1 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: I get everybody on Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 2 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: The Bengals Booth Podcast The WHOAO. I just want to 3 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: field this moment addition, sorry, Christine Aguilera. As the Bengals 4 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: hit the road on Tuesday and head to Los Angeles, 5 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:26,080 Speaker 1: as we get closer to Super Bowl fifty six coming up, 6 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: I'll talk to a Bengals wide receiver with a unique 7 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 1: perspective on Sunday's game, Mike Thomas. He spent four years 8 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: with the Rams and now he's in his second year 9 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: with the Bengals. Then I'll talk to Robert Weintraub, who 10 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: covers the NFL for Football Outsiders and writes about the 11 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: Bengals for Cincinnati Magazine. Finally, it's an encore edition of 12 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: Fun Facts with Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. The Bengals Booth 13 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: Podcast is presented by Ultimate Bengals, the free to play 14 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: Next Level Fantasy Football game downloaded now from the app 15 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: Store and Google Play and by on Location, the official 16 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: hospitality partner of the NFL. Visit on Location exp dot 17 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: com for exclusive access to the biggest events in the 18 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 1: NFL all season long, including Super Bowl fifty six. Here's 19 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 1: a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition 20 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: of this podcast delivered write to your phone, tablet, or 21 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the 22 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: greatest thing since Cascatelli. I didn't realize that people were 23 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: still inventing new shapes of pasta, but lo and behold, 24 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 1: a guy named Dan Pashman, who hosts a food podcast, 25 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: has come out with Cascatelli. That's the Italian word for waterfalls. 26 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,759 Speaker 1: Dan says there are three qualities by which all pasta 27 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 1: shapes should be judged. One sauceability, how readily to sauce? 28 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: Add here? Two fork ability how easy is it to 29 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: get on a fork? And three tooth sync ability, how 30 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 1: satisfying is to sink your teeth into it. I'm here 31 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: to tell you that Cascatelli gets an A plus in 32 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: all three categories. It's the Joe Burrow of pasta shapes. 33 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: Now let's get to my guests, beginning with Bengals wide 34 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: receiver Mike Thomas, the one player in Super Bowl fifty 35 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: six who has played for both head coaches. Mike, you 36 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: are a member of the Rams when they went to 37 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl four years ago, but unfortunately you were 38 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: injured and didn't get to play in the game. Can 39 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 1: you describe what it means to you to get back 40 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 1: and be on the active roster, man, It's undescribable. Honestly, 41 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: it took a while for me to let it all 42 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: come to me, like, Damn, I'm going back to the 43 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 1: Super Bowl and I'm actually playing in this game. Like 44 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: it it's so surreal, like the fact that I'm suiting 45 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 1: up and I can't really explain the feeling. It's just 46 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: it's overwhelming. I tell you that. Did you get emotional 47 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: after the AFC Championship went over the Chiefs? Yes, I did. 48 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 1: I was. I was overwhelmingly happy, like we really did it, 49 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: like it's actually happening, like it's it's no underdog like 50 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: Joe said, no underdog boar crap, Like we are. We don't. 51 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 1: We do them guys, and we deserved this and we 52 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: showing it each week, weekend and week out. So I 53 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:19,799 Speaker 1: was overly excited. We're chatting the Bengals wide receiver Mike 54 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 1: tom I said, what point this year did you think, man, 55 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:27,799 Speaker 1: this team is good enough to go to the Super Bowl? Honestly, um, 56 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 1: honestly penited to all our games we always was down, 57 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: uh you know, going in the halftime and after all 58 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: our game were majority of all our games, we always 59 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: came back and got back on top and one games. 60 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: And every time I think about that and the previous 61 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: Super Bowl, like the Chance Kansas City Chief when they 62 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: won their Super Bowl year, they always came back and 63 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: won each game. So and when I think about that, 64 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: we resilient enough that when we down, we don't panic, 65 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 1: We don't we don't trip, we don't go crazy. We 66 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: keep probably most you know, and tact and let's keep 67 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: playing ball into sixty minutes is over. One of the 68 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,080 Speaker 1: big reasons, Mike, why the Bengals are headed to this 69 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: Super Bowl is the wide receiver room. It's led by 70 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: Jamar Chase t Higgins and Tyler Boyd, but all of 71 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: you guys have contributed in some way yourself, Stanley Morgan, 72 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 1: Trent Taylor, etc. What stands out to you about that 73 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: wide receiver room Just holding each other accountable, sending the 74 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 1: standard high high as possible that we can. There's no 75 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: room for mistakes. So the more that we in the 76 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 1: room together and sending each other, sending standards high and 77 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: making sure that we keep that standard above average. Damn 78 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 1: disguise a limit for us all. Has Jamar Chase been 79 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 1: treating you guys to stakes? Did I hear that correctly? Yeah? Yeah, 80 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 1: we still got him on a little rookie kieer duty, 81 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: So you know what I'm saying, held he'd been holding 82 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: it down. Good to know. We're chatting the Bengals wide 83 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 1: receiver Mike Thomas. When your buddies around the league ask 84 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: you about Joe Burrow, where do you tell him? Man? 85 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: He he the coolest in the game. Man like he 86 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: gotta you know everybody. Honestly, a lot of people were 87 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: telling me, Yeah, it seemed like out of all the 88 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 1: quarterbacks in the league, Joe got some spice to him. 89 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: He got a little flavor to him. So if people 90 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 1: coming to me saying that, hey, Joe the coolest one 91 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 1: in the league right now, cool without trying to be cool, 92 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 1: without trying to effortless. We're chatting with the wide receiver 93 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 1: Mike Thomas. Mike and your second season in the NFL 94 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 1: with the Rams, Zach Taylor was your assistant wide receivers coach. 