WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast - Bye Bye Bye 0:00:03.520 --> 0:00:05.800 Hi, going everybody. I'm Dan Horde and this is the 0:00:05.840 --> 0:00:11.240 Bengals Booth Podcast. Bye Bye Bye edition. Yes, I just 0:00:11.440 --> 0:00:15.200 named an episode of the podcast after an N Sync song, 0:00:15.680 --> 0:00:17.920 which is a bit of a credibility killer. But hey, 0:00:18.239 --> 0:00:20.640 I happen to think that Justin Timberlake is one of 0:00:20.680 --> 0:00:24.000 the most talented people on the planet and that he 0:00:24.079 --> 0:00:27.800 and Jimmy Fallon should co host the Oscars. And I 0:00:27.840 --> 0:00:30.520 am totally going off on a tangent. Where were we? 0:00:30.920 --> 0:00:33.559 It's the Bengals Bye week, and on this episode of 0:00:33.560 --> 0:00:36.720 the podcast, I'll talk to my broadcast partner Dave Lapham 0:00:36.760 --> 0:00:41.279 about a wide variety of topics, including the possibility of 0:00:41.400 --> 0:00:45.200 Hugh Jackson returning to the Bengals in some capacity this 0:00:45.320 --> 0:00:49.400 year after being fired in Cleveland. I'll also go one 0:00:49.440 --> 0:00:52.479 on one with first round draft pick Billy Price, who 0:00:52.520 --> 0:00:54.680 could be back from his foot injury when the Bengals 0:00:54.720 --> 0:00:57.640 return to action a week from Sunday against the Saints. 0:00:58.080 --> 0:01:01.800 And we'll visit with the back who had the highest 0:01:01.880 --> 0:01:05.880 passer rating ever in a Super Bowl. No, it's not 0:01:06.200 --> 0:01:10.520 Joe Montana, Tom Brady or Terry Bradshaw. Stick around to 0:01:10.560 --> 0:01:13.400 find out who it is. All of that is straight ahead. 0:01:13.440 --> 0:01:15.720 But first, here's a quick reminder that you can have 0:01:15.800 --> 0:01:19.600 the latest edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, 0:01:19.720 --> 0:01:24.559 or computer by subscribing on iTunes, Stitcher, or pod Bean. 0:01:25.040 --> 0:01:31.240 It's the greatest invention since the NFL by week. I 0:01:31.360 --> 0:01:34.040 love my job and can honestly say that I feel 0:01:34.080 --> 0:01:36.959 like I have never worked a day in my life. 0:01:37.400 --> 0:01:40.560 But this Sunday, after hopefully calling a Bearcat's win over 0:01:40.640 --> 0:01:44.280 Navy on Saturday, I am looking forward to watching football 0:01:44.319 --> 0:01:47.280 in the family room with my son, eating a ton 0:01:47.319 --> 0:01:51.440 of unhealthy food, and enjoying a frosty beverage. I also 0:01:51.520 --> 0:01:54.920 hope it's the last weekend without a Bengals football game 0:01:55.320 --> 0:01:59.000 until mid February, unless, of course, they earned a first 0:01:59.080 --> 0:02:04.080 round playoff. All right, enough rambling, time to talk football 0:02:04.240 --> 0:02:07.560 with Dave Lapple. The Cleveland Browns fired Hugh Jackson on 0:02:07.640 --> 0:02:11.360 Monday with a three thirty six and one record in 0:02:11.360 --> 0:02:14.520 two and a half years. Yikes. We know he was 0:02:14.520 --> 0:02:16.880 close to Marvin Lewis and well liked by Mike Brown. 0:02:17.120 --> 0:02:20.040 What are the odds that Hugh Jackson returns to Cincinnati 0:02:20.400 --> 0:02:24.440 in some role this year? I think they're decent. You know, 0:02:24.760 --> 0:02:29.000 I think Marvin and Hure like brothers really, And when 0:02:29.000 --> 0:02:31.280 you look at it, the Bengals still have to play 0:02:31.320 --> 0:02:34.240 the Cleveland Browns twice in a five week span. And 0:02:34.520 --> 0:02:36.960 what better source of information for the Cleveland Browns than 0:02:37.040 --> 0:02:39.400 the former head coach that was coaching them this year. 0:02:39.760 --> 0:02:41.519 I mean, he can get up and give a dissertation 0:02:41.560 --> 0:02:45.400 to any one of the three phases and give valuable information. 0:02:46.000 --> 0:02:49.079 Plus the fact that when he game planned against the Steelers, 0:02:49.080 --> 0:02:52.920 they tied, you know, and he knows Baltimore intimately, he 0:02:52.960 --> 0:02:56.320 knows Cleveland intimately, he knows the Pittsburgh Steelers intimately. Haven't 0:02:56.320 --> 0:02:59.200 been a head coach as well as an assistant in 0:02:59.240 --> 0:03:02.359 this division, but coach now as well the last two 0:03:02.400 --> 0:03:06.000 games of the season on the road, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. 