May 14, 2025 • 51 mins
Dan Hoard and Bengals.com editor Geoff Hobson discuss Cincinnati’s just-released 2025 schedule. Then, it’s “Five Questions” with second round draft pick Demetrius Knight, followed by Dan’s five observations after attending practice on Tuesday. Purchase your 2025 Bengals tickets now at bengals.com/tickets.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hi, get everybody.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I'm Dan Hord and thanks for downloading the Bengals Booth podcast,
the I Know you got your schedule, Land you keep
an it tight edition as I discussed Cincinnati's just released
twenty twenty five schedule with Bengals dot Com editor Jeff
Butch Hobson. Then it's the latest edition of five Questions
with one of this year's draft picks, followed by five
(00:26):
observations after watching practice. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought
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(00:47):
provider of the Bengals. Now here's a quick reminder that
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you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing since free
food samples. I was at a farmer's market recently where
one of the purveyors was offering up little pieces of
(01:09):
grilled lamb sausage on a toothpick. My wife and I
each tried one, found it delicious, and purchased a package.
That's how it's supposed to work. But more often than not,
I'm the guy who takes the sample, even if there's
a very slim chance that I am going to purchase
the product. Shoot, there have been times at Costco where
(01:30):
I walked out stuffed after grazing through all of the goodies.
And it's amazing what you'll try when it's a little
free sample. HM roasted pig ear in a honey mustard sauce.
Don't mind if I do so, keep those samples coming
food merchants. As a member of the media, I am
basically required to eat any and all free food. Now
(01:55):
let's get to the Bengals hot off the Press's schedule.
We already knew the who and where, but we didn't
know the win. Now we do. In terms of difficulty,
it looks like a middle of the pack schedule. Nine
of the bengals seventeen opponents went to the playoffs last year,
and six of those games against playoff teams will be
(02:15):
on the road. That's the hard part. But there are
also two games against the Browns and home games against
the Jags, Jets, Bears, and Patriots. All of those teams
lost at least twelve games last year. Based on last
year's records, it's the fourteenth toughest schedule in the league.
(02:35):
Based on projected win totals. In Vegas, it's the seventeenth toughest, again,
middle of the pack. The Bengals also have the fewest
travel miles of any team in the NFL this year,
about two thousand fewer than Buffalo. The Chargers, on the
other hand, will travel about four times as many miles
(02:56):
as Cincinnati, roughly thirty seven miles compared to the Bengals
eight thousand, seven hundred fifty three. For a closer look
at the eighteen week grind, beginning on September seventh, I
caught up with Bengals dot Com editor Jeff Butch Hobson.
All right, Butch, Week one is a road game at Cleveland,
(03:19):
starting at one o'clock in the afternoon. The Reds are
at home against the Mets that weekend, so a road
opener seemed likely to me. The second time in three years,
the Bengals will open up the regular season with a
road game in Cleveland, and end it with a home
game against the Cleveland Browns. A couple of years ago,
Joe Burrow couldn't move because of his calf injury. The
Bengals managed only six first downs and a twenty four
(03:41):
to three loss. You would think their chances of a
road win are good this time around, regardless of whether
Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dylan Gabriel, Shador Sanders, or somebody
else starts at quarterback for Cleveland. If you look at
ESPN bets over underwin per injections for the upcoming season,
(04:02):
Cleveland gets the fewest of any team in the NFL
at four and a half. So what do you think
Week one on the road at Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Well, it's Paul Brown's one hundred and seventeenth birthday, So
I think that's a good vibe going to the city
where he now holds the record for the most NFL championships.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
Yeah, I mean this feels like one. This feels more
like twenty eleven, not twenty twenty three. Although Andy Dalton
was a rookie quarterback the member the Bengals won that
one and went on your first game actually as an
announcer board he was a Cleveland Browns opener.
Speaker 5 (04:40):
Yeah, you know, I.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
Like the match up with Cleveland, not just because of
the quarterback, but I think their defense I think is
squid a little bit. Although they you know, they still
have Garrett, they did draft Mason Graham, so but I
do think their secondary is little bit more, you know,
even though they have Denzel. I think the Bengals get
(05:05):
over a big hump, I think, just mentally by sweeping.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
Them last year. So this does not feel like twenty three. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
The Browns also announced this week that they're great linebacker
j Okay as he's known is going to miss the
entire season after his neck injury last year. So that
takes away one of the fastest linebackers in the NFL
and a guy who is emerging is a really good
player for Cleveland off that great defense.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
And are they drafted one at the top of the
at the top of the second round, but he's not
going to be a Joka at the openers.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
You wouldn't think. So that's week one. Week two, the
Bengals play their home opener at one o'clock against Jacksonville,
a team coming off of four and thirteen season. They've
got a new coach and former University of Kentucky offensive
coordinator Liam Cohen. In Zach Taylor's tenure, the Bengals are
one in five in week one and zhen six in
week two. Last year, they were just about guaranteed to
(06:02):
start the season three and one because of the schedule,
and we know how that went. They went one in
three instead. Stuff obviously happens. But with Cleveland in week one,
at a home game against Jacksonville in Week two, there
is a great opportunity at least to start this season
two and zero.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Yeah, I mean, but it's you know, it's the same
thing as like last year, right, you get a first
time quarterback going going in Cleveland, you know, for Cleve,
you get a first time that'll be playing quarterback for
Cleveland will be that opener. Then the next week a
rookie head coach, and then probably the same thing in
Minnesota the next week a quarterback playing for the first time.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
So you know, I think the Jaguars are, you.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Know, clearly clearly in transition because you know there they
try to do some things in the draft to reshape
their team. So I mean, I think you know you're
gonna have I think Bill, I think by the time
they get in here, the Jaguars, they'll be in a
bit of circus mode with the Travis Hunters stuff.
Speaker 5 (07:07):
You know, how many snaps.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
He's gonna play on defense, what's he looked like on offense? So,
you know, I think they might get a club that
will be uh, you know, probably even by the second
week that draggled a little bit.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Do you buy the adage that you want to face
new coaches and new quarterbacks as early in the season
as possible.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
I didn't so last year.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
But no, I think most of the time that that
I think, you know, the law of averages that's due
to break their way.
Speaker 5 (07:36):
You know.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Now a guy like the next game we talk about,
you know, that's a little bit of a different deal.
Although JJ was hurt last year, he's still been around
the program, and O'Connell has, you know, is still good.
I think he could throw me in there and i'd
you know, i'd get a maybe I could throw for
a bucko one. But you know, I think for the
(07:58):
most part this is I think these first three games
are probably as good as you could you know, probably
could have good as as for coming out of the game.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Yeah, So let me just fill in the details. On
Week three, that's a one o'clock road game at Minnesota.
So their first three games of the year are all
one o'clock starts, which maybe is a little bit of
surprise considering how big of a profile team the Bengals
have become with Joe Burrow. The Vikings are coming off
of fourteen and three season, but Sam Darnold is gone.
You referenced JJ McCarthy, the projected starter at quarterback after
(08:29):
missing his entire rookie year with a knee injury. The
Vegas preseason win projection for Minnesota is eight and a
half after they won fourteen last year. So because of
the quarterback change and maybe regression to the mean, they're
kind of projected more like a five hundred team and
a seventeen game schedule. But like you said, their head
(08:49):
coach is excellent and for me, even though statistically I
don't think this is the case or scientifically this isn't
the case. That stadiums the one I've ever been in
in my life. I know Kansas City and Seattle have
set the decibel level record. The last time the Bengals
played in Minnesota, I literally got a headache from the
(09:11):
noise at the beginning of the game.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
Yeah, the last couple of times they've been up there,
the game get out of hand, it unraveled a little bit,
and I chucked that up to the to the noise,
I mean, I know, they get up there in five
rolled and pretty good, and you just couldn't hear yourself
thinking the same thing happened in seventeen, I think. But yeah,
for my money, I mean, Minnesota blows everyone's doors.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Off, all right. Week four, the first of four scheduled
primetime games, a Monday night road game in Denver. Three
of the four primetime games are on the road, at Denver,
at Baltimore, and at Miami. So after becoming the first
team in NFL history to play five primetime road games
last year, they're scheduled to play three this year. And
(09:56):
if you look at last year's schedule when it came out,
it was three, and then the Chargers and Steelers road
games became night games because they were flexed late in
the season. So once again, it's great to be high profile,
it's great to be a team that everybody wants to watch.
But in the Bengals case, you wind up playing primetime
games on the road, which is difficult.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
Yeah, I don't know what's wrong with the you know,
you know, mix in a few primetimers at home where
Jolie Burrow is, you know, five and one, you know,
but everybody has trouble in the road. I mean, I
I you know, I mean, I know why this game
is on a Monday night. They hope they're going to
keep They're going to pick up where they left off
(10:39):
in that overtime game. Bo Nix and Joe Burrow put
on a showdown here that was topped off by T Higgins.
So we know that's a play you know, ten years ago,
one of the greatest games in Bengals sister one of
the best when AJ mccarrn had this team on the
brink of a playoff by in a Monday nighter at
Mile in that place. You talk about loud, that's that's
(11:04):
that's pretty loud. So you go back to back to
two pretty pretty noisy joints, you know, and uh but
I'll you know, it's interesting.
Speaker 5 (11:12):
I thought, you know, the Broncos first round pick was J. J.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
Barron from Texas to corner, and I think that was
a tip of a cap to what Higgins did and
did to him. He was just unbelievable that night that
night at Paycourt against the Broncos. Three touchdowns, one hundred
and thirty one yards, a lot of I like to say, well,
and he goes up for a ball, you know, it's
a it's it's a it's a Bill Russell game seven rebound.
Speaker 5 (11:38):
You know he tears it away and you know he's
got it. And he had some of those against the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Sure did all right. Week five one of the most
attractive home games on the schedule this year, a four
to twenty five late afternoon on Fox game against the
Detroit Lions, presumably with Tom Brady in the booth for Fox.
Uh so we'll get to hear Brady on Burrow in
that four twenty five game. The line's coming off of
fifteen and two season despite numerous injuries. Like the Bengals,
(12:08):
Vegas has. They're over under this year at ten and
a half wins going in. But that is going to
be a greatly anticipated home game this year.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Yeah, you know, it kind of reminds me of it's
almost the same day, it's almost the same week in
the Seattle when they played Seattle two years ago.
Speaker 5 (12:26):
You know, and.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
Just a really you know, that's a big time headline game.
You know, it's also the second straight home game. Two
number one pick quarterbacks are going at it. You've got
Trevor Lawrence for the Jaguars against Burrow, and then you
got Burrow going against Scof.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
He's beating both guys.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
You know, but that team, that team he beat in
Detroit in twenty twenty one, I mean, that's not exactly
the same club. They're fast, they're physical. You know, it's
it's an interesting matchup. The Bengals led the league in passing,
the Lions led the league in overall offense with that
terrific run game. So I think you're gonna get you know,
(13:09):
you not only get a great game. I think you're
gonna get a great you know, it's going to be
a great dichotomy game. You know, they're gonna try empower you,
and the Bengals are gonna do what they do, which
is kill you not so softly.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
With Burrow and two guys who used to coach together,
and Zach Taylor and Dan Campbell, and they were both
with the Miami Dolphins. Week six, the fourth straight game
against the team that went to the playoffs last year.
