --> 0:01:14.240 this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, or computer 0:01:14.360 --> 0:01:18.440 by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest 0:01:18.440 --> 0:01:23.679 thing since This week's Rulers of the Jungle on Sunday 0:01:23.680 --> 0:01:26.839 at pay Course Stadium. The pregame Hoo Day Chant will 0:01:26.880 --> 0:01:31.320 be led by former Bengal Devin Still and his daughter Leia. 0:01:31.400 --> 0:01:34.279 In twenty fourteen, when Devon was in his third season 0:01:34.319 --> 0:01:37.400 with the Bengals, Leah was diagnosed with a rare form 0:01:37.440 --> 0:01:40.440 of cancer. She was just four years old at the time. 0:01:41.000 --> 0:01:44.520 She's twelve now and cancer free, and it is going 0:01:44.520 --> 0:01:47.200 to be awesome to see Devin and Leia on the 0:01:47.200 --> 0:01:51.160 throne in the Jungle this Sunday. Now, let's look ahead 0:01:51.200 --> 0:01:54.720 to this week's game, beginning with a former Bengal turned 0:01:54.840 --> 0:01:59.280 Emmy Award winning broadcaster. It is always great to catch 0:01:59.400 --> 0:02:02.760 up with former Angle Super Bowl safety Solomon Wilcot's the 0:02:02.800 --> 0:02:07.600 host of the opening drive on Sirius XM NFL Radio, Sally. 0:02:07.680 --> 0:02:09.560 It's been a bit of a bumpy ride so far 0:02:09.639 --> 0:02:11.960 from the Bengals, but they find themselves tied for first 0:02:11.960 --> 0:02:14.840 in the AFC North at three and three. Assess the 0:02:14.919 --> 0:02:18.160 team through the first six games of the season. Well, look, 0:02:18.160 --> 0:02:20.280 it was a bumpy start, There's no doubt about it. 0:02:20.360 --> 0:02:22.360 You get off to the O two start and you 0:02:22.440 --> 0:02:25.520 get even at two and two. I think it's clear 0:02:25.600 --> 0:02:27.839 that in this league, if you get into a two 0:02:28.000 --> 0:02:30.920 or three game hole, man, it's tough to work your 0:02:30.960 --> 0:02:32.840 way out of it because you've got to spend so 0:02:33.000 --> 0:02:36.079 much energy just getting back to five hundred, and then 0:02:36.120 --> 0:02:38.799 you lose the next game, and then next thing you know, 0:02:38.880 --> 0:02:41.600 we're two and three. But we were fortunate. I thought 0:02:41.639 --> 0:02:43.600 the game against the New Orleans Saints it was the 0:02:43.639 --> 0:02:47.280 best we played on offense anyway, in terms of just 0:02:47.360 --> 0:02:50.840 having good balance, ran the ball very good with Joe Mixon, 0:02:51.200 --> 0:02:53.800 and then obviously forcing them to come out of the 0:02:53.800 --> 0:02:56.720 double coverage that Jamar Chase had been getting for the 0:02:56.760 --> 0:03:00.000 first month of the season. Once he gets single coverage, 0:03:00.480 --> 0:03:05.280 he's as good as open all day. And so I 0:03:05.320 --> 0:03:08.799 really do think the Saints game was not our best 0:03:08.960 --> 0:03:11.000 game as a football team, but it was certainly the 0:03:11.000 --> 0:03:13.679 best game for the offense. I thought we played very 0:03:13.720 --> 0:03:17.480 well in the Thursday night game against Miami was probably 0:03:17.760 --> 0:03:22.119 our most complete game offensively and defensively. Sally, we knew 0:03:22.160 --> 0:03:24.560 it might take a while for the offensive line to gel. 0:03:24.880 --> 0:03:28.440 Do you see that happening? Yeah, but we still have 0:03:28.600 --> 0:03:30.960 ways to go. You know. That goes to show you 0:03:31.040 --> 0:03:35.760 that in this game, practice matters. Time spent together, playing 0:03:35.800 --> 0:03:41.240 within a system for coaches, that matters, And yeah, you 0:03:41.280 --> 0:03:44.160 can go spend the money, But just because you throw 0:03:44.200 --> 0:03:46.720 a bunch of guys together with really good names on 0:03:46.760 --> 0:03:49.520 the back of their jerseys, as Dick