95 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 1: Did you ever dream that this guy would be a 96 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:42,159 Speaker 1: Super Bowl head coach someday? To be real, nah, I 97 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 1: ain't gonna lieu. He was in. He was in our 98 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: Ride receiver room. So I have worked with previous Ride 99 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 1: receiver coach. They always never wanted to go up and beyond. 100 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: They always just wanted to stay as a receiver coach man. 101 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:58,279 Speaker 1: Obviously Zach wanted more. He wanted to be a head guy. 102 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 1: So obviously he doing it. He's doing at a greater 103 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 1: skill right now. What do you respect about Sean McVay 104 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,839 Speaker 1: from when you played for him? His resiliency, He was 105 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: always cool. He never really raised his voice too much. 106 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 1: He was always a cool, common, collective coach. And he 107 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:18,040 Speaker 1: was a high standard guy too. He was always forcing 108 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:21,680 Speaker 1: the details, making sure everything was perfect. And that's what 109 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: I can say about him. He was a professionalist. He 110 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: want everything's perfect so that we can set the standard 111 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: high and going games confident and not really wherever it 112 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 1: or think overthinking. So one of the challenges for the 113 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 1: Bengals wide receivers in this Super Bowl is going to 114 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:38,719 Speaker 1: be trying to get open against Jalen Ramsey. He's probably 115 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:41,839 Speaker 1: the best corner in the NFL. What makes him so 116 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 1: special Obviously he's a bigger framer, I mean cornerback of course, 117 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 1: he's like six two wide wingspans long. He's a long corner. So, 118 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 1: if you know what I'm saying, going to get his 119 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 1: long corners ain't really fun. So anybody who can just 120 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: reach out and touch you across the on scrimmage, that's 121 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 1: as you know, that's you're gonna have a long day. 122 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: So all credit to Jalen for sure. So, Mike, you 123 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: grew up in Chicago idolizing Chad Johnson. You wanted your 124 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: buddies to call you Mike Ocho Cinco when you were 125 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 1: in high school. Does it seem fitting to you that 126 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: you are going to a super Bowl in a Bengals uniform? Yeah, 127 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: I would say that. Um, it's only right man. Um, 128 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: Like you said, what the history says, it's been thirty 129 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 1: years since. It's been a long time. So I'm just 130 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: I'm just glad to be a part of this history. Man, 131 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 1: to just be you know, in the locker room with 132 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 1: the guy, sharing those those moments and cherishing every moment 133 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 1: and just man, I'm just excited. I mean, I can't 134 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: really explain it, man, It's just you just got to 135 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: cherish those moments and be humble and understand what you're 136 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: in what you know, what you did, what you got, 137 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: what you got in front of you. Honestly, I think 138 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: it seems a little bit unreal to all of us. 139 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 1: But have you allowed yourself to dream about what it 140 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 1: would be like to hold up that Lombardi Trophy after 141 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: winning a Super Bowl? Oh yeah, oh yeah, I can 142 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 1: picture with ring finger out what the ring going and everything. Man, 143 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 1: I can see for sure. I hope you get the 144 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: opportunity to wear it. But just making it as far 145 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 1: as a remarkable accomplishment. Congratulations Mike, and I appreciate your 146 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 1: time as always. Thank you, Thank you, d I appreciate you. 147 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 1: Thomas only has five catches this year, along with four 148 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 1: tackles and a forced fumble on special teams. But if 149 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:33,439 Speaker 1: there's one thing we've learned about the Super Bowl over 150 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: the years, it's that there are often unexpected heroes like 151 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:41,439 Speaker 1: David Tyree, whose helmet catch helped the Giants beat the 152 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 1: undefeated Patriots. It was the final catch of his NFL career. 153 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 1: The Bengals Booth podcast is presented by Ultimate Bengals, the 154 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: free to play fantasy football game. This year, Ultimate Bengals 155 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 1: awarded a weekly winner during the course of the season 156 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: with tickets, autographed merchandise, and he can't buy experiences all 157 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: up for grabs. Find Ultimate Bengals in the app Store 158 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,199 Speaker 1: and Google Play. In each of the last two years, 159 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:10,320 Speaker 1: just before the start of the season, I've been joined 160 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: on this podcast by a writer named Robert Weintraub. Rob 161 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 1: covers the NFL for Football Outsiders, a website that focuses 162 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: on advanced statistical analysis, but he also writes on a 163 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 1: more personal level for Cincinnati Magazine. You see, Robert grew 164 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: up in suburban New York rooting for the Cincinnati Bengals. Robert, 165 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: the title of your most recent story for Cincinnati Magazine 166 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: is the Bengals Answered Our Prayers at long Last, and 167 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 1: the end of the first paragraph reads as follows. I 168 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 1: hope for it, prayed for it, offered to sell my 169 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 1: first born male son for it. Never truly believed it. 170 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,439 Speaker 1: It's been about a week. Are you still having a 171 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:56,680 Speaker 1: hard time believing it? I definitely am. My son is 172 00:09:56,679 