October 15, 2025 • 36 mins
Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers square off on Thursday Night Football as the Bengals host Pittsburgh. Dan Hoard’s guests include this week’s Ruler of The Jungle Andrew Whitworth, offensive lineman Dalton Risner and “Know the Foe” with Pittsburgh sportscaster Tim Benz.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hi, get everybody, I'm Dan Horden. Thanks for downloading the
Bengals Booth Podcast. The Golden Years addition, as we get
set for a battle between forty something quarterbacks as the
Bengals host the Steelers on Thursday Night, football coming up.
Much like Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers, I'll talk to
another guy who played in his forties, former Bengals offensive
(00:25):
lineman Andrew Whitworth. Joe Flacco's second half performance was certainly
impressive last week. I'll discuss that with his two time
teammate Dalton Reisner. And in this week's no The Faux Segment,
Pittsburgh writer and broadcaster Tim Benz shares his thoughts on
just how good the four and one Steelers really are.
The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps,
(00:48):
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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us care for the best Fans. Cattering Health is the
official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now here's a quick
reminder that you can have the latest edition of this
(01:09):
podcast delivered write to your phone, tablet, or computer by
subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing
since easy crossword puzzles. About once a year, for no
apparent reason, we get a People magazine delivered to our house.
I suppose the publisher's hope is that the freebie will
(01:30):
get us to subscribe. That ain't going to happen. But
when we get our random edition of People. I love
doing the crossword puzzle because it is ridiculously easy and
therefore makes me feel smart. I'll give you a few
examples from the current puzzle, which has a Travis Kelcey theme.
Twenty eight across plays for the Blank City Chiefs. Forty
(01:56):
across is his fiancee with the at a hint that
it's a two word answer. Yes, I was able to
complete the puzzle, and now I'll try to get to
the bottom of why People magazine has never named me
the sexiest man alive. Now let's get to my first guest,
who will be the ruler of the jungle. On Thursday
(02:19):
night at pay Corse Stadium, the Amazon Prime crew rolls
into Cincinnati for Thursday night football, and that includes one
of the greatest Bengals of all time, our friend Andrew
Whitworth wit it is great to see. What did you
think of Joe Flacco's Bengals debut on Sunday?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Well, I loved it. It was good to see him.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
You know, at the first of the part of the game,
you can tell he's just feeling it out, trying to
get get it used to the guys you're throwing to
and just running the whole thing, right. I mean, I
don't think we can, any of us can respect how
difficult that is of a challenge to come in one
week and trying to do something like that. But in
the second half, you could see like you started to
kind of get some feel and they started moving the
football better. And I think this week will only be
(03:02):
a more improvement from that. I think that you definitely
could feel off the I thought, you know, a veteran
quarterback kind of settling the huddle, settling guys down a
little bit, you know, not that Jake Browning is doing
a bad job, but just having somebody else who's not
learning on the fly in the huddle, having somebody who's
kind of been there, done that, been through it all.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
He's not going to overact to things that you could
see that.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
I want you to put the degree of difficulty into perspective.
Joins the team on Tuesday, practices for the first time
on Wednesday, faces the Packers in Green Bay on Sunday,
and it's a six point game late in the fourth quarter.
Just how hard was that?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
I think it's about as difficult as you can imagine.
And then think of this that the Packers were even
coming off a bout week, So I mean, they've had
all this time to prepare for what Cincinnati has been.
So you're walking into something where they can't really change
the plan with you in there because you've gotten there
so late. But they've also been planning for you for
two weeks and you're going to Green Bay to try
and beat him. So I thought it was an unbelievable
(03:59):
challenge to into It felt like people were going to
be right that this Wooden game wouldn't even being very
close to being a competitive game. But instead, you know,
the Bengals and Joe, you know, kind of rose up
to the occasion, made it a game late, had an
opportunity there in the fourth quarter to do something special.
So I mean, I don't think you could really put
a level of difficulty any higher than.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
What that one is.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
I mean, you know, I think that even you look
at years that maybe this has happened before Baker Mayfield
the year he came and played for the Rams on
Thursday Night Football and a short notice. Even in that sense,
he was taken over a team that was pretty much
healthy in the centsel offense to where they kind of
had a system. They'd done it before. He'd played in
some similar systems, you know, and the Raiders weren't as
good that year, so you know, it wasn't like it
(04:41):
was a challenge that this was. But he did it
in two days and that was an unbelievable game. We
had it on Thursday Night Football and never forget how
electric that moment was at the end. But what Joe
did just now is absolutely insane, and so I look
forward to seeing where they can take it from here.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Which are one of only five offensive linemen and history
who played at the the age of forty. Do you
identify with a guy playing quarterback at forty with a
lot of money in the bank, five kids at home,
and yet still out there grinding chasing a ring.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Yeah, I do. I mean, I get it. I see
both sides of it. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
The part I guess maybe I don't identify with is
just the moving around, Like I don't know if I
could do that. I don't know, you know, it's different,
I guess being the role he's in the last few years,
being a backup quarterback, being a starter some places, you've
been a little bit in that journeyman mode. I had
never really been in that, so maybe I don't understand
that part as much like you're kind of used to it.
(05:35):
Probably for him bouncing around so it's not as big
a deal. But I think for me, once I hit
that forty stretch, it was kind of like, man, it's
here or nowhere, you know, And so I think that
that's kind of how it ended for me, you win
a super Bowl, But also for me it was kind
of like, man, you know, I don't see myself play
anywhere else. They've kind of got a young guy that
will move on to so I think this is enough
(05:55):
for me. For Joe, though, I think once you're kind
of in that mode and you're enjoying it. I love
what he said about you know, never taking it for granted.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
And I think for me.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
That's one of those things that has always resonated is
that you know, people might think you're crazy for playing
into your forties in the NFL, but I always thought, man,
never take it for granted. I remember running into Wayne
Gretzky and having a conversation about playing pro sports. And
here I am, like in all meeting the great one
and the only thing he left me with. And when
(06:24):
we walked away from each other and said, hey man,
that's cool story about you playing to this age, he said, listen,
just make sure they rip that jersey off your back, Like,
don't ever walk away until you're ready to make them
rip it off of you, because you'll nothing will ever
replicate that moment. And so I think that's kind of
what Joe's talking about, is, you know what, he wants
to play this thing until they just tell him flat
out you can't play anymore because you'll never replicate what
(06:47):
it is to be inside an NFL locker room and
to be leading the huddle.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
When I hate the expression must win, especially in week
seven of a season. But how pivotal is this game
for Cincinnati on Thursday?
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Well, I think to really legitimize their season and to
make it say hey, all right, we're we have a
lot to play for, and we think we can take
Joe Flacco and make a run here and get ourselves
back in the picture.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
This is the game that you can make the statement
with it.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
You think of Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers and how
steady they've kind of been this year. They haven't been
just out of this world impressive, but they've been really steady,
and they've kind of been, you know, finding ways to
win the game and finding what they need to do
to be successful. They've been steady and look like, because
of injuries to Baltimore and really what Cleveland's been, they
look like that team that's just going to take over
the AFC North this year and kind of have a
(07:34):
smooth run to win in this division. So if you
want to mess that up, you want to be the
guy who comes in and ruins that whole story, you know,
and you want to say there's still a lot of
promise left in the season. These are the kind of
games you got to rise to the occasion.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Last week, you.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Rose to the occasion in Green Bay, heck of a challenge,
all these things, you almost got it done. But this
week it's one of those that you have to get
it done. And so, you know what, who can go
out and be the best burdens of ourselves?
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Every gall on our team.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Let's go out and give you our absolute best to
really change the narrative of the rest of our season.
Because you win that one, you will You'll change the
way people are talking about you. You'll change the way
you believe in yourself, and you'll change the vision you
have for the rest of the season and how it's
going to go.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
You and Joe bonded back in twenty twenty when you
were both recovering from surgery. How gutted were you when
he went down in Week two?
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Really get it?
