WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Home Sweet Home 0:00:03.520 --> 0:00:06.720 Happy Thanksgiving everybody. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.720 --> 0:00:12.600 The Bengals Booth Podcast. The I'm on My Way, I'm 0:00:12.720 --> 0:00:20.080 on My Way Home Suite Home addition. As the Bengals 0:00:20.120 --> 0:00:22.920 begin a stretch of three straight home games on Sunday 0:00:23.040 --> 0:00:26.799 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, coming up, my midweek conversation with 0:00:26.920 --> 0:00:29.520 Dave Lapo as we discuss if there's really such a 0:00:29.640 --> 0:00:33.479 thing as bulletin board material for a professional athlete and 0:00:34.080 --> 0:00:36.080 what it's going to take for the Bengals to beat 0:00:36.120 --> 0:00:39.000 the Steelers for the third time in a row. My 0:00:39.040 --> 0:00:41.320 one on one player interview is with a guy who 0:00:41.360 --> 0:00:45.599 knows all about this rivalry, tight end cju Zama, who 0:00:45.640 --> 0:00:49.120 has played in ten games against the Steelers, including the 0:00:49.200 --> 0:00:53.640 only playoff game of his NFL career, And finally, NFL 0:00:53.720 --> 0:00:57.600 Network reporter add King Kabwalla has great insight on this 0:00:57.760 --> 0:01:01.400 matchup since she is frequently assigned to the AFC North. 0:01:01.880 --> 0:01:05.720 She talks to my Bengals dot Com colleague Marissa Contapelli. 0:01:06.160 --> 0:01:09.560 The Bengals Booth Podcast is presented by Ultimate Bengals, the 0:01:09.600 --> 0:01:13.479 free to play Next Level Fantasy Football game downloaded now 0:01:13.560 --> 0:01:16.480 from the app store and Google Play. And here's a 0:01:16.520 --> 0:01:18.920 quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of 0:01:19.000 --> 0:01:22.640 this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, or computer 0:01:22.760 --> 0:01:27.000 by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest 0:01:27.000 --> 0:01:32.440 thing since gravy. During my conversation you're about to hear 0:01:32.480 --> 0:01:36.440 with Dave Lapham, he asks me about my Thanksgiving meal preferences, 0:01:36.680 --> 0:01:38.959 and among other things, I mentioned that I like my 0:01:39.040 --> 0:01:43.000 stuffing smothered with gravy. That kept me thinking about how 0:01:43.080 --> 0:01:46.440 much I like gravy in general. In fact, one of 0:01:46.480 --> 0:01:49.320 the staples of my diet a is a Syracuse University 0:01:49.440 --> 0:01:54.000 student many years ago, was gravy on French fries, similar 0:01:54.040 --> 0:01:58.600 to poutine, the Canadian delicacy, but without the cheese kords. 0:01:59.000 --> 0:02:03.920 So years to gravy in all of its glory. Now 0:02:04.480 --> 0:02:09.360 let's get to football. After eleven straight losses to the dreaded, hated, 0:02:09.480 --> 0:02:13.560 but grudgingly respected Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bengals have won the 0:02:13.639 --> 0:02:17.480 last two meetings, twenty seven to seventeen last December with 0:02:17.600 --> 0:02:21.120 Ryan Finlay at quarterback and twenty four to ten back 0:02:21.120 --> 0:02:25.679 in September with Joe Burrow throwing three touchdown passes, two 0:02:25.720 --> 0:02:29.720 to Jamar Chase and one to Pittsburgh native Tyler Boyd. 0:02:30.440 --> 0:02:34.240 Boyd made a comment after that game that is undoubtedly 0:02:34.320 --> 0:02:37.320 being mentioned in Pittsburgh this week, and that's where I 0:02:37.400 --> 0:02:42.160 begin my conversation with Dave Lapham Lap. The Bengals beat 0:02:42.200 --> 0:02:44.800 the Steelers by two touchdowns at Hinz Field back in 0:02:44.880 --> 0:02:47.800 Week three, and the day after the game, Tyler Boyd 0:02:47.840 --> 0:02:51.400 made headlines by saying the Steelers gave up at the end. 0:02:51.720 --> 0:02:54.600 Here's my question for you. You played pro football for 0:02:54.600 --> 0:02:59.239 a dozen years. Is bulletin board material a real thing 0:03:00.080 --> 0:03:05.120 you're a professional athlete. It can be as you're getting ready. 