January 21, 2023 • 27 mins
Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo talks to Mike Silver about their AFC Wild Card victory against the Baltimore Ravens, and his upcoming AFC Divisional matchup against the Buffalo Bills. They also discuss the Bengals’ recent “surprise” success, Anarumo’s reputation as a master of halftime adjustments, and why he was staying in his childhood bedroom while he was coaching the New York Giants in 2018. #volume #Herd
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
The volume. Well, I have to imagine that it is
a great moment for a defensive coordinator when his team
is in an elimination game and backed up against its
own goal line, a tie game against the division rival,
(00:22):
and all of a sudden he sees one of his
guys with the football running yards the other way. I'm
not surprised that it happened, because my next guest, Lou
at a Rumbo, probably drew that play up somehow, that
a forced fumble going right into Sam Hubbard's hands. At
(00:45):
his reward is he gets to now try to stop
Josh Allen Stefon. Dig's a company, and he is very
graciously joining us while taking a little break. Lou, how
are you mad? Doing great? Yeah? Doing great? Glad to
be with you. Mike. It's uh. I wish I could
say that we practiced that one, but you know, the
(01:05):
guys did a great job, and uh it was all.
You know. There's so many names for that now, the
fumble in the jungle, the immaculate rejection, and the one
I like the best is uh Sam. You know, I
told Sam that it's the longest fumble return in um
NFL playoff history. I believe it's also the slowest. So yeah,
(01:29):
I was a little worried when Mark Andrews was was coming. Uh.
You know that's cool because I actually I think I
christened the last uh nickname related to that stadium, which
was the Meltdown at Paul Brown And I think you
remember what I'm talking about. That included included Joey Porter
one of the sly coaching moves of all time, going
(01:52):
out of the field to check out an injured player
and provoking a BEng goal into personal fell and uh, yeah,
the rest is history. And that was brutal because that
came at the end of a long streak from Marvin
Lewis where they had not won a playoff game and
had been a bunch of years, and that was supposed
(02:14):
to be the one. Uh and obviously it didn't happen.
So yeah, we'll get into all of that. This is
an incredible time to be a Bengal fan. I'm sure
for people, and um, you know, I know you will
say you don't practice that, of course, but I do
want to ask you, like, there's this new thing where
people are allowed to push from behind and offenses are
(02:37):
taking advantage of it. They're just kind of instructing their
giant alignment to get behind quarterbacks or whoever has the
ball and give them that extra push. So they're they're
at the one yard line trying to get in. Um,
they run what looks like it's going to be a sneak.
Are you are there coaching points related to that whole
(02:58):
pushing thing. You know, it's all you know, it's just
the way the league. You know, some of the rules
are where you know, we're going to be in a
situation where let's just call it what it is. They
got a little bit of an advantage there because they're
pushing the guy forward. We just we really talk about
you know, the guys up front on that particular play,
DJ and b J Hill and um, you know, Zack Carter,
(03:21):
Josh Toopaw. They really got great penetration and then Jermaine
stood the guy up and then both him and Logan
punched up through and there was the ball and Sam
was in the right spot. So nothing more than we
just got to get great get off so that we
can stop the initial push and then everybody's got a
rally to the to the ball. I guarantee the punching
part is a coaching point. That's no doubt. Yeah, there's
(03:43):
no doubt about that. We work on that all the time,
like a lot of teams do. And we just got
some guys that are aware of the ball and aware
of the situation. You know. There there's some smart players
out there for us. Yeah, and the and the skill
required to know that you're punching it right to Hubbard
you could catch it and then go and stride. But yeah,
(04:04):
that's that's really cool. Um well, um, it sets up
this rematch that, you know, not really a rematch, but
a resumption of this different start. Can we start seven three? Yeah?
That would uh, that would be one way of doing it,
(04:25):
but then we'd probably have to go back and redo
all the playoffs scenarios and then play again the next week.
Yeah wow, I mean well, first of all, okay, so
obviously a few weeks ago, you guys are playing that
that big nationally televised game, and it's heavy playoff implications,
and then all of a sudden, you know, like like everyone,
(04:48):
we're all just fearing for Tamarrow Hamlin's well being. Um,
you know, just I know you've probably talked about it
a bunch, but take me through that from your experience. Yeah,
I mean just yeah, all my all of our years
you know, coaching players. You you know, you never want
to ever see that again. And the good news about
(05:08):
the whole thing is the way it was handled by
both organizations. The doctors and trainers were unbelievable. On the field,
the paramedics that showed up, you know, and and saved
saved his life. And the great news about the whole
thing is, you know, he's back in the facility now.
Every day he's visiting with his teammates, and you know,
(05:29):
that's all that matters, that that he's fine and he's
making the making a great recovery, and and so happy
for him and his family. You know, what was the
interaction like on your sideline just between players and players,
players and coaches. Yeah, I mean just as it was
going on, you know, everybody was just kind of in
(05:49):
shock and and and just trying to stay back and
let the professionals work. And you know, I know Jordan
Phillips on their team pretty well, he was we drafted
when I was at Miami, so we were kind of
talking in midfield as it was going on, and uh,
you know, it was it was it was just a
really sensitive and emotional time. And again, thank god everything
(06:12):
worked out the way it has and he's gonna be fine.
And I've said a couple of times now in interviews
about it, I said that should be a case study
on what to do from a medical standpoint and how
to um you know again, hopefully it never happens again.