Speaker 3 (08:22):
I mean, I'm gonna spend some time with him again
this offseason and just somebody that me and my family
and all those around me couldn't, you know, love him
more and then think more of him, couldn't be a
bigger fan of him. And so all I want for
that kid is to be successful because of his mindset
and how rare he is as a human being. You know,
so it completely get it. I mean it was heartbreaking
and you know, reached out to him. It's just it's
(08:45):
one of those tough things that. Man, the game you
love is the game you hate sometimes. And what makes
football so special is that sometimes it can be the
greatest joy we've ever had in our life, and sometimes
it can literally be the biggest heartbreak ever. And I
think Joe, it's been a frustrating few years with some
of that stuff, and you just you worry about too
as a friend, like man, just continuing to have some
(09:07):
of those moments.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
You know, you don't want them to lose sight of
who they.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Are and while they're so special, just because some bad
breaks are going against them, you know, stay resilient. I mean,
I you know, I think that's part of this game too,
is that ability to continue to keep running into that
wall regardless of the situation and circumstance. And so for Joe,
I just want him know how much he means to
to franchise and to everyone else, and how much we
(09:31):
think of him, regardless of the football player he is,
We love the human being.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
You played in the Bengals Steelers rivalry when it was
probably about its nastiest. What stood out about those games,
oh man.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
I think of you know, probably getting my helmet beat
in by James Harrison week in and week out every
time we had to play him. I mean, what a
physical specimen that dude was. And really some of the
greatest Steelers defenses I got a chance to play against, and.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
You know, it was an unbelievable run.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
Really to have some of those moments I think got
O nine, you know, winning the division in Pittsburgh and
having that late drive where we're trying to run the
clock out to kind of seal the game, and I
was able to draw a personal foul on James coming
back after me after a run play. I think of
those moments, you know, I think it's some of those
big ones. And there's also a heartbreak, like I just said,
I mean the heartbreak of fifteen in the playoffs, you know,
(10:20):
fumbling the ball when the game's over and all we
had to do was basically run the clock out. You know,
that one's another heartbreaker. And so there's some really cool
moments against them, some heartbreaking moments, but man, it was
just felt like what you sign.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Up to play football for.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Every time we got a chance to go against them,
and always playing in pretty meaningful games there in that stretch.
So I think that's what you aspire to do. And
we got the opportunity to do it. And sometimes you're
on the winning edge and sometimes you're not. But that
is the games you want to be playing in, the
games that mean something.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Pittsburgh's four and one so far in this year. They've
got a couple of wins over teams with winning records
and the Patriots and the Vikings. Did they look like
a legit contender to you or is the jury still out?
Speaker 3 (11:01):
I think it's the jury still out a little bit,
only because I think right now they've kind of handled
some teams I would expect them to if they want
to be a contender. They've kind of adapted a little
bit as the season's gone, which I think is impressive.
Like I just said, I mean that ability to adapt
to what you're best at. They've changed their style a
little bit over the last few weeks. I think that
it'll be interesting to see where they go from here
and as they face some of these better teams that
(11:23):
might come in for a plan with a plan to
kind of, you know, take away some of these quick throws,
take away some of these heavy old line packages and
multiple tight end stuff.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
They want to do. They run the.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Football, you know, as teams adapt to them, then what's
their answer there? Offensively and then defensively. You know, they've
played better, but I wouldn't say they've played against offenses
that you start to think, all right, these are the
teams that should threaten them. So I think it'll be
interesting to see this week, you know, as Joe Flacco
gets another week in the offense and they can really
throw the ball on them what they can do. And
(11:53):
you know, and as they go this year and play
some of these better offenses out they're able to adapt
defensively because I don't think it was the start they
really anticipated on that side of the football, and I
think they're going to have to be kind of that
group they were last year a little bit more as
this run goes.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Last thing for our friend Andrew Whitworth, you'll be in
the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Someday, you'll be in
the Bengals Ring of Honor. What do you look forward
to when you come back to Cincinnati?
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Man, I think to me, it's just it's always that nostalgic,
just feels like home. And you know, for me, every
time I get a chance, it's it's you know, stopping
by the places I love to go eat the people
I still remember there to get a chance to give
a hug and give some love to And it's a place,
you know, all four of our kids, you know, we
had while we were living in Cincinnati, and you know,
(12:38):
we think of their childhood, We think of living in
Cincinnati and Fort Thomas, Kentucky, and so you know, it
will forever be a home to us and a place
that's so so special because of the people, and you know,
and and the relationships we formed in some of the
places that we hold near and dear to our heart.
Me and Ryan Fitzpastor just recently went on a bus
tour and last week we got a chance to stop
at Elis Barbecue and pop in. I was telling him, man,
(13:01):
I can remember, you know, bringing my kids out of
daycare and everything else and sitting out on the picnic
tables and having some lunch with them and just kind
of reminiscent on some of those moments, you know.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
And so we got a chance.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
I took the bus crew through Greater's ice Cream and
got them all ice cream and the drivers and everything else,
and so they had they had a blast and loved it,
and it was really cool. So for me every time
getting to go there, it's just some of the nostalgia
of everything that I remember from there, the great memories
of football, but more importantly, you know, off the football field,
all the great people we got a chance to form
(13:32):
relationships with.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
We will welcome you back with open arms on Thursday night.
Appreciate your time as always, thanks so much with.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
I appreciate d and thank you. Brother.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Andrew Wigworth was drafted by the Bengals in two thousand
and six. That was actually one year after Aaron Rodgers
was selected by the Green Bay Packers. Joe Flacco was
part of the two thousand and eight draft, and at
age forty, is facing a quarterback who's forty one.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
Good one thing you guys can't talk about this week
in terms of me being older at least, but it's
it's pretty neat. I mean, Aaron's been in the league
a few years longer than me, but we both started
playing in two thousand and eight, so I've been doing
it for a long time.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
It's pretty cool.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
How you thought about how unique aspect is the fact
that the two quarterbacks in the game are combined over
eighty years.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Has it happened before. I'm sure there's been some old
guys Brady and Breeze. Yeah, yeah, you know, when I'm
in a lot, I've been in a locker room my
whole life, so you know, ages and something that I
think about. I just view myself as one of those
twenty something year old in the locker room, and so
it's not something I really think about, but I think
(14:40):
one day when you look back on it, it's just
one of those things that'll be pretty cool to be
able to, you know, have a matchup like this.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Fourth down end goal. The Bengals line up to go
for it a little more than two yards away. Higgins
and yoc bosh out to the right, Hudson and Chase
out to the left, pee Ryan in the backfield. Flacco
catches the shotgun snap pub fakes throws into the end
Yes Scott in the back of the end zone under
the goalpost by Tanner Hudson. Flacco second half performance last
(15:07):
week in Green Bay was pretty remarkable. He completed seventy
percent of his passes for one hundred and seventy nine
yards and two touchdowns with a passer rating of one
oh seven point five. And that's despite the fact that
he probably didn't know the names of half of his teammates.
One guy he did know was Dalton Reisner, a former
teammate in Denver who started last week at left guard
(15:30):
in place of the injured Dylan Fairchild. Dalton, what did
Joe Flacco show you on Sunday at Green Bay.
Speaker 6 (15:38):
He's poised, he's calm, he's collected, he's a pro.
Speaker 5 (15:42):
He showed us that he's, you know, near in his forties,
near and somewhere in there, and had been playing over
fifteen years in this league. Right, That's what he did,
and that's what you'd hope to get when you get
a guy like that.
Speaker 6 (15:52):
Played with him. He's my first quarterback ever in the NFL.
Call him flat Daddy.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
So when I get a grin out of him, which
is maybe once a day, it means a lot two weeks.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
It's hard to get him to do that. But super
Happy's here.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
He was just a kid back then. He was only
thirty four. When you were a rookie, I'm.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Much thirty four or whenever I was twenty three years old.
I mean I was only getting my diapers changed. Washington
win Super Bowls with the Ravens, So.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
I mean how much respect do you have for a
guy still doing it at age forty.
Speaker 6 (16:18):
Well, you know he loves the game. It's not for money.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
Joe Flacco doesn't need the cash. Joe Flacco isn't doing
this for fame. Joe Faco's doing this for his legacy
and for the love of the game. And you just
respect that because you see the work, You see the
way the guy's still attacking the game this many years later,
and you know he just loves it and you know
he wants to win, so it's hard not to get
behind him.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
We're visiting with Dalton Reisner. You got thrown in there
in Week one with just a couple of practices under
your belt and played well, and I thought that that
was a great accomplishment. But can you put into perspective
what Flacco did last week as a quarterback?
Speaker 6 (16:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (16:53):
I mean from a guy that's had to do this
a time or two of my career, I understand how
tough it is, but I've never had to do it.
Getting here on a Tuesday or Wednesday and playing on
a Sunday. I cut it close, but I also haven't
done it from getting traded and getting back from London
or wherever the heck they were at.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
So it was a huge feat.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
Only a guy like Joe Flacco could pull something like
that off, in my opinion, only a vets Vet, a
pros pro, could do it, and he was the guy
for the job.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Talking to offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher yesterday, I think he
inadvertently came up with a nickname for Joe Flacco, because
Joe Burrow is the man of a million nicknames, Joe Cool,
Joe Shisty, et cetera. How about Joe Calm for Joe Flacca.