0:03:05.280 --> 0:03:08.880 I think it kind of helps you maybe focus, laser 0:03:08.919 --> 0:03:11.960 focus a little bit more. But once the game starts, 0:03:12.639 --> 0:03:15.120 if they're taking it to you, it doesn't matter what 0:03:15.160 --> 0:03:17.359 you're running the bulletin board during the week. If you're 0:03:17.400 --> 0:03:19.360 taking it to them, it kind of, you know, gives 0:03:19.360 --> 0:03:21.400 you a little more juice, a little a little added 0:03:21.440 --> 0:03:24.960 fire as such. So I think the most important thing 0:03:25.080 --> 0:03:27.760 is who gets off to the to the better start, 0:03:27.800 --> 0:03:31.400 because the last time these two teams played, neither team 0:03:31.400 --> 0:03:34.079 had scored a point in the first quarter and they're 0:03:34.080 --> 0:03:36.200 still struggling. I mean, the Bengals have always scored thirty 0:03:36.200 --> 0:03:38.040 four points in the first quarter of Pittsburgh has always 0:03:38.040 --> 0:03:40.320 scored thirty one. So they're you know, they're averaging three 0:03:40.360 --> 0:03:43.120 points a game in the first quarter. They're getting off 0:03:43.120 --> 0:03:46.840 the slow starts. So I think the team that jumps 0:03:46.840 --> 0:03:48.680 out on top of the other one early in this 0:03:48.720 --> 0:03:51.200 one does get that early edge and you forget about 0:03:51.280 --> 0:03:53.760 you know, the bulletin board material a little bit, but 0:03:53.800 --> 0:03:58.560 it can, Honestly, it can juice practices a little bit. 0:03:58.960 --> 0:04:02.280 You know, not that when you're playing a rival, all 0:04:02.320 --> 0:04:05.480 of it is maybe just you know, little a little 0:04:05.480 --> 0:04:09.120 smidgeon of this or that in terms of getting yourself 0:04:09.320 --> 0:04:12.240 in the right mindset for the football game. This game 0:04:12.280 --> 0:04:14.280 is so important to both teams, this team, this is 0:04:14.280 --> 0:04:18.840 such a big rivalry. I think I think bulletin board material, 0:04:18.920 --> 0:04:20.800 I'm not sure how necessary it is, you know, I 0:04:20.839 --> 0:04:23.080 think they're all both teams are going to be playing 0:04:23.080 --> 0:04:26.960 at an extremely high level physically. The Steelers had a 0:04:27.000 --> 0:04:30.919 bunch of key injuries in that first meeting, most notably T. J. Watt, 0:04:31.400 --> 0:04:33.720 and they didn't look very good. But after a one 0:04:33.720 --> 0:04:36.640 in three start, they've gone four one and one since. 0:04:37.279 --> 0:04:39.680 The only loss was last week when they rallied from 0:04:39.720 --> 0:04:42.159 seventeen down in the fourth quarter, took the lead against 0:04:42.160 --> 0:04:44.240 the Chargers, and then gave up a long touchdown pass 0:04:44.240 --> 0:04:47.120 with about two minutes to go. Where do the Steelers 0:04:47.200 --> 0:04:51.760 present the biggest problems on Sunday? And t J. Watt 0:04:51.760 --> 0:04:54.040 didn't play in that game on Sunday, and he didn't 0:04:54.040 --> 0:04:56.320 play against the Bengals, they're owing four When t J. 0:04:56.480 --> 0:05:00.200 Watt doesn't play own four. That's how important he to 0:05:00.240 --> 0:05:05.400 the mix. So I think I think that in my 0:05:05.480 --> 0:05:08.360 mind he presents about as big a problem as anybody 0:05:08.400 --> 0:05:12.279 does because of his ability to just put constant pressure 0:05:12.320 --> 0:05:15.119 on the quarterback. And you know, it makes it makes 0:05:15.680 --> 0:05:20.000 the opposite defensive end pressuring makes him more effective, makes 0:05:20.000 --> 0:05:24.080 Hayward more effective inside. I mean it just it takes 0:05:24.120 --> 0:05:28.080 everybody to another level. I think we saw last week 0:05:28.160 --> 0:05:31.719 that a significant adequate PASSWAH or better than an adequate 0:05:31.720 --> 0:05:35.560 passwash out of four and dropping seven into coverage can 0:05:35.600 --> 0:05:39.920 be a problem. And the Steelers have they're starting to blit. 0:05:40.000 --> 0:05:44.000 They're blitzing less percentagewise, they're blitzing less and less, And 0:05:44.120 --> 0:05:47.320 when t