Jake and James go game-by-game on the Cincinnati Bengals 2023 schedule to make some way too early win-loss predictions now that we've had some time to digest the timing of each opponent on the schedule. Find and follow Locked On Bengals on your favorite podcast platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-bengals-daily-podcast-on-the-cincinnati-bengals/id1159723162 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7AObc0lh0WmQl5fJVgtajs Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-bengals Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vbG9ja2Vkb25iZW5nYWxz?sa=X&ved=0CAYQrrcFahcKEwio_sXtj8nuAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg James Rapien and Jake Liscow take you inside the Bengals with the latest news, unique analysis, and insight on your favorite team, every day on Locked On Bengals. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team. Every Day. And follow Jake and James on Twitter, where they'll be sharing the latest news about the Cincinnati Bengals and talking with fans. Jake Liscow: https://twitter.com/JakeLiscow James Rapien: https://twitter.com/JamesRapien Podcast: https://twitter.com/lockedonbengals Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:02):
It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, yourteam every day. Jim huh trying to
confute with Joe Burrow. I liftedfucking heavy. I did this Arnold workout,
so I'll send you the exercise.It's fucking awesome. How long has
the schedule been out? Two weeks? Week and a half? Yeah,
(00:28):
like two weeks, two weeks bythe time, basically two weeks. Okay,
Yeah, we've had the Cincinnati Bengalschedule for about two weeks now.
But you know what we haven't donebecause we haven't done our way too early
predictions, going game by game.Let's do that today. You are Locked
On Bengals, your daily Cincinnati Bengalspodcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network,
(00:53):
your team every day. What up, Bengals fans, and welcome to
another episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast. I'm your host, Jake. Let's
go. He's your host, JamesRapine. We're part of the Lockdow podcast
network, covering your team every day, and you could subscribe to this podcast
(01:15):
on YouTube or wherever you get yourpodcast. You come in every day or
so you never miss an episode ofLockdown Bengals, including the great interviews we
have all the good offseason content wehave, including some great film reviews on
the Bengals, new draft prospects laterthis week or new drafted players, I
should say, and you can becomea first listener, join the many other
(01:38):
Locked On Bengals listeners, and makeus their first listen every day. Today's
episode brought to you by FanDuel SportsBook, the official sports book in the
NFL. You can make every momentmore with dot com slash locked On where
you can get started. James,I'm going to be extremely bullish on this
Cincinnati Bengals today. This schedule optimistic. Jake is here. Oh you know,
(02:04):
I've said it though. My expectationsfor this team are that I'm not
going to look at a game onthe schedule and say, yeah, they
should lose that game. That's notwhere this team is in the team building
cycle. That's not where this teamis from from my perspective in terms of
expectations. Where they had the SuperBowl run, they got better, they
(02:27):
were a better team, couldn't quiteget it done in the AFC Championship game,
and the injuries caught up to them, and I think they should once
again. And we've talked about thisWe've spent entire episodes and segments talking about
where they're better, where they're worst. As an overall football team, I
think they should be better again.The AFC, though, is very challenging,
(02:49):
and so that's what they have toovercome, but specifically what they have
to overcome as the seventeen game schedule, and let's go game by game,
shall we and talk about Well,we'll do some analysis, but my basic
answer for most of these questions isgoing to be w look at you.
(03:10):
This is the most confident I've everseen you in anything. My god,
No, I think that should bethe expectation for this Bengals team. Right
last year it was, well,the offensive line is better? How much
better? Can they avoid a SuperBowl hangover all of those things? And
they did, especially after Joe Burrowwas able to get the weight back on
(03:30):
and get back to playing after havinga pretty serious surgery on late July right
as training camp was starting. Sohopefully you can avoid any of that stuff.
And assuming they do that and canhave a healthy number nine, I
think they go up to Cleveland andget a W in Week one. And
(03:52):
it's interesting because that's kind of thenarrative, is oh, man Joe Burrow
and the Browns, and he struggledin a couple of those games. He
also in his second game of hiscareer. And I'm gonna keep reminding people
of this with no one with abench, John Ross, Aj Green,
who couldn't get open against Denz Award, Mike Thomas catching touchdowns. I don't
even know if Mike Thomas is inthe league right now. And he's my
(04:13):
guy, number eight, number eightylast year, that Mike Thomas. I
don't know if if he signed anywhere. This dude, four days into his
NFL career, his second career game, went up there and threw for three
hundred and sixteen yards sixty one passattempts. I don't think it's a Browns
thing. I think the Bengals haveplayed poorly as a team against the or
the Bengals have played poorly against theBrowns. I expect Brow to play well.
(04:38):
I expect this offense to take astep. And I know that defensive
line for Cleveland pretty darn good now. I know that they have a new
defensive coordinator. I know all ofthose things. I think the Bengals handle
business in a chaotic environment at Cleveland. Brown stadium on the banks of lanky
erie and get it done. Weekone. Cleveland Browns Stadium. It's no
longer First Energy, It's Cleveland brownStadium. Good reminder that I will.
(05:00):
I actually know what I never knewhonestly, whatever it was before, I
didn't know what it was before FirstEnergy. Okay, new defensive coordinator.
Week one weirdness. These are theonly only things to me that that could
make this game problematic for the Bengalsbecause Week one is weird, and we
(05:25):
don't know what's going to happen intraining camp and all these things. We
don't know what the health situation isgoing to be. But the Brown's defense
on paper is pretty good with thatfront flour like you talked about, like
the wan Thornhill signing back there inthe secondary, like the corners Greg Martin,
Martin Emerson fantastic as a rookie,third round rookie last year. Was
(05:45):
one of the better rookie corners inthe league not named Sauce Gardner, Denzel
Ward, Greg Newsom. That's athat's a good corner trio there. Wan
Thornhill, like I said, likehim question Mark at the other safety spot
with Grant Delpit. I think JayOkay still really good. It's the only
talkie Talkie last year had the gameof his career against the Bengals. But
(06:05):
what's going on with that offense?I mean, Jim Schwartz, the defense
should be better. Jim Schwartz,I think objectively is a better defensive coordinator
than Joe Woods. But oh yeahthan Joe Woods. Yeah, of course
is DeShawn Watson. I thought youwere gonna say that Lou I was like,
I was like, oh no,it's like, oh, I don't
(06:25):
know about that. No. Imean saying anyone's objectively a better defensive coordinator
than Lou is tricky. But likethey have so many questions on offense,
starting with their quarterback, who wasatrocious last year. And until you see
it with that offense, do youbelieve it? I don't. I need
to see it. They last thingon this And because we have plenty of
(06:46):
games to get to, I thinkthe Browns are going to be pretty good.
Like there is talent, Like ifyou're starting with a Mari Cooper,
Donoman, People's Jones and Elijah morelike, that's a pretty good one through
three. It's not the Bengals,but guess what most receiver units aren't the
BEng one through three or one throughfour, And you're right. It comes
down to Nick Chubb to me,best running back in the game, one
of them, certainly the most consistentrunner. Best. Maybe it's best running
(07:11):
back because he's the best runner inthe game. I would say that,
maybe not most complete or whatever youwant to say. But Deshaun Watson,
how does he play? It comesdown to it. If he can match
Joe Burrow and play at an elitelevel, then this game feels much different.
I think that's allowed to ask weekone. Obviously, the Bengals have
to stop the run. So itsounds like both of us are going w
week one and back to back divisionalmatchups. Jake Baltimore, you return home,
(07:40):
hopefully you'll want to know you playBaltimore and this is another team that
should be really good. Lamar Jacksonobviously signed his extension. They add some
weapons side Odell Beckham Junior to acontract that no one was giving him.
I think he was New York boundto the Jets, and last second,
the Ravens said, hey man,let's get obj which I don't blame them.
(08:01):
They're desperate. They stick at draftingreceivers. It hasn't worked out that
they have not added the right skillguys around Lamar, so they do that.
They drafted the kid out of BostonCollege as well. We'll see.