Speaker 6 (17:32):
Joe COM's great man.
Speaker 5 (17:33):
You know, I'm always gonna call him flat daddy, But
Joe COM's pretty cool too.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Man.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
All right, let's talk offensive line with Dalton Reisner. No sacks,
no quarterback hits for Michah Parsons last week. It ended
a streak of eleven straight games where he had one
or the other. How did the offensive line neutralize arguably
the best pass rusher in the league.
Speaker 5 (17:53):
Oh well, we game plan, We game planned for him.
We got amazing coaches. I think Zach Taylor, Pitch our
offensive line coaches and Scott and my coming. Those guys
do a great job. So and there's so many people
behind the scenes too, you know what I mean, Like
Justini Scott, he does a great job. And there's just
so many people here in this building that make this
thing go that I have to give a shout out
to because they developed these game plans. Man our jobs
(18:14):
players just to come in here and make it happen
and and grah them in our brains and go out
there and execute.
Speaker 6 (18:18):
But they're the ones putting them together, and they put
together a great game plan to.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
Keep him at Bay and the players that had to
have one on ones while he was getting kept at
Bay one, they're one on once and that was important.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
You started at left guard, I thought you did extremely well.
How'd you feel about your play?
Speaker 5 (18:34):
I felt really good. You know, I hold myself to
a super high standard. Of course, Week one, with the
Browns being here on short notice, awesome way to start
my career here as a Bengal. Week two and three
weren't weren't weren't the same, and I lost myself by
spot because of it, And you know that's a that's
a tough deal.
Speaker 6 (18:51):
But in the NFL, that's how.
Speaker 5 (18:53):
It works is you expect to perform at a high
level at all times and I didn't perform up to
my standard or the standard that I'm sure the Bengals
expected as me in Week two and week three. So
I've been doing nothing but zero pouting and one hundred
percent of getting myself right to be ready when called upon.
Speaker 6 (19:08):
And I was called upon last.
Speaker 5 (19:09):
Week, and I'm just so grateful that I had the
opportunity to play against the Packers, play at left guard
and perform the way I did. And now it's the
same mindset every single week, every single day.
Speaker 6 (19:19):
How can I be better when called upon for this team?
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Rookies have been starting at those guard spots. I know
you obviously want to play, but what do you think
of Dylan Fairchild and Jalen Rivers and the way that
they are learning on the fly?
Speaker 5 (19:31):
I think that they're doing a great job. Jalen and
Dylan are, first of all, such great young men. I
really respect the way that they attack their work, the
way that they come in here and want to be great.
I think the Bengals found some great dudes in those guys,
some guys that can make a living.
Speaker 6 (19:44):
And in this league for a very long time.
Speaker 5 (19:47):
So nothing but great things to say about them off
the field and when it comes to on the field.
Speaker 6 (19:51):
Man, these guys are pretty.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
They love to work hard, they're acceptable to coaching, they
want to be better. They come in every single day
and they attack their work and they're super talented.
Speaker 6 (20:01):
So they got nothing. But sky's the limit for them,
that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
I hate the expression must win. As Hall of Fame
coach Marvel Levy said, World War Two is the last
must win. But this is a pivotal game for the Bengals.
Do you embrace that and acknowledge it or do you
just take the Hey, every game is just a game.
Speaker 5 (20:20):
For me personally, I would never say every game is
just a game. I would say every game is a
must win. I go into every game and I'm gonna
do everything I can to win that football game.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
I'm not gonna go into the game and say, oh,
this one's not a must win. I can give ninety
five percent.
Speaker 5 (20:31):
So maybe some guys are talented enough to do that,
But from my perspective, I go into every single week
and I do I scratch and crawl and I gotta
do everything I can to perform the best I can
for my team to win the football game. So this
is a division game, though we know these ones mean more.
We know these ones count more. I mean, playing it
simple to count more.
Speaker 6 (20:48):
That's just how it works. And we know they mean
more too because of the rivalry and the history.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
So these guys are tough nosed, you know, big tough
football players that pride.
Speaker 6 (20:57):
Themselves on defense.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
And we got a huge task ahead of them and
got nothing to do but face it and go right
for it.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Man, it's your seventh year. You've undoubtedly faced the Steelers
several times before the personnel changes, But does the defense change?
Speaker 2 (21:11):
You know?
Speaker 5 (21:12):
I mean, I remember I played these guys six years ago,
my rookie year with Denver, or maybe my second year.
I think it was my second year with Denver, and
you watch the tape and you know, these guys look
super similar.
Speaker 6 (21:20):
They're super big and strong, they hold their gaps.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
There's a guy there that's been there for eighty years,
it seems like, in terms of Cam Hayward, and I
got so much respect for him. You know, he's probably
got kids my age at this point, but you know,
he's just such a good football player. He's big and strong.
You would think this guy would get less strong from
year to year, and you know, look a little worse
on tape, but he continues to look really good. So yeah,
this front that's what they do in Pittsburgh. They pride
(21:43):
themselves on the front seven and they look the same.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Final question for Dalton riiseen there, it's your first night
game as a Bengal at pay Corpse Stadium. I think
this place is as electric as any in the NFL
for the primetime games. It's going to be a white
Bengal game. Are you excited for Thursday Night?
Speaker 6 (21:59):
Super excited?
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Man?
Speaker 5 (22:00):
Not only did it represent the Cincinnati Bengals, but be
here at pay Corps.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
Be on display for the whole world on.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
Thursday night football against a division opponent and the Pittsburgh
Steelers and Aaron Rodgers coming to town.
Speaker 6 (22:13):
Gonna ask for more. Man, this is a blessing. There's
so many people that would kill to do this.
Speaker 5 (22:17):
So as you soak it up and try to kick
some tail, got to look at it and embrace it
a little bit too.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Reisner was the Bengals highest graded O lineman last week
according to Pro Football Focus, but Dylan Fairchild has been
a full participate in practice this week and should have
the green light to return at left guard. 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,
(22:46):
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. The Bengals face
the four and one Steelers on Thursday, and head coach
Mike Tomlin made headlines this week by calling out Cleveland
Browns GM Andrew Berry for trading Joe Flacco to Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
You know, to be honest, it was shocking to me.
Speaker 7 (23:12):
Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me or us,
because it doesn't make sense to me to trade a
quarterback that you think enough of to make your opening
day starter to a division opponent that's hurting in that area.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
But that's just my personal feelings.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Flacco beat the Steelers last year, coming off the bench
for an injured Anthony Richardson with five point thirty to
go in the first quarter and leading the Colts to
a twenty seven to twenty four. When I discussed Tomlin's
comment and much more, in Our knowther Faux segment this
week with Pittsburgh sportswriter and broadcaster Tim Benns. Tim, let's
(23:50):
start with your forty something quarterback. How has Aaron Rodgers
played and how has he behaved since joining Pittsburgh.
Speaker 8 (24:00):
The behavior part has been fine. He's not exactly warm
and fuzzy. I think there are other people besides just
me that weren't wild about the idea of him coming here,
and I feel like he's constantly ready for a fight
from the media, But honestly, with just one loss so
far and him playing pretty well, there's been no reason
(24:22):
to have that fight, And to be frank, there never
really was one that developed with Russell Wilson despite the
five game losing streak at the end of the year,
and everybody really liked justin Fields personally, So I don't
know if that's ever going to happen, but Rogers is
probably more inclined to look for a reason to make
it happen should they have a three or four game
(24:43):
losing streak along the way. But the way he's played
has also largely been pretty good, if not minimized by
what they have to deal with in terms of the
pass blocking and the limitations that they have at wide receiver.
It's a pretty basic offense right now. The complexities of
the offense do not necessarily befit a player of Rogers
(25:06):
Hall of Fame reputation. Then again, he doesn't move well
enough to have that full scale of an offense behind
this line, which can be shoddy at times. Although it
will give Rogers credit when he's had to move, he's
moved pretty decently.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Let me follow up on the offensive line. Pittsburgh has
used a lot of draft capital in recent years to
try to make it better. Is it showing at all?
Speaker 8 (25:31):
It did this week and maybe it started the week
before that in Ireland against Minnesota, but Miles Garrett was
a ghost in this game against Cleveland. They gave Roder
Jones a lot of help, admittedly on the left side,
but then again, you know, watch the Steelers game sometime
how much help does whoever's block and TJ. Watt always get.
