WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: My Opinions 0:00:03.480 --> 0:00:04.400 Hi, get everybody. 0:00:04.440 --> 0:00:08.119 I'm Dan Hord and thanks for downloading The Bengals Booth Podcast. 0:00:08.280 --> 0:00:11.360 B My Opinions. 0:00:13.280 --> 0:00:18.000 Addition, has seven Bengals Beat reporters tackle five questions about 0:00:18.040 --> 0:00:22.440 training camp and the upcoming season, followed by my opinions 0:00:22.680 --> 0:00:25.919 on the same topics. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought 0:00:25.920 --> 0:00:28.280 to you by pay Corps, proud to be the Bengals 0:00:28.320 --> 0:00:32.920 official HR software provider, by Alta Fiber future proof fiber 0:00:32.960 --> 0:00:35.800 Internet designed to elevate your home, business and community to 0:00:35.840 --> 0:00:39.400 a new level, and by Kettering Health the best care 0:00:39.600 --> 0:00:42.760 for the best fans. Kettering Health is the official healthcare 0:00:42.800 --> 0:00:46.080 provider of the Bengals. Now here's a quick reminder that 0:00:46.159 --> 0:00:49.240 you can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered 0:00:49.320 --> 0:00:53.159 right to your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing wherever 0:00:53.520 --> 0:00:58.000 you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing since randomly 0:00:58.120 --> 0:01:02.120 watching Super Bowl fifty I was going around the horn 0:01:02.200 --> 0:01:04.720 with my TV remote the other night when I stumbled 0:01:04.760 --> 0:01:07.760 upon a replay of Super Bowl fifty six on the 0:01:07.880 --> 0:01:11.120 NFL network. Now, I know that some of you find 0:01:11.160 --> 0:01:14.280 it too painful to watch. I get it, but not me. 0:01:14.920 --> 0:01:17.319 I found it fun to relive the highlights and be 0:01:17.440 --> 0:01:20.919 reminded of some of the things that were seemingly insignificant 0:01:20.959 --> 0:01:23.839 at the time that had a big impact on the game. 0:01:24.480 --> 0:01:28.080 And if you do find it too painful, my recommendation 0:01:28.280 --> 0:01:30.560 is to shut it off with five minutes to go, 0:01:31.280 --> 0:01:34.520 just before Cooper cup seven yard run on fourth and 0:01:34.560 --> 0:01:39.200 one that kept the Rams game winning drive alive. Now, 0:01:39.720 --> 0:01:43.280 let's get to this week's guests. Since the draft, every 0:01:43.280 --> 0:01:46.479 episode of this podcast has included an interview with one 0:01:46.480 --> 0:01:49.520 of this year's draft picks, where I asked them five 0:01:49.760 --> 0:01:54.160 offbeat questions. Well, I'm sticking with five questions on this 0:01:54.320 --> 0:01:57.840 episode of the podcast, but the concept is a little different. 0:01:58.440 --> 0:02:01.640 I spoke to seven Bengals Beat reporters and ask them 0:02:02.240 --> 0:02:06.720 the same five questions about the upcoming season. We start 0:02:07.000 --> 0:02:12.840 with one of ESPN's NFL Nation reporters. We are going 0:02:12.880 --> 0:02:17.320 alphabetically in our visits with Bengals Beat reporters. So Ben 0:02:17.400 --> 0:02:20.639 Baby from ESPN is up first. All of your takes 0:02:20.639 --> 0:02:23.480 are going to be fresh in comparison to your fellow 0:02:23.480 --> 0:02:27.080 Beat reporters. So are you ready for five questions about 0:02:27.120 --> 0:02:28.040 the upcoming season? 0:02:28.400 --> 0:02:30.280 I think Dan, you know me well enough. I've always 0:02:30.280 --> 0:02:31.919 got some good takes loaded in the chamber. 