The Mo Egger Show -- 12/19/23

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You found Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.
It's going down in Peto. Oh,
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Jake the Snake Browning and it's never
Say die. Bengals bring their business to
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Pittsburgh for a showdown with the Steelers. Incredible catch fight. The four Engine
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Black are fighting for postseason play,
sacod Afport touchdown. Will they deliver a
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knockout blow? I'll get the call
from Dan Horde and Dave Lappa. Coverage
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begins Saturday at noon on ESPN fifteen
thirty, the official all of the Bengels.
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All right, that's us. Good
evening, well, good ad for
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him. It's three minutes after three. This is ESPN fifteen thirty. My
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name is Mullager. Thank you so
much for joining us. Hopefully you're having
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an unbelievable Tuesday. It is awesome
to be here in studio. It feels
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like we're here on a few and
few and far between basis, if that
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makes any sense, which I'm not
sure it does. Jake Browning is gonna
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chat with the media here at three
point fifteen and we'll have that for you
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live. The quarterback of the Cincinnati
Bengals. We're now giving him the Joe
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Burrow treatment. Where we carry his
press conferences as they happen live. And
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so what we're gonna do here is
break early, so we can carry that
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for you live and in its entirety. Bengals obviously getting set to go to
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Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers on
Saturday afternoon. That game is live on
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ESPN fifteen thirty. Paul Danner Junior
normally joins us for an hour on Tuesdays.
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Today because the Bengals play on Saturday, is the Bengals Wednesday, which
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means, you know, on Wednesday, all the beat writers and reporters have
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to spend all day talking with players
and stuff. By the way, I
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think Jake is actually starting right now, about ten minutes early. Sean,
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can we go ahead and get ready
to carry Jake Browning? Do you have
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it for me? All right?
Go ahead and pull up Jake Browning,
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the quarterback of the bat. I
like this guy starts early. Good deal,
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all right. So I'm looking at
the screen, and our guy,
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Sean McMahon, who is producing the
show today, is going to have that
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for us here in a second,
we'll hear Jake Browning and then we'll execute
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to the best weekend a sports talk
radio show that goes until six o'clock.
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I do want to remind you as
we get set to hear from Jake Browning
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and Sean let me know when we
have it the game on Saturday. We're
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watching it at Smoke Justice and Covington, which is gonna be awesome Christmas Eve,
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Eve, you can't beat that.
We'll have tons of prizes. If
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you haven't been to Smoke Justice,
what are you waiting for? Tons of
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smoked meat and bourbon? What else
do you need? It's gonna be awesome.
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Sean, how are we looking with
Jake Browning? All right, let's
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hear it from the quarterback of the
Bengals as he chats with reporters. Right
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now, sounds good to be on
a normal week playing Saturday to Saturday.
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So it's kind of like a normal
Sunday to Sunday schedule. So get the
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extra off day and have a normal
Wednesday. So it was good for you
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here. It was a shark's time, Mason Pittsburgh, there was the last
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time. That's if we're just having
a time. I mean, I think
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that's kind of the main thing.
I think having a little bit of success
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under your belt, you know,
helps confidence and having a week of a
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couple of weeks of feeling like your
preparation was where you wanted it to be
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and being able to, you know, replicate. That kind of went into
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I think little things like I went
into the Pittsburgh game the first time really
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wanting to like operate well in the
huddle. So I was really practical,
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making sure I was spitting out play
calls clean and didn't want to have anything
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like just unprofessional happened where you're stuck
in the huddle and you can't spit out
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the play call. So FEE a
little more confident with stuff like that after
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a couple of games, and so
now you can really focus on the different
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looks and going through you know,
your reads and stuff like that. And
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I did that before, but just
maybe having a little bit more of a
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focus on it. That's what he's
out there. I mean, Jamar is
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one of the best receivers in the
NFL, just like T Higgins. And
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you know, I think anytime you're
you're that I I have a caliber of
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player. And then I think everybody
just knows that. It's kind of unanimous
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opinion, and yeah, he's a
huge part of the offense. I do
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that. You guys liked to look
at it as a movie departm basis,
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But do you think there's anything to
fact that these are the must you guys
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you can get into the playoffs?
Do that maybe like sharpen the details for
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you guys during pact is they can
there be a benefit to having to go
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into a mustlim game. Yeah,
I mean, I think I don't want
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to speak for everybody, but for
myself, I mean, I haven't really
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experienced a game that doesn't feel like
all or nothing. You know, preseason
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games are it's a I would say
preseason games, if anything, are even
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a weirder situation, because like all
the starters are hanging out and you know,
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this is like one of the few
games that just relaxed, but then
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you're competing and it doesn't really count
towards your record, so you know,
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coaches game plan, but it's not
like, you know, they're kind of
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running your base stuff and and your
job is on the line. And so
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I would say those are a little
bit of a weirder situation. Like when
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we get into normal regular season and
even towards the end of the season,
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like game day feels intense. How
it should versus like I've been in preseason
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games where I'm intense and it's I
feel like my job is on the line
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because it is. Everybody else is
kind of hanging out and pretty relaxed.
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So it's it's a weird, weird
thing for preseason, but I have not
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experienced a game where it didn't feel
like a must win. A deal is
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it to have had reps with guys
like Trent and Dre Charlie in training camp
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and obviously early in the season.
How much does that help when you lose
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a guy like if you do,
yeah, I mean I think it helps.
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I think it helps more so that
they're good players. I'm not I'm
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letting the cover, the play calling, the covers decide who I'm throwing to,
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and it's just expecting that guy to
win. And I think you have
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to play like that if you're going
to play fast a quarterback. So I
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yeah, I got experience thrown to
him on scout team or preseason and stuff
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like that. But I think what
helps most is that they're good players.
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On a scramble drill, are you
still doing that letting that coverage dictate where
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you're going or are the principals different
when the play breaks down and like a
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TV played obviously in overtime. Yeah, I think scrambled drill. It's I
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mean, I know for the defense, it's like the play completely starts over.
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I've heard the dB say that before
you know, you stop the first
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play, and that's where guys that
can extend or makes it difficult because you
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could have a great coverage have it
all shut down and then it's you know,
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once the quarterback goes to extending gets
outside the pocket, it's almost like
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the play restarts and so there's no
real I think once you get outside the
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pocket and it turns into a scrambled
drill, it's mostly just feel. I
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think that's where you see some receivers
with really good feel, like the one
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that comes mine is Travis Kelcey.
I feel like every time you know,
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Patrick Mahomes extends, Travis Kelcey is
open and players like that because they have
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great feel and and they can kind
of feel that pocket and not just be
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you know, blindly running with you. You know, they'll they'll run a
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little bit, feel like there's not
a window and maybe stop, or they'll
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feel like they're open and stay open. And so there's a lot of feel
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involved in them. For the quarterback, it's it's just being smart with the
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ball and having that fine line of
uh, you know, knowing when they
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got you on the second play as
well. So the first play is whatever
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you have called, go to extend
the second play of that play and they
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got to cover. You get to
know to throw it away the first time.
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You will help you to post face
the uh. I don't. I
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don't know if there's any specific thing
I feel like any AFC North game,
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you know, the records don't matter. The momentum. You know, maybe
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one team's got some momentum momentum,
one team doesn't. It does not matter.
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It is just it's a tough,
you know, bloody fight basically,
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and it doesn't really matter what the
momentum is either way. It's I've seen
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that happen multiple times, you know, just even with other teams when we're
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not involved. You know, one
team's kind of on a hot run and
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then they go play at some team
that maybe is not on a hot run,
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and it is a fourteen to seventeen
loss for the team that was hot,
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and so it's you know, the
momentum does not matter in these games.
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We've played each other so many times, our scheme versus their scheme.
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It's, you know, episode twenty
or whatever, these two teams going at
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it, and so it's it throw
the records out the wind a little bit,
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a lot of dreams, Charlie grown
since you've seen them and just playing
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with them this year. Yeah,
I think reps are super valuable. They
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got a lot of reps in the
presets season with me, and then just
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throughout practice. You know, I
think a lot of they get a lot
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of reps in practice because you know, you don't you got to be careful
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about workload with you know, T
Jamar and TB with them playing a lot
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of snaps, and so they get
a lot of reps there, you know,
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even I think also just for them
playing special teams. I remember DJ
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Readers said this, and it always
kind of stuck with me, as guys
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that get to play special teams like
you do, get the feel of that
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game a little bit more. And
so when all of a sudden you get
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thrown in a receiver, you know, those those snaps of being in the
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game and feeling that speed and feeling
like you've you're not just on the sideline
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the whole time. I think I
think those are valuable and uh, and
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they both have ability, like they're
both good players, thought of very highly
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in the building. Maybe have an
ad as many opportunities just because of the
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guys we do have on the outside. And if it's a situation where they
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are called on to to go win, then I have all the comments in
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the world that they will Thursday night, Monday night now essentially a Saturday night
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game here. What do you expect
this atmosphere to look and sound like?
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Loud just like when we went there
last year and the year before. It's
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it's allowed. It's an afty North
battle in December, and it's gonna be
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a very physical game. We made
uh after Jacksonville game for the water shape
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to get off for particularly on the
third time. Not completely different game win,
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but I have a guess it's not
gonna work like somatics as a different
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as the year the first time.
Yeah, I mean we're on we're in
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a Wednesday. I mean, what
is today? Today's Tuesday? But it's
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a Wednesday for us, so you
know, we just did normal down today.
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I don't know what the third down
play is gonna look like, but
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you know, we'll see we're gonna
key thing for you the last three games,
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what you're able to do on good
down as Yeah, I mean I
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think there's you're gonna kind of mold
your game plan to what you're doing well
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with also having an awareness of tendencies. And I think with the Pittsburgh game,
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the first time you go back and
watch, I mean, there's there's
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a lot that went into us only
putting up ten points. I mean,
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first, they have a good defense, they made some good plays, but
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you know, each time, there's
there's a little details that maybe weren't necessarily
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on top of. So you know, like I said, we're in a
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Wednesday right now. I don't know
if they're done playing, nor am I
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going to share it what postfieldal reaction
I have seen it fully lost my mind,
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I think my my my one regret
with that was, I mean there's
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a couple you go watch the film, it's summer as good as number as
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bad as you thought, and uh, we played unbelievable at a lot of
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positions that were not quarterback. And
so you know, like just a rattle
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off a few I mean, I
throw a pick in minus territory in the
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four fourth quarter turns into three points. I mean, now that's lose the
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game type of play. If we
if our defense doesn't swellow up, we'll
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lose DJ readers an all pro level
nose guard in the first quarter, and
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then we stuff them on third and
short fourth and inches. That's another one.
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We lose the game if they don't
do that. And then I throw
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the ball up to t and he
makes one of the craziest plays I've ever
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seen, and then I have,
you know, an authentic reaction to you
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know, you keep it all pined
up and then it comes out. But
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I guess my biggest regret was that
this game, that game turned into like
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my revenge game, when in reality, there were so many things that went
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in to get in that win,
you know, making sure that it's it's
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acknowledged that, uh, you know, it wasn't just my revenge game.
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It was a great team win.
The interception, the offense really took off
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after that. Is that happenstance or
does something kind of clicking You have to
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to make a mistake. But then
I'm not sure what happenstance means. Coincidence,
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coincidence, Uh, I don't know. I mean, it's it's It
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was definitely a time in the game
where we waited until as late as you
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possibly could just start rolling. It'd
be nice to start a little bit faster
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and put our defense in a better
situation and you know, let them take
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the field with the with a little
bit of a lead. I know every
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defense wants that. That's where all
the stats come, you know, sacks,
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interceptions, a lot of those come
when you get up early on a
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team. But I mean, I
think it's just for me. I felt
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like on that play, I pressed
and tried to make too much happen and
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tried to force the play that wasn't
there. And you know that's when you're
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gonn have really bad plays at quarterbacks
when we start forcing stuff. So I
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kind of went to the side line
with the thought of, I don't know
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what's gonna happen in this game,
but we're not going to force any more
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throws. Let's just be uh,
let's stack some completions. Like I felt
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like when we were removed, when
we started getting couple first downs, you
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know, maybe they started getting a
little bit less bullets you like crazy and
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give you a little bit more basic
looks and then that was kind of when
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we wanted to, uh, you
know, take take not our shots,
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but just get a little bit of
a rhythm going instead of just going three
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and out and stalling out. So
definitely waited a little too long. I
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would have liked to get rolling a
little bit sooner on offense, but I
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think it's you know, we've got
a resilient group on offense and as a
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team. And I think that kind
of showed you happened to see what Drew
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locked did last night, and did
you develop any kind of relationship with him
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coming out? I know Drew uh
from going to the Manning Passing Academy.
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Always always been a big fan of
Drew, and I did not see what
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happened. But I think anytime,
uh, you know, like that's the
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story I can relate to, where
you're getting thrown into a backup game and
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or thrown into a game as a
backup and then uh, you know,
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you don't really know if you're gonna
player or not until the last second,
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and that is tough to be able
to go play. Well. I'm happy
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for him after the game you joined
Ted on the field with the rest ofs
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from well because I took I took
my family on the field and they happened
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to be there, wasn't. It
wasn't really like a well coordinated thing.
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But I guess I could have lied
and just said, you know, just
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a big, big charity guy that
uh yeah, yeah, happenstance. Yeah
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it was happenstance. Yeah. I've
gone to some really close to ted but
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that was mostly It was the first
time I even had the option to take
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my family down on the field,
so I have before. When you're the
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backup, they don't really let you
do that as much. So I kind
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of took advantage of that to make
sure that he wasn't. So basically,
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why do you feel like one of
the I feel like quarterbacks get too much
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blame or too much credit based on
if you want to lose, So just
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like deflect and praise I think would
be make me more comfortable. Maybe it's
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selfish. Are you learning that more
and more the more and more you can
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play that the quarterback, even though
there's a lot of other factors that go
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into winning and losing, but the
quarterback still is a figure ahead of the
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team. A man knew that I
played a lot of football in college and
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had a lot of success in college
in high school, and you know,
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I think it just kind of comes
with the position. And it's not that
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I don't think I'm playing a lot. I want to make sure it's highlighted
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that there's a lot that goes into
it, and that it's not, you
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know, the team aspect, that
it doesn't get lost just because I fully
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lost my mind after broke a helmet
and all that. I don't know,
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be checking my paychecks. If he
gets payroll deducted, we'll get We'll get
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back to you. But is it
character for your personality to at that kind
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of motion. I mean, I'm
I'm pretty calm, but I'm still competitive.
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Like I'm I'm not gonna fake.
I don't know if you can't fake
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that. I cycle looking with them
looking my eyes a little bit, but
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uh yeah, I think you try
and play the whole game, calm,
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deflect the questions throughout the week.
But like I was in the back of
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my head and you know, it
was just a pent up thing. I
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don't know. I'm like, I
have an edge. I guess I I'm
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not just like some robot, so
I do have emotions, and I guess
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I just kind of showed there.
What would have been like if if it
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was the coaching staff, the cotue
that was still over there, would it
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have been even more intense? I
don't care. It's fun. I don't
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know. I think it's just the
whole. I don't know. I'm I'm
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over talking about the revenge game.
It's a humbling league, and I'm not
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looking I'm not looking back and moving
on to Steelers and and uh, I'm
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very aware that every week is a
new challenge and excited for the new challenge.
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Hendrickson's done this year. How you
put it into works just the impact
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he's created or with him start to
finish. Uh, I mean, yeah,
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anytime you can put pressure on the
quarterback, I know firsthand how difficult
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that is. I know there's a
lot that goes into sacks, just like
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there's a lot that goes into touchdowns. But anytime you got to account for
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a guy, you know, whenever
we show up here on Wednesday or you're
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watching film on Tuesday and there's a
guy who's creates some headache in the backfield,
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you know, definite, you definitely
have to count for it. So
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it's uh, sacks are good,
It's hopefully have a lot more on Saturday.
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If you last movie off playing the
big games, and you said that
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you've played in big games, they're
all bigs for you, are you able
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to set back and kind of understand
the baggage, what you're trying to recover,
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trying to get to the team in
the playoff for a lobby? So
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no, I mean, like I
said, this is a pretty humbling league.
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I think the second you start stepping
back and trying to look at the
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bigger picture and read into whatever someone's
saying, I mean, and then you're
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gonna get you're gonna get got.
And I think the idea would be to
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avoid that. And I've seen some
really good quarterbacks play really well and then
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they go into a week and the
defense hit them with something that they weren't
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ready for, or maybe they weren't
prepared like they should have been, or
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who knows, maybe they did prepare
really well and they just went in thinking
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like, Hey, we're playing well
and we're just gonna kill these guys.
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But I guarantee the Pittsburgh Steelers do
not care that we played well the last
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couple of games, and I don't
really either. It's nice to win,
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It makes makes practice. I'm just
morale better. I'm not oblivious to that,
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but I think the second you start
losing focus or anything, I mean,
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life will humble you, and this
the NFL will humble you. And
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every week's new I got one for
you Christmas coming out. Your favorite Christmas
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00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:15.519
GIF you ever received? Not?
What are we doing? Oh? I
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00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:19.640
don't know. I remember the first
my first experience with an NFL Christmas was.
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I remember Kirk Cousins got everybody custom
suits and it was like the first
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custom suit I re had, and
he had a Taylor come in and got
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custom suits for the whole line and
then the backup quarterbacks too, And I
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didn't think the backup quarterbacks were going
to be included in that, and then
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we were so is I diin'k at
the time, probably the most expensive thing
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I owned. Yep. Right there
you go. Jake Browning live chatting with
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the media for quite a while.