0:03:06.320 --> 0:03:08.600 What's wrong with having another good football coach with a 0:03:08.760 --> 0:03:13.720 very bright mind game planning making suggestions. I could see 0:03:14.120 --> 0:03:16.799 special consultant to the head coach. I'm not saying assistant 0:03:16.840 --> 0:03:19.640 head coach, but special consultant to the head coach, whatever 0:03:19.680 --> 0:03:22.320 it may be. And uh and just you know, use 0:03:22.400 --> 0:03:24.920 him in that regard. Just another guy in the meeting 0:03:25.000 --> 0:03:28.239 rooms with suggestions. Guys, you know, what really worked when 0:03:28.240 --> 0:03:30.480 we played Pittsburgh. This, This really worked. Maybe we can 0:03:30.480 --> 0:03:32.359 think of this concept. We have the personnel to think 0:03:32.360 --> 0:03:34.720 of this concept. Those kind of things are invaluable. And 0:03:34.800 --> 0:03:37.320 why not do it with a guy that you know, 0:03:37.360 --> 0:03:39.640 I think would come in and not cause a bunch 0:03:39.680 --> 0:03:42.680 of waves. Joe Mixon had a career high one hundred 0:03:42.720 --> 0:03:45.720 twenty three yards against Tampa Bay on twenty one carries. 0:03:45.880 --> 0:03:48.960 For the year lap he's averaging four point eight yards 0:03:48.960 --> 0:03:52.760 per carry. That is better than Todd Gurley, as Zekiel Elliott, 0:03:52.800 --> 0:03:56.880 and Kareem Hunt, among others. What's Joe doing well? Where 0:03:56.880 --> 0:03:59.520 can he be better? You know, Joe has proven that 0:03:59.600 --> 0:04:02.640 he's a cleep back. I mean his size speed ratio. 0:04:02.640 --> 0:04:04.920 He's a freak two hundred and twenty five pounds plus 0:04:04.920 --> 0:04:06.520 to be able to run the way he runs. He 0:04:06.520 --> 0:04:09.800 can catch the football. He heard him though, when he 0:04:09.800 --> 0:04:11.920 tried to one hand catch that screen pass. That's a 0:04:11.960 --> 0:04:13.760 habit that he has. He doesn't have to use just 0:04:13.840 --> 0:04:16.120 one hand. He has to break that habit. He's done 0:04:16.120 --> 0:04:18.560 it so much, you know, it's like muscle memory. Now 0:04:18.640 --> 0:04:21.520 he can't be doing that anymore. He will block and 0:04:21.560 --> 0:04:25.280 blitz pick up the one flying. The ointment in my 0:04:25.360 --> 0:04:28.599 mind is that, particularly when it's third and short, fourth 0:04:28.600 --> 0:04:33.560 and short, hit it, don't hit it, stop, think, and 0:04:33.640 --> 0:04:37.400 even retreat. And three instances in the last game when 0:04:37.400 --> 0:04:40.520 he had set his career high, he was a yard 0:04:40.520 --> 0:04:43.600 passed the line of scrimmage, retreated and tried to bounce 0:04:44.680 --> 0:04:47.599 lower those pads. You're two hundred and twenty five plus pounds, 0:04:47.760 --> 0:04:50.520 hammere it. Get the two or three yards, move the chains. 0:04:51.040 --> 0:04:53.680 You don't have to hit a grand Slam every every carry, 0:04:53.760 --> 0:04:56.560 and you know, keep working on your vision. I don't 0:04:56.560 --> 0:04:59.239 think he has the greatest natural vision of any running 0:04:59.279 --> 0:05:01.560 back in the league. And that's something that you either 0:05:01.600 --> 0:05:04.880 have or don't. There's instincts there that are natural, but 0:05:05.000 --> 0:05:07.120 it can be improved, and I think Joe needs to, 0:05:07.240 --> 0:05:09.520 you know, work, work on that part of it. You know. 0:05:09.560 --> 0:05:12.120 That would be the other thing that as I watch 0:05:12.240 --> 0:05:15.160 him run the football, because he's a he's a naturally 0:05:15.279 --> 0:05:18.880 gifted cutback runner, all those kinds of things, but sometimes 0:05:19.120 --> 0:05:22.000 you know, you wonder why he does it when he 0:05:22.040 --> 0:05:24.400 does it, he picks and chooses at odd times. Sometimes. 