0:02:31.919 --> 0:02:36.720 For you, I would expect nothing less. Question number one, 0:02:36.880 --> 0:02:40.000 what is your biggest question going into training camp? 0:02:40.760 --> 0:02:42.280 I think the biggest question for me. 0:02:42.600 --> 0:02:44.480 I know that there's going to be the offensive line 0:02:45.160 --> 0:02:47.320 a lot of concerns, or how well they're going to play, 0:02:47.400 --> 0:02:50.120 you know, potentially throwing two new starters into the mixed 0:02:50.160 --> 0:02:52.720 rookie Dylan Fairchild who seems to be doing a good 0:02:52.800 --> 0:02:56.120 job of transitioning to left guard in the NFL, and 0:02:56.160 --> 0:03:00.400 then that right guards battle between Lucas Patrick Cody Ford, 0:03:00.440 --> 0:03:03.040 can Cordell Volson maybe throw his name in the hat? 0:03:03.080 --> 0:03:05.840 I think that's interesting. But for me, I think the 0:03:05.880 --> 0:03:07.480 biggest thing is how well can. 0:03:07.360 --> 0:03:08.440 The secondary play? 0:03:08.680 --> 0:03:10.799 And you know, I fear that I may be harping 0:03:10.840 --> 0:03:13.000 on the secondary a lot between now and the end 0:03:13.040 --> 0:03:15.440 of our conversation, but I think it's the most important 0:03:15.440 --> 0:03:18.240 thing because had they been a little bit better, had 0:03:18.280 --> 0:03:20.720 they you know, played to the level I think a 0:03:20.720 --> 0:03:22.960 lot of people thought they were capable of last year. 0:03:23.400 --> 0:03:26.960 I think last season looks vastly different than it did. 0:03:27.000 --> 0:03:29.240 And so if they can find, you know, the if 0:03:29.280 --> 0:03:32.360 those experienced corners of Dax Hill can come back healthy 0:03:32.560 --> 0:03:34.840 after his injury last season, If Cam Taylor Brick can 0:03:34.840 --> 0:03:38.600 perform well, DJ Turner, Josh Newton stepping up, I think 0:03:38.640 --> 0:03:42.720 if those players can really bounce back and that unit 0:03:42.800 --> 0:03:45.120 take a big step, I think this group can be 0:03:45.120 --> 0:03:47.680 in for a really good, good season, and I think 0:03:47.760 --> 0:03:50.840 it's going to dictate how this whole team really operates 0:03:50.880 --> 0:03:53.560 and performs in a very I think the stakes, as 0:03:53.640 --> 0:03:57.000 Joe Burrow said earlier this offseason, the stakes are always high, 0:03:57.000 --> 0:03:59.839 but they feel especially high going into twenty twenty five. 0:04:00.800 --> 0:04:03.440 Judging by the names you just ran off, it sounds 0:04:03.560 --> 0:04:06.000 like you think that there is at least enough talent 0:04:06.120 --> 0:04:07.480 to potentially be good. 0:04:08.120 --> 0:04:09.360 Yeah, I definitely think so. 0:04:09.400 --> 0:04:11.880 And talking to guys in the building over the course 0:04:11.920 --> 0:04:14.320 of the offseason, I know that when Al Golden came in, 0:04:14.720 --> 0:04:17.720 they were pleasantly happy with what they had back there, 0:04:17.920 --> 0:04:19.720 and you look at what they did last year. 0:04:19.720 --> 0:04:23.680 I know that there's been so much talk between the. 0:04:23.680 --> 0:04:26.280 Talking heads and everybody kind of analyzing how that Bengal 0:04:26.320 --> 0:04:29.039 season looked last year. And what I like to point 0:04:29.040 --> 0:04:30.679 out to folks is you go look at the last 0:04:30.720 --> 0:04:33.479 five games of the season, I think that was probably 0:04:33.520 --> 0:04:36.479 more indicative of how that team should have played the 0:04:36.520 --> 0:04:39.600 whole year, and I don't think it really had anything 0:04:39.600 --> 0:04:41.360 to do with the personnel that was on the field. 0:04:41.720 --> 0:04:43.080 I think when you look at it, I think there 0:04:43.080 --> 0:04:45.560 were some schematic issues from time to time that really 0:04:45.800 --> 0:04:48.160 popped up. I think there's a reason why I think 0:04:48.240 --> 0:04:51.280 loui an Arumo did a really really good job over 0:04:51.279 --> 0:04:51.719 his six. 0:04:51.680 --> 0:04:53.640 Years here in Cincinnati. 0:04:53.960 --> 0:04:56.680 But I think that I understand why they went to 0:04:56.800 --> 0:04:59.000 Al Golden and understand what he brings to the table. 