J. Watt plays, I think that makes sense 0:05:47.360 --> 0:05:50.640 when he doesn't, they're probably not blitzing all that much less. 0:05:50.680 --> 0:05:53.320 But when he's playing and they're getting a significant pass 0:05:53.400 --> 0:05:56.520 rush pressure out of the four of them, they're thinking 0:05:56.720 --> 0:05:59.520 rush board drops seven looks pretty good against most most 0:05:59.560 --> 0:06:01.320 offense is in the league. And I can see why, 0:06:02.200 --> 0:06:04.679 uh and I wouldn't be surprised if T. J. Watt 0:06:05.200 --> 0:06:08.359 starts the game and shows that he still has that 0:06:08.480 --> 0:06:13.359 explosiveness and and I think I think initially they're going 0:06:13.400 --> 0:06:16.120 to say, Okay, you know, let's let's rush for drop seven. 0:06:16.200 --> 0:06:19.400 See what happens here a little bit. Now, just because 0:06:19.440 --> 0:06:21.680 he starts the game with the injuries that he's got, 0:06:21.720 --> 0:06:24.200 he's got multiple injuries that he's dealing with, doesn't necessarily 0:06:24.200 --> 0:06:26.960 mean he finishes that. It doesn't necessarily mean he stays 0:06:27.000 --> 0:06:29.159 as effective as he does maybe at the beginning of 0:06:29.160 --> 0:06:31.680 the game. But tour it all and a bunch of 0:06:31.760 --> 0:06:37.680 other stuff in today's pharmacies are very effective. I think 0:06:37.760 --> 0:06:41.880 that is the biggest key in this football game. When 0:06:42.200 --> 0:06:44.880 they do rush for drop seven, play a couple of 0:06:44.920 --> 0:06:47.680 safeties deep play a little bit, you know, deep in coverage. 0:06:47.680 --> 0:06:49.640 You got to run him out of it. And can 0:06:49.680 --> 0:06:52.200 they run the football? Can they anchor those guys by 0:06:52.279 --> 0:06:55.200 running the football and you know, take advantage of the 0:06:55.320 --> 0:06:58.480 soft box and all that sort of thing and make 0:06:58.520 --> 0:07:00.680 them change strategy. I think that's going to be a big, 0:07:00.680 --> 0:07:03.200 big factor, you know, in the football game. And then 0:07:03.279 --> 0:07:04.920 on the flip side of it, if the Bengals can 0:07:04.920 --> 0:07:07.200 control the running game like they did, I mean they 0:07:07.240 --> 0:07:09.720 basically made Nagi Harris a little checkdown receiver out of 0:07:09.760 --> 0:07:12.720 the backfield. That was their running game, and the Bengals 0:07:12.720 --> 0:07:15.080 tackled well. I mean, if you can, if you can 0:07:15.360 --> 0:07:18.200 leverage it properly and tackle it's it's just like a 0:07:18.240 --> 0:07:20.720 toss pitch, you know. I mean it's it's it's nothing 0:07:20.760 --> 0:07:25.600 more dangerous than that. So, but it is interesting the philosophy. 0:07:25.640 --> 0:07:29.000 And I've mentioned this before. I mean Bill Walsh, he 0:07:29.040 --> 0:07:32.000 always said, yeah, you know, guys, we throw the ball 0:07:32.040 --> 0:07:36.720 for four yards, they think that they're kicking our butt. 0:07:37.160 --> 0:07:39.040 When we run it for four yards, they think that 0:07:39.040 --> 0:07:41.720 we're kicking their butt. I don't care how we get 0:07:41.720 --> 0:07:45.080 four yards. Second and six. My playsheets wide open to me. 0:07:45.200 --> 0:07:47.240 I want to be at second and six. I don't 0:07:47.240 --> 0:07:49.520 care how it happens. I'll take those four yard passes. 0:07:49.680 --> 0:07:51.600 Three of them. We moved the chains, you know. I 0:07:51.600 --> 0:07:54.160 mean that was his that was Bill Walsh's whole mindset. 0:07:54.160 --> 0:07:56.960 And that's kind of the approach that the Steelers took 0:07:56.960 --> 0:07:58.960 with Nagi Harris a little bit in that first game. 0:07:58.960 --> 0:08:01.840 And I wouldn't be surprised they do it again, all right, 0:08:01.920 --> 0:08:05.120 Sticking with trying to run on the Steelers defense. Two 0:08:05.200 --> 0:08:08.800 weeks ago, the winless Lions ran for two hundred and 0:08:08.840 --> 0:08:12.520 forty two yards on thirty carries. I read that they 0:08:12.520 --> 0:08:16.920 had twenty four carries with six offensive linemen on the field, 0:08:16.960 --> 0:08:19.240 whether they lined up on the line or is a fullback. 