But man, that was you know, you want to talk
about a two minute winning drive there there, It is
(06:34):
from a medical standpoint, for sure, unbelievable. And yeah, and
I really thought, you know, now that it's been broken
down and just just watching it on TV, I really
thought Zack Taylor, your head coach, and Sean McDermott, uh,
you know, just really handled it as leaders the way
that you'd want to, no question all. You know, Zack
(06:54):
and Sean did a great job, and the players did
a great job getting together, and just the whole thing
titled great, that's awesome. Um. Well, Luckily, because it went
so great, we can now talk about things that are
way less important but not totally unimportant, like how the
NFL tried to figure out what they were gonna do,
(07:16):
because it wasn't like it was just a game. It
was you know, probably you know, two of the very
very best teams in football, and it affected all sorts
of playoff scenarios, and I don't think there was a
perfect solution. Um. So you know, I've ripped the NFL
many times about many things, especially now lou that I
(07:38):
don't work for them anymore. I feel very unencumbered. But
I I understand they were dealing with a lot of
different constituencies and concerns that it wasn't gonna be perfect.
But I am somewhat sympathetic to the Bengals perspective, which
is okay. They addressed the Ravens Bengals issue with the
coin flip scenario, which was irrelevant it turned out, or moot. Um.
(08:02):
They addressed the Bills, um, you know chief scenario with
the neutral site, which you're hoping is also moot after
this weekend, But they didn't really address the Bengals situation,
which is, if you guys had won that game and
you were winning at the time, that's fair. Um, you
know it probably it probably wasn't addressed in terms of
(08:26):
how to make it right for you guys. Um, did
you spend a lot of time thinking about it, and
you know what's your thought on it? Yeah? I mean
it's tough. You know, Zax has kind of addressed it,
and um, you know, we've got so much to worry
about and that one. I can bitch and complain about
it all I want, but nobody's gonna listen. So we
(08:47):
just try to spend our time on trying to stop
these guys. For the record, I would listen if I
were there and we were having appreciated I would definitely listen.
But you know, and I know and I know you
would say it all with the caveat of hey, as
long as the guys, Okay, it's all good about it,
we get it. But but these are big these are
(09:09):
big things. Okay, So you know you had to you
had to approach this team game plan wise. Was we
saw a little taste of what was going on, but
now you got to do it again. Um, you know,
Josh Allen is not your normal quarterback who you know,
if you hit him, he's gonna go down necessarily, and
you could just contain him. Um, you know, what are
(09:31):
some of the challenges of dealing with him and them? Yeah,
I mean, obviously why he's always in the conversation for
the m v P of the league. He's such a
talented guy, um can get out of all kinds of
trouble and make every throw, um, you know, further and
deeper than most does a play. They played the Jets
(09:54):
at UH in New York to last play the game
where he's scrambling. I think he threw it was at
seventy yards in the air and hits the receiver right
in the chest and drops it. But Uh, that to
me was like my wow moment. If you will um so,
I mean, he's gonna get out, He's gonna make plays.
Everybody talks about um, you know, containing them, and we're
(10:16):
certainly gonna try to do that all the time. But
we just gotta minimize those plays when they happened. And
you know, he has had a tendency to turn the
ball over lately, and we got to take advantage of that.
And when he gives us opportunities, we gotta make plays.
What's the coverage for that when a guy's going back
across this body seventy two yards? Pray pray coverage prayers.
(10:43):
All right, I've got to get into this quote from
Fate Batty because the night after your game, uh, there's
a Monday night playoff game and it's the Rams and
the or excuse me, the last year the Bucks of
the Cowboys. The Manning cast is going on. And and
you know Peyton, I just saw him last weekend. They
do such a good job with that. It's always good. Um.
(11:06):
But he happened to talk about half time adjustments, and
in classic Peytent fashion, he went big, he went hard,
and he said, quote, I don't think I made a
half time adjustment of my entire a t your career.
I think that's the biggest myth in football, the half
type adjustments. You go in, use the restroom, eat a
(11:26):
couple of oranges, and the coach says, let's go so funny. Also,
that's Peyton Manning, one of the great you know strategists
in the history of any players, you know. Uh. And
yet I wanted to get your reaction to that, because
you're kind of the half type adjustment savant of this league.
(11:49):
At least that's the word on the street, that you
really maximize those twelve minutes amid the orange eating and
the peeing. Uh you know what what is half time
to you? Yeah? I mean I don't think Peyton's uh
totally wrong there. That's it's it's very very short, other
than the Super Bowl where you've got too much time
on your hands there. But you know, to me, I
(12:13):
think what he's getting at is you're constantly talking on
the sidelines during each after each possession on Hey, what
do you think about this? What should we change here?
And and I think that for us it's I've said
it all along, is it's a little bit about that
is the one time when you get to sit, the
guys are sitting right in front of you, and if
there's one message that you want to drive home going
(12:35):
into the second half, you can instead of just going
from group to group, um, on the sideline, they're all
focused there. I think that's a big part of what
the message would be. But also, um, you know, just
maybe changing things up from a call standpoint, um as
the game is progressing. That helps too for some of
our success in the past. Well, Patrick Mahomes, you've played
(12:59):
him three times and his second half numbers against you
are zero touchdowns, two interceptions, fifty four point five passer rating.
And they you guys won those games against everyone else
at the time that I saw this stat since night, touchdowns,
twenty interceptions, one of six point four fast rating. I
know that's not all you and you're you know you're
(13:21):
gonna be bodest, but um, you know the last year's
NFC Championship game, they were up twenty one three. It
was a half. You stopped him right at the end,
and then um, clearly in the second half something changed.