But I think this is an interestinggame and it's going to come down to
the Bengals offense being better than theywere against the Ravens and back to back
(08:24):
games at the end of the regularseason last year and then in that playoff
game. This Bengals offense has totake a step. And I know they
were shorthanded, I know all ofthose things. They were also at home,
so they at home again. Hopefullythey can play better against a Ravens
defense that I don't want to sayhad their number, because the Bengals handled
business back to back weeks, butit wasn't pretty. They had their number,
(08:46):
and then Joe Burrow started to figureit out, and then he had
it figured out. It took himseeing Mike McDonald's defense a couple of times,
and the Bengals suffered some injuries whichmade it uglier as a game as
the games went on. But JoeBurrow it about. I think that's a
big question for me, is doesJoe Burrow and this coaching staff continue to
have answers for Mike McDonald's defense,because that's really what kept Baltimore in games
(09:11):
without Lamar Jackson. But the otherbig differences, of course, Lamar Jackson
should be there, and Odell Beckham, Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers is a
much different than Mark Andrews. Isa much different set of weapons than the
Bengals faced with the Ravens last year. The Ravens will be better, yeah,
for sure, and they were asthey stay healthy. They're really well
(09:33):
coached team. Tom Munket gonna bean entirely new offense, going to be
a much more modern NFL offense mostlikely. So a lot to contend with
with this Ravens team, good coachingstaff, good new players. Bengals home
opener though, and they know theyneed to get up to a hot start.
Like I said, I'm just havinga hard time picking against the Bengals
right now. I'll tell you rightnow, I have the Bengal splitting these
(09:56):
two. I haven't beat in Clevelandlosing to Baltimore starting one on one.
I'm taking the home opener. Soif you if you think they're gonna split
the first two. I'll talk itup to Week one weirdness and give me
the home opener. Yeah, Icould see it. I just I think
that I think the Ravens are betterthan the Browns. I think it's close.
Give me Lamar over Watson. Ohyeah, I think the Ravens are
(10:20):
better than the Browns for sure.But I'm just saying, like Week one
weirdness on the road in Cleveland,all those factors. Sure, yeah,
but both, It's not This divisionis so good, like I think it's
a really good division. Like there'sno slouch, there's no crappy team,
and and so yeah, I havethem one on one, you have them
two and oh it sounds like gotcha. All right, Well, we have
(10:41):
a lot of games to get too. We're moving in a slow pace.
We're gonna have to pick it up. We'll pick up the pace. You're
talking about divisional matchups to open theseason, those are always going to have
a little bit more meat on thebone when we talk about the rematches with
this team, these teams, notas much meat on the bone. Not
as much meat on the bone withWeek three either. We'll get to Week
three coming up next. Today's showis brought to you by FanDuel. The
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listen every day to the Locked OnNFL podcast. Our expert hosts keep you
up to date daily in thirty minutesor less on the latest breaking news,
training camp battles, and player movesthat will affect your favorite NFL team.
(12:11):
Available now on YouTube and wherever youlisten to podcasts part of the Locked On
podcast Network. Your team every day, Week three, James, I know
there's Super Bowl rematch intrigue here,but this is a very very different Los
Angeles Rams team put me down forw without a whole lot of deef analysis
of Vans aren't going to be good. I know they still have Cooper Cup
(12:33):
and Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald andthere's some guys on that team that are
still good players. But the Ramsare not going to be a good team
this year. And people can clipit sure, and you're not going to
be the only one that says that. I think it's one of those weird,
(12:54):
sneaky teams that could be better thanpeople expect because people are so low
on them. And that said,you're right. Monday Night Football in the
Jungle one and one is where Ihad them. I have them handling business
and getting to two and one onthe season. These are the type of
games you just hand no business andyou move on. And I think Joe
Burrow and the Bengals do that.And it isn't revenge for super Bowl fifty
(13:16):
six, but it would be anice little little cherry to get a win
against the team that obviously cost youon Lombardi. I think there's gonna be
a lot of motivation for those guysin terms of we're not going to drop
a primetime game to this team thatwe didn't win the Super Bowl against,
Sure in their stadium, which isridiculous home super Bowls hate it. Next
(13:41):
game, Week four, ridiculous twoyears of a row never happened in the
history of the game. I know, it's just bad luck. It's no
it's I mean, what can yousay. I know, it's just it's
just I wouldn't matter. If wouldn'tmattered if the Bucks could cover Cooper cup
Deep and Junior just letting him goin the Division round, or if the
(14:03):
safety for the forty nine ers couldcatch Tart. Oh my gosh, yeah
it was Tart. It's right there. Four butterfingers go ahead. Week four
back in Tennessee, for like thetwentieth straight year, the Bengals go on
the road to face the Titans.Now, talk about teams that are going
to be better I think than folksexpect, And I don't think Tennessee is
(14:28):
gonna be like good by any means. I don't think they're gonna be a
great team or anything. But thedefense is going to continue to be a
well coached Mike Rabel defense who's gonnamake your life difficult. In the same
thing he said for like all ofthese first four teams, well besides the
Browns, maybe on the offensive sideof the ball, I'm not sure about
that, but a lot of reallygood coaches on the Bengal schedule to start
(14:50):
the year. And that's true ofthe defense of the Tennessee Titans as well.
That being said, look at thatTennessee Titans offense. Is Derrick Henry
putting the team on his shoulders andkeeping them in. This game's breaking out,
No, I mean no, youcan try to find answers and it
could be a grindy game because he'stend to be grindy. But I like
(15:13):
the Bengals here. That's the partof the Bengals that is so that's why
you should be bullish on him becauseI think that they're the way they can
win. They've won these grinded outtype games offensively in this year. They
should be the best they've been offensivelyduring this run. And obviously the defense
is sent up to win grinded outtype games, especially against the offense like
(15:35):
Tennessee makes a ton of sense,Like I'm not even sure Derrick Henry is
going to be there. We willsee, right, I mean, if
you could get anything for him,they have Taj Spears, Like just give
the backfield to Spears. That mightbe a take, not a take for
me. So we'll see there.But now I'll take the Bengals. So
I have them starting three and one, you have them at four and Oh
(15:56):
is it a more interesting question totalk about whether or not Will Levice will
be starting this game then whether ornot the Bengals will win this game.
It seems a little early time there, But it seems a little early for
a guy that eats bananas with thepelon. But never say never, Oh,
any time he gets brought up,I'm never letting him live it down.
Mayonnaise in his coffee. You can'tbe an NFL star if you do
(16:18):
those things, you can be weird. That's that's different than weird. That's
unbelievably bad. That said, speakingof unbelievably all of the UK fan listeners
we have right now are just turningthe podcasts off. Hey, I hope
Chris Rodriguez balls out like it's nota UK thing, right, It's not
at all that said, I said, speaking of unbelievably bad. The Cardinals
(16:41):
might be the worst team in theNFL this year. It's a roster that
was just built poorly, that gotold and then got older and older and
older. We'll see if DeAndre Hopkinsis there, if Kyler Murray returns,
that's the only thing here is.I guess Murray could be back for this
game. Maybe he returns against theBengals. But outside of being able to
(17:03):
go to Phoenix and enjoy that weather, you know which it should be nice
that time of year, I don'treally think there's going to be an issue
here. Give me the Bengals andthey improved a four and one. I
would be shocked if you pick theCardinals over the Bengals. Here is Buddha
Baker still at Arizona Cardinal. Herequested a trade so he is though,
yes, I mean like will hebe by the time this game? That's
(17:26):
what I mean because of the Ithink if they get a reasonable offer,
why wouldn't you trad they know therebuilding and he's a safety. Yeah he's
still yeah. Okay, Yeah,this is a game I've circled for the
Bengals and is like can they canthey hang thirty five on him in the
first half. It's on the road, so you know, makes it a
(17:48):
little bit harder. But this defenseis maybe the worst in the league,
maybe the worst on the Bengal schedule. The Vans are in that competition too,
but at least they have Aaron Donald. Yeah. I mean I'm taking
the Bengals going away here. Yeah, easy, easy, And so I
haven't at four in one, youhaven't at five, and oh the next
(18:08):
week you come back home and thisis the last game before the bye,
you play the Seattle Seahawks, andI think the Seahawks kind of sneaky and
the NFC West, which is weird. I didn't really buy into them at
all last year, and yet theystill found a way to make a run.