0:05:25.000 --> 0:05:28.080 The Bengals have as many significant injuries as any team 0:05:28.120 --> 0:05:29.920 in the NFL. Who do you think will be back 0:05:29.960 --> 0:05:32.599 immediately after the buy and what guys are likely to 0:05:32.600 --> 0:05:34.839 be out for a little while longer. Well, I think 0:05:34.839 --> 0:05:36.920 the guy that probably has the best chance of coming 0:05:36.960 --> 0:05:40.960 back immediately after the buy physically is Billy Price. I 0:05:41.000 --> 0:05:44.360 think he's he already practiced limited even before the game 0:05:44.360 --> 0:05:47.120 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so he's tracking in the 0:05:47.200 --> 0:05:50.320 right direction. But I would make sure that he's back 0:05:50.360 --> 0:05:53.760 and ready. Not just back, I mean physically ready and 0:05:53.880 --> 0:05:55.919 ready to play. I mean he hasn't played football in 0:05:55.960 --> 0:05:58.279 a couple of months. And you know the thing is, 0:05:58.279 --> 0:06:02.200 Trey Hopkins is playing good football. I thought the interior 0:06:02.200 --> 0:06:07.440 of the offensive line, including Westerman, acquitted themselves well against 0:06:07.440 --> 0:06:09.520 Tampa Bay. I thought Redman had his best game. He 0:06:09.520 --> 0:06:13.479 didn't give up a pressure the whole game. So I 0:06:13.520 --> 0:06:17.400 would be smart with Billy Price. Giovanni Bernard might be 0:06:17.480 --> 0:06:20.159 my next available candidate, but I'm not sure he'll be 0:06:20.200 --> 0:06:22.760 ready for New Orleans, but it'll be it'll be shortly thereafter. 0:06:23.279 --> 0:06:26.080 Everybody else kind of a week to week basis, And 0:06:26.120 --> 0:06:29.120 the guys that are really missing to help their third 0:06:29.120 --> 0:06:31.640 down situation is Nick Vigil in my mind, in today's 0:06:31.640 --> 0:06:33.919 football is as good as nickel linebacker as there is 0:06:34.080 --> 0:06:36.440 long guy that can run, can run with running backs 0:06:36.440 --> 0:06:39.880 and tight ends. They're getting killed at the linebacker level. 0:06:40.160 --> 0:06:42.120 I mean, they have the most targets against them in 0:06:42.120 --> 0:06:45.159 the NFL according to Pro Football focused at the linebacker level, 0:06:45.160 --> 0:06:48.880 and the most completions against them. And then dark ques 0:06:48.960 --> 0:06:51.159 Den Art. You know, you have a luxury of a 0:06:51.279 --> 0:06:55.640 former first round cornerback. It's slot corner communicating everything that 0:06:55.480 --> 0:06:59.159 was big. Not having him there in that slot corner 0:06:59.200 --> 0:07:02.279 and that nickel and I'm package is hurting them big time. 0:07:02.360 --> 0:07:05.800 So those guys, man, there's a you know, apb to 0:07:05.839 --> 0:07:07.839 get them back as quickly as possible. But you can't 0:07:07.920 --> 0:07:11.200 rush these things. Everybody heals at a different rate, you know, 0:07:11.280 --> 0:07:14.080 so you just have to be patient. Lap. The Bengals 0:07:14.080 --> 0:07:15.960 are ound of pace to give up the most yards 0:07:16.200 --> 0:07:19.520 of any team in NFL history. Back in two thousand, 0:07:20.000 --> 0:07:22.720 Marvin Lewis was the coordinator of a Baltimore defense that 0:07:22.840 --> 0:07:26.119 gave up the fewest points of any team in NFL history, 0:07:26.120 --> 0:07:29.160 at least in a sixteen game season. Should Marvin take 0:07:29.200 --> 0:07:32.680 a more hands on approach with the Bengals defense, you know, 0:07:32.880 --> 0:07:35.720 you'd almost think with his defensive background that he is. 0:07:35.840 --> 0:07:38.960 You know, I think he's in a good percentage of 0:07:38.960 --> 0:07:42.880 defensive meetings. If my defense is struggling like it is, 0:07:42.960 --> 0:07:45.200 and I'm the head coach and I have the expertise 0:07:45.240 --> 0:07:46.960 I have on that side of the football, I have 0:07:47.040 --> 0:07:49.920 my thumb on the pulse of that bad boy. But 0:07:50.080 --> 0:07:54.520 in terms of calling defensive plays, tried it Leslie Frasier, 0:07:54.680 --> 0:07:57.800 defensive coordinator. The defense was struggling, Marvin took over play 0:07:57.800 --> 0:08:00.440 calling they know what to Cleveland and got smoked. It 0:08:00.560 --> 0:08:03.400 was like thirty four to three or something. Didn't go well. 0:08:03.720 --> 0:08:06.360 So maybe with that past history in mind, he may 0:08:06.400 --> 0:08:09.960 think twice about it. I think that they just have 0:08:10.080 --> 0:08:12.280 to they have to work their way through it. In 0:08:12.440 --> 0:08:17.760 conversation with coach Austin earlier in the week, you know, 0:08:17.800 --> 0:08:20.440 he talked about twenty and fifteen Lions that he was 0:08:20.960 --> 0:08:23.680 a coordinator four and they went one and seven to 0:08:23.680 --> 0:08:26.080 start the season. They'd given up over three thousand yards 0:08:26.200 --> 0:08:28.120 in the first half of the season. They were tracking 0:08:28.600 --> 0:08:32.120 dismally two and they tweaked some things, made some adjustments, 0:08:32.120 --> 0:08:34.840 and you know, he said, everything's gonna play scheme the 0:08:34.880 --> 0:08:38.360 way we're approaching it. Personnel calls were making. The whole 0:08:38.360 --> 0:08:42.840 thing is going to be examined. And in Detroit shortly thereafter, 0:08:42.880 --> 0:08:44.319 they went to Green Bay and one on the road 0:08:44.360 --> 0:08:47.079 for the first time in thirty years, and they went 0:08:47.160 --> 0:08:51.040 six and two and the loss was to Green Bay 0:08:51.040 --> 0:08:53.040 on the hail. Mary was one of the losses, so 0:08:53.080 --> 0:08:55.280 they could have gone seven and one after starting one 0:08:55.320 --> 0:08:58.440 and seven. So his point is, if we can find 0:08:58.480 --> 0:09:01.680 that type of magic, be five and two and go 0:09:01.800 --> 0:09:03.400 six and two on the back end, now you're looking 0:09:03.440 --> 0:09:05.199 at eleven and five record, or you know, if you 0:09:05.240 --> 0:09:07.680 can go seven to one, even better. So obviously it 0:09:07.720 --> 0:09:11.439 can't get worse. It has to improve. And you've got 0:09:11.480 --> 0:09:14.080 a lot of young guys I think that are making 0:09:14.120 --> 0:09:17.200 a lot of mental errors. It's that seems to be 0:09:17.240 --> 0:09:19.840 the case. And with that, you almost when you're given 0:09:19.920 --> 0:09:21.840 when you because of injury, you have to give the 0:09:21.840 --> 0:09:24.199 guys on the job training. You have to be patient 0:09:24.280 --> 0:09:27.200 because with every rep they're getting, they're going to improve. 0:09:27.520 --> 0:09:30.560 I mean, repetition breeds comfort level. And right now, in 0:09:30.559 --> 0:09:31.920 the first half of the season, a lot of their 0:09:31.960 --> 0:09:34.200 heads were spinning, some of these young guys, I mean 0:09:34.200 --> 0:09:38.000 their roles expanded to a point that they had no concept, 0:09:38.080 --> 0:09:41.000 no idea when they broke training camp that they were 0:09:41.000 --> 0:09:43.520 going to be in these positions. But they are. And 0:09:43.559 --> 0:09:46.240 that's that's life in the National Football League, and everybody 0:09:46.240 --> 0:09:49.400 has to adjust. It's it's adjustments and adjustments to adjustments, 0:09:49.400 --> 0:09:51.840 and you just have to do it and uh and 0:09:51.960 --> 0:09:55.400 build and continue to grow. Laugh. The Bengals have obviously 0:09:55.440 --> 0:09:58.040 had problems at the linebacker position this year. The last 0:09:58.040 --> 0:10:00.720 time they drafted a linebacker in the two rounds of 0:10:00.760 --> 0:10:04.120 the draft was two thousand and nine, that's ten drafts ago, 0:10:04.160 --> 0:10:06.559 and they took Raymlea Logan the second round. The year 0:10:06.600 --> 0:10:08.880 before that, they took Keith Rivers in the first round. 0:10:09.360 --> 0:10:12.880 Do they need to address that position earlier in the draft. 0:10:13.600 --> 0:10:16.520 I think in this era, the NFL tight ends are 0:10:16.520 --> 0:10:20.040 so good that linebackers are involved with that coverage. I 0:10:20.080 --> 0:10:24.320 think you have to maybe modify your approach. The Bengals. 