And obviously that's a testament to your players too, But um,
(13:41):
how do you on the fly, how do you try
to deal with someone like Mahomes, who's so good and
who you know, nobody's really found the secret sauce for Yeah,
and you mentioned it. You know, the guys are out
there playing and they do a great job. But again,
I just think it's just trying to keep those great
envy p type quarterbacks off balance somehow. If it's something
(14:04):
different that they haven't seen in the first half that
we're kind of keeping in our back pocket. Um that
you know, sometimes that's a part of it, um executing
a little bit better um as the game's going on.
But I just think you've gotta keep changing it up
on him, and if they get a beat on what
you're doing, it's gonna be a long day. So really
more just kind of trying to keep them off balance,
(14:26):
not be more of an offensive minded play caller on
defense where you know, let's let's let them see this now,
as opposed to just reacting to what they do. Yeah,
that's interesting because I guess you know, you'd rather, you know,
if he's gonna get you, you'd rather go down Soygan,
that's right, instead of just sitting sitting there and letting them,
you know, do it over and over again. For sure. Um.
(14:50):
You know, UM, I guess is there can you think
of a half time in the last couple of years
where you've done something just completely radical or maybe in
the course of the game where you've just said, you
know what, we planned for this all week, but now
we're just gonna completely change. I don't think it's ever
been that drastic, to be honest. Um, there have been
(15:12):
times where, you know, even this past Sunday, where you know,
all of a sudden, Mike Hilton's out in the game
in the second half and he creates two huge plays
on two defenses where we he runs all the time,
but we never ran against the Ravens before, and um,
something like that where you know, we were like, okay,
I think this can be um productive and here's why.
(15:35):
Because they had given us some formations that looked more
like we could use this particular defense. We did it,
and Mike, you know, was very productive. There so more
things like that, you know, we're okay, here's what the
offense is doing. How can we adjust to it and
make it make uh some things that maybe have not
been in the plan, but the guys know it. I
could call it at any time. And that's a big
part of it. You know, We've got guys in the
(15:56):
system now for years, and we got super smart players
and that helps us and allows us to do it well.
I remember standing with you um at FedEx Field in
the preseason last year one season, and you know, Joe
Burrow was walking around with a big brace on and uh,
you know, I don't think he played in that preseason game,
(16:17):
but you guys were easing him back. But I just
remember telling you telling me how special he was. And
we'd obviously seen that before, but we really really saw it, uh,
you know, late last season through the Super Bowl and beyond.
I love the guys, uh, you know, Aura like and
(16:37):
what he said, what he was asked about your window
and his quote was, the window is my whole career.
First of all, I agree, and secondly, bless him for
for saying that. Um, I know he's so competitive. I
know how you are. What's it like when you guys
go at it and practice and trading cap Do you
(16:58):
have a lot of interaction? Oh yeah, I love Joe
and uh not just because the kind of player is
he's got. You know, he's like a linebacker playing quarterback.
He's he's tough, he's gritty. You know, he wants to
win everything he does, whether it's ping pong in the
locker room or um, you know, NFL playoff game. You know,
he's he's going at it that way. And we do
(17:18):
we do talk if there's a particular not just in
the preseason and O T A S. But now like
if there's a blitz that I'm looking at or a disguise,
I'll well, well they're not going Um I'll say, hey, guys,
take a look at this. And you know I didn't
see that. Oh yeah, I saw that coming. And they quarterbacks,
you know, Jake Browning and Brandon Allen along with Joe,
(17:40):
those guys help me all the time. Well he if
he gets you in practice, will he kind of look
over and give you a little spark, He'll give me
a little something something. Yeah, and I'll do what you say.
Right back. Now, I his father, Jimmy. Didn't you have
didn't you cross paths as coaches or know him a back? Yeah,
(18:01):
you know as coaches. But Jimmy was a defensive coordinator
at Ohio. You and I was coaching at Perdue, and
we used to have a bunch of common opponents. And
I met Jimmy through UH through Monty Kiffin, you know,
the Nebraska UH connection there. And Jimmy and I know
each other probably since early two thousands, so we go
(18:23):
way back. We text all the time. And he's a
great football coach, you know, great dad obviously, but Jimmy's
a Jimmy's a good friend. And so back then, like
was his kid ever walking around Joe or you know,
I never met Joe then, but Jimmy would say, Hey,
I gotta bring my son Joe to this camp or
that camp. And I would just be like, all right,
(18:44):
you know, yeah, he's getting recruited. But and I and
I remember, I remember it vividly, like, hey, my son's
going to the Ohio State camp or this camp, and
you know, and and initially, and then I heard some
other friends said, hey, Jimmy sounds really good. I was like, okay,
that's great. You know, I hope he does well. And
well it's Joe Burrow. So he turns out he he
(19:04):
actually is really good. That's that's funny. I was thinking
about that. I was in the forty Diner locker room
yesterday and Christian McCaffrey's there, so you'll see behind me
the cal helmet. I'm a proud Golden Bear and um. Yet,
when I was at Sports Illustrated in the nineties, I
sucked it up and wrote a feature on Ed McCaffrey,
(19:25):
who was that uh, you know, really really good wide
receiver for the Broncos and a proud Stanford grad. His
wife Lisa went there, so I have this vivid recollection
of being at their house. Um and Max and Christian,
their two oldest boys, are running around. I think I
put it in the story. Christian was maybe two and ever.