And we're in the mix, andPete Carroll got the most out of
(18:30):
Geno Smith, and they kept himaround and then they added a bunch of
pieces around him. I think that'sa talented wide receiver group. I love
the running backs, and I thinkthat that offense with Gino Smith can put
up points when they need to becauseof the weapons. And I'm not buying
in on Smith long term, butI think Seattle is pretty good. They
have some solid young corners that theyobviously had the fifth pick. They drafted
(18:53):
the kid out of Illinois. Ithink it was the fifth pick, maybe
sixth. But I think this isone of those sneaky games where every Bengals
fan is going to say, winat home against Seattle and Pete Carroll and
the Seahawks get it done. SoI have the Bengals following to four and
two. I get the Seahawks area sneaky good team. I like Lou
and a Rumo against anybody when hehas the game plan for a quarterback,
(19:15):
when he has the game plan foran offense. The offensive line for the
Seahawks did kind of come out ofnowhere last year. They were pretty good
with Charles Cross as their first roundedition. Their interior offensive line came together
a little bit, but and forall all the can all the good things
that can be said about their secondary, and I agree the secondary is good
(19:37):
Jamal Adams notwithstanding, I guess,but they don't really have the guys to
get pressure like as Draymont Jones fixingthat entire defensive front. They add Derek
Hall in the second round. That'sa pick that could be looked at as
one of the steels of the draftwhen we come back to it. But
can they get enough pressure to putJoe Burrow off his game because I expect
(20:00):
Burrow to kind of be secondary agnosticthis year, like even against really good
secondaries, like I don't with withthis team, you have to be like
Daryl Reeves and and Sauce Gardner andChamp Bailey back there, Darrell VS.
What I say, Daryl, allright, you have to be three of
(20:22):
the best corners of all time,assuming Sauce's career keeps going the way it's
going for for me to really thinklike that's going to have a huge impact
on the game, especially when it'snot coupled with a really good pass for
us. So, so you havethem six and out. I don't have
them six and going into the bike. I do think that Smith and Jig,
but Tyler Lockett DK Metcalf as astory trio that one because I like
(20:45):
I like the Bengals as a completeteam, I really do. And and
so yeah, I mean, it'staken a better team than Seattle for me
to move move off the Bengals tostart the season. Up next, we'll
get to all of the games afterthe bye and see if Jake has the
Bengals going at seventeen and O.They're six and oz according to Jake Glisco
(21:06):
in the schedule game. We haveeleven more games to get to, which
means a little more rapid fire.Coming up next, We've got to pick
up the pace. James and aweek eight at San Francisco. This is
the game that to me is ohthe hardest in the first fifteen games on
the schedule. West Coast road trip. Yeah, ridiculous defense, new defensive
(21:33):
coordinator. So there's that big questionson offense, so there's that big historical
rivalry. But even coming off tobuy, I don't feel great about this
one. Compared to the rest ofthe games, This isn't one I feel
the worst about. So if Ihad to pick a place for them to
have their first loss at San franccould be it. But at the same
(21:55):
time, like they have significant questionsat quarterback, and so if those aren't
answered bye week eight, it's weekeight, right, week nine week,
then maybe this answer changes. Yeah. So all right, just to be
clear, you have them six andone now, correct, Yeah, this
could be a place where they taketheir first loss. Yeah, we agree.
(22:17):
I think this is that mid seasonlull. They start four and one,
they lose a game before the buye, lose a game after the bye,
and then there's going to be like, oh man, but like last
year when they felt a four andfour and I was guilty of it too,
But it'll be four and three andI be like, oh man,
is this how good is this Bengalsteam? And you start to doubt them
(22:37):
a little bit? And I thinkthey thrive on that. And there's every
team hits it at some point,and it's this one is going to be
in the middle of the year.For me, I have this as a
loss as well, not that itwon't be a really close game, but
just a tough one going on theroad West Coast, the longest trip of
the year, I believe for them, and I think they lose a tight
one of the forty nine ers andnot to be outdone out. Next it's
(23:02):
a probably an even bigger matchup youreturn home primetime Bills. I have them
getting this game. I think thatthey match up well against the Bills.
The Bills they add Dalton Kincaide.You know, they've added a couple of
pieces. I think that offense thatthey're hoping takes a step forward. I
just think the Bengals are going tobe really confident going into that matchup.
(23:23):
They know that it could be thedifference between getting the one seed and not
getting the one seed. You're athome, it's a game you have to
handle. So it'll be after losingtwo straight, there's going to be all
this media, Oh my goodness,it's Bengals and Bills. But the Bengals
have slid, They've dropped two ina row, and then the Bengals are
going to come out, punch themin the mouth and get the five and
three on the season. I havethem beating Buffalo. I do too.
(23:45):
I just don't have them getting toa crazy low point this year because I
think they're better than last year's team. I don't think they're going to have
the same like last year's teams.That's not low. It's not a low
point. Losing two games four andthree? Sure is that a crazy low
point? Would be would be aterrible start to the season for my expectations
(24:06):
for this team. That would beawful. That would be way below where
I want them to be at thatpoint. Yeah. I mean, you've
heard what I what I've had forfor them winning and losing it. I
just think they're a better team.They're not last year's team. Oh I'm
not. I'm not saying there lastyear's I just think, well, they're
not losing to the Steelers and theCowboys this time. The Cooper Rush sure
(24:27):
is this? Yeah, I meanthe Ravens. I think Seattle's time.
I mean, forty nine Ers arearguably the best roster in the league.
I kind of I wonder if Yeah, I mean there there's a lot of
good things about the forty nine ersteam, but I wonder if they're being
overvalued a little bit, just alittle bit and bad NFC. So you
(24:47):
have them beating the Bills the followingweek. This one's easy. Texans w
uh Yeah, No, weird Texansvoodoo stuff happening anymore. We're past that
point. So so I have themsix three. You have them what Eaton
won. And then Baltimore Thursday night, I had them losing that Week two
matchup. I think on a shortweek the doubt had continued. I have
(25:11):
them getting it done and improving toseven and three on the year. My
hot take for this game is thisis around the time Baltimore tends to be
piled up with injuries. They havesome new staff to help them deal with
injuries. I think like this isn'tthat Wasn't that The big deal out of
the NFLPA report card for Baltimore wastheir training staff, And they've changed the
(25:33):
training staff since then, so maybeit's not as big of an issue for
them. But they can't seem toget to the later part of the season
healthy. This has been the casefor them like the last two to three
years. If Baltimore is healthy thoughon the road, short week primetime,
you can see some weirdness sneaking inthere. You can see a loss happening
here. But I'm going to keeppicking the Bengals in the division. So
(25:57):
I'll take the Bengals here and Ithink that we'll see if Baltimore can stay
healthy this year. It's been sucha problem for them the last couple of
years. Yeah, yeah, ithas. So we'll see there back to
back division games again and the firsttime playing the Steelers the following week.
I have this as a win.I think it's going to be tougher than
(26:18):
some realize. The Steelers are justwell coached, pretty good defense, solid
skill players, better offensive line thanthey had last year. That said,
I think that the Bengals handle business, and you see how this streak is
starting to continue. Four straight now. I after the Bengals after starting four
and three in four and one droptwo, now they've won four straight and
(26:38):
they're at eight and three. Ido think the Steelers are going to be
a good competitive good maybe over sittingat solid competitive team this year. They
just always are with Mike Tomlin.I'm never gonna buy the demise of the
Pittsburgh Steelers as long as Mike Tomlinis there, and they have a lot
of the pieces they have on thedefensive side of the ball. But the
(26:59):
Bengals are just a better team andat home they get a mini buy here
going into this game, they havea vest edge. Give me the Bengals
one o'clock game in Cincinnati. Yeah, I'm with you there, this one's
interesting. The following week, MondayNight football in Jacksonville, Trevor Lawrence,
Joe Burrow, the Jags well coached, made the playoffs last year, won
(27:22):
a playoff game played pretty well atArrowhead against the Chiefs the week prior to
the Bengals playing them in the AFCChampionship game. I think this is a
tight one, but give me Burrowlate, much like he did on that
Thursday night game a few years ago, now in twenty twenty one, I
think he makes the one more playthan Trevor gets it done. I think
(27:44):
this is like a one possession game, goes down to the wire, but
the Bengals squeak out of Jacksonville witha win on Monday Night. I like
Jacksonville here, that's gonna be ashocker. Perhaps Wow, Trevor Lawrence getting
Calvin Vin back. I think CalvinRidley's really good and people are forgetting about
him a little bit. I don'tknow about the defense so much, but
(28:07):
Josh Allen's really good. If he'sstill there. He didn't he also request
no Am. I thinking of no, he's good. I'm thinking of somebody
else, right, there was notrade stuff with Josh Allen and Jacksonville.