0:08:20.000 --> 0:08:22.480 Is that something the Bengals are likely to try this week? 0:08:22.560 --> 0:08:25.480 I've read the same thing, Dan, and uh, I wouldn't 0:08:25.480 --> 0:08:27.640 be surprised. I mean, they've they've done it. I mean 0:08:27.680 --> 0:08:30.640 they've they've mixed their you know, their big package in there. 0:08:31.160 --> 0:08:33.079 Um you know, I know a big part of their 0:08:33.160 --> 0:08:36.760 game plan going into the Steelers game last time was 0:08:36.880 --> 0:08:39.280 you know, that stretch and then and then the inside 0:08:39.360 --> 0:08:41.319 zone to compliment it and go along with it. And 0:08:41.960 --> 0:08:44.560 I could see them using Isaiah Prince like we've seen 0:08:44.600 --> 0:08:48.320 in the past, but maybe a heavy heavier dose of it. 0:08:48.360 --> 0:08:50.439 Like the Detroit Lions, did you know, they may they 0:08:50.480 --> 0:08:53.240 may have cracked the coat a little bit with with 0:08:53.360 --> 0:08:58.160 that concept. But I do think, honestly, if it's a 0:08:58.240 --> 0:09:02.360 big offensive lineman or if it's Drew Sample and Cjzama, 0:09:02.480 --> 0:09:04.240 I mean, I think, I think, you know, twelve and 0:09:04.320 --> 0:09:06.560 thirteen packages are gonna have to be favorable for the 0:09:06.559 --> 0:09:09.199 cincinnaive Bengags. They're gonna have to get some mileage out 0:09:09.240 --> 0:09:12.800 of those those multiple tight end packages. And I think 0:09:12.880 --> 0:09:16.200 Drew Sample is as good at you know, blocking tight 0:09:16.280 --> 0:09:18.240 end at the line of spermade you know, with his 0:09:18.320 --> 0:09:19.840 hand down at the end of the line of spermmage, 0:09:19.920 --> 0:09:22.040 or lined up as a wingback or a fullback or 0:09:22.080 --> 0:09:23.800 wherever they want to line them up and motion them 0:09:23.800 --> 0:09:26.120 and do some things with them. I think he's going 0:09:26.200 --> 0:09:28.600 to be a big factor in the running game this week, 0:09:28.640 --> 0:09:30.800 just like he was last week when they had a 0:09:30.800 --> 0:09:33.480 successful running game. And then the wide receivers are going 0:09:33.520 --> 0:09:35.720 to have to block like they blocked last week in 0:09:35.720 --> 0:09:38.320 the running game against the Pittsburgh's deals. Everybody's gonna have 0:09:38.320 --> 0:09:40.320 to put their big boy pads on, not just the 0:09:40.360 --> 0:09:45.120 offensive and defensive linemen. If the Bengals win, that would 0:09:45.160 --> 0:09:49.120 be three straight over Pittsburgh. As Paul Dayner Junior from 0:09:49.120 --> 0:09:51.040 The Athletic has pointed out, it would be the first 0:09:51.040 --> 0:09:56.760 time since nineteen ninety If this happens, can we officially 0:09:56.840 --> 0:10:02.319 say the tide has turned in this right? Well? I mean, 0:10:02.400 --> 0:10:04.400 I get three in a row, I guess you could 0:10:04.440 --> 0:10:06.679 say is starting to be a little bit of a trend. 0:10:06.760 --> 0:10:09.680 You know, But you do play each other twice twice 0:10:09.679 --> 0:10:13.160 a year, so it's it's it's only a year, year 0:10:13.160 --> 0:10:16.439 and a half's work of worth work, worth of work, 0:10:16.480 --> 0:10:20.480 I should say. Um, but to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 0:10:20.600 --> 0:10:23.679 three times in a row would be significant looking at 0:10:23.679 --> 0:10:27.560 the way they've dominated, I mean, seventeen straight non losing seasons. 0:10:27.600 --> 0:10:29.719 Mike Tomlins never had a losing season. I mean, the 0:10:29.880 --> 0:10:33.839 history and the tradition and success of that franchise is 0:10:34.160 --> 0:10:37.040 you know, a second and none in the last couple 0:10:37.080 --> 0:10:39.480 of decades. I mean, it's it's been. It's been unbelievable. 