WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Time Flies 0:00:03.640 --> 0:00:06.480 Hi, get everybody on danboard and thanks for downloading The 0:00:06.559 --> 0:00:10.520 Bengals Booth Podcast. Nah gotta watch the time because it's 0:00:10.560 --> 0:00:14.280 flying right. By addition, as the Bengals look to finish 0:00:14.280 --> 0:00:16.479 the year with a winning record, as they end the 0:00:16.560 --> 0:00:20.319 season against the Cleveland Browns. Coming up, I'll talk to 0:00:20.400 --> 0:00:24.200 DJ Reader about his injury and his status going forward. 0:00:24.680 --> 0:00:27.240 I'll look back at the season with the greatest Bengal 0:00:27.280 --> 0:00:30.080 of them all, Anthony Munio's And in this week's No 0:00:30.200 --> 0:00:33.199 The Faux Conversation, we'll get the skinny on the Browns 0:00:33.560 --> 0:00:38.000 with longtime Cleveland reporter Tony Grossi. The Bengals Booth Podcast 0:00:38.080 --> 0:00:39.839 is brought to you by pay Corps, brought to be 0:00:39.880 --> 0:00:44.839 the Bengals official HR software provider by Alta Fiber, future 0:00:44.880 --> 0:00:48.040 proof Fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business, and 0:00:48.120 --> 0:00:51.720 community to a new level, and by Kettering Health the 0:00:51.760 --> 0:00:54.480 best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is the 0:00:54.520 --> 0:00:58.480 official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now here's a quick 0:00:58.520 --> 0:01:01.080 reminder that you can have the latest edition of this 0:01:01.160 --> 0:01:04.880 podcast delivered write to your phone, tablet, or computer by 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:09.120 subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing 0:01:09.200 --> 0:01:14.360 since the Bengals locker room. As another season winds down, 0:01:14.640 --> 0:01:17.520 I want to take a moment to thank Bengals players 0:01:17.520 --> 0:01:21.559 and coaches for their cooperation throughout the year. They've joined 0:01:21.640 --> 0:01:25.560 us at Cincinnati area bars and restaurants for our radio shows, 0:01:26.120 --> 0:01:29.880 sat down with me for extended fun facts and podcast interviews, 0:01:30.360 --> 0:01:34.240 and answered questions in the locker room after games regardless 0:01:34.360 --> 0:01:37.720 of the outcome. As Dave Lapham likes to say, the 0:01:37.760 --> 0:01:41.200 Bengals have assembled a locker room with a jerk factor 0:01:41.800 --> 0:01:46.440 of zero. Now let's get to my first guest. When 0:01:46.520 --> 0:01:50.040 DJ Reader suffered a torn right quad tendon in Game 0:01:50.080 --> 0:01:53.360 fourteen against the Vikings, it was eerily similar to the 0:01:53.360 --> 0:01:56.640 injury he suffered to his left leg in twenty twenty. 0:01:57.200 --> 0:02:00.760 DJ obviously made a full recovery then and vows to 0:02:00.800 --> 0:02:04.800 do it again, but with the uncertainty about where he's 0:02:04.840 --> 0:02:08.040 going to be playing next year, I talked to him 0:02:08.320 --> 0:02:12.400 about that this week. Dj, you seem to be in 0:02:12.680 --> 0:02:15.320 very good spirits. Is that the case? 0:02:15.600 --> 0:02:15.840 Yeah? 0:02:15.880 --> 0:02:17.520 Pretty good? I mean as good as it's gonna get. 0:02:18.160 --> 0:02:20.959 I think I generally have pretty pretty good attitude about 0:02:21.000 --> 0:02:23.919 these type of things, So you know, it's. 0:02:23.680 --> 0:02:26.240 Going good and moving around around the guys, so he's 0:02:26.240 --> 0:02:27.040 always a good time. 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:29.600 How does this compare to the previous time he suffered 0:02:29.680 --> 0:02:30.520 a similar. 0:02:30.200 --> 0:02:32.440 Introg We're in the middle of COVID last time, so 0:02:32.480 --> 0:02:35.000 it's like, you know, you get used to the isolation. 