WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Final Countdown 0:00:03.600 --> 0:00:06.519 I get everybody on Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.519 --> 0:00:14.040 The Bengals Booth Podcast. Uh it's the final countdown addition 0:00:14.360 --> 0:00:17.040 as we look ahead to Sunday season opener against the 0:00:17.079 --> 0:00:20.759 Los Angeles Chargers. By the way, I don't know about you, 0:00:21.000 --> 0:00:27.840 but I can't hear that song or even without thinking 0:00:27.880 --> 0:00:33.880 of Joe Blooth performing tricks make that illusions unarrested development 0:00:34.479 --> 0:00:37.120 coming up, my one on one conversation with tight end 0:00:37.200 --> 0:00:39.720 c j u Zamba, who compares the Bengals to a 0:00:39.880 --> 0:00:44.240 peewee football team in a good way. Then Dave Lapham 0:00:44.360 --> 0:00:47.519 joins me to look at three of Sunday's biggest storylines, 0:00:48.040 --> 0:00:50.839 and finally it's our No the Faux segment as we 0:00:50.920 --> 0:00:53.639 get the scoop on the Chargers from Joe Ready, who 0:00:53.680 --> 0:00:57.120 covers the team for the Associated Press in Los Angeles. 0:00:57.520 --> 0:01:01.120 The Bengals Booth Podcast is presented by Sport, the official 0:01:01.160 --> 0:01:04.880 hospitality partner of the Cincinnati Bengals. And here's a quick 0:01:04.880 --> 0:01:07.119 reminder that you can add the latest edition of this 0:01:07.240 --> 0:01:11.039 podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, or computer by 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:16.039 subscribing on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or pod Bean. 0:01:16.400 --> 0:01:21.760 It's the greatest thing since dark chocolate. I stumbled upon 0:01:21.800 --> 0:01:24.800 a pack of dark chocolate Reese's Peanut buttercups for the 0:01:24.840 --> 0:01:28.959 first time, and it confirmed by longstanding belief the dark 0:01:29.040 --> 0:01:33.800 chocolate is vastly superior to milk chocolate. But that's not all. 0:01:34.040 --> 0:01:37.800 According to healthline dot com, dark chocolate is loaded with 0:01:37.920 --> 0:01:42.000 nutrients that can positively affect your health. Made from the 0:01:42.120 --> 0:01:44.120 seed of the cocoa tree, it is one of the 0:01:44.160 --> 0:01:47.920 best sources of antioxidants on the planet, and studies show 0:01:47.960 --> 0:01:50.680 the dark chocolate can lower the risk of heart disease. 0:01:51.000 --> 0:01:53.720 So I think I'll go ahead and eat a case 0:01:54.000 --> 0:01:57.520 of those dark chocolate Reeses Peanut butter cups, you know, 0:01:58.280 --> 0:02:03.360 for my health. Let's get to football. The Bengals opened 0:02:03.400 --> 0:02:06.160 the season on Sunday at four oh five against the 0:02:06.360 --> 0:02:11.000 LA Chargers. Cincinnati's a three point underdog. This week, I 0:02:11.080 --> 0:02:13.480 had the opportunity to preview the game at a one 0:02:13.520 --> 0:02:17.840 on one visit with tight end cj Uzama. CJ. Professional 0:02:17.840 --> 0:02:21.280 athletes always sound optimistic heading into the season, but one 0:02:21.360 --> 0:02:24.359 specifically gives you confidence that this could be a good year. 0:02:24.480 --> 0:02:26.160 I just think the chemistry that we have, you know, 0:02:26.240 --> 0:02:28.600 I think in the locker room, hanging out with the 0:02:28.680 --> 0:02:31.919 defensive guys, and you know, this is a team chemistry 0:02:31.919 --> 0:02:33.800 that I haven't seen in a really long time, you know, 0:02:33.840 --> 0:02:36.600 getting back to maybe Pema years, if we're being completely honest. 0:02:36.600 --> 0:02:40.040 So just just the team chemistry that we have and 0:02:41.080 --> 0:02:43.880 the will for one another. You know, we're truly playing 0:02:43.919 --> 0:02:46.079 for the guid next to us, and we're a locker 0:02:46.160 --> 0:02:48.880 room full of brothers right now. And yeah, we're excited. 