0:04:59.040 --> 0:05:00.600 I think Al's gonna have. 0:05:00.240 --> 0:05:03.000 A very similar challenge that lou did and making sure 0:05:03.000 --> 0:05:06.480 that you can maximize a lot of young players without 0:05:06.520 --> 0:05:09.880 having the luxury of having really high priced defensive. 0:05:09.440 --> 0:05:10.760 Players at your disposal. 0:05:10.839 --> 0:05:14.200 We'll see what happens with Trean Hendrickson when training camp 0:05:14.279 --> 0:05:16.760 rolls around. But I do think that there are some 0:05:16.800 --> 0:05:19.120 really good pieces there. I think that they've used high 0:05:19.240 --> 0:05:22.200 draft picks over the years, and you expect them to 0:05:22.200 --> 0:05:24.599 play it that way. I know that when Dax got hurt, 0:05:24.640 --> 0:05:27.359 they felt he was probably the best quarterback that they had, 0:05:27.720 --> 0:05:29.880 and I think that DJ Turner and Camp Taylor Britna 0:05:29.920 --> 0:05:30.440 have shown. 0:05:30.320 --> 0:05:31.520 Some really good flashes. 0:05:32.200 --> 0:05:36.000 You know, Safety's probably the spot where we're looking at saying, Okay, 0:05:36.440 --> 0:05:38.560 what can these guys you know bring to the table. 0:05:38.680 --> 0:05:42.000 I've always liked Jordan Battle, not just because he's one 0:05:42.040 --> 0:05:44.440 of the best locker room personalities in there. 0:05:44.480 --> 0:05:46.880 I was giving him a hard time last year about 0:05:46.880 --> 0:05:47.400 whether or not. 0:05:47.920 --> 0:05:50.560 I think he had a little competition with Jermaine Pratt 0:05:50.560 --> 0:05:52.920 on how many turnovers he'd be able to force, and 0:05:53.000 --> 0:05:55.880 I think it extrapolated out to all the defensive backs. 0:05:55.880 --> 0:05:58.560 They didn't end up getting as many turnovers as they'd like. 0:05:58.680 --> 0:06:01.839 We could never figure out who two interceptions, three interceptions 0:06:01.839 --> 0:06:04.159 of what have you to. We're practic and maybe treat 0:06:04.200 --> 0:06:07.160 some of the younger defenders, But I think Jordan Battle, 0:06:07.360 --> 0:06:09.000 you know, the more that he's in, I think if 0:06:09.000 --> 0:06:11.320 he's in, you know, the closer replace of the box, 0:06:11.320 --> 0:06:13.800 he can be a boundary safety as well. But I 0:06:13.920 --> 0:06:16.680 like that partnership with Geno Stone. I think that if 0:06:16.680 --> 0:06:20.279 they're able to get some time together, that unit really 0:06:20.279 --> 0:06:22.560 doesn't have a lot of moving parts. The more they 0:06:22.560 --> 0:06:25.280 can play with each other, I think you're gonna see 0:06:25.320 --> 0:06:27.760 a better product than they put on the field last season. 0:06:28.800 --> 0:06:31.880 We move on to topic number two. Who is Ben 0:06:31.920 --> 0:06:34.960 Baby's breakout player in twenty twenty five. 0:06:35.680 --> 0:06:38.039 You know, I've thought about this a good amount. I 0:06:38.040 --> 0:06:39.039 think that there are. 0:06:38.880 --> 0:06:43.640 Some very good candidates. I will go with Josh Newton. 0:06:43.720 --> 0:06:46.119 I think him sliding in Again. 0:06:46.320 --> 0:06:48.680 I apologize for the defensive back theme here, but I 0:06:48.720 --> 0:06:51.520 do think that that probably is one of the best 0:06:51.560 --> 0:06:54.919 and most pivotal pivotal groups in this whole on this 0:06:54.960 --> 0:06:57.440 whole roster, and Josh s Newton when they drafted him. 0:06:57.800 --> 0:07:01.039 I know that assistant coach Chuck Burks really like the 0:07:01.120 --> 0:07:04.200 mentality that Josh had, and you know, it's hard to 0:07:04.240 --> 0:07:06.919 come in and unseen a guy like Mike Hilton. But 0:07:07.000 --> 0:07:10.440 I think, you know, Josh might not has been been 0:07:10.480 --> 0:07:13.120 as entrenched as he was last season. Maybe there might 0:07:13.160 --> 0:07:15.119 have been a little bit more competition to