0:02:34.680 --> 0:02:36.960 And you down it's kind of a little bit more 0:02:36.960 --> 0:02:38.840 depressive this time. You know, the world's a little bit 0:02:38.840 --> 0:02:39.480 more open. 0:02:39.280 --> 0:02:42.600 Families around, so it's lie easier to make adjustments, get 0:02:42.639 --> 0:02:44.679 things done. And I kind of like the fact that 0:02:44.720 --> 0:02:46.000 I got to stay here this time. This is the 0:02:46.000 --> 0:02:49.079 place I'm comfortable with coming in, working with the staffs, 0:02:49.120 --> 0:02:51.239 those people, you know what I'm saying. So it's always 0:02:51.280 --> 0:02:53.240 awesome to have like people that you're comfortable with now, 0:02:53.240 --> 0:02:54.840 Like at first year, we're un comfortable with everybody, so 0:02:54.919 --> 0:02:56.200 you know, I have to go back to send the 0:02:56.320 --> 0:02:57.280 dude the center, third. 0:02:57.120 --> 0:03:00.160 And Blazer Buckley. It's just a lot of moving around. 0:03:00.160 --> 0:03:02.520 Make me feel great at the beginning, So this time, 0:03:02.639 --> 0:03:04.200 you know, it's been it's been awesome. 0:03:05.000 --> 0:03:07.440 The fact that you came back and were as good 0:03:07.560 --> 0:03:09.840 or better than ever, does that give you a lot 0:03:09.840 --> 0:03:11.600 of confidence that you are going to be the same 0:03:11.600 --> 0:03:12.359 player next year. 0:03:12.639 --> 0:03:14.960 I'll be better. It'll be better than I was. 0:03:15.680 --> 0:03:20.440 That's that's a year the progression that I take mestally anyway, 0:03:20.520 --> 0:03:22.800 I don't I don't have any doubt that I prepare 0:03:23.160 --> 0:03:27.120 and you know, be that from a mental and physical standpoint, 0:03:27.240 --> 0:03:29.880 just Lord will and just how fast that process goes, 0:03:29.919 --> 0:03:31.959 I don't know. And I'm gonna push it every day 0:03:32.000 --> 0:03:34.400 and do my best to get better every day and 0:03:34.440 --> 0:03:37.400 taking a step to do the right things put myself 0:03:37.400 --> 0:03:39.280 in advantage. But I still think I'll be a better 0:03:39.320 --> 0:03:40.000 player next year. 0:03:40.400 --> 0:03:42.760 For visiting with DJ Reader, I don't know how much 0:03:42.800 --> 0:03:45.760 stock you put in PFF rankings, but you are the 0:03:45.760 --> 0:03:48.800 bengals highest graded defensive player this year, even a little 0:03:48.800 --> 0:03:51.760 bit ahead of Trey Hendricksonho's obviously had a great season. 0:03:52.040 --> 0:03:54.480 Did you feel like you were playing as well as 0:03:54.480 --> 0:03:54.960 you've played. 0:03:55.320 --> 0:03:59.320 I feel like I was playing some goodball, you know, Yeah, 0:03:59.360 --> 0:04:01.560 those games where you feel obviously feel better than others. 0:04:02.360 --> 0:04:03.920 I felt like I was doing a really good job, 0:04:04.000 --> 0:04:06.720 and though I didn't not really the numbers I wanted 0:04:06.720 --> 0:04:07.960 pass rust while I feel like I. 0:04:07.880 --> 0:04:10.600 Got a lot of pressures and won a lot of 0:04:10.600 --> 0:04:11.000 one on. 0:04:10.880 --> 0:04:14.560 One reps especially, so I was pretty excited about just 0:04:14.600 --> 0:04:16.560 what I had done. You know, the numbers they'll come 0:04:16.600 --> 0:04:18.680 and whatever they are, and I just felt like I 0:04:18.720 --> 0:04:20.960 put a good resume on it. It kind of suck 0:04:21.040 --> 0:04:22.919 that we weren't just get on team on defense and 0:04:23.000 --> 0:04:25.719 certain things, and I really take pride in those things. 