This is another four to twenty five star Nanson romo,
in this case, as the Bengals take on the Packers
at lambeau Field, green Bay, coming off an eleven and
(13:45):
six season. This is October twelfth, so the tundra won't
be frozen. It should be decent temperatures in Green Bay
for Cincinnati fans who might want to make the pilgrimage
to lambeau if they've never been there before.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
It's a you know, the Bengals I believe played the
hottest game ever in the history of Green Bay the
last time they were there. Uh, probably, but that was September,
so this is so, this is October, so they're they're
in pretty good shape. It is, you know, get there
early to see the Hall of Fame and all of that.
But it's you know, the Packers are one of those
(14:19):
teams are hard to get a read on, like who
are these guys? You know, but they.
Speaker 5 (14:25):
Especially since Rodgers left, you know, but they.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Keep you know that guy, that guy's a good coach
up there, man, he keeps he keeps churning out these
thirteen winning clubs and really really not the greatest players.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Really when you think, you know, I mean they do
have some, you know, good players and everything, but I mean,
Jordan loves a good player. But you know, I don't know,
it's uh, where does he rate in that division of quarterbacks?
Speaker 6 (14:50):
You know.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
So it's a really good all around team. And that's it.
And that's a tough one just because of the venue.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
On the week seven and the Thursday night home game
against the Pittsburgh Steelers. AFC North games in primetime overwhelmingly
favor the home team. The last time the Bengals played
a division rival at home at night, their quarterback was
Ryan Finley and the two ten and one Bengals beat
the eleven and two Pittsburgh Steelers. So it goes to
(15:19):
show you the home team typically fareswell in the AFC
North in a primetime game. The Bengals have played five
road games in the division in primetime since that last
home game. It's about time they get to host an
AFC North rival at home.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
Yeah, the the Von Bell Culture game, and that could
be that could be interesting. I guess that's going to
be Aaron Rodgers, right, We've got We've got Burrow versus
Aaron Rodgers, perhaps, which would be the second time the
second time they went out. The first time they went
it was a great game, was an overtime win for
a rod But I don't know, Boardy, you think you
(15:57):
think Rogers is going to be in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Be Aaron Rodgers. It could still be Kirk Cousins. I
can't imagine it's going to be Mason Rudolph or Will Howard.
So I do think they will add one of those vets.
You know, Rogers has met with the team. That seems
to be the most prominent rumor, although in the last
week I've seen reports of a possible trade with the
Falcons for Kirk Cousins. So I would anticipate Rogers or
(16:21):
Cousins instead of Rudolph or Howard.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
Yeah, I I just don't see, you know that the
Steelers have you know, what have they done?
Speaker 5 (16:29):
You know, really, I mean they've you know, they they
drafted a.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
Defensive tackle, but they didn't really you know, I don't
know how much they've really upgraded.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
They got you know, they they got rid of their
headache and pickens.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
And they've got you know, and they but but they've
just still really got one one weapon, really, you know,
a receiver Metcalf who's a models player. But that looks good,
you know, that looks good, especially obviously since it's a
short week, all.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Right, week eight after the mini buy, it's one o'clock
home game against a team projected to be among the
worst in the NFL, the Jets coming off of five
wins season. They've got a new coach and Aaron Glenn,
they've got a new quarterback and Justin Fields. He's fourteen
and thirty as a starter in the NFL. So that's
one of those games that going into the season you
would anticipate, all right, that should be a W at home.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
You only think of the bad stuff as a fan, right,
so I think of Justin Fields coming off the bench
for Andy Dalton winning your game for the Bears, and
then last year he got a key first down at
the end of the game. So but yeah, you know
that's one, right, that's one. You look at the schedule
and everybody is going to be doing it. At eight
oh one in Cincinnati, they're going to be going down.
(17:43):
What's a W, what's an L? You know that's got
to be a W. We know what happened there, I
guess in twenty one when the Jets had an unknown
quarterback come out and throw for four bills. So I
guess you never know when you're going through the things. So,
but right now, on May fourteenth.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
That's got to be a W. And so does the
next one have to be? One year at home.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Week nine, the last game before the middle of the
season by and the Bengals third straight home game. It's
a one o'clock start against the Chicago Bears. The Bears
are the only team in the NFC North that didn't
win at least eleven last year. They've got former Lions
offensive coordinator Ben Johnson taking over as head coach. Great
offensive mind. We get back to a topic we discussed earlier,
(18:28):
were you're hoping to get the Bears early while they're
still adjusting to their new system, because that's not the
way it worked out.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
Yeah, no, I mean it's but they got to like
the way the buy worked out. I mean I think
that's you know, it's right smack in the middle of
the years, and that's perfect.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
Probably wouldn't have liked to have gotten the Bears a
little earlier, but you know.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
That's you know, getting him in the first half of
the year is better than getting him in the second half.
So I still think that works for him because you know, basically,
I mean, I know, the quarterback is going to be
in his second season, but he's in the first year
of a new system, so is that you know, still
makes him a bit rookie ish. So uh, but here's
another one where you just have to you know, the
(19:12):
home the home field, like you know, is where this
gets to be so important, you know, where where you know,
you establish yourself at home against teams that can be
maybe dangerous, you know, and just uh, you know, second
game in a row heading into a bye that looks
good too, you know. I think the way the way
that first half of the season breaks down, you know,
(19:34):
except for the back to back the Vikings and the Broncos,
I mean, it works out pretty well for him, I think.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
All right after the bye in Week eleven, Game ten,
it's a one o'clock road game at Pittsburgh, the Bengals
looking to win in Pittsburgh for the fourth time in
the last five years. Prior to this stretch, the Bengals
had lost nine of their previous to eleven in Pittsburgh.
So in the Borough era, that is it at least
one demon that has been exercised. They have no fear
(20:04):
of going to Pittsburgh and coming back with a win.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
And it would be four you know, and it would
be four different quarterbacks too.
Speaker 4 (20:11):
I mean, whoever it's going to be, it will be
the it will be.
Speaker 5 (20:16):
The fourth different one.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
Which is it kind of speaks to I think where
the Bengals are at and where the Steelers are at,
and they have to take advantage of that. So I
think I kind of like going into Pittsburgh after having
a you know, getting the getting soothed in the whirlpool
all right.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
In Game eleven, it's a one o'clock home game against
the Patriots, a chance to atone for last year's dismal opener.
The Patriots were a four win team a year ago,
but Drake May showed promise at quarterback. They've hired a
proven head coach and Mike Rabel. I think New England
is going to be the most improved team in the
AFC this year. That doesn't mean I think they're going
(20:54):
to beat the Bengals at pay Corps, but I do
expect the Patriots to have a very respectable season.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
Yeah, I think Rabel will make sure that he does that.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
So you know they're gonna be better on defense, and
uh Zach has had Zach had good success against.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
Rabel, right, he beat him here, He beat him here.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
And Borrow, Borrow beat him as a rookie, went in
there and won some tough games. Of course, won the
you know one, the h that great AFC divisional that
mcphist and wanted at the gun, the logan, the logan
Wilson pick.
Speaker 5 (21:29):
The Jamaic chase bench route. You know. So he's got
a look you know that. I think that, you know,
but does that carry over? I mean, Rabel it's a
totally different team, totally different venue.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
But I think also the Patriots are going to be
different because Vrabel is a Patriot, you know what I mean,
And that that that they'll be they'll be better because
they'll be better because the culture is going to be better.
You know, no shot at Mayo, but Vrabel comes in,
you know, resume intact. But I think, you know, here again,
(22:02):
you can just imagine Borrow out playing me, you know, on.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
To Game twelve, Thanksgiving night in primetime in Baltimore. So
I recognize that the schedule is a complex puzzle for
the NFL. Total fairness is impossible. But this is the
fourth year in a row that the Bengals have played
a night game in Baltimore. It's the third straight on
(22:25):
a Thursday night. I am calling BS. I mean, they
should have programmed the software so their primetime game in
Baltimore was highly unlikely, and a Thursday night road game
was impossible. In a division rivalry that's as tough as
Cincinnati versus Baltimore, there's no way they should be playing
(22:48):
on a Thursday for the third year in a row
on the road.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
No.
Speaker 4 (22:52):
All I know is the last time they played in
Baltimore in broad daylight, they.
Speaker 5 (22:58):
Won forty one seventeen.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
Now, saying that's a I'm not saying, but I'm just saying, hey,
you know, make it four twenty five, you know, or something.
Speaker 5 (23:07):
Just uh, let us see the stunt in Baltimore, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (23:10):
So, but man, I went back to look back, you know,
the two games last year just absolute classics.
Speaker 5 (23:17):
How are they gonna how are they going to do? Uh,
what are they going to do? For an encore?
Speaker 2 (23:22):
I mean, make the final play to win?
Speaker 5 (23:24):
Well, yeah, that's for sure. I mean I'm talking about
the two teams. Yeah, I mean, you can't.
Speaker 4 (23:30):
I mean making a field goal to win it and
then stopping a two point play modeling the quarterback though,
But I mean, just don't get any closer than that,
you know, I mean it'd be, uh, what if you
switched it? What if there was a prime time or
a preay corps, you know, and at one o'clock at Baltimore.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
Doesn't the computer look at these things?
Speaker 2 (23:52):
You would think, like I said, I know, it's a
complex puzzle. But you know, after all that out what
you enter into a computer program and they should have
entered in Cincinnati ad Baltimore in primetime on Thursday cannot happen.
Speaker 5 (24:08):
Right well?
Speaker 4 (24:09):
And also after all this, Oh and by the way,
it's Thanksgiving, which only the second time in history this
club will will play.
Speaker 5 (24:19):
While the rest of the world is eating. Well, I
guess we'll be by then.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
I guess people will probably be napping, but they won't
be napping because they'll be burrowing the ravens. So but yeah,
the last one was in a galaxy far far away
when they replayed the two thousand and nine AFC Wildcard
game the Jets Bengals.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
They played that on Thanksgiving in twenty ten.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Game thirteen, a four to twenty five Sunday road game
in early December at Buffalo. They'll have some extra time
to recover and prepare after playing on Thanksgiving as they
look to be Josh Allen and the Bills for the
third time in a row.
Speaker 5 (25:01):
You look at that.
Speaker 4 (25:02):
And some of the moves they made this year in
the draft. The two linebackers that can run. To me,
that's how do you stop Allen and Jackson? You know,
two linebackers that can run in the most athletic defensive
lineman in the draft of the last forty years, Shamas Stewart.
(25:23):
So to me, the draft the first, the first, second,
or fourth pix in this draft.
Speaker 5 (25:31):
You're reading this schedule at Baltimore at.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Buffalo, followed by Baltimore again in game fourteen. It's a
Baltimore rematch seventeen days after the Thanksgiving road game. So
beginning in Week three, the Bengals play five playoff teams
in a row, Minnesota, Denver, Detroit, Green Bay, and Pittsburgh.