put Josh 0:07:15.160 --> 0:07:17.520 on the field. Obviously, you know some Rooie mistakes from 0:07:17.520 --> 0:07:19.600 time to time, but I think when you look at 0:07:19.640 --> 0:07:21.760 a guy and how successful he has the chance to 0:07:21.800 --> 0:07:25.440 be as a pro, the mentality makes up such a 0:07:25.480 --> 0:07:28.280 big aspect of it. And I remember one of the 0:07:28.320 --> 0:07:30.920 things that stuck out is that when when Chuck would 0:07:31.000 --> 0:07:33.840 go back and talk to Josh about certain plays from 0:07:33.880 --> 0:07:36.000 previous years that had nothing to do with the Bengals. 0:07:36.360 --> 0:07:39.120 Josh Newton had already studied that because he wants to 0:07:39.160 --> 0:07:41.840 go out and understand what it takes to be a 0:07:41.880 --> 0:07:43.560 great defensive back. 0:07:43.600 --> 0:07:44.880 And I think people. 0:07:44.560 --> 0:07:48.080 Who are wired that way have a great chance of 0:07:48.120 --> 0:07:51.360 being successful, not just in football, but whatever it is. 0:07:51.640 --> 0:07:53.240 If you're willing to be a student of the game, 0:07:53.280 --> 0:07:55.400 you're willing to understand. 0:07:54.960 --> 0:07:56.720 What it takes to be good at your craft. 0:07:56.760 --> 0:07:59.000 Put in time when nobody's telling you to do so, 0:07:59.600 --> 0:08:03.320 which is such an underrated skill, you are able to 0:08:03.400 --> 0:08:05.480 be increase your odds. 0:08:05.160 --> 0:08:06.000 Of really being good. 0:08:06.080 --> 0:08:09.080 I think Josh being in that slot right there. I 0:08:09.120 --> 0:08:12.400 think having stability at outside corner, Josh has a really 0:08:12.400 --> 0:08:14.640 big I think he's got a high ceiling and can 0:08:14.680 --> 0:08:17.840 play at a really high level. Cam Taylor Britt would 0:08:17.840 --> 0:08:20.000 be my other option. I've been burned in the past 0:08:20.280 --> 0:08:23.080 on my Cam Taylor Britt hype. However, I still think, 0:08:23.320 --> 0:08:25.920 in my heart of hearts, I do believe he can 0:08:25.960 --> 0:08:28.720 be a Pro Bowl caliber cornerback and I think that 0:08:29.160 --> 0:08:31.440 if he has a really strong season, I think it's 0:08:31.480 --> 0:08:34.800 gonna make the conversation about a second contract, and either 0:08:34.800 --> 0:08:37.199 in Cincinnati or elsewhere, it's gonna make it a very 0:08:37.240 --> 0:08:39.200 appealing And then if I had to take a third 0:08:39.240 --> 0:08:43.480 one a non defensive player, I think Andrea Yoshovas could 0:08:43.559 --> 0:08:46.800 have a really really strong year. You go look at 0:08:46.840 --> 0:08:50.560 the number of touchdowns he has. It's disproportionate to the 0:08:50.600 --> 0:08:53.920 number of receptions he has. I believe it's ten touchdowns 0:08:53.920 --> 0:08:57.080 on fifty one receptions, which is very strong. It could 0:08:57.120 --> 0:09:00.880 be awful little bit on those numbers. But Andre, and 0:09:00.920 --> 0:09:02.880 it's not just you know how well he does and 0:09:02.960 --> 0:09:05.080 scramble drills with Joe Burrow, how good he is in 0:09:05.120 --> 0:09:05.760 the red zone. 0:09:06.080 --> 0:09:07.560 But I think you go and. 0:09:07.480 --> 0:09:09.720 Watch the tape, he does a really good job of 0:09:09.760 --> 0:09:12.640 creating separation, having the understanding of how to win on 0:09:12.800 --> 0:09:15.760 routes at any other place, and people in the building 0:09:15.760 --> 0:09:18.480 will say this as well. Andre would be a number 0:09:18.480 --> 0:09:20.840 two somewhere else. So I think the Bengals have had 0:09:20.880 --> 0:09:25.040 a really strong luxury of drafting very well deep in 0:09:25.080 --> 0:09:27.040 the draft to find a guy like Andre and I 0:09:27.080 --> 0:09:29.200 think if he gets more targets, he could have a 0:09:29.240 --> 0:09:30.000 really nice year. 0:09:31.000 --> 0:09:34.040 