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 1: still for sale by the way out there, if anybody 173 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 1: wants to please do uh. It's it's living in this 174 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 1: sort of another world of disbelief with you know, incredible 175 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 1: pride and confidence in the team and just giddiness, I 176 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:16,840 Speaker 1: guess is the one word that comes to mind. It's 177 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,680 Speaker 1: they've come so far and it's all been so unexpected 178 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: that it's it's a better ride, I think than you know, 179 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 1: had they gone into the season as a favorite, or 180 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 1: you know, a team that we thought couldn't even make 181 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 1: a Super Bowl run. The fact that it came so 182 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 1: out of nowhere and yet feels sustainable for the future 183 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:35,719 Speaker 1: really is kind of the best of both worlds. There 184 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 1: there a year ahead of time, you know, they kind 185 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: of took this great leap forward, as they said in 186 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: China once upon a time, and you know, I think 187 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: that really makes it more special than it would be otherwise. 188 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:49,479 Speaker 1: And of course the way they've won the games themselves 189 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 1: have been you know, hard to believe and make it 190 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 1: even more of a too much at times of a 191 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 1: roller coaster ride. But when you come out on the 192 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:00,839 Speaker 1: winning side of those games, it makes it's so much better. 193 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: And you know, it's just I'm still dizzy. Maybe that'll 194 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 1: wear off by the time to kickoff next week, We'll see, 195 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 1: but you know, for now, I'm still I'm walking on air. 196 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:14,520 Speaker 1: I've been saying to people, there's nothing better as a 197 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: sports fan, and when your team reaches this level and 198 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 1: it's entirely unexpected, it would have been great under any circumstances. 199 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:24,320 Speaker 1: Hopefully five years from now, when the Bengals are going 200 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: to their fifth consecutive Super Bowl, we'll still think it's great. 201 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:31,840 Speaker 1: But when it's completely unexpected, that's the best, right. Yeah. 202 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 1: You know, we talked before the season started and we 203 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 1: were just like, maybe, hopefully, let's pray they play some 204 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: meaningful games in December. Let's hope they have an outside 205 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 1: crack at the playoffs, you know, And I think in 206 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 1: the back of our minds, knowing that Joe Burrow was 207 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:48,959 Speaker 1: the quarterback, this was not completely out of the realm 208 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:52,440 Speaker 1: of possibility. But obviously coming off the injury, you know, 209 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 1: we didn't know what to expect. We didn't know how 210 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:56,200 Speaker 1: long it was going to take for him to go 211 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:58,520 Speaker 1: back to being Joe Burrow, and I think it did 212 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: take somewhere along the lines of half a season for 213 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 1: him to do that. But you know, the way they've 214 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 1: then just kind of boarded this rocket ship and taken 215 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 1: the flight straight to the moon has been really pretty amazing, 216 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:14,079 Speaker 1: And yeah, it is. It is the best it can 217 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: never be replicated. Really, I mean, that's the thing about it, 218 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 1: and you know that's what makes it really that much 219 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: more special. And then I just worry that if they 220 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:24,400 Speaker 1: don't finish the drill as they say, and don't win 221 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:27,079 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl itself, maybe we have a bit of 222 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:28,680 Speaker 1: a bitter sweet feeling at the end of all this. 223 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 1: But I'm trying not to get into that mental space 224 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 1: just yet. We're chatting with Robert Weintraub, who covers the 225 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:36,360 Speaker 1: NFL for Football Outsiders and writes about the Bengals for 226 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 1: Cincinnati Magazine. In the article I referenced earlier, you also 227 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 1: described how you were so nervous that you could not 228 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 1: watch the finish on TV. You went to another room. 229 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:48,600 Speaker 1: You'll be happy to know my eighty five year old 230 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 1: mother does the same thing, so you are in good company. 231 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 1: At what point couldn't you stand the stress? It was 232 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:58,959 Speaker 1: when the Chiefs were driving for what was going to 233 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:02,839 Speaker 1: be a go ahead down or take the entirety of 234 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 1: the clock, as it happened, and kick the field goal 235 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 1: send the game into over time. At that point, with 236 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:10,319 Speaker 1: the ball in Joe Burrow's hands, I probably wouldn't have 237 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 1: felt the same way I'd have felt maybe a little 238 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 1: bit of his confidence would have ebbed into my field. 239 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:19,320 Speaker 1: But with Joe on the bench and the Patrick Mahomes, 240 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:23,199 Speaker 1: you know, going downfield, even though he had been struggling 241 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 1: for the entirety of the second half. Nevertheless, the jelly 242 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 1: in my knees did not allow me to stand up 243 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:34,120 Speaker 1: the you know, the mini stroke feelings I was having 244 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 1: in my chest and head. Said let's just walk away 245 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:41,079 Speaker 1: from this and put your prioritize your health over to 246 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: Bengals for once in your life, and it worked out 247 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:46,040 Speaker 1: pretty well. The question will be in the Super Bowl. 248 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:50,319 Speaker 1: I have similar strength if the situation repeats itself. Hopefully 249 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:52,320 Speaker 1: the Bengals go out to about a thirty seven nothing 250 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:55,079 Speaker 1: we had to just cruise home from there. Somehow I 251 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 1: doubt it, but we'll make that decision when the time comes. 