0:10:24.960 --> 0:10:28.600 The way they've they've built their defenses in today's NFL 0:10:28.760 --> 0:10:31.960 is pass rushers and cover guys because it's a throwing league, 0:10:32.640 --> 0:10:36.079 and you know, then you worry about linebackers third and 0:10:36.280 --> 0:10:38.240 it's work for him. I mean, they have Pro Bowl 0:10:38.280 --> 0:10:41.439 pass rushers and Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap. They've got 0:10:41.520 --> 0:10:43.760 multiple first round picks. They still have three, even though 0:10:43.840 --> 0:10:45.800 dark Weis has heard three first round picks one of 0:10:45.880 --> 0:10:48.880 first rounders in the back end. So in today's NFL, 0:10:48.920 --> 0:10:51.440 if you have two Pro Bowl pass rushers in three 0:10:51.480 --> 0:10:53.360 first round cover guys in the back end, it should 0:10:53.360 --> 0:10:56.520 be the makings of a decent defensive football team. But 0:10:56.600 --> 0:11:00.360 they're getting pounded at the linebacker level. Pro Football Focus 0:11:00.440 --> 0:11:03.480 says they've been targeted more than any team at that 0:11:03.679 --> 0:11:06.520 level of the field, that position group, that intermediate range, 0:11:06.720 --> 0:11:10.160 and more completions against them. Now you know injuries. You know, 0:11:10.320 --> 0:11:13.319 in the last game, Vantes perfect Nick Vigil, they're the 0:11:13.400 --> 0:11:16.400 nickel linebackers. Both were down. And I think Nick Vigil 0:11:16.960 --> 0:11:19.000 is as good at nickel linebackers or is in the game. 0:11:19.080 --> 0:11:22.200 He can really run long, can run with those tight ends, 0:11:22.320 --> 0:11:24.880 run with the running backs, and he was drafting the 0:11:24.920 --> 0:11:29.520 third round. So if there's a guy that is worthy 0:11:29.520 --> 0:11:31.760 of it, I don't think you reach for it necessarily. 0:11:32.160 --> 0:11:35.280 But if you're doing your evaluations, and Duke Tobin and 0:11:35.360 --> 0:11:38.960 his crew do as good as anybody in that aspect 0:11:39.000 --> 0:11:41.400 of it, and your board sorts out that way, and 0:11:41.440 --> 0:11:44.480 you have one you know, even if it's early second 0:11:44.559 --> 0:11:47.520 round or hopefully late first round, but early second round 0:11:47.520 --> 0:11:50.560 because of a trade, pull the trigger. If he's the guy, 0:11:50.800 --> 0:11:54.120 you know, because in today's NFL, it's it's a must. 0:11:55.040 --> 0:11:57.640 Hugh Jackson was not the only former Bengals coach who 0:11:57.679 --> 0:12:00.679 got fired this week. Paul Alexander, his first year, is 0:12:00.720 --> 0:12:03.400 the offensive line coach of the Dallas Cowboys, only lasted 0:12:03.400 --> 0:12:07.840 half a season. Does the Bengals offensive line looks significantly 0:12:07.840 --> 0:12:12.800 different under Frank Pollock already than it dead under Polo Alexander. Yes, 0:12:13.480 --> 0:12:16.600 they have an attitude. I mean they will fight you. 0:12:17.400 --> 0:12:21.760 They'll they'll do everything they possibly can. Their whole posture 0:12:22.160 --> 0:12:26.960 is aggressiveness. Whereas before it was passiveness, it was retreat 0:12:27.080 --> 0:12:31.840 and catch. This group makes a stand and punches. And 0:12:32.400 --> 0:12:36.600 as a former lineman, I much prefer that, much prefer 0:12:36.760 --> 0:12:40.160 seeing that, and I know the quarterback much prefer seeing 0:12:40.200 --> 0:12:44.240 that because even if you give up, you know, you 0:12:44.320 --> 0:12:48.320 can't be so consumed with a personal stat of old 0:12:48.440 --> 0:12:53.960 quarterback sacks that you're giving up consistent pressure and the 0:12:54.040 --> 0:12:56.760 pass rush is getting into the quarterback's face every snap. 0:12:57.040 --> 0:13:00.400 But because he's a smart team player, he's the ball 0:13:00.440 --> 0:13:01.839 out of his hands in less than two and a 0:13:01.880 --> 0:13:05.240 half seconds, but he has no space to throw the football. 