That's obviously tough, but I would say at Baltimore at
(25:56):
Buffalo home against Baltimore might be the of his three
game stretch. Any team in the NFL plays this year.
Speaker 5 (26:04):
Yeah, that's a good call.
Speaker 6 (26:05):
You know.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
Also that that's seventeen day gap between the Baltimore games.
That's the smallest regular season gap playing the same opponents
since eighty six when they played the when they split
with the Steelers in eighty six on thirteen days in October.
Speaker 5 (26:29):
So that's something you don't see very often, you know.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
Now you see it in the playoffs, like they played
the Ravens and back to back weeks in twenty two,
you know, to end the season and the Wildcaid game.
I mean, if they played the two games they played
last year, I mean, what nerves are gonna be left
if you do that? If that happens in a seventeen
days fan, I mean, you know, it's that's gonna be wild,
(26:53):
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
No doubt it's gonna be fun, But it's gonna be wild.
We've got three games left, game fifteen Sunday Night Football
at Miami four days before Christmas, so the Bengals avoid
sweltering heat early in the season. Could be a holiday
week road trip for Bengals fans. It's not the trip
to Spain that many had speculated about, but a chance
for warm weather against the Miami team coming off an
(27:17):
eight to nine season just before Christmas.
Speaker 5 (27:20):
Who would have funked the mayor of Madrid prevying fake
news anyway, But anyway, shouldn't they win the last three? Hordy?
I mean, is Miami? Where is Miami?
Speaker 4 (27:32):
Miami's in a bit of a Miami could be falling
back right It might be.
Speaker 5 (27:37):
They seem to be a bit desperate.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Seems that way. Some of it was injury related. Last year.
I think they had as many injuries as any team
in the AFC, so that's one of the reasons why
they took a step back. But I'm in agreement with you.
They seem to kind of be on a teeter toatter
right now. You don't know if it's going to go
up or down.
Speaker 5 (27:56):
Now.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
It's a Sunday night road game, which is tough. That
adds to the degree of difficulty. But I do wonder
if Miami is a team that had its moment and
that moment is coming gone.
Speaker 5 (28:10):
Yeah, that's tough.
Speaker 4 (28:10):
Though you know, Sunday night on the road is not
a it's not a day at the beach, although you
know it's not a Sunday night in Miami. I mean
it's not a Sunday night in Green Bay on December
twenty first, or in Pittsburgh. So I think that's a break.
I think that's a break too, you know. I mean
I just think, and you know, we also so many
things happen, but you know, this club plays well if
(28:34):
you look at it. Historically under Zach Taylor in the
Borough era, December has been good to them, particularly at home.
I know we're gonna you know, and that's where they end.
Sorry to do the segue there, but that's where they
end Arizona and Cleveland, right, which is you know, they've
won I think they've won ten of their last eleven
(28:55):
games regular season games in December and January at home.
So if they could get through, you know, if they
can you know, get through that Sunday night or in Miami,
that's a good ending for them. I mean, at least
historically they've you know, they've they've they've done really well
here in December.
Speaker 5 (29:13):
All right.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
So Game sixteen is a Saturday home game against Arizona.
That's the final Saturday of December. Arizona likely coming east
to deal with a high probability of cold weather, you
would think, so that could be tough on the Cardinals,
and then Game seventeen could be either Saturday or Sunday,
a home game against Cleveland. If it seems like the
(29:36):
Bengals usually win their final home game of the regular season,
your feeling is accurate, because whether they're having a good year,
a bad year, or somewhere in the middle type of season,
they're twelve and one in their last thirteen regular season
home finales. Twelve and one.
Speaker 5 (29:56):
That's crazy, preddam home happy. That was Jack Renning. Jack
Brennan pr tag. He rolled that out.
Speaker 4 (30:04):
Every year and you could do that now, and I
think probably PJ does.
Speaker 5 (30:09):
But I think it's interesting.
Speaker 4 (30:11):
Arizona, you know, you remember this twenty eleven, almost the
same week.
Speaker 5 (30:17):
Of the season they came.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
They came East, I think with someone named Skelton playing
your quarterback. It nearly beat and nearly beat the Bengals,
nearly denied them a playoff spot, but it worked out
that they ended up making it, but Arizona almost They
had to fend off Arizona at the end.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
That was the Yeah, that was the Jerome Simpson somersault game, right.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
And then and I think they I think Conn has
dropped the ball in the end zone.
Speaker 5 (30:48):
I think that would have maybe tied or something. But
so you never know.
Speaker 4 (30:52):
It always looks like, oh yeah, coming east in December,
but that it didn't work out, you know, so you
can never you know, it's like, uh. Also that same
weekend when the Bengals went to New England, remember and
it was the coldest ice still the coldest game Joe
Burrows ever played in.
Speaker 5 (31:10):
And you know, what's it going to what's the weather?
You know, what is the weather going to be? Like?
Speaker 4 (31:14):
It could be sixty in Bombing, it could be you know,
in Cincinnati, you could get anything.
Speaker 5 (31:19):
Well.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
I gave these numbers earlier on the podcast. They play
nine playoff teams. They also play a few teams that
were terrible last year. I think it kind of balances out.
This is a middle of the pack type schedule to
me in terms of difficulty. Now, you never know, because
teams that you think are going to be awesome wind
up being bad. I mean, who would have thought San
(31:41):
Francisco would have six wins last year? And then there's
always going to be a team that you expect to
be weak that has that breakthrough season that will happen
to a few of the teams on this schedule, but again, overall,
all things considered, kind of feels like a middle of
the pack type schedule in terms of difficulty. Other than
another their Thursday night road game at Baltimore. I really
(32:03):
don't have any strong gripes.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
I just really love three of the last four at home.
I mean even on one of them was Baltimore.
Speaker 4 (32:13):
But like I said, Burrow and Zach, they they kind of,
you know, they seem to you know, they seem to
rise the occasion in December here, so I I, you know,
I got That's what I take away from this thing.
Speaker 5 (32:25):
Three, three or four at home. To finish it.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
On a personal note, the schedule lines up about as
well as I could have hoped for my own version
of the Amazing Race as I call University of Cincinnati
and Bengals games in the fall. The toughest weekend will
feature a road game at Utah on Saturday, November first,
followed by a one o'clock home game against the Bears
the next day. If that Utah game is at night,
(32:53):
I might not get back to Cincinnati until seven am.
But hey, that's what coffee is.
Speaker 7 (32:58):
Four.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Now time to move on to another edition of five
questions with a Bengals rookie. My way of getting to
know them a little bit better by asking five questions
that they don't hear over and over again. Time for
five questions with second round draft pick Demetrius Night out
of South Carolina. I think by now a lot of
(33:19):
Bengals fans know that you are a married father of
two and we're a door dash driver to help support
your family while you're playing college football. Here's the question,
what is a door dash driver's biggest nightmare?
Speaker 8 (33:33):
The biggest nightmare would have to be when you get
in order and they say, drop it off at my
door and it's an apartment complex where they do not
give you the code to get into the apartment, so
you're just gonna wait in there because sometimes a lot
of people come in and out, and sometimes you're waiting
there for at least ten minutes, and they're taking you
say hey, where's my food, and it's like, I have
no way to get in. They say, you're waiting the
(33:55):
tailgate behind a car to get into the gay and
then run it up to their door and drop it off,
and that that is the one of the biggest nightmares.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
And when people are going in and out. They're probably
nervous that somebody's trying to break in.
Speaker 8 (34:08):
Yes, so they will, so they will go slow on
purpose sometimes to try to get you caught in the gates.
So luckily there are no dents in the car from gates,
so able to avoid that.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
All right, question number two for Demitrius Night according to
your bio, and again this is something people have seen
music legends. Gladys Knight and Aretha Franklin are distant relatives.
Have you met either one?
Speaker 8 (34:30):
I believe when I was very small, I met, I met,
I thank you, Gladys. But other than that, we was
never able to get to the family reunions with Aretha,
as you probably know, just they're probably everywhere is full,
So haven't been able to get to those. My oun
did and she talks about how there's big food is glorious,
(34:51):
so I talk can only imagine. But yeah, haven't got
to get to those two. But I'm sure or Aretha,
but which as she up in heaven now. But I'm
as glad as I believe I should be able to
get to hopefully Sue if not later in the year,
just to you know, maybe get a maybe get a
tip or two, how to saying and whatnot?
Speaker 2 (35:12):
When you learned that they were distant relatives, did you
take an interest in their careers?
Speaker 5 (35:16):
I did?
Speaker 8 (35:17):
I did, of course. I knew what amazing superstar that
they were, and just having to be tied to them
was like, well, I gotta do my homework. Now I
got to learn everything I can about them, so when
I get the chance to meet them face to face,
I can ask different questions and things like that, how'd
you deal with this? How'd you go through this? And
see how they truly you know, made it up?
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Question three for Demetrius Night. You spent your final college
season at South Carolina. Last year, you had a great year.
The team at an excellent season. The defense was tremendous.
Their in state rival is Clemson. They call it the
pal Meadow Ball. Last year, late in the game, your
team's got a three point lead, Clemson's driving. You clinched
(35:58):
the win with an interception at the fifteen yard line
in the final minute. That's one of those plays that's
going to go down in South Carolina history. Are you
prepared to talk about this with South Carolina fans for
the rest of your life.
Speaker 8 (36:13):
For the rest of my life? Yes, I am very prepared,
and I've already explained it a couple of times in
the public's on Jervais Street in Columbia to a couple
of people and asking me how it feels about it.
But that's a story I'll never get tired of telling,
even my kids. But I know they'll once they grew up,
they'll probably be like, Okay, we've heard it a hundred times,
and I'm gonna tell you like like you have you yesterday,
(36:33):
which he does in my mind, so something I'll never forget. Then,
to make it even sweeter, it was against Clemson, which
I know I'll remind him every day since he's my
locker mix.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
That's right, your fellow Rocky Barrett Carter, who's standing a
few feet away, question number four for Demetrius Night. Last year,
ESPN's Cole Kublick nicknamed you the most interesting man in
the SEC. I've seen references to visiting museums. I've seen
reference says to taking an interest in Frank Sinatra. Tell
(37:03):
me something that makes you the most interesting man, or
made you the most interesting man in the SEC.
Speaker 8 (37:09):
Yeah, just everything that I do. I'm a jack of
all trades, but I'm a guy who, uh, I gonna
be very very nice and humble off the field. On
the field, I'm different animal, become the hunter, become the predator.
But you know, when I'm off the field, I like
to create. My mind's always thinking, especially when it comes
(37:29):
to movies. When it comes to watching movies with family,
especially my wife, She'll be the first to tell you.
She's like, why are you pointing stuff out? I just
want to watch the movie without seeing different things here
and things like that. But another thing makes me interested,
man that probably people don't know. With my degree from
Georgia Tech, I'm gonna become a producer one day. Already
have been screenwriting things on my phone already on the
(37:51):
different screen running apps, seeing seeing things and scenes and
movies played in my mind and write them down. So
when the football it does come to an end very
long from now, I'll be able to transition into that
film industry and to have people in Cincinnati to tune in.
Speaker 2 (38:09):
Do you have an all time favorite movie?
Speaker 8 (38:12):
The god Father?