252 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: We can dream, There's no doubt about that. We've recorded 253 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:03,920 Speaker 1: podcast each of the last two years after the Football 254 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:07,439 Speaker 1: Outsiders preseason Almanac came out, and your feelings about Joe 255 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: Burrow have been clear. You call him atlas for carrying 256 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:14,840 Speaker 1: the franchise on his shoulders, but how did this team 257 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,120 Speaker 1: get to the Super Bowl in his second year? When 258 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 1: you have a truly transformative player, they're capable of doing 259 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 1: these things. And we look back and you know, it 260 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 1: happens more often than you might think. I mean, when 261 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: teams have truly a great player at that position, obviously 262 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 1: it happens faster than you might imagine. You know, Mahomes 263 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 1: went to the super Bowl in his second year as 264 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 1: a starter, Roethlisberger Ben Roethlisberger in his second year as 265 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: a starter, Aaron Rodgers in his second year. When you 266 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 1: have a guy like that, all things are possible. I mean, 267 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 1: we always talked about it. We knew it. We had to, 268 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 1: you know, so sort of see it to believe it maybe, 269 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 1: But you know, that's why you drafted the guy like 270 00:14:50,160 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 1: this number one overall. That's why we were so happy 271 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: to you know, kind of bottom out instead of finishing 272 00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 1: you know, five and eleven in twenty nineteen. It was like, Okay, 273 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:01,200 Speaker 1: we got a rack at this sort of once in 274 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: a lifetime ish kind of player, and he makes things 275 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 1: like this possible. I mean, I hate to break a 276 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 1: complicated game down into such a simple, you know sort 277 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: of factor, but you know it's true. We can go 278 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: on and on about all the little things that Bengals 279 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 1: have done, and all the offseason moves that they did 280 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 1: that worked out pretty much entirely one hundred percent, all 281 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:25,080 Speaker 1: the things they've done offensively, you know, to scheme around 282 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 1: the fact the offensive line is not great, etc. Etc. 283 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 1: Evan mcpherrison. Of course being the future ten time All 284 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 1: Pro that we thought it might be coming out of college. Oh, 285 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:37,040 Speaker 1: that's great, and all of it's true, But the single 286 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: most important factor is Joe Burrow and a player of 287 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 1: his ilk, not just playing the way he plays, but obviously, 288 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 1: you know, giving some of his character and leadership and 289 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 1: the intangibles that we talk about so much in our 290 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 1: metric based company at Football Outsiders, I'd sort of feel 291 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: a trader talking about things like that that can't be measured. 292 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 1: But it's clear these hadn't effect a transformative effect, not 293 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 1: just on the team, not the entire organization. It's what 294 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 1: he was rafted to do, It's what we thought he 295 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: was capable of doing, and he's done it already in 296 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 1: year two. It's truly a fantastic, incredible accomplishment and you know, 297 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 1: something he should be pretty proud of. I'm sure your colleague, 298 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: Mike Tanier wrote the Bengals preview for Football Outsiders this year, 299 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: and it was not encouraging. Have you playfully reminded him 300 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 1: of that? Oh? I told him next year's essay, which 301 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 1: I will write, will just be a point by point 302 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 1: hit for tat reader on of that and pointing out 303 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: where he was wrong. And whenever he goes on radio 304 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 1: shows this week or podcasts on Super Bowl Week, I 305 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 1: told him he's going to have to go back and 306 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 1: refer to that essay that he wrote, perhaps with a 307 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 1: celebrity voice to give it more of a Samuel L. Jackson, 308 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: perhaps scorn attached to the way he wrote that. Yeah, 309 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 1: you know, I mean that was the sort of national 310 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:56,080 Speaker 1: outsider's view of the Bengals, And you know, you can't 311 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 1: say he was unjustified and he went out of his way, 312 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 1: perhaps with a few had hominem attacks and a little 313 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: extra snark, But that's Mike. I mean. The point of 314 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 1: it is the Bengals didn't have much to stand on 315 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:10,919 Speaker 1: over the last five years or so. They didn't have 316 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: much success. Obviously, they hadn't won a playoff game as 317 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:17,240 Speaker 1: we know in over three decades, and they were sort 318 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 1: of they were doing things differently now as it turns 319 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 1: out sometimes when you do things differently and you have 320 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:27,880 Speaker 1: an organization that isn't you know, just busy chasing the 321 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 1: same thing every the other organization is chasing, that works 322 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:33,479 Speaker 1: out for you. And sometimes, you know, these things are 323 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 1: also also cyclical. I mean, the drafts were very good 324 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:39,280 Speaker 1: in the first half of the twenty tens, and they 325 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 1: took a downward turn in the second half. That's every team, 326 00:17:43,119 --> 00:17:45,159 Speaker 1: you know, most teams go through something like that. It 327 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:47,119 Speaker 1: can't be one hundred percent in the front office and 328 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 1: personnel things like that. And the Bengals were different upward 329 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 1: turn in that respect, and it happened, and it happened 330 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:56,919 Speaker 1: to the end degree, and they happen to you know, 331 00:17:57,080 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 1: also get a chance that, you know, the great quarterback 332 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:01,640 Speaker 1: who didn't get to show what he was really capable 333 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:04,680 Speaker 1: of last year, and the fact that he went out 334 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 1: in such a disturbing and catastrophic way also lent the 335 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 1: national media to sort of dismiss the Bengals and Burrow 336 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:15,160 Speaker 1: in a casual way. He's kind of aut of sight, 337 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 1: out of mind. I feel like, coming into the season, 338 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 