0:02:48.880 --> 0:02:50.960 We're excited to get out get out there and not 0:02:51.040 --> 0:02:53.560 hit each other for the first time and really just 0:02:53.600 --> 0:02:56.280 show you know, what we're about and what this new 0:02:56.360 --> 0:02:59.280 year means to us. So the chemistry on this team 0:02:59.320 --> 0:03:02.840 reminds you peewee football or minds of purie football and 0:03:02.960 --> 0:03:05.440 just hanging out, messing with one another, like you know, 0:03:05.440 --> 0:03:08.600 it's it's it's good vibes, you know, it's it's really um, 0:03:08.639 --> 0:03:10.600 it's it's something that you know, we we come in 0:03:10.639 --> 0:03:13.040 and we're competing, you know, I'm competing against Bond and um, 0:03:13.080 --> 0:03:15.480 these these you know, secondary people and all this stuff, 0:03:15.480 --> 0:03:18.320 and then we come inside and you know, we're we're brothers. 0:03:18.400 --> 0:03:20.920 You know, we're hanging out, we're talking shop where um, 0:03:21.000 --> 0:03:23.400 it's nice. It is. It is. Uh, it's something I 0:03:23.440 --> 0:03:25.639 haven't seen in a long time. We're chatting with tight 0:03:25.720 --> 0:03:29.040 end C. J Uzama. When asked about Joe Burrow recently, 0:03:29.120 --> 0:03:32.880 you said, quote, he's a beast, He's an absolute animal. 0:03:33.480 --> 0:03:36.000 What has he done to earn your respect before you've 0:03:36.000 --> 0:03:38.600 ever played a game? I think just the command that 0:03:38.640 --> 0:03:42.000 he has, you know, I think, um, we're going over situations, 0:03:42.000 --> 0:03:44.320 we're going over plays, and he's stopping the meeting sometimes 0:03:44.320 --> 0:03:47.400 and saying, hey, and this situation, you know, you can 0:03:47.440 --> 0:03:49.120 do it like this or in this situation, we can 0:03:49.240 --> 0:03:51.520 check it to this or you know, we're gonna do this. 0:03:51.720 --> 0:03:53.840 And and I think you know, as a rookie, as 0:03:53.880 --> 0:03:55.520 a quarterback in journal, you want to see that, you know, 0:03:55.520 --> 0:03:57.520 you want to see someone who takes control and takes 0:03:57.560 --> 0:03:59.120 him in of a huddle and things like that. But 0:03:59.520 --> 0:04:01.760 I think you know him coming in and you know, 0:04:01.800 --> 0:04:05.520 showing the assertiveness that he has so early on and 0:04:06.160 --> 0:04:07.640 in such a way that we're like, oh, nice, like 0:04:07.680 --> 0:04:09.280 we can't do that, all right, nice Like, all right, 0:04:09.280 --> 0:04:10.640 that's a that's a good check that we have. Oh 0:04:10.680 --> 0:04:12.640 we can run this shout this way against this coverage 0:04:12.680 --> 0:04:14.720 or against this leverage. I think things like that that 0:04:14.760 --> 0:04:16.920 really sticks out to you and that resonates in your mind, 0:04:16.920 --> 0:04:18.960 and that kind of gives you He's like, oh nice, 0:04:19.000 --> 0:04:20.719 he knows what he's gonna do. He's gonna get us 0:04:20.720 --> 0:04:22.520 in the best possible play and it's up to us 0:04:22.520 --> 0:04:25.480 to make the plays. CJ and the most significant scrimmage 0:04:25.600 --> 0:04:28.960 inside of Paul Brown Stadium, Joe's first two passes and 0:04:29.080 --> 0:04:31.960 three of the first five we're thrown to you. Did 0:04:32.040 --> 0:04:34.120 you take that as a good sign for how the 0:04:34.120 --> 0:04:37.760 tight ends will be used this year? Thousand percent. No, 0:04:37.920 --> 0:04:40.520 that's that's always. It's always. Uh. It means a lot 0:04:40.520 --> 0:04:43.360 to me in particular, and then to the tight end 0:04:43.400 --> 0:04:46.440 group knowing that you know, we're we're we're in his mind. 0:04:46.600 --> 0:04:48.440 You know we're we're we're going to be involved in 0:04:48.440 --> 0:04:51.400 the in the playbook. And um, I think I've mentioned 0:04:51.400 --> 0:04:53.520 this before. I want the onus on us. I want 0:04:53.600 --> 0:04:56.159 us to be stressed, whether it's um, you know, a 0:04:56.160 --> 0:04:59.280 passing play or running play, protection, whatever the cause is. 0:04:59.400 --> 0:05:02.599 I want I want that pressure. So uh yeah, having 0:05:02.720 --> 0:05:05.000 having those passes thrown early in that scream and I 0:05:05.120 --> 0:05:06.719 was like, all right, here we go. This is this 0:05:06.800 --> 0:05:09.600 is Um, something I can look forward to. Hopefully. There 0:05:09.600 --> 0:05:13.320 were no preseason games this year and limited tackling in practice. 