lebou would say, 0:03:49.560 --> 0:03:52.440 it doesn't make you a good football team. The ability 0:03:52.480 --> 0:03:55.920 to play together and have that chemistry and even the 0:03:56.000 --> 0:03:59.880 non verbal communication goes such a long way into helping 0:04:00.000 --> 0:04:01.960 and be able to perform at a high level. And 0:04:02.000 --> 0:04:04.320 that's why you see the Buffalo Bills sort of in 0:04:04.360 --> 0:04:07.480 their position. These are players that have been on the team. 0:04:07.560 --> 0:04:10.120 They did add a von Miller to help the younger 0:04:10.160 --> 0:04:12.960 guys to improve, but these are players that have been 0:04:12.960 --> 0:04:16.200 playing together for a while in the same system offensively 0:04:16.560 --> 0:04:19.839 and on defense, that they've kept it intact and you 0:04:19.880 --> 0:04:22.599 see them playing at a very high level. Now we 0:04:22.680 --> 0:04:25.640 are visiting a former Bengal safety, Solomon Wilcots. You are 0:04:25.720 --> 0:04:28.560 part of one of the great secondaries in franchise history, 0:04:28.640 --> 0:04:31.919 the Swat team, the current group has adopted the nickname 0:04:31.960 --> 0:04:35.000 the Cleanup Crew. What stands out when you watch this 0:04:35.040 --> 0:04:42.320 group play chitterbay Ewoozier. He's just consistent in coverage and 0:04:42.400 --> 0:04:46.960 a very good tackler when asked to right. And I 0:04:47.000 --> 0:04:51.719 think our safety tandem of Jesse Bates and von Belle there, 0:04:51.839 --> 0:04:54.400 I mean, just a really good all around group. Great 0:04:54.440 --> 0:04:57.760 in coverage, great against the run. They're not afraid to 0:04:57.839 --> 0:05:01.040 lay their pads on people, which seemed to be something 0:05:01.080 --> 0:05:03.479 that we don't ask players to do a whole lot 0:05:03.680 --> 0:05:07.440 in today's NFL. But these guys are very willing tacklers. 0:05:08.000 --> 0:05:10.640 They understand and embrace the physical part of the game. 0:05:11.440 --> 0:05:15.160 And so I love the depth and versatility that they 0:05:15.160 --> 0:05:18.160 have in this secondary and they're just going to continue 0:05:18.160 --> 0:05:21.520 to get better. What was your reaction last Sunday when 0:05:21.600 --> 0:05:25.080 Joe Burrow walked into the Superdome wearing a game used 0:05:25.360 --> 0:05:29.360 Jamar Chase lsu Jersey. You know I said this on 0:05:29.360 --> 0:05:32.680 our podcast to Believe in Bigger Podcasts with Adam pac 0:05:32.760 --> 0:05:36.119 Man Jones. I said, this was like, you know, Babe Ruth, 0:05:36.200 --> 0:05:39.000 we all know it's kind of folk lower where Babe 0:05:39.040 --> 0:05:42.720 Ruth He pointed to left field with his bat. Next thing, 0:05:42.720 --> 0:05:44.760 you know, he knocks it out of the park and 0:05:44.839 --> 0:05:47.840 he hits it to left field, and as you will know, 0:05:48.160 --> 0:05:51.960 being the trite and true professional broadcaster that you are, 0:05:52.839 --> 0:05:57.560 that's called calling your shot, right. It's sort of a 0:05:57.600 --> 0:06:01.440 nonverbal communication saying here's what I'm about to do, and 0:06:01.480 --> 0:06:04.400 then you do it. So that was Joe Burrow saying, 0:06:05.279 --> 0:06:08.120 we're getting ready to have a big day, and here's 0:06:08.160 --> 0:06:11.240 the guy that I'm gonna be throwing the ball too. 0:06:11.440 --> 0:06:14.680 Here's the guy that's gonna like gonna beat you all day. 0:06:15.040 --> 0:06:18.160 And that's exactly what happened. Fifteen yard tests down past 0:06:18.240 --> 0:06:21.320 the Jamar Chase, and then the sixty yard game winner 0:06:21.360 --> 0:06:24.479 to break it all open. I know they didn't have 0:06:24.520 --> 0:06:28.000 a cigar after this one, but they could have. They 0:06:28.040 --> 0:06:31.520 could have. Sally, you're part of the Super Bowl team 