December 14, 2025 • 32 mins
Dan Hoard recaps the coldest weather game ever played at Paycor Stadium with radio replays, locker room comments and postgame analysis from Dave Lapham. Then, in this week’s “Fun Facts” conversation, you’ll get to know rookie running back Tahj Brooks.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hi again everybody. I'm Dan Hord and thanks for downloading
The Bengals Booth Podcast. The cold enough to chew My
bones addition as the coldest weather game ever played at
pay Core Stadium goes to the Baltimore Ravens twenty four
to nothing. Coming up, radio replays, locker room comments and
(00:24):
postgame analysis from Dave Lappham. Then, in this week's fun
Facts Conversation, you'll get to know running back Taj Brooks.
The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps,
proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by
Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home,
business and community to a new level, and by Kettering
(00:46):
Health the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health
is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now here's
a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition
of this podcast delivered write to your phone, tablet, or
computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the
greatest thing since a local kid getting a chance to
(01:08):
play for his hometown team. The Bengals signed wide receiver
Xavier Johnson this week. A second year pro who attended
Summit Country Day School in Cincinnati, and he's a great story.
Johnson had double digit scholarship offers coming out of high school,
but chose to walk on at his dream school, Ohio State.
(01:30):
He earned a big role on special teams and eventually
was given a scholarship. Johnson wasn't selected in last year's draft,
but he spent the entire season on the Houston Texans
practice squad, and now he's on the Bengals practice squad.
Here's Xavier. I'm getting the opportunity to wear the orange and.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Black means everything, man.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
I was just telling them so when grew up in
Western Hills, but went to school at High Park, So
every day I'm taking that step pass right in front
of all the stadiums from the time I was I
went I started going to Summon in the third grade.
So from the time I was eight nine years old
to the time I graduated high school, I'm driving past
this just every day and looking at Paul Brown what
(02:12):
it was then now paid corps.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
But yeah, drive.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Past it every day, you know, seeing it and seeing
the changes and the you know, the colors and just
being like as a kid, it's like they can do
no wrong. AJ Green girl with AJ Greens, the Andy
Dalton whatever, drove fastest house in High Park, or it
wasn't High Park, it was more my lookout area.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
But drive past the house.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Over there and I'm like, that's it, you know, Andy
Dawlon's house. So to finally be you know, kind of
in their position, in their shoes, definitely is a blessing.
But definitely feel like I have, you know, a purpose
and a reason of being here, not just you know,
relishing the childhood dream but take the childhood dreaming turning
into some.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Fruit, bear some fruit, you know. Johnson is wearing the
number eight eighteen in honor of one of his biggest
childhood heroes, AJ Green. Now time for the radio replays
from Sunday's loss to Baltimore. In twenty six seasons of
football here at pay Corpse Stadium, it has never been
colder than it is today. The temperature is eight degrees,
(03:21):
the wind chill is minus two. We'll see if Joe
Burrow lives up to the nickname as the Bengals look
to sweep the Baltimore Ravens, and it is time for
the pig skin to fly here in Downtown Cincinnati. Third
down and seven Baltimore and its own forty nine first
drive of the game. Lamar with a deep drop, looking
(03:42):
to throw, begins scrambling and gets brought down near the
line of scrimmage Miles Murphy with a tackle. There's a
loss on the play, so that'll be a sack and
the Bengals will force Baltimore to punt.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
That's great.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Lamar stomps the right foot a couple of times, catches
a shotgun snap. It's a deep drop. Lamar throws, and
it is and it is possibly picked off. The Bengals
are celebrating. Yes, it's an interception. The ricochet goes to
Jordan Battle and Cincinnati gets a takeaway at the twenty
eight yard line.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Jordan Battle had a pretty good defensive series there. He
had to tackle as an unblocked defender, and that interception
is huge.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Lamar sets up a screen caught by Ali's at the
twenty five twenty fifteen ten five touchdown, untouched man. That's
one way to beat the blitz. Yeah, Lamar back to throw,
has time, fires for the end zone, caught touchdown, beautiful throw.
Say Flowers with a catch and the Ravens are up
(04:41):
by two touchdowns. Third down in goal from the seven,
Burrow waits for the shotgun snap chase, the only receiver
out to the left. Burrow drops back to throw. Here
comes the rush. Throws intercepted at the five. Through it
right to a defender who hands it backward to a
teammate now charging up the sideline as Gilman, and he's
go to take it to the house. The thirty, the twenty,
(05:03):
the ten touchdown Van Noi with the interception. He handed
it backward to a faster teammate and it's a Baltimore touchdown.
When the Bengals were inside the ten yard line, Noah
Fan going in motion, lines up next to left tackle
Orlando Brown Junior. It's a handoff to samaj p Rn.
I don't know if he got it.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
I don't think he did.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Baltimore is celebrating, but it all depends on the spot.
Don't think he got it. Nope. Brokeon Smith with the
tackle and the pounding on the glass to are left
in the Ravens coaching booth is all you need to know.
Baltimore gets the stop on fourth and a yard and
it looks like it's going to be a shutout for
defensive coordinator Zach Orr and the Ravens defense. Final score
(05:47):
twenty four to nothing Ravens, marking the first time the
Bengals were ever shut out in a game started by
Joe Burrow. For the first time in sixteen games going
back to last year, Joe did not throw a touchdow
on pass. He finished twenty five for thirty nine for
two hundred and twenty five yards with two picks. His
passer rating at fifty eight point two was the second
(06:09):
lowest of his career. Several drop passes didn't help, but
Burrow didn't point fingers after the game. Here is an
edited portion of his postgame news conference.
Speaker 5 (06:21):
This is a team effort, you know, at the end
of the day, players got to play better on the field.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Today it was me, I gotta be better.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
What do you feel like you could have done better today?
Speaker 5 (06:30):
Everything uncharacter uncharacteristic mental mistakes on my end and some
unforced errors.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Joe. Today was the offense. Other games it's been the defense.
Why has complimentary football been so hard for this team
to find?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
This year?
Speaker 5 (06:43):
We have been a good football team. You know bad football.
Bad football teams do losing things and you know, if
you're if you're wanting to compete for championships and in
the playoffs, then number one, your quarterback has to play
better than than I did today. There's not a team
in the NFL that would have won the game today
if I was the quartett.
Speaker 6 (07:04):
Do you think your play is slipping down the slope
in the wrong direction over the last couple of years.
Speaker 5 (07:12):
No, I feel very confident in how I've played. Obviously, today,
in my opinion, is an outlier. I think I've been
consistently great for years and years and years.
Speaker 6 (07:23):
This is the hardest I thing you've ever been on
himself after a game.
Speaker 5 (07:25):
Why I think this is one of the worst games
that I've I've played. You know, I'm honest with myself
and my play, and I hold myself to high standard,
and today didn't come close.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
In fairness to Joe Mitch Tinsley dropped a touchdown pass
one play before Baltimore's picked six. Andre Josi Vash dropped
or would have been about a thirty yard game, and
even Jamar Chase, who had ten catches for one hundred
and thirty two yards, dropped a couple of passes that
would have gone for first downs. As for the defense,
(08:00):
it only gave up seventeen points to Baltimore's offense, but
the Ravens had eight plays that went for twenty or
more yards, four passes and four runs. I spoke to
Miles Murphy after the game. You had two sacks. TJ.
Slayton was involved in one of those sacks. In any case,
how difficult were the playing conditions for everybody on both
(08:24):
sides today?
Speaker 7 (08:25):
I mean, of course it's cold, but it's just a
conditions this. You know what you signed up for the football.