1: it's like, well, yeah, he's there, but you know, let's 339 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 1: see what he can really do, and you know he did. 340 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:27,159 Speaker 1: And I think if Mike were here now with some 341 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: true serum, we would be able to pin him down 342 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 1: and say that he was a little over the top. 343 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 1: But that's okay. I mean, you know, the success is 344 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:36,359 Speaker 1: the last laugh, and I've had a few at his 345 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 1: expense throughout the season. So they have the transformative player 346 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 1: in Joe Burrow at quarterback. But where was this team 347 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 1: much better than the metrics suggested it would be? Obviously, 348 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:51,440 Speaker 1: run defense is the first and foremost place you look. 349 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:54,679 Speaker 1: They were top ten all season in that respect, something 350 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 1: I didn't think it was even possible, much less you know, 351 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: going to happen at a consistent rate this season. You 352 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:03,640 Speaker 1: know the fact that they addressed it in the off 353 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:06,080 Speaker 1: season so heavily in the last two off seasons. Really 354 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:09,159 Speaker 1: if you count Dj Reader, who had a really excellent season, 355 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 1: and he too was pretty much forgotten about. People don't 356 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 1: remember that he was lost for most of the twenty 357 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 1: twenty seasons, so just getting him back was it was 358 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:21,360 Speaker 1: a huge effect on the interior that defensive line, and 359 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 1: you know, the way they were able to consistently stop 360 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 1: other teams running games, which was you know, passing is 361 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:29,880 Speaker 1: much more of the way to go. It's much more 362 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 1: efficient overall in football. But teams still want to kind 363 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 1: of break you, for lack of a better word. They 364 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 1: want to control the game through the running attack, and 365 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:42,640 Speaker 1: if you deny them that, you know, it makes obviously 366 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: winning on defense much easier. That Bengals still struggled to 367 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,919 Speaker 1: stop the pass in a lot of games this season 368 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:51,719 Speaker 1: and overall this season, I think could say, but the 369 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:53,920 Speaker 1: fact that they were consistently able to stop other teams 370 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 1: running games meant that they couldn't the other team couldn't 371 00:19:57,320 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 1: put away games on them, and they were That's the 372 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:02,879 Speaker 1: reason why they were always in these late comeback fourth 373 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:05,359 Speaker 1: quarter games, and they always had a chance because the 374 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:07,159 Speaker 1: other team couldn't kill the clock on him. That was 375 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 1: a big, big factor and certainly something I didn't see coming. 376 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:13,000 Speaker 1: I don't think anybody did, maybe except for the Bengals 377 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:16,200 Speaker 1: staff and the Bengals players. For chatting with Robert Weintraub, 378 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:18,880 Speaker 1: who covers the NFL for Football Outsiders and the Bengals 379 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 1: for Cincinnati Magazine. He is also the author of several books, 380 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 1: including The Divine Miss Marble, available in paperback. So let's 381 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:28,679 Speaker 1: turn our attention out of the Bengals and Rams in 382 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 1: Super Bowl fifty six. I know you've been diving into 383 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 1: the advanced numbers. What are some of the keys to 384 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:37,879 Speaker 1: this matchup based on your research? Well, first of all, 385 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 1: we'll have to overcome a large gap between the Rams 386 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:44,679 Speaker 1: and the Bengals in terms of overall DVOA, which is 387 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:49,200 Speaker 1: the standard Football Outsiders stat which measures kind of down 388 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: by down efficiency. I think one thing you would obviously 389 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:54,560 Speaker 1: know is that the Bengals were not efficient from down 390 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 1: to down this year. They were very boom er Bus team. 391 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:01,439 Speaker 1: The Rams were much better, and the gap is pretty large. 392 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 1: We give the Rams about a sixty five percent chance 393 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,639 Speaker 1: of winning the game. I think if you look historically 394 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 1: to the one game that this kind of numerically matches 395 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 1: the most, though, it's it's the two thousand and one game, 396 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 1: which also involved the Rams then in Saint Louis against 397 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:18,400 Speaker 1: the Patriots with a young quarterback who not too many 398 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,480 Speaker 1: people knew all that much about, but managed to pull 399 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 1: the upset and spring in a new dynasty, a long 400 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:27,920 Speaker 1: lasting dynasty said yeah, that that Rams Patriots games game 401 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:30,879 Speaker 1: kind of matches almost exactly where this game is in 402 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 1: terms of DV away. The Bengals, obviously, if you wait 403 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:39,080 Speaker 1: the DV away by more recent games, look a lot 404 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:41,360 Speaker 1: better than they do in a season long first And 405 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 1: you know, funnily, the Rams have really struggled to run 406 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 1: the ball themselves. They're one of the poorer running teams, 407 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:50,280 Speaker 1: especially on third down and in the playoffs, in particular 408 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:53,200 Speaker 1: Water where we just said that's the Bengals strength. So 409 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 1: if you wonder a you know how much the Rams 410 00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 1: will want to run it. Think Sean mcvay's entire scheme 411 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 1: is built around the run, so I think he'll want to. 412 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: The question is will the Bengals be able to continue 413 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:10,359 Speaker 1: that success against their run? Will they sucker the Rams 414 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:12,640 Speaker 1: into running it more than they want to? I think 415 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:15,080 Speaker 1: they kind of suckered the Chiefs out of running it 416 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 1: last last week. I wonder if they'll do the opposite 417 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: against the Rams. I think you'll also find that the 418 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 1: Rams have, you know, Jalen Ramsey, obviously a lot of 419 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 1: talk about him matching up against Jamar Chase. Funnily enough, 420 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:29,159 Speaker 1: though the Rams did not do a great job of 421 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:32,199 Speaker 1: shutting down enemy number one wide receivers, they were actually 422 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 1: sixteenth overall by DV away, and only three teams gave 423 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 1: up more yards per game against enemy number one whiteouts. 