(19:45):
You know, for years now, I've gone back to that
moment and thought, couldn't you have just swept the leg
or just you know, you could have spared yourself as
a cow fan so much misery if you had just
you know, taken the kid out what he was to.
That's amazing, right, all right, And there's actually a quote
of the story, uh Lisa McCaffrey. Her father was an
(20:08):
Olympic I think, medalists in the hundred meters great sprinter
and so there's a quote from Lisa's that says, ha
ha ha, we're breeding fast white guys and made it
in that Sports Illustrated Uh and that actually did also
pan out. So there you go that. So, so do
(20:30):
you get involved in the cigar stuff when Joe whips
those out in the locker room mixing, mixing, actually gaming
one after the uh, after we won the FC North,
So I I partake for sure, enjoyed it very much.
So alright, well you may have three more, you know,
because the Bengals, you know, had that long run where
(20:52):
they couldn't get over the hump and win a playoff game,
and then they've had a lot of bad seasons. I
think it caught a lot of people off guard. Um,
last year and you guys were coming off a rough
year where Joe got hurt. So, um, you you went
to you didn't just go to the super Bowl. You
came very very close to winning the Super Bowl. Um,
you came back this year, you addressed the offensive line.
(21:13):
So on paper, I thought, wow, this team could get
even better. But I think I was in the minority
because it just seemed like there was a sense that, uh,
you know, they overachieved last year, They're gonna come down
and then you guys kind of started a little slow. Um.
Was that something you guys tried to guard against, you know,
(21:33):
the letdown or or you know, how did that all
play out? They gotta be honest, I just think we
felt good in our locker room. Um, we never lost
momentum from the Super Bowl. Um. You know, yeah, we
lost the first two games. Um, but you know they
were both on the last play of the game that
could have won either way. And here we are, you know,
(21:57):
six months later, and we've won nine in a row.
And really I haven't heard too much about that. So
it's hard to do in the NFL. And you know,
this is a great group of guys who are very
prideful and what they do, and you know, we feel
good about every game we we line up against, no
matter who it is. I got a couple more for you,
because I know you've got to go back and obsess
(22:19):
over Gabe Davis and all of them, Dustin Knocks and
all of them. You're a proud Staten Island native. And uh,
you went back and coach with the Giants in twenty eighteen,
and you decided I'm just gonna live in my childhood
home while I do this. What was that? So here's
(22:41):
how it went. So here's how it went. Okay, I
get the Giant job, my family, my uh, my youngest
I'm trying to get everybody straight here. Um, we were
gonna leave them back in Miami, in Fort Lauderdale and
so he could finish his freshman year in high school. Um,
(23:03):
and um, you know, so instead of paying rent up
in New York, my mom says, my mom and dad
still live in the house I grew up in. My
room was available, so why not? So I go back
and I hear I am sleeping in the same bed
when I was a huge Giant fan growing up, and
now I'm getting up every morning going to work and
(23:25):
going to Giants Stadium. It was unbelievable, you know, really
to begin with. And and you know, the best part,
the other best part about was my mom texted me
every day, what time you're gonna be home for dinner.
I was like, Mom, I'm not coming home dinner. You're
like to you should have seen the food left out
(23:48):
for me when I got home at ten eleven o'clock
at night. So it was awesome. It was just give
me a taste of like what that would have looked like?
Oh my god, like my mother is a great cook. Uh,
let's just go with my favor were like chicken colors,
you know, like stacked up high and then any kind
of posture you can imagine, you know, forget it all
all good stuff. I don't know how you're thed. It's
(24:10):
incredible time. So was the bed like I like, I
you know, twit or like how small little kind of tight,
a little tight new mattress, thank god. But it was
a little bit tight. My legs were hanging off. And
I feel like I've just tried to visualize, like a
Bavaro poster over the Bad Baby. It was sims and
(24:31):
l ten sims chops all the time. And I feel
weird talking to you man. I used to have a
poster in my room, like you know, come on, I remember,
you know, growing up, grew up as a forty diner fan.
But in l A, which was not a popular thing.
And you know, you know, Joe Montana kind of turned
around the whole trajectory of that franchise when I was sixteen,
(24:55):
and then you know, about seven years later, I'm doing
a tequila shot with Joe Montana a trainee camp while
covering of So you know, it's it's crazy how this
stuff happens. Well, um, and then you know, I look,
I'm just gonna get on my soapbox for a second. Uh,
(25:18):
there's a lot of really good coaches in this league
and a lot of people are in this court cycle.
I personally, if I were out or would be all
over you just basically just just based on achievement, you know.
And I know these things are, um, you know, out
of your control. But you know, I know you're not
a guy who has self promoted and campaign. You just
(25:38):
put your head down and do your thing. Um, you know,
what's your philosophy on being a head coach of the NFL?
Do you want to do? You think you'd be good
at it? Yeah? I mean I would, you know, I
think it's all coaches. I think aspired to be that.
It's my certainly my ultimate goal. And uh, you know,
I think it's all about relationships. I think it's all
about connecting with all of the players on the team,
(26:01):
not just a particular group of guys on the team.
It's all of them. And that's that's one of the
things I've you know, as you mentioned, I'm not a
guy that's gonna go out there and toot my own horn.
But I've always been able to get along with people.
And um, that's what this businesses, and that's what that
job entails. It's leading men in the in the direction
that sometimes they don't want to go um and you know,
(26:21):
to me, that's what makes a good head coach, among
other things. But uh yeah, I'm hoping for that chance
at some point. Well I hope you get it too.