You played in any any weather, So I just gotta
bear with it and still just play your keys played
a run, rust passer to do we can as a defense.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Big plays hurt you guys today. Did you feel like
that was the biggest problem on defense?
Speaker 7 (08:46):
Yes, women in the explosives, they're explosive team. They got
guys all over at quarterback, O line, running back, receivers,
so you gotta do what you can' s limited the exposives.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
I felt, we felt that we did a good.
Speaker 7 (08:55):
Job against the run, cup them contain cut pressure on them.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
But it was just the explosives.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
I was I was one of them. I was one
of them.
Speaker 7 (09:04):
That gave it the one of the one explosive and
those are just things that just can't happen.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Was that on the touchdown pass to our lee, I
was on your side, but I didn't really know what
your responsibility was there.
Speaker 7 (09:14):
Yeah, the first one, I was supposed to yea, I
was supposed to ta him on that one. And that's
just something that can't happen to me and or anyone.
I just can't happen to give up that explosive play.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
It was a tough game in the sense that Thangals
had some opportunities early inside the thirty, didn't take advantage.
Baltimore got a score, and then it kind of felt
like the momentum swung their way, particularly when they got
that second score late in the second quarter. Describe what
it was like for you guys, just from a momentum standpoint.
Speaker 7 (09:42):
Really, as a defense, we try to approach every every
position that the same, like we got to get the
ball back for our offense because we know our offense,
you know, just like there's a we have offenses full
of explosive guys and who did they All they need
is a chance, man, and that's that's what we try
to do for our offense, just give them a chance,
and you know, that's that's the only thing we can do.
Just do our to do our job and continue to
give our give Joe, just continue to give you the ball.
(10:04):
That's that's all we want to do.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
That's all we can do. It obviously doesn't help the
playoff math. Where do you guys stand now with three
games to go?
Speaker 7 (10:11):
H what's the same deal? The next next week is
the biggest game of the year. That's that's my mindset.
I feel like that's the entire defenses of mindset. Just
to go into next week, same mindset. Attack, stop the run,
get after the quarterback like nothing changes. We're not just
gonna sit back and just let whatever happen to us,
like we're gonna steal attack set set edges, do do
what we can and just you know, show show everyone
(10:32):
what bangle, what Bengal football is.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Appreciate your time, Miles, thank you. As I mentioned, Miles
had a couple of sacks, so did Demitrius Knight, who
also had a forced fumble. Now time to hear a
few of Zach Taylor's comments when he spoke to reporters
after the game.
Speaker 6 (10:48):
I think it's it's frustrating to score zero points get
shut out at home. That's that's unacceptable. Never a million
year is what I've seen that coming, you know. But
that's that's what happened today. So now we're gonna look
at why that happened, and we got to be accountable.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
For it and keep moving forward.
Speaker 6 (11:05):
We knew that this game was going to be very difficult,
and we put a lot of time and effort to
the plan and the practice, and I got to today
film feeling really good about where we're at. And again
we just I'm not going to say that there was
a single area, particularly an offense that we're going to
say that was that was nearly good enough. It wasn't
even close to good enough anywhere, starting with me, And
so that part was frustrating. You told me our defense
(11:27):
was going to sack them as many times and harass
them the pocket and create a turnover and holding three
points to the second half, I'd sign up for that, you know.
So again, just wholesale, as a team, we weren't good enough.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
With the loss, the Bengals are four and ten and
officially eliminated from playoff contention. They have three games left
a road game at Miami and home games against Arizona
and Cleveland. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you
by pay Corps, proud to be the Bengals official HR
software provider, by Alta Fiber Future prow Fiber Internet designed
(12:01):
to elevate your home, business and community to a new level,
and by Kettering Health, the best care for the best fans.
Kettering Health is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals.
Now time for the radio guys recap. Well app, I
can't say that I'm shocked that Baltimore won the game,
but I am shocked that the Bengals didn't score as
(12:23):
good as this offense has been, particularly with Joe Burrow back.
To see Cincinnati reach the end of a game, particularly
at home, with no points is stunning.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
It is, you know, and you look at Joe's raw numbers,
you know, completed over fifty percent of his passes, two
hundred and fifty plus yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions. The
two interceptions obviously were huge. They scored you know, points
off of both of them. That obviously was the big
difference in the football game. But I just watching that game,
(12:56):
I know it was a thumping. It was a total thumping,
there's no doubt. But it's just like the score shouldn't
have been like that. I mean, there's no way this
team shouldn't have put points on the board somehow, Yeah,
kicking an Evan McPherson field goal or punching it in
for a touchdown some way, shape or form. I mean,
to be shut out at home, you know, with a
(13:20):
holiday type crowd, it's not a good look. It's not
a good look at all. And I think they're better
than that, I really do. I think I'm not saying
that they're a playoff caliber team. They're probably going home
for the playoffs. It's probably not probably, it's probably more
than probably. It looks like pretty definite that they're heading
(13:40):
home for the holidays. But they've got players. I mean,
they have pieces. It's just a matter of putting it together.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
They got to the twenty five of Baltimore in their
first drive, the twenty nine on their second drive, and
then inside the ten late in the game and didn't score.
That kills you. I mean, they're not all red zone
failures obviously too are just inside the thirty. But it's
it's close close.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
That's great. Point. I mean they're right there, they're almost
in the red zone. I mean they're within every McPherson
field goals. I mean he can hit from forty six
forty seven yards, that's what those field goals would equate
to potentially. So you know the fact that again you
put no points to be shut out at home in
(14:23):
front of your crowd. Man, it's just I know, the organization,
the coaching staff, the players, everybody's hurting right now, and
they're hurting big time. That locker room was despondent, to
say the least. I think they're all feeling it, and
they're all feeling it a big time.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
On the one hand, the defense allowed seventeen offensive points.
The Ravens scored seven on the long pick six, so
that seems like a positive, But they gave up so
many big plays. They would be good for three or
four snaps and then thirty four yards, thirty eight yards,
things like that. They've just got to find a way
going forward to to prevent so many huge plays that
(15:02):
turn the game.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
Lamar Jackson would have been very pedestrian with his numbers
if not for you know, three or four players of
twenty five thirty five thirty thirty five yards, you know,
and they came in opportune times. There's never an opportune time,
I guess in a football game to give up, you know,
a play that's equivalent to two two and a half
three first downs, you don't want to ever, you know,
(15:25):
do that. But it just seemed like there were backbreaking
I mean, the timing of them couldn't have been any worse.
It was just it was just one of those football
games in that regard. And you know the fact that
it's an AFC North bitter rival makes it all that
much more difficult to swallow.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
We had the Ravens coaching booth immediately to our left. Man,
that's tough to hear when they're hooting and hollering, pounding
on the glass after their big plays. It made me
pretty grumpy in our booth.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
I hate them.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
It definitely made me grumpy. Grumpy is a good word
for it. It's at least that I mean, oh man,
it's you know, but credit them, you know, they found
a way to get it done. I don't think that
they probably feel like as a staff, as an organization,
that they necessarily played their best game. They probably feel
like there's meat on the bone for them as well,
and of course the Bengals. You're talking there's a lot
(16:16):
of meat on the bone. I mean, there's still a
ribbi left on every bone for the Cincinnati Bengals down
the stretch of the season for sure.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Three games left, you're really not talking about the playoffs now,
So what's the mission? What do these guys have to
be playing for in the final three games?
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Still?
Speaker 4 (16:32):
You're playing to go for and to in the division?