0:04:25.720 --> 0:04:27.880 But I also know that, you know, there's other people 0:04:27.880 --> 0:04:30.320 out there, and those people have to grow and with 0:04:30.440 --> 0:04:32.039 growth will come more team. 0:04:31.920 --> 0:04:35.920 Success than those type of undy spots. So but you know, 0:04:35.960 --> 0:04:36.480 I can do better. 0:04:36.520 --> 0:04:38.280 I can't play things better and do a whole lot 0:04:38.279 --> 0:04:40.760 of stuff better, So there's so much room for growth 0:04:40.760 --> 0:04:43.680 and improvement in my game. And from a team aspect, 0:04:43.760 --> 0:04:46.279 I think that these young guys are only going to 0:04:46.279 --> 0:04:46.880 get better just. 0:04:46.880 --> 0:04:47.920 Another year in the system. 0:04:48.160 --> 0:04:50.560 We played a lot of year one or two year 0:04:50.640 --> 0:04:53.480 players out there, especially in the back end. Those fits 0:04:53.480 --> 0:04:56.880 will only get better. So I was excited. I felt like, yeah, 0:04:56.880 --> 0:04:58.320 so I felt like I was playing goodball and it 0:04:58.360 --> 0:05:00.240 was good to you know, have the room with did 0:05:00.279 --> 0:05:02.320 and just play around the way we deal with the group. 0:05:02.160 --> 0:05:04.320 That I had felt over very fiery and a lot 0:05:04.320 --> 0:05:04.960 of moments. 0:05:05.520 --> 0:05:08.400 For a layman like me, the struggles in the run 0:05:08.440 --> 0:05:11.640 defense are hard to understand because most of the Front 0:05:11.680 --> 0:05:13.920 seven was back. It seemed like this was a group 0:05:13.960 --> 0:05:16.679 that was among the NFL's best last year and yet 0:05:16.680 --> 0:05:18.640 this year, from the very beginning, it was a struggle. 0:05:18.760 --> 0:05:22.000 Yeah, but there's also other parts to fit and run 0:05:22.080 --> 0:05:22.320 like it. 0:05:23.400 --> 0:05:25.080 Teams who run the ball well aren't just gonna let 0:05:25.120 --> 0:05:27.320 you play it with your five seven are You're gonna 0:05:27.320 --> 0:05:28.400 make every player. 0:05:28.200 --> 0:05:30.400 And your team tackle and every player on the team and. 0:05:30.720 --> 0:05:33.360 Just see the fits. You know what I'm saying, and 0:05:33.520 --> 0:05:37.760 you lose what you did. This veteran play just understanding 0:05:37.760 --> 0:05:40.480 of the game and just for our defense acts fits 0:05:40.480 --> 0:05:42.360 so little dad, So you gotta figure it out. You're 0:05:42.360 --> 0:05:44.320 thinking a little bit more. And it is what it is. 0:05:44.320 --> 0:05:46.679 There's nobody's fault. It's just the growth and growing pains 0:05:46.680 --> 0:05:48.920 of will come with the game. And you couldn't say 0:05:48.920 --> 0:05:51.760 what you want about having it beyond specific guys. 0:05:51.760 --> 0:05:53.919 We just got to better. We gotta do better up front. 0:05:54.920 --> 0:05:56.440 Front seven has to do better to make it a 0:05:56.480 --> 0:05:58.200 little bit cleaner for these guys in the lifeing. 0:05:58.279 --> 0:06:00.400 But you know, you also just gotta know that's gonna happened. 0:06:01.200 --> 0:06:03.560 People are going to have two struggles when it comes 0:06:03.640 --> 0:06:05.880 to those type of things. And it also it all 0:06:05.920 --> 0:06:08.839 works hand in hand. You can't hard to stop it 0:06:08.839 --> 0:06:10.560 and just be dominant over all the time. If it's 0:06:10.560 --> 0:06:11.840 not what m I felt like at the end of 0:06:11.839 --> 0:06:14.520 the season. You know those games probably when I got hurt, 0:06:14.520 --> 0:06:16.480 I felt like we got a couple of games in 0:06:16.520 --> 0:06:18.320 a row. We have really figured out those fits and 0:06:18.440 --> 0:06:20.159 like understood what it takes on. 0:06:20.400 --> 0:06:21.880 You know, that's what happens. 