We playfully spar in the Bengals media room, but I 0:09:34.080 --> 0:09:37.600 think Josh Newton and Andre Yosi Vash are great calls 0:09:38.640 --> 0:09:42.679 great calls for breakout players. In twenty twenty five question 0:09:42.760 --> 0:09:46.080 number three, the Bengals defense will be better if. 0:09:46.240 --> 0:09:48.680 Dot dot dot, Well, I. 0:09:48.600 --> 0:09:50.760 Will, first of all, I want to make sure we 0:09:50.840 --> 0:09:52.240 go back to that previous point you just said, we 0:09:52.240 --> 0:09:54.040 don't always see eye to eye, so what we do 0:09:54.520 --> 0:09:57.840 that's a very good thing, Dan. And then going back 0:09:57.880 --> 0:10:00.000 to your question and instead of picking all the same 0:10:00.000 --> 0:10:02.120 canary again, let's switch it up a little bit. I 0:10:02.320 --> 0:10:05.640 think that the key maybe to everything when you talk 0:10:05.679 --> 0:10:07.800 about the defense, maybe one of the more underrated guys 0:10:08.200 --> 0:10:11.319 we aren't talking about is TJ. Slayton, and I think 0:10:11.360 --> 0:10:14.199 the fact that they identified him, and when you look 0:10:14.240 --> 0:10:17.720 at that front seven and how they underperformed last year, 0:10:18.080 --> 0:10:20.360 there's a lot of conversations about did the linebackers not 0:10:20.480 --> 0:10:22.800 play all that well? What was wrong with the front 0:10:22.800 --> 0:10:24.960 I think when you look at the defensive line, there 0:10:25.000 --> 0:10:26.719 are a lot of injuries that they had to battle with. 0:10:26.840 --> 0:10:29.520 You know, Chris Jenkins playing with the club was big. 0:10:29.600 --> 0:10:32.160 BJ Hills banged up from time to time. That was 0:10:32.200 --> 0:10:32.839 a big issue. 0:10:32.920 --> 0:10:35.679 But when you look at how they attacked free agency, 0:10:35.760 --> 0:10:38.760 that always tells you what a front office thinks of 0:10:38.840 --> 0:10:41.640 its current roster and not just how it attacks, but 0:10:41.679 --> 0:10:44.120 who would attacks and how much money they invest in 0:10:44.200 --> 0:10:46.520 certain positions. And I thought the fact they went out 0:10:46.559 --> 0:10:49.240 and got TJ. Slayton was very big. You get a 0:10:49.360 --> 0:10:51.559 big body that you can't really move in the middle. 0:10:51.600 --> 0:10:54.560 You want somebody who can eat up those gaps inside. 0:10:54.600 --> 0:10:56.800 And it's not gonna be something that we talk about 0:10:56.840 --> 0:10:58.520 a lot. It's not gonna be something you're gonna see 0:10:58.840 --> 0:11:02.480 on each and every play. But if that interior defensive 0:11:02.559 --> 0:11:04.560 line can do a good job of being better against 0:11:04.559 --> 0:11:06.360 the run, which was something they were really bad at 0:11:06.480 --> 0:11:10.559 last year, and letting your linebackers trigger downhill really be 0:11:10.679 --> 0:11:13.480 free to make plays, that is something that's going to 0:11:13.520 --> 0:11:17.200 really help this defense because you can't be sitting here always. 0:11:17.679 --> 0:11:21.760 Even in second and seven, second and five, second and six, 0:11:22.200 --> 0:11:24.160 you open up too much of the playbook to the 0:11:24.200 --> 0:11:26.920 opposing offense. If teams are able to get a good 0:11:26.960 --> 0:11:29.320 amount of yards on first down, that makes it really 0:11:29.400 --> 0:11:32.680 hard for any coordinator to go out and scheme things 0:11:32.760 --> 0:11:34.839 up for this For second down and third down. You 0:11:34.960 --> 0:11:37.320 want to try to get teams and third and long 0:11:37.440 --> 0:11:40.520 that allow you to put yourself in advantageous positions. To 0:11:40.559 --> 0:11:42.559 get off the field if you're not able to be 0:11:42.640 --> 0:11:44.839 good in the front seven. I think that's huge, and 0:11:44.920 --> 0:11:47.559 you've heard Al Golden