0:05:13.640 --> 0:05:16.760 From your perspective heading into your sixth NFL season, is 0:05:16.760 --> 0:05:19.000 that a good thing or a bad thing? I think 0:05:19.040 --> 0:05:20.440 I think the coach has kind of prepared us in 0:05:20.440 --> 0:05:23.120 a in a in a good way. UM, with you know, 0:05:23.200 --> 0:05:26.000 having no preseason games. UM, I think it's gonna be 0:05:26.560 --> 0:05:29.600 more so for me. I'm I'm I mean, like I like, 0:05:29.600 --> 0:05:31.600 like you said, this is my sixty year so I've 0:05:31.680 --> 0:05:33.960 kind of, um, I'm used to speed of the game 0:05:34.160 --> 0:05:37.159 and things like that. I think more so for the rookies. UM, 0:05:37.400 --> 0:05:39.600 I think, you know, defensively, they've been doing some tackling 0:05:39.640 --> 0:05:41.719 drills and things like that, and UM, we've been doing 0:05:41.800 --> 0:05:44.400 we've been opening up kind of with like a tackling station, 0:05:44.880 --> 0:05:48.160 um with most practices. So yeah, I think I think 0:05:48.200 --> 0:05:51.080 we prepared ourselves, um, and in a really good way. 0:05:51.080 --> 0:05:52.960 I think kind of the coaches, know you know this 0:05:53.279 --> 0:05:56.080 with with not having as much live contact, with not 0:05:56.160 --> 0:05:58.640 having these preseason games, that needs to be a mindset 0:05:58.960 --> 0:06:01.240 in an m O. So, UM, I'm expecting us to 0:06:01.240 --> 0:06:04.800 come out and not have you know, mistackles and um, 0:06:04.839 --> 0:06:07.040 you know, hopefully we get some turnovers and things of 0:06:07.080 --> 0:06:10.040 that nigue as well. In addition to no preseason games, 0:06:10.080 --> 0:06:13.120 there have been severe limitations and what the media can 0:06:13.200 --> 0:06:16.200 report on a training camp. And I'm sure you're going 0:06:16.240 --> 0:06:20.000 to try to surprise the Chargers with something. I would 0:06:20.040 --> 0:06:23.280 not expect you to divulge any secrets, But is that 0:06:23.360 --> 0:06:27.000 an intriguing aspect to this opener? That's the biggest thing 0:06:27.040 --> 0:06:29.920 I think. You know, we talk about um, you know, 0:06:30.040 --> 0:06:32.240 Darren and special teams. We talked, He asked, you know, 0:06:32.279 --> 0:06:34.640 what's the biggest takeaway from game one? How are you 0:06:34.680 --> 0:06:37.320 gonna how are we gonna win Game one? And its 0:06:37.360 --> 0:06:40.240 adjustments because you're right, we don't know and they don't 0:06:40.240 --> 0:06:42.200 really know what we're gonna throw at them, what they're 0:06:42.200 --> 0:06:45.280 gonna throw at us. I think having hard knocks was nice, 0:06:45.320 --> 0:06:47.400 you know, being able to you know, kind of see 0:06:47.600 --> 0:06:50.000 see their players, see just their mannerisms, how how they 0:06:50.040 --> 0:06:52.400 go about their gay and things like that. But yeah, 0:06:52.560 --> 0:06:54.880 it's gonna be, um, you know, it's gonna be one 0:06:54.880 --> 0:06:57.200 of those things where who can adjust the best against 0:06:57.200 --> 0:06:59.400 certain things that other team's gonna throw at them. So 0:07:00.240 --> 0:07:02.640 I'm excited about that aspect. A couple more questions for 0:07:02.720 --> 0:07:06.080 tight end c j Uzoma. Let's look at that Chargers defense. 