(25:52):
So sometimes that just needs to happen. The draft CAPITALI
you talk about, well, it was delayed because they messed
around with rod Rick Jones just to have Dan Moreby
out there for some reason. We're still trying to figure
out why there was such an agenda there. I still
don't get it. Jones is a left tackle who they
put on the.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Right side, so he had to get used to that.
Speaker 8 (26:12):
Now he's got to get used to going back over
the left. Troy Fautano was delayed a year because he
barely played with his knee injury a season ago, so
he's just getting up to speed. Zach Frazier's pretty good
as a center from West Virginia, maybe not as good
as we are willing him to be. Mason McCormick has
gotten a lot of time for a fourth round pick
(26:33):
from the FCS, but he's decent, and they're getting whatever's
left out of Isaacs Camalu that they can. That's basically
the offensive line, and it was rather shoddy for the
first three games. It's been better for the last two
and now we'll see what happens against the Bengals. And
at the time that you and I are speaking anyway,
(26:54):
with however injured Trey Hendrickson truly is Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Writer and broadcaster Tim Bens our guests. The Steelers acquired
DK Metcalf in the offseason. They parted ways with George Pickens.
Both guys are having good years for their current team.
But how has the impact been in Pittsburgh in the
locker room from getting rid of George a.
Speaker 8 (27:15):
Lot calmer, And maybe it's not even so much in
the locker room as it is calmer on game day.
You're not constantly having to manage George's emotions and reactions.
That was the bigger deal. It was game day and
how Pickens would react to things more than it was practice,
or if you would show up on time, as was
the case on Christmas against the Kansas City Chiefs. But
(27:39):
no such issues as the Metcalf He's a yes sir,
no sir guy, or at least he has been here.
Maybe not so much at the end with the Seahawks
when he wanted out, but you know he has benefited
by being the only wide receiver here. I think Pickens
has benefited by being the number one guy with cdee
lamb Out. I don't know if the Pickens Metcalf combination
(28:02):
was ever gonna work here like that could have been
too combustible, especially on Pickens end, because Metcalf would have
gotten paid to come here and George still would not
have Not only that, but other guys have gotten paid
since Metcalf, and they weren't gonna pay Pickens, which is
the big reason why he's a Dallas cowboy right now.
So it would have been a wonderful vision to have
(28:24):
Kickens on one side and Metcalf on the other running
streak routes to open everything up underneath, and then having
you know, Rogers pick whichever guy wasn't double to bombit downfield.
That sounds fantastic. But anytime that Pickens didn't get the
ball and Metcalf did, I think we would have had problems.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Tim What did you make of Mike Tomlin criticizing Cleveland
for its willingness to trade Joe Flacco to Cincinnati.
Speaker 8 (28:50):
It was a little weird, Like he is usually so
careful to never do anything like that. I mean, I
can count on one hand in eighteen years the number
of times that tom wins ever said anything that was
incendiary in the week of a game for an opponent
coming up, you know, like he had that weird shot
at Anthony Richardson a couple of weeks ago, again with
(29:12):
Flacco as sort of the crux of the conversation, ironically enough,
but you know, they weren't playing the Colts that week.
They will in a couple of weeks. I'm sure it
will come up, whether he's playing or not. I'm sure
he'll be brought up. It just it was weird for
he's treating Joe Flacco like he's Joe Montana here, you know,
like you know, they're seeing an elder version of Joe Flacco.
(29:33):
They're not seeing the guy who was going bombs away
down the sideline when he was getting the Ravens to
the Super Bowl and beating the Steelers eleven times and
twenty two tries. I don't think that's the same version
of the guy that they're seeing. And look, I don't
think that was just about the Flacco thing, Dan, I don't.
I think that was because this is the same general
manager in the same organization that acquired and paid Deshaun
(29:56):
Watson an outrageous contract. As the Steelers are going in
to the post Ben Roethlisberger era and reset the QB market.
This is the same organization that paid and reset the
market on edge rushers and files Garrett's contract three months
before they had to give TJ. Watt a new deal.
I think there are other things to put here than
just the trade that got under Tomlin's skin.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Pittsburgh's four and one. The best team the Steelers have
beaten so far as New England at four and two.
The Patriots lost four fumbles in that game. How good
are the Steelers?
Speaker 8 (30:28):
The offense is still very flawed for some of the
reasons we pointed out. Statistically, I think they're like twenty
fifth in passing, twenty ninth and rushing, and twenty ninth
overall or something like that. And they've gotten the points
that they've gotten because they got a great kicker who
never misses unless the field slips out from underneath them.
And they've got a really good red zone percentage, at
(30:50):
least they did until they played Cleveland. That's why their
points per game isn't so bad. The defense has been very,
very opportunity stick. I think it's best two games have
been the last that they have played. I do think
they deserve some credit for ball hunting and getting the
ball free in New England more than they've gotten. That
(31:12):
game was largely just characterized as the Patriots handing the
ball over to the Steelers five times. They are to
be faulted, but I think the Steelers are to be
credited for creating those turnovers. They run, they hit, they
get to the ball, they search the ball, They're good
at it. So the defense is the biggest reason why
they are where they are, even though the defense was
(31:32):
really lousy in terms of yards allowed for the first
three weeks. So, you know, I think they are a
byproduct of a lowering tide in the AFC. North has
really risen their boats. That might be the case for
the entire conference, in the entire league because they've only
played one divisional game, but where they sit in the
division is because where everybody else is, they're pretty mediocre.
(31:56):
But you know what, so is the rest of the
NFL right now.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Cam Hayward's thirty six, TJ Watt is thirty one. They
traded for a thirty one year old Jalen Ramsey. Are
those guys still among the NFL's best at their positions?
Speaker 8 (32:11):
You know, Cam hasn't had a great year, not to
the level that he had two years ago, not to
the level that he was playing in the first three
quarters of last year. What's been good, if not statistically dominant,
he's been very good. And Ramsey, when he's been healthy,
he's a real X factor. You know, like if you
just have Jalen Ramsey go out there and try to
cover a guy. It's not as pretty as it used
(32:33):
to be. But when they deploy him in different ways,
when they bring him on a blitz, when they have
him sort of roam and be a rover, he's really impressive.
And he's just a tough one to eleventh to figure
out for the opposing offensive coordinator and the opposing quarterback.
I think that was part of the problem for Dylan Gabriel.
(32:54):
Baby Joe Flacco has an easier time diagnosing what they
do with him. Sam Darnold sure did when the Seahawks
were here. So the shorter answer your question, or any
of those guys that they used to be when they
were at their peak, No, they're not, but the collective
of them and some of the rising young players like
Herbig Peyton Wilson, Patrick Queen is much better than he
(33:17):
was here a year ago. Harmon has made a big
difference in the middle of the defensive line since he
got healthy three games in. I think that's been an
underdiscussed part of why the defense has gotten better. All
those guys, I think have improved and they have more
usable pieces in this secondary. If guys should get hurt.
Speaker 1 (33:36):
Final question for my guy Tim Benz in Cincinnati. This
is a pivotal game. Win it and you're in it.
Lose it and the path to the playoffs looks very difficult.
How are the stakes being viewed in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 8 (33:50):
Significant because they're usually lousy and road divisional Thursday night games.
You know, everybody remembers when Ryan Finley beat them. You know,
regardless of what day of the week it was. They
can lose any quarterback in the division at any time.
They've lost to Anthony Brown, they've lost to Tyler Huntley,
they've lost a DTR in Cleveland. So you know, regardless
of Cincinnati's quarterback position, everybody in Pittsburgh is acutely aware
(34:14):
of what could happen in a game like this. They
see this, fans do the landscape of the league right now.
Five and one would almost equate to the best stretch
they had last year when Russ won six of seven
to start the year and that was good enough to
get them to ten and seven in the playoffs. And
everybody knows what's coming after the long weekend following this
(34:36):
Thursday game. It's Green Bay, Indy and the Chargers granted
to are at home, but that might be their toughest
stretch of the season, and you don't want to give
Cincinnati or Baltimore any reason for life to think that
they can still chase the division. It's viewed as a
huge game because you get to five and one. That's
(34:56):
five and one where the best team of the conference
is five and one right now and it's the colt
And then you also have what in a four game
lead on anybody else who three game lead on anybody
else in division with Baltimore still trying to figure out
if they can get healthy.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
When Lamar comes back.
Speaker 8 (35:11):
So its being viewed as a huge game here in
Pittsburgh as well.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
Tim great stuff is always appreciate your time.