0:06:31.520 --> 0:06:34.039 in nineteen eighty eight. It obviously took a while for 0:06:34.080 --> 0:06:37.159 the Bengals to get back. How competent are you that 0:06:37.240 --> 0:06:39.640 the Bengals will return to the Super Bowl in the 0:06:39.720 --> 0:06:44.440 Joe Burrow era. I'm confident of that, but it's not 0:06:44.480 --> 0:06:47.800 gonna be easy. Right. The AFC is loaded, the other 0:06:47.839 --> 0:06:51.680 teams have good quarterbacks, too. They understand the metrics of 0:06:52.080 --> 0:06:54.599 you've got to be good at the quarterback position. You 0:06:54.680 --> 0:06:57.160 gotta be good on the back end of your defense. 0:06:57.240 --> 0:07:00.480 Defenses today and our NFL are built from the back 0:07:00.520 --> 0:07:05.000 to the front. Bill Belichick understands that. Sean McDermott and 0:07:05.120 --> 0:07:11.280 Buffalo understands that. The Eagles in Philadelphia understand it. And 0:07:11.320 --> 0:07:14.600 so you've got to be able to keep people from 0:07:14.600 --> 0:07:16.960 throwing the ball over your head, and when they do try, 0:07:17.000 --> 0:07:18.640 you got to be able to pick it off and 0:07:18.680 --> 0:07:21.200 you better have a good pass rush. And I think 0:07:21.200 --> 0:07:23.960 the Rams showed us that. I think von Miller jumping 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:26.720 over to the Buffalo Bills, I think speaks to more 0:07:26.760 --> 0:07:29.840 of that. And so no, I think we got to 0:07:29.840 --> 0:07:33.160 continue to build around Joe. But he is I think 0:07:33.200 --> 0:07:37.000 he's invested not just improving his game, but making this 0:07:37.360 --> 0:07:40.520 one of the model franchises. And as we've seen, people 0:07:40.520 --> 0:07:43.800 want to play with him. So he's the fourth multiplier 0:07:43.840 --> 0:07:45.880 and you've got to have one of those. That's what 0:07:46.360 --> 0:07:49.760 Indianapolis had in a Peyton Manning, That's what the Patriots had, 0:07:49.760 --> 0:07:52.440 and Tom Brady and the Packers have had so long 0:07:52.880 --> 0:07:55.880 with Brett Farve and Aaron Rodgers, and we like to 0:07:55.880 --> 0:07:58.520 believe that we have that same thing at quarterback in 0:07:58.600 --> 0:08:01.280 Joe Burrow. So the Falcon come to town this Sunday. 0:08:01.320 --> 0:08:03.760 Atlanta's rushed for at least one hundred and fifty yards 0:08:03.800 --> 0:08:06.880 in five out of six games. Is stopping the run 0:08:07.000 --> 0:08:10.360 is holding the Falcons to a reasonable number the biggest 0:08:10.440 --> 0:08:14.040 key on Sunday. Yeah. I mean, here's a couple of things. 0:08:14.040 --> 0:08:16.000 You got to keep them under a buck fifty because 0:08:16.000 --> 0:08:18.240 they've been over one hundred and fifty each of the 0:08:18.320 --> 0:08:21.360 last three games. I mean, when they got one hundred 0:08:21.400 --> 0:08:24.960 and fifty plush yards on Tampa, I was really impressed. 0:08:25.120 --> 0:08:27.240 And they did that two weeks ago. Three weeks ago 0:08:27.280 --> 0:08:30.880 they went for two hundred against Cleveland, and then last 0:08:30.920 --> 0:08:33.760 week against the really good forty nine or defense, I 0:08:33.760 --> 0:08:36.840 think they had one hundred and sixty eight yards rushing 0:08:36.840 --> 0:08:40.720 the football. And they have the fewest three and outs 0:08:40.760 --> 0:08:44.400 of any offense international Football League, So they know how 0:08:44.480 --> 0:08:46.680 to stay on the field on third down. So that's 0:08:46.720 --> 0:08:48.679 what we have to do. Defensively. We're gonna have to 0:08:48.679 --> 0:08:51.160 hold up against their run game, but we got to 0:08:51.200 --> 0:08:53.360 get them off the field when they get to third down. 0:08:54.000 --> 0:08:57.000 More importantly, our offense can help with this. Right if 0:08:57.040 --> 