424 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:42,119 Speaker 1: That would seem to indicate that chase. Uh, you know, 425 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 1: and I don't think the Bengals will have any fear 426 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 1: of throwing it up the chase, regardless of who's guarding them. 427 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 1: So you know that that could be a place where 428 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:52,239 Speaker 1: obviously the camera's going to be on those guys and 429 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: we're going to see a matchup of strength against strength, 430 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:58,320 Speaker 1: and that could favor the Bengals. Surprisingly enough, according to 431 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:03,479 Speaker 1: our numbers, Bengals are offensive line versus Aaron Donald, von Miller, 432 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:08,159 Speaker 1: Leonard Floyd, etc. Certainly a lot of people are pointing 433 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 1: to that matchup as the single most significant matchup in 434 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 1: this game. What do you think? Yeah, I mean it 435 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:16,640 Speaker 1: may not be able to watch that either, and they 436 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:18,720 Speaker 1: have to go through the other room and grow up 437 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:20,679 Speaker 1: into a ball in my closet and just hope you 438 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:22,959 Speaker 1: know that the Bengals do something good. Yeah, there's no 439 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 1: question they have a formidable front. Von Miller has done 440 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 1: it in Super Bowls before. Aaron Donald arguably the best 441 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: player in football at any position. I mean he's a monster. 442 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: But you know, the Bengals have had a week offensive 443 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 1: line or a mediocre offensive line would be the best 444 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,720 Speaker 1: way to say it all season, and they've mitigated that, 445 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 1: they've worked around it. I think the key is to 446 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:46,359 Speaker 1: be able to, you know, even when they get behind 447 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:49,560 Speaker 1: the change, which they did like against Tennessee, they were 448 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 1: able to able to overcome that. I think they had 449 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:54,400 Speaker 1: sixty five negative yards and sacks, but you know, three 450 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:57,679 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty yards almost in passing, so that's going 451 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: to be important. They're going to have some negative plays. 452 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 1: We saw that Joe Burrow doesn't mind taking a negative 453 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:05,480 Speaker 1: play because he knows he's coming right back at him. 454 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 1: When they're in second and fifteen, it'll be key not 455 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 1: to try and go for it all and get into 456 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 1: third and manageable. I think the Bengals know that. I 457 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:17,119 Speaker 1: think they know where they're you know, the mismatches on 458 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 1: the other side lie obviously, and they're probably gonna try 459 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 1: and establish a little bit of a perimeter running game 460 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 1: to slow down especially those pass rushing bookends there. It's 461 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 1: not what you can do is slow down Donald. But 462 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:32,920 Speaker 1: if you get von Miller in particular, worried about running 463 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:35,919 Speaker 1: to his side, things have happened that you know the 464 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 1: Bengals can find some success there, so it's gonna be rough, 465 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:42,000 Speaker 1: don't get me wrong, but I think that certainly there's 466 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: some places where the Bengals can make some hay in 467 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: that part of the game, and they're just gonna have 468 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 1: to stick to it. We are recording this conversation via zoom. 469 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:52,080 Speaker 1: You have a Bengals helmet and an old football digest 470 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:55,280 Speaker 1: with Ken Anderson on the cover over your shoulder, so 471 00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:58,000 Speaker 1: I know what this super Bowl trip me. Oh, you've 472 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:00,560 Speaker 1: got a Bengals mug as well. That's very good. I 473 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 1: know what the super Bowl trip means to you, and 474 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:05,600 Speaker 1: I'm happy you did not have to sell your eldest 475 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:10,919 Speaker 1: son for it to happen. Congratulations, enjoy the Super Bowl, 476 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 1: and I hope that the Bengals have a big enough 477 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:16,880 Speaker 1: lead that you can watch the finish live. I hope 478 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 1: the same thing for you, Dad. Congratulations for you know, 479 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:22,440 Speaker 1: I just want to say, as a fan of your work, 480 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: of course, and all that you've gone through over the 481 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 1: years trying to, you know, make some of these boring 482 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:31,480 Speaker 1: games and dead games interesting. In the depths of a 483 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 1: losing season, you get to call the biggest game there 484 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:36,119 Speaker 1: is and I just hope you're able to watch it 485 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:37,960 Speaker 1: at the end as well. That would be tough if 486 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 1: you're not, because Dave Lapham will have to take over 487 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:43,879 Speaker 1: play by play and analysis. Great as he is, I'm 488 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: not sure he's quite ready for that, so hopefully you 489 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 1: can make it too. So congratulations, thanks for having me on. 490 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,199 Speaker 1: I really appreciate it. Robert wrote a fantastic profile of 491 00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:55,000 Speaker 1: Dave Lapham prior to the season, and if you haven't 492 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: read it, you can find it online by searching for 493 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:02,399 Speaker 1: Dave Lapham Cincinnati mag Gazine. The Bengals Booth Podcast is 494 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:06,760 Speaker 1: presented by on Location, the official hospitality partner of the NFL. 495 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:11,520 Speaker 1: Visit on location exp dot com for exclusive access to 496 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:16,800 Speaker 1: the biggest events in the NFL, including Sunday Super Bowl Tuesday. 497 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:19,640 Speaker 1: On Good Morning Football on the NFL Network, the crew 498 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:23,399 Speaker 1: played a little game called What super Bowl Joe, and 499 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:27,240 Speaker 1: one of the questions was what super Bowl Joe? When 500 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:31,640 Speaker 1: asked if he could meet anybody in history, answered Julius Caesar. 