0:13:05.640 --> 0:13:08.640 You're not helping the football team. You're hurting the football team. 0:13:08.760 --> 0:13:10.280 I don't give a damn if you only give up 0:13:10.280 --> 0:13:14.920 eighteen sacks. If you give ninety eight pressures, terrible. I'd 0:13:15.000 --> 0:13:18.319 rather give up fifty pressures and thirty of them end 0:13:18.360 --> 0:13:21.960 up being sacks because those other forty eight snaps the 0:13:22.040 --> 0:13:26.160 quarterbacks seeing the field and picking him apart. So I'm 0:13:26.200 --> 0:13:28.720 not as concern with sack numbers as I am with 0:13:28.840 --> 0:13:31.520 overall pressure numbers. What does the pocket look like for 0:13:31.559 --> 0:13:34.640 the quarterback? Andy Dalton's not the biggest quarterback in the world. 0:13:35.040 --> 0:13:36.839 I get so sick and tired of him throwing out 0:13:36.880 --> 0:13:39.040 of a hole where he couldn't even see. I mean, 0:13:39.040 --> 0:13:42.400 he's throwing with so much anticipation and has to be 0:13:42.440 --> 0:13:45.440 accurate with it. He's not even seeing where it's going 0:13:45.480 --> 0:13:48.720 to end up. And receivers as well. You'll talk to receivers. 0:13:48.720 --> 0:13:52.520 When Doug Flutie was a teammate in New Jersey five 0:13:52.520 --> 0:13:54.760 to nine and he dropped down to throw the ball 0:13:54.760 --> 0:13:56.600 by his shoulder. He's throwing the ball about five foot 0:13:56.840 --> 0:14:00.480 level and he threw between rushers. He didn't throw over 0:14:00.520 --> 0:14:03.240 the top of anybody. Our receivers would complain about when 0:14:03.280 --> 0:14:05.199 he's in pocket, the ball would come out like a 0:14:05.280 --> 0:14:07.959 jugs on between bodies and it was on top of 0:14:08.000 --> 0:14:10.280 them before they could react. They never saw the ball 0:14:10.320 --> 0:14:12.640 out of the quarterback's hand. Every receiver will tell you 0:14:12.679 --> 0:14:14.719 when they can see the quarterback the ball out of 0:14:14.760 --> 0:14:18.559 the quarterback's hands, they can make much better adjustments. So 0:14:18.960 --> 0:14:21.200 if you're if the quarterbacks thrown out of a hole 0:14:21.240 --> 0:14:23.040 and the receivers can't see the ball coming out of 0:14:23.080 --> 0:14:26.320 his hand, that's a double dip tragedy right there. So 0:14:26.480 --> 0:14:29.240 I like the fact that they're jumping people, they're taking 0:14:29.280 --> 0:14:32.880 people on. They're giving the quarterback clean their pocket, more 0:14:33.040 --> 0:14:37.320 vision space he can climb the pocket easier. Long story short, 0:14:37.360 --> 0:14:40.240 I like what I'm seeing, and they're much more aggressive 0:14:40.280 --> 0:14:43.640 they're coming off the football. And honestly, are they an 0:14:43.680 --> 0:14:48.360 upper crusted talent wise offensive line? No? But Frank Pollock, 0:14:48.480 --> 0:14:51.160 is he doing it with smoking mirrors? Probably to an extent, 0:14:51.360 --> 0:14:54.120 But you know what, sometimes the some of the parts 0:14:54.800 --> 0:14:58.120 equal is a lot better than each individual piece of it. 0:14:58.400 --> 0:15:01.120 And that's when you have a good offensive line. You 0:15:01.160 --> 0:15:03.800 have five guys believing in each other playing a concert, 0:15:03.920 --> 0:15:06.120 the some of the parts can be better than any 0:15:06.160 --> 0:15:09.120 individual Pro Bowl stud or whatever. If you have a 0:15:09.160 --> 0:15:12.040 Pro Bowl stud in four schmucks, ain't gonna get you much. 0:15:12.720 --> 0:15:15.800 Ain't gonna get you very far. Be a good band name, 0:15:16.520 --> 0:15:20.000 all right. Last thing. Last week, the Bengals were nearly 0:15:20.040 --> 0:15:23.120 toppled by thirty five year old Ryan Fitzpatrick, who, as 0:15:23.120 --> 0:15:26.440 we all know, is a hobvid man. Yes, here's this 0:15:26.480 --> 0:15:29.520 week's question. Between ten years playing in the NFL and 0:15:29.560 --> 0:15:32.880 two years in the USFL, who is the smartest guy 0:15:33.320 --> 0:15:37.480 you ever played with? Another habvid man, Pat mcinelly. That 0:15:37.640 --> 0:15:41.120 guy was had perfect score on the one relick, only 0:15:41.160 --> 0:15:44.000 one fifty out of fifty, And I said, you know, 0:15:45.040 --> 0:15:46.920 how quickly did you finish it? I was bored, man, 0:15:46.960 --> 0:15:50.440 I was sitting around for five minutes. He Pat mcinaley 0:15:50.520 --> 0:15:52.440 is a kind of guy that if you're sitting in 0:15:52.440 --> 0:15:55.080 a room with him and you have a conversation, every 0:15:55.120 --> 0:15:58.840 single sentence you say, he can make a joke out 0:15:58.880 --> 0:16:01.040 of it. He can come up with some kind of humor. 