0:07:06.400 --> 0:07:10.520 No team in the NFL only rushed for more than 0:07:10.520 --> 0:07:12.840 the Chargers did last year. That was eighty two percent 0:07:12.840 --> 0:07:15.480 of the time on passing plays. Because they have great 0:07:15.600 --> 0:07:19.120 edge rushers and Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. How much 0:07:19.160 --> 0:07:23.640 of your success will simply depend on blocking those two guys. Yeah, 0:07:23.640 --> 0:07:25.440 I mean, I think I think that kind of allows 0:07:25.760 --> 0:07:30.239 their secondary players and their their young linebacking linebacker courts 0:07:30.240 --> 0:07:32.240 to kind of play a little more freely. You know, 0:07:32.280 --> 0:07:34.680 you have two guys like that who are um you 0:07:34.720 --> 0:07:36.440 know who I have a great deal of respect for 0:07:36.440 --> 0:07:38.440 for how they play the game. Um, you know that 0:07:38.440 --> 0:07:41.080 that dictates the flow of their defense. And I think 0:07:41.080 --> 0:07:44.000 that kind of run, their defense of energy runs through 0:07:44.000 --> 0:07:46.960 those two players. So UM yeah, I think, um, we're 0:07:46.960 --> 0:07:48.680 gonna have to be on them early and often, and 0:07:49.280 --> 0:07:51.640 um kind of a certain art dominance, UM kind of 0:07:51.720 --> 0:07:53.880 unsettled them so that they can't, you know, dictate the 0:07:53.880 --> 0:07:55.520 pace of the game and we're not you know, going 0:07:55.520 --> 0:07:57.920 into their counter moves or um playing up to their 0:07:57.920 --> 0:08:01.240 Samon cj I would describe he is a very positive, 0:08:01.440 --> 0:08:04.840 upbeat guy. How thrilled are you just at the prospect 0:08:04.880 --> 0:08:08.840 of playing football this year. I'm excited. I'm ecstatic. I 0:08:08.880 --> 0:08:12.120 can't tell you how how happy I am that um, 0:08:12.160 --> 0:08:15.200 you know, off off rip, you know, during like where 0:08:15.280 --> 0:08:17.280 when OT should have happened. I'm sitting here like there 0:08:17.320 --> 0:08:19.800 you got any Kennedy. Come on now, we have to 0:08:19.840 --> 0:08:22.320 have football. We have to I have to get out 0:08:22.320 --> 0:08:24.120 of this house and and and go back up to 0:08:24.160 --> 0:08:26.600 Cincinnati and get ready for the season. So I can't 0:08:26.600 --> 0:08:27.880 tell you I'll throw it. I am to be back 0:08:27.880 --> 0:08:30.320 in the locker room, be with my guys. Um he 0:08:30.480 --> 0:08:33.120 chatted up with TV every day and and and you know, 0:08:33.200 --> 0:08:35.480 messing with him and Geo and all the guys, you know, 0:08:35.480 --> 0:08:37.560 all the tight ends in the room. It's to me, 0:08:37.640 --> 0:08:39.959 it's it's this is my family. So I was away 0:08:39.960 --> 0:08:42.560 from my family for way too long during these during 0:08:42.600 --> 0:08:44.480 these times. So I'm excited to get back on the 0:08:44.480 --> 0:08:47.520 field with him and get after it. Appreciate your time. 0:08:47.600 --> 0:08:50.800 Best of luck this year, Yes, sir, thank you. It 0:08:50.800 --> 0:08:53.480 will be interesting to see how often Joe Burrow throws 0:08:53.520 --> 0:08:55.679 to his tight ends. Last year at the last you 0:08:56.320 --> 0:09:00.640 Randy Moss's son Thaddius finished with forty seven for five 0:09:00.720 --> 0:09:04.320 hundred and seventy yards, setting school records for receptions and 0:09:04.480 --> 0:09:08.600 receiving yards by a tight end. Now time to look 0:09:08.640 --> 0:09:12.160 at three of Sunday's biggest storylines with my broadcast partner 0:09:12.360 --> 0:09:16.199 Dave Lapham. The return of aj Green, the debut of 0:09:16.280 --> 0:09:22.160 Jonah Williams, and obviously the debut of Joe Burrow. I've 0:09:22.160 --> 0:09:25.480 been trying to think of a debut that compares to this. 0:09:25.559 --> 0:09:27.079 I mean, the first thing they'll come to mind is 0:09:27.080 --> 0:09:30.120 a Bengals fan would be Carson Palmer. But for whatever reason, 0:09:30.760 --> 0:09:34.280 that didn't seem quite this hyped to me. Maybe there's 0:09:34.280 --> 0:09:37.040 the fact that he sat out his entire rookie year. 0:09:37.920 --> 0:09:41.240 Ken Griffey Junior coming home kind of compares. But that's 0:09:41.280 --> 0:09:44.600 baseball one hundred and sixty two games instead of sixteen. 