No, Okay, they have somepieces on that defense, so I don't
know about the secondary, and thatcould be their downfall in this game.
(28:30):
But Trevor Lawrence is really good.I mean he's taken some significant steps.
I think that offense is a realthing. And primetime on the road Jacksonville,
I think they're going to be asolid team. And the Bengals maybe
drop one here after coming off twoback to back tough divisional games. Maybe
(28:56):
that's a story I'll tell myself.I could also send winning the game.
But I have them at three.Will of course I have them at nine
and three. You have them atten and two. See, it's not
that far apart. The following week, the Colts come to town Anthony Richardson
in company, and I assume AnthonyRichardson will be starting Shane Steikeen, their
new head coach and offensive mine rookiequarterback. I think it could be a
(29:18):
little dangerous. I'm also not worriedabout Indianapolis too much, and I think
the Bengals handle business here and getto ten and three. Gus Bradley defense.
Gus Bradley defenses don't tend to doso hot against Joe Burrow, and
I don't think they have nearly enoughon offense given that, I'd like the
(29:41):
Bengals defensive matchup good players on theIndie defense. I like Quitti Pay,
I like to Forrest Buckner, I'dlike Jack Leonard changed his name gets me
every time I look at their roster. Ada Thoma, Ada Bore. If
he's coming together late in the year, that will be fun. Any Richardson,
that'll be fun. The Bengals seea lot of quarterbacks like Anthony Richardson.
(30:04):
They prepare a lot for quarterbacks likeAnthony Richardson. And I know he's
a freak athlete and maybe the bestathlete of the position in the NFL given
his size, but I just thinkit's not going to be enough in this
first year with the state of thatroster. So yeah, I'm on the
Bengals here yep. And following weekVikings, same thing for me. I
think that's a good Vikings team,justin Jefferson playing hit. You know,
(30:29):
the Joe Burrow Jamar Chase storyline,that one will be pretty interesting. I
think Joe Brow, Jamar Chase riseto the occasion, beat Minnesota and now
we're talking final month of the season, number one seed, everything on the
line. The Bengals get it donehere, and based on my prediction,
I have them at eleven and threeright now, you have them at eleven
and two going into this game.So you're taking the Bengals over the Vikes.
(30:53):
Yeah. On paper, again,I just don't see quite enough.
I mean, Justin Jefferson is great, absolutely great. Jordan Addison if he's
a halfway decent receiver, takes alittle bit of pressure off him, makes
teams have to deal with him alittle bit. I really like T.
J. Hawkinson. I think theyhave a solid offensive line to a good
offensive line. They only had theNeil Hunter on the defensive line now though
(31:19):
they trade away Smith, right,and so do they have enough to get
it done on the defensive side ofthe ball. I like the Bengals offense
doing enough. Here. Might bea shootout again, remember the last time
these teams played. There are alot of points scored in that game.
But I like the Bengals here.And the TVD game time on Sunday,
December seventeenth. Yeah, and thenyou play on the twenty third, So
(31:44):
a little bit of a short weekfor the Bengal Steelers. This one it's
in Pittsburgh. I have them splittingwith Pittsburgh and dropping this one. I
think it'll be close, but theylose this one, and then it's like,
oh my gosh, they have theChiefs in brown to finish the season.
There. They dropped from the oneseed to maybe the two or the
three with the loss behind Kansas City, and I think people start to freak
(32:08):
out a bit. But yeah,I have them falling to eleven and four
here, eleven and four, andI have them at twelve and three going
into this game. You have youhave them at twelve and two going in
twelve and two, thirteen and two. I think, I think they keep
it going against the Steelers. Imean they're on they're on their first winning
streak ever against the Steelers or somethinglike that three game winning streak right against
(32:30):
the Steelers. No, maybe noteveryone last year. Oh they did lose
Week one. Well, let's makeit a three game winning streak against the
Steelers the following week and this isthe big one New Year's Eve at Arrowhead
in Kansas City and again, there'sa theme here. They lose the game
before the Buffalo game, handle businessagainst Buffalo, lose the game before the
(32:52):
Kansas City game. I have themhandling business against the Chiefs on New Year's
Eve and improving to twelve and four. And what I think that game would
do is get them even with Buffaloand or Kansas City for the one seed,
and then they would have the tiebreakers, the head to head tiebreakers,
so they would control their own destinygoing into Week eighteen against the Browns.
(33:13):
I have this being a win here. I think this one goes Kansas
City's way. That the big elementthat we haven't talked about at all in
this game. The Bengals have atwo day rest advantage here, which we'll
see how much that matters. Butthe Chiefs play Monday night going into this
(33:34):
game. The Bengals play Saturday.So there's a two day edge there.
Short week for Kansas City, longweek for the Bengals, and that could
tilt things the Bengals way. Butplaying a narrowhead the way that I have
the season going for them anyway,coming off a win and at thirteen and
two, get to thirteen and three, you need right thirteen and three.
Yeah, you have thirteen and three. I twelve and four, and then
(33:57):
I have them sweeping Cleveland, sweepingthe division turns out, which I think
is a good division. But Ithink the Bengals, if they're the team
I want them to be, andI think they are, I think they're
better. So fourteen and three tofinish a year for me, which should
be enough most years, that's enoughto be the one seed in the AFC.
I have them beating the Browns aswell and securing the number one seed
(34:20):
with a thirteen and four record.The tiebreaker comes into play here, I
would say either over Buffalo or KansasCity. So we're one game apart.
More of the story and more ofthis game. I think is expectations are
is high for the Bengals as they'veever been in franchise history. And before
people say, oh, well,you're just saying that, you don't know,
the Bengals have never won thirteen gamesin one season ever, never ever,
(34:44):
ever. Now, they might havelast year, in their defense,
they might have if you would havecounted that Buffalo game and had that counted
and they won that game, thatdid not happen. So whether they go
thirteen and four or fourteen and three. If they do that, that's history,
which would be for a third straightyear, Joe Burrow leads the Bengals
to some kind of history. Obviouslythey would win the division as well.
(35:06):
No one's ever won three AFC NorthDivision titles in a row, No one,
and it hasn't been around that long, right, But still it's tough
to do, so we'll see ifthe Bengals can do it. They haven't
gotten the one seat since nineteen eightyeight, so that would be another feat
that they're trying to accomplish. Itis, it is very tough to do.
But like I said to me,the Bengals should be a better team
(35:27):
this year. Overall, Joe Burrowshould be better. This offense should be
very mature at this point, likestarting to get to that Peyton Manning dominance
territory. If Joe Burrow's on thattrajectory where it just should be what it
is every year that Tom Brady dominantwhatever it is, He's going into year
four, right, so like thisis where it just should be what it
(35:52):
is, and it should be thatreally really hard to be a team.
You include the playoffs, by theway, jameson Bengals one fourteen last year
thirteen two years ago. But inthe regular season, you're absolutely right.
Yeah, yeah, you can't countplayoffs not for for that now, the
history that is part of the history. Winning a road game in the playoffs,
they had never done that, theyhad never advanced in back to back
(36:14):
playoffs, and they did that.And they've won road games, three road
games, which that's very tough todo. And he's done it in two
years. So maybe they've never donethese things. But why are they in
play because they've broke plenty of recordsalready, Well, why not continue to
do that going into this year?And the one seed? Man, it
(36:34):
would be nice to say, hey, the playoffs run through Cincinnati this year.