Live you'll hear Zach Taylor plausively live coming
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up at five forty. We have
a lot of ground to cover between now
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and then. Our phone numbers of
five, one, three, seven,
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four, nine, fifteen thirty and
eight six six seven oh two three six,
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it's twenty three minutes after three o'clock. Don't forget. We have the
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Bengals and Steelers on Saturday Live on
ESPN fifteen thirty. Pregame coverage starts at
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00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:15.119
noon three twenty three. Moegger ESPN
fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station, Kelsey's
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00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:21.200
Chevrolet Home of lifetime powertrain protection and
guaranteed credit approval from their family to yours
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00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:26.319
for life kelseyschev dot Com. Zach
Taylor says the Jamar Chays hasn't yet been
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00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:30.160
ruled out for Saturday's game against the
Steelers. You'll hear Zach's press conference in
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00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:36.000
about two hours. There was a
report that came out yesterday from NFL Network
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that Chase is going to miss at
least one game with a separated shoulder.
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00:21:40.039 --> 00:21:42.880
Taylor says, actually, it's a
little bit too soon to make that determination,
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saying quote, we'll see how it
goes. Bengals Steelers on Saturday,
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00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:52.519
game Live on ESPN fifteen thirty,
with pregame coverage starting at twelve noon.
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00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:56.359
College basketball Tonight, u SEE tries
to bounce back with the first of three
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00:21:56.440 --> 00:22:02.079
consecutive home games before Big Twelve play. The Cats take on Merrimack tonight at
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game tips off at seven at fifth
third. You'll hear it live on seven
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hundred WLW. Also tonight Miami's at
Wright State, Indiana battles more Head,
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the Reds have made a trade TJ. Hopkins outfield or DFAD last week.
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He has been traded to the San
Francisco Giants in exchange for a player to
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be named later or cash. Hopkins
had seven singles in forty four at bats
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last year. Reading this thanks to
SI dot Com and Jeff Carr's new website
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00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:33.839
that Austin Elmore also contributes to ninth
round selection by the Reds in the twenty
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nineteen draft. Who is going to
be entering his age twenty seven season.
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Best of Luck two TJ The Less
Good of the Bengals or Bengals the Less
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00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:47.880
Good of the Reds TJS Last year
hockey Tonight the Blue Jackets skate at Buffalo.
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So I was listening to Tony and
Austin you do the whole What do
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you do with Jake Browning, what
do you do with Joe Burrow? And
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we'll get into that. I think
here's the good news for me about what
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they've done. Now. Yeah,
on the surface, it's obvious right,
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They've re entered the playoff race.
They have bona fide playoff aspirations, and
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if they get in, why not
them? Like it's cliche to say that
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was their rallying cry two years ago, why not them? But just given
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the relative weakness of the top of
the AFC, given this team's recent postseason
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success, given the way that Jake
Browning is playing, why not them?
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Now? I'm worried about their defense
legitimately, And look, they get credit
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the defense does for holding the fork
down early, the Mike Hilton pick,
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the BJ Hill pick, holding the
Minnesota Vikings to a field goal after the
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Browning interception, where if they score
a touchdown there to make a twenty one
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to three, Minnesota probably wins the
game. They get credit for that,
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but still teams aren't moving the ball
way too easily against them, including before
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the Jake Browning mania took hold the
Steelers with Kenny Pickett and the only game
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in which they've outgained anybody this year. We'll see what the Steelers bring to
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the table this Saturday afternoon. I'm
worried, and I don't know if you
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put a gun to my head that
I would pick the Bengals to win the
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Super Bowl, or make the Super
Bowl, or even make the AFC Championship
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Game. I would also ask why
you have a gun to my head,
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but that's a different conversation. I
do think, though, there's something really
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dangerous about this team in the postseason
if they get there, and that's a
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big, big if, but even
if they don't, I think they have
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proven something. Remember our big fear
was, and a legitimate fear was,
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well, are we going to find
out that the Bengals are maybe just a
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little bit too Joe Burrow centric,
that the franchise is not mostly about Joe
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Burrow but all about Joe Burrow,
or if something happens to Joe, the
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foundation crumbles and this team is blatantly
non competitive. We've used examples like the
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Indianapolis Colts that year that Peyton Manning
had nex fusion surgery, the New England
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Patriots of recent years. Right,
the iconic quarterback goes away, and not
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that Burrow is on the level of
those guys in terms of accomplishment yet,
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but the franchise quarterback goes away for
whatever reason, and the whole thing falls
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apart. That can't be what your
franchise is all about. I think what
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we have found out about the Bengals
here and look to I understand who they've
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played, right, I mean they've
They've beaten the Minnesota Vikings with their fourth
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00:25:30.759 --> 00:25:37.640
quarterback. They're oh, k goods, call it what it is. They're
357
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okay. They beat the Indianapolis Colts, who were terrible two weeks ago at
358
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the venue formerly known as Paul Brown
Stadium. Gardner Minshew's a backup quarterback.
359
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They beat the Jaguars who were riding
high and then started playing good AFC North
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teams, and now they've fallen apart. It's not like they've gone to San
361
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Francisco with Jake Browning in one of
won, but they've they've stayed afloat,
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which that's what you ask your best
quarterback to do. That's what you ask
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your team to do when it's playing
a backup quarterback. What they have proven
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to at least a slight degree,
at least an encouraging degree, is this
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can still work even if you don't
have your franchise guy, Even if you
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don't have your franchise foundation, this
can still work. That doesn't mean they're
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going to the playoffs. Hell,
it doesn't mean they're gonna win in Pittsburgh
368
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this week, but if nothing else, I think they have successfully made a
369
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case for not being a little bit
too quarterback centric. Jake Browning deserves a
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lot of that credit for how he's
played. The overall quality of the roster,
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though, is a reflection of the
front office, and I think the
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way Jake has played, And I
know there's a lot of people who don't
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want to nod along with this,
but I think it's true. The way
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Jake has played is I think very
much a reflection of the coaching staff and
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not play calling. I don't think
there's anything more overrated when we talk about
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a coaching staff than play calling.
Oh trust me, I can get mad
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at play calling. I don't want
to see any more non quarterbacks try passes.
378
00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:11.079
But preparation like this staff developed Jake
Browning. You know we're not talking
379
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about some plucky, upstart dude from
a college we've never heard of. He
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took the Washington Huskies in a Power
five league to the College Football Playoff,
381
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but still very much a developmental guy. And you know you would hear for
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a while where they really like Jake
Browning. Well, now we know why.
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But the reason they liked Jake Browning
was they liked the work they were
384
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doing with Jake Browning. That work
has paid off and it has gone to
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show not only was their faith in
Jake Browning justified, but their methods they
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used to get him to a point
where the team could still do well with
387
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him those, I think have also
been proven. Uh. I think this
388
00:27:52.920 --> 00:27:56.640
is important because you know who knows
Jake brown or Joe Burrow has been his
389
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four NFL seasons twice have as he
ended the year early with an injury and
390
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once he hobbled off the field after
throwing his last pass in the Super Bowl
391
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against Los Angeles Rams. He is
the franchise, and he's going to be
392
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the franchise, and it's idiotic,
I think, to even talk about trading
393
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him, because we have fallen in
love with the short term thing in Jake
394
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Browning. But at the very least, we've talked a lot about how good
395
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the front office is and building a
roster, and how good the culture is
396
00:28:22.160 --> 00:28:27.480
and the job that Zach Taylor has
done in instilling a culture and refining a
397
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culture and using that culture to win
games. All of these things, at
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least to a small degree, at
least to a small degree, have been
399
00:28:37.799 --> 00:28:41.160
proven true. That's really encouraging.
If you're a fan of this football team.
400
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That might not make you feel any
better about their playoff chances. That
401
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might not make you feel like they
can win playoff games once they get there.
402
00:28:49.160 --> 00:28:52.599
That might not make you feel any
better about them not getting to the
403
00:28:52.640 --> 00:28:56.920
postseason if that ends up being the
case. But I think if nothing else,
404
00:28:56.640 --> 00:29:00.839
this franchise has shown that, yes, Joe Burrow is the most important
405
00:29:00.920 --> 00:29:07.039
guy, but they're not all about
that one guy. I think that's a
406
00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:11.039
big deal. Twelve minutes away from
four o'clock five point three, seven four
407
00:29:11.119 --> 00:29:15.440
nine, fifteen thirty and eight six
six, seven oh two three seven,
408
00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:18.279
seven six are our phone numbers.
Trey Wingo used to be on this show
409
00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:22.200
all the time when he was at
ESPN Radio. He no longer is,
410
00:29:22.440 --> 00:29:26.119
but he's still talking about the National
Football League. We're gonna have him with
411
00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:30.839
us to talk Bengals coming up at
four twenty and Paul Danner Junior typically with
412
00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:34.400
us on Tuesdays in studio, is
at what used to be called Paul Brown
413
00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:38.920
Stadium. He is going to join
us to talk Bengals, Vikes and Bengals.
414
00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:42.960
Steelers coming up at four thirty three. It is twelve minutes away from
415
00:29:44.119 --> 00:29:45.920
four o'clock. My name is Malweger. Glad you with us today on ESPN
416
00:29:45.960 --> 00:29:52.960
fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station Claning Pieta
Cheek, the Sleep Browning and it's never
417
00:29:52.039 --> 00:29:56.680
say I Bengals bring their business to
Pittsburgh. We're a showdown with the Steelers,
418
00:29:56.680 --> 00:30:03.119
Maldible Cats. Come the four Engine
Black are fighting for postseason play that
419
00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:11.359
touchdown? Will they deliver a knuckout
blow that's gonna get nicola from Dan Hord
420
00:30:11.400 --> 00:30:17.279
and Dave Lapham. Coverage began Saturday
at noon on ESPN fifteen thirty the Official
421
00:30:17.359 --> 00:30:19.960
Hold of the Trey Wingo and Paul's
Ander Junior to talk Bendals with us in
422
00:30:21.079 --> 00:30:23.279
the four o'clock hour, looking forward
to that. Anything you might have missed
423
00:30:23.319 --> 00:30:27.920
you can find on the iHeartRadio app, including yesterday's Tony and Mo Football Show
424
00:30:27.960 --> 00:30:33.960
at Twin Peaks. Our podcasts are
a service of a Long Neck Sports Grill,
425
00:30:33.079 --> 00:30:37.279
three locations in northern Kentucky, each
one of them awesome. You should
426
00:30:37.319 --> 00:30:40.640
check it out. You should also
check out the Tony and Mo Football Show
427
00:30:40.680 --> 00:30:44.640
in the event that you missed it
yesterday because well, we had a fun
428
00:30:44.640 --> 00:30:47.240
game on Saturday. We had a
fun show yesterday. There was a lot
429
00:30:47.279 --> 00:30:49.119
to discuss, and so if you
missed it, find it. If you
430
00:30:49.200 --> 00:30:55.039
heard it, go listen to it
again. But wait till this show is
431
00:30:55.480 --> 00:30:57.599
over. When this show's over,
we have college basketball down the hall.
432
00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:03.680
You see on seven hundred Wow the
Bearcats. We talked about this for a
433
00:31:03.759 --> 00:31:06.839
segment on our show yesterday. Despite
it being a football show, you see
434
00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:14.680
against Dayton was thoroughly disappointing. I've
been around Wes Miller a lot for postgame
435
00:31:15.400 --> 00:31:19.839
postgame shows. That was as disgusted
as I have seen him with his team,
436
00:31:21.279 --> 00:31:25.880
specifically with how they defended. And
so now they have games three straight
437
00:31:25.920 --> 00:31:33.200
before Big twelve Play starts Merrimack Stetson, and then the Friday after Christmas Evansville.
438
00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:36.759
You see, obviously should win those
games. The hunt for Q one
439
00:31:36.839 --> 00:31:41.880
wins will commence once Big twelve Play
starts. I think these next three games
440
00:31:41.880 --> 00:31:47.880
are about finding out how the pieces
fit like individually. There's a lot to
441
00:31:47.960 --> 00:31:52.519
like about a lot of these pieces, a lot of these players individual skill
442
00:31:52.559 --> 00:31:56.200
sets, what they bring to the
table. I think you are being reasonable
443
00:31:56.240 --> 00:32:00.799
if you go. You know,
in the two games they've lost, Wes
444
00:32:00.920 --> 00:32:04.279
Miller has had a hard time making
the pieces fit. They're going to have
445
00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:09.079
to figure out to wink them fit
better once Big twelve play begins. There
446
00:32:09.079 --> 00:32:13.920
are three games between now and then, starting with Mary Mack, who won
447
00:32:13.920 --> 00:32:19.160
its league last year. Tonight at
fifth thirty, six thirty pre game on
448
00:32:19.319 --> 00:32:22.680
seven hundred WLW. All right,
I will take the bait. Let's talk
449
00:32:22.920 --> 00:32:28.920
Joe versus Jake in twenty twenty four
when we come back, coming up on
450
00:32:28.960 --> 00:32:32.119
four o'clock on MOEG. This is
ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.
451
00:32:38.599 --> 00:32:44.200
This report's going down in Peto.
Jake, the Snake, Browning and his
452
00:32:44.400 --> 00:32:47.319
never Say Di Bengals bring their business
to Pittsburgh. Were a showdown with the
453
00:32:47.400 --> 00:32:53.440
Steelers. Incredible catch Hi the four
Engine Black are fighting for postseason play.
454
00:32:53.759 --> 00:32:59.599
Second effort, get the battle the
touchdown? Will they deliver a knockout blow?
455
00:33:00.119 --> 00:33:05.480
I get the call from Dan Hord
and Dave Lapham. Coverage begins Seturday
456
00:33:05.480 --> 00:33:09.599
at noon on ESPN fifteen thirty.
The official hold all right, that's six
457
00:33:09.680 --> 00:33:14.240
out for four ESPN fifteen thirty on
Moleger. Thank you so much for joining
458
00:33:14.279 --> 00:33:17.440
us. Trey Wingo, who spent
years on ESPN's going to join us in
459
00:33:17.480 --> 00:33:22.920
four twenty to talk Bengals, and
Paul Danner Jender is going to be on
460
00:33:22.920 --> 00:33:27.839
the show at four thirty three to
talk Bengals. You know what I'm gonna
461
00:33:27.839 --> 00:33:31.920
do right now, talk about the
Bengals. We in sports talk radio.
462
00:33:31.960 --> 00:33:36.960
I think we as sports fans,
we'd love to get ahead of ourselves.
463
00:33:37.000 --> 00:33:40.720
And so whether it be my pole
question yesterday, our show yesterday, Tony
464
00:33:40.759 --> 00:33:45.759
and Austin today, maybe you and
your buddies, what do you do next
465
00:33:45.839 --> 00:33:49.960
year? Of this Jake Browning ride
continues, And by the way, there
466
00:33:50.000 --> 00:33:53.519
are three regular season games and hopefully
some postseason games left, and maybe Jake
467
00:33:53.559 --> 00:33:59.039
Browning turns into a pumpkin. Maybe
Jake Browning knock on wood. Maybe Jake
468
00:33:59.079 --> 00:34:01.880
Browning suffers some sort of injury.
I don't know. Here's what I do
469
00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:07.159
know that there is a very good
chance that the Bengals will go into next
470
00:34:07.159 --> 00:34:15.519
season with maybe the best quarterback situation
in the NFL. Uh. We're Joe
471
00:34:15.599 --> 00:34:21.519
Burrow, who has been an MVP
finalist, who this year, prior to
472
00:34:21.559 --> 00:34:25.440
his injury, was as the kids
say, balling out. He is your
473
00:34:25.559 --> 00:34:32.079
starter, and the guy we've watched
over the last three weeks in an understudy
474
00:34:32.159 --> 00:34:38.800
role is the backup. What a
great position to be in if that's their
475
00:34:38.880 --> 00:34:45.400
quarterback situation next year. Are you
kidding me? You got one dude who's
476
00:34:45.400 --> 00:34:51.119
making a lot, you got one
guy who's gonna be making nothing. They'd
477
00:34:51.199 --> 00:34:55.360
be, to a large degree,
the envy of the league. I'm not
478
00:34:55.519 --> 00:35:00.400
looking to disrupt that. So folks
have wondered, and we examine this a
479
00:35:00.400 --> 00:35:04.079
little bit on Twitter yesterday and and
during the show. Well what do you
480
00:35:04.119 --> 00:35:07.199
do? Do you trade Joe Burrow? They're not going to do that.
481
00:35:07.559 --> 00:35:12.000
You know how hard it is to
trade a guy making that kind of coin
482
00:35:12.079 --> 00:35:15.280
for draft picks, when if you
have a quarterback who's making that kind of
483
00:35:15.320 --> 00:35:19.559
coin, you really need draft picks. Do you trade Jake? Do you
484
00:35:19.719 --> 00:35:22.880
keep both? Do you keep both
and have a competition. Do you keep
485
00:35:22.920 --> 00:35:27.800
both and have Joe be the starter
and Jake be the backup? Or do
486
00:35:27.840 --> 00:35:30.599
you go vice versa? Does Jake
start in, Joe backup? All sorts
487
00:35:30.639 --> 00:35:37.280
of different permutations. Joe Burrow is
going to be the starting quarterback next year,
488
00:35:37.360 --> 00:35:43.320
regardless of where Jake Browning is now, do I want to trade Jake
489
00:35:43.320 --> 00:35:47.039
Browning? Should you want the Bengals
to trade Jake Browning? Well, no,
490
00:35:49.360 --> 00:35:53.239
But I also don't believe when it
comes to matters like this and etching
491
00:35:53.280 --> 00:36:00.000
it in Stone that he's not going
to be traded. We have these conversations
492
00:36:00.079 --> 00:36:04.039
all the time in baseball. You
might not want the Reds to trade,
493
00:36:04.400 --> 00:36:07.880
for example, Jonathan India, But
are you gonna say no to every phone
494
00:36:07.880 --> 00:36:14.239
call? Of course not. Are
you gonna change your numbers so other gms
495
00:36:14.280 --> 00:36:19.880
can't even get a hold of you? Of course not. So I value
496
00:36:20.119 --> 00:36:24.440
depth. I understand how important the
position is. I will pay a lot
497
00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:30.159
of money for really good insurance.