Speaker 2 (38:13):
Number one? I number one, number one to us, also
great three. We don't need to discuss it, right.
Speaker 8 (38:19):
We want to talk about that. We won't speak of
that one we'll not speaking that.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
One, all right. So when you make an offer that
the other team can't refuse, well, no, it's a Godfather
related reference. Fifth and final question for Demetrius Knight. For
a hot minute, when you got to Cincinnati, you were
photographed holding up the number fifty nine. Now you are
number forty four. You changed very quickly. What happened?
Speaker 8 (38:43):
I pretty much just asked if that if forty four
was available, and if it was, I'd be honored to
wear it. But I fifty nine was what I wore then, perfect,
That's fine by me. I just threw it out just
to ask because I wore number forty and forty four
when I was first started playing in football, So I
want to see if like maybe throw it back to
(39:03):
those days, maybe put it all full circle one day.
So being able to get backing for you for was
a blessing was humbly so.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
As soon as it became available, you were able to
snatch it. Yes, sir, all right, I'm sure you're going
to wear it well, appreciate your time. Look forward to
a great Bengals career followed by a successful career as
a Hollywood producer.
Speaker 5 (39:22):
Absolutely, thank you.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
Up next we'll go from five questions to five observations.
But first, here's a quick reminder that 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 Health
(39:45):
the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is
the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now time for
five observations after watching the Bengals practice on Tuesday. Topic
number one involves a guy who didn't practice this first
round draft pick, Samar Stewart. When the Bengals held their
one day rookie mini camp last week, Stuart and Demetrius
(40:07):
Knight observed from the sideline because they haven't signed contracts yet.
That changed a couple of days later for Night, who
as of this recording still hasn't signed a contract, but
has signed a waiver that allows him to practice and
protects him in the event of injury. Stuart has not
signed either yet, so he's still observing from the sideline.
(40:29):
I'll admit that I'm surprised by the reaction this is
generated on social media, with some people ripping Stuart and
his agent and others criticizing the Bengals. At this point,
it's a non issue. If weeks go by and Stuart
still isn't practicing, then it's fair to question if it's
going to hurt his development. But I don't expect that
(40:50):
to happen. I think a deal gets done sooner rather
than later, maybe even by the time you listen to
this podcast. Topic number two two is year two for
Jermaine Burton. As we all know, Jermaine had a disappointing
rookie season, culminating with not even traveling with the team
to the regular season finale at Pittsburgh. There were questions
(41:13):
about his maturity level going into the draft, and unfortunately
that's how year one played out, as he didn't earn
the trust of teammates and coaches. But he's got a
chance to change that in year two, and I'm encouraged
by what I've seen so far. For example, during draft weekend,
Jermaine was in the building every morning, working out and
(41:33):
eating in the cafeteria. Maybe it's a small thing, but
I took it as a positive sign, and I talked
with Jermaine this week. What are you looking to show
people this year?
Speaker 7 (41:46):
You know, once again my ability. You know how much
this you know, game means to me, and uh, you know,
just my love for the game of football.
Speaker 2 (41:55):
I noticed in the throwing groups today that you were
always kind of in line to catch from Joe, which
is usually a sign that they expect you to be
a major part of the rotation. Do you take it
that way?
Speaker 7 (42:09):
I honestly just take everything with a granted So I'm
just trying to you know, still learn, still still work
my best, and still you know, work my mechanics and
routes and stuff like that. So yeah, but you know,
it's always good catching from Joe.
Speaker 2 (42:21):
They didn't draft a wide receiver. Did you take that
as a lot of confidence.
Speaker 7 (42:26):
Yeah, you know, I love this team and uh you know,
I know they have really high hopes and uh, you
know expectations for me. You know, I can't wait to
just take everything in and you know, showing what I'm
really capable of.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
The biggest lessons you learned as a rookie were watching.
Speaker 7 (42:41):
You know, be where your feet are at man, you know,
regardless of you know what's going on, and you know
how hard life gets is uh, you know, be where
your feet at. You know, maintain the goal and maintain
the mission and never get off track, and you know
always they focus.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
How eager are you for games to begin, to get
out on the field and show what you can do?
Speaker 7 (43:00):
It's hard to sleep at night, literally, that's how bad.
Speaker 5 (43:04):
For real?
Speaker 7 (43:06):
You know, I can stay up twenty four hours and
you know thinking about this game. So I'm more the
eager and you know, I just can't wait to show people.
Speaker 2 (43:16):
Time will tell if Jermaine has truly turned a corner,
but if he has the scope position talent on this
roster is ridiculous. Topic three, the Peters Principles. It's been
very interesting to watch new offensive line coach Scott Peters
had practiced because he is as hands on as any
o line coach I've seen at any level. At times,
(43:39):
it looks like a martial arts academy. When Scott coached
alongside Bill Callahan and Cleveland, Bill called him a hands expert,
and you can see why. Peters has trained several UFC competitors,
including Brock Lesner. Cody Ford is going into his seventh
NFL season with three different teams, so he's had six
(44:00):
old line coaches. Here's what he had to say when
I asked him about Peters.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
On some of the stuff we're doing is amazing.
Speaker 9 (44:10):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (44:11):
I'm I'm bought in on it, and I'm taking everything
he says, and you know, just gaining the education of
his techniques and trying to apply on.
Speaker 2 (44:26):
As I got about halfway through the question, it was
almost like your eyes lit up, like even the mention
of him is really kind of got you excited.
Speaker 1 (44:34):
I think he's going to be a great addition to
what what we have going on here. Uh. Like I said,
I'm bought in. I believe in his coaching style. I've
talked to other guys who have been coached binding before
and they've all had great things to say. And like
I said, my first impressions are the stuff we're already
working on is some some good stuff, and I think
(44:58):
it will help us w he comes down to it
training camp when we're trying to be at the end
of the season.
Speaker 5 (45:05):
I think he can.
Speaker 1 (45:06):
Help us get there. And you know, I think he's
their guy.
Speaker 2 (45:10):
Ford, by the way, is among the candidates to start
at right guard this year. He started at both tackle
spots and left guard. Last year, but didn't take a
single snap at right guard, but he has started nine
NFL games at that position in his career. Topic four
is a sneaky training camp battle. Cal Adamitas has been
(45:31):
the Bengals long snapper for the last three years, but
his job will be on the line at training camp
after the Bengals signed undrafted free agent Will Wagner. Wagner
started forty three games at Michigan, snapping nearly five hundred
times in all sorts of weather, and special teams coordinator
Darren Simmons had him rated as the best long snapper
(45:53):
in this year's draft class. All right, based on everything
that I read, you were considered to be the number
one long snapper in this year's draft class. And I
imagine there had to be a lot of interest out
there from NFL teams.
Speaker 9 (46:05):
Why Cincinnati, Well, Cincinnati's a great program, and especially for
this year. I mean, we're going to make a Super
Bowl run. And then also I have a ton of
family out here in Cincinnati, and I thought of no
better place but in Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (46:21):
How much contact have you had with Darren over the years,
because obviously I'm sure he worked out Jake Moody we
know he worked out Brad Robbins. Were you involved in
those workouts?
Speaker 1 (46:31):
No?
Speaker 9 (46:31):
I wasn't actually, but when I was at the combine,
I got to talk to him for a while. We
did a couple of zooms and I got a top
thirty visit here, so I got to interact with him
a lot before the draft.
Speaker 2 (46:44):
What have you been led to believe about the opportunity here?
Do you anticipate a training camp battle for the job.
Speaker 4 (46:50):
Yes, I do.
Speaker 9 (46:51):
I think it's going to be an open competition between
me and Cal.
Speaker 2 (46:54):
I read an article somewhere that you apply your engineering
background to long snap. Can you explain?
Speaker 9 (47:01):
Yeah, I mean I even do that, Like, oh, my
butt came up a little bit that it's about variable
mitigation and like, h if your hips are going this high,
like you can't have it go over this angle. It's
like that's where you get to a zone where it's
you're gonna fly the ball over the punter shatter. So's
it's just like I did actually do a project snapping
(47:27):
in college.
Speaker 2 (47:28):
So it's get an egg, no, give me a bet.
Speaker 9 (47:31):
But but what can you say?
Speaker 5 (47:36):
It was a summer class.
Speaker 2 (47:37):
Did you deserve a beat?
Speaker 5 (47:40):
Oh?
Speaker 9 (47:40):
I got to in the class. I gotta be in
the project. Oh I thought I deserve today.
Speaker 6 (47:46):
I put so much into that.
Speaker 2 (47:49):
It sounds like his professor was a tough grader. I
found it interesting that Will had a top thirty visit
to Cincinnati before the draft. I have not seen that
reported elsewhere. The fifth and final topic is another undrafted player,
center Seth McLaughlin. After spending last year at Ohio State
in the previous four at Alabama, McLaughlin was a sure
(48:10):
thing to be drafted this year before tearing his achilles
in November. By signing him as a college free agent,
the Bengals basically wound up adding a seventh draft pick.
How is your recovery from a torn achilles coming along?
Speaker 6 (48:26):
It's coming along right on progress of you know where
I think I should be in kind of the plan
that they thought I was going to be at this
point and just got to get back right and keep
going at it.
Speaker 2 (48:36):
Are you allowed to share any sort of timetable or
anything like that.
Speaker 6 (48:40):
Yeah, hopefully I'm back before training camp. That's kind of
the goal.
Speaker 2 (48:45):
So you are widely expected to be a third or
fourth round pick based on the things that I've read.
How difficult was it to get injured in November? And
how did you cope?
Speaker 6 (48:57):
I coached by just hanging out around the guys and
still being a part of the team and trying to
coach where I can and help out where I can,
definitely made it a lot better that we ended up
winning at all, and I didn't have to feel any
sort of guilt for you know, letting the team down,
getting hurt or anything like that. So that was definitely
a positive. You know, I didn't expect to go undrafted,
(49:18):
but it is what it is. Can't control what happens.
All I can control is how I attack rehab and
how I learned the offense, and you know, how I
gel with the guys in the room. And that's my
goal to come in and eventually, you know, be a
be a solid part of this team and help this
team win games.
Speaker 2 (49:36):
ESPN rated you as the number one undrafted player available
this year. I imagine you saw that, and I imagine
there had to be a lot of interest from NFL teams.
What led you to Cincinnati Just the.
Speaker 6 (49:50):
Quality of organization here, the quality of you know, offense
that's going to be here for as long as Joe
Burrows here and even after it's close down the road,
the move wasn't going to be too hard. I love
being in Ohio. I love Ohio, love the people in Ohio.
I know they love their football. So just to stay
here in the state and go compete in win games,
(50:10):
it was just an opportunity I can pass up.
Speaker 2 (50:13):
Ted Karras has one year left on his deal. Did
you look at NFL rosters and try to ascertain where
there might be the best opportunity down the road.
Speaker 6 (50:22):
Yeah, I let my agent do that. I really just
focus on doing my rehab and controlling what I can control,
and I kind of left that up to him to decide,
and he just told me, he advised meent this is
going to be a really good spot, and like all
the things I mentioned earlier played into it.