Is that going to be enough to be a playoff team?
Speaker 8 (16:37):
Not?
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Probably not with an eight to nine record, best case scenario,
seven and ten now yeah, seven and ten now sorry,
seven and ten record best case scenario. So you know,
hopefully that ain't time, but it was not meant to be. Yeah.
So basically, you're a professional. You're getting paid a ton
of money to play a child's game. Game you've played
your entire life, a game that everybody in the world,
(17:01):
male person walking the face of the earth would like
to have been part of playing currently or playing at
some point in their lifetime. So you have to keep
that in mind. You have to remember how fortunate you
are as the holiday season, you know, is upon us.
You've been blessed and go out and play that way.
You know, play for your teammates, play for yourself. You know,
(17:22):
hopefully maybe at some point you can, if you're playing well,
cash in and get a better contract. That's what it's
all about in the National Football League. It's winning games,
going to the playoffs, winning a Super Bowl, and then
you know, getting paid ultimately. So there's there's plenty to
play for and if not, you're in the wrong profession.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
I think it's safe to assume there will be a
lot of new players on defense next year, not so
many out offense. Most of the good guys are signed
for multiple years going forward. But one name I want
to bring up because we discussed it on the air
a little bit today, was right guard Dalton Riisner. Signed
just before the start of the season. Wasn't in training
camp with anybody. Started slowly. Now he's moved in the
(18:00):
starting lineup. I think he's done pretty well at right guard.
Are you on board with trying to keep him around
at age thirty?
Speaker 4 (18:07):
I am, maybe not a long term contract, but definitely
signing for a year two years max. I think he's
earned that. I think he's playing better. His performances the
Graft's going up. It's going up, you know, on a
weekly basis, and now he's playing to the point where
it's almost going straight north. So I think the offensive
(18:27):
line as a group is starting to play like that.
I think they're starting to gel. I think there's some cohesion.
I think that, you know, they're going to be a
good unit next year as they you know, get better
and better and get more snaps under their belt with
each other. So, you know, I'm encouraged by you know,
what I'm seeing out there. I do think that Carris
(18:47):
is having a solid year. I think the two tackles,
Mims and Brown are playing good football.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
You know.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
I do think that you're right. Defensively, it's gonna be
a lot of new faces. I mean and uh with
the old ind with the new, as the saying goes.
So I do think Al Golden will be back as
defensive coordinator. I know fans that are in my year
and social media people are yet, yeah gold Yeah, he's
he's stinks, he's that, he's this, he sucks, get rid
(19:16):
of him. I think with another year under his belt
in terms of you know, getting across exactly how he
wants things done, you know, no, no, uh no question
as to why he wants it done, how he wants
it done, when he wants you to get there if
you got an assignment responsibility. So I think that he deserves,
(19:38):
definitely deserves a chance to be back, and I think
he will.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Be Did you have freezer Ball flashbacks as you drove
to the stadium today? I did a little bit.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Yeah. I mean I was like, man, this is this
is chili Willie. You know. I put my windows down
a crack just to kind of get start to feel
the atmosphere a little bit, you know, and uh, yeah,
has drove down uh third Street to the stadium. I thought, yeah,
here we go.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
I remember.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
I remember this vividly.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Man.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
I remember just being so cold. I've never been colder
than that my whole life for any reason. And uh
just the thing that I remember, too, Dan, is when
you hit, the pain you know. It's because man, when
you if you're cold, when you hit and go bone
on bone or whatever, man, it's it's a it's a
(20:26):
feeling you remember, that's for sure. And I definitely still
remember it. And there was a lot of physicality and
violence that went on in that football game, because I
mean it was for a ton of bananas, no doubt
about it. I mean it was a It was a
big football game, and our defense was unbelievable and they
just bottled up Fouts.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
Man.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
They just corralled him. He couldn't do anything. Uh, he
was in the tiger's den and he got swarmed. So yeah,
that twenty seven to seven final score that football game.
We won that game going away, And I do remember sleeveless,
Like you said, I decided to go sleeveless because I
had Gary Bighans Johnson who was a grabber and he'd
(21:05):
grab him pull cloth, and I didn't want to have
him have that cloth, that extraneous material to pull on.
So I went with the sleeveless look and basically gritted
my teeth and fought through the pain.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
Let's go to Miami on Friday and be warm for
two days.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
That sounds like a good plan. Dan, I'm ready to
do that. Board that plane, and it can't come fast enough.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Next Sunday's game was originally set for Sunday night football,
but it's been flexed to one in the afternoon. The
Dolphins are six and seven and face the Steelers on
Monday night. That's a wrap on the Baltimore game. Now
time for this week's fun Facts conversation, where you get
to know the person under the pads. Time for some
(21:53):
fun facts with running back Taj Brooks from Manor, Texas,
not far from the capital city of described growing up
in Manor and some of the things you enjoyed doing
when you were young.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Oh, man, the.
Speaker 8 (22:06):
Thing I did the most was just, uh, play football,
went to school, and then you don't hung out with friends.
That was really just the most part. And you know,
I was kind of kind of a country boy at
that time too. You know, it was Mayor back back
in high school. It was a it was a kind
of a little suburb. Now it's a lot of a
lot of things growing out there, so but it was
more country when I was out there when I was
growing up and stuff, So it was fun.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
I read somewhere that you rode horses growing up. Was
that the case? And is it's still the case.
Speaker 8 (22:33):
It's a little bit kind of the case now, but
I try to get not too much, but yeah, I
grew up. I rode a little bit of horses. It
was just when I was little. My aunt shout out
to her, she kind of you know, just instilled to
me just just to do it for fun. And it's
been it's been great ever since. But it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
It just, uh, I kind of had like a little
reaction to like one.
Speaker 8 (22:52):
Of like the horse little blanket sheets, and you know,
I always I loved animals. When I was with it,
I wanted to be like a vision I guess a visitor,
not a vision vennary.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Excuse me.
Speaker 8 (23:02):
It was just I love watching like the incredible Doctor
Poe shows and things like that, so I just want
to see like just the way of living over horse
and things like that.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
But that's just something that I cherished the most when
I was growing up.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Tys. You had an exceptional high school football career, running
for more than four thousand yards. When did it start
to become clear that the other kids either couldn't catch
you or tackle you.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Really, I want to say a little league.
Speaker 8 (23:27):
And then going into my ninth grade year, that was
my first year I was a freshman on varsity ninth grade,
and you really don't see that happening in a lot
of places, and that kind of just changed my trajectory
of football. And I'm very thankful for the coach that gave.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Me the opportunity, mainnerance and far from the University of Texas.
I've read that the Longhorns did not recruit you. Was
that the case and if so, was it disappointing.
Speaker 8 (23:51):
I wasn't disappointing, but they recruited me a little bit.
They kind of wanted me. It was back in twenty yeah,
back in twenty twenty when the covid era and they
had a guy, which is he's in the league actually
right now, so kudos to him and things like that.
But they had a guy, and I feel like text
Tech was the best for me. Uh, coach Matt Wells.
(24:11):
I got recruited by him, and man, he changed my
life forever. And then just the inductive of just Joey MacGuire,
just the things that he built there has been great.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
So uh, I'm glad I'm a text Take Raider.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
You initially committed to Tulsa largely because of an assistant
coach named Justin Hill, who is your running backs coach
now with the Cincinnati Bengals. Described that relationship going back
to the tenth grade.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
It was, it was a great relationship. It's still great
to this day.
Speaker 8 (24:37):
You know, the Jay Hill he does a great job
with just the coaching aspect and then just uh, just
being a.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Teacher, a great guy you can learn from.