So hell yeah, man, I'll take
498
00:36:30.280 --> 00:36:35.639
Jake and Joe and be thrilled with
the depth I have at the most important
499
00:36:35.679 --> 00:36:40.920
position in all of sports. At
the same time, well, roster building
500
00:36:40.920 --> 00:36:45.679
for the Bengals is about to be
different. And by the way, the
501
00:36:45.719 --> 00:36:49.880
early returns of this draft class not
bad. Right Chase Brown Miles Murphy has
502
00:36:49.880 --> 00:36:52.719
played better. The wide receivers.
There's some really good stuff there. The
503
00:36:52.760 --> 00:36:59.079
Bengals need a lot of really good, cheap talent because they're paying Joe Burrow
504
00:36:59.079 --> 00:37:01.199
the kind of coin they are.
They're also gonna pay Jamar Chase. They've
505
00:37:01.199 --> 00:37:06.440
got other guys they want to pay
like. It's not optional. The Bengals
506
00:37:06.440 --> 00:37:08.199
have to hit home runs in the
draft. The easiest way you do that
507
00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:12.719
is to accumulate as many draft picks
as possible. Now, they're gonna get
508
00:37:12.760 --> 00:37:15.760
some compensatory picks, but still,
if I got a chance to get some
509
00:37:15.800 --> 00:37:20.639
more, let's do it. So
what does that mean for Jake Browning?
510
00:37:20.679 --> 00:37:23.840
It means something very very simple for
me, I want to seize on somebody
511
00:37:23.880 --> 00:37:30.280
else's desperation. It's like when I
was well in high school and college and
512
00:37:30.320 --> 00:37:34.679
for parts of my thirties between marriages, when I was dating, I often
513
00:37:34.719 --> 00:37:37.880
had to take on the strategy of
seizing on someone's desperation. Hey, they're
514
00:37:37.960 --> 00:37:43.920
desperate for a date. Here's where
all pounce. The Bengals should look to
515
00:37:43.960 --> 00:37:45.320
do the same thing. Now,
what does that mean for Jake In the
516
00:37:45.360 --> 00:37:50.320
short term? It might mean he's
stuck behind Joe Burrow when Joe's healthy.
517
00:37:50.920 --> 00:37:53.519
It might mean when next year begins, it's a while before he plays.
518
00:37:54.079 --> 00:37:58.719
But one of the best things the
Bengals have ever done from a management perspective.
519
00:37:58.719 --> 00:38:02.440
From a front office perspective was Carson
Palmer in twenty eleven. They played
520
00:38:02.440 --> 00:38:07.719
this perfectly right. Carson Palmer asked
for a trade, everybody gets mad at
521
00:38:07.760 --> 00:38:09.880
him, and then everybody gets mad
at Mike Brown for not trading him.
522
00:38:09.920 --> 00:38:15.880
I remember this very well. Twenty
eleven is one of my favorite periods I've
523
00:38:15.920 --> 00:38:20.760
ever done this show because on a
daily basis we had Carson Palmer content,
524
00:38:21.559 --> 00:38:24.440
and so originally everybody's mad at Carson. Never really should have been, but
525
00:38:24.480 --> 00:38:28.800
they were mad at Carson. And
then it was I can't believe the Bengals
526
00:38:28.840 --> 00:38:30.920
are gonna be stubborn. I can't
believe they're gonna do this. They're not
527
00:38:31.000 --> 00:38:35.719
gonna trade him, How dumb are
they. He's gonna retire, He's gonna
528
00:38:35.760 --> 00:38:38.079
sit on the beach and the Bengals
are gonna be stuck with nothing for him.
529
00:38:39.320 --> 00:38:45.559
And then the Oakland Raiders got desperate
and the Bengals acquired two premium picks
530
00:38:45.559 --> 00:38:50.920
for a guy who said he was
never gonna play for them again. Maybe
531
00:38:50.920 --> 00:38:54.960
that's not what they planned, but
it was brilliant. It was opportunity plus
532
00:38:55.000 --> 00:39:00.519
desperation. So as we talk about, like Jake next year. Understanding he
533
00:39:00.599 --> 00:39:06.400
still has more games to play.
Understanding how he plays will give us more
534
00:39:06.400 --> 00:39:09.320
information in terms of how we should
feel about Jake Browning. It's not a
535
00:39:09.360 --> 00:39:14.840
matter of should they trade him.
The idea should be, let's have as
536
00:39:14.920 --> 00:39:19.000
much as much depth as we can
at every possible position, and that includes
537
00:39:19.079 --> 00:39:23.880
quarterback. At the same time,
if there's somebody desperate for a quarterback,
538
00:39:24.360 --> 00:39:29.880
however, that looks a team that
whiffs on its draft pick, doesn't get
539
00:39:29.880 --> 00:39:32.880
the quarterback that it wants, has
a guy get hurt during the offseason,
540
00:39:34.199 --> 00:39:37.239
has a guy who suddenly retires,
has a guy who gets hurt during training
541
00:39:37.280 --> 00:39:40.880
camp, has a guy who gets
injured during the season next year, prior
542
00:39:40.920 --> 00:39:45.920
to the deadline. That's when you
pounce and you seize on their desperation.
543
00:39:46.440 --> 00:39:52.119
What do people do when they're desperate. They'll overpay, they'll give up too
544
00:39:52.199 --> 00:39:57.679
much. They'll do anything they can
to solve the problem that has made them
545
00:39:57.719 --> 00:40:00.079
desperate, Which means if you play, hey, this the right way,
546
00:40:00.719 --> 00:40:06.599
one of two things will happen.
Either your quarterback situation for all of next
547
00:40:06.679 --> 00:40:12.079
year and maybe beyond is as air
tight as any in the NFL. A
548
00:40:12.199 --> 00:40:17.679
former MVP finalist who By the way, prior to the injury. If the
549
00:40:17.800 --> 00:40:22.280
idea is to replace Joe Burrow with
Jake Browning, go and look at how
550
00:40:22.320 --> 00:40:27.760
good Joe was in the six games
prior to him suffering an injury. In
551
00:40:27.800 --> 00:40:31.119
the six games prior to him suffering
an injury, which includes the Baltimore game
552
00:40:31.760 --> 00:40:37.199
passer rating of one oh six five, completion percentage of seventy three point six
553
00:40:37.679 --> 00:40:44.599
touchdown to interception ratio thirteen to four, wins on the road against San Francisco,
554
00:40:45.039 --> 00:40:49.639
a win at home against Seattle,
a win against the Buffalo Bills who
555
00:40:49.639 --> 00:40:53.039
are surging. Joe Burrow was playing
at a really high level that night against
556
00:40:53.039 --> 00:40:57.800
the Baltimore Ravens. Dude looked like
he was poised for a pretty good game.
557
00:40:58.079 --> 00:41:02.239
We're not replacing him. We're also
not looking to trade the understudy the
558
00:41:02.280 --> 00:41:07.599
insurance policy just for the sake of
acquiring a pick, or just for the
559
00:41:07.599 --> 00:41:13.639
sake of avoiding some sort of quarterback
controversy. I might have the deepest quarterback
560
00:41:13.719 --> 00:41:16.400
room in the National Football League next
year. By the way, my MVP
561
00:41:16.599 --> 00:41:22.639
caliber quarterback Well, two of his
four seasons have ended early, the other
562
00:41:22.920 --> 00:41:25.480
ended with at least a slight injury
the year they made the Super Bowl.
563
00:41:27.920 --> 00:41:31.599
So yeah, I want an insurance
policy. But NFL teams get desperate all
564
00:41:31.639 --> 00:41:36.559
the time. Maybe it's pressure from
an owner, maybe it's pressure from a
565
00:41:36.599 --> 00:41:39.639
coach, maybe it's public pressure from
a fan base, whatever it is.
566
00:41:40.679 --> 00:41:45.400
I want to capitalize next season on
someone's desperation. And if I do,
567
00:41:46.119 --> 00:41:51.800
I might cash in in ways that
I never would have expected for Jake Browning.
568
00:41:52.400 --> 00:41:55.079
And if no one's desperate, I
have Joe Burrow and Jake Browning.
569
00:41:55.760 --> 00:42:04.239
That is a win win situation for
this Cincinnati Bengals. Your comments are welcome.
570
00:42:04.360 --> 00:42:07.320
Five point three, seven, four, nine, fifteen thirty. Trey
571
00:42:07.360 --> 00:42:14.800
Wingo is welcome. He joins us
next for four. I'm Moeger glad to
572
00:42:14.840 --> 00:42:20.599
have you our buddy Paul Danner Junior
in twenty minutes from pay Course Stadium while
573
00:42:20.599 --> 00:42:24.039
we're having this conversation that we're about
to have, assuming you're not driving.
574
00:42:24.079 --> 00:42:28.440
If you're driving, don't do this
right now, do it later. But
575
00:42:28.760 --> 00:42:31.039
if you're not behind the wheel,
on your phone, whether it be an
576
00:42:31.039 --> 00:42:37.280
iPhone or an Android, download the
stunt app st U n T. You
577
00:42:37.320 --> 00:42:39.840
will love this uh for a few
different reasons. First of all, there's
578
00:42:39.920 --> 00:42:45.440
a trivia game on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Today's Tuesday, so this is going
579
00:42:45.480 --> 00:42:47.960
to happen to night at seven o'clock. It is a twelve question trivia game
580
00:42:47.960 --> 00:42:52.920
for cash prizes, and uh,
it's pretty cool. There is also on
581
00:42:52.960 --> 00:42:58.280
this platform a reunion of sorts with
a Trey Wingo and Mark Schlereth, who
582
00:42:58.360 --> 00:43:00.599
are no strangers to people who have
listen to this radio station. They host
583
00:43:00.639 --> 00:43:07.440
a weekly and dare I say,
unfiltered NFL conversation on Stunt. It's mobile
584
00:43:07.480 --> 00:43:10.159
and web based. You should check
it out. And kind enough to join
585
00:43:10.239 --> 00:43:15.679
us to talk about the Bengals and
what's happening on Stunt is Trey Wingo,
586
00:43:15.920 --> 00:43:19.639
who is obviously somebody you've heard on
this radio station before. Trey, it's
587
00:43:19.679 --> 00:43:23.039
good to have you. What's going
on? Oh oh, thanks for having
588
00:43:23.039 --> 00:43:27.079
me man, and thanks for thanks
for talking about the Stunt app. We'll
589
00:43:27.079 --> 00:43:29.039
get to that in a minute,
but yeah, it's great to be with
590
00:43:29.119 --> 00:43:31.480
you. And really, what a
remarkable story we're having in Cincinnati right now.
591
00:43:31.480 --> 00:43:35.400
It's really incredible. It's amazing.
You know, we've talked about that
592
00:43:35.440 --> 00:43:38.000
game on Saturday. For many of
us, are one of our favorite Bengals
593
00:43:38.079 --> 00:43:40.719
victories of all time, and it's
the stakes, and it's the game,
594
00:43:40.760 --> 00:43:45.039
and it's the comeback. But it's
it's this story that nobody, even three
595
00:43:45.079 --> 00:43:50.960
weeks ago ever could have imagined would
be unfolding the way it has. Yeah.
596
00:43:51.039 --> 00:43:53.280
I mean, like, you know, you lose one of the top
597
00:43:53.400 --> 00:44:00.000
three at worst quarterbacks in the NFL
right now in a game where you lose
598
00:44:00.199 --> 00:44:02.360
to a division rival, and you're
like, well that that pretty much wraps
599
00:44:02.400 --> 00:44:06.119
up the season, and the Bengals
said, hold my beer. They just
600
00:44:06.159 --> 00:44:07.599
said, no, we're not going
to do that. You know. It's
601
00:44:07.679 --> 00:44:12.280
Jake Browning has gone out there and
absolutely bald out. Zach Taylor has done
602
00:44:12.280 --> 00:44:16.000
an amazing job of getting the team
to still believe they can accomplish the things
603
00:44:16.039 --> 00:44:21.760
they want to accomplish. It's it's
kind of reminiscent in a different way of
604
00:44:22.079 --> 00:44:24.480
twenty twenty one, where they just
sort of, you know, snuck into
605
00:44:24.480 --> 00:44:29.559
the postseason Long Bowl found those those
playing at Sofi Stadium. Yeah, you
606
00:44:29.599 --> 00:44:31.280
know, remarkable. I mean,
you know, they draft Joe Burrow when
607
00:44:31.320 --> 00:44:34.519
they did, and the idea was, Okay, at some point he's going
608
00:44:34.559 --> 00:44:37.079
to lead him to a Super Bowl. It happened earlier than any of us
609
00:44:37.079 --> 00:44:38.559
ever would have expected. But man, if I would have said just three
610
00:44:38.599 --> 00:44:43.679
weeks ago, after Jake's first start
against Pittsburgh, when you know, he
611
00:44:43.880 --> 00:44:45.599
was fine, the team was okay, if I would have said we would
612
00:44:45.599 --> 00:44:49.719
be debating whether or not anybody's going
to want to play him in the playoffs,
613
00:44:49.800 --> 00:44:51.639
I would have said, you're out
of your mind, And yet here
614
00:44:51.639 --> 00:44:54.519
we are. Yeah, it's been
remarkable. Now, look, the schedule
615
00:44:54.559 --> 00:44:58.480
is difficult. Let's just be honest. You know, you have Pittsburgh coming
616
00:44:58.559 --> 00:45:00.719
up on Saturday, then you got
to go to Arrowhead, and then you
617
00:45:00.760 --> 00:45:05.840
play Cleveland to finish the season.
And that could be for a lot of
618
00:45:05.880 --> 00:45:08.280
reasons, just as important for Cleveland
as it is for you guys in Cincinnati.
619
00:45:08.360 --> 00:45:13.440
So it's certainly it's certainly not a
cake walk. But the way that
620
00:45:13.519 --> 00:45:16.599
they have played and responded has been
absolutely remarkable, and the way they brought
621
00:45:16.599 --> 00:45:21.400
along this young running back has been
absolutely amazing. But I just it's just
622
00:45:21.440 --> 00:45:23.840
been a real resilient team. And
I think that's the thing you appreciate in
623
00:45:23.920 --> 00:45:28.280
these situations is how these guys have
just said, Okay, yeah it sucks
624
00:45:28.320 --> 00:45:30.280
we lost our dude, but we're
not gonna That doesn't mean we're quitting.
625
00:45:30.320 --> 00:45:35.360
And it's just been really phenomenal and
the game against the Vikings was just living
626
00:45:35.440 --> 00:45:39.199
proof of that. And you know
how this works having been behind the mic
627
00:45:39.280 --> 00:45:43.639
for a while or on camera for
a while. So Jake Browning has a
628
00:45:43.679 --> 00:45:49.280
few good games. He's otherworldly against
Jacksonville and merely very very good in the
629
00:45:49.320 --> 00:45:52.719
other two games, and now we
have to have conversations about what do they
630
00:45:52.760 --> 00:45:54.960
do with them next year or or
are they going to move on from the
631
00:45:54.960 --> 00:45:58.559
guy they just gave two hundred and
seventy five million dollars too. It's been
632
00:45:58.599 --> 00:46:02.280
fun. Yeah, that's that's that's
when reality needs to come back into the
633
00:46:02.320 --> 00:46:07.000
equation. Burrow is not going anywhere. Let's just be honest about that.
634
00:46:07.039 --> 00:46:09.840
There's a reason he got the contract. He got the contract. The question
635
00:46:10.000 --> 00:46:15.840
is can you keep Jake Browning around
because he's Look, he's in many ways
636
00:46:15.840 --> 00:46:19.679
sort of what Cooper Rush is for
the Dallas Cowboys. You know, last
637
00:46:19.760 --> 00:46:22.159
year he had to fill in for
four or five games, and he did
638
00:46:22.280 --> 00:46:27.199
what a backup should be like.
It's it's it's almost a perfect scenario where
639
00:46:27.199 --> 00:46:30.519
you want the backup to be good
enough, but not so good that everyone
640
00:46:30.519 --> 00:46:35.440
else wants him. Like. It's
just a perfect situation right now. The
641
00:46:35.480 --> 00:46:37.880
way Jake has responded to this,
Trey Wing goes with us on behalf of
642
00:46:38.039 --> 00:46:42.000
stunt to make sure you download it
wherever you get your apps. How do
643
00:46:42.039 --> 00:46:45.400
you handicap understanding that, you know, we've got to put put the puzzle
644
00:46:45.400 --> 00:46:46.760
together over the last three weeks to
figure out who's going to get in his
645
00:46:46.800 --> 00:46:51.320
wild cards, and the AFC South
is still up for grabs. How do
646
00:46:51.360 --> 00:46:57.119
you handicap the AFC? Well,
it's interesting, right the two teams with
647
00:46:57.159 --> 00:47:01.239
the toughest strength of schedule left of
the top two seats, that's Baltimore and
648
00:47:01.760 --> 00:47:05.800
Miami. And Miami has yet to
be the team with a winning record.
649
00:47:05.880 --> 00:47:07.320
Let's just be honest about it.