Speaker 2 (50:39):
Seth said the goal is to be back from his
injury in time for training camp. Experience tells me that
the player's perspective on an injury timetable is always the
best case scenario. So we'll see if that's the way
it plays out. But even if it takes a little longer,
Seth has a real chance to be an NFL starter
down the road. That's going to do it for this
(51:00):
episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast, brought to you by
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Kettering Health is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals.
(51:21):
If you haven't 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.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I'm Dan Hord and thanks for downloading the Bengals Booth podcast,
the I Know you got your schedule, Land you keep
an it tight edition as I discussed Cincinnati's just released
twenty twenty five schedule with Bengals dot Com editor Jeff
Butch Hobson. Then it's the latest edition of five Questions
with one of this year's draft picks, followed by five
(00:26):
observations after watching practice. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought
to you by pay Core, proud to be the Bengals
official hr software provider, by Alta Fiber Future Brew 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
(00:47):
provider of the Bengals. Now here's a quick reminder that
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(01:09):
grilled lamb sausage on a toothpick. My wife and I
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(01:30):
I walked out stuffed after grazing through all of the goodies.
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(01:55):
let's get to the Bengals hot off the Press's schedule.
We already knew the who and where, but we didn't
know the win. Now we do. In terms of difficulty,
it looks like a middle of the pack schedule. Nine
of the bengals seventeen opponents went to the playoffs last year,
and six of those games against playoff teams will be
(02:15):
on the road. That's the hard part. But there are
also two games against the Browns and home games against
the Jags, Jets, Bears, and Patriots. All of those teams
lost at least twelve games last year. Based on last
year's records, it's the fourteenth toughest schedule in the league.
(02:35):
Based on projected win totals. In Vegas, it's the seventeenth toughest, again,
middle of the pack. The Bengals also have the fewest
travel miles of any team in the NFL this year,
about two thousand fewer than Buffalo. The Chargers, on the
other hand, will travel about four times as many miles
(02:56):
as Cincinnati, roughly thirty seven miles compared to the Bengals
eight thousand, seven hundred fifty three. For a closer look
at the eighteen week grind, beginning on September seventh, I
caught up with Bengals dot Com editor Jeff Butch Hobson.
All right, Butch, Week one is a road game at Cleveland,
(03:19):
starting at one o'clock in the afternoon. The Reds are
at home against the Mets that weekend, so a road
opener seemed likely to me. The second time in three years,
the Bengals will open up the regular season with a
road game in Cleveland, and end it with a home
game against the Cleveland Browns. A couple of years ago,
Joe Burrow couldn't move because of his calf injury. The
Bengals managed only six first downs and a twenty four
(03:41):
to three loss. You would think their chances of a
road win are good this time around, regardless of whether
Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dylan Gabriel, Shador Sanders, or somebody
else starts at quarterback for Cleveland. If you look at
ESPN bets over underwin per injections for the upcoming season,
(04:02):
Cleveland gets the fewest of any team in the NFL
at four and a half. So what do you think
Week one on the road at Cleveland.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Well, it's Paul Brown's one hundred and seventeenth birthday, So
I think that's a good vibe going to the city
where he now holds the record for the most NFL championships.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
Yeah, I mean this feels like one. This feels more
like twenty eleven, not twenty twenty three. Although Andy Dalton
was a rookie quarterback the member the Bengals won that
one and went on your first game actually as an
announcer board he was a Cleveland Browns opener.
Speaker 5 (04:40):
Yeah, you know, I.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
Like the match up with Cleveland, not just because of
the quarterback, but I think their defense I think is
squid a little bit. Although they you know, they still
have Garrett, they did draft Mason Graham, so but I
do think their secondary is little bit more, you know,
even though they have Denzel. I think the Bengals get
(05:05):
over a big hump, I think, just mentally by sweeping.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
Them last year. So this does not feel like twenty three. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
The Browns also announced this week that they're great linebacker
j Okay as he's known is going to miss the
entire season after his neck injury last year. So that
takes away one of the fastest linebackers in the NFL
and a guy who is emerging is a really good
player for Cleveland off that great defense.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
And are they drafted one at the top of the
at the top of the second round, but he's not
going to be a Joka at the openers.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
You wouldn't think. So that's week one. Week two, the
Bengals play their home opener at one o'clock against Jacksonville,
a team coming off of four and thirteen season. They've
got a new coach and former University of Kentucky offensive
coordinator Liam Cohen. In Zach Taylor's tenure, the Bengals are
one in five in week one and zhen six in
week two. Last year, they were just about guaranteed to
(06:02):
start the season three and one because of the schedule,
and we know how that went. They went one in
three instead. Stuff obviously happens. But with Cleveland in week one,
at a home game against Jacksonville in Week two, there
is a great opportunity at least to start this season
two and zero.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Yeah, I mean, but it's you know, it's the same
thing as like last year, right, you get a first
time quarterback going going in Cleveland, you know, for Cleve,
you get a first time that'll be playing quarterback for
Cleveland will be that opener. Then the next week a
rookie head coach, and then probably the same thing in
Minnesota the next week a quarterback playing for the first time.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
So you know, I think the Jaguars are, you.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Know, clearly clearly in transition because you know there they
try to do some things in the draft to reshape
their team. So I mean, I think you know you're
gonna have I think Bill, I think by the time
they get in here, the Jaguars, they'll be in a
bit of circus mode with the Travis Hunters stuff.
Speaker 5 (07:07):
You know, how many snaps.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
He's gonna play on defense, what's he looked like on offense? So,
you know, I think they might get a club that
will be uh, you know, probably even by the second
week that draggled a little bit.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Do you buy the adage that you want to face
new coaches and new quarterbacks as early in the season
as possible.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
I didn't so last year.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
But no, I think most of the time that that
I think, you know, the law of averages that's due
to break their way.
Speaker 5 (07:36):
You know.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Now a guy like the next game we talk about,
you know, that's a little bit of a different deal.
Although JJ was hurt last year, he's still been around
the program, and O'Connell has, you know, is still good.
I think he could throw me in there and i'd
you know, i'd get a maybe I could throw for
a bucko one. But you know, I think for the
(07:58):
most part this is I think these first three games
are probably as good as you could you know, probably
could have good as as for coming out of the game.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Yeah, So let me just fill in the details. On
Week three, that's a one o'clock road game at Minnesota.
So their first three games of the year are all
one o'clock starts, which maybe is a little bit of
surprise considering how big of a profile team the Bengals
have become with Joe Burrow. The Vikings are coming off
of fourteen and three season, but Sam Darnold is gone.
You referenced JJ McCarthy, the projected starter at quarterback after
(08:29):
missing his entire rookie year with a knee injury. The
Vegas preseason win projection for Minnesota is eight and a
half after they won fourteen last year. So because of
the quarterback change and maybe regression to the mean, they're
kind of projected more like a five hundred team and
a seventeen game schedule. But like you said, their head
(08:49):
coach is excellent and for me, even though statistically I
don't think this is the case or scientifically this isn't
the case. That stadiums the one I've ever been in
in my life. I know Kansas City and Seattle have
set the decibel level record. The last time the Bengals
played in Minnesota, I literally got a headache from the
(09:11):
noise at the beginning of the game.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
Yeah, the last couple of times they've been up there,
the game get out of hand, it unraveled a little bit,
and I chucked that up to the to the noise,
I mean, I know, they get up there in five
rolled and pretty good, and you just couldn't hear yourself
thinking the same thing happened in seventeen, I think. But yeah,
for my money, I mean, Minnesota blows everyone's doors.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Off, all right. Week four, the first of four scheduled
primetime games, a Monday night road game in Denver. Three
of the four primetime games are on the road, at Denver,
at Baltimore, and at Miami. So after becoming the first
team in NFL history to play five primetime road games
last year, they're scheduled to play three this year. And
(09:56):
if you look at last year's schedule when it came out,
it was three, and then the Chargers and Steelers road
games became night games because they were flexed late in
the season. So once again, it's great to be high profile,
it's great to be a team that everybody wants to watch.
But in the Bengals case, you wind up playing primetime
games on the road, which is difficult.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
Yeah, I don't know what's wrong with the you know,
you know, mix in a few primetimers at home where
Jolie Burrow is, you know, five and one, you know,
but everybody has trouble in the road. I mean, I
I you know, I mean, I know why this game
is on a Monday night. They hope they're going to
keep They're going to pick up where they left off
(10:39):
in that overtime game. Bo Nix and Joe Burrow put
on a showdown here that was topped off by T Higgins.
So we know that's a play you know, ten years ago,
one of the greatest games in Bengals sister one of
the best when AJ mccarrn had this team on the
brink of a playoff by in a Monday nighter at
Mile in that place. You talk about loud, that's that's
(11:04):
that's pretty loud. So you go back to back to
two pretty pretty noisy joints, you know, and uh but
I'll you know, it's interesting.
Speaker 5 (11:12):
I thought, you know, the Broncos first round pick was J. J.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
Barron from Texas to corner, and I think that was
a tip of a cap to what Higgins did and
did to him. He was just unbelievable that night that
night at Paycourt against the Broncos. Three touchdowns, one hundred
and thirty one yards, a lot of I like to say, well,
and he goes up for a ball, you know, it's
a it's it's a it's a Bill Russell game seven rebound.
Speaker 5 (11:38):
You know he tears it away and you know he's
got it. And he had some of those against the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Sure did all right. Week five one of the most
attractive home games on the schedule this year, a four
to twenty five late afternoon on Fox game against the
Detroit Lions, presumably with Tom Brady in the booth for Fox.
Uh so we'll get to hear Brady on Burrow in
that four twenty five game. The line's coming off of
fifteen and two season despite numerous injuries. Like the Bengals,
(12:08):
Vegas has. They're over under this year at ten and
a half wins going in. But that is going to
be a greatly anticipated home game this year.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Yeah, you know, it kind of reminds me of it's
almost the same day, it's almost the same week in
the Seattle when they played Seattle two years ago.
Speaker 5 (12:26):
You know, and.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
Just a really you know, that's a big time headline game.
You know, it's also the second straight home game. Two
number one pick quarterbacks are going at it. You've got
Trevor Lawrence for the Jaguars against Burrow, and then you
got Burrow going against Scof.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
He's beating both guys.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
You know, but that team, that team he beat in
Detroit in twenty twenty one, I mean, that's not exactly
the same club. They're fast, they're physical. You know, it's
it's an interesting matchup. The Bengals led the league in passing,
the Lions led the league in overall offense with that
terrific run game. So I think you're gonna get you know,
(13:09):
you not only get a great game. I think you're
gonna get a great you know, it's going to be
a great dichotomy game. You know, they're gonna try empower you,
and the Bengals are gonna do what they do, which
is kill you not so softly.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
With Burrow and two guys who used to coach together,
and Zach Taylor and Dan Campbell, and they were both
with the Miami Dolphins. Week six, the fourth straight game
against the team that went to the playoffs last year.