0:09:00.520 in Joe Burrow I think alluded to that your offense 0:09:00.559 --> 0:09:04.440 can get a ten point lead and keep and stay 0:09:04.440 --> 0:09:07.439 ahead on the scoreboard. Arthur Smith is not going to 0:09:07.520 --> 0:09:10.559 stick with that run game. There's no NFL offense that's 0:09:10.600 --> 0:09:13.880 gonna keep looking at that scoreboard. You down by two scores, 0:09:13.880 --> 0:09:16.880 and you're gonna call yourself running your way back into 0:09:16.920 --> 0:09:19.319 the ball game. You're gonna have to start throwing it 0:09:19.800 --> 0:09:23.160 right now. The Atlanta Falcons only average about twenty three 0:09:23.200 --> 0:09:26.959 pass attempts per game, one of the lowest in the league, 0:09:27.000 --> 0:09:31.439 so they clearly don't want Marcus Mariota throwing the ball. 0:09:31.520 --> 0:09:34.439 They'd rather have him running the ball. And not just 0:09:34.559 --> 0:09:37.959 our defense, but our offense can play a role in 0:09:38.200 --> 0:09:40.760 forcing them to do the things they don't want to do, 0:09:40.800 --> 0:09:43.400 and that's have to throw the football. Let me follow 0:09:43.440 --> 0:09:46.000 up by Marcus Mariota. I'll be honest. I thought Desmond 0:09:46.040 --> 0:09:48.600 Ritter would be starting for the Falcons by week seven 0:09:48.600 --> 0:09:51.280 of the season, but Mariotta has played well. He completed 0:09:51.360 --> 0:09:53.880 thirteen passes in a row last week in that win 0:09:53.920 --> 0:09:55.760 over the forty nine ers. What do you think of 0:09:55.800 --> 0:09:59.439 Marcus Mariota at this stage of his career, he's serviceable. 0:10:00.000 --> 0:10:03.119 I've always liked Marcus, even when he was in in Tennessee. 0:10:03.160 --> 0:10:06.520 I thought put in the right offense. The guy is 0:10:06.559 --> 0:10:09.960 a He's just a really fine young man. He does 0:10:10.000 --> 0:10:13.680 all the right things. His teammates love him, they really do. 0:10:14.040 --> 0:10:16.640 And Arthur Smith understood it. That's why he went and 0:10:16.640 --> 0:10:19.440 traded for him. You know, even though Marcus Mariota went 0:10:19.480 --> 0:10:21.920 to the Raiders, but when Arthur Smith had been the 0:10:22.000 --> 0:10:25.359 offensive coordinated with the Titans, he had had Marcus Mariota 0:10:25.400 --> 0:10:28.040 there with him. And since he became the head coach 0:10:28.080 --> 0:10:31.400 over in Atlanta, he felt that Marcus would be a 0:10:31.800 --> 0:10:37.440 low cost assembly to this offense. And it's worked out. Listen, 0:10:37.480 --> 0:10:39.600 he's saving the team money. I'm talking about the head 0:10:39.600 --> 0:10:43.800 coach now. He improved the quarterback position with where the 0:10:43.840 --> 0:10:48.160 team is today and also lower the cost for what 0:10:48.320 --> 0:10:50.720 they have to pay for a quarterback. That to me, 0:10:50.800 --> 0:10:53.320 that's what good coaches do. They find a way to 0:10:53.400 --> 0:10:57.040 make the team better without having to break the owner's 0:10:57.080 --> 0:11:00.200 wallet to do it. And that's why Arthur Smith, he 0:11:00.240 --> 0:11:02.760 has his team tied for first place in the NFC 0:11:02.880 --> 0:11:06.559 North excuse me. In the NFC South Division, last thing 0:11:06.559 --> 0:11:09.960 for Solomon Wilcot's j readers out. He's missed three games. 0:11:10.040 --> 0:11:12.760 Josh Tupo is going to be out this week. Logan 0:11:12.800 --> 0:11:16.200 Wilson is questionable with a shoulder injury. How big of 0:11:16.240 --> 0:11:18.720 an issue is that for a defense when the spine 0:11:18.800 --> 0:11:22.760 the guys in the middle are out or might be out. Look, 0:11:22.800 --> 0:11:25.319 I said, this is the game that we need dj Ripper. 