Speaker 8 (35:17):
Man, you got Dan, Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
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,
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. If you haven't
(35:42):
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 Hord and thanks for listening to the Bengals Booth
podcast
Hi, get everybody, I'm Dan Horden. Thanks for downloading the
Bengals Booth Podcast. The Golden Years addition, as we get
set for a battle between forty something quarterbacks as the
Bengals host the Steelers on Thursday Night, football coming up.
Much like Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers, I'll talk to
another guy who played in his forties, former Bengals offensive
(00:25):
lineman Andrew Whitworth. Joe Flacco's second half performance was certainly
impressive last week. I'll discuss that with his two time
teammate Dalton Reisner. And in this week's no The Faux Segment,
Pittsburgh writer and broadcaster Tim Benz shares his thoughts on
just how good the four and one Steelers really are.
The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps,
(00:48):
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 Health
us care for the best Fans. Cattering Health is the
official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now here's a quick
reminder that you can have the latest edition of this
(01:09):
podcast delivered write to your phone, tablet, or computer by
subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing
since easy crossword puzzles. About once a year, for no
apparent reason, we get a People magazine delivered to our house.
I suppose the publisher's hope is that the freebie will
(01:30):
get us to subscribe. That ain't going to happen. But
when we get our random edition of People. I love
doing the crossword puzzle because it is ridiculously easy and
therefore makes me feel smart. I'll give you a few
examples from the current puzzle, which has a Travis Kelcey theme.
Twenty eight across plays for the Blank City Chiefs. Forty
(01:56):
across is his fiancee with the at a hint that
it's a two word answer. Yes, I was able to
complete the puzzle, and now I'll try to get to
the bottom of why People magazine has never named me
the sexiest man alive. Now let's get to my first guest,
who will be the ruler of the jungle. On Thursday
(02:19):
night at pay Corse Stadium, the Amazon Prime crew rolls
into Cincinnati for Thursday night football, and that includes one
of the greatest Bengals of all time, our friend Andrew
Whitworth wit it is great to see. What did you
think of Joe Flacco's Bengals debut on Sunday?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Well, I loved it. It was good to see him.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
You know, at the first of the part of the game,
you can tell he's just feeling it out, trying to
get get it used to the guys you're throwing to
and just running the whole thing, right. I mean, I
don't think we can, any of us can respect how
difficult that is of a challenge to come in one
week and trying to do something like that. But in
the second half, you could see like you started to
kind of get some feel and they started moving the
football better. And I think this week will only be
(03:02):
a more improvement from that. I think that you definitely
could feel off the I thought, you know, a veteran
quarterback kind of settling the huddle, settling guys down a
little bit, you know, not that Jake Browning is doing
a bad job, but just having somebody else who's not
learning on the fly in the huddle, having somebody who's
kind of been there, done that, been through it all.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
He's not going to overact to things that you could
see that.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
I want you to put the degree of difficulty into perspective.
Joins the team on Tuesday, practices for the first time
on Wednesday, faces the Packers in Green Bay on Sunday,
and it's a six point game late in the fourth quarter.
Just how hard was that?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
I think it's about as difficult as you can imagine.
And then think of this that the Packers were even
coming off a bout week, So I mean, they've had
all this time to prepare for what Cincinnati has been.
So you're walking into something where they can't really change
the plan with you in there because you've gotten there
so late. But they've also been planning for you for
two weeks and you're going to Green Bay to try
and beat him. So I thought it was an unbelievable
(03:59):
challenge to into It felt like people were going to
be right that this Wooden game wouldn't even being very
close to being a competitive game. But instead, you know,
the Bengals and Joe, you know, kind of rose up
to the occasion, made it a game late, had an
opportunity there in the fourth quarter to do something special.
So I mean, I don't think you could really put
a level of difficulty any higher than.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
What that one is.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
I mean, you know, I think that even you look
at years that maybe this has happened before Baker Mayfield
the year he came and played for the Rams on
Thursday Night Football and a short notice. Even in that sense,
he was taken over a team that was pretty much
healthy in the centsel offense to where they kind of
had a system. They'd done it before. He'd played in
some similar systems, you know, and the Raiders weren't as
good that year, so you know, it wasn't like it
(04:41):
was a challenge that this was. But he did it
in two days and that was an unbelievable game. We
had it on Thursday Night Football and never forget how
electric that moment was at the end. But what Joe
did just now is absolutely insane, and so I look
forward to seeing where they can take it from here.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Which are one of only five offensive linemen and history
who played at the the age of forty. Do you
identify with a guy playing quarterback at forty with a
lot of money in the bank, five kids at home,
and yet still out there grinding chasing a ring.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Yeah, I do. I mean, I get it. I see
both sides of it. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
The part I guess maybe I don't identify with is
just the moving around, Like I don't know if I
could do that. I don't know, you know, it's different,
I guess being the role he's in the last few years,
being a backup quarterback, being a starter some places, you've
been a little bit in that journeyman mode. I had
never really been in that, so maybe I don't understand
that part as much like you're kind of used to it.
(05:35):
Probably for him bouncing around so it's not as big
a deal. But I think for me, once I hit
that forty stretch, it was kind of like, man, it's
here or nowhere, you know, And so I think that
that's kind of how it ended for me, you win
a super Bowl, But also for me it was kind
of like, man, you know, I don't see myself play
anywhere else. They've kind of got a young guy that
will move on to so I think this is enough
(05:55):
for me. For Joe, though, I think once you're kind
of in that mode and you're enjoying it. I love
what he said about you know, never taking it for granted.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
And I think for me.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
That's one of those things that has always resonated is
that you know, people might think you're crazy for playing
into your forties in the NFL, but I always thought, man,
never take it for granted. I remember running into Wayne
Gretzky and having a conversation about playing pro sports. And
here I am, like in all meeting the great one
and the only thing he left me with. And when
(06:24):
we walked away from each other and said, hey man,
that's cool story about you playing to this age, he said, listen,
just make sure they rip that jersey off your back, Like,
don't ever walk away until you're ready to make them
rip it off of you, because you'll nothing will ever
replicate that moment. And so I think that's kind of
what Joe's talking about, is, you know what, he wants
to play this thing until they just tell him flat
out you can't play anymore because you'll never replicate what
(06:47):
it is to be inside an NFL locker room and
to be leading the huddle.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
When I hate the expression must win, especially in week
seven of a season. But how pivotal is this game
for Cincinnati on Thursday?
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Well, I think to really legitimize their season and to
make it say hey, all right, we're we have a
lot to play for, and we think we can take
Joe Flacco and make a run here and get ourselves
back in the picture.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
This is the game that you can make the statement
with it.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
You think of Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers and how
steady they've kind of been this year. They haven't been
just out of this world impressive, but they've been really steady,
and they've kind of been, you know, finding ways to
win the game and finding what they need to do
to be successful. They've been steady and look like, because
of injuries to Baltimore and really what Cleveland's been, they
look like that team that's just going to take over
the AFC North this year and kind of have a
(07:34):
smooth run to win in this division. So if you
want to mess that up, you want to be the
guy who comes in and ruins that whole story, you know,
and you want to say there's still a lot of
promise left in the season. These are the kind of
games you got to rise to the occasion.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Last week, you.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Rose to the occasion in Green Bay, heck of a challenge,
all these things, you almost got it done. But this
week it's one of those that you have to get
it done. And so, you know what, who can go
out and be the best burdens of ourselves?
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Every gall on our team.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Let's go out and give you our absolute best to
really change the narrative of the rest of our season.
Because you win that one, you will You'll change the
way people are talking about you. You'll change the way
you believe in yourself, and you'll change the vision you
have for the rest of the season and how it's
going to go.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
You and Joe bonded back in twenty twenty when you
were both recovering from surgery. How gutted were you when
he went down in Week two?
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Really get it?