You know. Yeah, they throttled the
650
00:47:07.400 --> 00:47:10.159
Jets, but on Monday night they
lost to the freaking Titans. Okay,
651
00:47:10.400 --> 00:47:14.679
and the Titans scored what twice in
the final three minutes to take that win
652
00:47:14.719 --> 00:47:20.440
away from Miami. So unless Miami, Miami has to prove something against Dallas,
653
00:47:20.559 --> 00:47:22.199
they got to prove something as Buffalo, and I think they got to
654
00:47:22.199 --> 00:47:25.960
play the Ravens as well. So
I mean, it's a brutal schedule for
655
00:47:27.039 --> 00:47:30.719
them. Baltimore has responded to everything, but boy, you know, they
656
00:47:30.719 --> 00:47:34.519
lost the tight end Mark Andrews,
they lose Keaton Mitchell. You know,
657
00:47:34.719 --> 00:47:38.480
for all the problems that Kansas City
has had, and they had been numerous,
658
00:47:38.480 --> 00:47:43.559
and many of them self inflicted,
there's still a realistic lane for them
659
00:47:43.599 --> 00:47:46.480
to get the number one seed if
Baltimore stumbles down the stretch, because they
660
00:47:46.519 --> 00:47:51.880
have the tiebreaker they would have if
Kansas City wins out and Baltimore loses a
661
00:47:51.920 --> 00:47:55.119
couple of these final three games,
which is certainly possible based on conference record,
662
00:47:55.360 --> 00:47:59.320
that had the tiebreaker over the Ravens
and that had the head to head
663
00:47:59.320 --> 00:48:04.679
over Miami. It's a bizarre finished
at the AFC, from the top all
664
00:48:04.719 --> 00:48:07.800
the way to the bottom. The
Bengals playtrays, you know, on Saturday
665
00:48:07.840 --> 00:48:12.039
against the Steelers, and you know
a month ago they play here, Pittsburgh
666
00:48:12.119 --> 00:48:14.760
wins, and you go, man, despite that offense, they're going to
667
00:48:14.840 --> 00:48:17.159
find their way in. And here
we are the rematch and the Bengals,
668
00:48:17.679 --> 00:48:21.719
And there's not a Bengals fan of
life who isn't thrilled about this. Possibility,
669
00:48:21.800 --> 00:48:25.000
they have a chance to deliver a
dagger to effectively end their playoff hopes
670
00:48:25.440 --> 00:48:29.800
on a Saturday, and you know, watching it from afar, legit questions
671
00:48:29.840 --> 00:48:32.559
about where they're going to go a
quarterback, and legit questions about the future
672
00:48:32.599 --> 00:48:37.760
of Mike Tomlin. What do you
make of the situation in Pittsburgh, Well,
673
00:48:37.760 --> 00:48:42.480
listen, the quarterback situation has been
horrendous right. In fact, the
674
00:48:42.599 --> 00:48:46.679
difference in why Cincinnati feels good about
themselves and why Pittsburgh should be feeling terrible
675
00:48:46.719 --> 00:48:52.239
about themselves is the quarterback situation.
Overyly, Kenny Pickett hasn't been lighting up
676
00:48:52.239 --> 00:48:55.599
the world, but now he's out, and neither Mitch Trubisky or Mason Rudolph
677
00:48:55.639 --> 00:49:00.360
has really done anything to establish themselves, Whereas what you guys have done in
678
00:49:00.360 --> 00:49:02.840
Cincinnati is the exact opposite. You
lose Burrow and you found that you have
679
00:49:02.880 --> 00:49:06.960
a real viable product that you can
put in there. They have got I
680
00:49:06.960 --> 00:49:12.119
mean they lost back to back games
at home to two win teams in consecutive
681
00:49:12.119 --> 00:49:15.119
weeks, to Arizona and New England. I mean that that's bottoming out,
682
00:49:15.280 --> 00:49:20.480
okay, And then they had the
disaster with the with the Indianapolis Colts when
683
00:49:20.519 --> 00:49:23.639
they had you know, they were
in charge of that game for a while.
684
00:49:23.960 --> 00:49:27.159
Pittsburgh has got to find a way
to figure out the offense. They
685
00:49:27.239 --> 00:49:30.400
fired not Canada, the offensive coordinator, and they had that one game where
686
00:49:30.400 --> 00:49:32.119
they got a four hundred yards of
offense and then they went right back to
687
00:49:32.159 --> 00:49:37.559
being a really, really bad offensive
football team. You know, they have
688
00:49:37.719 --> 00:49:39.280
not found a way to get the
ball to George Pickens, which I cannot
689
00:49:39.280 --> 00:49:44.559
figure out to save my life.
The kid can absolutely play and would just
690
00:49:44.559 --> 00:49:46.079
feel like they're not trying to get
him the ball. I think they have
691
00:49:46.159 --> 00:49:51.440
to force feed him early in this
game just to get him going. But
692
00:49:51.679 --> 00:49:57.559
you know, there's there's nothing about
the Pittsburgh offense that should scare the lou
693
00:49:57.599 --> 00:50:00.840
Anarumo in the defense of the Cincinnati
Bengals, Yeah, no, I would
694
00:50:00.880 --> 00:50:05.000
agree with that wholeheartedly. All Right, got a chance to make some money
695
00:50:05.000 --> 00:50:07.440
tonight at seven o'clock. Let's start
with that. The trivia game. It's
696
00:50:07.480 --> 00:50:13.679
twelve question trivia. You have a
chance to win cash prizes Tuesdays and Thursdays
697
00:50:13.760 --> 00:50:17.599
at seven pm Eastern time. Tell
me about that. Yeah, it's just
698
00:50:17.639 --> 00:50:22.159
a great little trivia question A trivia
contents. It takes less than fifteen minutes.
699
00:50:22.159 --> 00:50:24.559
It's free to play. Just download
the stunt app and then you can
700
00:50:24.559 --> 00:50:28.440
get it like you said, Google
Play or in the app store. It
701
00:50:28.519 --> 00:50:30.920
starts at seven o'clock. And as
long as you keep guessing, you get
702
00:50:30.920 --> 00:50:35.360
guessing correctly, you get the right
answers, you keep going, and you
703
00:50:35.360 --> 00:50:37.440
know, every week somebody walks away
with some cash. So the stunt app,
704
00:50:37.480 --> 00:50:39.599
though, is great. The best
way I can describe the stunt app,
705
00:50:39.599 --> 00:50:43.000
it's like Twitter with all all the
craps yea, and I mean it's
706
00:50:43.159 --> 00:50:45.880
just sports. It's just sports without
all the Well here's my take on this.
707
00:50:46.199 --> 00:50:49.760
No no one cares. Yes,
no one gives a crap about all
708
00:50:49.800 --> 00:50:52.840
of us. It's just a chance
where you can talk sports, you can
709
00:50:52.880 --> 00:50:54.960
post your own video and content,
try and become, you know, the
710
00:50:55.000 --> 00:50:59.039
next mo Eggert if you want,
you know, have a live room that
711
00:50:59.079 --> 00:51:00.519
you can put up there and do
all this stuff. It's just a place
712
00:51:00.519 --> 00:51:06.159
where sports fans can go to consume
sports and talk about sports and maybe create
713
00:51:06.199 --> 00:51:08.920
their own brand for themselves on the
stunt app. So the best way to
714
00:51:08.920 --> 00:51:13.079
describe it is to be just one
of these sports and leave all the other
715
00:51:13.159 --> 00:51:15.199
stuff alone, get on the stunt
app and do it and it's really a
716
00:51:15.199 --> 00:51:17.079
lot of fun. And Mark and
I do a show there, like you
717
00:51:17.119 --> 00:51:20.800
said, every Monday. It's great. We do it live and then we
718
00:51:20.840 --> 00:51:23.400
post it and it's up for everybody
to listen to if they missed the if
719
00:51:23.400 --> 00:51:27.000
they missed the live version. It's
just it's just a chance where you can
720
00:51:27.079 --> 00:51:30.840
get your sports conversation on without having
to deal about all the other garbage that
721
00:51:30.880 --> 00:51:32.719
you find out all of the social
class. Is that like the company slogan
722
00:51:32.760 --> 00:51:37.239
Twitter without the crap? I like
that pretty much pretty much, or only
723
00:51:37.280 --> 00:51:43.599
fans without the nunity just we be
we could be thankful for that. Check
724
00:51:43.599 --> 00:51:45.400
it out, download it where you
get your your apps, and again seven
725
00:51:45.440 --> 00:51:50.960
o'clock tonight, twelve question trivia for
cash and on Monday, Trent. Now
726
00:51:51.000 --> 00:51:52.079
you're not doing it on Christmas?
Right, So is it gonna be like
727
00:51:52.119 --> 00:51:57.079
next Tuesday? How's that gonna work? Yeah, well that's a good call.
728
00:51:57.119 --> 00:52:00.519
We haven't quite figured that out yet
because we got games on we got
729
00:52:00.559 --> 00:52:01.679
three games on that and I don't
well, I don't know, I don't
730
00:52:01.679 --> 00:52:06.519
know Stik's calling game on Saturday Sunday
or Monday this week. So whatever game
731
00:52:06.559 --> 00:52:09.199
he's put everyday he's not calling,
that's the day, will probably do it
732
00:52:09.320 --> 00:52:12.920
very good. All right, we'll
check it out. Nonetheless, Stunt get
733
00:52:12.920 --> 00:52:14.960
it where you get your abs tray. Awesome to have you on, man,
734
00:52:15.000 --> 00:52:16.960
Thanks so much. No anytime I
was going to talk to you.
735
00:52:17.039 --> 00:52:20.400
Best the luck to the Bengals.
It's been a great story, been a
736
00:52:20.480 --> 00:52:23.159
terrific story, no question about that. Make sure you download the Stunt app,
737
00:52:23.320 --> 00:52:29.000
as we say, where you download
your apps. Paul Danner Junior is
738
00:52:29.199 --> 00:52:30.840
going to join us. I think
he's at the Paikorse Stadium, so we
739
00:52:30.880 --> 00:52:37.480
have a lot to discuss with him. Next Cincinnati's ESPR It's the Bengals and
740
00:52:37.519 --> 00:52:44.039
Steelers. Coverage begins Saturday at noon
on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home
741
00:52:44.079 --> 00:52:47.320
of the Bank. I finally have
worked here long enough that on my show
742
00:52:47.400 --> 00:52:55.320
we are airing commercials for something called
LoveSac dot com. Maybe maybe this is
743
00:52:55.360 --> 00:53:00.320
the year I hang it up.
I don't, I don't know. Normally
744
00:53:00.360 --> 00:53:04.400
on Tuesdays, Paul Danner Junior is
with me in person, but it's uh.
745
00:53:04.440 --> 00:53:07.760
The Bengals play on Saturday, and
so the players are talking today,
746
00:53:07.760 --> 00:53:12.119
and there's press conferences, so Paul, I'm sure in what is a major
747
00:53:12.199 --> 00:53:15.920
source of disappointment for him is is
is down at the stadium covering all that
748
00:53:15.960 --> 00:53:20.880
stuff instead of sitting with me.
He covers the Bengals for The Athletic.
749
00:53:21.079 --> 00:53:23.679
You can read his work at the
Athletic dot com here. That podcast Growland,
750
00:53:23.679 --> 00:53:27.559
the latest episode is out. Paul's
with us, Now, what's going
751
00:53:27.559 --> 00:53:31.000
on? What's going on? Now? You know? I'm just I'm sitting
752
00:53:31.079 --> 00:53:36.559
here in anticipation of having a conversation
about the latest chapter in the Jake Browning
753
00:53:36.599 --> 00:53:40.559
story, which I can't get enough
of. Yeah, there's Ah, it
754
00:53:40.599 --> 00:53:45.880
doesn't stop, does it. I
don't really know what there is to say
755
00:53:46.000 --> 00:53:52.719
or expect anymore, because you know, we're we're just sort of where we've
756
00:53:52.760 --> 00:53:58.280
reached the historical context of well,
we've never seen anything quite like this,
757
00:53:58.480 --> 00:54:01.239
So what comes next? I don't
know, but I do know. I
758
00:54:02.039 --> 00:54:08.760
do think that the conversation has now
changed. I feel like, now that
759
00:54:08.920 --> 00:54:15.159
we're four games into this, the
oh this is cute, Oh look he's
760
00:54:15.199 --> 00:54:21.400
playing well is sort of giving way
to this is who he is. We're
761
00:54:21.440 --> 00:54:25.800
seeing a level of sustainability to where
it's much harder to envision all of a
762
00:54:25.840 --> 00:54:31.880
sudden he becomes some undrafted journeyman.
It's much more likely to see that he
763
00:54:32.039 --> 00:54:37.320
just kind of keeps playing at this
level. And that's really saying something considering
764
00:54:38.239 --> 00:54:42.840
where we are, where we were
a month ago, and where the state
765
00:54:42.880 --> 00:54:45.119
of sort of backup quarterback play in
the league is. Where you see a
766
00:54:45.119 --> 00:54:47.840
guy have a good game one week
and he's benched a couple of weeks after
767
00:54:47.880 --> 00:54:53.719
that. It's like, this sample
size and sustainability is to me really changing
768
00:54:53.719 --> 00:54:57.639
the way you even view the rest
of the season for the Bengals. Yeah,
769
00:54:57.719 --> 00:55:00.920
and you wrote about that. Now
what you have done, and maybe
770
00:55:00.920 --> 00:55:02.920
that this will happen this weekend or
next week. I don't know. But
771
00:55:02.960 --> 00:55:07.360
you haven't written the story about whether
or not they're gonna trade either Joe or
772
00:55:07.440 --> 00:55:13.320
Jake next year. When's not gonna
come out? I don't know. You
773
00:55:13.400 --> 00:55:16.079
tell me when? When do you
think is the proper time to drop that
774
00:55:16.199 --> 00:55:19.599
in there? I don't. I
don't know that I have an answer for
775
00:55:19.639 --> 00:55:22.440
that, other than it wouldn't be
a long story. It would be,
776
00:55:22.599 --> 00:55:28.840
uh, hey, I think they're
just gonna keep these two guys. Uh,
777
00:55:28.880 --> 00:55:30.880
But yeah, No, I don't. I don't. I don't think
778
00:55:30.880 --> 00:55:34.280
they're gonna go there? How could
you? How could you go there?
779
00:55:34.639 --> 00:55:39.079
How could you watch this league this
year and watch your quarterback that's not able
780
00:55:39.119 --> 00:55:44.000
to finish two four seasons and been
like, you know what, to really
781
00:55:44.000 --> 00:55:47.599
get rid of that insurance? How
right about? I don't. I don't
782
00:55:47.679 --> 00:55:52.880
know that you have for like the
league minimum. I I don't know how
783
00:55:52.199 --> 00:55:55.440
how that could possibly even enter your
uh, your head? But what do
784
00:55:55.519 --> 00:55:59.679
I know? I'm just a guy, you know we I mean, you
785
00:55:59.679 --> 00:56:04.639
don't operate from the sports talk radio
handbook that I have to operate from.
786
00:56:04.679 --> 00:56:07.920
So as soon as the game against
the Vikings ended, I was obligated.
787
00:56:07.960 --> 00:56:12.599
It says it in the handbook I
have to do segments on what they should
788
00:56:12.639 --> 00:56:16.199
do with their quarterback situation next year. You operate from a slightly different handbook,
789
00:56:16.199 --> 00:56:22.079
and I totally understand. I think, if if nothing else, you
790
00:56:22.119 --> 00:56:27.159
know it, it sort of validates
something that I heard you and others say
791
00:56:27.199 --> 00:56:30.280
for years. Okay, well,
let's let's talk about this Jake Browning cat
792
00:56:30.400 --> 00:56:34.639
Like, do they think he's like
legit quarterback material? And you would always
793
00:56:34.639 --> 00:56:37.719
hear what they really like him?
So it validates how they felt about him,
794
00:56:37.719 --> 00:56:42.760
but it also validates the coaching that
has helped put him in a position
795
00:56:42.840 --> 00:56:45.239
to do what he's done. And
I don't think that's insignificant. And to
796
00:56:45.280 --> 00:56:50.960
a degree, I don't know that
that gets talked about enough. The fact
797
00:56:51.000 --> 00:56:54.960
that he's even still here is really
a feather in the cap of the coaches
798
00:56:55.280 --> 00:56:59.440
and of this person. I mean, look, let's not act like the
799
00:56:59.440 --> 00:57:02.440
conversation isn't what it was back in
August. Okay, they got to get
800
00:57:02.440 --> 00:57:07.199
somebody who's a real dude in here. They gotta get go find pick somebody
801
00:57:07.239 --> 00:57:09.840
up, ste go get yourself some
Flacco, right like, whatever it is,
802
00:57:10.400 --> 00:57:15.440
figure somebody else that has some skins
on the wall rather than whatever you're
803
00:57:15.519 --> 00:57:19.800
seeing in this Jake Browning Trevor Simeon
Pillow fight that you thought was going on.
804
00:57:20.280 --> 00:57:23.920
But yet they saw development. They
felt like they saw Jake Browning getting
805
00:57:23.960 --> 00:57:29.480
more comfort. And I go back
to a conversation I had with Brian Callahan,
806
00:57:29.559 --> 00:57:35.599
I think the day we got back
from Baltimore after the Jake Browning thing,
807
00:57:35.639 --> 00:57:38.559
and his point was, I understand
that that was what a lot of
808
00:57:38.559 --> 00:57:44.400
people maybe were looking for, but
our view was the you have a better
809
00:57:44.519 --> 00:57:51.320
chance of succeeding with guys that you
know are truly invested and about all of
810
00:57:51.320 --> 00:57:53.719
the right stuff in terms of doing
it the right way, learning it the
811
00:57:53.800 --> 00:57:58.079
way you want to, that understand
everything that you want them to be,
812
00:57:58.719 --> 00:58:01.920
rather than some ret that you're trying
to pull some last ditch glory out of
813
00:58:02.239 --> 00:58:07.519
it. Felt like somebody they feel
like that has absolutely done everything the right
814
00:58:07.559 --> 00:58:14.119
way and set themselves up to want
that opportunity is a better bet. And
815
00:58:15.199 --> 00:58:17.480
I think you could say that that's
turning out to be one hell of a
816
00:58:17.559 --> 00:58:21.239
bet, one that they didn't think
that would pay off with this kind of
817
00:58:21.360 --> 00:58:23.440
value. But you know, you
got to credit them and the staff for
818
00:58:23.559 --> 00:58:29.719
not taking the bait you could say, on going and saying ditching the process
819
00:58:29.800 --> 00:58:31.480
that they felt like they had in
August when a lot of us, me
820
00:58:31.519 --> 00:58:35.519
and you included, were saying,
Hey, isn't this some direction that they
821
00:58:35.519 --> 00:58:38.280
should be going? Yeah, Paul
Danner Junior from the Athletic is with us,
822
00:58:38.280 --> 00:58:43.440
and you wrote this week you basically
handicap their chances, but you do
823
00:58:43.519 --> 00:58:49.280
it based on statistics and metrics,
and it's a good read. I don't
824
00:58:49.360 --> 00:58:51.719
view it from the standpoint of can
they make the Super Bowl, I just
825
00:58:51.760 --> 00:58:53.679
talk about not wanting to play them, and I do it from a much
826
00:58:53.800 --> 00:58:59.559
less quantifiable standpoint where I just go, look, man, if this team's
827
00:58:59.559 --> 00:59:05.199
in the playof seasons a success,
right, they go in not burdened by
828
00:59:05.679 --> 00:59:08.360
the franchise's recent history of not winning
playoff games, because they have. They
829
00:59:08.400 --> 00:59:13.599
go in armed with the experience of
winning tough playoff games on the road and
830
00:59:13.679 --> 00:59:17.599
tough environments against good teams and good
quarterbacks. They will have gone in there
831
00:59:17.719 --> 00:59:22.199
not burdened by the pressure. OMG, this franchise is going to fall apart
832
00:59:22.199 --> 00:59:23.559
if they lose in the first round
of the playoffs, or if they lose
833
00:59:23.800 --> 00:59:28.599
a home playoff game, which obviously
they'd be starting on the road instead,
834
00:59:28.599 --> 00:59:31.119
it would be what they've done so
far just validates a lot of things that
835
00:59:31.159 --> 00:59:35.559
have been said about this team.