0:10:40.040 --> 0:10:44.880 And usually teams have their their they cycle ups and 0:10:44.960 --> 0:10:47.800 downs in a shorter time frame than that. That's that's 0:10:47.840 --> 0:10:50.720 a good that's a good, lengthy time frame. You can 0:10:51.040 --> 0:10:53.520 you can say I mean, the Bengals had the best 0:10:53.520 --> 0:10:55.520 of the of the Steelers in the eighties by far, 0:10:55.679 --> 0:10:59.600 you know, but but we're talking nineties, two thousands, thousands 0:10:59.640 --> 0:11:02.719 talking a while here. You know, it's like that's that's 0:11:02.760 --> 0:11:05.800 a pretty good stretch. So it'd be good to get that, 0:11:06.400 --> 0:11:08.600 get that w to get three in a row against them, 0:11:08.640 --> 0:11:11.560 that would that would definitely it would signal that that 0:11:11.600 --> 0:11:13.560 they're on the right track. You know. They they've they've 0:11:13.600 --> 0:11:16.040 got away. They've got a formula that they feel good 0:11:16.040 --> 0:11:20.440 about that's working for sure. And Um, like Zach always says, 0:11:20.480 --> 0:11:21.680 you know, the first thing you have to do is 0:11:21.720 --> 0:11:23.600 take care of your division. And the division is so 0:11:24.040 --> 0:11:26.320 diverse with what they do offensively, you know. I mean 0:11:26.360 --> 0:11:29.680 Baltimore with their their running game in their quarterback run 0:11:29.720 --> 0:11:33.240 game packages is unbelievable. Cleveland's got the best running game 0:11:33.280 --> 0:11:35.640 in the NFL that's more of a tradition to traditional 0:11:35.720 --> 0:11:37.679 running game. It is still ranks number one in the 0:11:37.800 --> 0:11:42.360 NFL and yards and yards per Russi attempt. So um, Pittsburgh, 0:11:42.400 --> 0:11:45.040 you know, has always been a team. That's the biggest 0:11:45.080 --> 0:11:47.160 thing that shocks me about Pittsburgh, Dan as you look 0:11:47.160 --> 0:11:50.000 at you look at their numbers running the football. The 0:11:50.040 --> 0:11:53.680 Pittsburgh Steelers are are not very very good in stopping 0:11:53.679 --> 0:11:55.800 the run either, and they're the last given a four 0:11:55.840 --> 0:11:58.720 point eight yards a run, you know, I mean they're 0:11:58.840 --> 0:12:01.959 they're minus one point one yards per carry average and 0:12:02.080 --> 0:12:05.840 yards generated running the football and stopping the opponent negative 0:12:05.880 --> 0:12:08.320 one point one is tied for second worst in the NFL. 0:12:08.480 --> 0:12:12.280 That is so non Pittsburgh like. Teams about rushed them 0:12:12.559 --> 0:12:14.880 by thirty five point nine yards a game, thirty six 0:12:14.960 --> 0:12:19.680 yards of football game. That's so non Pittsburgh like. So 0:12:20.440 --> 0:12:23.559 I think Pittsburgh is the biggest, the biggest kind of 0:12:23.600 --> 0:12:26.000 puzzle to me right now. It's like they're they're teetering, 0:12:26.200 --> 0:12:27.960 you know, where are they going? They are they're on 0:12:28.000 --> 0:12:31.559 the decline? Are they avoiding the decline? And just they 0:12:31.600 --> 0:12:34.079 just seem to be sputtering at the at the Mendoza line, 0:12:34.080 --> 0:12:36.360 you know, whereas you kind of have a handle on 0:12:36.400 --> 0:12:38.920 what Baltimore and Cleveland are trying to do from an 0:12:38.960 --> 0:12:42.199 identity standpoint and all that sort of thing. It's very 0:12:42.200 --> 0:12:45.520 interesting how the how the division's kind of evolved a 0:12:45.520 --> 0:12:49.440 little bit. Tom Brady seemingly has discovered the fountain of 0:12:49.440 --> 0:12:52.240 youth he leads the NFL and touchdown passes. He seems 0:12:52.280 --> 0:12:54.080 to be as good as ever in his mid forties. 0:12:54.440 --> 0:12:57.000 Ben Roethlisberger, on the other hand, in his late thirties 0:12:57.240 --> 0:12:59.880 looks like quarterbacks used to look when they got into 0:12:59.880 --> 0:13:03.680 the late thirties. He's not terrible. He still has great moments, 0:13:03.679 --> 0:13:07.440 but he's not the player he once was. What is 0:13:07.480 --> 0:13:11.080 he now are? What are Ben Roethlisberger's strength at this 0:13:11.120 --> 0:13:15.959 stage of his career. A savvy kg you know, just 0:13:16.800 --> 0:13:19.800 very experienced veteran quarterback. You know, he just he just 0:13:19.880 --> 0:13:23.240 has ah. He has such a knowledge that he can 0:13:23.320 --> 0:13:26.800 draw upon and and you're right, he's nowhere near the 0:13:26.840 --> 0:13:29.880 athlete that he was. Nowhere near his athletic He was 0:13:29.920 --> 0:13:31.960 never a guy that could, you know, like run like 0:13:32.120 --> 0:13:35.520 well boy Blazons. But Ben Ben could. Ben had power. 