0:09:45.400 --> 0:09:48.719 This is something special in this city's history. I think 0:09:48.760 --> 0:09:51.000 you have to go back to Greg Cook Local. You 0:09:51.160 --> 0:09:55.880 see product drafted by Paul Brown, big excitement, you know, 0:09:56.000 --> 0:10:01.000 Greg Cook, oh local boy making good Chillcothee Ohio University, Cincinnati, 0:10:01.280 --> 0:10:04.680 drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, and he had star written 0:10:04.679 --> 0:10:08.040 all over him. Just you know, like Joe Burrow didn't 0:10:08.040 --> 0:10:10.640 win a Heisman Trophy or a national championship obviously, like 0:10:10.760 --> 0:10:13.960 Joe Burrow did, but just a physical specimen and then 0:10:14.240 --> 0:10:18.560 tragic injury obviously ended his career very prematurely, and the 0:10:18.600 --> 0:10:22.840 franchise recovered and brought Ken Anderson into the fold. But yeah, 0:10:22.840 --> 0:10:30.280 I mean, this guy's you talk about buzz it's constant buzz. Well. 0:10:30.320 --> 0:10:32.760 He is coming off what many have called the greatest 0:10:32.760 --> 0:10:35.760 season by an individual in college football history. He completed 0:10:35.800 --> 0:10:39.600 seventy six percent of his passes five thousand, six hundred 0:10:39.640 --> 0:10:44.160 and seventy one yards, sixty touchdown passes, only six interceptions. 0:10:44.160 --> 0:10:47.760 If he used the NFL Quarterback Rating system, his numbers 0:10:47.840 --> 0:10:52.320 last year compute to one forty three point seven. Nuts 0:10:52.320 --> 0:10:55.760 and ridiculous. It's nuts, it's nuts. What is it? One 0:10:55.920 --> 0:10:59.400 fifty seven point ages pun fifty eight points say is 0:10:59.440 --> 0:11:02.319 a perfect So he was one forty three point seven. 0:11:02.360 --> 0:11:05.800 That's that's that is nuts against that competition level. I mean, 0:11:05.840 --> 0:11:07.720 you know, we're not talking about little sisters of the 0:11:07.760 --> 0:11:10.640 poor year. We're talking about the SEC and then we're 0:11:10.679 --> 0:11:14.160 talking about getting into the National championship tournament, you know, 0:11:14.240 --> 0:11:17.280 and playing the best teams in the in the country, 0:11:17.679 --> 0:11:22.160 and he shredded everything. So it's uh, that's the thing 0:11:22.240 --> 0:11:25.480 is he did it week after week after week. It 0:11:25.600 --> 0:11:29.000 wasn't any one hit wonder And the consistency of his 0:11:29.480 --> 0:11:31.880 level of play to raise the bar to where he 0:11:32.000 --> 0:11:35.160 raised it to and to reach it so many weeks 0:11:35.160 --> 0:11:40.400 in a row against again, more than formidable competition most 0:11:40.440 --> 0:11:44.560 weeks is truly remarkable. He had just a spectacular year. 0:11:44.840 --> 0:11:47.559 He's twenty three years old. He has already been named 0:11:47.600 --> 0:11:50.600 one of the Bengals captains going into the season, chosen 0:11:50.640 --> 0:11:53.520 by his teammates as one of their captains. That was 0:11:53.559 --> 0:11:57.120 the first topic of conversation today when Joe Burrow met 0:11:57.160 --> 0:12:00.319 with Cincinnati area reporters to look ahead to send Day's 0:12:00.320 --> 0:12:02.520 game against the Chargers. You know, that was one of 0:12:02.559 --> 0:12:05.160 my goals coming in. I really didn't expect to be 0:12:05.200 --> 0:12:08.600 a captain. Um, but you know, I'm I couldn't be 0:12:08.640 --> 0:12:13.080 happier to represent our team in our offense. Um. You know, 0:12:13.120 --> 0:12:14.640 we have a lot of guys that that could have 0:12:14.679 --> 0:12:18.680 been up there, but UM, I'm happy that that that 0:12:18.800 --> 0:12:21.560 my team decided that I should be the one to 0:12:21.600 --> 0:12:24.800 get that honor. Oh, You're known for the grind and 0:12:24.920 --> 0:12:29.280 preparing for games. By being your NFL debut, is this 0:12:29.520 --> 0:12:33.400 unlike anything you prepared for before. I mean, obviously it is, 0:12:33.520 --> 0:12:36.480 but I try not to, you know. I just just 0:12:36.559 --> 0:12:39.560 come in and work like I always do. UM lots 0:12:39.600 --> 0:12:42.080 the film, like I need to prepare, like I need 0:12:42.080 --> 0:12:45.520 to UM. So I try not to focus on all 0:12:45.559 --> 0:12:49.839 the pressure stuff. UM. I feel like I'm going to 0:12:49.880 --> 0:12:51.079 be ready to play. I feel like I'm going to 0:12:51.120 --> 0:12:53.679 play well. And you know I'm not not ready to 0:12:53.679 --> 0:12:55.840 play yet. I saw a few more days preparation that 0:12:55.840 --> 0:12:57.840 that need to come in. But I'm feeling pretty good 0:12:57.920 --> 0:12:59.840 right now. When you look at the tape of the Chargers, 0:13:00.200 --> 0:13:02.360 what jumps out at you? Is there anything that they're doing? 