A big part of it Joe Burrow. Another big part of it,
like I've mentioned, is he's stillon his rookie deal, So they still
have a ton of money on thedefensive side of the ball and Lou and
a rumo on that side of theball to make them a very complete team.
And Brad Robins the puncher, gonnabe just a huge, huge impact
this year. Yeah, for sure, Hey, punter, punters matter,
(37:00):
know, I think, like Isaid, expectations are really high. I'm
excited to see how it plays out. But this team, I think they're
gonna be really darn good. That'sgonna do it. For this episode of
the Lockdown Bengals podcast, we're gonnado a two early look at the fifty
three man roster as well. We'lldive into that coming up soon here on
Lockdown Bengals. Until then, thanksfor listening, Huda, and have a
(37:22):
good one. Eight Prime members.You can listen to this Lockdown podcast add
three on Amazon Music download the AmazonMusic app. Today, Reds fans,
I'm Jeff Carr and I'm Stephen Offenbaker. We are the hosts of your daily
Reds podcast, Locked On Reds,part of the Lockdown podcast Network, your
(37:43):
team. Every day. Lockd OnReds brings you the latest Reds news and
analysis and breaks down all of theaction. Locked On Reds is everything a
Reds fan could want, all ina thirty minute daily podcast. Subscribe now
to Locked On Reds. Wherever youget your podcasts, search Lockdown Reds and
get your daily dose of Red's analysisand optimism. We are part of the
Lockdow podcast network. Your team everyday
It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, yourteam every day. Jim huh trying to
confute with Joe Burrow. I liftedfucking heavy. I did this Arnold workout,
so I'll send you the exercise.It's fucking awesome. How long has
the schedule been out? Two weeks? Week and a half? Yeah,
(00:28):
like two weeks, two weeks bythe time, basically two weeks. Okay,
Yeah, we've had the Cincinnati Bengalschedule for about two weeks now.
But you know what we haven't donebecause we haven't done our way too early
predictions, going game by game.Let's do that today. You are Locked
On Bengals, your daily Cincinnati Bengalspodcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network,
(00:53):
your team every day. What up, Bengals fans, and welcome to
another episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast. I'm your host, Jake. Let's
go. He's your host, JamesRapine. We're part of the Lockdow podcast
network, covering your team every day, and you could subscribe to this podcast
(01:15):
on YouTube or wherever you get yourpodcast. You come in every day or
so you never miss an episode ofLockdown Bengals, including the great interviews we
have all the good offseason content wehave, including some great film reviews on
the Bengals, new draft prospects laterthis week or new drafted players, I
should say, and you can becomea first listener, join the many other
(01:38):
Locked On Bengals listeners, and makeus their first listen every day. Today's
episode brought to you by FanDuel SportsBook, the official sports book in the
NFL. You can make every momentmore with dot com slash locked On where
you can get started. James,I'm going to be extremely bullish on this
Cincinnati Bengals today. This schedule optimistic. Jake is here. Oh you know,
(02:04):
I've said it though. My expectationsfor this team are that I'm not
going to look at a game onthe schedule and say, yeah, they
should lose that game. That's notwhere this team is in the team building
cycle. That's not where this teamis from from my perspective in terms of
expectations. Where they had the SuperBowl run, they got better, they
(02:27):
were a better team, couldn't quiteget it done in the AFC Championship game,
and the injuries caught up to them, and I think they should once
again. And we've talked about thisWe've spent entire episodes and segments talking about
where they're better, where they're worst. As an overall football team, I
think they should be better again.The AFC, though, is very challenging,
(02:49):
and so that's what they have toovercome, but specifically what they have
to overcome as the seventeen game schedule, and let's go game by game,
shall we and talk about Well,we'll do some analysis, but my basic
answer for most of these questions isgoing to be w look at you.
(03:10):
This is the most confident I've everseen you in anything. My god,
No, I think that should bethe expectation for this Bengals team. Right
last year it was, well,the offensive line is better? How much
better? Can they avoid a SuperBowl hangover all of those things? And
they did, especially after Joe Burrowwas able to get the weight back on
(03:30):
and get back to playing after havinga pretty serious surgery on late July right
as training camp was starting. Sohopefully you can avoid any of that stuff.
And assuming they do that and canhave a healthy number nine, I
think they go up to Cleveland andget a W in Week one. And
(03:52):
it's interesting because that's kind of thenarrative, is oh, man Joe Burrow
and the Browns, and he struggledin a couple of those games. He
also in his second game of hiscareer. And I'm gonna keep reminding people
of this with no one with abench, John Ross, Aj Green,
who couldn't get open against Denz Award, Mike Thomas catching touchdowns. I don't
even know if Mike Thomas is inthe league right now. And he's my
(04:13):
guy, number eight, number eightylast year, that Mike Thomas. I
don't know if if he signed anywhere. This dude, four days into his
NFL career, his second career game, went up there and threw for three
hundred and sixteen yards sixty one passattempts. I don't think it's a Browns
thing. I think the Bengals haveplayed poorly as a team against the or
the Bengals have played poorly against theBrowns. I expect Brow to play well.
(04:38):
I expect this offense to take astep. And I know that defensive
line for Cleveland pretty darn good now. I know that they have a new
defensive coordinator. I know all ofthose things. I think the Bengals handle
business in a chaotic environment at Cleveland. Brown stadium on the banks of lanky
erie and get it done. Weekone. Cleveland Browns Stadium. It's no
longer First Energy, It's Cleveland brownStadium. Good reminder that I will.
(05:00):
I actually know what I never knewhonestly, whatever it was before, I
didn't know what it was before FirstEnergy. Okay, new defensive coordinator.
Week one weirdness. These are theonly only things to me that that could
make this game problematic for the Bengalsbecause Week one is weird, and we
(05:25):
don't know what's going to happen intraining camp and all these things. We
don't know what the health situation isgoing to be. But the Brown's defense
on paper is pretty good with thatfront flour like you talked about, like
the wan Thornhill signing back there inthe secondary, like the corners Greg Martin,
Martin Emerson fantastic as a rookie,third round rookie last year. Was
(05:45):
one of the better rookie corners inthe league not named Sauce Gardner, Denzel
Ward, Greg Newsom. That's athat's a good corner trio there. Wan
Thornhill, like I said, likehim question Mark at the other safety spot
with Grant Delpit. I think JayOkay still really good. It's the only
talkie Talkie last year had the gameof his career against the Bengals. But
(06:05):
what's going on with that offense?I mean, Jim Schwartz, the defense
should be better. Jim Schwartz,I think objectively is a better defensive coordinator
than Joe Woods. But oh yeahthan Joe Woods. Yeah, of course
is DeShawn Watson. I thought youwere gonna say that Lou I was like,
I was like, oh no,it's like, oh, I don't
(06:25):
know about that. No. Imean saying anyone's objectively a better defensive coordinator
than Lou is tricky. But likethey have so many questions on offense,
starting with their quarterback, who wasatrocious last year. And until you see
it with that offense, do youbelieve it? I don't. I need
to see it. They last thingon this And because we have plenty of
(06:46):
games to get to, I thinkthe Browns are going to be pretty good.
Like there is talent, Like ifyou're starting with a Mari Cooper,
Donoman, People's Jones and Elijah morelike, that's a pretty good one through
three. It's not the Bengals,but guess what most receiver units aren't the
BEng one through three or one throughfour, And you're right. It comes
down to Nick Chubb to me,best running back in the game, one
of them, certainly the most consistentrunner. Best. Maybe it's best running
(07:11):
back because he's the best runner inthe game. I would say that,
maybe not most complete or whatever youwant to say. But Deshaun Watson,
how does he play? It comesdown to it. If he can match
Joe Burrow and play at an elitelevel, then this game feels much different.
I think that's allowed to ask weekone. Obviously, the Bengals have
to stop the run. So itsounds like both of us are going w
week one and back to back divisionalmatchups. Jake Baltimore, you return home,
(07:40):
hopefully you'll want to know you playBaltimore and this is another team that
should be really good. Lamar Jacksonobviously signed his extension. They add some
weapons side Odell Beckham Junior to acontract that no one was giving him.