Speaker 3 (08:22):
I mean, I'm gonna spend some time with him again
this offseason and just somebody that me and my family
and all those around me couldn't, you know, love him
more and then think more of him, couldn't be a
bigger fan of him. And so all I want for
that kid is to be successful because of his mindset
and how rare he is as a human being. You know,
so it completely get it. I mean it was heartbreaking
and you know, reached out to him. It's just it's
(08:45):
one of those tough things that. Man, the game you
love is the game you hate sometimes. And what makes
football so special is that sometimes it can be the
greatest joy we've ever had in our life, and sometimes
it can literally be the biggest heartbreak ever. And I
think Joe, it's been a frustrating few years with some
of that stuff, and you just you worry about too
as a friend, like man, just continuing to have some
(09:07):
of those moments.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
You know, you don't want them to lose sight of
who they.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Are and while they're so special, just because some bad
breaks are going against them, you know, stay resilient. I mean,
I you know, I think that's part of this game too,
is that ability to continue to keep running into that
wall regardless of the situation and circumstance. And so for Joe,
I just want him know how much he means to
to franchise and to everyone else, and how much we
(09:31):
think of him, regardless of the football player he is,
We love the human being.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
You played in the Bengals Steelers rivalry when it was
probably about its nastiest. What stood out about those games,
oh man.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
I think of you know, probably getting my helmet beat
in by James Harrison week in and week out every
time we had to play him. I mean, what a
physical specimen that dude was. And really some of the
greatest Steelers defenses I got a chance to play against, and.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
You know, it was an unbelievable run.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
Really to have some of those moments I think got
O nine, you know, winning the division in Pittsburgh and
having that late drive where we're trying to run the
clock out to kind of seal the game, and I
was able to draw a personal foul on James coming
back after me after a run play. I think of
those moments, you know, I think it's some of those
big ones. And there's also a heartbreak, like I just said,
I mean the heartbreak of fifteen in the playoffs, you know,
(10:20):
fumbling the ball when the game's over and all we
had to do was basically run the clock out. You know,
that one's another heartbreaker. And so there's some really cool
moments against them, some heartbreaking moments, but man, it was
just felt like what you sign.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Up to play football for.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Every time we got a chance to go against them,
and always playing in pretty meaningful games there in that stretch.
So I think that's what you aspire to do. And
we got the opportunity to do it. And sometimes you're
on the winning edge and sometimes you're not. But that
is the games you want to be playing in, the
games that mean something.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Pittsburgh's four and one so far in this year. They've
got a couple of wins over teams with winning records
and the Patriots and the Vikings. Did they look like
a legit contender to you or is the jury still out?
Speaker 3 (11:01):
I think it's the jury still out a little bit,
only because I think right now they've kind of handled
some teams I would expect them to if they want
to be a contender. They've kind of adapted a little
bit as the season's gone, which I think is impressive.
Like I just said, I mean that ability to adapt
to what you're best at. They've changed their style a
little bit over the last few weeks. I think that
it'll be interesting to see where they go from here
and as they face some of these better teams that
(11:23):
might come in for a plan with a plan to
kind of, you know, take away some of these quick throws,
take away some of these heavy old line packages and
multiple tight end stuff.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
They want to do. They run the.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Football, you know, as teams adapt to them, then what's
their answer there? Offensively and then defensively. You know, they've
played better, but I wouldn't say they've played against offenses
that you start to think, all right, these are the
teams that should threaten them. So I think it'll be
interesting to see this week, you know, as Joe Flacco
gets another week in the offense and they can really
throw the ball on them what they can do. And
(11:53):
you know, and as they go this year and play
some of these better offenses out they're able to adapt
defensively because I don't think it was the start they
really anticipated on that side of the football, and I
think they're going to have to be kind of that
group they were last year a little bit more as
this run goes.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Last thing for our friend Andrew Whitworth, you'll be in
the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Someday, you'll be in
the Bengals Ring of Honor. What do you look forward
to when you come back to Cincinnati?
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Man, I think to me, it's just it's always that nostalgic,
just feels like home. And you know, for me, every
time I get a chance, it's it's you know, stopping
by the places I love to go eat the people
I still remember there to get a chance to give
a hug and give some love to And it's a place,
you know, all four of our kids, you know, we
had while we were living in Cincinnati, and you know,
(12:38):
we think of their childhood, We think of living in
Cincinnati and Fort Thomas, Kentucky, and so you know, it
will forever be a home to us and a place
that's so so special because of the people, and you know,
and and the relationships we formed in some of the
places that we hold near and dear to our heart.
Me and Ryan Fitzpastor just recently went on a bus
tour and last week we got a chance to stop
at Elis Barbecue and pop in. I was telling him, man,
(13:01):
I can remember, you know, bringing my kids out of
daycare and everything else and sitting out on the picnic
tables and having some lunch with them and just kind
of reminiscent on some of those moments, you know.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
And so we got a chance.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
I took the bus crew through Greater's ice Cream and
got them all ice cream and the drivers and everything else,
and so they had they had a blast and loved it,
and it was really cool. So for me every time
getting to go there, it's just some of the nostalgia
of everything that I remember from there, the great memories
of football, but more importantly, you know, off the football field,
all the great people we got a chance to form
(13:32):
relationships with.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
We will welcome you back with open arms on Thursday night.
Appreciate your time as always, thanks so much with.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
I appreciate d and thank you. Brother.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Andrew Wigworth was drafted by the Bengals in two thousand
and six. That was actually one year after Aaron Rodgers
was selected by the Green Bay Packers. Joe Flacco was
part of the two thousand and eight draft, and at
age forty, is facing a quarterback who's forty one.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
Good one thing you guys can't talk about this week
in terms of me being older at least, but it's
it's pretty neat. I mean, Aaron's been in the league
a few years longer than me, but we both started
playing in two thousand and eight, so I've been doing
it for a long time.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
It's pretty cool.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
How you thought about how unique aspect is the fact
that the two quarterbacks in the game are combined over
eighty years.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Has it happened before. I'm sure there's been some old
guys Brady and Breeze. Yeah, yeah, you know, when I'm
in a lot, I've been in a locker room my
whole life, so you know, ages and something that I
think about. I just view myself as one of those
twenty something year old in the locker room, and so
it's not something I really think about, but I think
(14:40):
one day when you look back on it, it's just
one of those things that'll be pretty cool to be
able to, you know, have a matchup like this.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Fourth down end goal. The Bengals line up to go
for it a little more than two yards away. Higgins
and yoc bosh out to the right, Hudson and Chase
out to the left, pee Ryan in the backfield. Flacco
catches the shotgun snap pub fakes throws into the end
Yes Scott in the back of the end zone under
the goalpost by Tanner Hudson. Flacco second half performance last
(15:07):
week in Green Bay was pretty remarkable. He completed seventy
percent of his passes for one hundred and seventy nine
yards and two touchdowns with a passer rating of one
oh seven point five. And that's despite the fact that
he probably didn't know the names of half of his teammates.
One guy he did know was Dalton Reisner, a former
teammate in Denver who started last week at left guard
(15:30):
in place of the injured Dylan Fairchild. Dalton, what did
Joe Flacco show you on Sunday at Green Bay.
Speaker 6 (15:38):
He's poised, he's calm, he's collected, he's a pro.
Speaker 5 (15:42):
He showed us that he's, you know, near in his forties,
near and somewhere in there, and had been playing over
fifteen years in this league. Right, That's what he did,
and that's what you'd hope to get when you get
a guy like that.
Speaker 6 (15:52):
Played with him. He's my first quarterback ever in the NFL.
Call him flat Daddy.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
So when I get a grin out of him, which
is maybe once a day, it means a lot two weeks.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
It's hard to get him to do that. But super
Happy's here.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
He was just a kid back then. He was only
thirty four. When you were a rookie, I'm.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Much thirty four or whenever I was twenty three years old.
I mean I was only getting my diapers changed. Washington
win Super Bowls with the Ravens, So.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
I mean how much respect do you have for a
guy still doing it at age forty.
Speaker 6 (16:18):
Well, you know he loves the game. It's not for money.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
Joe Flacco doesn't need the cash. Joe Flacco isn't doing
this for fame. Joe Faco's doing this for his legacy
and for the love of the game. And you just
respect that because you see the work, You see the
way the guy's still attacking the game this many years later,
and you know he just loves it and you know
he wants to win, so it's hard not to get
behind him.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
We're visiting with Dalton Reisner. You got thrown in there
in Week one with just a couple of practices under
your belt and played well, and I thought that that
was a great accomplishment. But can you put into perspective
what Flacco did last week as a quarterback?
Speaker 6 (16:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (16:53):
I mean from a guy that's had to do this
a time or two of my career, I understand how
tough it is, but I've never had to do it.
Getting here on a Tuesday or Wednesday and playing on
a Sunday. I cut it close, but I also haven't
done it from getting traded and getting back from London
or wherever the heck they were at.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
So it was a huge feat.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
Only a guy like Joe Flacco could pull something like
that off, in my opinion, only a vets Vet, a
pros pro, could do it, and he was the guy
for the job.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
Talking to offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher yesterday, I think he
inadvertently came up with a nickname for Joe Flacco, because
Joe Burrow is the man of a million nicknames, Joe Cool,
Joe Shisty, et cetera. How about Joe Calm for Joe Flacca.