I don't think there's a more dangerous type
836
00:59:35.559 --> 00:59:39.840
of team than that. Then how
the Bengals would be cast send them were
837
00:59:39.840 --> 00:59:45.239
ever against whoever. As cliche as
that sounds, I don't think you could
838
00:59:45.280 --> 00:59:50.719
come up with a more dangerous wild
card team in any playoff year. No,
839
00:59:50.960 --> 00:59:57.400
and then add in the fact that
their offensive efficiency is on a top
840
00:59:57.960 --> 01:00:01.480
three, top five right now at
the level that Jake Browning's playing at,
841
01:00:01.760 --> 01:00:05.880
and the concern there would be,
oh, well, you know, big
842
01:00:05.920 --> 01:00:10.119
spotlight playoffs might melt the backup quarterback. If there's one thing that we've learned
843
01:00:10.159 --> 01:00:15.639
about Jake Browning above all, it's
that man, spotlight in the moment is
844
01:00:15.880 --> 01:00:19.079
not really gonna be a thing.
It's not really gonna shake him. He's
845
01:00:19.119 --> 01:00:22.159
as calm and kind of cool.
That's the one trait you hear most.
846
01:00:22.480 --> 01:00:27.840
So if you take all that into
account, and a team that has they
847
01:00:28.039 --> 01:00:32.320
know how to win. And you
know that a team that a team that
848
01:00:32.400 --> 01:00:37.440
doesn't have the type of fabric that
the Bengals have doesn't win the game they
849
01:00:37.440 --> 01:00:39.800
played Saturday, you know, they
probably don't win that Monday night football game
850
01:00:39.840 --> 01:00:45.960
in Jacksonville. That's because they've they've
learned how to do that over the years.
851
01:00:45.960 --> 01:00:50.559
They've learned what it takes. And
that's scary as hell. If you're
852
01:00:50.679 --> 01:00:53.760
entering the playoffs and you're a team
that hasn't won in the playoffs in recent
853
01:00:53.840 --> 01:00:58.719
years, it could be going to
see And I absolutely am with you.
854
01:00:58.760 --> 01:01:04.360
I think that that combination makes them
frightening, and it should make people rethink
855
01:01:05.119 --> 01:01:08.880
maybe what the ceiling was that we
clearly put on them back when the Borrow
856
01:01:08.920 --> 01:01:13.920
injury happened. I'm not not saying
anybody's gonna go to the super Bowl.
857
01:01:13.920 --> 01:01:15.840
I want to make sure that's clear. Everybody's like, what are you talking
858
01:01:15.840 --> 01:01:17.639
about. I'm not saying they're gonna
go to the super Bowl. I'm saying
859
01:01:19.159 --> 01:01:25.599
you can see a path because I
just don't see Jake Browning suddenly just plummeting
860
01:01:25.639 --> 01:01:29.840
back to earth. I think they
have an offense that can do it.
861
01:01:30.159 --> 01:01:32.559
The crazy thing is the bigger question
is whether their defense can be good enough.
862
01:01:32.840 --> 01:01:37.519
That's just fascinating when you consider the
fact that they lost Joe Burrow,
863
01:01:37.639 --> 01:01:40.039
but they go, yeah, no, it is. And what makes the
864
01:01:40.360 --> 01:01:45.639
question about the defense even more difficult
to answer is now they have to do
865
01:01:45.679 --> 01:01:50.800
it without DJ Reader. I mean's
what's amazing about what happened on Saturday.
866
01:01:50.800 --> 01:01:53.760
On the list of things, is
they get two third and shortstops, third
867
01:01:53.800 --> 01:01:58.880
and inches, fourth and inches without
DJ Reader in the game, with the
868
01:01:58.920 --> 01:02:02.599
game hanging in the back. I'm
clinging to that, but I'm really worried
869
01:02:02.599 --> 01:02:09.840
about this defense without them. Yeah, and that's that's rightful. I look
870
01:02:09.840 --> 01:02:15.760
I back after the game against Pittsburgh
last time. I kind of went into
871
01:02:15.800 --> 01:02:20.840
it and dove into some of the
numbers, and they're on pace to give
872
01:02:20.920 --> 01:02:24.599
up most yards rushing allowed by any
team in Division games in the history of
873
01:02:24.639 --> 01:02:30.079
the AFC North. They teams have
shoved it down their throat. And now
874
01:02:30.159 --> 01:02:34.480
what's in front of them two of
the next three games against the AFC North
875
01:02:34.800 --> 01:02:37.239
teams that are gonna be dedicated to
try and shoving it down their throat,
876
01:02:37.519 --> 01:02:40.559
and they don't have DJ Reer to
try to help them. To me,
877
01:02:42.280 --> 01:02:45.639
this is the question of the rest
of the season. This is where their
878
01:02:46.119 --> 01:02:52.800
playoff hopes lie. Is have they
fixed this? Can they have an answer?
879
01:02:53.079 --> 01:02:55.760
Because everybody knows. I walked around
the locker room and talked to a
880
01:02:55.760 --> 01:03:01.840
lot of defenders today and everybody knew
very playing and clear they are coming at
881
01:03:01.920 --> 01:03:07.079
us. They are gonna try to
test this defense without reader, test this
882
01:03:07.199 --> 01:03:12.920
run defense that has been manhandled in
Division play this year, and see if
883
01:03:12.960 --> 01:03:15.880
they have answers. And we'll see
if they do. I think we'll all
884
01:03:15.920 --> 01:03:20.280
sort of learn together. But to
me, that's the question that's in front
885
01:03:20.320 --> 01:03:22.119
of them. They think that they
have some solves there, They think that
886
01:03:22.119 --> 01:03:24.880
they figured out some of the issues. Mo, you'll appreciate there were some
887
01:03:24.960 --> 01:03:31.960
run fit talk. Oh yeah,
they have hemmed in some of the tackling
888
01:03:32.039 --> 01:03:37.599
issues that they've had. But yet
there it was last weekend. One mistackle
889
01:03:37.679 --> 01:03:42.480
by DJ Turner went off for thirty
plus yards, another missfit by dex Hill
890
01:03:42.519 --> 01:03:45.960
goes off for thirty yards and boom, and that just gets old, being
891
01:03:46.039 --> 01:03:49.599
like, what was pretty good except
for those couple of plays. Well,
892
01:03:49.719 --> 01:03:52.760
there continues to be those couple of
plays. And if they can't fix that,
893
01:03:53.599 --> 01:03:57.400
everybody in the Pittsburgh building knows that's
their only chance. They got to
894
01:03:57.440 --> 01:04:00.760
start and Mason Rudolph, Okay,
they know what it has to look like
895
01:04:00.840 --> 01:04:04.480
to win this game, and the
Bengals do too, And the only question
896
01:04:04.639 --> 01:04:09.079
is will they be able to stop
it? Even knowing that it's coming.
897
01:04:10.320 --> 01:04:15.320
Zach Taylor kind of shot down the
idea that we're ruling out Jamar Chase already.
898
01:04:15.400 --> 01:04:18.199
But he's not playing Saturday, right, No, he's not playing.
899
01:04:18.239 --> 01:04:21.079
I mean, there's no reason for
Zach Taylor to come out there and make
900
01:04:21.119 --> 01:04:25.400
it one hundred percent clear. Might
as well, you can leave some Gray
901
01:04:25.480 --> 01:04:28.039
might as well leave some ground or
that it makes any difference. But there's
902
01:04:28.039 --> 01:04:30.679
no reason to make any declarations today. But yeah, I think that the
903
01:04:30.760 --> 01:04:34.760
expectations is you're not gonna have Jamar
Chase this weekend, and you're gonna have
904
01:04:34.760 --> 01:04:39.360
to figure out a way for the
offense to move the ball without him.
905
01:04:39.360 --> 01:04:43.599
I mean, the good news for
them is they have a history of continuing
906
01:04:43.599 --> 01:04:46.559
to go just fine even without Jamar
Chase. They're better off without him.
907
01:04:46.639 --> 01:04:50.679
They'd be better if he was playing, but they know how to win games
908
01:04:50.719 --> 01:04:54.800
even when he's not out there.
That's something they can lean on right now,
909
01:04:54.840 --> 01:04:57.239
and they're gonna have to. All
Right, Well, I know you're
910
01:04:57.280 --> 01:05:00.840
busy. I appreciate it. Have
a great Christmas. Thanks for everything,
911
01:05:00.960 --> 01:05:03.880
and we'll talk I think next week. Thank you so much. I look
912
01:05:03.920 --> 01:05:08.039
forward to Mary Christmas. You got
it. Paul Danner Junior check out the
913
01:05:08.079 --> 01:05:14.039
podcast hear that podcast Growllan. On
his podcast today, I listed my five
914
01:05:14.239 --> 01:05:19.719
favorite all time Bengals regular season victories. There you go. It is ten
915
01:05:19.760 --> 01:05:24.440
minutes away from five o'clock. We're
going to go to Pittsburgh in thirty minutes
916
01:05:24.599 --> 01:05:29.679
and talk about the Steelers. Mason
Rudolph Mike Tomlin in this game on Saturday.
917
01:05:29.679 --> 01:05:32.320
Plus we are doing this a day
early chat with one of the experts
918
01:05:32.320 --> 01:05:36.840
from Orthos Cinsey about three different Bengals
who suffered injuries on Saturday. And we
919
01:05:36.880 --> 01:05:42.760
have the contractually obligated airing of Zach
Taylor's press conference as well. Tons to
920
01:05:42.760 --> 01:05:47.079
get to between now and six o'clock
on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station,
921
01:05:47.559 --> 01:05:51.599
Cincinnati's Family Sports fifteenth thing. Oh
you sure have good afternoon on my legger.
922
01:05:51.719 --> 01:05:56.800
This is ESPN fifteen thirty. Thank
you so much for joining us.
923
01:05:56.840 --> 01:06:00.960
Hopefully you're having a terrific Tuesday afternoon. All We're not at the Moraline Logger
924
01:06:01.039 --> 01:06:04.639
House today, We're gonna be there
tomorrow and it's gonna be awesome. It's
925
01:06:04.800 --> 01:06:10.679
our annual Christmas party show from three
to six. Kenny Anderson's gonna come by,
926
01:06:10.719 --> 01:06:14.159
which I cannot wait for, and
Second Clause is going to be there,
927
01:06:14.199 --> 01:06:17.599
and we have giveaways every half hour
and we have all the normal stuff
928
01:06:17.679 --> 01:06:25.079
like five dollars happy hour menu and
two dollars off happetizers and you will love
929
01:06:25.119 --> 01:06:28.880
it. Cannot wait tomorrow at the
Morelinned Locker House. So we're in studio
930
01:06:28.960 --> 01:06:31.159
today. We have a lot a
lot of ground to cover. One of
931
01:06:30.960 --> 01:06:38.880
the best local football podcasts in the
country and me, you're not gonna like
932
01:06:38.960 --> 01:06:41.960
me saying this. It's the Believe
In Steelers podcast on the Believe Network,
933
01:06:41.960 --> 01:06:45.400
Mark Bergen and Ike Taylor. Mark
is going to join us to talk about
934
01:06:45.400 --> 01:06:47.239
the mess. And yeah, I
said mess. That is the Pittsburgh Steelers
935
01:06:47.280 --> 01:06:53.239
coming up in just about twelve minutes. Also our weekly look at NFL injuries
936
01:06:53.239 --> 01:06:56.360
from one of the experts from Ortho
Cincium. When we say NFL injuries,
937
01:06:57.079 --> 01:07:00.679
let's face it, we mean Bengals
injuries. DJ Reader and dj Ivy and
938
01:07:00.800 --> 01:07:04.679
Jamar Chase. By the way,
Zach Taylor left open the possibility that Jamar
939
01:07:04.760 --> 01:07:08.960
Chase is gonna play on Saturday,
but he did not practice today. It
940
01:07:09.079 --> 01:07:15.039
is impossible to imagine Jamar playing.
But you know what, they want some
941
01:07:15.119 --> 01:07:18.519
games without Jamorrow last year, including
a game if memory serves me correct,
942
01:07:18.800 --> 01:07:23.760
at whatever they call that stadium the
Steelers play in now. So we'll see
943
01:07:23.920 --> 01:07:30.039
Bengals and Steelers coming up on Saturday, and I can't wait watching the game
944
01:07:30.079 --> 01:07:32.119
at Smoke Justice. We hope you
join us for that too. Basically,
945
01:07:32.159 --> 01:07:38.599
what I'm asking you to do is
just come hang out, watch the game,
946
01:07:38.960 --> 01:07:42.599
come to our show tomorrow. Uh, come hang out. We've done
947
01:07:42.639 --> 01:07:47.119
this, this thing on Browning versus
Burrow. I don't know that we have
948
01:07:47.239 --> 01:07:54.079
to do this, but surely you've
run into people in your life who have
949
01:07:54.360 --> 01:08:00.960
broached the possibility of trading Joe Burrow
or trading Jake Browning. And I'm a
950
01:08:00.000 --> 01:08:03.960
proponent of having the best possible quarterback
situation. I've said this for years.
951
01:08:05.039 --> 01:08:12.480
We value depth at every position in
the sport. Can't have enough edge rushers
952
01:08:12.880 --> 01:08:16.520
can have enough cover, corners,
can't have enough wide receipt can't have enough
953
01:08:16.880 --> 01:08:27.079
pass reception targets. Well, what
about quarterbacks. It's amazing to me.
954
01:08:27.159 --> 01:08:34.079
We value depth until it comes to
the most important position. So yeah,
955
01:08:34.119 --> 01:08:39.079
man, the objective for me next
year is I want both guys. I
956
01:08:39.119 --> 01:08:41.840
want Joe, I want Jake,
and Jake is sitting behind Joe because Joe
957
01:08:41.880 --> 01:08:54.000
is better. If you ever go
buy an engagement ring, let's say it's
958
01:08:54.000 --> 01:08:58.720
for the woman of your dreams,
I would like to think you're not buying
959
01:08:58.760 --> 01:09:05.119
that engagement ring out giving it some
real deep thought, like that's that's not
960
01:09:05.239 --> 01:09:11.199
an impulse by or at least it
shouldn't be. It's not. That's not
961
01:09:11.359 --> 01:09:15.159
an impulse buy. That's the kind
of buye you make with a lot of
962
01:09:15.199 --> 01:09:19.079
thought. And I'm not talking about
necessarily the quality of the ring, although
963
01:09:19.119 --> 01:09:25.279
that obviously does matter. Like it's
the decision that you've made, the life
964
01:09:25.279 --> 01:09:29.560
that you're about to enter into,
where you're buying that ring and you're doing
965
01:09:29.600 --> 01:09:32.720
it going Okay, I'm not gonna
want to go back and do something else
966
01:09:33.199 --> 01:09:36.239
in six months. This is the
person I want to be with, which
967
01:09:36.279 --> 01:09:42.119
means if I run into somebody else, well, I'm, for lack of
968
01:09:42.199 --> 01:09:44.800
a better way of putting it,
stuck with the person that I've bought this
969
01:09:44.920 --> 01:09:47.600
ring for. Like, you buy
that ring and you go, okay,
970
01:09:47.800 --> 01:09:51.640
is there the possibility that someone else
is going to come along and make me
971
01:09:51.680 --> 01:09:57.479
rethink this? Is there the possibility
that someone's gonna come along and make me
972
01:09:57.560 --> 01:10:04.239
go I've made a mistake. If
the answer is yes, don't buy the
973
01:10:04.319 --> 01:10:12.840
ring. So if you're gonna give
a quarterback a contract that makes him the
974
01:10:12.960 --> 01:10:18.800
highest paid player in the sport,
you better ask yourself, is there going
975
01:10:18.880 --> 01:10:25.279
to be someone who comes along and
makes me go, eh? I don't
976
01:10:25.319 --> 01:10:29.319
know that I want to do this
anymore. And if the answer is yes,
977
01:10:30.880 --> 01:10:33.840
don't sign that quarterback to the contract. Somebody else has come along,
978
01:10:33.880 --> 01:10:40.199
a very nice, viable second option, a quality backup, a guy that
979
01:10:40.239 --> 01:10:45.600
they like. By the way,
I gather that Jake Browning's success is not
980
01:10:45.720 --> 01:10:48.399
a shock to the people who run
the Bengals, because what if we heard
981
01:10:48.439 --> 01:10:53.840
for years they like him. Well, if they like him, it means
982
01:10:54.000 --> 01:10:59.039
that they had some degree of faith
in him being able to perform if necessary.
983
01:10:59.119 --> 01:11:01.920
Maybe not enough to play week one, but I think they have a
984
01:11:01.960 --> 01:11:04.600
sense of what his ceiling is,
They have a sense of what he can
985
01:11:04.640 --> 01:11:10.439
do, of his capabilities, of
what his best case scenario is. And
986
01:11:10.520 --> 01:11:15.479
my guess is, what Jake Browning
has done over these last three weeks has
987
01:11:15.680 --> 01:11:24.079
matched those craziest of all expectations.