I think he was New York boundto the Jets, and last second,
the Ravens said, hey man,let's get obj which I don't blame them.
(08:01):
They're desperate. They stick at draftingreceivers. It hasn't worked out that
they have not added the right skillguys around Lamar, so they do that.
They drafted the kid out of BostonCollege as well. We'll see.
But I think this is an interestinggame and it's going to come down to
the Bengals offense being better than theywere against the Ravens and back to back
(08:24):
games at the end of the regularseason last year and then in that playoff
game. This Bengals offense has totake a step. And I know they
were shorthanded, I know all ofthose things. They were also at home,
so they at home again. Hopefullythey can play better against a Ravens
defense that I don't want to sayhad their number, because the Bengals handled
business back to back weeks, butit wasn't pretty. They had their number,
(08:46):
and then Joe Burrow started to figureit out, and then he had
it figured out. It took himseeing Mike McDonald's defense a couple of times,
and the Bengals suffered some injuries whichmade it uglier as a game as
the games went on. But JoeBurrow it about. I think that's a
big question for me, is doesJoe Burrow and this coaching staff continue to
have answers for Mike McDonald's defense,because that's really what kept Baltimore in games
(09:11):
without Lamar Jackson. But the otherbig differences, of course, Lamar Jackson
should be there, and Odell Beckham, Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers is a
much different than Mark Andrews. Isa much different set of weapons than the
Bengals faced with the Ravens last year. The Ravens will be better, yeah,
for sure, and they were asthey stay healthy. They're really well
(09:33):
coached team. Tom Munket gonna bean entirely new offense, going to be
a much more modern NFL offense mostlikely. So a lot to contend with
with this Ravens team, good coachingstaff, good new players. Bengals home
opener though, and they know theyneed to get up to a hot start.
Like I said, I'm just havinga hard time picking against the Bengals
right now. I'll tell you rightnow, I have the Bengal splitting these
(09:56):
two. I haven't beat in Clevelandlosing to Baltimore starting one on one.
I'm taking the home opener. Soif you if you think they're gonna split
the first two. I'll talk itup to Week one weirdness and give me
the home opener. Yeah, Icould see it. I just I think
that I think the Ravens are betterthan the Browns. I think it's close.
Give me Lamar over Watson. Ohyeah, I think the Ravens are
(10:20):
better than the Browns for sure.But I'm just saying, like Week one
weirdness on the road in Cleveland,all those factors. Sure, yeah,
but both, It's not This divisionis so good, like I think it's
a really good division. Like there'sno slouch, there's no crappy team,
and and so yeah, I havethem one on one, you have them
two and oh it sounds like gotcha. All right, Well, we have
(10:41):
a lot of games to get too. We're moving in a slow pace.
We're gonna have to pick it up. We'll pick up the pace. You're
talking about divisional matchups to open theseason, those are always going to have
a little bit more meat on thebone when we talk about the rematches with
this team, these teams, notas much meat on the bone. Not
as much meat on the bone withWeek three either. We'll get to Week
three coming up next. Today's showis brought to you by FanDuel. The
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official sports betting partner of the NBA. There's no offseason for true NFL fans
listen every day to the Locked OnNFL podcast. Our expert hosts keep you
up to date daily in thirty minutesor less on the latest breaking news,
training camp battles, and player movesthat will affect your favorite NFL team.
(12:11):
Available now on YouTube and wherever youlisten to podcasts part of the Locked On
podcast Network. Your team every day, Week three, James, I know
there's Super Bowl rematch intrigue here,but this is a very very different Los
Angeles Rams team put me down forw without a whole lot of deef analysis
of Vans aren't going to be good. I know they still have Cooper Cup
(12:33):
and Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald andthere's some guys on that team that are
still good players. But the Ramsare not going to be a good team
this year. And people can clipit sure, and you're not going to
be the only one that says that. I think it's one of those weird,
(12:54):
sneaky teams that could be better thanpeople expect because people are so low
on them. And that said,you're right. Monday Night Football in the
Jungle one and one is where Ihad them. I have them handling business
and getting to two and one onthe season. These are the type of
games you just hand no business andyou move on. And I think Joe
Burrow and the Bengals do that.And it isn't revenge for super Bowl fifty
(13:16):
six, but it would be anice little little cherry to get a win
against the team that obviously cost youon Lombardi. I think there's gonna be
a lot of motivation for those guysin terms of we're not going to drop
a primetime game to this team thatwe didn't win the Super Bowl against,
Sure in their stadium, which isridiculous home super Bowls hate it. Next
(13:41):
game, Week four, ridiculous twoyears of a row never happened in the
history of the game. I know, it's just bad luck. It's no
it's I mean, what can yousay. I know, it's just it's
just I wouldn't matter. If wouldn'tmattered if the Bucks could cover Cooper cup
Deep and Junior just letting him goin the Division round, or if the
(14:03):
safety for the forty nine ers couldcatch Tart. Oh my gosh, yeah
it was Tart. It's right there. Four butterfingers go ahead. Week four
back in Tennessee, for like thetwentieth straight year, the Bengals go on
the road to face the Titans.Now, talk about teams that are going
to be better I think than folksexpect, And I don't think Tennessee is
(14:28):
gonna be like good by any means. I don't think they're gonna be a
great team or anything. But thedefense is going to continue to be a
well coached Mike Rabel defense who's gonnamake your life difficult. In the same
thing he said for like all ofthese first four teams, well besides the
Browns, maybe on the offensive sideof the ball, I'm not sure about
that, but a lot of reallygood coaches on the Bengal schedule to start
(14:50):
the year. And that's true ofthe defense of the Tennessee Titans as well.
That being said, look at thatTennessee Titans offense. Is Derrick Henry
putting the team on his shoulders andkeeping them in. This game's breaking out,
No, I mean no, youcan try to find answers and it
could be a grindy game because he'stend to be grindy. But I like
(15:13):
the Bengals here. That's the partof the Bengals that is so that's why
you should be bullish on him becauseI think that they're the way they can
win. They've won these grinded outtype games offensively in this year. They
should be the best they've been offensivelyduring this run. And obviously the defense
is sent up to win grinded outtype games, especially against the offense like
(15:35):
Tennessee makes a ton of sense,Like I'm not even sure Derrick Henry is
going to be there. We willsee, right, I mean, if
you could get anything for him,they have Taj Spears, Like just give
the backfield to Spears. That mightbe a take, not a take for
me. So we'll see there.But now I'll take the Bengals. So
I have them starting three and one, you have them at four and Oh
(15:56):
is it a more interesting question totalk about whether or not Will Levice will
be starting this game then whether ornot the Bengals will win this game.
It seems a little early time there, But it seems a little early for
a guy that eats bananas with thepelon. But never say never, Oh,
any time he gets brought up,I'm never letting him live it down.
Mayonnaise in his coffee. You can'tbe an NFL star if you do
(16:18):
those things, you can be weird. That's that's different than weird. That's
unbelievably bad. That said, speakingof unbelievably all of the UK fan listeners
we have right now are just turningthe podcasts off. Hey, I hope
Chris Rodriguez balls out like it's nota UK thing, right, It's not
at all that said, I said, speaking of unbelievably bad. The Cardinals
(16:41):
might be the worst team in theNFL this year. It's a roster that
was just built poorly, that gotold and then got older and older and
older. We'll see if DeAndre Hopkinsis there, if Kyler Murray returns,
that's the only thing here is.I guess Murray could be back for this
game. Maybe he returns against theBengals. But outside of being able to
(17:03):
go to Phoenix and enjoy that weather, you know which it should be nice
that time of year, I don'treally think there's going to be an issue
here. Give me the Bengals andthey improved a four and one. I
would be shocked if you pick theCardinals over the Bengals. Here is Buddha
Baker still at Arizona Cardinal. Herequested a trade so he is though,
yes, I mean like will hebe by the time this game? That's
(17:26):
what I mean because of the Ithink if they get a reasonable offer,
why wouldn't you trad they know therebuilding and he's a safety. Yeah he's
still yeah. Okay, Yeah,this is a game I've circled for the
Bengals and is like can they canthey hang thirty five on him in the
first half. It's on the road, so you know, makes it a
(17:48):
little bit harder. But this defenseis maybe the worst in the league,
maybe the worst on the Bengal schedule. The Vans are in that competition too,
but at least they have Aaron Donald. Yeah. I mean I'm taking
the Bengals going away here. Yeah, easy, easy, And so I
haven't at four in one, youhaven't at five, and oh the next
(18:08):
week you come back home and thisis the last game before the bye,
you play the Seattle Seahawks, andI think the Seahawks kind of sneaky and
the NFC West, which is weird. I didn't really buy into them at
all last year, and yet theystill found a way to make a run.