This is another four to twenty five star Nanson romo,
in this case, as the Bengals take on the Packers
at lambeau Field, green Bay, coming off an eleven and
(13:45):
six season. This is October twelfth, so the tundra won't
be frozen. It should be decent temperatures in Green Bay
for Cincinnati fans who might want to make the pilgrimage
to lambeau if they've never been there before.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
It's a you know, the Bengals I believe played the
hottest game ever in the history of Green Bay the
last time they were there. Uh, probably, but that was September,
so this is so, this is October, so they're they're
in pretty good shape. It is, you know, get there
early to see the Hall of Fame and all of that.
But it's you know, the Packers are one of those
(14:19):
teams are hard to get a read on, like who
are these guys? You know, but they.
Speaker 5 (14:25):
Especially since Rodgers left, you know, but they.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Keep you know that guy, that guy's a good coach
up there, man, he keeps he keeps churning out these
thirteen winning clubs and really really not the greatest players.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Really when you think, you know, I mean they do
have some, you know, good players and everything, but I mean,
Jordan loves a good player. But you know, I don't know,
it's uh, where does he rate in that division of quarterbacks?
Speaker 6 (14:50):
You know.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
So it's a really good all around team. And that's it.
And that's a tough one just because of the venue.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
On the week seven and the Thursday night home game
against the Pittsburgh Steelers. AFC North games in primetime overwhelmingly
favor the home team. The last time the Bengals played
a division rival at home at night, their quarterback was
Ryan Finley and the two ten and one Bengals beat
the eleven and two Pittsburgh Steelers. So it goes to
(15:19):
show you the home team typically fareswell in the AFC
North in a primetime game. The Bengals have played five
road games in the division in primetime since that last
home game. It's about time they get to host an
AFC North rival at home.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
Yeah, the the Von Bell Culture game, and that could
be that could be interesting. I guess that's going to
be Aaron Rodgers, right, We've got We've got Burrow versus
Aaron Rodgers, perhaps, which would be the second time the
second time they went out. The first time they went
it was a great game, was an overtime win for
a rod But I don't know, Boardy, you think you
(15:57):
think Rogers is going to be in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Be Aaron Rodgers. It could still be Kirk Cousins. I
can't imagine it's going to be Mason Rudolph or Will Howard.
So I do think they will add one of those vets.
You know, Rogers has met with the team. That seems
to be the most prominent rumor, although in the last
week I've seen reports of a possible trade with the
Falcons for Kirk Cousins. So I would anticipate Rogers or
(16:21):
Cousins instead of Rudolph or Howard.
Speaker 4 (16:24):
Yeah, I I just don't see, you know that the
Steelers have you know, what have they done?
Speaker 5 (16:29):
You know, really, I mean they've you know, they they
drafted a.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
Defensive tackle, but they didn't really you know, I don't
know how much they've really upgraded.
Speaker 5 (16:39):
They got you know, they they got rid of their
headache and pickens.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
And they've got you know, and they but but they've
just still really got one one weapon, really, you know,
a receiver Metcalf who's a models player. But that looks good,
you know, that looks good, especially obviously since it's a
short week, all.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Right, week eight after the mini buy, it's one o'clock
home game against a team projected to be among the
worst in the NFL, the Jets coming off of five
wins season. They've got a new coach and Aaron Glenn,
they've got a new quarterback and Justin Fields. He's fourteen
and thirty as a starter in the NFL. So that's
one of those games that going into the season you
would anticipate, all right, that should be a W at home.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
You only think of the bad stuff as a fan, right,
so I think of Justin Fields coming off the bench
for Andy Dalton winning your game for the Bears, and
then last year he got a key first down at
the end of the game. So but yeah, you know
that's one, right, that's one. You look at the schedule
and everybody is going to be doing it. At eight
oh one in Cincinnati, they're going to be going down.
(17:43):
What's a W, what's an L? You know that's got
to be a W. We know what happened there, I
guess in twenty one when the Jets had an unknown
quarterback come out and throw for four bills. So I
guess you never know when you're going through the things. So,
but right now, on May fourteenth.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
That's got to be a W. And so does the
next one have to be? One year at home.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Week nine, the last game before the middle of the
season by and the Bengals third straight home game. It's
a one o'clock start against the Chicago Bears. The Bears
are the only team in the NFC North that didn't
win at least eleven last year. They've got former Lions
offensive coordinator Ben Johnson taking over as head coach. Great
offensive mind. We get back to a topic we discussed earlier,
(18:28):
were you're hoping to get the Bears early while they're
still adjusting to their new system, because that's not the
way it worked out.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
Yeah, no, I mean it's but they got to like
the way the buy worked out. I mean I think
that's you know, it's right smack in the middle of
the years, and that's perfect.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
Probably wouldn't have liked to have gotten the Bears a
little earlier, but you know.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
That's you know, getting him in the first half of
the year is better than getting him in the second half.
So I still think that works for him because you know, basically,
I mean, I know, the quarterback is going to be
in his second season, but he's in the first year
of a new system, so is that you know, still
makes him a bit rookie ish. So uh, but here's
another one where you just have to you know, the
(19:12):
home the home field, like you know, is where this
gets to be so important, you know, where where you know,
you establish yourself at home against teams that can be
maybe dangerous, you know, and just uh, you know, second
game in a row heading into a bye that looks
good too, you know. I think the way the way
that first half of the season breaks down, you know,
(19:34):
except for the back to back the Vikings and the Broncos,
I mean, it works out pretty well for him, I think.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
All right after the bye in Week eleven, Game ten,
it's a one o'clock road game at Pittsburgh, the Bengals
looking to win in Pittsburgh for the fourth time in
the last five years. Prior to this stretch, the Bengals
had lost nine of their previous to eleven in Pittsburgh.
So in the Borough era, that is it at least
one demon that has been exercised. They have no fear
(20:04):
of going to Pittsburgh and coming back with a win.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
And it would be four you know, and it would
be four different quarterbacks too.
Speaker 4 (20:11):
I mean, whoever it's going to be, it will be
the it will be.
Speaker 5 (20:16):
The fourth different one.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
Which is it kind of speaks to I think where
the Bengals are at and where the Steelers are at,
and they have to take advantage of that. So I
think I kind of like going into Pittsburgh after having
a you know, getting the getting soothed in the whirlpool
all right.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
In Game eleven, it's a one o'clock home game against
the Patriots, a chance to atone for last year's dismal opener.
The Patriots were a four win team a year ago,
but Drake May showed promise at quarterback. They've hired a
proven head coach and Mike Rabel. I think New England
is going to be the most improved team in the
AFC this year. That doesn't mean I think they're going
(20:54):
to beat the Bengals at pay Corps, but I do
expect the Patriots to have a very respectable season.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
Yeah, I think Rabel will make sure that he does that.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
So you know they're gonna be better on defense, and
uh Zach has had Zach had good success against.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
Rabel, right, he beat him here, He beat him here.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
And Borrow, Borrow beat him as a rookie, went in
there and won some tough games. Of course, won the
you know one, the h that great AFC divisional that
mcphist and wanted at the gun, the logan, the logan
Wilson pick.
Speaker 5 (21:29):
The Jamaic chase bench route. You know. So he's got
a look you know that. I think that, you know,
but does that carry over? I mean, Rabel it's a
totally different team, totally different venue.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
But I think also the Patriots are going to be
different because Vrabel is a Patriot, you know what I mean,
And that that that they'll be they'll be better because
they'll be better because the culture is going to be better.
You know, no shot at Mayo, but Vrabel comes in,
you know, resume intact. But I think, you know, here again,
(22:02):
you can just imagine Borrow out playing me, you know, on.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
To Game twelve, Thanksgiving night in primetime in Baltimore. So
I recognize that the schedule is a complex puzzle for
the NFL. Total fairness is impossible. But this is the
fourth year in a row that the Bengals have played
a night game in Baltimore. It's the third straight on
(22:25):
a Thursday night. I am calling BS. I mean, they
should have programmed the software so their primetime game in
Baltimore was highly unlikely, and a Thursday night road game
was impossible. In a division rivalry that's as tough as
Cincinnati versus Baltimore, there's no way they should be playing
(22:48):
on a Thursday for the third year in a row
on the road.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
No.
Speaker 4 (22:52):
All I know is the last time they played in
Baltimore in broad daylight, they.
Speaker 5 (22:58):
Won forty one seventeen.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
Now, saying that's a I'm not saying, but I'm just saying, hey,
you know, make it four twenty five, you know, or something.
Speaker 5 (23:07):
Just uh, let us see the stunt in Baltimore, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (23:10):
So, but man, I went back to look back, you know,
the two games last year just absolute classics.
Speaker 5 (23:17):
How are they gonna how are they going to do? Uh,
what are they going to do? For an encore?
Speaker 2 (23:22):
I mean, make the final play to win?
Speaker 5 (23:24):
Well, yeah, that's for sure. I mean I'm talking about
the two teams. Yeah, I mean, you can't.
Speaker 4 (23:30):
I mean making a field goal to win it and
then stopping a two point play modeling the quarterback though,
But I mean, just don't get any closer than that,
you know, I mean it'd be, uh, what if you
switched it? What if there was a prime time or
a preay corps, you know, and at one o'clock at Baltimore.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
Doesn't the computer look at these things?
Speaker 2 (23:52):
You would think, like I said, I know, it's a
complex puzzle. But you know, after all that out what
you enter into a computer program and they should have
entered in Cincinnati ad Baltimore in primetime on Thursday cannot happen.
Speaker 5 (24:08):
Right well?
Speaker 4 (24:09):
And also after all this, Oh and by the way,
it's Thanksgiving, which only the second time in history this
club will will play.
Speaker 5 (24:19):
While the rest of the world is eating. Well, I
guess we'll be by then.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
I guess people will probably be napping, but they won't
be napping because they'll be burrowing the ravens. So but yeah,
the last one was in a galaxy far far away
when they replayed the two thousand and nine AFC Wildcard
game the Jets Bengals.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
They played that on Thanksgiving in twenty ten.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Game thirteen, a four to twenty five Sunday road game
in early December at Buffalo. They'll have some extra time
to recover and prepare after playing on Thanksgiving as they
look to be Josh Allen and the Bills for the
third time in a row.
Speaker 5 (25:01):
You look at that.
Speaker 4 (25:02):
And some of the moves they made this year in
the draft. The two linebackers that can run. To me,
that's how do you stop Allen and Jackson? You know,
two linebackers that can run in the most athletic defensive
lineman in the draft of the last forty years, Shamas Stewart.
(25:23):
So to me, the draft the first, the first, second,
or fourth pix in this draft.
Speaker 5 (25:31):
You're reading this schedule at Baltimore at.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Buffalo, followed by Baltimore again in game fourteen. It's a
Baltimore rematch seventeen days after the Thanksgiving road game. So
beginning in Week three, the Bengals play five playoff teams
in a row, Minnesota, Denver, Detroit, Green Bay, and Pittsburgh.
That's obviously tough, but I would say at Baltimore at
(25:56):
Buffalo home against Baltimore might be the of his three
game stretch. Any team in the NFL plays this year.
Speaker 5 (26:04):
Yeah, that's a good call.
Speaker 6 (26:05):
You know.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
Also that that's seventeen day gap between the Baltimore games.
That's the smallest regular season gap playing the same opponents
since eighty six when they played the when they split
with the Steelers in eighty six on thirteen days in October.