And in the mean time, you are going to Buffalo
and we will be watching with great interest, hopefully for
you three times before all of a sudden and done.
(26:44):
But thank you so much for take thank you, take
of the time. No, I appreciate Mike, always a pleasure
and any time. Thanks again.
The volume. Well, I have to imagine that it is
a great moment for a defensive coordinator when his team
is in an elimination game and backed up against its
own goal line, a tie game against the division rival,
(00:22):
and all of a sudden he sees one of his
guys with the football running yards the other way. I'm
not surprised that it happened, because my next guest, Lou
at a Rumbo, probably drew that play up somehow, that
a forced fumble going right into Sam Hubbard's hands. At
(00:45):
his reward is he gets to now try to stop
Josh Allen Stefon. Dig's a company, and he is very
graciously joining us while taking a little break. Lou, how
are you mad? Doing great? Yeah? Doing great? Glad to
be with you. Mike. It's uh. I wish I could
say that we practiced that one, but you know, the
(01:05):
guys did a great job, and uh it was all.
You know. There's so many names for that now, the
fumble in the jungle, the immaculate rejection, and the one
I like the best is uh Sam. You know, I
told Sam that it's the longest fumble return in um
NFL playoff history. I believe it's also the slowest. So yeah,
(01:29):
I was a little worried when Mark Andrews was was coming. Uh.
You know that's cool because I actually I think I
christened the last uh nickname related to that stadium, which
was the Meltdown at Paul Brown And I think you
remember what I'm talking about. That included included Joey Porter
one of the sly coaching moves of all time, going
(01:52):
out of the field to check out an injured player
and provoking a BEng goal into personal fell and uh, yeah,
the rest is history. And that was brutal because that
came at the end of a long streak from Marvin
Lewis where they had not won a playoff game and
had been a bunch of years, and that was supposed
(02:14):
to be the one. Uh and obviously it didn't happen.
So yeah, we'll get into all of that. This is
an incredible time to be a Bengal fan. I'm sure
for people, and um, you know, I know you will
say you don't practice that, of course, but I do
want to ask you, like, there's this new thing where
people are allowed to push from behind and offenses are
(02:37):
taking advantage of it. They're just kind of instructing their
giant alignment to get behind quarterbacks or whoever has the
ball and give them that extra push. So they're they're
at the one yard line trying to get in. Um,
they run what looks like it's going to be a sneak.
Are you are there coaching points related to that whole
(02:58):
pushing thing. You know, it's all you know, it's just
the way the league. You know, some of the rules
are where you know, we're going to be in a
situation where let's just call it what it is. They
got a little bit of an advantage there because they're
pushing the guy forward. We just we really talk about
you know, the guys up front on that particular play,
DJ and b J Hill and um, you know, Zack Carter,
(03:21):
Josh Toopaw. They really got great penetration and then Jermaine
stood the guy up and then both him and Logan
punched up through and there was the ball and Sam
was in the right spot. So nothing more than we
just got to get great get off so that we
can stop the initial push and then everybody's got a
rally to the to the ball. I guarantee the punching
part is a coaching point. That's no doubt. Yeah, there's
(03:43):
no doubt about that. We work on that all the time,
like a lot of teams do. And we just got
some guys that are aware of the ball and aware
of the situation. You know. There there's some smart players
out there for us. Yeah, and the and the skill
required to know that you're punching it right to Hubbard
you could catch it and then go and stride. But yeah,
(04:04):
that's that's really cool. Um well, um, it sets up
this rematch that, you know, not really a rematch, but
a resumption of this different start. Can we start seven three? Yeah?
That would uh, that would be one way of doing it,
(04:25):
but then we'd probably have to go back and redo
all the playoffs scenarios and then play again the next week.
Yeah wow, I mean well, first of all, okay, so
obviously a few weeks ago, you guys are playing that
that big nationally televised game, and it's heavy playoff implications,
and then all of a sudden, you know, like like everyone,
(04:48):
we're all just fearing for Tamarrow Hamlin's well being. Um,
you know, just I know you've probably talked about it
a bunch, but take me through that from your experience. Yeah,
I mean just yeah, all my all of our years
you know, coaching players. You you know, you never want
to ever see that again. And the good news about
(05:08):
the whole thing is the way it was handled by
both organizations. The doctors and trainers were unbelievable. On the field,
the paramedics that showed up, you know, and and saved
saved his life. And the great news about the whole
thing is, you know, he's back in the facility now.
Every day he's visiting with his teammates, and you know,
(05:29):
that's all that matters, that that he's fine and he's
making the making a great recovery, and and so happy
for him and his family. You know, what was the
interaction like on your sideline just between players and players,
players and coaches. Yeah, I mean just as it was
going on, you know, everybody was just kind of in
(05:49):
shock and and and just trying to stay back and
let the professionals work. And you know, I know Jordan
Phillips on their team pretty well, he was we drafted
when I was at Miami, so we were kind of
talking in midfield as it was going on, and uh,
you know, it was it was it was just a
really sensitive and emotional time. And again, thank god everything
(06:12):
worked out the way it has and he's gonna be fine.
And I've said a couple of times now in interviews
about it, I said that should be a case study
on what to do from a medical standpoint and how
to um you know again, hopefully it never happens again.