0:13:35.600 --> 0:13:37.319 Ben Ben could run the football and hurt you a 0:13:37.360 --> 0:13:39.720 little bit, There's no question about it. And the thing, 0:13:39.840 --> 0:13:42.200 the thing that I found so amazing about him is 0:13:42.520 --> 0:13:44.480 how big and strong it was in the pocket. You'd 0:13:44.520 --> 0:13:47.200 have defensive vents, not just linebackers, defensive events. Put a 0:13:47.200 --> 0:13:49.120 big lick on him, you know, I brown his shoulds 0:13:49.160 --> 0:13:51.520 and slide down his body like a barber pole and 0:13:51.559 --> 0:13:53.800 he just you know, he just stepped up and invade 0:13:53.880 --> 0:13:55.959 him get out of pocket. And the other thing about him, 0:13:56.200 --> 0:13:58.920 when he was in his prime, he would throw from 0:13:58.960 --> 0:14:02.600 the right hashmark to the left sideline and get it there. Now, 0:14:02.880 --> 0:14:05.440 usually when quarterbacks try to do that defensive back slick 0:14:05.480 --> 0:14:07.440 their chops and like ball's going to be in the 0:14:07.440 --> 0:14:10.240 air a while, it's turn over time. He just he 0:14:10.440 --> 0:14:12.560 ripped it in there. And you know, he had that 0:14:12.559 --> 0:14:15.120 that arm talent that could get it to all quardons 0:14:15.120 --> 0:14:17.240 of the field, you know, And he doesn't quite have 0:14:17.360 --> 0:14:20.240 that anymore, you know, and he's turned into a you know, 0:14:20.360 --> 0:14:23.400 more of a mid range you know, short range passing 0:14:23.440 --> 0:14:26.200 attack kind of guy. But but he still has that 0:14:26.280 --> 0:14:28.680 guy all that savvy that, you know, all all that 0:14:28.960 --> 0:14:32.160 experience and all those snaps under his belt. And the 0:14:32.240 --> 0:14:34.640 one thing that he does do well, he gets the 0:14:34.680 --> 0:14:36.400 ball out of his hand. I mean, you know, two 0:14:36.440 --> 0:14:39.600 point three, two point four seconds. That frustrates the heck 0:14:39.640 --> 0:14:41.880 out of a defensive lineman. You know, you beat your 0:14:41.880 --> 0:14:45.360 guy with the first move and still you're within you know, 0:14:45.920 --> 0:14:48.120 usually you're gonna get a sack. You're not even there 0:14:48.160 --> 0:14:50.080 before he gets the ball out of his hand, and 0:14:50.120 --> 0:14:52.480 that that drives guy's crazy. I mean that can that 0:14:52.520 --> 0:14:56.040 can be a something that wears on you. That could 0:14:56.080 --> 0:14:58.400 happen to Trey hendricks And if the ball has gone 0:14:58.440 --> 0:15:00.560 before he can get to Big Ben. This he's trying 0:15:00.560 --> 0:15:03.200 to come up with a sack for the seventh consecutive game. 0:15:03.200 --> 0:15:05.320 He's already tied the team record at six. It's the 0:15:05.360 --> 0:15:09.280 longest active sack streak in the NFL. Is Trey Hendrickson 0:15:10.320 --> 0:15:14.840 what you expected? Or even better? You know? I think 0:15:14.880 --> 0:15:16.800 I think he's even a little bit better than what 0:15:16.840 --> 0:15:20.720 I expected. You know, you're not quite sure what you're 0:15:20.760 --> 0:15:23.800 going to get because he was with other talented defensive 0:15:23.840 --> 0:15:26.920 lineman down there in New Orleans, and it's always like 0:15:27.480 --> 0:15:30.560 is it him? Is he? Is he? You know, benefiting 0:15:30.640 --> 0:15:34.080 from the performance of others and he's with another good 0:15:34.080 --> 0:15:38.800 group of defensive lineman. You know, it's like Hubbard. He 0:15:38.880 --> 0:15:44.280 and Hubbard have what's what's uh the perfect arrangement because 0:15:44.840 --> 0:15:48.240 they're competitive, they don't want to be outdone. But it's friendly, 0:15:48.520 --> 0:15:50.760 you know, it's not like, oh, you know what you have? 0:15:51.240 --> 0:15:53.080 Nine and a half said, oh man, you know, I'm 0:15:53.160 --> 0:15:54.960 jealous of that, I'm gonna have to I'm gonna freelance. 