0:13:02.400 --> 0:13:04.920 It's like WHOA just all of a sudden, you know, 0:13:05.000 --> 0:13:07.120 hit you hit you like a ton of Brooks. Obviously, 0:13:07.160 --> 0:13:10.360 they have BOTHA and Ingram, two of the best pass 0:13:10.440 --> 0:13:13.160 rushers in the league. So we're gonna have to um. 0:13:13.640 --> 0:13:14.920 I'm gonna have to get the ball out of my 0:13:14.960 --> 0:13:17.320 hands quickly and know what I'm looking at. If I 0:13:17.320 --> 0:13:19.200 don't know what I'm I'm looking at every snap, it's 0:13:19.240 --> 0:13:21.640 gonna be a long day. Um, those guys will get 0:13:21.679 --> 0:13:24.000 get to me quick. And you know, I know the 0:13:24.000 --> 0:13:25.360 old line will be ready for it, and I don't 0:13:25.360 --> 0:13:26.679 know I'll be ready for it as well. You and 0:13:26.760 --> 0:13:28.679 Zach Tayler have both said the ultimate goal here is 0:13:28.679 --> 0:13:30.679 to win a championship. How long have you been a 0:13:30.720 --> 0:13:33.520 person who's focused on championships? Did that start at LSU 0:13:33.640 --> 0:13:36.720 in high school? When did that start? That's the goal 0:13:36.760 --> 0:13:39.720 whenever you're playing anything. I started when I first started 0:13:39.760 --> 0:13:46.400 competing in sports. M If you're not striving for a 0:13:46.520 --> 0:13:49.680 championship for perfection, what are you? What are you doing 0:13:49.679 --> 0:13:53.040 it for? That's you know. I'm not. I'm not out 0:13:53.080 --> 0:13:56.680 there to win Go five hundred and you know, squeak 0:13:56.679 --> 0:13:59.600 into the playoffs. I'm here to win games and win championships. 0:14:00.840 --> 0:14:04.280 Music to the ears of Bengals fans. Not here to 0:14:04.280 --> 0:14:06.920 win games, He's here to win championships. Exactly what he 0:14:07.000 --> 0:14:10.559 did last year at LSU at Athens High School, good 0:14:10.640 --> 0:14:14.040 enough to have the stadium renamed for him Joe Burrow Stadium. 0:14:14.080 --> 0:14:16.920 He'll have a statue in front of the stadium at LSU. 0:14:17.440 --> 0:14:20.680 After national championship and winning the Heisman Trophy, and now 0:14:20.720 --> 0:14:23.440 he is trying to turn a franchise around that hasn't 0:14:23.440 --> 0:14:25.880 been to the playoffs in the last four years, and 0:14:25.920 --> 0:14:28.120 I think he's I think he's up to the task, 0:14:28.200 --> 0:14:30.760 I really do. You know. The thing about him, Dan, 0:14:30.880 --> 0:14:33.040 I think is he was raised right. I mean, his 0:14:33.160 --> 0:14:36.400 parents did a remarkable job, and his dad obviously a 0:14:36.480 --> 0:14:40.600 very successful football player, football coach, Jim Burrow. You know, 0:14:41.120 --> 0:14:47.720 he has created almost the perfect combination of player person. 0:14:48.320 --> 0:14:52.120 I mean, this kid understands people. His people skills are 0:14:52.200 --> 0:14:55.760 off the charts, so that that would stand him instead 0:14:55.800 --> 0:14:58.680 in any walk of life. And you know, to be 0:14:58.720 --> 0:15:03.160 elected captain as a as a rookie quarterback is a 0:15:03.200 --> 0:15:08.240 significant thing. But he's he's experienced beyond his years, There's 0:15:08.520 --> 0:15:10.640 no two ways about it. But he just has a 0:15:10.680 --> 0:15:14.960 great feel for how to respect people, treat people. His 0:15:15.080 --> 0:15:18.400 people skills are off the charts, and I think his 0:15:18.480 --> 0:15:21.520 teammates are going to do everything they possibly can to 0:15:21.640 --> 0:15:23.920 support him, and he is going to do the same 0:15:23.920 --> 0:15:27.840 for them in every way