But man, that was you know, you want to talk
about a two minute winning drive there there, It is
(06:34):
from a medical standpoint, for sure, unbelievable. And yeah, and
I really thought, you know, now that it's been broken
down and just just watching it on TV, I really
thought Zack Taylor, your head coach, and Sean McDermott, uh,
you know, just really handled it as leaders the way
that you'd want to, no question all. You know, Zack
(06:54):
and Sean did a great job, and the players did
a great job getting together, and just the whole thing
titled great, that's awesome. Um. Well, Luckily, because it went
so great, we can now talk about things that are
way less important but not totally unimportant, like how the
NFL tried to figure out what they were gonna do,
(07:16):
because it wasn't like it was just a game. It
was you know, probably you know, two of the very
very best teams in football, and it affected all sorts
of playoff scenarios, and I don't think there was a
perfect solution. Um. So you know, I've ripped the NFL
many times about many things, especially now lou that I
(07:38):
don't work for them anymore. I feel very unencumbered. But
I I understand they were dealing with a lot of
different constituencies and concerns that it wasn't gonna be perfect.
But I am somewhat sympathetic to the Bengals perspective, which
is okay. They addressed the Ravens Bengals issue with the
coin flip scenario, which was irrelevant it turned out, or moot. Um.
(08:02):
They addressed the Bills, um, you know chief scenario with
the neutral site, which you're hoping is also moot after
this weekend, But they didn't really address the Bengals situation,
which is, if you guys had won that game and
you were winning at the time, that's fair. Um, you
know it probably it probably wasn't addressed in terms of
(08:26):
how to make it right for you guys. Um, did
you spend a lot of time thinking about it, and
you know what's your thought on it? Yeah? I mean
it's tough. You know, Zax has kind of addressed it,
and um, you know, we've got so much to worry
about and that one. I can bitch and complain about
it all I want, but nobody's gonna listen. So we
(08:47):
just try to spend our time on trying to stop
these guys. For the record, I would listen if I
were there and we were having appreciated I would definitely listen.
But you know, and I know and I know you
would say it all with the caveat of hey, as
long as the guys, Okay, it's all good about it,
we get it. But but these are big these are
(09:09):
big things. Okay, So you know you had to you
had to approach this team game plan wise. Was we
saw a little taste of what was going on, but
now you got to do it again. Um, you know,
Josh Allen is not your normal quarterback who you know,
if you hit him, he's gonna go down necessarily, and
you could just contain him. Um, you know, what are
(09:31):
some of the challenges of dealing with him and them? Yeah,
I mean, obviously why he's always in the conversation for
the m v P of the league. He's such a
talented guy, um can get out of all kinds of
trouble and make every throw, um, you know, further and
deeper than most does a play. They played the Jets
(09:54):
at UH in New York to last play the game
where he's scrambling. I think he threw it was at
seventy yards in the air and hits the receiver right
in the chest and drops it. But Uh, that to
me was like my wow moment. If you will um so,
I mean, he's gonna get out, He's gonna make plays.
Everybody talks about um, you know, containing them, and we're
(10:16):
certainly gonna try to do that all the time. But
we just gotta minimize those plays when they happened. And
you know, he has had a tendency to turn the
ball over lately, and we got to take advantage of that.
And when he gives us opportunities, we gotta make plays.
What's the coverage for that when a guy's going back
across this body seventy two yards? Pray pray coverage prayers.
(10:43):
All right, I've got to get into this quote from
Fate Batty because the night after your game, uh, there's
a Monday night playoff game and it's the Rams and
the or excuse me, the last year the Bucks of
the Cowboys. The Manning cast is going on. And and
you know Peyton, I just saw him last weekend. They
do such a good job with that. It's always good. Um.
(11:06):
But he happened to talk about half time adjustments, and
in classic Peytent fashion, he went big, he went hard,
and he said, quote, I don't think I made a
half time adjustment of my entire a t your career.
I think that's the biggest myth in football, the half
type adjustments. You go in, use the restroom, eat a
(11:26):
couple of oranges, and the coach says, let's go so funny. Also,
that's Peyton Manning, one of the great you know strategists
in the history of any players, you know. Uh. And
yet I wanted to get your reaction to that, because
you're kind of the half type adjustment savant of this league.
(11:49):
At least that's the word on the street, that you
really maximize those twelve minutes amid the orange eating and
the peeing. Uh you know what what is half time
to you? Yeah? I mean I don't think Peyton's uh
totally wrong there. That's it's it's very very short, other
than the Super Bowl where you've got too much time
on your hands there. But you know, to me, I
(12:13):
think what he's getting at is you're constantly talking on
the sidelines during each after each possession on Hey, what
do you think about this? What should we change here?
And and I think that for us it's I've said
it all along, is it's a little bit about that
is the one time when you get to sit, the
guys are sitting right in front of you, and if
there's one message that you want to drive home going
(12:35):
into the second half, you can instead of just going
from group to group, um, on the sideline, they're all
focused there. I think that's a big part of what
the message would be. But also, um, you know, just
maybe changing things up from a call standpoint, um as
the game is progressing. That helps too for some of
our success in the past. Well, Patrick Mahomes, you've played
(12:59):
him three times and his second half numbers against you
are zero touchdowns, two interceptions, fifty four point five passer rating.
And they you guys won those games against everyone else
at the time that I saw this stat since night, touchdowns,
twenty interceptions, one of six point four fast rating. I
know that's not all you and you're you know you're
(13:21):
gonna be bodest, but um, you know the last year's
NFC Championship game, they were up twenty one three. It
was a half. You stopped him right at the end,
and then um, clearly in the second half something changed.