0:15:55.000 --> 0:15:57.280 I'm gonna try to do my thing. They stay within 0:15:57.320 --> 0:16:00.760 the scheme, and it was it was unbelievable. Talk to 0:16:00.800 --> 0:16:02.360 Hendrickson in the locker room out of the game when 0:16:02.400 --> 0:16:05.320 Sam got his sack, Hendrickson was like, I gotta get 0:16:05.320 --> 0:16:07.240 mine now. And the next play he does and he 0:16:07.280 --> 0:16:10.840 strips the thing and Sam hubbly recovers it. They're they're 0:16:10.920 --> 0:16:12.920 like Ying and Yang. They are feeding off each other. 0:16:12.960 --> 0:16:16.120 But I'm impressed with how well he's set the edge 0:16:16.120 --> 0:16:18.160 in the run too. He's not a one trick pony. 0:16:18.240 --> 0:16:21.280 I mean he's playing He's playing every down very very 0:16:21.320 --> 0:16:24.360 you know, hard tough, being where he's supposed to be 0:16:24.400 --> 0:16:27.360 when he's supposed to be there. Um, it's it's turned 0:16:27.360 --> 0:16:30.160 into a nice dynamic between the two of them, and 0:16:30.360 --> 0:16:33.400 you know, the entire defensive line. I mean, everybody's doing 0:16:33.440 --> 0:16:35.360 what they're supposed to do, when they're supposed to do it, 0:16:35.400 --> 0:16:37.320 how they're supposed to do it, all those good things. 0:16:37.320 --> 0:16:41.680 So I'm I'm probably about as happy as every Bengals 0:16:41.680 --> 0:16:45.560 fan and everybody in the organization that Hendrickson is is 0:16:45.920 --> 0:16:48.200 the real deal. I mean that was that was money 0:16:48.200 --> 0:16:51.640 that was well spent. Back in the first meeting, Jackson 0:16:51.680 --> 0:16:54.520 Carmen made his first career start at right guard. Now 0:16:54.640 --> 0:16:57.600 Hakimadenagy is in that spot. He'll make his third start 0:16:57.640 --> 0:17:00.640 in a row on Sunday. How's he look? He looks 0:17:00.640 --> 0:17:04.399 pretty good. Um, but but but he's gonna be you 0:17:04.520 --> 0:17:06.800 gonna You're gonna imagine hay was gonna line up right 0:17:06.800 --> 0:17:08.800 over him, just like he did over Jackson Carmen. I mean, 0:17:08.880 --> 0:17:11.719 Jackson Carmen had to had to get ready for Cameron 0:17:11.720 --> 0:17:15.080 Hayward and uh, and Identogy's going to be no different 0:17:15.119 --> 0:17:17.480 than that. He's gonna be tested. He's gonna be tested 0:17:17.480 --> 0:17:20.840 by Cameron Hayward early often in the football game. But 0:17:20.920 --> 0:17:24.320 I do think Identagy is uh, he's legit. I mean 0:17:24.600 --> 0:17:28.200 he his pass protection I thought was really good last week. 0:17:28.240 --> 0:17:30.560 I think his run blocking, his sound. I think he's still, 0:17:30.880 --> 0:17:33.760 you know, evolving in that regard a little bit. But 0:17:33.800 --> 0:17:36.240 when he's not. He's not the big behemoth that a 0:17:36.320 --> 0:17:38.879 lot of these interior you know, guards are at three 0:17:38.920 --> 0:17:41.160 hundred and thirty pounds plus. He's not that kind of guy. 0:17:41.480 --> 0:17:44.679 But he has got explosiveness in hip snap and when 0:17:44.720 --> 0:17:46.960 he when he rolls his hips, he brings a little bit. 0:17:47.240 --> 0:17:48.919 You know, he's got he's got something to him. So 0:17:49.359 --> 0:17:52.119 you know, his footwork is him in position, his hip snap, 0:17:52.200 --> 0:17:54.200 you know, gets you know, gets the movement that he's 0:17:54.200 --> 0:17:56.119 gonna get, and then he finishes well with his hands. 