Speaker 8 (24:45):
And then just off the field a great a great
family man, a great uh somebody you want to be
like when you want to grow up and things like that.
But the relationship is has been there, I want to
say since my freshman year. I committed to him and
and that program and it was great. And then he
at the job here and I knew, I knew I
was kind of gonna be back.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Not as a Cincinnati being. I thought I know I
was gonna be back in the ropes because I.
Speaker 8 (25:07):
Texted him one year, I guess, I guess, congrats on
going to the super Bowl, and he text me back,
He's like, thank you, man.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
So it was just a good good seeing out of eye.
Speaker 8 (25:15):
And then shoot, I got blessing and I got a
jobbed here, So it all came for full like a
full circle.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
So it's cool.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
We're visiting with TODJ. Brooks. You ultimately chose to play
at Texas Tech. As you mentioned, you're gonna be in
their Hall of Fame someday you're their all time leading rusher.
What did you enjoy most about your five years there.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Man. It wasn't breaking the records or anything.
Speaker 8 (25:34):
It was just the I want to say, my teammates,
the guys that I met there, the guys that I
came in with, we built those are my brothers for life.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
And that was probably like one of.
Speaker 8 (25:42):
The biggest things that I that I missed about college
and things like that. But besides the accolades that I
broken things, but those that's probably the most important ones.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
In addition to your on the field success, you excelled
in the classroom. You were nominated for the Campbell Award
last year, which is known as the Academic Heusbend Trophy.
Did your folks put a big emphasis on the classroom
For sure.
Speaker 8 (26:05):
My mom and my dad, they pushed me academically as
well as on the field. You want to be the
best person in the brain before you get outside and
get on the field.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
You know.
Speaker 8 (26:14):
So that's just it's been instilled to me at a
young age. My grandma is also instilled in me, just
you gotta you gotta be a student before you be
an athlete.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
So just learning different ways just to get better with
your brain.
Speaker 8 (26:24):
That's just something I always honored as and you know,
just want to just expand my knowledge more.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
The Bengals selected you in the sixth round of this
year's draft. Describe that day leading up to getting the
phone call from Zach Taylor.
Speaker 8 (26:37):
First and foremost, it was just it was a blessing.
I can't think enough to the man above. The Bengels
got a great guy, a great a great person that's
gonna come in and impact the way that he can
if any opportunity that he gets.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
But now that that day was amazing.
Speaker 8 (26:51):
I talked to Zach, I talked to Jay Hill, and
then shoot, after that, it was it was ready to work.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
You know.
Speaker 8 (26:55):
They nothing wasn't handed, nothing wasn't given. It was just
come in, learn and just be uh, whenever opportunity for thisself,
be ready for the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
And I can't wait.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
This was a crazy deep draft for running backs. I'm
thinking in a normal year you would have gone several
rounds earlier. How did that affect you?
Speaker 2 (27:14):
I really didn't. It really didn't affect me.
Speaker 8 (27:16):
I have I have a great team, a great agent
within that well and things like that. So they kept me. Uh,
he kept me, truly honest. He's like, man, I feel
like you're one of the top backs in this class,
and you know your film proves it. You can take
and catch the ball great out the backfield and you
know run the ball. That's nothing. White can't question question
you about that. So man, that's just it was deep.
(27:37):
But I feel like I separated myself just off pass
protection and then catching the ball.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Where at the backfield were the guys draft before you
where you said yourself, Man, that guy is good, but
I know I'm better than he is for.
Speaker 8 (27:49):
Sure, you know, just the competitor in me just saying that.
And then just you know, on draft day, I kind
of wrote and thought about every guy that went before me,
so not saying when we played them. I I just
want to, you know, be the whenever I give my opportunity,
be the best back on the field and things like that.
So I just can't wait for that to happen.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
All right, Some wild card topics now for Bengals running
back Taj Brooks. Who is your all time favorite athlete
in any sport?
Speaker 2 (28:12):
And why I gotta be one or just one?
Speaker 1 (28:16):
You can pick several if you'd like.
Speaker 8 (28:18):
All Man, it's tough. I'm gonna go Kobe just because
the Mama mentality. I'm gonna go Ray Lewis, just because
a guy that's gonna come to work each and every
day and give it his all, and someone that's gonna
embrace you and you know, makes you want to do
things that you want to that you don't want to
do but you're doing. And then my last one is
probably Barry Sanders, just a guy that's just very consistent
(28:43):
as being playing a running back, being at the plane
at the highest level and doing the great things that
he did in the NFL. Man, it's just you always
want to put yourself in that role and just want
to see yourself doing those great things that he did.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
So Barry Sanders was before your time. Have you watched
a lot of the clips on YouTube?
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Oh for sure, I'll watch him.
Speaker 8 (29:01):
Then you know the Madden you know, I play Madden
a lot, so I'm always using him, Watson Payton, you know,
just Marshall fawk Man.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
You can go a list goes down, man.
Speaker 8 (29:09):
But I kind of watch those guys on YouTube and
just you know, going what they did in the NFL
and just try to see how my game can imprint
and how I can take things from their game.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
So we're visiting the taj Brooks. For the last three years,
you put on a free football clinic back home for kids.
More than three hundred attended this past year. Why do
you do that?
Speaker 8 (29:27):
I do it just it's a blessing first and foremost
for the kids. And you know, just so it's been
it's free. It's something that I love, you know, giving
back to my community, giving back to where I came from.
And you know, you always want to get back to
your hometown because they're going to support you no matter what,
no matter if you're an NFL, no matter if you're
you know, a college coach some day, no matter whatever
you doing, they're going to always support you. And I
always want to give my support back to my high
(29:49):
schools and things like that.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
We know you're a good running back, we know you're
a good student. You rode horses as a kid. But
where do you allow he at? Uh?
Speaker 2 (29:58):
To be honest, I'm not a good singer.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
I will not.
Speaker 8 (30:02):
I sing to myself sometimes, but it's just myself and
probably my girlfriend. But besides that, I'm not a great
singer at all. That's probably the one.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
What do you like to splur?
Speaker 2 (30:11):
John Man?
Speaker 8 (30:13):
I don't know because I haven't. Man, I'm not I'm
a big I'm not a big spender. It's just it
depends like I kind of left my big spending probably
in my college days. But now it's just more of
just I don't know, man, it's I don't really splurs
a lot. Second contract, probably buy a home back home,
you know, by a home, get something set up off
(30:34):
of the off season, and you know, get something going
with the off season, things like that.
Speaker 2 (30:38):
So just buy a home and things like that.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
All right, Final fun fact for Taj Brooks. This one's
a little bit deep. If you could meet anybody in history,
living or deceased, who would that person be?
Speaker 8 (30:50):
I want to say one is Nipsey Hustle. Nipsey Hustle,
excuse me, just the way how powerful he is with
his voice and the way he carried on his life
and his legacy. And then to probably my brother Charlie Man,
just to talk to him, see how you doing up there.
He passed away in twenty nineteen during a gun violence accident.
(31:10):
So just meet him and just top it up with him.
That would probably be my two, Like most coming back
and just chopping it up.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
So that probably my things, right.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
There, Tash, appreciate your time. Best of lock the rest
of the year.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Yes, sorry, thank you.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
That's going to do it for this episode of the
Bengals Booth Podcast, brought to you by pay Core, Proud
to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by Alta Fiber,
future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business
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(31:44):
done so already, please subscribe to this podcast and if
you have a minute, give it a rating or share
a comment that helps more Bengals fans find us. I'm
Dan Horde. Thanks for listening to The Bengals Booth Podcast.