And we're in the mix, andPete Carroll got the most out of
(18:30):
Geno Smith, and they kept himaround and then they added a bunch of
pieces around him. I think that'sa talented wide receiver group. I love
the running backs, and I thinkthat that offense with Gino Smith can put
up points when they need to becauseof the weapons. And I'm not buying
in on Smith long term, butI think Seattle is pretty good. They
have some solid young corners that theyobviously had the fifth pick. They drafted
(18:53):
the kid out of Illinois. Ithink it was the fifth pick, maybe
sixth. But I think this isone of those sneaky games where every Bengals
fan is going to say, winat home against Seattle and Pete Carroll and
the Seahawks get it done. SoI have the Bengals following to four and
two. I get the Seahawks area sneaky good team. I like Lou
and a Rumo against anybody when hehas the game plan for a quarterback,
(19:15):
when he has the game plan foran offense. The offensive line for the
Seahawks did kind of come out ofnowhere last year. They were pretty good
with Charles Cross as their first roundedition. Their interior offensive line came together
a little bit, but and forall all the can all the good things
that can be said about their secondary, and I agree the secondary is good
(19:37):
Jamal Adams notwithstanding, I guess,but they don't really have the guys to
get pressure like as Draymont Jones fixingthat entire defensive front. They add Derek
Hall in the second round. That'sa pick that could be looked at as
one of the steels of the draftwhen we come back to it. But
can they get enough pressure to putJoe Burrow off his game because I expect
(20:00):
Burrow to kind of be secondary agnosticthis year, like even against really good
secondaries, like I don't with withthis team, you have to be like
Daryl Reeves and and Sauce Gardner andChamp Bailey back there, Darrell VS.
What I say, Daryl, allright, you have to be three of
(20:22):
the best corners of all time,assuming Sauce's career keeps going the way it's
going for for me to really thinklike that's going to have a huge impact
on the game, especially when it'snot coupled with a really good pass for
us. So, so you havethem six and out. I don't have
them six and going into the bike. I do think that Smith and Jig,
but Tyler Lockett DK Metcalf as astory trio that one because I like
(20:45):
I like the Bengals as a completeteam, I really do. And and
so yeah, I mean, it'staken a better team than Seattle for me
to move move off the Bengals tostart the season. Up next, we'll
get to all of the games afterthe bye and see if Jake has the
Bengals going at seventeen and O.They're six and oz according to Jake Glisco
(21:06):
in the schedule game. We haveeleven more games to get to, which
means a little more rapid fire.Coming up next, We've got to pick
up the pace. James and aweek eight at San Francisco. This is
the game that to me is ohthe hardest in the first fifteen games on
the schedule. West Coast road trip. Yeah, ridiculous defense, new defensive
(21:33):
coordinator. So there's that big questionson offense, so there's that big historical
rivalry. But even coming off tobuy, I don't feel great about this
one. Compared to the rest ofthe games, This isn't one I feel
the worst about. So if Ihad to pick a place for them to
have their first loss at San franccould be it. But at the same
(21:55):
time, like they have significant questionsat quarterback, and so if those aren't
answered bye week eight, it's weekeight, right, week nine week,
then maybe this answer changes. Yeah. So all right, just to be
clear, you have them six andone now, correct, Yeah, this
could be a place where they taketheir first loss. Yeah, we agree.
(22:17):
I think this is that mid seasonlull. They start four and one,
they lose a game before the buye, lose a game after the bye,
and then there's going to be like, oh man, but like last
year when they felt a four andfour and I was guilty of it too,
But it'll be four and three andI be like, oh man,
is this how good is this Bengalsteam? And you start to doubt them
(22:37):
a little bit? And I thinkthey thrive on that. And there's every
team hits it at some point,and it's this one is going to be
in the middle of the year.For me, I have this as a
loss as well, not that itwon't be a really close game, but
just a tough one going on theroad West Coast, the longest trip of
the year, I believe for them, and I think they lose a tight
one of the forty nine ers andnot to be outdone out. Next it's
(23:02):
a probably an even bigger matchup youreturn home primetime Bills. I have them
getting this game. I think thatthey match up well against the Bills.
The Bills they add Dalton Kincaide.You know, they've added a couple of
pieces. I think that offense thatthey're hoping takes a step forward. I
just think the Bengals are going tobe really confident going into that matchup.
(23:23):
They know that it could be thedifference between getting the one seed and not
getting the one seed. You're athome, it's a game you have to
handle. So it'll be after losingtwo straight, there's going to be all
this media, Oh my goodness,it's Bengals and Bills. But the Bengals
have slid, They've dropped two ina row, and then the Bengals are
going to come out, punch themin the mouth and get the five and
three on the season. I havethem beating Buffalo. I do too.
(23:45):
I just don't have them getting toa crazy low point this year because I
think they're better than last year's team. I don't think they're going to have
the same like last year's teams.That's not low. It's not a low
point. Losing two games four andthree? Sure is that a crazy low
point? Would be would be aterrible start to the season for my expectations
(24:06):
for this team. That would beawful. That would be way below where
I want them to be at thatpoint. Yeah. I mean, you've
heard what I what I've had forfor them winning and losing it. I
just think they're a better team.They're not last year's team. Oh I'm
not. I'm not saying there lastyear's I just think, well, they're
not losing to the Steelers and theCowboys this time. The Cooper Rush sure
(24:27):
is this? Yeah, I meanthe Ravens. I think Seattle's time.
I mean, forty nine Ers arearguably the best roster in the league.
I kind of I wonder if Yeah, I mean there there's a lot of
good things about the forty nine ersteam, but I wonder if they're being
overvalued a little bit, just alittle bit and bad NFC. So you
(24:47):
have them beating the Bills the followingweek. This one's easy. Texans w
uh Yeah, No, weird Texansvoodoo stuff happening anymore. We're past that
point. So so I have themsix three. You have them what Eaton
won. And then Baltimore Thursday night, I had them losing that Week two
matchup. I think on a shortweek the doubt had continued. I have
(25:11):
them getting it done and improving toseven and three on the year. My
hot take for this game is thisis around the time Baltimore tends to be
piled up with injuries. They havesome new staff to help them deal with
injuries. I think like this isn'tthat Wasn't that The big deal out of
the NFLPA report card for Baltimore wastheir training staff, And they've changed the
(25:33):
training staff since then, so maybeit's not as big of an issue for
them. But they can't seem toget to the later part of the season
healthy. This has been the casefor them like the last two to three
years. If Baltimore is healthy thoughon the road, short week primetime,
you can see some weirdness sneaking inthere. You can see a loss happening
here. But I'm going to keeppicking the Bengals in the division. So
(25:57):
I'll take the Bengals here and Ithink that we'll see if Baltimore can stay
healthy this year. It's been sucha problem for them the last couple of
years. Yeah, yeah, ithas. So we'll see there back to
back division games again and the firsttime playing the Steelers the following week.