0:11:25.480 --> 0:11:28.280 I mean, I mean, if he's back in this game, 0:11:28.480 --> 0:11:30.520 I'm very confident they're not going to be able to 0:11:30.600 --> 0:11:32.880 run the ball on this Now you take Josh Tupo out, 0:11:33.640 --> 0:11:35.800 man makes it really tough. I mean, you've got to 0:11:35.800 --> 0:11:38.000 be able to hold up at the point in the 0:11:38.040 --> 0:11:40.640 middle of your defense, and particularly against teams like this 0:11:40.720 --> 0:11:44.200 that are gonna run at thirty close to almost forty 0:11:44.240 --> 0:11:46.440 times in a ball game, and you need to have 0:11:46.480 --> 0:11:50.959 the rotation on your defensive line. I think the rookie, 0:11:51.080 --> 0:11:53.240 you know, Zach Carter, I think he'll hold up well. 0:11:53.760 --> 0:11:56.959 He's a durable, very versatile guy, but he is a rookie. 0:11:57.559 --> 0:12:01.160 He can play both the run and penetrate and get 0:12:01.200 --> 0:12:04.120 a pressure on the quarterback equally as well. It's a 0:12:04.200 --> 0:12:06.000 big spot for him, but it is more than just 0:12:06.040 --> 0:12:08.040 about him. I think it's going to be about the 0:12:08.160 --> 0:12:11.840 rotation of those guys on the interior. Let's see how 0:12:11.880 --> 0:12:15.040 we do. It's going to be a real challenge. Sally. 0:12:15.160 --> 0:12:18.280 Always appreciate your time and your insight. Keep up the 0:12:18.280 --> 0:12:21.720 great work and thanks again, Thanks Dere greatly appreciate you. 0:12:21.800 --> 0:12:25.480 Thanks for having The Bengals Booth podcast is presented by 0:12:25.640 --> 0:12:29.200 Bengals Picks and Ultimate Bengals. They're free to play with 0:12:29.240 --> 0:12:33.359 tickets and signed merchandise up for grabs. Find both inside 0:12:33.400 --> 0:12:37.480 the Bengals app. Solomon Wilcots called last week's game against 0:12:37.520 --> 0:12:40.960 the Saints the bengals best offensive performance of the season. 0:12:41.440 --> 0:12:44.120 The numbers back it up, as the Bengals scored thirty 0:12:44.200 --> 0:12:47.360 or more points for the first time in eleven games 0:12:47.400 --> 0:12:50.480 going back to last year. Joe Burrow had a season 0:12:50.559 --> 0:12:53.920 high passer rating of one twenty six. Jamar Chase had 0:12:53.920 --> 0:12:56.680 a season high one hundred thirty two receiving yards, and 0:12:56.760 --> 0:12:59.640 while the Bengals only ran the ball fourteen times, those 0:12:59.760 --> 0:13:05.120 rhymes averaged five point four yards. So has the offense 0:13:05.440 --> 0:13:10.440 turned a corner? Here's my broadcast partner, Dave Lapham an 0:13:10.480 --> 0:13:15.959 identity standpoint, what they found out is accentuate the positive 0:13:17.000 --> 0:13:19.520 and stay away from things they're not doing quite as 0:13:19.520 --> 0:13:22.560 well they were trying to. I thought I thought forced 0:13:22.559 --> 0:13:24.560 the issue a little bit with the stretch running game. 0:13:25.280 --> 0:13:27.760 You know, they're trying to get that ball outside outside 0:13:27.840 --> 0:13:30.800 zone stretch game, and they had mixed results with it. 0:13:32.120 --> 0:13:36.040 What they're doing now, I really like gap stuff. You know, 0:13:36.559 --> 0:13:41.520 you seal seal the edge, pull a lineman, power, gap 0:13:41.600 --> 0:13:45.600 blocking power, getting one more player at the point of 0:13:45.600 --> 0:13:48.160 attack than they have on the defensive side of it. 0:13:48.640 --> 0:13:51.960 Double teaming coming off at the linebacker level in between 0:13:52.000 --> 0:13:55.040 the tackles, just hammering the ball. Let you'll mix and square, 0:13:55.080 --> 0:13:59.280 shoulder pads up and go downhill. I think that's their 0:13:59.360 --> 0:14:02.000 run game entity. I think they've found that to be 0:14:02.040 --> 0:14:04.800 the case. The other one, you know, it should be 0:14:05.280 --> 0:14:10.280 instead of the power inside running game being an appetizer 0:14:10.640 --> 0:14:13.800 