So all along you had Jake Browning,
988
01:11:24.880 --> 01:11:29.800
You sign Joe to the contract.
You sign Joe to the contract because you
989
01:11:29.840 --> 01:11:32.159
knew Jake Browning was never going to
be as good. You knew he was
990
01:11:32.199 --> 01:11:40.439
never going to be a serious alternative. Because if you had even the tiniest
991
01:11:40.520 --> 01:11:44.720
inkling that maybe he could be,
that you would have played him in a
992
01:11:44.800 --> 01:11:47.439
game back in the first week of
the year, when Joe was still dealing
993
01:11:47.479 --> 01:11:54.600
with the calf issue. They've given
Joe Burrow a very expensive engagement ring.
994
01:11:54.920 --> 01:11:58.319
That engagement ring is, Hey,
this is unconditional. I'm not going to
995
01:11:58.359 --> 01:12:01.880
be moved. I'm doing this.
There's no possibility that someone else is gonna
996
01:12:01.880 --> 01:12:04.399
come along in the short term and
make me go. I don't want to
997
01:12:04.439 --> 01:12:11.479
do that anymore. I actually think
it's remarkable. And I know I'm talking
998
01:12:11.479 --> 01:12:14.680
about a minority. You know.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make
999
01:12:14.720 --> 01:12:16.439
and doing a show like this,
and god knows I've made a bunch is
1000
01:12:17.159 --> 01:12:21.600
you craft conversations and you develop topics
around a tiny subset of people. We
1001
01:12:21.640 --> 01:12:25.720
asked a poll question yesterday about what
do you do with Jake and Joe,
1002
01:12:25.800 --> 01:12:29.039
and like, I don't know,
Like seven percent said trade Joe, which
1003
01:12:29.079 --> 01:12:32.720
is not that likely, not basically
possible. And so I know I'm talking
1004
01:12:32.760 --> 01:12:38.039
to a small, small minority here, and that's maybe not the best way
1005
01:12:38.039 --> 01:12:45.199
to approach this, but I've done
it, and here we are. It
1006
01:12:45.319 --> 01:12:50.119
is sometimes really hard to avoid getting
caught up in what you're watching right now
1007
01:12:51.880 --> 01:12:58.159
that you kind of you forget about
what you already had, right, I
1008
01:12:58.159 --> 01:13:01.000
mean, you know, he can
all be slaved to recency bias. That's
1009
01:13:01.039 --> 01:13:04.520
why I went on Danner's podcast today
and I said that Bengals went on Saturday
1010
01:13:04.560 --> 01:13:10.199
is my favorite ever favorite regular season
winever. I felt that way on Saturday,
1011
01:13:10.199 --> 01:13:13.000
But Okay, it just happened.
I wanted to really think about it
1012
01:13:13.079 --> 01:13:15.920
and go, yeah, that's that's
it. That's the one. Sometimes you
1013
01:13:16.000 --> 01:13:19.640
forget about what else was awesome when
something really cool is happening right now.
1014
01:13:21.279 --> 01:13:29.159
Joe Burrow was trending upward once he
sort of put the calf issue behind him
1015
01:13:30.279 --> 01:13:38.479
and was playing at a really,
really high level enough to make you think,
1016
01:13:39.000 --> 01:13:43.560
you know what, the Bengals are
about to take off here. You
1017
01:13:43.600 --> 01:13:46.279
know what if they do, perhaps
in a year where the MVP race is
1018
01:13:46.359 --> 01:13:53.079
wide open, Joe could play himself
into it. That's not like he had
1019
01:13:53.079 --> 01:13:56.800
played flawlessly by any stretch of the
imagination. He certainly didn't against the Texans
1020
01:13:56.840 --> 01:14:00.039
in a game they lost. Go
back on the watch how he played against
1021
01:14:00.079 --> 01:14:03.319
San Francisco and how he played against
Buffalo. Go watch how he played against
1022
01:14:03.319 --> 01:14:10.560
a bad team Arizona. It wasn't
great against Seattle, but still it's the
1023
01:14:10.640 --> 01:14:15.279
Jake Browning story is awesome. This
is the most fun, just organic,
1024
01:14:15.439 --> 01:14:21.960
from out of nowhere story maybe in
my life following this team it is.
1025
01:14:23.520 --> 01:14:27.199
It might have a very short shelf
life, but it is awesome. But
1026
01:14:27.439 --> 01:14:30.000
let's not get so caught up.
I know with Joe it's the money and
1027
01:14:30.039 --> 01:14:34.239
what he's making. Let's not get
so caught up and looking at what's happening
1028
01:14:34.279 --> 01:14:40.439
over here that we kind of forget
about what is over here and is still
1029
01:14:40.600 --> 01:14:45.399
really really good. That doesn't mean
I don't want Jake Browning on the time.
1030
01:14:45.520 --> 01:14:49.439
I want I want both quarterbacks.
Just Jake Browning's your backup quarterback next
1031
01:14:49.520 --> 01:14:54.119
year. You have a QB situation
that is among the most enviable in the
1032
01:14:54.279 --> 01:15:00.680
entire league, but it's sometimes it
could be really really hard tot times to
1033
01:15:00.560 --> 01:15:05.399
avoid the temptation of falling in love
with what's happening right now, because boy,
1034
01:15:05.479 --> 01:15:09.760
it's new and different and interesting,
and you kind of forget about what
1035
01:15:09.840 --> 01:15:14.119
you have over here at home,
which is still really awesome. It's a
1036
01:15:14.159 --> 01:15:17.880
reason he gave Joe Burrow that contract, and yeah, it was the going
1037
01:15:17.960 --> 01:15:21.039
rate for a quarterback, and it's
what he has accomplished and it was the
1038
01:15:21.039 --> 01:15:24.640
fact that he was the number one
overall pick and he's lived up to the
1039
01:15:24.680 --> 01:15:29.399
hype and all that's great. But
you gave him that contract because you thought,
1040
01:15:29.439 --> 01:15:31.479
you know what, there's no other
scenario that's going to make me go
1041
01:15:32.760 --> 01:15:39.560
kind of want someone else, no
other quarterback and nothing. If we felt
1042
01:15:39.600 --> 01:15:42.840
that way four months ago, should
we really allow a handful of games to
1043
01:15:42.880 --> 01:15:49.479
make us think otherwise? The answer
is not. Yes. Let's go to
1044
01:15:49.520 --> 01:15:53.560
Pittsburgh. Steelers are a mess.
They left here. We felt like God,
1045
01:15:53.560 --> 01:15:56.560
the Steelers, despite that awful offense, They're going to the postseason and
1046
01:15:56.600 --> 01:16:00.680
now I'm not sure they're gonna win
another game. What is happened there?
1047
01:16:00.800 --> 01:16:04.079
We'll go there to talk with my
buddy Mark Bergen, who comes to Steelers
1048
01:16:04.159 --> 01:16:09.680
very closely. He joins us next
on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports station since
1049
01:16:09.680 --> 01:16:11.800
the NATI. Hey, if you're
looking ahead to Saturday, don't forget me
1050
01:16:11.880 --> 01:16:15.640
watching the game at Smoke Justice in
Covington. Can't wait to be back there.
1051
01:16:15.000 --> 01:16:20.000
Tons of smoked meat, awesome bourbon
selection and I'll have giveaways. All
1052
01:16:20.039 --> 01:16:25.159
we need is you on Christmas Eve
Eve. That is like the perfect game.
1053
01:16:25.319 --> 01:16:30.439
Four thirty on the Saturday prior to
Christmas Eve. You cannot beat it.
1054
01:16:30.479 --> 01:16:33.079
Of course, the game live on
ESPN fifteen thirty. I'd love to
1055
01:16:33.079 --> 01:16:36.600
see you at Smoke Justice. Mark
Bergen is one of the hosts of the
1056
01:16:36.600 --> 01:16:41.199
Believe In Steelers podcast on the Believe
Network. He is the host of that
1057
01:16:41.239 --> 01:16:45.439
show along with former Pittsburgh Steeler Ike
Taylor. Mark knows everything about the Pittsburgh
1058
01:16:45.439 --> 01:16:47.600
Steelers and we have a lot to
talk about. It's good to have you,
1059
01:16:47.600 --> 01:16:50.439
Mark, How are you mo Thank
you for having me. It's not
1060
01:16:50.560 --> 01:16:54.920
every day that I get to cut
it up with the Cincinnati radio legend.
1061
01:16:55.600 --> 01:17:00.159
And since that first meeting between these
two teams, the Steelers have been and
1062
01:17:00.199 --> 01:17:02.600
somewhat of a tail spin. Yeah, you know, we walked away from
1063
01:17:02.640 --> 01:17:06.119
that game on top of all the
frustration with how the Bengals played, going,
1064
01:17:06.159 --> 01:17:10.199
man, they're gonna do it Pittsburgh
with with that offense, which was
1065
01:17:10.239 --> 01:17:14.000
pretty productive that to at least gaining
yardage, they're gonna they're gonna make the
1066
01:17:14.000 --> 01:17:16.920
playoffs. And since then, losses
to the Cardinals, to the Patriots,
1067
01:17:17.159 --> 01:17:21.960
and then what we saw on Saturday
against Indianapolis. I guess the obvious answer
1068
01:17:23.000 --> 01:17:27.520
is they've had to change quarterbacks.
But beyond that, why has this gone
1069
01:17:27.560 --> 01:17:32.359
so south so quickly? I almost
liken it to where it's like, if
1070
01:17:32.399 --> 01:17:35.840
you were trying to sell this game
to fans and you had Jake Browning and
1071
01:17:35.920 --> 01:17:42.239
Mason Rudolph on the movie poster to
try to sell ticket, would be like
1072
01:17:42.279 --> 01:17:47.039
what universe are we living in?
But the Steelers offense has just been absolutely
1073
01:17:47.119 --> 01:17:51.680
putrid, which is why they're going
to try to start Mason Rudolph assuming that
1074
01:17:51.800 --> 01:17:57.399
Kenny Pickett can't play. The Steelers
have failed to score at least nineteen points
1075
01:17:57.439 --> 01:18:01.600
in the past five games. It's
the longest streak since nineteen sixty nine,
1076
01:18:01.640 --> 01:18:06.720
when they went six games in a
row without scoring nineteen That was Chuck Knowles's
1077
01:18:06.760 --> 01:18:14.079
first season. So it's just been
very bad offense. I really had hope
1078
01:18:14.119 --> 01:18:17.640
after the Steelers decided to fire Matt
Canada, a move that they hadn't made
1079
01:18:17.800 --> 01:18:23.319
firing either a head coach or coordinator
mid season for the first time since the
1080
01:18:23.359 --> 01:18:28.560
World War Two era in nineteen forty
one. But this offense has regressed even
1081
01:18:28.600 --> 01:18:32.039
without Matt Canada. So if you
thought it was bad before, it is
1082
01:18:32.159 --> 01:18:38.920
now even worse. It hasn't been
good. Mike Tomlin said yesterday sort of
1083
01:18:38.920 --> 01:18:42.800
a tomlinism, the door is a
jar for Kenny Pickett to play. Is
1084
01:18:42.840 --> 01:18:46.199
it only very slightly a jar?
Are we wasting our time even talking about
1085
01:18:46.279 --> 01:18:50.479
this? It's going to be Mason
Rudolph on Saturday, right, I think?
1086
01:18:50.600 --> 01:18:55.119
So you have to kind of pick
up on what the tomlinisms are.
1087
01:18:55.960 --> 01:19:00.199
Unless Kenny Pickett CRUs where it's like
in practice that ankle with he had surgery
1088
01:19:00.239 --> 01:19:05.279
on is magically better and the healing
process has sped up, I'd imagine it
1089
01:19:05.319 --> 01:19:10.359
will be Mason Rudolph. I would
be surprised if Kenny Pickett was able to
1090
01:19:10.680 --> 01:19:13.079
tough it out and grit it out
and play. I do think it'll be
1091
01:19:13.159 --> 01:19:16.479
Rudolph on Saturday, but we're recording
this on Tuesday. A lot can change
1092
01:19:16.479 --> 01:19:19.680
between now and men. I would
expect it to be Mason Rudolph. Though.
1093
01:19:19.880 --> 01:19:25.319
Let's talk about Pickett because if nothing
else at the end of last year,
1094
01:19:25.359 --> 01:19:27.840
I think most people went, you
know what, they might have their
1095
01:19:27.880 --> 01:19:30.520
guy in Pittsburgh, and then watching
him play this season, boy, it's
1096
01:19:30.520 --> 01:19:34.399
been hard to feel that way.
Why has he not progressed to the level
1097
01:19:34.399 --> 01:19:39.800
that maybe a year ago people would
have expected. I think about it,
1098
01:19:39.840 --> 01:19:44.800
from the standpoint of coaching, when
young quarterbacks struggle in the NFL, the
1099
01:19:44.880 --> 01:19:49.840
first thing fans should ask themselves is
who are their coaches? And this Stealers
1100
01:19:49.960 --> 01:19:56.079
offense really hasn't been right, if
we're being honest with ourselves, since Week
1101
01:19:56.079 --> 01:20:00.600
two of the twenty nineteen season when
Big Ben shattered his elbow, because at
1102
01:20:00.600 --> 01:20:03.520
that point, the previous general manager, Kevin Colbert, should have been asking
1103
01:20:03.600 --> 01:20:06.920
himself, Okay, big Ben getting
a little long in the tooth at this
1104
01:20:06.960 --> 01:20:12.760
point, what's our plan in the
post Ben Roethlisberger era? And so then
1105
01:20:13.560 --> 01:20:16.560
eventually you get two more seasons of
Roethlisberger on his last legs, and then
1106
01:20:16.640 --> 01:20:21.760
Pickett last year as a rookie has
Matt Canada as his offensive coordinator. Canada
1107
01:20:21.880 --> 01:20:28.079
was his quarterbacks coach under the previous
offensive coordinator, Randy Fiekner. My point
1108
01:20:28.119 --> 01:20:32.159
being is this, whatever the Steelers
decide to do this offseason, whether it's
1109
01:20:32.239 --> 01:20:38.520
move on for Mike Tomlin or not
bring in a fresh oc, fresh blood
1110
01:20:38.560 --> 01:20:43.880
from outside of the organization, because
if they end up promoting Eddie Faulkner,
1111
01:20:43.920 --> 01:20:47.840
who is now the interim offensive coordinator
and promote him to full time, you're
1112
01:20:47.920 --> 01:20:51.560
just going to be rinting, repeating
what you've done to this point. And
1113
01:20:51.600 --> 01:20:55.960
that's no knock on Eddie Faulkner,
It's no knock on Mike Sullivan, the
1114
01:20:56.039 --> 01:21:01.039
quarterbacks coach. But this offense is
not good enough to compete in the twenty
1115
01:21:01.079 --> 01:21:05.840
first century, in twenty twenty three
and beyond to where if somehow the Steelers
1116
01:21:05.880 --> 01:21:10.600
snuck into the playoffs, you have
to win with different styles of play when
1117
01:21:10.640 --> 01:21:13.680
you get to the playoffs. If
you ask this offense to say, hey,
1118
01:21:13.760 --> 01:21:16.199
we need you to score thirty to
forty points in a shootout to win
1119
01:21:16.239 --> 01:21:20.840
a game, this offense is not
capable of doing that. So you mentioned
1120
01:21:20.840 --> 01:21:23.800
Mark Burgan is with us, by
the way, one of the hosts of
1121
01:21:23.880 --> 01:21:28.159
the Believe In Steelers podcast on the
Believe Network, hosted alongside Ike Taylor.
1122
01:21:29.000 --> 01:21:32.359
You mentioned Mike Tomlin and whether or
not he's back next season. Do the
1123
01:21:32.399 --> 01:21:35.760
next three games decide that? Is
there going to be a tough conversation at
1124
01:21:35.800 --> 01:21:39.920
the end of the year regardless,
What is your expectation as to how the
1125
01:21:40.199 --> 01:21:44.239
coming weeks for him play out.
Here's how I look at it. Right,
1126
01:21:45.159 --> 01:21:48.159
he is under contract through twenty twenty
four. If he's going to be
1127
01:21:48.239 --> 01:21:51.880
the Steelers guy long term for the
next three to four to five years.
1128
01:21:53.000 --> 01:21:56.039
I think it is a two way
street. And I think it's also is
1129
01:21:56.079 --> 01:22:00.159
this something Mike Tomlin wants to do? But if you want to bring the
1130
01:22:00.239 --> 01:22:05.159
new offensive coordinator, right, he
has to know that Tomlin's going to be
1131
01:22:05.199 --> 01:22:09.800
there beyond just this next season.
Otherwise he's a lame duck head coach.
1132
01:22:10.640 --> 01:22:13.880
So if you want to move on
from him, careful what you wish for
1133
01:22:14.600 --> 01:22:17.079
the Steelers. I do think it
would be appealing jobs because they really only
1134
01:22:17.159 --> 01:22:21.159
make coaching changes once a quarter century. They've had a great track record with
1135
01:22:21.479 --> 01:22:26.680
Tomlin, Tower and Chuck Noll.
But there's a lot of questions to be
1136
01:22:26.720 --> 01:22:30.000
had to where if you bring in
a new, bright, young offensive mind,
1137
01:22:30.039 --> 01:22:32.279
Okay, then the next question I
have is, Okay, we're trying
1138
01:22:32.279 --> 01:22:35.479
to fix the offensive side of the
ball. He continue running a three to
1139
01:22:35.520 --> 01:22:40.479
four base defense if you bring in
a new head coach, because that's how
1140
01:22:40.520 --> 01:22:44.199
all of your personnel is set up
front in your front seven CJ. Watt
1141
01:22:44.239 --> 01:22:47.439
Alex Heismith is outside linebackers in a
three to four would they be then be
1142
01:22:47.479 --> 01:22:50.319
able to convert to defensive ends.