0:06:21.880 --> 0:06:23.880 You have those right spots and then over time you 0:06:23.960 --> 0:06:26.279 make enough of those players you're like, all right, that's 0:06:26.279 --> 0:06:26.800 what it is. 0:06:27.760 --> 0:06:30.479 The timing of your injury was brutal, late in a 0:06:30.560 --> 0:06:33.640 contract here. I know that really bummed out your teammates 0:06:33.640 --> 0:06:36.640 and your coaches. How tough was that for you emotionally? 0:06:36.960 --> 0:06:40.000 Oh, you know, it's tough, especially at the beginning of 0:06:40.000 --> 0:06:43.600 the emotional Then you got to kind of like process 0:06:43.640 --> 0:06:45.159 it as it is what it is. You never know 0:06:45.200 --> 0:06:48.320 what happened, how it shakes out, So it's. 0:06:48.200 --> 0:06:50.240 Not really something that's in my control. Now. You know, 0:06:50.360 --> 0:06:51.800 ta put some good film out there. 0:06:52.520 --> 0:06:55.920 Play football, and you always want to be able to 0:06:55.920 --> 0:06:57.600 finish the season healthy and be able to have all 0:06:57.640 --> 0:07:00.839 those cards in your hand, but like some still pretty 0:07:00.880 --> 0:07:03.159 good cards and feel really good about where I'm at, 0:07:03.520 --> 0:07:04.120 my chance. 0:07:03.960 --> 0:07:05.720 To recover and be better. Like I said, so. 0:07:07.279 --> 0:07:09.880 You know now to be on me and them and 0:07:09.960 --> 0:07:12.800 to figure it out and or you know, whatever it is, and. 0:07:15.360 --> 0:07:17.280 You know it sucks you miss out on some personal 0:07:17.320 --> 0:07:18.520 things that you may want. 0:07:18.320 --> 0:07:20.800 But you know, other than that, it was just as Minnis, 0:07:20.880 --> 0:07:22.480 I feel like, you know, I come back, I know 0:07:22.560 --> 0:07:23.560 what I'm supposed to do out. 0:07:24.280 --> 0:07:26.800 I'll figure all the other part out. You'll be thirty 0:07:26.840 --> 0:07:27.239 in July. 0:07:27.360 --> 0:07:29.960 It doesn't seem like there's any doubt in your mind 0:07:30.000 --> 0:07:31.880 that you aren't going to be playing in the NFL 0:07:31.960 --> 0:07:32.800 next year and beyond. 0:07:32.960 --> 0:07:33.720 Yeah, no, it's not. 0:07:33.920 --> 0:07:37.320 I watching guys play at like thirty four to thirty 0:07:37.320 --> 0:07:39.960 five playing goodball. Shoot, the quarterbacks seem like they're getting 0:07:40.000 --> 0:07:42.360 younger though, order they get these guys out there, especially 0:07:42.360 --> 0:07:45.000 like Stafford. You look at that guy. I'm crazy, but 0:07:45.120 --> 0:07:47.280 you know, you know you got I played a lot 0:07:47.280 --> 0:07:49.800 of good balls. Still feel young, Like you said, I'll 0:07:49.840 --> 0:07:53.320 just just be turning thirty in July, so I still 0:07:53.360 --> 0:07:54.440 got some good time ahead of me. 0:07:56.200 --> 0:07:57.800 You know. I'm just so excited to play. 0:07:57.800 --> 0:07:59.560 I feel like I started out some of my best 0:07:59.640 --> 0:08:01.880 years to leg but you know, only Thomas heard that. 0:08:02.720 --> 0:08:06.280 It was a really strange year. Everybody expected the Bengals 0:08:06.280 --> 0:08:07.840 to be one of the top two or three teams 0:08:07.840 --> 0:08:10.360 in the NFL. Joe gets hurt on the second day 0:08:10.400 --> 0:08:12.360 of training camp, and it just seemed like it was 0:08:12.400 --> 0:08:14.960 a scramble to try to get where you wanted to 0:08:15.000 --> 0:08:16.120 be from the very beginning. 0:08:16.720 --> 0:08:19.600 Yeah, and that's just the way the ball rover sometimes, 0:08:19.600 --> 0:08:23.480 you know, I think that's just it. And you come 0:08:23.520 --> 0:08:26.360 in with certain expectations and you need adversity, and you 0:08:26.360 --> 0:08:29.000 never know what that adversity is going to be. It's 0:08:29.000 --> 0:08:30.680 just got overcoming and I'm telling you know we are 0:08:30.720 --> 0:08:33.760 already overcoming. Then some things you just can't overcome exactly. 