Speaker 6 (17:32):
Joe COM's great man.
Speaker 5 (17:33):
You know, I'm always gonna call him flat daddy, But
Joe COM's pretty cool too.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Man.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
All right, let's talk offensive line with Dalton Reisner. No sacks,
no quarterback hits for Michah Parsons last week. It ended
a streak of eleven straight games where he had one
or the other. How did the offensive line neutralize arguably
the best pass rusher in the league.
Speaker 5 (17:53):
Oh well, we game plan, We game planned for him.
We got amazing coaches. I think Zach Taylor, Pitch our
offensive line coaches and Scott and my coming. Those guys
do a great job. So and there's so many people
behind the scenes too, you know what I mean, Like
Justini Scott, he does a great job. And there's just
so many people here in this building that make this
thing go that I have to give a shout out
to because they developed these game plans. Man our jobs
(18:14):
players just to come in here and make it happen
and and grah them in our brains and go out
there and execute.
Speaker 6 (18:18):
But they're the ones putting them together, and they put
together a great game plan to.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
Keep him at Bay and the players that had to
have one on ones while he was getting kept at
Bay one, they're one on once and that was important.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
You started at left guard, I thought you did extremely well.
How'd you feel about your play?
Speaker 5 (18:34):
I felt really good. You know, I hold myself to
a super high standard. Of course, Week one, with the
Browns being here on short notice, awesome way to start
my career here as a Bengal. Week two and three
weren't weren't weren't the same, and I lost myself by
spot because of it, And you know that's a that's
a tough deal.
Speaker 6 (18:51):
But in the NFL, that's how.
Speaker 5 (18:53):
It works is you expect to perform at a high
level at all times and I didn't perform up to
my standard or the standard that I'm sure the Bengals
expected as me in Week two and week three. So
I've been doing nothing but zero pouting and one hundred
percent of getting myself right to be ready when called upon.
Speaker 6 (19:08):
And I was called upon last.
Speaker 5 (19:09):
Week, and I'm just so grateful that I had the
opportunity to play against the Packers, play at left guard
and perform the way I did. And now it's the
same mindset every single week, every single day.
Speaker 6 (19:19):
How can I be better when called upon for this team?
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Rookies have been starting at those guard spots. I know
you obviously want to play, but what do you think
of Dylan Fairchild and Jalen Rivers and the way that
they are learning on the fly?
Speaker 5 (19:31):
I think that they're doing a great job. Jalen and
Dylan are, first of all, such great young men. I
really respect the way that they attack their work, the
way that they come in here and want to be great.
I think the Bengals found some great dudes in those guys,
some guys that can make a living.
Speaker 6 (19:44):
And in this league for a very long time.
Speaker 5 (19:47):
So nothing but great things to say about them off
the field and when it comes to on the field.
Speaker 6 (19:51):
Man, these guys are pretty.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
They love to work hard, they're acceptable to coaching, they
want to be better. They come in every single day
and they attack their work and they're super talented.
Speaker 6 (20:01):
So they got nothing. But sky's the limit for them,
that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
I hate the expression must win. As Hall of Fame
coach Marvel Levy said, World War Two is the last
must win. But this is a pivotal game for the Bengals.
Do you embrace that and acknowledge it or do you
just take the Hey, every game is just a game.
Speaker 5 (20:20):
For me personally, I would never say every game is
just a game. I would say every game is a
must win. I go into every game and I'm gonna
do everything I can to win that football game.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
I'm not gonna go into the game and say, oh,
this one's not a must win. I can give ninety
five percent.
Speaker 5 (20:31):
So maybe some guys are talented enough to do that,
But from my perspective, I go into every single week
and I do I scratch and crawl and I gotta
do everything I can to perform the best I can
for my team to win the football game. So this
is a division game, though we know these ones mean more.
We know these ones count more. I mean, playing it
simple to count more.
Speaker 6 (20:48):
That's just how it works. And we know they mean
more too because of the rivalry and the history.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
So these guys are tough nosed, you know, big tough
football players that pride.
Speaker 6 (20:57):
Themselves on defense.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
And we got a huge task ahead of them and
got nothing to do but face it and go right
for it.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Man, it's your seventh year. You've undoubtedly faced the Steelers
several times before the personnel changes, But does the defense change?
Speaker 2 (21:11):
You know?
Speaker 5 (21:12):
I mean, I remember I played these guys six years ago,
my rookie year with Denver, or maybe my second year.
I think it was my second year with Denver, and
you watch the tape and you know, these guys look
super similar.
Speaker 6 (21:20):
They're super big and strong, they hold their gaps.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
There's a guy there that's been there for eighty years,
it seems like, in terms of Cam Hayward, and I
got so much respect for him. You know, he's probably
got kids my age at this point, but you know,
he's just such a good football player. He's big and strong.
You would think this guy would get less strong from
year to year, and you know, look a little worse
on tape, but he continues to look really good. So yeah,
this front that's what they do in Pittsburgh. They pride
(21:43):
themselves on the front seven and they look the same.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Final question for Dalton riiseen there, it's your first night
game as a Bengal at pay Corpse Stadium. I think
this place is as electric as any in the NFL
for the primetime games. It's going to be a white
Bengal game. Are you excited for Thursday Night?
Speaker 6 (21:59):
Super excited?
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Man?
Speaker 5 (22:00):
Not only did it represent the Cincinnati Bengals, but be
here at pay Corps.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
Be on display for the whole world on.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
Thursday night football against a division opponent and the Pittsburgh
Steelers and Aaron Rodgers coming to town.
Speaker 6 (22:13):
Gonna ask for more. Man, this is a blessing. There's
so many people that would kill to do this.
Speaker 5 (22:17):
So as you soak it up and try to kick
some tail, got to look at it and embrace it
a little bit too.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Reisner was the Bengals highest graded O lineman last week
according to Pro Football Focus, but Dylan Fairchild has been
a full participate in practice this week and should have
the green light to return at left guard. 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,
(22:46):
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. The Bengals face
the four and one Steelers on Thursday, and head coach
Mike Tomlin made headlines this week by calling out Cleveland
Browns GM Andrew Berry for trading Joe Flacco to Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
You know, to be honest, it was shocking to me.
Speaker 7 (23:12):
Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me or us,
because it doesn't make sense to me to trade a
quarterback that you think enough of to make your opening
day starter to a division opponent that's hurting in that area.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
But that's just my personal feelings.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Flacco beat the Steelers last year, coming off the bench
for an injured Anthony Richardson with five point thirty to
go in the first quarter and leading the Colts to
a twenty seven to twenty four. When I discussed Tomlin's
comment and much more, in Our knowther Faux segment this
week with Pittsburgh sportswriter and broadcaster Tim Benns. Tim, let's
(23:50):
start with your forty something quarterback. How has Aaron Rodgers
played and how has he behaved since joining Pittsburgh.
Speaker 8 (24:00):
The behavior part has been fine. He's not exactly warm
and fuzzy. I think there are other people besides just
me that weren't wild about the idea of him coming here,
and I feel like he's constantly ready for a fight
from the media, But honestly, with just one loss so
far and him playing pretty well, there's been no reason
(24:22):
to have that fight, And to be frank, there never
really was one that developed with Russell Wilson despite the
five game losing streak at the end of the year,
and everybody really liked justin Fields personally, So I don't
know if that's ever going to happen, but Rogers is
probably more inclined to look for a reason to make
it happen should they have a three or four game
(24:43):
losing streak along the way. But the way he's played
has also largely been pretty good, if not minimized by
what they have to deal with in terms of the
pass blocking and the limitations that they have at wide receiver.
It's a pretty basic offense right now. The complexities of
the offense do not necessarily befit a player of Rogers
(25:06):
Hall of Fame reputation. Then again, he doesn't move well
enough to have that full scale of an offense behind
this line, which can be shoddy at times. Although it
will give Rogers credit when he's had to move, he's
moved pretty decently.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Let me follow up on the offensive line. Pittsburgh has
used a lot of draft capital in recent years to
try to make it better. Is it showing at all?
Speaker 8 (25:31):
It did this week and maybe it started the week
before that in Ireland against Minnesota, but Miles Garrett was
a ghost in this game against Cleveland. They gave Roder
Jones a lot of help, admittedly on the left side,
but then again, you know, watch the Steelers game sometime
how much help does whoever's block and TJ. Watt always get.