to the main course of the stretch reverse it. Let 0:14:13.880 --> 0:14:17.320 the let the full meal be that power running game 0:14:17.520 --> 0:14:20.360 and the appetizer be the outside game. You know, just 0:14:20.720 --> 0:14:22.960 don't don't try to force you to do things that 0:14:23.600 --> 0:14:26.560 you're not able to get done. As as a football team, 0:14:26.880 --> 0:14:31.200 accentuate your strengths and minimize your weaknesses, you know, And 0:14:31.280 --> 0:14:35.080 I think that's a big factor. The other thing that 0:14:35.200 --> 0:14:39.560 our APO that run pass option game now, I think 0:14:39.560 --> 0:14:43.720 that they found out that they're a team that fits 0:14:43.800 --> 0:14:46.680 from a personnel standpoint with the big powerful guys they 0:14:46.720 --> 0:14:50.760 have inside running the ball from the shotgun and then RPO. 0:14:51.120 --> 0:14:54.080 It's like the play action look from the shotgun, and 0:14:54.320 --> 0:14:57.640 I'm telling you're looking at tape. Joe Mixon could rush 0:14:57.680 --> 0:15:00.640 for over a hundred yards. They were a huge gain 0:15:01.000 --> 0:15:04.120 gaps in there in there in the defensive front for 0:15:04.200 --> 0:15:06.640 the Saints. I mean they were gashing them, and Joe 0:15:06.640 --> 0:15:08.200 would pull it out of there and throw it because 0:15:08.200 --> 0:15:10.520 he was gashing them in the passing game. So when 0:15:10.520 --> 0:15:12.560 you're in a situation where you look at it after 0:15:12.600 --> 0:15:15.400 the fact and could have run it for good yards 0:15:15.600 --> 0:15:18.200 and throw it for good yards, you got the linebackers 0:15:18.240 --> 0:15:21.200 saying what do I do? And that's exactly what happened. 0:15:21.320 --> 0:15:24.560 The linebackers were frozen. I mean the linebackers didn't know 0:15:24.600 --> 0:15:27.440 what to do. And when you can when you can 0:15:28.160 --> 0:15:31.480 take control of it that way, and you're punching and 0:15:31.600 --> 0:15:34.000 making them CounterPunch, and they don't know what to do 0:15:34.040 --> 0:15:36.760 to CounterPunch. You're gonna score thirty points like they did. 0:15:36.840 --> 0:15:40.480 So I think we're gonna see them accentuate. They found 0:15:40.480 --> 0:15:43.480 out who they are. Accentuate those positives and don't try 0:15:43.480 --> 0:15:46.160 to force feed things that you know you've found out 0:15:46.200 --> 0:15:49.240 you can't really do. But you're gonna have to be 0:15:49.280 --> 0:15:52.280 able to do it at some point because somebody's gonna 0:15:52.280 --> 0:15:54.880 come up with a defensive game plan. It's it's all 0:15:54.960 --> 0:15:57.480 in the NFL. It's all about adjustments, and they're gonna 0:15:57.560 --> 0:16:00.440 they're gonna face somebody who is gonna say, all right, 0:16:00.520 --> 0:16:02.640 I've come up both the way to take away this 0:16:03.000 --> 0:16:05.200 RPO stuff in the inside running game, where do you 0:16:05.280 --> 0:16:10.080 got So it's the NFL. You're always evolving and that's 0:16:10.080 --> 0:16:13.000 that's the key to success in this league. The Bengals 0:16:13.000 --> 0:16:17.280 Booth Podcast is presented by Alta Fiber future proof fiber 0:16:17.320 --> 0:16:21.480 Internet capable of delivering multi gigabit speeds designed to take 0:16:21.520 --> 0:16:24.800 your home, business, and community to a new level elevates 0:16:24.840 --> 0:16:27.880 your connection with all too fiber. In the first three 0:16:27.920 --> 0:16:30.320 games of the season, when the Bengals still had DJ 0:16:30.520 --> 0:16:33.560 reader in the middle of their defense, Cincinnati was allowing 0:16:33.640 --> 0:16:36.800 eighty six rushing yards per game and three point seven 0:16:36.840 --> 0:16:41.040 yards per carry, both top ten in the NFL. In 0:16:41.120 --> 0:16:44.520 three games without DJ, they're allowing one hundred and fifty 0:16:44.560 --> 0:16:48.800 six rushing yards per game and five point six per carry. 