Hi again everybody. I'm Dan Hord and thanks for downloading
The Bengals Booth Podcast. The cold enough to chew My
bones addition as the coldest weather game ever played at
pay Core Stadium goes to the Baltimore Ravens twenty four
to nothing. Coming up, radio replays, locker room comments and
(00:24):
postgame analysis from Dave Lappham. Then, in this week's fun
Facts Conversation, you'll get to know running back Taj Brooks.
The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps,
proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by
Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home,
business and community to a new level, and by Kettering
(00:46):
Health the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health
is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now here's
a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition
of this podcast delivered write to your phone, tablet, or
computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the
greatest thing since a local kid getting a chance to
(01:08):
play for his hometown team. The Bengals signed wide receiver
Xavier Johnson this week. A second year pro who attended
Summit Country Day School in Cincinnati, and he's a great story.
Johnson had double digit scholarship offers coming out of high school,
but chose to walk on at his dream school, Ohio State.
(01:30):
He earned a big role on special teams and eventually
was given a scholarship. Johnson wasn't selected in last year's draft,
but he spent the entire season on the Houston Texans
practice squad, and now he's on the Bengals practice squad.
Here's Xavier. I'm getting the opportunity to wear the orange and.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Black means everything, man.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
I was just telling them so when grew up in
Western Hills, but went to school at High Park, So
every day I'm taking that step pass right in front
of all the stadiums from the time I was I
went I started going to Summon in the third grade.
So from the time I was eight nine years old
to the time I graduated high school, I'm driving past
this just every day and looking at Paul Brown what
(02:12):
it was then now paid corps.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
But yeah, drive.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Past it every day, you know, seeing it and seeing
the changes and the you know, the colors and just
being like as a kid, it's like they can do
no wrong. AJ Green girl with AJ Greens, the Andy
Dalton whatever, drove fastest house in High Park, or it
wasn't High Park, it was more my lookout area.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
But drive past the house.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Over there and I'm like, that's it, you know, Andy
Dawlon's house. So to finally be you know, kind of
in their position, in their shoes, definitely is a blessing.
But definitely feel like I have, you know, a purpose
and a reason of being here, not just you know,
relishing the childhood dream but take the childhood dreaming turning
into some.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Fruit, bear some fruit, you know. Johnson is wearing the
number eight eighteen in honor of one of his biggest
childhood heroes, AJ Green. Now time for the radio replays
from Sunday's loss to Baltimore. In twenty six seasons of
football here at pay Corpse Stadium, it has never been
colder than it is today. The temperature is eight degrees,
(03:21):
the wind chill is minus two. We'll see if Joe
Burrow lives up to the nickname as the Bengals look
to sweep the Baltimore Ravens, and it is time for
the pig skin to fly here in Downtown Cincinnati. Third
down and seven Baltimore and its own forty nine first
drive of the game. Lamar with a deep drop, looking
(03:42):
to throw, begins scrambling and gets brought down near the
line of scrimmage Miles Murphy with a tackle. There's a
loss on the play, so that'll be a sack and
the Bengals will force Baltimore to punt.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
That's great.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Lamar stomps the right foot a couple of times, catches
a shotgun snap. It's a deep drop. Lamar throws, and
it is and it is possibly picked off. The Bengals
are celebrating. Yes, it's an interception. The ricochet goes to
Jordan Battle and Cincinnati gets a takeaway at the twenty
eight yard line.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
Jordan Battle had a pretty good defensive series there. He
had to tackle as an unblocked defender, and that interception
is huge.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Lamar sets up a screen caught by Ali's at the
twenty five twenty fifteen ten five touchdown, untouched man. That's
one way to beat the blitz. Yeah, Lamar back to throw,
has time, fires for the end zone, caught touchdown, beautiful throw.
Say Flowers with a catch and the Ravens are up
(04:41):
by two touchdowns. Third down in goal from the seven,
Burrow waits for the shotgun snap chase, the only receiver
out to the left. Burrow drops back to throw. Here
comes the rush. Throws intercepted at the five. Through it
right to a defender who hands it backward to a
teammate now charging up the sideline as Gilman, and he's
go to take it to the house. The thirty, the twenty,
(05:03):
the ten touchdown Van Noi with the interception. He handed
it backward to a faster teammate and it's a Baltimore touchdown.
When the Bengals were inside the ten yard line, Noah
Fan going in motion, lines up next to left tackle
Orlando Brown Junior. It's a handoff to samaj p Rn.
I don't know if he got it.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
I don't think he did.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Baltimore is celebrating, but it all depends on the spot.
Don't think he got it. Nope. Brokeon Smith with the
tackle and the pounding on the glass to are left
in the Ravens coaching booth is all you need to know.
Baltimore gets the stop on fourth and a yard and
it looks like it's going to be a shutout for
defensive coordinator Zach Orr and the Ravens defense. Final score
(05:47):
twenty four to nothing Ravens, marking the first time the
Bengals were ever shut out in a game started by
Joe Burrow. For the first time in sixteen games going
back to last year, Joe did not throw a touchdow
on pass. He finished twenty five for thirty nine for
two hundred and twenty five yards with two picks. His
passer rating at fifty eight point two was the second
(06:09):
lowest of his career. Several drop passes didn't help, but
Burrow didn't point fingers after the game. Here is an
edited portion of his postgame news conference.
Speaker 5 (06:21):
This is a team effort, you know, at the end
of the day, players got to play better on the field.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Today it was me, I gotta be better.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
What do you feel like you could have done better today?
Speaker 5 (06:30):
Everything uncharacter uncharacteristic mental mistakes on my end and some
unforced errors.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Joe. Today was the offense. Other games it's been the defense.
Why has complimentary football been so hard for this team
to find?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
This year?
Speaker 5 (06:43):
We have been a good football team. You know bad football.
Bad football teams do losing things and you know, if
you're if you're wanting to compete for championships and in
the playoffs, then number one, your quarterback has to play
better than than I did today. There's not a team
in the NFL that would have won the game today
if I was the quartett.
Speaker 6 (07:04):
Do you think your play is slipping down the slope
in the wrong direction over the last couple of years.
Speaker 5 (07:12):
No, I feel very confident in how I've played. Obviously, today,
in my opinion, is an outlier. I think I've been
consistently great for years and years and years.
Speaker 6 (07:23):
This is the hardest I thing you've ever been on
himself after a game.
Speaker 5 (07:25):
Why I think this is one of the worst games
that I've I've played. You know, I'm honest with myself
and my play, and I hold myself to high standard,
and today didn't come close.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
In fairness to Joe Mitch Tinsley dropped a touchdown pass
one play before Baltimore's picked six. Andre Josi Vash dropped
or would have been about a thirty yard game, and
even Jamar Chase, who had ten catches for one hundred
and thirty two yards, dropped a couple of passes that
would have gone for first downs. As for the defense,
(08:00):
it only gave up seventeen points to Baltimore's offense, but
the Ravens had eight plays that went for twenty or
more yards, four passes and four runs. I spoke to
Miles Murphy after the game. You had two sacks. TJ.
Slayton was involved in one of those sacks. In any case,
how difficult were the playing conditions for everybody on both
(08:24):
sides today?
Speaker 7 (08:25):
I mean, of course it's cold, but it's just a
conditions this. You know what you signed up for the football.
You played in any any weather, So I just gotta
bear with it and still just play your keys played
a run, rust passer to do we can as a defense.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Big plays hurt you guys today. Did you feel like
that was the biggest problem on defense?