0:16:01.360 --> 0:16:03.720 He is the most quick witted dude. And his humor 0:16:03.760 --> 0:16:06.760 can go all the way from wow sophistication of sarcasm 0:16:06.800 --> 0:16:09.320 to the end degree to you know, down and dirty 0:16:09.360 --> 0:16:11.840 with the best of them, and everything in between. Pat 0:16:11.920 --> 0:16:16.320 mcinelly is, he's a brilliant dude. And I remember many times, 0:16:16.560 --> 0:16:18.440 you know, I loved being around him, and he dogged 0:16:18.440 --> 0:16:20.080 me all the time because I get accepted to Harvard 0:16:20.080 --> 0:16:22.160 and didn't go. And he said, well, you know, I 0:16:22.320 --> 0:16:26.080 hesitate to be in your company, being that stupid, but 0:16:26.680 --> 0:16:29.040 at any rate, um I would go. I'd go into 0:16:29.080 --> 0:16:31.080 his room a lot at night, you know, after practices, 0:16:31.120 --> 0:16:33.480 and he'd he'd play a guitar, you know, strung along, 0:16:33.640 --> 0:16:37.040 and he'd write songs, you know, and write his own music. Right. 0:16:37.040 --> 0:16:40.000 So the guy he could do anything. There's nothing that 0:16:40.000 --> 0:16:45.600 Pat mcinelli couldn't do. So he made a pact basically said, 0:16:45.600 --> 0:16:48.400 you know, my goal lap him is to not work 0:16:48.440 --> 0:16:50.920 a day in my life and be a gazillionaire. And 0:16:50.960 --> 0:16:52.640 he hasn't had a real job in his life, and 0:16:52.640 --> 0:16:56.040 he's a gazillionaire. You know. At starting lineup he invented 0:16:56.080 --> 0:16:59.040 that Kenner toys. He went, you know, to all of 0:16:59.080 --> 0:17:04.120 his Harvard alum in all the leagues and got the rights. 0:17:04.200 --> 0:17:07.280 Went to Kenner Toys right here in Cincinnati. They jumped 0:17:07.280 --> 0:17:10.119 on and bought into it, simple deal, figuring with an 0:17:10.160 --> 0:17:13.919 autograph card and made a fortune. He was getting seven 0:17:14.119 --> 0:17:20.159 figure commission checks twice a year. Crazy. Then he started 0:17:20.160 --> 0:17:25.760 collecting first edition comic books in mint condition, made a fortune. 0:17:27.480 --> 0:17:32.200 He wrote his column you Know just for Kids, syndicated 0:17:32.240 --> 0:17:34.920 newspaper column while he was playing. All his Harvard connections 0:17:34.960 --> 0:17:38.560 around the cities got him into these newspapers. And the 0:17:38.640 --> 0:17:42.119 dude has been printing cash from the day he was 0:17:42.200 --> 0:17:44.560 able to print cash and will the rest of his life. 0:17:44.560 --> 0:17:50.040 He is. He is a very very unique, brilliant, bright 0:17:50.080 --> 0:17:53.240 minded guy, smartest guy I've ever been around. Glad you 0:17:53.280 --> 0:17:58.600 worked with somebody smart your lifetime. Thanks Lap. According to 0:17:58.640 --> 0:18:02.359 the website Pro Football Focus, none of the Bengals offensive 0:18:02.400 --> 0:18:05.920 linemen have a particularly high grade so far this year. 0:18:06.000 --> 0:18:10.520 Clint Bowling ranks highest at twenty eighth among the seventy 0:18:10.520 --> 0:18:14.080 four guards with enough snaps to qualify. But the old 0:18:14.080 --> 0:18:17.200 line could get a boost right after the bye as 0:18:17.280 --> 0:18:20.120 center Billy Price, the Bengals first round draft pick out 0:18:20.119 --> 0:18:23.679 of Ohio State could be back from his foot injury. 