Speaker 5 (26:29):
So that's something you don't see very often, you know.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
Now you see it in the playoffs, like they played
the Ravens and back to back weeks in twenty two,
you know, to end the season and the Wildcaid game.
I mean, if they played the two games they played
last year, I mean, what nerves are gonna be left
if you do that? If that happens in a seventeen
days fan, I mean, you know, it's that's gonna be wild,
(26:53):
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
No doubt it's gonna be fun, But it's gonna be wild.
We've got three games left, game fifteen Sunday Night Football
at Miami four days before Christmas, so the Bengals avoid
sweltering heat early in the season. Could be a holiday
week road trip for Bengals fans. It's not the trip
to Spain that many had speculated about, but a chance
for warm weather against the Miami team coming off an
(27:17):
eight to nine season just before Christmas.
Speaker 5 (27:20):
Who would have funked the mayor of Madrid prevying fake
news anyway, But anyway, shouldn't they win the last three? Hordy?
I mean, is Miami? Where is Miami?
Speaker 4 (27:32):
Miami's in a bit of a Miami could be falling
back right It might be.
Speaker 5 (27:37):
They seem to be a bit desperate.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Seems that way. Some of it was injury related. Last year.
I think they had as many injuries as any team
in the AFC, so that's one of the reasons why
they took a step back. But I'm in agreement with you.
They seem to kind of be on a teeter toatter
right now. You don't know if it's going to go
up or down.
Speaker 5 (27:56):
Now.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
It's a Sunday night road game, which is tough. That
adds to the degree of difficulty. But I do wonder
if Miami is a team that had its moment and
that moment is coming gone.
Speaker 5 (28:10):
Yeah, that's tough.
Speaker 4 (28:10):
Though you know, Sunday night on the road is not
a it's not a day at the beach, although you
know it's not a Sunday night in Miami. I mean
it's not a Sunday night in Green Bay on December
twenty first, or in Pittsburgh. So I think that's a break.
I think that's a break too, you know. I mean
I just think, and you know, we also so many
things happen, but you know, this club plays well if
(28:34):
you look at it. Historically under Zach Taylor in the
Borough era, December has been good to them, particularly at home.
I know we're gonna you know, and that's where they end.
Sorry to do the segue there, but that's where they
end Arizona and Cleveland, right, which is you know, they've
won I think they've won ten of their last eleven
(28:55):
games regular season games in December and January at home.
So if they could get through, you know, if they
can you know, get through that Sunday night or in Miami,
that's a good ending for them. I mean, at least
historically they've you know, they've they've they've done really well
here in December.
Speaker 5 (29:13):
All right.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
So Game sixteen is a Saturday home game against Arizona.
That's the final Saturday of December. Arizona likely coming east
to deal with a high probability of cold weather, you
would think, so that could be tough on the Cardinals,
and then Game seventeen could be either Saturday or Sunday,
a home game against Cleveland. If it seems like the
(29:36):
Bengals usually win their final home game of the regular season,
your feeling is accurate, because whether they're having a good year,
a bad year, or somewhere in the middle type of season,
they're twelve and one in their last thirteen regular season
home finales. Twelve and one.
Speaker 5 (29:56):
That's crazy, preddam home happy. That was Jack Renning. Jack
Brennan pr tag. He rolled that out.
Speaker 4 (30:04):
Every year and you could do that now, and I
think probably PJ does.
Speaker 5 (30:09):
But I think it's interesting.
Speaker 4 (30:11):
Arizona, you know, you remember this twenty eleven, almost the
same week.
Speaker 5 (30:17):
Of the season they came.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
They came East, I think with someone named Skelton playing
your quarterback. It nearly beat and nearly beat the Bengals,
nearly denied them a playoff spot, but it worked out
that they ended up making it, but Arizona almost They
had to fend off Arizona at the end.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
That was the Yeah, that was the Jerome Simpson somersault game, right.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
And then and I think they I think Conn has
dropped the ball in the end zone.
Speaker 5 (30:48):
I think that would have maybe tied or something. But
so you never know.
Speaker 4 (30:52):
It always looks like, oh yeah, coming east in December,
but that it didn't work out, you know, so you
can never you know, it's like, uh. Also that same
weekend when the Bengals went to New England, remember and
it was the coldest ice still the coldest game Joe
Burrows ever played in.
Speaker 5 (31:10):
And you know, what's it going to what's the weather?
You know, what is the weather going to be? Like?
Speaker 4 (31:14):
It could be sixty in Bombing, it could be you know,
in Cincinnati, you could get anything.
Speaker 5 (31:19):
Well.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
I gave these numbers earlier on the podcast. They play
nine playoff teams. They also play a few teams that
were terrible last year. I think it kind of balances out.
This is a middle of the pack type schedule to
me in terms of difficulty. Now, you never know, because
teams that you think are going to be awesome wind
up being bad. I mean, who would have thought San
(31:41):
Francisco would have six wins last year? And then there's
always going to be a team that you expect to
be weak that has that breakthrough season that will happen
to a few of the teams on this schedule, but again, overall,
all things considered, kind of feels like a middle of
the pack type schedule in terms of difficulty. Other than
another their Thursday night road game at Baltimore. I really
(32:03):
don't have any strong gripes.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
I just really love three of the last four at home.
I mean even on one of them was Baltimore.
Speaker 4 (32:13):
But like I said, Burrow and Zach, they they kind of,
you know, they seem to you know, they seem to
rise the occasion in December here, so I I, you know,
I got That's what I take away from this thing.
Speaker 5 (32:25):
Three, three or four at home. To finish it.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
On a personal note, the schedule lines up about as
well as I could have hoped for my own version
of the Amazing Race as I call University of Cincinnati
and Bengals games in the fall. The toughest weekend will
feature a road game at Utah on Saturday, November first,
followed by a one o'clock home game against the Bears
the next day. If that Utah game is at night,
(32:53):
I might not get back to Cincinnati until seven am.
But hey, that's what coffee is.
Speaker 7 (32:58):
Four.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Now time to move on to another edition of five
questions with a Bengals rookie. My way of getting to
know them a little bit better by asking five questions
that they don't hear over and over again. Time for
five questions with second round draft pick Demetrius Night out
of South Carolina. I think by now a lot of
(33:19):
Bengals fans know that you are a married father of
two and we're a door dash driver to help support
your family while you're playing college football. Here's the question,
what is a door dash driver's biggest nightmare?
Speaker 8 (33:33):
The biggest nightmare would have to be when you get
in order and they say, drop it off at my
door and it's an apartment complex where they do not
give you the code to get into the apartment, so
you're just gonna wait in there because sometimes a lot
of people come in and out, and sometimes you're waiting
there for at least ten minutes, and they're taking you
say hey, where's my food, and it's like, I have
no way to get in. They say, you're waiting the
(33:55):
tailgate behind a car to get into the gay and
then run it up to their door and drop it off,
and that that is the one of the biggest nightmares.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
And when people are going in and out. They're probably
nervous that somebody's trying to break in.
Speaker 8 (34:08):
Yes, so they will, so they will go slow on
purpose sometimes to try to get you caught in the gates.
So luckily there are no dents in the car from gates,
so able to avoid that.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
All right, question number two for Demitrius Night according to
your bio, and again this is something people have seen
music legends. Gladys Knight and Aretha Franklin are distant relatives.
Have you met either one?
Speaker 8 (34:30):
I believe when I was very small, I met, I met,
I thank you, Gladys. But other than that, we was
never able to get to the family reunions with Aretha,
as you probably know, just they're probably everywhere is full,
So haven't been able to get to those. My oun
did and she talks about how there's big food is glorious,
(34:51):
so I talk can only imagine. But yeah, haven't got
to get to those two. But I'm sure or Aretha,
but which as she up in heaven now. But I'm
as glad as I believe I should be able to
get to hopefully Sue if not later in the year,
just to you know, maybe get a maybe get a
tip or two, how to saying and whatnot?
Speaker 2 (35:12):
When you learned that they were distant relatives, did you
take an interest in their careers?
Speaker 5 (35:16):
I did?
Speaker 8 (35:17):
I did, of course. I knew what amazing superstar that
they were, and just having to be tied to them
was like, well, I gotta do my homework. Now I
got to learn everything I can about them, so when
I get the chance to meet them face to face,
I can ask different questions and things like that, how'd
you deal with this? How'd you go through this? And
see how they truly you know, made it up?
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Question three for Demetrius Night. You spent your final college
season at South Carolina. Last year, you had a great year.
The team at an excellent season. The defense was tremendous.
Their in state rival is Clemson. They call it the
pal Meadow Ball. Last year, late in the game, your
team's got a three point lead, Clemson's driving. You clinched
(35:58):
the win with an interception at the fifteen yard line
in the final minute. That's one of those plays that's
going to go down in South Carolina history. Are you
prepared to talk about this with South Carolina fans for
the rest of your life.
Speaker 8 (36:13):
For the rest of my life? Yes, I am very prepared,
and I've already explained it a couple of times in
the public's on Jervais Street in Columbia to a couple
of people and asking me how it feels about it.
But that's a story I'll never get tired of telling,
even my kids. But I know they'll once they grew up,
they'll probably be like, Okay, we've heard it a hundred times,
and I'm gonna tell you like like you have you yesterday,
(36:33):
which he does in my mind, so something I'll never forget. Then,
to make it even sweeter, it was against Clemson, which
I know I'll remind him every day since he's my
locker mix.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
That's right, your fellow Rocky Barrett Carter, who's standing a
few feet away, question number four for Demetrius Night. Last year,
ESPN's Cole Kublick nicknamed you the most interesting man in
the SEC. I've seen references to visiting museums. I've seen
reference says to taking an interest in Frank Sinatra. Tell
(37:03):
me something that makes you the most interesting man, or
made you the most interesting man in the SEC.
Speaker 8 (37:09):
Yeah, just everything that I do. I'm a jack of
all trades, but I'm a guy who, uh, I gonna
be very very nice and humble off the field. On
the field, I'm different animal, become the hunter, become the predator.
But you know, when I'm off the field, I like
to create. My mind's always thinking, especially when it comes
(37:29):
to movies. When it comes to watching movies with family,
especially my wife, She'll be the first to tell you.
She's like, why are you pointing stuff out? I just
want to watch the movie without seeing different things here
and things like that. But another thing makes me interested,
man that probably people don't know. With my degree from
Georgia Tech, I'm gonna become a producer one day. Already
have been screenwriting things on my phone already on the
(37:51):
different screen running apps, seeing seeing things and scenes and
movies played in my mind and write them down. So
when the football it does come to an end very
long from now, I'll be able to transition into that
film industry and to have people in Cincinnati to tune in.
Speaker 2 (38:09):
Do you have an all time favorite movie?
Speaker 8 (38:12):
The god Father?
Speaker 2 (38:13):
Number one? I number one, number one to us, also
great three. We don't need to discuss it, right.
Speaker 8 (38:19):
We want to talk about that. We won't speak of
that one we'll not speaking that.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
One, all right. So when you make an offer that
the other team can't refuse, well, no, it's a Godfather
related reference. Fifth and final question for Demetrius Knight. For
a hot minute, when you got to Cincinnati, you were
photographed holding up the number fifty nine. Now you are
number forty four. You changed very quickly. What happened?