and Zach Taylor talk about that 0:11:48.000 --> 0:11:50.199 a good amount of this offseason. I know Zach is 0:11:50.360 --> 0:11:53.960 very very high on what Chris Jenkins and McKinley Jackson can. 0:11:53.920 --> 0:11:55.199 Bring in year two. 0:11:55.360 --> 0:11:57.120 I think the reason they went out and drafted them 0:11:57.120 --> 0:11:59.240 they needed them to play a little bit better. They 0:11:59.320 --> 0:12:01.280 go out and invest the money in BJ Hill, I 0:12:01.360 --> 0:12:03.679 thought for me was the most one of the more 0:12:03.760 --> 0:12:06.120 telling moves of the offseason that they said, Hey, this 0:12:06.280 --> 0:12:08.640 is a guy that we really want to continue to 0:12:08.800 --> 0:12:11.319 reward where he brings a lot to our locker room. 0:12:11.360 --> 0:12:13.319 And I think, and Dan, you know this, and not 0:12:13.480 --> 0:12:15.400 just what he brings on the field, but that leadership 0:12:15.480 --> 0:12:18.000 quality that he has off the field something you can't 0:12:18.080 --> 0:12:21.480 really put a price on it. And so if TJ 0:12:21.679 --> 0:12:24.640 can come in help solidify that run defense, those other 0:12:24.760 --> 0:12:28.600 defensive tackles can play well. I think that defense can 0:12:28.760 --> 0:12:31.720 help that secondary and work in tandem, which was something 0:12:31.760 --> 0:12:34.599 that those two sides or two units talked about a 0:12:34.679 --> 0:12:36.920 lot as to why they made they weren't playing as 0:12:36.960 --> 0:12:38.880 well as they could have last season. 0:12:39.320 --> 0:12:40.400 I've been saying about TJ. 0:12:40.600 --> 0:12:43.120 Slayton, he will not have a lot of sacks, but 0:12:43.320 --> 0:12:46.520 he might help the team have a bunch by getting 0:12:46.600 --> 0:12:48.800 the opponent into second and third and long. So I 0:12:48.880 --> 0:12:51.920 think those were really good points, all right. Topic number 0:12:51.960 --> 0:12:55.439 four is Taylor made for ESPN's Ben Baby, give me 0:12:55.559 --> 0:12:59.160 your hot take about training camp and or the upcoming season. 0:13:00.120 --> 0:13:03.920 I think that Joe Burrow will probably have the most 0:13:04.080 --> 0:13:06.320 camp interceptions he's ever had. 0:13:06.679 --> 0:13:08.880 That's it if we're going hot time. 0:13:09.760 --> 0:13:13.319 But I don't think it's going to matter because number one, 0:13:13.360 --> 0:13:14.360 I think we need a preface. 0:13:14.440 --> 0:13:16.600 Training can't buy, and large does not matter. 0:13:16.679 --> 0:13:18.599 Stats people who if you if you ever find a 0:13:18.679 --> 0:13:22.439 reporter taking stats at a practice, make sure you hold 0:13:22.480 --> 0:13:25.679 them immediately because it is a practice situation. And I 0:13:25.760 --> 0:13:28.960 think that what you saw on OTAs and and Joe 0:13:29.000 --> 0:13:31.719 at an interesting point, and that he was, you know, 0:13:31.800 --> 0:13:33.679 and I he was talked about, you know why he 0:13:33.800 --> 0:13:35.520 was out there throwing for so long. He says, you know, 0:13:35.920 --> 0:13:37.920 I want to get to get get in a good rhythm, 0:13:37.960 --> 0:13:40.280 getting a good feel of things, And that kind of 0:13:40.320 --> 0:13:42.559 prompted me to ask him. I said, well, do you 0:13:42.640 --> 0:13:45.079 feel like it's your risk is back to where it was, 0:13:45.160 --> 0:13:48.280 and he says essentially, not necessarily. And I think there's 0:13:48.280 --> 0:13:51.560 always gonna be questions about if that's ever going to happen. 0:13:51.640 --> 0:13:53.640 And I think that's what made last. 0:13:53.440 --> 0:13:56.240 Year so spectacular, the fact that he looked like he 0:13:56.360 --> 0:13:59.520 did in the spring, didn't look great early in the season, 0:13:59.559 --> 0:14:01.360 and then a was able to put together an MVP 0:14:01.480 --> 0:14:04.560 caliber season. I think, quite frankly, does not get talked 0:14:04.559 --> 0:14:06.920 about enough, and he deserves a ton of credit. I 0:14:07.000 --> 0:14:09.120 had to eat crow. I told him, Joe, I'm gonna 0:14:09.120 --> 0:14:10.760 be honest with you. I did not expect you to 0:14:10.880 --> 0:14:13.600 look like this when I saw you in the summer. 