501 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:34,919 Speaker 1: The answer is Joe Burrow and the anecdote came from 502 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:37,199 Speaker 1: the fun facts interview I did with him over the 503 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:40,480 Speaker 1: phone from his home in Athens shortly after the NFL Draft. 504 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:43,879 Speaker 1: I included it on this podcast at the time, but 505 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 1: with the Bengals going to the Super Bowl in his 506 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:48,239 Speaker 1: second season, I thought it would be fun to go 507 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:52,760 Speaker 1: back and listen again. Time for some fun facts with 508 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:56,440 Speaker 1: the first pick in the twenty twenty NFL Draft, quarterback 509 00:26:56,520 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 1: Joe Burrow. Joe, I want to start with the famous 510 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:04,640 Speaker 1: cigar picture after the National Championship win over Clemson. It 511 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:08,200 Speaker 1: reminds me of Joe Namath in the bathing suit by 512 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 1: the pool before Super Bowl three. It's like the epitome 513 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:15,159 Speaker 1: of cool incompetent. How did it happen? And did you 514 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 1: have any idea in the moment? How big of a 515 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:21,920 Speaker 1: deal that would become one of our strength and turns 516 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:25,439 Speaker 1: his family on the cigar company. So he was passing 517 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:29,120 Speaker 1: around in the locker room and we were smoking them, 518 00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:32,399 Speaker 1: and then they told me the time for media. I 519 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:34,199 Speaker 1: didn't want to just put it out and they had 520 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:37,199 Speaker 1: to relite it by my son's kept smoking it, and 521 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:41,440 Speaker 1: so I end up capturing a picture, great video, great picture. 522 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:44,640 Speaker 1: It's on T shirts. It's one of the most popular 523 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 1: gifts out there. That thing has become hugely viral. Yeah, 524 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 1: I mean, this is craziness, and I don't think we 525 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:57,199 Speaker 1: were allowed to smoke inside. But I think the New 526 00:27:57,320 --> 00:28:00,000 Speaker 1: Orleans costs. Let us let's get away with one. Yeah, 527 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:02,040 Speaker 1: I win a national championship, you get a little bit 528 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:06,360 Speaker 1: of extra leeway, Joe on Draft night, the Heisman Trophy 529 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:10,159 Speaker 1: made a nice decoration in your family living room. How 530 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 1: heavy is it and how do you travel with the 531 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 1: Heisman Trophy? I think it's about thirty thirty or forty. 532 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:21,080 Speaker 1: And they gave us a nice little case with the 533 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:23,800 Speaker 1: walk on it that we can travel with. Some nobody 534 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:26,080 Speaker 1: will take it from us. So when you haven't been 535 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 1: able to go to fitness centers during this pandemic situation, 536 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:36,520 Speaker 1: you can lift the Heisman Trophy. You have stated publicly 537 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:40,720 Speaker 1: that your big splurge with your rookie contract is going 538 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 1: to be a personal chef. Are there candidates already and 539 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:48,880 Speaker 1: what must they be able to cook? I've been getting 540 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 1: resumeates for a long time, or since I first said that, 541 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:56,120 Speaker 1: So now now is the time when farmers start to 542 00:28:56,160 --> 00:29:00,840 Speaker 1: go through wall. I'd have to think about My case 543 00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: has been changing lately. Some things that I used to 544 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:06,440 Speaker 1: like I don't really like as much anymore. So I 545 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:10,040 Speaker 1: think my options are pretty open. I have heard this 546 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:12,560 Speaker 1: isn't something that a chef will be required to prepare. 547 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:14,680 Speaker 1: But I have heard that you have a passion for 548 00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:20,240 Speaker 1: the Honey Crisp apple easily the best apple correct by far, 549 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:24,120 Speaker 1: number one of all the apples are signing close. We 550 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:27,560 Speaker 1: have that in common, Joe. You have been described as 551 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:34,000 Speaker 1: being compulsively competitive. What loss still stings the most? Every 552 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:39,280 Speaker 1: one of them. There's not any particular losses that I 553 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:43,040 Speaker 1: heard more than others. Losing this isn't very fun, and 554 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:45,400 Speaker 1: that's why I like to work as hard as I 555 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 1: can to try to win as many games as possible. 556 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:51,480 Speaker 1: On the flip side, is there a win in something 557 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:55,920 Speaker 1: other than a big sporting event that's still deeply satisfying? 558 00:29:56,920 --> 00:30:01,080 Speaker 1: Enjoy being people in ping pong? That's that's pretty satisfying. 559 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,880 Speaker 1: Um As. We always have a family thing clong tournament 560 00:30:05,920 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 1: on vacation. I usually win it. You'll be happy to 561 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:11,480 Speaker 1: know if you didn't already, there's a ping pong table 562 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:14,760 Speaker 1: in the Bengals locker room. I'll be frequenting that table. 563 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:18,320 Speaker 1: I want to go back to a game in your 564 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:23,160 Speaker 1: junior year at LSU seven overtimes, Texas A and m 565 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 1: ultimately won seventy four seventy two. It's the highest scoring 566 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:30,280 Speaker 1: game at FBS history, nearly five hours long, and you 567 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:33,440 Speaker 1: physically crashed at the end of that game. How serious 568 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:38,280 Speaker 1: was that? I thought, a little little blood sugar. I 569 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:41,440 Speaker 1: don't like to eat directly before games, so the last 570 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:44,320 Speaker 1: time I had eaten was lunch, and we ended up 571 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:47,240 Speaker 1: getting up to feel like one am, So that's im. 572 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:49,520 Speaker 1: I didn't anything a halftime. So that's all the reason 573 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:53,480 Speaker 1: that I had passed out in a locker room. When 574 00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:56,880 Speaker 1: you decided to transfer from Ohio State, your final two 575 00:30:56,960 --> 00:31:00,440 Speaker 1: choices were the University of Cincinnati or LSU, and you 576 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:04,400 Speaker 1: obviously made the right choice. But I understand that had 577 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:08,600 Speaker 1: you transferred to UC there was a thought process that 578 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:11,720 Speaker 1: Andy Dalton actually might serve as a mentor or a 579 