(25:52):
So sometimes that just needs to happen. The draft CAPITALI
you talk about, well, it was delayed because they messed
around with rod Rick Jones just to have Dan Moreby
out there for some reason. We're still trying to figure
out why there was such an agenda there. I still
don't get it. Jones is a left tackle who they
put on the.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Right side, so he had to get used to that.
Speaker 8 (26:12):
Now he's got to get used to going back over
the left. Troy Fautano was delayed a year because he
barely played with his knee injury a season ago, so
he's just getting up to speed. Zach Frazier's pretty good
as a center from West Virginia, maybe not as good
as we are willing him to be. Mason McCormick has
gotten a lot of time for a fourth round pick
(26:33):
from the FCS, but he's decent, and they're getting whatever's
left out of Isaacs Camalu that they can. That's basically
the offensive line, and it was rather shoddy for the
first three games. It's been better for the last two
and now we'll see what happens against the Bengals. And
at the time that you and I are speaking anyway,
(26:54):
with however injured Trey Hendrickson truly is Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Writer and broadcaster Tim Bens our guests. The Steelers acquired
DK Metcalf in the offseason. They parted ways with George Pickens.
Both guys are having good years for their current team.
But how has the impact been in Pittsburgh in the
locker room from getting rid of George a.
Speaker 8 (27:15):
Lot calmer, And maybe it's not even so much in
the locker room as it is calmer on game day.
You're not constantly having to manage George's emotions and reactions.
That was the bigger deal. It was game day and
how Pickens would react to things more than it was practice,
or if you would show up on time, as was
the case on Christmas against the Kansas City Chiefs. But
(27:39):
no such issues as the Metcalf He's a yes sir,
no sir guy, or at least he has been here.
Maybe not so much at the end with the Seahawks
when he wanted out, but you know he has benefited
by being the only wide receiver here. I think Pickens
has benefited by being the number one guy with cdee
lamb Out. I don't know if the Pickens Metcalf combination
(28:02):
was ever gonna work here like that could have been
too combustible, especially on Pickens end, because Metcalf would have
gotten paid to come here and George still would not
have Not only that, but other guys have gotten paid
since Metcalf, and they weren't gonna pay Pickens, which is
the big reason why he's a Dallas cowboy right now.
So it would have been a wonderful vision to have
(28:24):
Kickens on one side and Metcalf on the other running
streak routes to open everything up underneath, and then having
you know, Rogers pick whichever guy wasn't double to bombit downfield.
That sounds fantastic. But anytime that Pickens didn't get the
ball and Metcalf did, I think we would have had problems.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Tim What did you make of Mike Tomlin criticizing Cleveland
for its willingness to trade Joe Flacco to Cincinnati.
Speaker 8 (28:50):
It was a little weird, Like he is usually so
careful to never do anything like that. I mean, I
can count on one hand in eighteen years the number
of times that tom wins ever said anything that was
incendiary in the week of a game for an opponent
coming up, you know, like he had that weird shot
at Anthony Richardson a couple of weeks ago, again with
(29:12):
Flacco as sort of the crux of the conversation, ironically enough,
but you know, they weren't playing the Colts that week.
They will in a couple of weeks. I'm sure it
will come up, whether he's playing or not. I'm sure
he'll be brought up. It just it was weird for
he's treating Joe Flacco like he's Joe Montana here, you know,
like you know, they're seeing an elder version of Joe Flacco.
(29:33):
They're not seeing the guy who was going bombs away
down the sideline when he was getting the Ravens to
the Super Bowl and beating the Steelers eleven times and
twenty two tries. I don't think that's the same version
of the guy that they're seeing. And look, I don't
think that was just about the Flacco thing, Dan, I don't.
I think that was because this is the same general
manager in the same organization that acquired and paid Deshaun
(29:56):
Watson an outrageous contract. As the Steelers are going in
to the post Ben Roethlisberger era and reset the QB market.
This is the same organization that paid and reset the
market on edge rushers and files Garrett's contract three months
before they had to give TJ. Watt a new deal.
I think there are other things to put here than
just the trade that got under Tomlin's skin.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Pittsburgh's four and one. The best team the Steelers have
beaten so far as New England at four and two.
The Patriots lost four fumbles in that game. How good
are the Steelers?
Speaker 8 (30:28):
The offense is still very flawed for some of the
reasons we pointed out. Statistically, I think they're like twenty
fifth in passing, twenty ninth and rushing, and twenty ninth
overall or something like that. And they've gotten the points
that they've gotten because they got a great kicker who
never misses unless the field slips out from underneath them.
And they've got a really good red zone percentage, at
(30:50):
least they did until they played Cleveland. That's why their
points per game isn't so bad. The defense has been very,
very opportunity stick. I think it's best two games have
been the last that they have played. I do think
they deserve some credit for ball hunting and getting the
ball free in New England more than they've gotten. That
(31:12):
game was largely just characterized as the Patriots handing the
ball over to the Steelers five times. They are to
be faulted, but I think the Steelers are to be
credited for creating those turnovers. They run, they hit, they
get to the ball, they search the ball, They're good
at it. So the defense is the biggest reason why
they are where they are, even though the defense was
(31:32):
really lousy in terms of yards allowed for the first
three weeks. So, you know, I think they are a
byproduct of a lowering tide in the AFC. North has
really risen their boats. That might be the case for
the entire conference, in the entire league because they've only
played one divisional game, but where they sit in the
division is because where everybody else is, they're pretty mediocre.
(31:56):
But you know what, so is the rest of the
NFL right now.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Cam Hayward's thirty six, TJ Watt is thirty one. They
traded for a thirty one year old Jalen Ramsey. Are
those guys still among the NFL's best at their positions?
Speaker 8 (32:11):
You know, Cam hasn't had a great year, not to
the level that he had two years ago, not to
the level that he was playing in the first three
quarters of last year. What's been good, if not statistically dominant,
he's been very good. And Ramsey, when he's been healthy,
he's a real X factor. You know, like if you
just have Jalen Ramsey go out there and try to
cover a guy. It's not as pretty as it used
(32:33):
to be. But when they deploy him in different ways,
when they bring him on a blitz, when they have
him sort of roam and be a rover, he's really impressive.
And he's just a tough one to eleventh to figure
out for the opposing offensive coordinator and the opposing quarterback.
I think that was part of the problem for Dylan Gabriel.
(32:54):
Baby Joe Flacco has an easier time diagnosing what they
do with him. Sam Darnold sure did when the Seahawks
were here. So the shorter answer your question, or any
of those guys that they used to be when they
were at their peak, No, they're not, but the collective
of them and some of the rising young players like
Herbig Peyton Wilson, Patrick Queen is much better than he
(33:17):
was here a year ago. Harmon has made a big
difference in the middle of the defensive line since he
got healthy three games in. I think that's been an
underdiscussed part of why the defense has gotten better. All
those guys, I think have improved and they have more
usable pieces in this secondary. If guys should get hurt.
Speaker 1 (33:36):
Final question for my guy Tim Benz in Cincinnati. This
is a pivotal game. Win it and you're in it.
Lose it and the path to the playoffs looks very difficult.
How are the stakes being viewed in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 8 (33:50):
Significant because they're usually lousy and road divisional Thursday night games.
You know, everybody remembers when Ryan Finley beat them. You know,
regardless of what day of the week it was. They
can lose any quarterback in the division at any time.
They've lost to Anthony Brown, they've lost to Tyler Huntley,
they've lost a DTR in Cleveland. So you know, regardless
of Cincinnati's quarterback position, everybody in Pittsburgh is acutely aware
(34:14):
of what could happen in a game like this. They
see this, fans do the landscape of the league right now.
Five and one would almost equate to the best stretch
they had last year when Russ won six of seven
to start the year and that was good enough to
get them to ten and seven in the playoffs. And
everybody knows what's coming after the long weekend following this
(34:36):
Thursday game. It's Green Bay, Indy and the Chargers granted
to are at home, but that might be their toughest
stretch of the season, and you don't want to give
Cincinnati or Baltimore any reason for life to think that
they can still chase the division. It's viewed as a
huge game because you get to five and one. That's
(34:56):
five and one where the best team of the conference
is five and one right now and it's the colt
And then you also have what in a four game
lead on anybody else who three game lead on anybody
else in division with Baltimore still trying to figure out
if they can get healthy.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
When Lamar comes back.
Speaker 8 (35:11):
So its being viewed as a huge game here in
Pittsburgh as well.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
Tim great stuff is always appreciate your time.
Speaker 8 (35:17):
Man, you got Dan, Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
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,
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. If you haven't
(35:42):
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 Hord and thanks for listening to the Bengals Booth
podcast
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