In a four to three you're asking them
1143
01:22:50.359 --> 01:22:55.640
to do different things in terms of
the makeup of this team. So I
1144
01:22:55.680 --> 01:22:59.199
do think Tomlin could be hired by
Sundown on the same day. I've heard
1145
01:22:59.239 --> 01:23:02.720
rumors with the Largers. You've had
heard rumors with Washington, if you want
1146
01:23:02.760 --> 01:23:06.920
to run him out of town,
the Rooneys, the owner and then the
1147
01:23:08.000 --> 01:23:10.560
general manager, Omar Khan, if
they say, okay, we're going to
1148
01:23:10.600 --> 01:23:14.359
part ways with Tomlin, I hope
they have three to four to five candidates
1149
01:23:14.439 --> 01:23:18.039
that they can go realistically get because
then you're also competing with the other teams
1150
01:23:18.039 --> 01:23:23.600
that have head coaching vacancies, and
so there's a lot to sort out between
1151
01:23:23.640 --> 01:23:28.000
now and then. But at this
point, it's not looking like the Steelers
1152
01:23:28.159 --> 01:23:31.680
will continue that winning record that has
always touted with Mike Tomlin and then making
1153
01:23:31.680 --> 01:23:35.760
the playoffs and actually doing something when
you're there, and these last three weeks
1154
01:23:35.880 --> 01:23:41.319
is just you're butttering down the stretch
when really you want to be playing your
1155
01:23:41.319 --> 01:23:45.239
best football. So from the standpoint
of somebody who follows this on a more
1156
01:23:45.279 --> 01:23:48.079
granular level, like football fans,
respect the heck out of Mike Tomlin,
1157
01:23:48.279 --> 01:23:51.520
and we should right. I mean, the overall resume has been terrific.
1158
01:23:51.600 --> 01:23:56.520
He commands a lot of respect.
His teams play tough, they play physical,
1159
01:23:56.600 --> 01:23:59.479
they play with an attitude, all
that stuff. At the same time,
1160
01:24:00.000 --> 01:24:02.760
it's been a long time since they've
won a playoff game. He's had
1161
01:24:02.760 --> 01:24:08.119
a track record of losing the sorts
of games like we've seen in recent weeks
1162
01:24:08.119 --> 01:24:13.640
to New England and two Arizona.
They've had some postseason failures to inferior teams
1163
01:24:13.680 --> 01:24:17.399
and bad quarterbacks here and there.
So on the list of valid criticisms of
1164
01:24:17.439 --> 01:24:24.279
Mike Tomlin, what's at the top
of the list in your opinion? It
1165
01:24:24.399 --> 01:24:27.479
really it goes back to, like
we could talk to her blue in the
1166
01:24:27.520 --> 01:24:30.359
face right about all of this.
It's the lack of playoff success. Because
1167
01:24:30.359 --> 01:24:34.920
you've got to go back to twenty
sixteen regular season, so January of twenty
1168
01:24:34.920 --> 01:24:38.720
seven teams, the last time this
team won a playoff game, the last
1169
01:24:38.760 --> 01:24:42.159
time this franchise won the playoff game. And you say, well, he's
1170
01:24:42.199 --> 01:24:45.239
gone to two Super Bowls, he
won one of them with Ben. But
1171
01:24:45.319 --> 01:24:47.680
that's something that we're talking about that
was more than a decade ago now,
1172
01:24:48.520 --> 01:24:53.840
so whether it was with the Killer
Bees, they didn't have the playoff success
1173
01:24:53.920 --> 01:24:59.560
like all of the stems back to
Toysting Lombardi. You hear around Pittsburgh all
1174
01:24:59.560 --> 01:25:00.960
the time, six birds, When
are they going to get the seven?
1175
01:25:01.840 --> 01:25:04.600
And it's okay, you can't even
win a playoff game, let alone trying
1176
01:25:04.600 --> 01:25:10.079
to win the Super Bowl. And
you mentioned tomlinisms before off the top to
1177
01:25:10.159 --> 01:25:14.079
call the standard is the standard?
When I look at him pop on the
1178
01:25:14.079 --> 01:25:18.520
tape from this last week and George
Pickens is just not blocking his man and
1179
01:25:18.680 --> 01:25:23.079
is in outer space. And this
is something we've seen from him and Deontay
1180
01:25:23.159 --> 01:25:27.399
Johnson and their frustrations for go pop
on the tape and look at Matt Mitch
1181
01:25:27.399 --> 01:25:31.840
Trubisky's final interception against the Colts this
past Saturday. Go back and watch that
1182
01:25:31.920 --> 01:25:35.680
replay and look at what George Pickens
is doing where he starts to chase after
1183
01:25:35.760 --> 01:25:40.640
the ball carrier and then he just
starts to jog and it's like where is
1184
01:25:40.680 --> 01:25:45.560
he jogging to? So I look
at that and it's like you question,
1185
01:25:45.760 --> 01:25:48.439
has he lost the locker room?
Is that same voice that has been extremely
1186
01:25:48.520 --> 01:25:54.760
successful over a seventeen year tenure is
that starting to draw stale. It's that
1187
01:25:54.920 --> 01:25:59.560
same voice not resonating in the same
way as it has in seasons past.
1188
01:26:00.319 --> 01:26:04.039
Mike Tomlins had an extremely successful run
in Pittsburgh. But if this is in
1189
01:26:04.079 --> 01:26:08.000
fact the end of the Mike Tomlin
era, and I've said, you know,
1190
01:26:08.079 --> 01:26:11.000
let him have a losing season first
before we want to run him out
1191
01:26:11.000 --> 01:26:13.680
of town. But I'm going to
try to enjoy it the best I can
1192
01:26:13.720 --> 01:26:18.439
despite what has been some very serious
shortcomings from an offensive standpoint, really for
1193
01:26:18.479 --> 01:26:24.119
the last five years, well said, awesome insight. Enjoy the game on
1194
01:26:24.439 --> 01:26:27.720
Saturday, Have a great holiday season. Always love having you on. Mark.
1195
01:26:27.760 --> 01:26:30.640
Thanks so much, Mo, Thank
you for having me in that movie
1196
01:26:30.680 --> 01:26:35.399
poster. Jake Browning, Mason Rudolph
and he guide the Steelers on our sleigh
1197
01:26:35.479 --> 01:26:40.039
tonight. We will see he'll have
his opportunity. Thank you again for having
1198
01:26:40.039 --> 01:26:43.800
me Browning Rudolph Saturday. Can't wait. Mark Bergen one of the hosts of
1199
01:26:43.840 --> 01:26:46.680
the Believe In Steelers podcast, along
with former Pittsburgh Steeler I Taylor, part
1200
01:26:46.720 --> 01:26:50.520
of the Believe Network. Our Look
at the Steelers a service of Crown Point
1201
01:26:50.600 --> 01:26:56.680
Remodeling. They specialize in windows,
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1202
01:26:57.199 --> 01:26:59.800
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of the castle without a crown. Go
1203
01:26:59.800 --> 01:27:04.800
to CPR dot Build that CPR dot
build to learn more. We're gonna talk
1204
01:27:04.800 --> 01:27:10.640
about the respective injuries to DJ Reader, Djivy and Jamar Chase with one of
1205
01:27:10.640 --> 01:27:14.439
the many experts from Orthos Cincy.
When we come back. My name is
1206
01:27:14.479 --> 01:27:18.600
Malwegar plus Zach Taylor's press conference is
coming up on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports
1207
01:27:18.600 --> 01:27:25.479
Station Cincinnati. Don't forget My Christmas
Party is tomorrow at the Marline Loggerhouse.
1208
01:27:25.479 --> 01:27:28.800
We're on the air from three to
six. Ken Anderson is gonna stop by.
1209
01:27:29.039 --> 01:27:31.039
Sega Clause is going to be there. We're gonna have the five dollars
1210
01:27:31.039 --> 01:27:35.039
Happy Hour menu. We're gonna have
two dollars off appetizers. We're gonna have
1211
01:27:35.079 --> 01:27:39.640
giveaways every hour. We're going to
have a lot of fun. We want
1212
01:27:39.640 --> 01:27:44.159
to see you tomorrow at the more
Line Loggerhouse from three to six. Cannot
1213
01:27:44.159 --> 01:27:47.279
wait for that. The show tomorrow
means we're taking our typical segment we do
1214
01:27:47.319 --> 01:27:51.239
about injuries and moving it to well
right now. We do this every single
1215
01:27:51.279 --> 01:27:56.439
week. We chat with one of
the experts from Ortho Sincy Orthopedics and Sports
1216
01:27:56.439 --> 01:28:00.319
Medicine normally on Wednesdays, but we're
doing it today. The great thing about
1217
01:28:00.359 --> 01:28:03.880
Ortho since as they have specialists on
locations all over the Try State and they
1218
01:28:04.199 --> 01:28:11.239
also offer walkin orthopedic urgent care at
five Tri State locations with extended evening and
1219
01:28:11.319 --> 01:28:15.840
weekend hours in Edgewood and Anderson.
Learn more at Orthosinc dot com. That's
1220
01:28:16.039 --> 01:28:23.560
Orthos c I NCY dot com joining
us this week to talk about three Bengals
1221
01:28:23.640 --> 01:28:29.039
injuries. Doctor Matthew Gruckemeier from Ortho
since he let's start by talking about Jamar
1222
01:28:29.239 --> 01:28:31.560
Chase, who is not going to
play on Saturday. He suffered a shoulder
1223
01:28:31.640 --> 01:28:36.680
injury in the fourth quarter of this
past Saturday's game against Minnesota. The reports
1224
01:28:36.720 --> 01:28:42.720
are a separated shoulder ac joint sprain. Let's start with that. What is
1225
01:28:42.800 --> 01:28:46.079
an ac joint? Yeah, the
ac join is where the collar bone meets
1226
01:28:46.159 --> 01:28:51.439
up against the shoulder blade. And
you know, if it's a simple sprain,
1227
01:28:51.720 --> 01:28:55.680
we call that. There's three basic
types. That's the type one.
1228
01:28:56.920 --> 01:29:00.720
Sometimes you can bounce back, uh, maybe get back within a week or
1229
01:29:00.720 --> 01:29:04.399
two. That's what we're hoping for
for Jamar. If it's a higher type
1230
01:29:04.439 --> 01:29:09.199
sprain, it may take an extended
period of time off for it to heal.
1231
01:29:09.760 --> 01:29:14.800
And type three, where there's an
actually separation from the collar bone from
1232
01:29:14.840 --> 01:29:18.199
the shoulder blade, those sometimes require
surgery. Is an ac joint injury the
1233
01:29:18.279 --> 01:29:23.760
same as a shoulder separation, Yeah, it can be, but depends on
1234
01:29:23.840 --> 01:29:27.319
the grade. If it's truly separated, the color bone is going to be
1235
01:29:27.399 --> 01:29:30.880
popped up, though sometimes require surgery. All right, So walk me through
1236
01:29:30.960 --> 01:29:36.119
the likely treatment process and timeline here. Well, my guess is they're going
1237
01:29:36.159 --> 01:29:41.840
to have them in a sling.
They're going to get an MRI to assess
1238
01:29:42.399 --> 01:29:46.359
which ligaments are damaged because there's two
major ligaments groups. If just one of
1239
01:29:46.439 --> 01:29:50.680
them is stretched out, then that's
way better prognosis. If it's actually torn,
1240
01:29:53.159 --> 01:29:56.800
that's a lot longer healing. That
takes long and six weeks for those
1241
01:29:56.840 --> 01:30:01.680
ligaments to regrow. If both ligaments
complex that you're toured, that's the type
1242
01:30:01.720 --> 01:30:05.560
three that's going to maybe acquire surgery. So he's not going to play on
1243
01:30:05.720 --> 01:30:12.079
Saturday. Cincinnati has two regular season
games left. Is it is it realistic
1244
01:30:12.319 --> 01:30:15.800
that he could come back before the
end of the regular season If we get
1245
01:30:15.880 --> 01:30:20.520
lucky and he's got a Type one
injury and they rest him for a week
1246
01:30:20.640 --> 01:30:23.840
and he's steeling. Okay, they
may be able to get it back for
1247
01:30:23.920 --> 01:30:27.840
that last game. Walk me through
when, if ever, surgery would be
1248
01:30:27.880 --> 01:30:31.079
a consideration here. Yeah, surgery
can happen if they get a Type three
1249
01:30:31.159 --> 01:30:35.800
separation of the top ligament and the
underneath ligament are both torn. In that
1250
01:30:36.000 --> 01:30:41.720
case, in an overhead athlete,
one just got to you know, put
1251
01:30:41.760 --> 01:30:44.520
the level of stress he does on
his shoulder, it's likely going to end
1252
01:30:44.600 --> 01:30:47.159
up with surgical treatment. All right. So Jamar Chase has a chance to
1253
01:30:47.239 --> 01:30:53.039
come back. DJ Reeder, unfortunately
not so much defensive tackle for the Bengals,
1254
01:30:53.159 --> 01:30:57.560
carted off on Saturday. He has
suffered a quad tear. I know
1255
01:30:57.680 --> 01:31:00.960
this is kind of a dumb question, but anyway, what is the quad
1256
01:31:01.239 --> 01:31:06.479
and what's its function? Yeah?
The quad is a foreheaded muscle on the
1257
01:31:06.520 --> 01:31:12.000
front of your thigh and that's what
helps you straighten your knee out. All
1258
01:31:12.119 --> 01:31:15.319
right, So are there different grades
with this type of injury as well?
1259
01:31:17.359 --> 01:31:24.560
Basically incomplete tear or a complete tear. Obviously complete pair is going to always
1260
01:31:24.600 --> 01:31:29.680
require surgery. With the incomplete tear, it's possible that an extended period of
1261
01:31:29.720 --> 01:31:33.319
time and embrace, coupled with expert
physical therapy could get him back playing.
1262
01:31:33.760 --> 01:31:36.000
It's still going to be a long
time off, probably get him out for
1263
01:31:36.079 --> 01:31:39.960
the season, Yeah, no question
about that. Are we talking about something
1264
01:31:40.000 --> 01:31:44.800
that could jeopardize regardless of where he's
playing next year, jeopardize his availability for
1265
01:31:44.960 --> 01:31:48.960
the start of the twenty twenty four
season. Yeah, potentially. You know,
1266
01:31:49.079 --> 01:31:56.279
you're usually looking at about six months
of therapy after a successful surgery to
1267
01:31:56.319 --> 01:32:00.159
get a guy up to NFL over
level caliber play. So just doing that
1268
01:32:00.279 --> 01:32:05.359
in my head, he may least
miss some training camp and then hopefully get
1269
01:32:05.399 --> 01:32:09.960
back to the start of the season
in August next year. All Right,
1270
01:32:10.000 --> 01:32:13.560
one more player to ask about.
Dj Iv, a dB for the Bengals.
1271
01:32:13.800 --> 01:32:16.000
He got injured in the first half
of Saturday's game and it was revealed
1272
01:32:16.000 --> 01:32:21.359
on Sunday that he's tore his ACL, and just watching his reaction in real
1273
01:32:21.479 --> 01:32:26.199
time, you knew that this was
serious. So is there a way to
1274
01:32:26.239 --> 01:32:30.520
know immediately if an ACL is torn
versus a more benign injury like a spring
1275
01:32:32.119 --> 01:32:35.000
Yeah, I mean, I think
that's one of the reason that you'll see
1276
01:32:35.079 --> 01:32:40.600
docs and trainers on the sidelines rush
out to the field to assess these injuries.
1277
01:32:40.640 --> 01:32:45.520
We can sometimes immediately after an injury, while the adrenaline adrenaline is show
1278
01:32:45.600 --> 01:32:46.880
up, you can get a pretty
good exam and you can feel, oh
1279
01:32:47.039 --> 01:32:51.680
yeah, that leaguement definitely feels to
warner. Once the swelling starts in and
1280
01:32:53.600 --> 01:32:56.039
you know, it's a little more
difficult sometimes to assess, so that on
1281
01:32:56.239 --> 01:33:01.760
field exams, he's a pretty important
Let's walk through the possible timeline here in
1282
01:33:01.920 --> 01:33:06.199
terms of the surgery, when it's
performed, and then how the rehab and
1283
01:33:06.279 --> 01:33:12.600
recovery you're going to play out.
Yeah, well, depending on the other
1284
01:33:12.760 --> 01:33:16.000
associated structures that may be damaged,
of course, an MRI is going to
1285
01:33:16.039 --> 01:33:25.560
assess that it may necessitate a rapid
surgery and start the rapid rehab protocol,
1286
01:33:26.039 --> 01:33:29.119
or he may need a little bit
of time to get his ranging fish back
1287
01:33:29.359 --> 01:33:31.439
and get some of the swelling gap. That's of course going to be dependent
1288
01:33:31.479 --> 01:33:38.199
on the individual injury that he suffered, and anyhow, usually within the first
1289
01:33:38.600 --> 01:33:43.119
two to four weeks surgery is going
to be performed, and then similar to
1290
01:33:43.199 --> 01:33:47.439
a quadr payer, you're looking at
about a six month window for the full
1291
01:33:47.479 --> 01:33:54.000
recovery till he's able to get back
to the NFL caliber football performance. So
1292
01:33:54.319 --> 01:34:00.079
we're talking about something here that could
possibly compromise at least his availability for the
1293
01:34:00.119 --> 01:34:02.279
start of training CAM, but it's
realistic that he could play at the start
1294
01:34:02.319 --> 01:34:08.279
of the season next year. Correct, Yes, I believe so. Awesome
1295
01:34:08.359 --> 01:34:12.000
insight, much appreciated. Happy holidays, doctor, thanks so much, thank
1296
01:34:12.039 --> 01:34:15.319
you. All Right, there you
go, doctor Matthew Gruckemeier from Ortho Sincy.