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 1: sounding board since you would have been in the same city. 580 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:18,600 Speaker 1: Was that an appealing possibility? And did you two guys 581 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:22,760 Speaker 1: ever make contact that was in discussion that they have 582 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:26,520 Speaker 1: never really crossed my mind that that was going to 583 00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:28,920 Speaker 1: play a part in my decision making. You know, my 584 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:32,160 Speaker 1: goal was to always win a national championships. That's the 585 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:37,000 Speaker 1: reason that I picked the LSU. Joe by referencing families 586 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 1: living in poverty where you grew up. During your Heisman's speech, 587 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:43,600 Speaker 1: you help raise more than half a million bucks for 588 00:31:43,640 --> 00:31:46,640 Speaker 1: the food pantry in Athens County. Was that an eye 589 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:49,440 Speaker 1: opening moment for what you might be able to do 590 00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:53,920 Speaker 1: going forward for people with the platform you're going to have. Yeah, 591 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:57,239 Speaker 1: it really was. I'm excited to kind of come up 592 00:31:57,280 --> 00:32:01,200 Speaker 1: with some more things to help more people, and hopefully 593 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:02,880 Speaker 1: we can do here in the last couple of years. 594 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:06,640 Speaker 1: All Right, a few wild card topics for you. Your 595 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:08,760 Speaker 1: dad was drafted by the Packers and played in the 596 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:12,840 Speaker 1: Canadian Football League for five years. Your brothers played big 597 00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:16,040 Speaker 1: time college football at Nebraska. But the best athlete in 598 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:20,120 Speaker 1: your family might have been your grandmother, right, Yeah, Yeah, 599 00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 1: she got eighty two in a game in high school 600 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:26,320 Speaker 1: one time, eighty two points in a high school basketball game, 601 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:30,920 Speaker 1: and I've read that she averaged fifty plus. Yeah, yeah, 602 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 1: she did as you were growing up in the driveway 603 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:39,000 Speaker 1: or anything like that. Did Grandma Dot ever toss a ball? No, 604 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:41,120 Speaker 1: I've never seen her. I've never seen her do it. 605 00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:44,640 Speaker 1: I'll find out for some film of her doing it 606 00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:47,600 Speaker 1: one of these series. I understand that you are a 607 00:32:47,680 --> 00:32:53,880 Speaker 1: huge Cleveland Cavaliers fanatic, and rumor has it, I don't 608 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 1: know if this was in the first finals against the 609 00:32:57,320 --> 00:33:00,840 Speaker 1: Warriors of the second one, but you didn't leave your room, 610 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:04,480 Speaker 1: you didn't change your clothes, something like that for good luck. Explain. 611 00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:09,720 Speaker 1: I didn't quite go that far. I just wore a 612 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 1: Matthew Dol's over shirt that I wore for every during 613 00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:18,760 Speaker 1: every game. When you were a kid, did you have 614 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:26,360 Speaker 1: any memorable meetings with a really famous athlete at my 615 00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:32,360 Speaker 1: cousin's wedding in California? Clo awesome? Peyton Manning attended a 616 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:37,400 Speaker 1: cousin's wedding. No, he was just at the hotel that 617 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 1: it was happening at. H Do you think you resemble 618 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:45,640 Speaker 1: Macaulay Culkin. Yeah, i'd say I'd say so on that one. 619 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:48,880 Speaker 1: I can't can't hurt you that one. Thinking a little 620 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:55,240 Speaker 1: better looking. Now, what are you bad at? Because obviously 621 00:33:55,320 --> 00:33:58,520 Speaker 1: you were a great athlete in every sport that you've played. 622 00:33:58,560 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 1: We understand you're good at paint pong. You referenced playing 623 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:05,440 Speaker 1: chess when you spoke to reporters after you were selected 624 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:09,440 Speaker 1: by the Bengals. What are you lousy at golf? I 625 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:12,000 Speaker 1: think a golf I might do something I have to 626 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:16,359 Speaker 1: pick up. I am cractice quite a bit at the once. 627 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:21,480 Speaker 1: At the SEC media days, you use the term superluminal 628 00:34:21,640 --> 00:34:25,480 Speaker 1: time travel. Are you a science nerd? I am a 629 00:34:25,520 --> 00:34:28,719 Speaker 1: science nerd. I wish I had more time to kind 630 00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:31,840 Speaker 1: of study it, but yeah, I'm into all those science 631 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:36,440 Speaker 1: documentaries and stuff like that. If you could meet anybody 632 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:43,200 Speaker 1: in history, athlete, politician, entertainer, whomever, who would that person be. 633 00:34:44,200 --> 00:34:51,640 Speaker 1: Julius Caesar? Why Julius Caesar. Here's a great conqueror. And 634 00:34:51,920 --> 00:34:54,759 Speaker 1: obviously to do that you got to be a really 635 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:56,960 Speaker 1: good leader of men. So I'd be interested to just 636 00:34:57,040 --> 00:34:59,560 Speaker 1: spend spend a couple of days with them. All right, 637 00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:03,360 Speaker 1: last thing, you attended the Super Bowl in Miami. You 638 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,840 Speaker 1: were hanging out with your buddy Sam Hubbard, and I 639 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:10,000 Speaker 1: heard that you were a little bit taken aback by 640 00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:14,799 Speaker 1: the fact that famous people have now started recognizing you 641 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:20,319 Speaker 1: and showing their excitement about meeting you. What's that like 642 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:25,840 Speaker 1: when you first realize, huh, my life has changed? It 643 00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:30,319 Speaker 1: was crazy. Yes, people who you grew up watching and 644 00:35:30,440 --> 00:35:33,920 Speaker 1: listening to and that are just coming up and introducing 645 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:37,000 Speaker 1: youself to me. I mean it was. It's been a 646 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:40,360 Speaker 1: crazy experience, little far all right, you're off the hot seat. 647 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:42,640 Speaker 1: I appreciate the time. I look forward to meeting you 648 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:47,399 Speaker 1: in person. Fun to listen back to my first ever 649 00:35:47,520 --> 00:35:51,560 Speaker 1: conversation with Joey Franchise. Later this week on the podcast, 650 00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:54,680 Speaker 1: I'll talk to Chris Collinsworth and Bengals owner Mike Brown. 651 00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:56,799 Speaker 1: But that's going to do it for this episode. Brought 652 00:35:56,840 --> 00:35:59,479 Speaker 1: to you by Ultimate Bengals, the free to play next 653 00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:03,400 Speaker 1: Level Fantasy football game, and by on Location, the official 654 00:36:03,520 --> 00:36:07,440 Speaker 1: hospitality partner of the NFL. If you haven't done so already, 655 00:36:07,520 --> 00:36:10,440 Speaker 1: please subscribe to this podcast and if you have a minute, 656 00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:12,760 Speaker 1: give it a rating or share a comment that helps 657 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:16,600 Speaker 1: more Bengals fans find us. I'm Dan Horde, and thank 658 00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:19,719 Speaker 1: you for listening to The Bengals Booth Podcast