0:08:33.840 --> 0:08:35.599 But you know, stuff all like, we give ourself a 0:08:35.640 --> 0:08:37.640 chance play some goodball. Jake came in there and tore 0:08:37.679 --> 0:08:40.760 it up. Dies when your gung guys came in there 0:08:40.760 --> 0:08:43.439 a bigger thing. So you can't look at it as 0:08:43.440 --> 0:08:45.040 a wash. You just look at it as you know, 0:08:45.080 --> 0:08:47.480 we had the opportunity to grow. Season is still good. 0:08:48.480 --> 0:08:48.960 There's only a. 0:08:48.920 --> 0:08:50.720 Certain my team may pops on the body. You always 0:08:50.720 --> 0:08:53.240 want to be nacking, but that's just the way it 0:08:53.280 --> 0:08:54.120 could crumble. 0:08:54.240 --> 0:08:58.319 Sometimes, Man, you have been an awesome Bengal, one of 0:08:58.360 --> 0:09:00.880 the best free agents the franchise as has ever signed. 0:09:00.880 --> 0:09:04.360 And from a selfish perspective, I hope there's another Cincinnati 0:09:04.400 --> 0:09:05.280 contract to come. 0:09:05.400 --> 0:09:07.680 Best of luck and rehabit. I appreciate the time, man, 0:09:07.679 --> 0:09:08.599 me too, I appreciate it. 0:09:08.640 --> 0:09:12.320 Bro. I'm not alone and hoping that DJ will return 0:09:12.360 --> 0:09:15.560 to the Bengals. Here's defensive coordinator lou Anarumo. 0:09:15.880 --> 0:09:18.200 I'd love to have DJ back, you know, love everything 0:09:18.240 --> 0:09:21.400 about him. He's such a big influence in the locker room. 0:09:22.000 --> 0:09:24.360 He's such a big influence on our defense and has 0:09:24.400 --> 0:09:27.800 done so many great things for the city, the community, 0:09:27.840 --> 0:09:31.240 and our team. You know, would really like to get 0:09:31.320 --> 0:09:32.080 him back if we can. 0:09:32.480 --> 0:09:35.880 I mentioned DJ's high grades from Pro Football Focus. His 0:09:35.960 --> 0:09:39.480 overall grade is eighty two point two and for sake 0:09:39.520 --> 0:09:43.280 of comparison, all Pro Chris Jones of the Chiefs is 0:09:43.320 --> 0:09:47.720 at eighty two point eight. The Bengals Booth Podcast is 0:09:47.720 --> 0:09:49.560 brought to you by pay Corps, proud to be the 0:09:49.559 --> 0:09:54.400 Bengals official HR software provider by Alta Fiber future Proof 0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:58.400 fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business and community 0:09:58.600 --> 0:10:02.400 to a new level by Kettering Health the best care 0:10:02.880 --> 0:10:06.560 for the best fans. Kettering Health is the official healthcare 0:10:06.600 --> 0:10:10.480 provider of the Bengals. Sam Hubbard is wrapping up season 0:10:10.559 --> 0:10:13.600 number six in Cincinnati, and he has seen it all. 0:10:13.960 --> 0:10:16.360 He's been on a team that started zero to eleven, 0:10:16.760 --> 0:10:18.880 and he's been on a team that was less than 0:10:18.920 --> 0:10:22.040 two minutes away from winning a Super Bowl. Sam says 0:10:22.040 --> 0:10:25.360 that finishing this season with a winning record is a 0:10:25.400 --> 0:10:29.400 significant goal on Sunday, even if it's not what they 0:10:29.400 --> 0:10:31.520 were shooting for to begin the season. 0:10:33.000 --> 0:10:35.520 Yeah, obviously we expected to be here playing for seeding, 0:10:35.880 --> 0:10:38.120 playing for the playoffs, but that's not how it worked out, 0:10:39.440 --> 0:10:41.360 and it's unfortunate. You know, we put in the work, 0:10:41.800 --> 0:10:45.000 we fought hard for a long season, and we came 0:10:45.080 --> 0:10:48.240 up short. But we still got one more game left 0:10:48.440 --> 0:10:51.319 to finish with the winning season, and that's important to us, 0:10:51.320 --> 0:10:52.520 it's important to the fans. 0:10:52.880 --> 0:10:54.200 So we're gonna go out there