Speaker 7 (08:46):
Yes, women in the explosives, they're explosive team. They got
guys all over at quarterback, O line, running back, receivers,
so you gotta do what you can' s limited the exposives.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
I felt, we felt that we did a good.
Speaker 7 (08:55):
Job against the run, cup them contain cut pressure on them.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
But it was just the explosives.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
I was I was one of them. I was one
of them.
Speaker 7 (09:04):
That gave it the one of the one explosive and
those are just things that just can't happen.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Was that on the touchdown pass to our lee, I
was on your side, but I didn't really know what
your responsibility was there.
Speaker 7 (09:14):
Yeah, the first one, I was supposed to yea, I
was supposed to ta him on that one. And that's
just something that can't happen to me and or anyone.
I just can't happen to give up that explosive play.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
It was a tough game in the sense that Thangals
had some opportunities early inside the thirty, didn't take advantage.
Baltimore got a score, and then it kind of felt
like the momentum swung their way, particularly when they got
that second score late in the second quarter. Describe what
it was like for you guys, just from a momentum standpoint.
Speaker 7 (09:42):
Really, as a defense, we try to approach every every
position that the same, like we got to get the
ball back for our offense because we know our offense,
you know, just like there's a we have offenses full
of explosive guys and who did they All they need
is a chance, man, and that's that's what we try
to do for our offense, just give them a chance,
and you know, that's that's the only thing we can do.
Just do our to do our job and continue to
give our give Joe, just continue to give you the ball.
(10:04):
That's that's all we want to do.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
That's all we can do. It obviously doesn't help the
playoff math. Where do you guys stand now with three
games to go?
Speaker 7 (10:11):
H what's the same deal? The next next week is
the biggest game of the year. That's that's my mindset.
I feel like that's the entire defenses of mindset. Just
to go into next week, same mindset. Attack, stop the run,
get after the quarterback like nothing changes. We're not just
gonna sit back and just let whatever happen to us,
like we're gonna steal attack set set edges, do do
what we can and just you know, show show everyone
(10:32):
what bangle, what Bengal football is.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Appreciate your time, Miles, thank you. As I mentioned, Miles
had a couple of sacks, so did Demitrius Knight, who
also had a forced fumble. Now time to hear a
few of Zach Taylor's comments when he spoke to reporters
after the game.
Speaker 6 (10:48):
I think it's it's frustrating to score zero points get
shut out at home. That's that's unacceptable. Never a million
year is what I've seen that coming, you know. But
that's that's what happened today. So now we're gonna look
at why that happened, and we got to be accountable.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
For it and keep moving forward.
Speaker 6 (11:05):
We knew that this game was going to be very difficult,
and we put a lot of time and effort to
the plan and the practice, and I got to today
film feeling really good about where we're at. And again
we just I'm not going to say that there was
a single area, particularly an offense that we're going to
say that was that was nearly good enough. It wasn't
even close to good enough anywhere, starting with me, And
so that part was frustrating. You told me our defense
(11:27):
was going to sack them as many times and harass
them the pocket and create a turnover and holding three
points to the second half, I'd sign up for that, you know.
So again, just wholesale, as a team, we weren't good enough.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
With the loss, the Bengals are four and ten and
officially eliminated from playoff contention. They have three games left
a road game at Miami and home games against Arizona
and Cleveland. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you
by pay Corps, proud to be the Bengals official HR
software provider, by Alta Fiber Future prow Fiber Internet designed
(12:01):
to elevate your home, business and community to a new level,
and by Kettering Health, the best care for the best fans.
Kettering Health is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals.
Now time for the radio guys recap. Well app, I
can't say that I'm shocked that Baltimore won the game,
but I am shocked that the Bengals didn't score as
(12:23):
good as this offense has been, particularly with Joe Burrow back.
To see Cincinnati reach the end of a game, particularly
at home, with no points is stunning.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
It is, you know, and you look at Joe's raw numbers,
you know, completed over fifty percent of his passes, two
hundred and fifty plus yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions. The
two interceptions obviously were huge. They scored you know, points
off of both of them. That obviously was the big
difference in the football game. But I just watching that game,
(12:56):
I know it was a thumping. It was a total thumping,
there's no doubt. But it's just like the score shouldn't
have been like that. I mean, there's no way this
team shouldn't have put points on the board somehow, Yeah,
kicking an Evan McPherson field goal or punching it in
for a touchdown some way, shape or form. I mean,
to be shut out at home, you know, with a
(13:20):
holiday type crowd, it's not a good look. It's not
a good look at all. And I think they're better
than that, I really do. I think I'm not saying
that they're a playoff caliber team. They're probably going home
for the playoffs. It's probably not probably, it's probably more
than probably. It looks like pretty definite that they're heading
(13:40):
home for the holidays. But they've got players. I mean,
they have pieces. It's just a matter of putting it together.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
They got to the twenty five of Baltimore in their
first drive, the twenty nine on their second drive, and
then inside the ten late in the game and didn't score.
That kills you. I mean, they're not all red zone
failures obviously too are just inside the thirty. But it's
it's close close.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
That's great. Point. I mean they're right there, they're almost
in the red zone. I mean they're within every McPherson
field goals. I mean he can hit from forty six
forty seven yards, that's what those field goals would equate
to potentially. So you know the fact that again you
put no points to be shut out at home in
(14:23):
front of your crowd. Man, it's just I know, the organization,
the coaching staff, the players, everybody's hurting right now, and
they're hurting big time. That locker room was despondent, to
say the least. I think they're all feeling it, and
they're all feeling it a big time.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
On the one hand, the defense allowed seventeen offensive points.
The Ravens scored seven on the long pick six, so
that seems like a positive, But they gave up so
many big plays. They would be good for three or
four snaps and then thirty four yards, thirty eight yards,
things like that. They've just got to find a way
going forward to to prevent so many huge plays that
(15:02):
turn the game.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
Lamar Jackson would have been very pedestrian with his numbers
if not for you know, three or four players of
twenty five thirty five thirty thirty five yards, you know,
and they came in opportune times. There's never an opportune time,
I guess in a football game to give up, you know,
a play that's equivalent to two two and a half
three first downs, you don't want to ever, you know,
(15:25):
do that. But it just seemed like there were backbreaking
I mean, the timing of them couldn't have been any worse.
It was just it was just one of those football
games in that regard. And you know the fact that
it's an AFC North bitter rival makes it all that
much more difficult to swallow.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
We had the Ravens coaching booth immediately to our left. Man,
that's tough to hear when they're hooting and hollering, pounding
on the glass after their big plays. It made me
pretty grumpy in our booth.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
I hate them.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
It definitely made me grumpy. Grumpy is a good word
for it. It's at least that I mean, oh man,
it's you know, but credit them, you know, they found
a way to get it done. I don't think that
they probably feel like as a staff, as an organization,
that they necessarily played their best game. They probably feel
like there's meat on the bone for them as well,
and of course the Bengals. You're talking there's a lot
(16:16):
of meat on the bone. I mean, there's still a
ribbi left on every bone for the Cincinnati Bengals down
the stretch of the season for sure.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Three games left, you're really not talking about the playoffs now,
So what's the mission? What do these guys have to
be playing for in the final three games?
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Still?
Speaker 4 (16:32):
You're playing to go for and to in the division?
Is that going to be enough to be a playoff team?
Speaker 8 (16:37):
Not?
Speaker 4 (16:37):
Probably not with an eight to nine record, best case scenario,
seven and ten now yeah, seven and ten now sorry,
seven and ten record best case scenario. So you know,
hopefully that ain't time, but it was not meant to be. Yeah.