Speaker 8 (38:43):
I pretty much just asked if that if forty four
was available, and if it was, I'd be honored to
wear it. But I fifty nine was what I wore then, perfect,
That's fine by me. I just threw it out just
to ask because I wore number forty and forty four
when I was first started playing in football, So I
want to see if like maybe throw it back to
(39:03):
those days, maybe put it all full circle one day.
So being able to get backing for you for was
a blessing was humbly so.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
As soon as it became available, you were able to
snatch it. Yes, sir, all right, I'm sure you're going
to wear it well, appreciate your time. Look forward to
a great Bengals career followed by a successful career as
a Hollywood producer.
Speaker 5 (39:22):
Absolutely, thank you.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
Up next we'll go from five questions to five observations.
But first, here's a quick reminder that 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 Health
(39:45):
the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is
the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Now time for
five observations after watching the Bengals practice on Tuesday. Topic
number one involves a guy who didn't practice this first
round draft pick, Samar Stewart. When the Bengals held their
one day rookie mini camp last week, Stuart and Demetrius
(40:07):
Knight observed from the sideline because they haven't signed contracts yet.
That changed a couple of days later for Night, who
as of this recording still hasn't signed a contract, but
has signed a waiver that allows him to practice and
protects him in the event of injury. Stuart has not
signed either yet, so he's still observing from the sideline.
(40:29):
I'll admit that I'm surprised by the reaction this is
generated on social media, with some people ripping Stuart and
his agent and others criticizing the Bengals. At this point,
it's a non issue. If weeks go by and Stuart
still isn't practicing, then it's fair to question if it's
going to hurt his development. But I don't expect that
(40:50):
to happen. I think a deal gets done sooner rather
than later, maybe even by the time you listen to
this podcast. Topic number two two is year two for
Jermaine Burton. As we all know, Jermaine had a disappointing
rookie season, culminating with not even traveling with the team
to the regular season finale at Pittsburgh. There were questions
(41:13):
about his maturity level going into the draft, and unfortunately
that's how year one played out, as he didn't earn
the trust of teammates and coaches. But he's got a
chance to change that in year two, and I'm encouraged
by what I've seen so far. For example, during draft weekend,
Jermaine was in the building every morning, working out and
(41:33):
eating in the cafeteria. Maybe it's a small thing, but
I took it as a positive sign, and I talked
with Jermaine this week. What are you looking to show
people this year?
Speaker 7 (41:46):
You know, once again my ability. You know how much
this you know, game means to me, and uh, you know,
just my love for the game of football.
Speaker 2 (41:55):
I noticed in the throwing groups today that you were
always kind of in line to catch from Joe, which
is usually a sign that they expect you to be
a major part of the rotation. Do you take it
that way?
Speaker 7 (42:09):
I honestly just take everything with a granted So I'm
just trying to you know, still learn, still still work
my best, and still you know, work my mechanics and
routes and stuff like that. So yeah, but you know,
it's always good catching from Joe.
Speaker 2 (42:21):
They didn't draft a wide receiver. Did you take that
as a lot of confidence.
Speaker 7 (42:26):
Yeah, you know, I love this team and uh you know,
I know they have really high hopes and uh, you
know expectations for me. You know, I can't wait to
just take everything in and you know, showing what I'm
really capable of.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
The biggest lessons you learned as a rookie were watching.
Speaker 7 (42:41):
You know, be where your feet are at man, you know,
regardless of you know what's going on, and you know
how hard life gets is uh, you know, be where
your feet at. You know, maintain the goal and maintain
the mission and never get off track, and you know
always they focus.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
How eager are you for games to begin, to get
out on the field and show what you can do?
Speaker 7 (43:00):
It's hard to sleep at night, literally, that's how bad.
Speaker 5 (43:04):
For real?
Speaker 7 (43:06):
You know, I can stay up twenty four hours and
you know thinking about this game. So I'm more the
eager and you know, I just can't wait to show people.
Speaker 2 (43:16):
Time will tell if Jermaine has truly turned a corner,
but if he has the scope position talent on this
roster is ridiculous. Topic three, the Peters Principles. It's been
very interesting to watch new offensive line coach Scott Peters
had practiced because he is as hands on as any
o line coach I've seen at any level. At times,
(43:39):
it looks like a martial arts academy. When Scott coached
alongside Bill Callahan and Cleveland, Bill called him a hands expert,
and you can see why. Peters has trained several UFC competitors,
including Brock Lesner. Cody Ford is going into his seventh
NFL season with three different teams, so he's had six
(44:00):
old line coaches. Here's what he had to say when
I asked him about Peters.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
On some of the stuff we're doing is amazing.
Speaker 9 (44:10):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (44:11):
I'm I'm bought in on it, and I'm taking everything
he says, and you know, just gaining the education of
his techniques and trying to apply on.
Speaker 2 (44:26):
As I got about halfway through the question, it was
almost like your eyes lit up, like even the mention
of him is really kind of got you excited.
Speaker 1 (44:34):
I think he's going to be a great addition to
what what we have going on here. Uh. Like I said,
I'm bought in. I believe in his coaching style. I've
talked to other guys who have been coached binding before
and they've all had great things to say. And like
I said, my first impressions are the stuff we're already
working on is some some good stuff, and I think
(44:58):
it will help us w he comes down to it
training camp when we're trying to be at the end
of the season.
Speaker 5 (45:05):
I think he can.
Speaker 1 (45:06):
Help us get there. And you know, I think he's
their guy.
Speaker 2 (45:10):
Ford, by the way, is among the candidates to start
at right guard this year. He started at both tackle
spots and left guard. Last year, but didn't take a
single snap at right guard, but he has started nine
NFL games at that position in his career. Topic four
is a sneaky training camp battle. Cal Adamitas has been
(45:31):
the Bengals long snapper for the last three years, but
his job will be on the line at training camp
after the Bengals signed undrafted free agent Will Wagner. Wagner
started forty three games at Michigan, snapping nearly five hundred
times in all sorts of weather, and special teams coordinator
Darren Simmons had him rated as the best long snapper
(45:53):
in this year's draft class. All right, based on everything
that I read, you were considered to be the number
one long snapper in this year's draft class. And I
imagine there had to be a lot of interest out
there from NFL teams.
Speaker 9 (46:05):
Why Cincinnati, Well, Cincinnati's a great program, and especially for
this year. I mean, we're going to make a Super
Bowl run. And then also I have a ton of
family out here in Cincinnati, and I thought of no
better place but in Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (46:21):
How much contact have you had with Darren over the years,
because obviously I'm sure he worked out Jake Moody we
know he worked out Brad Robbins. Were you involved in
those workouts?
Speaker 1 (46:31):
No?
Speaker 9 (46:31):
I wasn't actually, but when I was at the combine,
I got to talk to him for a while. We
did a couple of zooms and I got a top
thirty visit here, so I got to interact with him
a lot before the draft.
Speaker 2 (46:44):
What have you been led to believe about the opportunity here?
Do you anticipate a training camp battle for the job.
Speaker 4 (46:50):
Yes, I do.
Speaker 9 (46:51):
I think it's going to be an open competition between
me and Cal.
Speaker 2 (46:54):
I read an article somewhere that you apply your engineering
background to long snap. Can you explain?
Speaker 9 (47:01):
Yeah, I mean I even do that, Like, oh, my
butt came up a little bit that it's about variable
mitigation and like, h if your hips are going this high,
like you can't have it go over this angle. It's
like that's where you get to a zone where it's
you're gonna fly the ball over the punter shatter. So's
it's just like I did actually do a project snapping
(47:27):
in college.
Speaker 2 (47:28):
So it's get an egg, no, give me a bet.
Speaker 9 (47:31):
But but what can you say?
Speaker 5 (47:36):
It was a summer class.
Speaker 2 (47:37):
Did you deserve a beat?
Speaker 5 (47:40):
Oh?
Speaker 9 (47:40):
I got to in the class. I gotta be in
the project. Oh I thought I deserve today.
Speaker 6 (47:46):
I put so much into that.
Speaker 2 (47:49):
It sounds like his professor was a tough grader. I
found it interesting that Will had a top thirty visit
to Cincinnati before the draft. I have not seen that
reported elsewhere. The fifth and final topic is another undrafted player,
center Seth McLaughlin. After spending last year at Ohio State
in the previous four at Alabama, McLaughlin was a sure
(48:10):
thing to be drafted this year before tearing his achilles
in November. By signing him as a college free agent,
the Bengals basically wound up adding a seventh draft pick.
How is your recovery from a torn achilles coming along?
Speaker 6 (48:26):
It's coming along right on progress of you know where
I think I should be in kind of the plan
that they thought I was going to be at this
point and just got to get back right and keep
going at it.
Speaker 2 (48:36):
Are you allowed to share any sort of timetable or
anything like that.
Speaker 6 (48:40):
Yeah, hopefully I'm back before training camp. That's kind of
the goal.
Speaker 2 (48:45):
So you are widely expected to be a third or
fourth round pick based on the things that I've read.
How difficult was it to get injured in November? And
how did you cope?
Speaker 6 (48:57):
I coached by just hanging out around the guys and
still being a part of the team and trying to
coach where I can and help out where I can,
definitely made it a lot better that we ended up
winning at all, and I didn't have to feel any
sort of guilt for you know, letting the team down,
getting hurt or anything like that. So that was definitely
a positive. You know, I didn't expect to go undrafted,
(49:18):
but it is what it is. Can't control what happens.
All I can control is how I attack rehab and
how I learned the offense, and you know, how I
gel with the guys in the room. And that's my
goal to come in and eventually, you know, be a
be a solid part of this team and help this
team win games.
Speaker 2 (49:36):
ESPN rated you as the number one undrafted player available
this year. I imagine you saw that, and I imagine
there had to be a lot of interest from NFL teams.
What led you to Cincinnati Just the.
Speaker 6 (49:50):
Quality of organization here, the quality of you know, offense
that's going to be here for as long as Joe
Burrows here and even after it's close down the road,
the move wasn't going to be too hard. I love
being in Ohio. I love Ohio, love the people in Ohio.
I know they love their football. So just to stay
here in the state and go compete in win games,
(50:10):
it was just an opportunity I can pass up.
Speaker 2 (50:13):
Ted Karras has one year left on his deal. Did
you look at NFL rosters and try to ascertain where
there might be the best opportunity down the road.
Speaker 6 (50:22):
Yeah, I let my agent do that. I really just
focus on doing my rehab and controlling what I can control,
and I kind of left that up to him to decide,
and he just told me, he advised meent this is
going to be a really good spot, and like all
the things I mentioned earlier played into it.
Speaker 2 (50:39):
Seth said the goal is to be back from his
injury in time for training camp. Experience tells me that
the player's perspective on an injury timetable is always the
best case scenario. So we'll see if that's the way
it plays out. But even if it takes a little longer,
Seth has a real chance to be an NFL starter
down the road. That's going to do it for this
(51:00):
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.
(51:21):
If you haven't 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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