0:17:56.720 --> 0:17:58.840 I think he's got a very bright future. I thought 0:17:58.840 --> 0:18:02.320 that from game one the game too, he improved and 0:18:02.960 --> 0:18:05.760 I expect that graft to go up now depending on 0:18:06.200 --> 0:18:09.800 you know, a great player like Cameron Heyward can can 0:18:09.920 --> 0:18:13.280 humble you, there's no question about it. But he seems 0:18:13.359 --> 0:18:15.920 very poisoned mature to Dan. I think if something does 0:18:16.040 --> 0:18:18.520 go wrong, he's not going to lose his mind, you know, 0:18:18.600 --> 0:18:21.320 I think he'll he'll go back to the All right, well, 0:18:21.480 --> 0:18:23.399 you know I lost that one, but you know, I 0:18:23.440 --> 0:18:25.119 got to get back to my basics. I got to 0:18:25.119 --> 0:18:27.480 make sure my foot works right, all my fundamentals right, 0:18:27.680 --> 0:18:30.320 my hand placement's right. Just get back to what you 0:18:30.400 --> 0:18:32.560 need to do to block the guy, uh and not, 0:18:32.720 --> 0:18:36.960 you know, just start panicking and lose all all concept 0:18:37.000 --> 0:18:39.200 of technique and everything else, and then you're dead. You're 0:18:39.240 --> 0:18:41.320 dead meat. I don't see that happening with the key 0:18:41.359 --> 0:18:44.959 of de energy at all. All right, Thanksgivings coming up. 0:18:45.240 --> 0:18:49.520 You're from the Boston area. Boston is famous for Thanksgiving 0:18:49.680 --> 0:18:53.000 high school football games. Was that the case when you 0:18:53.040 --> 0:18:56.960 were young? Absolutely? Smell Rose it was. It was Melrose 0:18:57.040 --> 0:19:00.920 High School, but they were smell Rose when we when 0:19:00.920 --> 0:19:04.200 we played them. We played them every single Thanksgiving. And 0:19:04.440 --> 0:19:07.920 uh I remember they had they had a great athlete 0:19:08.600 --> 0:19:10.840 by the name of rich Como, Richie Como, and that 0:19:10.960 --> 0:19:13.320 son of a gun man he was. He was the 0:19:13.359 --> 0:19:16.119 first real speed store. I mean this guy ran, you know, 0:19:16.200 --> 0:19:18.720 like a sub ten flat hundred and the track team 0:19:18.760 --> 0:19:21.520 and stuff, and um he was if he hit it 0:19:21.560 --> 0:19:23.640 and he hit the scene was like see you later. 0:19:23.880 --> 0:19:26.439 You're looking at come a across the back of his jersey. 0:19:26.480 --> 0:19:29.680 That's all you're gonna see. And uh I remember we 0:19:29.680 --> 0:19:32.840 We ended up beating them one year in an upset 0:19:32.920 --> 0:19:35.159 and and that was that was a big deal to 0:19:35.200 --> 0:19:39.359 go and beat Melrose in Melrose. But yeah, the Wakefield 0:19:39.359 --> 0:19:43.719 Melrose Thanksgiving Day Turkey game was was always that was 0:19:44.000 --> 0:19:46.400 that was the biggest football game I'd ever played in 0:19:46.480 --> 0:19:48.880 my life as a you know, as a high school 0:19:48.920 --> 0:19:51.960 football player. That was everybody always look forward to that 0:19:51.960 --> 0:19:56.600 that big Thanksgiving Day rival retail. No question. Now you'll 0:19:56.640 --> 0:19:59.280 be watching football, you'll be eating too much like we 0:19:59.400 --> 0:20:01.600 all do, and then it's going to be the perfect 0:20:01.640 --> 0:20:05.639 Thanksgiving weekend When the Bengals win on Sunday by doing 0:20:05.680 --> 0:20:08.879 what it's remarkable Dan. I was looking back at the 0:20:09.560 --> 0:20:12.520 first match out of twenty four ten. The Bengals have 0:20:12.600 --> 0:20:15.840 forty penalties on the year, first in the National Football 0:20:15.880 --> 0:20:19.080 League unless much less than four hundred yards and penalty yards, 0:20:19.119 --> 0:20:21.040 I think like three forty something. I think it is 0:20:21.520 --> 0:20:24.360 first in the league as well. They had ten penalties 0:20:24.359 --> 0:20:26.880 for almost eighty yards in that game. They had a court. 0:20:26.920 --> 0:20:29.200 They had twenty five percent of their penalties and over 0:20:29.240 --> 0:20:31.639 twenty five percent of their penalty yards in that game. 0:20:32.160 --> 0:20:34.600 So what you have to do is like we always 0:20:34.720 --> 0:20:37.720 always talk about that, you know, controlled rage kind of thing. 0:20:38.119 --> 0:20:42.439 You know, you want to play aggressively and physically, but 0:20:42.520 --> 0:20:44.040 you don't want to be out of control. You know, 0:20:44.119 --> 0:20:45.919 you don't want to have penalties, you don't want to 0:20:45.920 --> 0:20:49.560