And obviously that's a testament to your players too, But um,
(13:41):
how do you on the fly, how do you try
to deal with someone like Mahomes, who's so good and
who you know, nobody's really found the secret sauce for Yeah,
and you mentioned it. You know, the guys are out
there playing and they do a great job. But again,
I just think it's just trying to keep those great
envy p type quarterbacks off balance somehow. If it's something
(14:04):
different that they haven't seen in the first half that
we're kind of keeping in our back pocket. Um that
you know, sometimes that's a part of it, um executing
a little bit better um as the game's going on.
But I just think you've gotta keep changing it up
on him, and if they get a beat on what
you're doing, it's gonna be a long day. So really
more just kind of trying to keep them off balance,
(14:26):
not be more of an offensive minded play caller on
defense where you know, let's let's let them see this now,
as opposed to just reacting to what they do. Yeah,
that's interesting because I guess you know, you'd rather, you know,
if he's gonna get you, you'd rather go down Soygan,
that's right, instead of just sitting sitting there and letting them,
you know, do it over and over again. For sure. Um.
(14:50):
You know, UM, I guess is there can you think
of a half time in the last couple of years
where you've done something just completely radical or maybe in
the course of the game where you've just said, you
know what, we planned for this all week, but now
we're just gonna completely change. I don't think it's ever
been that drastic, to be honest. Um, there have been
(15:12):
times where, you know, even this past Sunday, where you know,
all of a sudden, Mike Hilton's out in the game
in the second half and he creates two huge plays
on two defenses where we he runs all the time,
but we never ran against the Ravens before, and um,
something like that where you know, we were like, okay,
I think this can be um productive and here's why.
(15:35):
Because they had given us some formations that looked more
like we could use this particular defense. We did it,
and Mike, you know, was very productive. There so more
things like that, you know, we're okay, here's what the
offense is doing. How can we adjust to it and
make it make uh some things that maybe have not
been in the plan, but the guys know it. I
could call it at any time. And that's a big
part of it. You know, We've got guys in the
(15:56):
system now for years, and we got super smart players
and that helps us and allows us to do it well.
I remember standing with you um at FedEx Field in
the preseason last year one season, and you know, Joe
Burrow was walking around with a big brace on and uh,
you know, I don't think he played in that preseason game,
(16:17):
but you guys were easing him back. But I just
remember telling you telling me how special he was. And
we'd obviously seen that before, but we really really saw it, uh,
you know, late last season through the Super Bowl and beyond.
I love the guys, uh, you know, Aura like and
(16:37):
what he said, what he was asked about your window
and his quote was, the window is my whole career.
First of all, I agree, and secondly, bless him for
for saying that. Um, I know he's so competitive. I
know how you are. What's it like when you guys
go at it and practice and trading cap Do you
(16:58):
have a lot of interaction? Oh yeah, I love Joe
and uh not just because the kind of player is
he's got. You know, he's like a linebacker playing quarterback.
He's he's tough, he's gritty. You know, he wants to
win everything he does, whether it's ping pong in the
locker room or um, you know, NFL playoff game. You know,
he's he's going at it that way. And we do
(17:18):
we do talk if there's a particular not just in
the preseason and O T A S. But now like
if there's a blitz that I'm looking at or a disguise,
I'll well, well they're not going Um I'll say, hey, guys,
take a look at this. And you know I didn't
see that. Oh yeah, I saw that coming. And they quarterbacks,
you know, Jake Browning and Brandon Allen along with Joe,
(17:40):
those guys help me all the time. Well he if
he gets you in practice, will he kind of look
over and give you a little spark, He'll give me
a little something something. Yeah, and I'll do what you say.
Right back. Now, I his father, Jimmy. Didn't you have
didn't you cross paths as coaches or know him a back? Yeah,
(18:01):
you know as coaches. But Jimmy was a defensive coordinator
at Ohio. You and I was coaching at Perdue, and
we used to have a bunch of common opponents. And
I met Jimmy through UH through Monty Kiffin, you know,
the Nebraska UH connection there. And Jimmy and I know
each other probably since early two thousands, so we go
(18:23):
way back. We text all the time. And he's a
great football coach, you know, great dad obviously, but Jimmy's
a Jimmy's a good friend. And so back then, like
was his kid ever walking around Joe or you know,
I never met Joe then, but Jimmy would say, Hey,
I gotta bring my son Joe to this camp or
that camp. And I would just be like, all right,
(18:44):
you know, yeah, he's getting recruited. But and I and
I remember, I remember it vividly, like, hey, my son's
going to the Ohio State camp or this camp, and
you know, and and initially, and then I heard some
other friends said, hey, Jimmy sounds really good. I was like, okay,
that's great. You know, I hope he does well. And
well it's Joe Burrow. So he turns out he he
(19:04):
actually is really good. That's that's funny. I was thinking
about that. I was in the forty Diner locker room
yesterday and Christian McCaffrey's there, so you'll see behind me
the cal helmet. I'm a proud Golden Bear and um. Yet,
when I was at Sports Illustrated in the nineties, I
sucked it up and wrote a feature on Ed McCaffrey,
(19:25):
who was that uh, you know, really really good wide
receiver for the Broncos and a proud Stanford grad. His
wife Lisa went there, so I have this vivid recollection
of being at their house. Um and Max and Christian,
their two oldest boys, are running around. I think I
put it in the story. Christian was maybe two and ever.
(19:45):
You know, for years now, I've gone back to that
moment and thought, couldn't you have just swept the leg
or just you know, you could have spared yourself as
a cow fan so much misery if you had just
you know, taken the kid out what he was to.