So basically, you're a professional. You're getting paid a ton
of money to play a child's game. Game you've played
your entire life, a game that everybody in the world,
(17:01):
male person walking the face of the earth would like
to have been part of playing currently or playing at
some point in their lifetime. So you have to keep
that in mind. You have to remember how fortunate you
are as the holiday season, you know, is upon us.
You've been blessed and go out and play that way.
You know, play for your teammates, play for yourself. You know,
(17:22):
hopefully maybe at some point you can, if you're playing well,
cash in and get a better contract. That's what it's
all about in the National Football League. It's winning games,
going to the playoffs, winning a Super Bowl, and then
you know, getting paid ultimately. So there's there's plenty to
play for and if not, you're in the wrong profession.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
I think it's safe to assume there will be a
lot of new players on defense next year, not so
many out offense. Most of the good guys are signed
for multiple years going forward. But one name I want
to bring up because we discussed it on the air
a little bit today, was right guard Dalton Riisner. Signed
just before the start of the season. Wasn't in training
camp with anybody. Started slowly. Now he's moved in the
(18:00):
starting lineup. I think he's done pretty well at right guard.
Are you on board with trying to keep him around
at age thirty?
Speaker 4 (18:07):
I am, maybe not a long term contract, but definitely
signing for a year two years max. I think he's
earned that. I think he's playing better. His performances the
Graft's going up. It's going up, you know, on a
weekly basis, and now he's playing to the point where
it's almost going straight north. So I think the offensive
(18:27):
line as a group is starting to play like that.
I think they're starting to gel. I think there's some cohesion.
I think that, you know, they're going to be a
good unit next year as they you know, get better
and better and get more snaps under their belt with
each other. So, you know, I'm encouraged by you know,
what I'm seeing out there. I do think that Carris
(18:47):
is having a solid year. I think the two tackles,
Mims and Brown are playing good football.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
You know.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
I do think that you're right. Defensively, it's gonna be
a lot of new faces. I mean and uh with
the old ind with the new, as the saying goes.
So I do think Al Golden will be back as
defensive coordinator. I know fans that are in my year
and social media people are yet, yeah gold Yeah, he's
he's stinks, he's that, he's this, he sucks, get rid
(19:16):
of him. I think with another year under his belt
in terms of you know, getting across exactly how he
wants things done, you know, no, no, uh no question
as to why he wants it done, how he wants
it done, when he wants you to get there if
you got an assignment responsibility. So I think that he deserves,
(19:38):
definitely deserves a chance to be back, and I think
he will.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
Be Did you have freezer Ball flashbacks as you drove
to the stadium today? I did a little bit.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Yeah. I mean I was like, man, this is this
is chili Willie. You know. I put my windows down
a crack just to kind of get start to feel
the atmosphere a little bit, you know, and uh, yeah,
has drove down uh third Street to the stadium. I thought, yeah,
here we go.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
I remember.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
I remember this vividly.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Man.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
I remember just being so cold. I've never been colder
than that my whole life for any reason. And uh
just the thing that I remember, too, Dan, is when
you hit, the pain you know. It's because man, when
you if you're cold, when you hit and go bone
on bone or whatever, man, it's it's a it's a
(20:26):
feeling you remember, that's for sure. And I definitely still
remember it. And there was a lot of physicality and
violence that went on in that football game, because I
mean it was for a ton of bananas, no doubt
about it. I mean it was a It was a
big football game, and our defense was unbelievable and they
just bottled up Fouts.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
Man.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
They just corralled him. He couldn't do anything. Uh, he
was in the tiger's den and he got swarmed. So yeah,
that twenty seven to seven final score that football game.
We won that game going away, And I do remember sleeveless,
Like you said, I decided to go sleeveless because I
had Gary Bighans Johnson who was a grabber and he'd
(21:05):
grab him pull cloth, and I didn't want to have
him have that cloth, that extraneous material to pull on.
So I went with the sleeveless look and basically gritted
my teeth and fought through the pain.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
Let's go to Miami on Friday and be warm for
two days.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
That sounds like a good plan. Dan, I'm ready to
do that. Board that plane, and it can't come fast enough.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Next Sunday's game was originally set for Sunday night football,
but it's been flexed to one in the afternoon. The
Dolphins are six and seven and face the Steelers on
Monday night. That's a wrap on the Baltimore game. Now
time for this week's fun Facts conversation, where you get
to know the person under the pads. Time for some
(21:53):
fun facts with running back Taj Brooks from Manor, Texas,
not far from the capital city of described growing up
in Manor and some of the things you enjoyed doing
when you were young.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Oh, man, the.
Speaker 8 (22:06):
Thing I did the most was just, uh, play football,
went to school, and then you don't hung out with friends.
That was really just the most part. And you know,
I was kind of kind of a country boy at
that time too. You know, it was Mayor back back
in high school. It was a it was a kind
of a little suburb. Now it's a lot of a
lot of things growing out there, so but it was
more country when I was out there when I was
growing up and stuff, So it was fun.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
I read somewhere that you rode horses growing up. Was
that the case? And is it's still the case.
Speaker 8 (22:33):
It's a little bit kind of the case now, but
I try to get not too much, but yeah, I
grew up. I rode a little bit of horses. It
was just when I was little. My aunt shout out
to her, she kind of you know, just instilled to
me just just to do it for fun. And it's
been it's been great ever since. But it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
It just, uh, I kind of had like a little
reaction to like one.
Speaker 8 (22:52):
Of like the horse little blanket sheets, and you know,
I always I loved animals. When I was with it,
I wanted to be like a vision I guess a visitor,
not a vision vennary.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
Excuse me.
Speaker 8 (23:02):
It was just I love watching like the incredible Doctor
Poe shows and things like that, so I just want
to see like just the way of living over horse
and things like that.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
But that's just something that I cherished the most when
I was growing up.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Tys. You had an exceptional high school football career, running
for more than four thousand yards. When did it start
to become clear that the other kids either couldn't catch
you or tackle you.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Really, I want to say a little league.
Speaker 8 (23:27):
And then going into my ninth grade year, that was
my first year I was a freshman on varsity ninth grade,
and you really don't see that happening in a lot
of places, and that kind of just changed my trajectory
of football. And I'm very thankful for the coach that gave.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Me the opportunity, mainnerance and far from the University of Texas.
I've read that the Longhorns did not recruit you. Was
that the case and if so, was it disappointing.
Speaker 8 (23:51):
I wasn't disappointing, but they recruited me a little bit.
They kind of wanted me. It was back in twenty yeah,
back in twenty twenty when the covid era and they
had a guy, which is he's in the league actually
right now, so kudos to him and things like that.
But they had a guy, and I feel like text
Tech was the best for me. Uh, coach Matt Wells.
(24:11):
I got recruited by him, and man, he changed my
life forever. And then just the inductive of just Joey MacGuire,
just the things that he built there has been great.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
So uh, I'm glad I'm a text Take Raider.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
You initially committed to Tulsa largely because of an assistant
coach named Justin Hill, who is your running backs coach
now with the Cincinnati Bengals. Described that relationship going back
to the tenth grade.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
It was, it was a great relationship. It's still great
to this day.
Speaker 8 (24:37):
You know, the Jay Hill he does a great job
with just the coaching aspect and then just uh, just
being a.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Teacher, a great guy you can learn from.
Speaker 8 (24:45):
And then just off the field a great a great
family man, a great uh somebody you want to be
like when you want to grow up and things like that.