1297
01:34:15.439 --> 01:34:18.159
Awesome stuff. I say this every
single week. The awesome thing about
1298
01:34:18.279 --> 01:34:23.640
Orthos Sincy is they have specialists on
locations all over the Tri State, including
1299
01:34:23.720 --> 01:34:28.119
walkin orthopedic urgent care during the week
from nine a m. To nine pm
1300
01:34:28.199 --> 01:34:31.640
and on Saturdays from nine am to
one pm at both Edgewood and Anderson.
1301
01:34:31.720 --> 01:34:35.600
It's easier because you don't need an
appointment, and it's definitely cheaper than going
1302
01:34:35.640 --> 01:34:41.479
to an er. Whenever you have
an urgent orthopedic injury, go to Orthosincy
1303
01:34:42.000 --> 01:34:47.439
dot com. That's orthos ci Ncy
dot com. The contractually obligated airing of
1304
01:34:47.600 --> 01:34:55.920
Zach Taylor's Wednesday press conference on a
Tuesday next all right, you're gonna hear
1305
01:34:56.000 --> 01:34:59.680
Zach Taylor's press conference and just as
second, as we get set for Saturday
1306
01:34:59.720 --> 01:35:03.239
Bank and Pittsburgh' Steelers. By the
way, I mentioned this yesterday and I
1307
01:35:03.399 --> 01:35:09.720
was asked a question today by one
of my coworkers. So Saturday downtown was
1308
01:35:09.880 --> 01:35:14.560
nuts Bengals game UC game, tons
of people out and about for both.
1309
01:35:14.960 --> 01:35:19.119
And that was I said earlier on
the show, my favorite all time Bengals
1310
01:35:19.199 --> 01:35:21.680
game. You know what was cool
about it was I didn't have to worry
1311
01:35:21.720 --> 01:35:27.720
about posting from it because I may
Boost Infinite customer. And this really is
1312
01:35:27.840 --> 01:35:30.680
true. It's like having three networks
at your disposal. Coworker of mine asked
1313
01:35:30.680 --> 01:35:33.319
me about it today, I said, just go to boost infinite dot com.
1314
01:35:33.359 --> 01:35:35.960
I was able to post, I
was able to tweet, I was
1315
01:35:36.039 --> 01:35:42.720
able to x, I was able
to text. Because it's like it's like
1316
01:35:42.840 --> 01:35:45.960
having three networks. I mean this, It just it bounces from the one
1317
01:35:45.039 --> 01:35:48.439
that might not be working to one
that is. So and I got a
1318
01:35:48.479 --> 01:35:51.960
new iPhone fifteen, So check out
boost infinite dot com. Now time for
1319
01:35:53.039 --> 01:35:58.880
Zach Taylor's press conference on ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. Time for the
1320
01:35:59.039 --> 01:36:02.760
Zach Taylor Price Friends Brown to Youwan
Bardclay, your local clients, Master Dealers,
1321
01:36:03.159 --> 01:36:10.399
Brandsteaders, Kangaroo, Infinity of Northern
Kentucky and by modern office methods on
1322
01:36:10.880 --> 01:36:16.840
ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home
of the Bengals. Potentially beyond that that
1323
01:36:18.840 --> 01:36:23.800
accurate. Yeah, we'll just take
a day to day of tomorrow today,
1324
01:36:25.720 --> 01:36:31.239
participate, We'll just find out after
the day. We'll see. Yeah,
1325
01:36:31.279 --> 01:36:41.279
we'll see as we goes. Will
you look at Pittsburgh, What's what's the
1326
01:36:41.279 --> 01:36:44.520
biggest difference in their team? You
according to the same as opposed to the
1327
01:36:44.880 --> 01:36:48.399
first. I think we continue to
improve weing to week, and there's some
1328
01:36:48.520 --> 01:36:53.600
things that we got to continue to
get better at. But I think the
1329
01:36:53.640 --> 01:36:55.760
team's in the right mindset right now. We know it's gonna be a tough
1330
01:36:55.800 --> 01:36:59.399
battle going on the road. Four
thirty. Pittsburgh always a big challenge for
1331
01:36:59.520 --> 01:37:01.960
us the road divisional games. Uh, Pittsburgh's a really good football team,
1332
01:37:02.600 --> 01:37:08.119
and and I know they've they've lost
the last couple, but that doesn't mean
1333
01:37:08.159 --> 01:37:10.359
that we're not in for a big
time fight, you know, And so
1334
01:37:10.479 --> 01:37:15.880
our guys are gonna be prepared for
that city love the way saw the Walker
1335
01:37:15.960 --> 01:37:21.199
earlier a few six extra in there. I think it's it's been the same
1336
01:37:21.239 --> 01:37:26.520
attitude we've had, you know,
And and again it's there's nothing more expected
1337
01:37:26.560 --> 01:37:29.199
from our guys. Their approach has
been really good these last couple of weeks,
1338
01:37:29.239 --> 01:37:31.279
and we got to continue that with
the same mindset. And and uh,
1339
01:37:31.800 --> 01:37:35.119
we haven't foul on practice field yet. But but I like the attitude
1340
01:37:35.119 --> 01:37:44.680
I've seen from our guests so far
today. So how much you can can
1341
01:37:44.800 --> 01:37:48.239
Jake take from facing Pittsburgh live the
first time of those just seeing them on
1342
01:37:48.359 --> 01:37:53.600
film and then actually go through it, I think it's helpful. They they've
1343
01:37:53.640 --> 01:37:59.199
got a great defense, you know, and there's a lot of challenges that
1344
01:37:59.239 --> 01:38:01.239
come with playing against these guys.
They've got really high end talent, guys
1345
01:38:01.319 --> 01:38:05.439
that have been playing at a high
level for a really long time, a
1346
01:38:05.479 --> 01:38:09.720
lot of guys that have been in
the Pro Bowl, and so it's always
1347
01:38:09.720 --> 01:38:12.680
a difficult challenge when you're playing these
guys. And so it's good for Jake
1348
01:38:12.760 --> 01:38:15.920
to have been through that one time, got some more games on his belt,
1349
01:38:15.000 --> 01:38:17.359
got some more experience. But but
again, we know that it's going
1350
01:38:17.399 --> 01:38:24.279
to be an enormous challenge when we
take the field. That's what you've seen
1351
01:38:24.359 --> 01:38:28.079
from Sea name games where Jamar hasn't
played, I mean, he had a
1352
01:38:28.159 --> 01:38:30.920
fair share of seeing him. It
seems like he's done the job of rising
1353
01:38:31.039 --> 01:38:34.960
up to that number one. And
how do you does anything change and what
1354
01:38:35.079 --> 01:38:40.520
you try to scheme up when in
that situation is there? You know,
1355
01:38:40.880 --> 01:38:45.840
he obviously is an enormous part of
what we do, and I feel like
1356
01:38:45.920 --> 01:38:47.640
he really rises to the occasion,
you know, when his number is called.
1357
01:38:47.680 --> 01:38:53.880
And so again I think that he
has done a good job capitalizing on
1358
01:38:53.960 --> 01:38:57.079
his opportunities. And he's a guy
we can count on, we can always
1359
01:38:57.119 --> 01:38:59.560
count to. You know, we're
always looking at what's best. So what's
1360
01:38:59.560 --> 01:39:01.199
the best position, what are the
teams doing to try to dictate what we
1361
01:39:01.279 --> 01:39:04.560
do? Who do we move around? Where he's extremely flexible because of his
1362
01:39:04.640 --> 01:39:08.800
football IQ and he understands the whole
offense, so he's easy to move around
1363
01:39:09.479 --> 01:39:13.680
and have do other things. And
again, just just a guy that we
1364
01:39:13.720 --> 01:39:15.119
can count on. And he made
some big points last week obviously in key
1365
01:39:15.199 --> 01:39:18.239
moments that really helped us win the
game. Like the last time you went
1366
01:39:18.279 --> 01:39:24.159
to Pittsburgh and you didn't have your
mind and mixing and DJ was just coming
1367
01:39:24.279 --> 01:39:29.720
back, so I was sort of
it's like kind of battled this. I
1368
01:39:29.800 --> 01:39:32.800
mean, this isn't exactly you know
Le's saying when you battled you know,
1369
01:39:33.199 --> 01:39:39.319
no, no, that's that's life. And and you know, so to
1370
01:39:39.399 --> 01:39:43.159
be guys down, guys like DJ
is it's never fun, but it is
1371
01:39:43.239 --> 01:39:45.199
what it is. And so we
got to have other guys step up and
1372
01:39:47.119 --> 01:39:49.560
you know, mixing Cut and incut
when we were up there against Pittsburgh.
1373
01:39:49.600 --> 01:39:54.159
So he must have played that game, but I know we were maybe missing
1374
01:39:54.199 --> 01:40:00.680
some other guys, but I might
be right. The most consistent part of
1375
01:40:00.760 --> 01:40:08.039
andreoss Off this season exactly well,
he's played more of a role on special
1376
01:40:08.119 --> 01:40:13.359
teams and he's been a guy that
we can count on, you know,
1377
01:40:13.439 --> 01:40:15.159
offensively, he hasn't he hasn't played
an enormous role at this point. But
1378
01:40:15.800 --> 01:40:18.560
he's a guy that's dependable and so
we've given to him some opportunities that the
1379
01:40:18.600 --> 01:40:23.039
ball doesn't always come his way.
But again for rookie, I think he's
1380
01:40:23.399 --> 01:40:26.880
very intelligent, he works at it, and so he's been consistent. And
1381
01:40:26.960 --> 01:40:30.239
that's what's key for these rookies of
the course of long season is the consistency
1382
01:40:30.279 --> 01:40:33.439
of things to maintain that level of
discipline from that you had July twenty fifth
1383
01:40:33.439 --> 01:40:38.079
all the way through December nineteenth right
now. And you know that's what we've
1384
01:40:38.079 --> 01:40:40.560
preached those guys. We talked about
him with him at the at the bye
1385
01:40:40.600 --> 01:40:43.920
week, you know, I met
with those guys, and and we'll continue
1386
01:40:43.920 --> 01:40:45.399
to encourage those guys because there's a
lot of rookies, not just Andre,
1387
01:40:46.000 --> 01:40:48.199
that are a big part of what
we're doing right now. You know,
1388
01:40:48.239 --> 01:40:50.720
if you look at the entirety of
that draft class right now, they're all
1389
01:40:50.800 --> 01:40:54.640
in it for us, and we're
gonna be counting on guys like Andre going
1390
01:40:54.680 --> 01:40:59.239
forward. Zach, why do you
think you guys have been effective off script
1391
01:41:00.279 --> 01:41:03.760
scramble plays like overtime princip Why do
you think you guys send it? Well,
1392
01:41:04.279 --> 01:41:08.800
it starts with your quarterback number one, you know, having a knack
1393
01:41:08.960 --> 01:41:13.399
for not when to give up on
the play, but when when it's time
1394
01:41:13.479 --> 01:41:15.640
to move, you know, out
of the pocket or extend the play in
1395
01:41:15.680 --> 01:41:20.399
the pocket. And and Joe and
Jake both really do a nice job of
1396
01:41:20.479 --> 01:41:24.680
that. And then be able to
keep your eyes up as you move and
1397
01:41:24.800 --> 01:41:28.079
not necessarily looking just take off and
run. But fine, guys, And
1398
01:41:28.199 --> 01:41:30.920
again it's a big conversation that we
always have with our receivers and tight ends
1399
01:41:30.920 --> 01:41:33.960
and backs of what a scramble it
looks like, what locations we need guys
1400
01:41:34.000 --> 01:41:39.279
to be in, how we need
you to react, and because when it
1401
01:41:39.319 --> 01:41:42.119
comes up, they can be explosive
type plays and we don't want to miss
1402
01:41:42.119 --> 01:41:45.600
those opportunities. And so that's been
a big part of things that we've always
1403
01:41:45.600 --> 01:41:48.600
communicated with those guys, and they've
done a good job about what TV did
1404
01:41:48.920 --> 01:41:55.199
on that overtime. He just got
friendly, you know. And when we
1405
01:41:55.279 --> 01:41:58.000
say that, you know you're coming
at an angle. That's that's coming back
1406
01:41:58.000 --> 01:42:00.399
towards the quarterback. And so that
any dB that the quarterback maybe can't see,
1407
01:42:00.399 --> 01:42:02.880
he can't undercut the ball, undercut
the throw, Whereas if you drive
1408
01:42:02.960 --> 01:42:05.680
down field and maybe the quarterback throws
it, you get undercut. So TV
1409
01:42:05.760 --> 01:42:09.359
did a good job coming back at
a friendly angle. Sometimes it's only half
1410
01:42:09.359 --> 01:42:14.640
a yard down the field. But
that's that's a little subtle thing that's very
1411
01:42:14.680 --> 01:42:20.079
helpful on a play like that.
I mean, a lot of guys might
1412
01:42:20.600 --> 01:42:26.119
not as you sure, I don't
think Jake lacks confidence, you know,
1413
01:42:26.279 --> 01:42:29.600
but that's that's because he's prepared himself. So it's not a false talking himself
1414
01:42:29.640 --> 01:42:32.680
into something. It's he's he's prepared
for the moments. He understands the concepts,
1415
01:42:32.760 --> 01:42:35.720
he understands what the defense is trying
to do, how to attack it,
1416
01:42:36.039 --> 01:42:40.800
and and so again that's that's a
credit to him and the work he's
1417
01:42:40.840 --> 01:42:43.399
put in. And then you know
when a play happens like that where in
1418
01:42:43.399 --> 01:42:47.159
you're scrambled drill, he's got the
confidence to make that kind of throwed your
1419
01:42:47.239 --> 01:42:50.319
expectations. I knew you had high
expectations for him, but it's not the
1420
01:42:50.640 --> 01:42:54.560
start of the time. He's doing
a great job. And again, it's
1421
01:42:54.640 --> 01:42:58.479
just taking it play by play for
for all of us, and I think
1422
01:42:58.520 --> 01:43:01.479
that's what's critical. We had expectations
this team is going to continue to win
1423
01:43:01.560 --> 01:43:06.119
games, and so you know,
you don't necessarily put on one person.
1424
01:43:06.279 --> 01:43:09.439
You know, we believed in this
team to be able to do this,
1425
01:43:09.720 --> 01:43:12.920
and Jake's been a big part of
that. It was a coincidence that the
1426
01:43:12.960 --> 01:43:15.239
offense really took off after he threw
the pick to something clicking him when he
1427
01:43:15.319 --> 01:43:21.560
makes the sta well, I think
that's everybody stayed in it, you know,
1428
01:43:21.600 --> 01:43:25.600
I don't think the confidence of the
team dips down even when something like
1429
01:43:25.680 --> 01:43:29.600
that happens, because whether we've all
been in moments like that before, we
1430
01:43:29.720 --> 01:43:32.039
know there's still time. Someone down
needs to step up and make a play,
1431
01:43:32.319 --> 01:43:35.199
you know, defensively help them to
a field goal there, and so
1432
01:43:35.399 --> 01:43:39.760
everyone's got to rise up. I
do think the Houston game helped us.
1433
01:43:39.800 --> 01:43:43.760
We had a turnover against Houston and
we're able to then come back and score
1434
01:43:43.880 --> 01:43:46.239
touchdowns quickly to tie the game.
I know we ultimately lost the game,
1435
01:43:46.319 --> 01:43:50.199
but it's a very similar situation where
we had a turnover and then bounced right
1436
01:43:50.279 --> 01:43:54.800
back, you know with Joe and
score touchdowns. And so we've been in
1437
01:43:54.880 --> 01:44:00.399
that situation four weeks before, and
so there's always that we we got time
1438
01:44:00.479 --> 01:44:02.600
on the clock left, you know, and I thought the guys responded the
1439
01:44:02.680 --> 01:44:09.399
right way. How much rhythm do
you think this offense has gotten now as
1440
01:44:09.479 --> 01:44:14.359
opposed to the Pittsburgh game, And
is it just because of reps with Kay
1441
01:44:15.119 --> 01:44:21.720
that do you feel like they had
taken a big stretch When you go back
1442
01:44:21.720 --> 01:44:24.600
to the Pittsburgh game, we were
not good on third down. We were
1443
01:44:24.600 --> 01:44:28.159
over for the first half on third
down. So we didn't give ourselves any
1444
01:44:28.159 --> 01:44:31.800
opportunities. So you know, you
can you can really talk about third down
1445
01:44:31.920 --> 01:44:35.039
and the lack of rhythm there that
doesn't create a lot of opportunities for you
1446
01:44:35.119 --> 01:44:39.000
in moments, And because there were
there were some times we had some good
1447
01:44:39.079 --> 01:44:41.760
drives, we went down, scored
a touchdown. We then came back in
1448
01:44:41.760 --> 01:44:43.560
the first drive of the second half
and went down and put points on the
1449
01:44:43.560 --> 01:44:45.800
board and had to turnover. So
there were moments in that game that were
1450
01:44:46.239 --> 01:44:49.560
positive moments. We just we didn't
do enough to capitalize on the opportunities we
1451
01:44:49.600 --> 01:44:53.880
had. And so again there's some
positives we're taken from that game, and
1452
01:44:53.920 --> 01:44:55.680
then there's some things that we got
to do a better job and get on
1453
01:44:55.680 --> 01:45:01.960
the same page. On this sac
Taylor conference on ESPN fifteen thirty, the
1454
01:45:02.119 --> 01:45:06.520
official home of the Bengals. A
right there you goes Zach Taylor's press conference
1455
01:45:06.600 --> 01:45:13.079
Bengals Steelers Saturday. Our annual Christmas
Party show at the Moreline Loggerhouse tomorrow.
1456
01:45:13.119 --> 01:45:15.680
We hope you join us. Going
to be a blast. I want to
1457
01:45:15.680 --> 01:45:18.239
thank Sean McMahon for producing filling in
for Tarran Bland. Want to thank you
1458
01:45:18.399 --> 01:45:21.439
for listening. Have an awesome night. I got to get to fifth third
1459
01:45:21.479 --> 01:45:25.640
for UC hoops. We'll talk to
you tonight on seven hundred WLW. This
1460
01:45:26.359 --> 01:45:28.760
is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati sports station.