That's amazing, right, all right, And there's actually a quote
of the story, uh Lisa McCaffrey. Her father was an
(20:08):
Olympic I think, medalists in the hundred meters great sprinter
and so there's a quote from Lisa's that says, ha
ha ha, we're breeding fast white guys and made it
in that Sports Illustrated Uh and that actually did also
pan out. So there you go that. So, so do
(20:30):
you get involved in the cigar stuff when Joe whips
those out in the locker room mixing, mixing, actually gaming
one after the uh, after we won the FC North,
So I I partake for sure, enjoyed it very much.
So alright, well you may have three more, you know,
because the Bengals, you know, had that long run where
(20:52):
they couldn't get over the hump and win a playoff game,
and then they've had a lot of bad seasons. I
think it caught a lot of people off guard. Um,
last year and you guys were coming off a rough
year where Joe got hurt. So, um, you you went
to you didn't just go to the super Bowl. You
came very very close to winning the Super Bowl. Um,
you came back this year, you addressed the offensive line.
(21:13):
So on paper, I thought, wow, this team could get
even better. But I think I was in the minority
because it just seemed like there was a sense that, uh,
you know, they overachieved last year, They're gonna come down
and then you guys kind of started a little slow. Um.
Was that something you guys tried to guard against, you know,
(21:33):
the letdown or or you know, how did that all
play out? They gotta be honest, I just think we
felt good in our locker room. Um, we never lost
momentum from the Super Bowl. Um. You know, yeah, we
lost the first two games. Um, but you know they
were both on the last play of the game that
could have won either way. And here we are, you know,
(21:57):
six months later, and we've won nine in a row.
And really I haven't heard too much about that. So
it's hard to do in the NFL. And you know,
this is a great group of guys who are very
prideful and what they do, and you know, we feel
good about every game we we line up against, no
matter who it is. I got a couple more for you,
because I know you've got to go back and obsess
(22:19):
over Gabe Davis and all of them, Dustin Knocks and
all of them. You're a proud Staten Island native. And uh,
you went back and coach with the Giants in twenty eighteen,
and you decided I'm just gonna live in my childhood
home while I do this. What was that? So here's
(22:41):
how it went. So here's how it went. Okay, I
get the Giant job, my family, my uh, my youngest
I'm trying to get everybody straight here. Um, we were
gonna leave them back in Miami, in Fort Lauderdale and
so he could finish his freshman year in high school. Um,
(23:03):
and um, you know, so instead of paying rent up
in New York, my mom says, my mom and dad
still live in the house I grew up in. My
room was available, so why not? So I go back
and I hear I am sleeping in the same bed
when I was a huge Giant fan growing up, and
now I'm getting up every morning going to work and
(23:25):
going to Giants Stadium. It was unbelievable, you know, really
to begin with. And and you know, the best part,
the other best part about was my mom texted me
every day, what time you're gonna be home for dinner.
I was like, Mom, I'm not coming home dinner. You're
like to you should have seen the food left out
(23:48):
for me when I got home at ten eleven o'clock
at night. So it was awesome. It was just give
me a taste of like what that would have looked like?
Oh my god, like my mother is a great cook. Uh,
let's just go with my favor were like chicken colors,
you know, like stacked up high and then any kind
of posture you can imagine, you know, forget it all
all good stuff. I don't know how you're thed. It's
(24:10):
incredible time. So was the bed like I like, I
you know, twit or like how small little kind of tight,
a little tight new mattress, thank god. But it was
a little bit tight. My legs were hanging off. And
I feel like I've just tried to visualize, like a
Bavaro poster over the Bad Baby. It was sims and
(24:31):
l ten sims chops all the time. And I feel
weird talking to you man. I used to have a
poster in my room, like you know, come on, I remember,
you know, growing up, grew up as a forty diner fan.
But in l A, which was not a popular thing.
And you know, you know, Joe Montana kind of turned
around the whole trajectory of that franchise when I was sixteen,
(24:55):
and then you know, about seven years later, I'm doing
a tequila shot with Joe Montana a trainee camp while
covering of So you know, it's it's crazy how this
stuff happens. Well, um, and then you know, I look,
I'm just gonna get on my soapbox for a second. Uh,
(25:18):
there's a lot of really good coaches in this league
and a lot of people are in this court cycle.
I personally, if I were out or would be all
over you just basically just just based on achievement, you know.
And I know these things are, um, you know, out
of your control. But you know, I know you're not
a guy who has self promoted and campaign. You just
(25:38):
put your head down and do your thing. Um, you know,
what's your philosophy on being a head coach of the NFL?
Do you want to do? You think you'd be good
at it? Yeah? I mean I would, you know, I
think it's all coaches. I think aspired to be that.
It's my certainly my ultimate goal. And uh, you know,
I think it's all about relationships. I think it's all
about connecting with all of the players on the team,
(26:01):
not just a particular group of guys on the team.
It's all of them. And that's that's one of the
things I've you know, as you mentioned, I'm not a
guy that's gonna go out there and toot my own horn.
But I've always been able to get along with people.
And um, that's what this businesses, and that's what that
job entails. It's leading men in the in the direction
that sometimes they don't want to go um and you know,
(26:21):
to me, that's what makes a good head coach, among
other things. But uh yeah, I'm hoping for that chance
at some point. Well I hope you get it too.
And in the mean time, you are going to Buffalo
and we will be watching with great interest, hopefully for
you three times before all of a sudden and done.
(26:44):
But thank you so much for take thank you, take
of the time. No, I appreciate Mike, always a pleasure
and any time. Thanks again.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!