0:18:24.200 --> 0:18:28.400 I talked to Billy about that possibility on Tuesday inside 0:18:28.440 --> 0:18:31.400 the locker room with center Billy Price. By weekend this 0:18:31.440 --> 0:18:34.639 weekend and the Saints at home after that, do you 0:18:34.640 --> 0:18:37.880 expect to be back out there? Just following what protocol 0:18:38.000 --> 0:18:40.920 is right now with the docs. Got into practice last week, 0:18:41.359 --> 0:18:43.919 felt pretty good, so we're gonna take it into the 0:18:43.960 --> 0:18:45.640 rest of this week and then followed what they want 0:18:45.640 --> 0:18:48.000 minted next week. If it's not the Saints game. I 0:18:48.320 --> 0:18:50.600 think we're all pretty confident it's going to be soon 0:18:51.280 --> 0:18:54.440 and imagine you're eager to get back out there. Absolutely, Yeah, 0:18:54.440 --> 0:18:56.960 there's no pain right now. It feels good. And again 0:18:56.960 --> 0:19:00.600 we're just kind of falling falling with Paul Sparring and 0:19:00.600 --> 0:19:02.439 the guys inside the training room are asking me to do. 0:19:02.760 --> 0:19:05.440 How have you stayed on top of things mentally while 0:19:05.480 --> 0:19:07.280 you haven't been able to play? For me, it's making 0:19:07.280 --> 0:19:09.119 sure I'm sitting there with Coach Pollocks so during practice 0:19:09.160 --> 0:19:12.080 if I'm not participating, so in the previous weeks, sitting 0:19:12.080 --> 0:19:13.399 back there with the script and kind of going over 0:19:13.400 --> 0:19:16.000 the looks with Coach Pollock and I had a pen 0:19:16.040 --> 0:19:17.800 in my pocket or on my hat the entire time 0:19:17.840 --> 0:19:19.879 in writing down notes. Um, just to make sure that 0:19:19.880 --> 0:19:22.320 you're still sharp, manly with what the what the defensive 0:19:22.320 --> 0:19:25.160 pictures are going to be. You know, we haven't really 0:19:25.160 --> 0:19:29.000 played a lot of divisional guys, so M Pittsburgh was 0:19:29.040 --> 0:19:30.800 the only only team and then the rest of the 0:19:30.800 --> 0:19:33.159 Baltimore game. So I'm gonna be able to see these 0:19:33.160 --> 0:19:35.280 guys again. So making sure that I recognize some of 0:19:35.320 --> 0:19:37.840 the tendencies that these guys are presenting to us, just 0:19:37.880 --> 0:19:39.840 so when it comes down to the second time we 0:19:39.880 --> 0:19:41.960 play them that I'm it's not new information to me. 0:19:42.440 --> 0:19:44.960 You were an iron man at Ohio State. He never 0:19:45.040 --> 0:19:47.760 came out. How difficult has that been? Just having a 0:19:47.800 --> 0:19:51.480 leatch from the sideline, it's a different perspective. Um, I 0:19:51.480 --> 0:19:54.159 don't enjoy it. I can tell you that. Um, you know, 0:19:54.200 --> 0:19:57.120 it's just it's a it was a freaky injury. Especially 0:19:57.160 --> 0:19:59.000 I just got on top of a guy and you know, 0:19:59.040 --> 0:20:00.800 I told Coach Pollock, you know, got to improve my 0:20:00.800 --> 0:20:03.560 technique to make sure I don't put myself in that position. So, UM, 0:20:04.200 --> 0:20:07.280 it's just it's it's it's not a good feeling, especially 0:20:07.280 --> 0:20:10.080 when you know it's out of your control. So we're 0:20:10.119 --> 0:20:12.520 gonna make sure we do everything in our potential to 0:20:12.520 --> 0:20:14.160 make sure that we stay on the field. Were visiting 0:20:14.240 --> 0:20:16.480 Billy Price. Coach Lewis said early this week that the 0:20:16.520 --> 0:20:19.600 offensive line has steadily improved during the course of this season. 0:20:19.880 --> 0:20:21.680 How do you feel about the way the entire group 0:20:21.840 --> 0:20:24.959 has performed? You know, you know, I first informost got 0:20:25.040 --> 0:20:26.680 to tip my half to Trey Hopkins. That again, a 0:20:26.720 --> 0:20:29.120 guy somebody who's you know, when his number is called, 0:20:29.200 --> 0:20:31.600 he stepped into it and he's dominated every every single 0:20:31.600 --> 0:20:34.600 game from you know, we joke around my my one 0:20:34.640 --> 0:20:36.919 in a quarter game that I played and uh, you 0:20:36.920 --> 0:20:39.040 know with Indian in Baltimore, and then from him taking 0:20:39.080 --> 0:20:42.120 on those three quarters to Baltimore, uh and just really dominating. 0:20:42.160 --> 0:20:44.280 I think it's steady improvement. Um. You know, you see 0:20:44.320 --> 0:20:46.480 guys like you know, I mean the left side with 0:20:46.520 --> 0:20:51.159 the veterans are are performing you know, exceptional right now. Um, 0:20:51.200 --> 0:20:53.640