0:14:14.280 --> 0:14:16.599 But I think for Joe, you saw him tweaking with 0:14:16.679 --> 0:14:19.360 things a little bit, working on the spin rate, working 0:14:19.400 --> 0:14:22.680 on his mechanism, and I think maybe looking at how 0:14:22.800 --> 0:14:25.520 aggressive he can be in windows and we're writing about 0:14:25.560 --> 0:14:27.640 that right now on ESPN. I thought he had a 0:14:27.680 --> 0:14:29.680 great ball on a hole shot down the middle of 0:14:29.680 --> 0:14:33.080 Andrea Yoshabaz and a seven on seven Drew And I 0:14:33.200 --> 0:14:34.520 think that aggressiveness. 0:14:34.640 --> 0:14:37.600 The more he can push that, the more he can 0:14:37.720 --> 0:14:38.920 get out of this offense. 0:14:38.960 --> 0:14:41.320 I think that's something he's always trying to make that 0:14:41.480 --> 0:14:44.840 calculation in his mind at all times. Joe's always trying 0:14:44.880 --> 0:14:47.520 to think about the risk reward of how he plays 0:14:47.600 --> 0:14:49.920 the game. And I think training camp is the perfect 0:14:50.000 --> 0:14:52.760 time to go out test your defense, give them good 0:14:53.000 --> 0:14:55.560 opportunities to go out and create turnovers, but see what 0:14:55.720 --> 0:14:57.480 you feel like you might be able to get away with. 0:14:58.120 --> 0:15:01.360 Especially early, that may the biggest thing to help them 0:15:01.440 --> 0:15:03.400 get off to a fast started. Joe was playing like 0:15:03.480 --> 0:15:06.400 he does week seven and week eight, and he's feeling 0:15:06.520 --> 0:15:09.680 in tune with his receivers. I think that is going 0:15:09.720 --> 0:15:11.280 to be a really good thing for this team, but 0:15:11.520 --> 0:15:13.760 also might lead to some more turnovers. And I think 0:15:13.800 --> 0:15:16.640 we've learned and we should not overanalyze what we see 0:15:17.000 --> 0:15:17.720 in training camp. 0:15:18.400 --> 0:15:21.960 So if Joe Burrow throws training camp picks, don't panic. 0:15:22.480 --> 0:15:26.160 According to Ben Baby, our fifth and final topic the 0:15:26.280 --> 0:15:29.600 upcoming season and your prediction for how the Bengals will do. 0:15:29.760 --> 0:15:31.680 What will their record be and where will they finish 0:15:31.720 --> 0:15:32.720 in the AFC North. 0:15:34.000 --> 0:15:35.920 I think that they end up going back to win 0:15:36.000 --> 0:15:38.080 the North. As we know, nobody's won the North three 0:15:38.160 --> 0:15:40.320 years in a row. It's something that everyone would like 0:15:40.400 --> 0:15:42.280 to do. It makes it one of the toughest divisions 0:15:42.320 --> 0:15:45.960 of football. That was something when I came from Dallas 0:15:46.320 --> 0:15:50.280 six years ago really underestimated just how good this division is, 0:15:50.400 --> 0:15:53.160 the quality of the defenses, how hard it is to 0:15:53.240 --> 0:15:56.160 win week in and week out, and really just the 0:15:56.240 --> 0:15:58.360 passion that you have with the fan base is how 0:15:58.440 --> 0:16:02.480 well these franchises operate. I think that is something that 0:16:02.880 --> 0:16:05.160 you know, pound for pound across the league. I don't 0:16:05.160 --> 0:16:07.360 know if you have another division that's really as sound 0:16:07.400 --> 0:16:08.120 as this one. 0:16:08.320 --> 0:16:09.680 And so it is so difficult to win. 0:16:09.760 --> 0:16:12.080 And when you look at what the Bengals have, I 0:16:12.200 --> 0:16:14.880 think that if the offense can play well, I think 0:16:14.920 --> 0:16:17.680 the defense will take a