and fight hard. 0:10:54.920 --> 0:10:56.679 How about trying to get an AFC North win. 0:10:56.920 --> 0:10:59.240 Yeah, we want that too. That's huge for us, especially 0:10:59.240 --> 0:11:03.360 against arrival like the Browns. So you know, it's a 0:11:03.360 --> 0:11:05.600 great opportunity to finish season on the high note. I 0:11:05.640 --> 0:11:07.760 know we finished in twenty nineteen with the home win 0:11:07.800 --> 0:11:11.280 against the Browns and we went two and fourteen that year. 0:11:11.320 --> 0:11:14.280 But that was really good momentum going in the off season. 0:11:14.880 --> 0:11:15.640 A strange year. 0:11:15.880 --> 0:11:19.280 Expectations were so high and from the very beginning it 0:11:19.480 --> 0:11:21.960 just didn't seem like things are going to fall you away. 0:11:22.360 --> 0:11:22.959 Yeah, it was. 0:11:23.360 --> 0:11:25.840 It was a difference, was stranger, like you said, from 0:11:26.000 --> 0:11:30.400 Joe going down early in training camp, all types of 0:11:30.400 --> 0:11:32.600 stuff happening. You know, you just name all the things 0:11:32.600 --> 0:11:36.640 that happen. It seems like it's just crazy. But that's 0:11:36.679 --> 0:11:39.000 the life in the NFL. That's every year is going 0:11:39.040 --> 0:11:41.040 to go, not how you draw it up, how you 0:11:41.080 --> 0:11:44.200 expect it, and that's what we signed up for. 0:11:45.520 --> 0:11:47.880 Guys always leave at the end of the year, whether 0:11:47.920 --> 0:11:51.000 it's free agency, whatever. Is there a feeling of this 0:11:51.080 --> 0:11:53.160 might be the last time this group of guys gets 0:11:53.160 --> 0:11:53.720 to play together. 0:11:54.120 --> 0:11:57.120 I think everyone knows now that it's there's no playoffs, 0:11:57.120 --> 0:12:00.080 this last week together, so we're gonna enjoy each other to. 0:12:00.160 --> 0:12:00.640 The locker room. 0:12:00.679 --> 0:12:02.719 We have the time we have because no matter what 0:12:02.920 --> 0:12:04.679 things are gonna change next year, every year it's a 0:12:04.720 --> 0:12:05.600 totally different team. 0:12:06.240 --> 0:12:07.160 That's just how it goes. 0:12:07.280 --> 0:12:10.719 So I think guys understand that are gonna, you know, 0:12:10.920 --> 0:12:14.240 take this time to enjoy each other and work hard together. 0:12:15.280 --> 0:12:17.320 I think there was a five game stretch where Joe 0:12:17.400 --> 0:12:19.880 was fully healthy beat some of the best teams in 0:12:19.920 --> 0:12:24.160 the NFL. Do you leave the season feeling okay when 0:12:24.240 --> 0:12:27.520 he's back, this is still one of the NFL's best teams. 0:12:28.400 --> 0:12:29.120 Yeah, no doubt. 0:12:29.200 --> 0:12:31.240 Like like you said, that stretch, we were playing some really, 0:12:31.240 --> 0:12:33.440 really good football in the middle of the year, and 0:12:34.200 --> 0:12:36.200 you know, it's all about playing the best football at 0:12:36.240 --> 0:12:37.760 the right time of the year. This year, we played 0:12:37.760 --> 0:12:39.400 it in the middle of the season when we need 0:12:39.440 --> 0:12:40.600 to be playing it at the end of the year. 0:12:40.640 --> 0:12:44.160 And yeah, we have all the all the confidence in 0:12:44.160 --> 0:12:45.560 the world and the guys we have in this locker 0:12:45.600 --> 0:12:49.240 room when we're all together, So getting him back is 0:12:49.280 --> 0:12:53.040 obviously key, and he's well on his way. So I 0:12:53.080 --> 0:12:54.679 know this year is not. 0:12:54.720 --> 0:12:56.480 What we all drew up. 0:12:56.920 --> 0:13:00.160 And for me, this offseason, I'm gonna be thinking I 0:13:00.240 --> 0:13:01.480 was trying to get back to where we were the 0:13:01.559 --> 0:13:03.920 last two years and finishing the job. So I think 0:13:03.920 --> 0:13:05.319 a lot of guys have them mine set too. 0:13:06.440 --> 0:13:09.080 To put the twenty twenty three season in perspective. I 0:13:09.120 --> 0:13:11.959 caught up with the greatest Bengal of all time this week, 0:13:12.360 --> 0:13:16.400 Hall of Famer Anthony Munos. What do you think they're 0:13:16.440 --> 0:13:18.680 playing for against Cleveland on Sunday. 