feasible. Joe Burrow is going 0:15:27.880 --> 0:15:29.920 to have a lot to say about how much improvement 0:15:29.920 --> 0:15:33.320 the Bengals make, but so is Jonah Williams. The offensive 0:15:33.360 --> 0:15:36.160 line has really struggled over the last four years, and 0:15:36.200 --> 0:15:39.440 they are counting on him to solidify left tackle for 0:15:39.520 --> 0:15:41.720 many years to come. No question, Dan. It was a 0:15:41.760 --> 0:15:44.800 revolving door personnel wise at the left tackle position, as 0:15:44.800 --> 0:15:46.600 we know last year, and a couple of guys that 0:15:47.120 --> 0:15:50.400 filled that spot aren't even in the NFL this year. 0:15:50.520 --> 0:15:54.920 They did what they could. They gave everything they had 0:15:55.000 --> 0:15:58.160 to coach Jim Turner, but it just wasn't good enough, 0:15:58.240 --> 0:16:01.320 you know, and they had problems there. And Jonah Williams 0:16:01.440 --> 0:16:02.920 is a guy they took with the eleventh pick in 0:16:02.960 --> 0:16:05.600 the draft in twenty nineteen to anchor that position and 0:16:05.600 --> 0:16:10.200 give continuity and just solidify that spot. And that's what 0:16:10.440 --> 0:16:13.160 they're hoping that he does. When you're drafted eleventh in 0:16:13.280 --> 0:16:16.280 the draft, you're drafted to shut down guys one on 0:16:16.280 --> 0:16:18.880 one pass rush guys. Well, he's going to be facing 0:16:18.880 --> 0:16:21.840 two great ones in his first you know, one hundred 0:16:21.840 --> 0:16:25.280 hours of his professional career, Joey Bosa and Miles Garrett. 0:16:25.600 --> 0:16:29.680 Joey Bosa, like Joe Burrow was saying earlier today in 0:16:29.840 --> 0:16:34.120 his media press conference, he knows what Joey Bosa is 0:16:34.120 --> 0:16:36.400 all about. In terms of a technician. It's going to 0:16:36.480 --> 0:16:40.960 be technique against technique, technician against technician. Joey Bosa has 0:16:40.960 --> 0:16:44.400 tremendous hands. He can get people's hands off of him. 0:16:44.920 --> 0:16:47.320 Offensive lineman has to have good hands, a good hand 0:16:47.360 --> 0:16:50.000 placement to try to jam and keep his shoulders back 0:16:50.000 --> 0:16:52.720 and his shoulders and chest away from the defensive lineman. 0:16:52.800 --> 0:16:55.760 Joey Bosa does a good job of rushing with tremendous 0:16:55.760 --> 0:16:58.560 strength and the body lean and using his hands to 0:16:58.680 --> 0:17:02.120 break down the offense of lineman's hands and get to 0:17:02.160 --> 0:17:04.440 the shoulder pads in the chest of the offensive lineman. 0:17:04.520 --> 0:17:07.040 So it's going to be literally hand to hand combat 0:17:07.080 --> 0:17:10.200 out there at that you know, left tackle right defensive 0:17:10.280 --> 0:17:13.840 end position. And I do not believe that Jonah Williams 0:17:13.880 --> 0:17:15.280 is going to be out there one on one all 0:17:15.359 --> 0:17:17.960 day long. I think they'll slide the line his way. 0:17:18.000 --> 0:17:20.400 Some I think they'll have a tight end over there. 0:17:20.400 --> 0:17:22.760 Some they're gonna chip with the running back. Some but 0:17:22.880 --> 0:17:27.240 they're gonna be snaps where Jonah Williams and Joey Bosa, 0:17:27.359 --> 0:17:29.600 the Jay Boys are going to be going one on one, 0:17:29.920 --> 0:17:33.919 head to head. And really the biggest thing Dan is 0:17:34.240 --> 0:17:38.200 defensive players have to earn the opportunity to pass rush. 0:17:38.600 --> 0:17:40.560 They have to get the offense in third and seven 0:17:40.680 --> 0:17:43.640 or more. The offense has to make sure the defense 0:17:43.680 --> 0:17:47.240 doesn't earn those opportunities. So the best thing to do 0:17:47.880 --> 0:17:50.280 is to be balanced and have a running game where 0:17:50.280 --> 0:17:52.679 you're gonna run at Joey Bosa, some anchor him some 0:17:53.359 --> 0:17:56.800 you know, and make it where he's just not teeing 0:17:56.880 --> 0:18:00.199 off If he's teeing off on Jonah Williams on every 0:18:00.200 --> 0:18:02.680 third down. If every third down is third and