step. When they figured things 0:16:17.720 --> 0:16:19.960 out at the end of last year, they were five 0:16:20.040 --> 0:16:23.200 to zero, and had they played just slightly better, they're 0:16:23.240 --> 0:16:25.520 able to beat Baltimore maybe one of those times. And 0:16:25.640 --> 0:16:30.120 there were just situations last season where they let winning 0:16:30.160 --> 0:16:33.040 positions just slip out of their grasp, and I think 0:16:33.080 --> 0:16:35.440 the fact that they still finished nine to eight, you know, 0:16:35.880 --> 0:16:38.960 is pretty impressive in that regard, and I think everybody 0:16:39.080 --> 0:16:41.960 inside the building knows after you don't make the playoffs 0:16:42.040 --> 0:16:45.440 for two years, the stakes have never been higher for 0:16:45.560 --> 0:16:48.160 I think everybody there that to really go out and produce. 0:16:48.960 --> 0:16:51.240 The one thing that I give Zach Taylor so much 0:16:51.320 --> 0:16:53.840 credit for it even when he was two and fourteen 0:16:54.120 --> 0:16:56.280 and you know, four eleven and one. I think after 0:16:56.360 --> 0:16:59.520 twenty I think the demeanor in which he carries himself, 0:16:59.600 --> 0:17:03.120 how he handles pressure and doesn't ever change the way 0:17:03.200 --> 0:17:06.280 he operates is probably one of the most unique and 0:17:06.440 --> 0:17:09.800 valuable traits as a head coach. Oftentimes when I've covered coaches, 0:17:10.280 --> 0:17:13.280 that's something that really separates good coaches from I think 0:17:13.440 --> 0:17:17.000 exceptional coaches is the ability to internalize and handle pressure 0:17:17.040 --> 0:17:19.000 and make sure that the team doesn't feel that and 0:17:19.040 --> 0:17:21.080 they're able to go out and operate at a high level. 0:17:21.119 --> 0:17:23.320 We saw that in twenty twenty one when the Bengals 0:17:23.320 --> 0:17:26.040 would lose a couple games and they were able to 0:17:26.080 --> 0:17:28.680 go back win when they needed to answer the bell, 0:17:28.760 --> 0:17:31.000 and I think that really is what you need if. 0:17:30.880 --> 0:17:32.879 You want to go out and chase championship. 0:17:32.960 --> 0:17:37.119 So I have them going twelve and five winning the 0:17:37.240 --> 0:17:41.280 division and we'll see how this looks. I think probably 0:17:41.359 --> 0:17:45.879 an AFC divisional loss is where I have things I 0:17:46.040 --> 0:17:48.200 don't know. When you look at where they stand between 0:17:48.480 --> 0:17:51.639 Kansas City and Buffalo and we'll see who else pops 0:17:51.720 --> 0:17:54.800 up in a very crowded conference. I think when you 0:17:54.840 --> 0:17:57.480 look at it, it's just so the depth is incredible. 0:17:57.520 --> 0:18:01.000 I think quarterback play across the NFL has never been better. 0:18:01.560 --> 0:18:04.560 So we'll see how far they're able to go. But 0:18:05.080 --> 0:18:06.840 I think getting in is the tough part. 0:18:06.880 --> 0:18:07.320 Once you're in. 0:18:07.760 --> 0:18:09.439 You know, had the Bengals made it in last year, 0:18:09.480 --> 0:18:12.000 we could have been having a very different offseason because 0:18:12.000 --> 0:18:13.600 when they have a tendency to get hot at the 0:18:13.680 --> 0:18:16.720 right time, really figure things out. And when you put 0:18:16.760 --> 0:18:18.760 Burrow in the postseason, he finds a way to get 0:18:18.800 --> 0:18:21.840 things done. So I've will bet against him until I 0:18:21.880 --> 0:18:23.760 see for otherwise. I feel like I'm already out on 0:18:23.840 --> 0:18:25.359 a limb saying they're going to go out and win 0:18:25.400 --> 0:18:27.280 the division. I think it's just just me being on 0:18:27.359 --> 0:18:29.600 the pod. Dan is rubbing off on me slightly. But 0:18:30.760 --> 0:18:33.159 you know, if I say something, I have conviction behind it, 0:18:33.200 --> 0:18:34.959