But the relationship is has been there, I want to
say since my freshman year. I committed to him and
and that program and it was great. And then he
at the job here and I knew, I knew I
was kind of gonna be back.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Not as a Cincinnati being. I thought I know I
was gonna be back in the ropes because I.
Speaker 8 (25:07):
Texted him one year, I guess, I guess, congrats on
going to the super Bowl, and he text me back,
He's like, thank you, man.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
So it was just a good good seeing out of eye.
Speaker 8 (25:15):
And then shoot, I got blessing and I got a
jobbed here, So it all came for full like a
full circle.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
So it's cool.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
We're visiting with TODJ. Brooks. You ultimately chose to play
at Texas Tech. As you mentioned, you're gonna be in
their Hall of Fame someday you're their all time leading rusher.
What did you enjoy most about your five years there.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Man. It wasn't breaking the records or anything.
Speaker 8 (25:34):
It was just the I want to say, my teammates,
the guys that I met there, the guys that I
came in with, we built those are my brothers for life.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
And that was probably like one of.
Speaker 8 (25:42):
The biggest things that I that I missed about college
and things like that. But besides the accolades that I
broken things, but those that's probably the most important ones.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
In addition to your on the field success, you excelled
in the classroom. You were nominated for the Campbell Award
last year, which is known as the Academic Heusbend Trophy.
Did your folks put a big emphasis on the classroom
For sure.
Speaker 8 (26:05):
My mom and my dad, they pushed me academically as
well as on the field. You want to be the
best person in the brain before you get outside and
get on the field.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
You know.
Speaker 8 (26:14):
So that's just it's been instilled to me at a
young age. My grandma is also instilled in me, just
you gotta you gotta be a student before you be
an athlete.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
So just learning different ways just to get better with
your brain.
Speaker 8 (26:24):
That's just something I always honored as and you know,
just want to just expand my knowledge more.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
The Bengals selected you in the sixth round of this
year's draft. Describe that day leading up to getting the
phone call from Zach Taylor.
Speaker 8 (26:37):
First and foremost, it was just it was a blessing.
I can't think enough to the man above. The Bengels
got a great guy, a great a great person that's
gonna come in and impact the way that he can
if any opportunity that he gets.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
But now that that day was amazing.
Speaker 8 (26:51):
I talked to Zach, I talked to Jay Hill, and
then shoot, after that, it was it was ready to work.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
You know.
Speaker 8 (26:55):
They nothing wasn't handed, nothing wasn't given. It was just
come in, learn and just be uh, whenever opportunity for thisself,
be ready for the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
And I can't wait.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
This was a crazy deep draft for running backs. I'm
thinking in a normal year you would have gone several
rounds earlier. How did that affect you?
Speaker 2 (27:14):
I really didn't. It really didn't affect me.
Speaker 8 (27:16):
I have I have a great team, a great agent
within that well and things like that. So they kept me. Uh,
he kept me, truly honest. He's like, man, I feel
like you're one of the top backs in this class,
and you know your film proves it. You can take
and catch the ball great out the backfield and you
know run the ball. That's nothing. White can't question question
you about that. So man, that's just it was deep.
(27:37):
But I feel like I separated myself just off pass
protection and then catching the ball.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Where at the backfield were the guys draft before you
where you said yourself, Man, that guy is good, but
I know I'm better than he is for.
Speaker 8 (27:49):
Sure, you know, just the competitor in me just saying that.
And then just you know, on draft day, I kind
of wrote and thought about every guy that went before me,
so not saying when we played them. I I just
want to, you know, be the whenever I give my opportunity,
be the best back on the field and things like that.
So I just can't wait for that to happen.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
All right, Some wild card topics now for Bengals running
back Taj Brooks. Who is your all time favorite athlete
in any sport?
Speaker 2 (28:12):
And why I gotta be one or just one?
Speaker 1 (28:16):
You can pick several if you'd like.
Speaker 8 (28:18):
All Man, it's tough. I'm gonna go Kobe just because
the Mama mentality. I'm gonna go Ray Lewis, just because
a guy that's gonna come to work each and every
day and give it his all, and someone that's gonna
embrace you and you know, makes you want to do
things that you want to that you don't want to
do but you're doing. And then my last one is
probably Barry Sanders, just a guy that's just very consistent
(28:43):
as being playing a running back, being at the plane
at the highest level and doing the great things that
he did in the NFL. Man, it's just you always
want to put yourself in that role and just want
to see yourself doing those great things that he did.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
So Barry Sanders was before your time. Have you watched
a lot of the clips on YouTube?
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Oh for sure, I'll watch him.
Speaker 8 (29:01):
Then you know the Madden you know, I play Madden
a lot, so I'm always using him, Watson Payton, you know,
just Marshall fawk Man.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
You can go a list goes down, man.
Speaker 8 (29:09):
But I kind of watch those guys on YouTube and
just you know, going what they did in the NFL
and just try to see how my game can imprint
and how I can take things from their game.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
So we're visiting the taj Brooks. For the last three years,
you put on a free football clinic back home for kids.
More than three hundred attended this past year. Why do
you do that?
Speaker 8 (29:27):
I do it just it's a blessing first and foremost
for the kids. And you know, just so it's been
it's free. It's something that I love, you know, giving
back to my community, giving back to where I came from.
And you know, you always want to get back to
your hometown because they're going to support you no matter what,
no matter if you're an NFL, no matter if you're
you know, a college coach some day, no matter whatever
you doing, they're going to always support you. And I
always want to give my support back to my high
(29:49):
schools and things like that.
Speaker 1 (29:50):
We know you're a good running back, we know you're
a good student. You rode horses as a kid. But
where do you allow he at? Uh?
Speaker 2 (29:58):
To be honest, I'm not a good singer.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
I will not.
Speaker 8 (30:02):
I sing to myself sometimes, but it's just myself and
probably my girlfriend. But besides that, I'm not a great
singer at all. That's probably the one.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
What do you like to splur?
Speaker 2 (30:11):
John Man?
Speaker 8 (30:13):
I don't know because I haven't. Man, I'm not I'm
a big I'm not a big spender. It's just it
depends like I kind of left my big spending probably
in my college days. But now it's just more of
just I don't know, man, it's I don't really splurs
a lot. Second contract, probably buy a home back home,
you know, by a home, get something set up off
(30:34):
of the off season, and you know, get something going
with the off season, things like that.
Speaker 2 (30:38):
So just buy a home and things like that.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
All right, Final fun fact for Taj Brooks. This one's
a little bit deep. If you could meet anybody in history,
living or deceased, who would that person be?
Speaker 8 (30:50):
I want to say one is Nipsey Hustle. Nipsey Hustle,
excuse me, just the way how powerful he is with
his voice and the way he carried on his life
and his legacy. And then to probably my brother Charlie Man,
just to talk to him, see how you doing up there.
He passed away in twenty nineteen during a gun violence accident.
(31:10):
So just meet him and just top it up with him.
That would probably be my two, Like most coming back
and just chopping it up.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
So that probably my things, right.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
There, Tash, appreciate your time. Best of lock the rest
of the year.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Yes, sorry, thank you.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
That's going to do it for this episode of the
Bengals Booth Podcast, brought to you by pay Core, Proud
to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by Alta Fiber,
future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business
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the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is
the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. If you haven't
(31:44):
done so already, please subscribe to this podcast and if
you have a minute, give it a rating or share
a comment that helps more Bengals fans find us. I'm
Dan Horde. Thanks for listening to The Bengals Booth Podcast.
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