0:16:48.960 --> 0:16:52.080 The Saints had a whopping two hundred twenty eight yards 0:16:52.120 --> 0:16:55.760 on the ground last week. Now they face an Atlanta 0:16:55.840 --> 0:16:59.720 team that runs seventy percent of the time on first down, 0:17:00.200 --> 0:17:04.200 the highest percentage in the league. With reader Josh Tupo 0:17:04.280 --> 0:17:07.280 and Jeff Gunter all unavailable on the d line and 0:17:07.480 --> 0:17:11.000 linebacker Logan Wilson questionable with his shoulder injury, one of 0:17:11.040 --> 0:17:12.600 the guys who will be counted on to play a 0:17:12.640 --> 0:17:16.200 bigger role is defensive tackle Jay two fell A, who 0:17:16.240 --> 0:17:18.919 has claimed off waivers from Jacksonville at the end of 0:17:18.960 --> 0:17:23.480 training camp. I spoke with him this week. Jay major 0:17:23.520 --> 0:17:26.000 Bengal's debut last week and played a big role in 0:17:26.040 --> 0:17:29.080 the win. Six tackles, and that was in just twenty 0:17:29.080 --> 0:17:31.800 three defensive snaps. Describe what it meant to you to 0:17:31.800 --> 0:17:34.240 get your first opportunity to contribute and to play well 0:17:34.240 --> 0:17:38.360 in a win. Man, I'm very grateful, very grateful. First off, 0:17:38.359 --> 0:17:41.440 I just want to you know, glory goes to them, 0:17:41.560 --> 0:17:44.560 you know, the most high guy. I'm always put in first. 0:17:45.160 --> 0:17:47.280 But for me, the most part, it was just you know, 0:17:47.400 --> 0:17:50.360 I wanted to, you know, make sure that I could 0:17:50.400 --> 0:17:53.359 help my brothers and you know, step up and be 0:17:53.400 --> 0:17:55.920 able to make the plays and you know, be able 0:17:55.960 --> 0:17:57.439 to come out with this one. So you know, it 0:17:57.480 --> 0:18:01.000 was a big team effort. I was just playing my part, 0:18:01.080 --> 0:18:03.400 doing my role, and uh, you know, I'm really grateful 0:18:03.480 --> 0:18:06.240 that you know, they was counting on me, and you know, 0:18:06.280 --> 0:18:08.120 I don't want to let my my teammates down. That's 0:18:08.200 --> 0:18:10.480 that's the biggest thing for me. So I was very grateful. 0:18:11.200 --> 0:18:14.240 We're chatting with JA two fell a. DJ Reader has 0:18:14.280 --> 0:18:16.720 been out for a few weeks. Josh Tupo heard his 0:18:16.840 --> 0:18:20.320 calf last week. They are both excellent against the run. 0:18:20.760 --> 0:18:24.200 Do you consider that to be your strength? Uh? Yeah, 0:18:24.200 --> 0:18:26.479 I mean I've I've always been uh you know, been 0:18:26.520 --> 0:18:29.080 able to play the run. Uh really well, you know 0:18:29.160 --> 0:18:34.399 throughout high school and college and uh, for me, you know, 0:18:34.440 --> 0:18:36.159 it was just being able to watch those guys in 0:18:36.200 --> 0:18:39.280 front of me, uh DJ and Big Tupo, and uh, 0:18:39.320 --> 0:18:41.240 you know, watch how they play and then you know 0:18:41.359 --> 0:18:44.720 just uh piggyback off of that, and you know, try 0:18:45.040 --> 0:18:48.080 try to do my best to to correlate you know, 0:18:48.119 --> 0:18:50.760 what the what they what they do. Obviously I can't 0:18:50.800 --> 0:18:53.399 you know that those guys are health players. Uh you know, 0:18:53.440 --> 0:18:55.720 they're they're beasts in their own right. So for me, 0:18:55.840 --> 0:18:57.960 you know, it was it was just really awesome to 0:18:58.240 --> 0:19:00.480 you know, come in there and be able to you know, 0:19:00.560 --> 0:19:03.159 be uh counted on and and uh know that you 0:19:03.200 --> 0:19:05.840 know we're gonna stop the run and it's just the 0:19:05.960 --> 0:19:08.760 next man up. So it was really awesome. You had 0:19:08.760 --> 0:19:11.199 a