0:13:19.360 --> 0:13:24.400 Well, let's put it this way, interstate rivalry, pride, and 0:13:25.240 --> 0:13:28.000 just to have a positive filling in your mouth when 0:13:28.000 --> 0:13:30.559 you head into the offseason to get ready. You know, 0:13:30.679 --> 0:13:33.880 it's that last game is always the one that's going 0:13:33.920 --> 0:13:36.120 to give you a sour taste or say, hey, we 0:13:36.200 --> 0:13:38.040 finished on a good note, let's build on it. 0:13:38.480 --> 0:13:40.640 There have been positives this year, and one of the 0:13:40.679 --> 0:13:43.720 biggest is that they know definitively that they have a 0:13:43.760 --> 0:13:47.600 good backup quarterback. And Jake Browning, what did he show 0:13:47.640 --> 0:13:49.440 you in the last month and a half. 0:13:49.840 --> 0:13:52.160 He wasn't rattled, you know, And I like that with 0:13:52.240 --> 0:13:54.840 the young guy when you come in and you know 0:13:54.920 --> 0:13:57.559 you're filling in some big shoes and you just aren't rattled. 0:13:58.160 --> 0:14:01.400 And he showed me his smarts and being able to 0:14:02.000 --> 0:14:05.080 just play within the system. And that was a good 0:14:05.080 --> 0:14:07.040 thing about it. You know, you talk about a backup, 0:14:07.040 --> 0:14:09.960 and that's always nice to have, especially when you have 0:14:10.080 --> 0:14:13.520 someone the caliber of Joe. You never know what's going 0:14:13.600 --> 0:14:16.400 to happen, and you get Jake coming in and he 0:14:16.440 --> 0:14:17.200 does pretty well. 0:14:17.240 --> 0:14:19.000 So I was happy to see that. 0:14:19.680 --> 0:14:22.600 So many things have to go right for a team 0:14:22.680 --> 0:14:24.880 to win a Super Bowl, and for this season for 0:14:24.960 --> 0:14:28.240 the Bengals, the adversity started on day two of training 0:14:28.240 --> 0:14:31.520 camp when Joe Burrow strained his calf. How difficult is 0:14:31.560 --> 0:14:34.600 that for professional football player when you're riding that roller 0:14:34.600 --> 0:14:36.120 coaster all season long. 0:14:37.160 --> 0:14:39.440 I think it makes it even more difficult when it's 0:14:39.480 --> 0:14:41.520 the most important player on your team. 0:14:42.640 --> 0:14:44.440 You know, Joe Burrow is a man. I'll tell you 0:14:44.440 --> 0:14:45.400 what you know. 0:14:45.600 --> 0:14:49.480 And I'm sure when that happened, you know, I talked 0:14:49.480 --> 0:14:50.520 about it earlier. 0:14:50.800 --> 0:14:51.840 When that happened, it. 0:14:51.760 --> 0:14:54.400 Was kind of like, oh, even though you knew it's 0:14:54.440 --> 0:14:56.080 going to be back, you just hate to see that 0:14:56.160 --> 0:14:59.120 at the beginning of the season with such high expectations. 0:15:00.000 --> 0:15:02.280 And first of all, you know, for me, in my 0:15:02.400 --> 0:15:04.600 humble opinion, you know things are going to get started 0:15:04.800 --> 0:15:07.520 slowly anyway, because of just the nature of the Beast 0:15:07.840 --> 0:15:10.480 not playing any preseason. You have to work your way 0:15:10.480 --> 0:15:13.040 into it. Now you have, you know, Joe not there, 0:15:13.160 --> 0:15:16.400 that's going to add to it. So you know, it 0:15:16.480 --> 0:15:17.720 was sad to see it and then all of a 0:15:17.760 --> 0:15:21.000 sudden you see him coming on and things are getting better, 0:15:21.040 --> 0:15:22.720 and then you see the thing with the risks. So 0:15:23.920 --> 0:15:26.160 you know, it's one of those things you talk about 0:15:26.160 --> 0:15:28.480 the last game of the season. Let's let's wipe that out, 0:15:28.560 --> 0:15:31.320 let's rehab, and let's get back healthy and get rolling 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:32.360 for twenty twenty four. 0:15:33.040 --> 0:15:35.480 As we take stock of this season and look ahead 0:15:35.480 --> 0:15:37.720 to twenty twenty four, what are some areas that you 0:15:37.760 --> 0:15:40.760 would like to prioritize for this team to reach its 0:15:40.760 --> 0:15:41.920 potential going forward. 0:15:42.600 --> 0:15:44.360 Well, first of all, if we can just talk about 0:15:44.400 --> 0:15:46.920 back up again. You know, you talk about Jake Brown, 0:15:46.960 --> 0:15:50.160 and let's talk about Chase Brown. I mean the kid, 0:15:50.600 --> 0:15:52.880 and I you know, I tell people you can see 0:15:52.920 --> 0:15:55.320 somewhat of a guys can do in the preseason, but 0:15:55.400 --> 0:15:58.120 the way he played, I thought that was great, not 0:15:58.160 --> 0:16:00.320 only for the team, but I thought it was excellent 0:16:00.360 --> 0:16:01.320 for Joe Mixon. 0:16:01.360 --> 0:16:03.800 You know, having someone nipping at his heels. They're doing 0:16:03.800 --> 0:16:04.360 pretty well. 0:16:04.760 --> 0:16:07.680 So, you know, again, you talk about Jake being a backup, 0:16:07.680 --> 0:16:10.880 and I was impressed with Chase Brown. Where you know, 0:16:10.960 --> 0:16:14.160 we look look for in the you know, in the offseason, 0:16:14.280 --> 0:16:18.040 as far as the team. You know, I think maybe 0:16:18.480 --> 0:16:22.360 again it's an area that was overhauled. I think we 0:16:22.400 --> 0:16:25.320 still need to continue to work on that offensive line. 0:16:25.640 --> 0:16:29.120 I think to really and for me, it's more consistency. 0:16:29.680 --> 0:16:32.240 I think we have individuals that are capable of doing it, 0:16:32.520 --> 0:16:36.480 but I think it's it's consistency, you know, and someone 0:16:36.520 --> 0:16:40.480 that gets a little frustrated at times with kind of 0:16:40.520 --> 0:16:42.480 the state of what's going on. I'm thinking, you got 0:16:42.480 --> 0:16:45.360 a three hundred and forty pounds left tackle, you got 0:16:45.360 --> 0:16:48.480 a big old man at left guard. There's got to 0:16:48.480 --> 0:16:51.120 be a way just to get under center and just 0:16:51.160 --> 0:16:54.480 come off the football at times. But I understand that 0:16:54.480 --> 0:16:56.400 the pass is big now in the NFL, and I 0:16:56.720 --> 0:17:00.440 understand the pass is big with our Cincinnati Bengals, But 0:17:01.120 --> 0:17:04.400 you still look at teams that you know, win championships, 0:17:04.440 --> 0:17:07.240 win football games. They're not in a two point stance 0:17:07.280 --> 0:17:11.120 all the time, and they're they're getting after it. You know, 0:17:11.200 --> 0:17:14.440 if it's putting two guys behind the quarterback and getting 0:17:14.480 --> 0:17:17.679 ten guys pushing your quarterback on third and one or 0:17:17.680 --> 0:17:19.560 fourth to one, you know that the Eagles that brought 0:17:19.600 --> 0:17:22.320 the surface do that. But I'd have to say that's 0:17:22.320 --> 0:17:24.679 probably one of the areas that I would love to 0:17:24.760 --> 0:17:29.400 see more consistency and come along with is yeah, let's 0:17:29.440 --> 0:17:31.720 keep throwing the football, but when it's time to run 0:17:31.760 --> 0:17:35.120 the football, let's be physical and make the defense pay 0:17:35.200 --> 0:17:35.480 for it. 0:17:35.880 --> 0:17:38.480 Let me follow up on that big left tackle Orlando 0:17:38.520 --> 0:17:41.399 Brown Junior, because you two had a memorable zoom chat 0:17:41.480 --> 0:17:43.840