long, 0:18:02.840 --> 0:18:06.240 oh could be a long afternoon. If every third if 0:18:06.280 --> 0:18:09.080 most of the third downs are third and short to medium, 0:18:09.320 --> 0:18:11.200 we've got a shot. And that's what it's going to 0:18:11.240 --> 0:18:13.200 be all about. It's going to be can they can 0:18:13.200 --> 0:18:17.320 they run the football? A running game helps the offense, 0:18:17.640 --> 0:18:21.199 it helps the defense, keeps them off the field, a huge, 0:18:21.640 --> 0:18:25.400 huge ripple effect there. Jonah Williams and his fellow offensive 0:18:25.400 --> 0:18:27.480 linemen are well aware of the fact that the world 0:18:27.560 --> 0:18:30.480 doesn't think that highly of the Bengals offensive line, to 0:18:30.520 --> 0:18:33.400 put it nicely, and Jonah also knows that the old 0:18:33.440 --> 0:18:36.480 linemen have the opportunity to try to start changing their 0:18:36.520 --> 0:18:40.760 reputation this week. It's definitely something that motivates us. But 0:18:40.800 --> 0:18:43.440 I think, as I've said before, it's not so much about, 0:18:43.560 --> 0:18:45.720 you know, trying to prove everyone wrong. It's just trying to, 0:18:46.280 --> 0:18:49.000 you know, give Joe confidence and help this offense execute 0:18:49.040 --> 0:18:51.439 and with that will gain respect as a unit um 0:18:51.800 --> 0:18:54.360 And I think that you know, that's that's a mindset 0:18:54.359 --> 0:18:57.280 that everyone has, is we're excited about this offensecute and 0:18:57.320 --> 0:18:59.680 me us five to our job and trust that you know, 0:18:59.720 --> 0:19:02.600 the six will do theirs. If the offensive line can 0:19:02.640 --> 0:19:05.040 just be solid, they don't have to be the best 0:19:05.080 --> 0:19:07.600 offensive line in the NFL. They just can't be among 0:19:07.640 --> 0:19:10.920 the worst. Absolutely, if they can climb to average. If 0:19:10.920 --> 0:19:15.280 they can be an average offensive line, watch out because 0:19:15.280 --> 0:19:19.960 they do have weapons. And if Joe Burrow in twenty 0:19:20.200 --> 0:19:23.520 eighteen didn't have the year he had in twenty nineteen. 0:19:23.520 --> 0:19:26.880 And one of the biggest differences they put five out 0:19:27.080 --> 0:19:30.560 in routes. They had five offensive lineman and Joe Burrow. 0:19:30.880 --> 0:19:33.080 If they rush five, they had five to pick it up. 0:19:33.119 --> 0:19:35.440 If it was the six guy coming, Joe Burrow knew 0:19:35.440 --> 0:19:36.600 he had to get the ball out of his hand 0:19:36.640 --> 0:19:38.600 before the guy got there, or make the guy miss 0:19:39.040 --> 0:19:43.200 and create an extend to play So if the Bengals 0:19:43.200 --> 0:19:46.560 offensive line can do that, if they at times can 0:19:46.680 --> 0:19:48.960 put five out in routes and let Joe do his 0:19:49.080 --> 0:19:54.159 thing where he so quickly quickly diagnoses defenses. He's a 0:19:54.240 --> 0:19:57.439 problem solver, an excellent problem solver, and knows where to 0:19:57.480 --> 0:19:59.440 go with the football right away if he can get 0:19:59.440 --> 0:20:02.680 the football out of his hand pronto, which he's great at, 0:20:03.040 --> 0:20:05.920 and they can, you know, not have to have tight 0:20:06.040 --> 0:20:08.560 ends and running backs and all that help and upfront 0:20:08.560 --> 0:20:10.919 and the offensive line. It's it's it's going to be 0:20:10.920 --> 0:20:13.840 a dynamic offense, there's no question. But in order to 0:20:13.880 --> 0:20:16.280 do that, you're gonna have to be in favorable situations. 0:20:16.320 --> 0:20:18.919 Again with you have to have some sort of a 0:20:18.960 --> 0:20:23.120 running game. You can't be one dimensional and put five 0:20:23.160 --> 0:20:26.760 out every single pass play in the National Football League, 0:20:27.119 --> 0:20:30.320 defensive coordinators will be drooling. Aj Green is expected to 0:20:30.359 --> 0:20:32.760 be in the starting lineup for the Bengals on Sunday. 0:20:32.800 --> 0:20:36.880 The question is can he stay on the field this year. 0:20:36.920 --> 0:20:42.080