broken hand last year in your rookie season with 0:19:11.320 --> 0:19:14.800 Jacksonville and missed part of the season. How eager are 0:19:14.840 --> 0:19:17.920 you to show what you can do giving regular playing 0:19:17.960 --> 0:19:21.360 time in the NFL. Oh man, I'm I'm really uh 0:19:21.400 --> 0:19:24.199 you know, I'm really excited. I'm really here, uh you know, 0:19:24.280 --> 0:19:27.680 just to prove myself, uh to show you know, my teammates, 0:19:28.320 --> 0:19:31.399 uh that you know, I'm here to win games. And 0:19:31.440 --> 0:19:33.919 then I'm here. You know, I'm all in uh for 0:19:34.000 --> 0:19:35.919 this team, and you know I'm gonna give it, you know, 0:19:36.400 --> 0:19:38.439 my heart and soul and and uh, you know everything. 0:19:38.440 --> 0:19:40.280 I got into this game here because I love it 0:19:40.600 --> 0:19:42.720 and I just want to prove to my teammates and uh, 0:19:42.760 --> 0:19:45.600 you know everybody else in the league that you know, 0:19:45.640 --> 0:19:50.119 I'm uh, I'm here to be great and uh you know, um, 0:19:50.240 --> 0:19:52.480 I'm just really blessed to be here in this organization 0:19:52.560 --> 0:19:56.280 and be with the Bengals. So it's awesome. We're chatting 0:19:56.280 --> 0:19:59.000 with j two fl a Bengals defensive lineman. You went 0:19:59.000 --> 0:20:01.959 through training camp with j Axonville. I assume they were 0:20:01.960 --> 0:20:05.000 planning to put you on the practice squad after the 0:20:05.119 --> 0:20:08.640 end of training camp, but the Bengals swooped in and 0:20:08.720 --> 0:20:10.439 I claimed you off waivers, and I know they were 0:20:10.480 --> 0:20:13.639 really happy to bring you into this organization. I imagine 0:20:13.680 --> 0:20:15.600 that's kind of a whirlwind, though, when you're going through 0:20:15.600 --> 0:20:17.280 that as a player. What was that like for you? 0:20:17.640 --> 0:20:19.840 I'm not gonna lie it was. It was a world win, 0:20:20.280 --> 0:20:25.199 really really tough, you know, uh, thinking that you know 0:20:25.240 --> 0:20:27.800 you're you're going to be in uh in one place, 0:20:27.840 --> 0:20:30.200 and the next thing you know, your whole world gets 0:20:30.240 --> 0:20:35.000 flipped over. But for me, you know, I'm I'm used 0:20:35.040 --> 0:20:37.760 to you know, I'm used I'm used to be putting 0:20:37.800 --> 0:20:41.360 into like awkward situations, and you know, for me, it's 0:20:41.359 --> 0:20:43.600 just putting my best foot forward and going to work, 0:20:44.040 --> 0:20:48.040 and uh, you know, the opportunity came and Cincinnati called, 0:20:48.720 --> 0:20:51.040 and I was all for it. You know, I was 0:20:51.200 --> 0:20:53.080 for me. I was going to give them, uh, you know, 0:20:53.160 --> 0:20:55.000 my heart and soul and show them that, you know, 0:20:55.119 --> 0:20:57.600 I desire to be in this league and uh you 0:20:57.640 --> 0:21:01.159 know why they picked me, and uh for that, it 0:21:01.240 --> 0:21:03.280 was it was really hard, you know to leave my 0:21:03.320 --> 0:21:06.760 teammates out and Jackson I had, you know, good friends, Uh, 0:21:06.920 --> 0:21:09.040 good good guys. But you know, it's a business at 0:21:09.040 --> 0:21:11.159 the end of the day. And I'm really grateful that 0:21:11.200 --> 0:21:15.000 I'm here in this organization. And oh and we're able 0:21:15.040 --> 0:21:17.320 to play some really good football and to learn some 0:21:17.880 --> 0:21:20.920 from some really good, uh, really good players on my team. 0:21:20.960 --> 0:21:23.640 So I'm I'm blessed in that way. You've been here 0:21:23.640 --> 0:21:25.600 now for about a month and a half. What stands 0:21:25.600 --> 0:21:29.199 out about your coaches and teammates here? Oh? Man, I 0:21:29.240 --> 0:21:31.719 mean from the first day I walked in, Uh, it 0:21:31.840 --> 0:21:35.439