I have this as a win.I think it's going to be tougher than
(26:18):
some realize. The Steelers are justwell coached, pretty good defense, solid
skill players, better offensive line thanthey had last year. That said,
I think that the Bengals handle business, and you see how this streak is
starting to continue. Four straight now. I after the Bengals after starting four
and three in four and one droptwo, now they've won four straight and
(26:38):
they're at eight and three. Ido think the Steelers are going to be
a good competitive good maybe over sittingat solid competitive team this year. They
just always are with Mike Tomlin.I'm never gonna buy the demise of the
Pittsburgh Steelers as long as Mike Tomlinis there, and they have a lot
of the pieces they have on thedefensive side of the ball. But the
(26:59):
Bengals are just a better team andat home they get a mini buy here
going into this game, they havea vest edge. Give me the Bengals
one o'clock game in Cincinnati. Yeah, I'm with you there, this one's
interesting. The following week, MondayNight football in Jacksonville, Trevor Lawrence,
Joe Burrow, the Jags well coached, made the playoffs last year, won
(27:22):
a playoff game played pretty well atArrowhead against the Chiefs the week prior to
the Bengals playing them in the AFCChampionship game. I think this is a
tight one, but give me Burrowlate, much like he did on that
Thursday night game a few years ago, now in twenty twenty one, I
think he makes the one more playthan Trevor gets it done. I think
(27:44):
this is like a one possession game, goes down to the wire, but
the Bengals squeak out of Jacksonville witha win on Monday Night. I like
Jacksonville here, that's gonna be ashocker. Perhaps Wow, Trevor Lawrence getting
Calvin Vin back. I think CalvinRidley's really good and people are forgetting about
him a little bit. I don'tknow about the defense so much, but
(28:07):
Josh Allen's really good. If he'sstill there. He didn't he also request
no Am. I thinking of no, he's good. I'm thinking of somebody
else, right, there was notrade stuff with Josh Allen and Jacksonville.
No, Okay, they have somepieces on that defense, so I don't
know about the secondary, and thatcould be their downfall in this game.
(28:30):
But Trevor Lawrence is really good.I mean he's taken some significant steps.
I think that offense is a realthing. And primetime on the road Jacksonville,
I think they're going to be asolid team. And the Bengals maybe
drop one here after coming off twoback to back tough divisional games. Maybe
(28:56):
that's a story I'll tell myself.I could also send winning the game.
But I have them at three.Will of course I have them at nine
and three. You have them atten and two. See, it's not
that far apart. The following week, the Colts come to town Anthony Richardson
in company, and I assume AnthonyRichardson will be starting Shane Steikeen, their
new head coach and offensive mine rookiequarterback. I think it could be a
(29:18):
little dangerous. I'm also not worriedabout Indianapolis too much, and I think
the Bengals handle business here and getto ten and three. Gus Bradley defense.
Gus Bradley defenses don't tend to doso hot against Joe Burrow, and
I don't think they have nearly enoughon offense given that, I'd like the
(29:41):
Bengals defensive matchup good players on theIndie defense. I like Quitti Pay,
I like to Forrest Buckner, I'dlike Jack Leonard changed his name gets me
every time I look at their roster. Ada Thoma, Ada Bore. If
he's coming together late in the year, that will be fun. Any Richardson,
that'll be fun. The Bengals seea lot of quarterbacks like Anthony Richardson.
(30:04):
They prepare a lot for quarterbacks likeAnthony Richardson. And I know he's
a freak athlete and maybe the bestathlete of the position in the NFL given
his size, but I just thinkit's not going to be enough in this
first year with the state of thatroster. So yeah, I'm on the
Bengals here yep. And following weekVikings, same thing for me. I
think that's a good Vikings team,justin Jefferson playing hit. You know,
(30:29):
the Joe Burrow Jamar Chase storyline,that one will be pretty interesting. I
think Joe Brow, Jamar Chase riseto the occasion, beat Minnesota and now
we're talking final month of the season, number one seed, everything on the
line. The Bengals get it donehere, and based on my prediction,
I have them at eleven and threeright now, you have them at eleven
and two going into this game.So you're taking the Bengals over the Vikes.
(30:53):
Yeah. On paper, again,I just don't see quite enough.
I mean, Justin Jefferson is great, absolutely great. Jordan Addison if he's
a halfway decent receiver, takes alittle bit of pressure off him, makes
teams have to deal with him alittle bit. I really like T.
J. Hawkinson. I think theyhave a solid offensive line to a good
offensive line. They only had theNeil Hunter on the defensive line now though
(31:19):
they trade away Smith, right,and so do they have enough to get
it done on the defensive side ofthe ball. I like the Bengals offense
doing enough. Here. Might bea shootout again, remember the last time
these teams played. There are alot of points scored in that game.
But I like the Bengals here.And the TVD game time on Sunday,
December seventeenth. Yeah, and thenyou play on the twenty third, So
(31:44):
a little bit of a short weekfor the Bengal Steelers. This one it's
in Pittsburgh. I have them splittingwith Pittsburgh and dropping this one. I
think it'll be close, but theylose this one, and then it's like,
oh my gosh, they have theChiefs in brown to finish the season.
There. They dropped from the oneseed to maybe the two or the
three with the loss behind Kansas City, and I think people start to freak
(32:08):
out a bit. But yeah,I have them falling to eleven and four
here, eleven and four, andI have them at twelve and three going
into this game. You have youhave them at twelve and two going in
twelve and two, thirteen and two. I think, I think they keep
it going against the Steelers. Imean they're on they're on their first winning
streak ever against the Steelers or somethinglike that three game winning streak right against
(32:30):
the Steelers. No, maybe noteveryone last year. Oh they did lose
Week one. Well, let's makeit a three game winning streak against the
Steelers the following week and this isthe big one New Year's Eve at Arrowhead
in Kansas City and again, there'sa theme here. They lose the game
before the Buffalo game, handle businessagainst Buffalo, lose the game before the
(32:52):
Kansas City game. I have themhandling business against the Chiefs on New Year's
Eve and improving to twelve and four. And what I think that game would
do is get them even with Buffaloand or Kansas City for the one seed,
and then they would have the tiebreakers, the head to head tiebreakers,
so they would control their own destinygoing into Week eighteen against the Browns.
(33:13):
I have this being a win here. I think this one goes Kansas
City's way. That the big elementthat we haven't talked about at all in
this game. The Bengals have atwo day rest advantage here, which we'll
see how much that matters. Butthe Chiefs play Monday night going into this
(33:34):
game. The Bengals play Saturday.So there's a two day edge there.
Short week for Kansas City, longweek for the Bengals, and that could
tilt things the Bengals way. Butplaying a narrowhead the way that I have
the season going for them anyway,coming off a win and at thirteen and
two, get to thirteen and three, you need right thirteen and three.
Yeah, you have thirteen and three. I twelve and four, and then
(33:57):
I have them sweeping Cleveland, sweepingthe division turns out, which I think
is a good division. But Ithink the Bengals, if they're the team
I want them to be, andI think they are, I think they're
better. So fourteen and three tofinish a year for me, which should
be enough most years, that's enoughto be the one seed in the AFC.
I have them beating the Browns aswell and securing the number one seed
(34:20):
with a thirteen and four record.The tiebreaker comes into play here, I
would say either over Buffalo or KansasCity. So we're one game apart.
More of the story and more ofthis game. I think is expectations are
is high for the Bengals as they'veever been in franchise history. And before
people say, oh, well,you're just saying that, you don't know,
the Bengals have never won thirteen gamesin one season ever, never ever,
(34:44):
ever. Now, they might havelast year, in their defense,
they might have if you would havecounted that Buffalo game and had that counted
and they won that game, thatdid not happen. So whether they go
thirteen and four or fourteen and three. If they do that, that's history,
which would be for a third straightyear, Joe Burrow leads the Bengals
to some kind of history. Obviouslythey would win the division as well.
(35:06):
No one's ever won three AFC NorthDivision titles in a row, No one,
and it hasn't been around that long, right, But still it's tough
to do, so we'll see ifthe Bengals can do it. They haven't
gotten the one seat since nineteen eightyeight, so that would be another feat
that they're trying to accomplish. Itis, it is very tough to do.
But like I said to me,the Bengals should be a better team
(35:27):
this year. Overall, Joe Burrowshould be better. This offense should be
very mature at this point, likestarting to get to that Peyton Manning dominance
territory. If Joe Burrow's on thattrajectory where it just should be what it
is every year that Tom Brady dominantwhatever it is, He's going into year
four, right, so like thisis where it just should be what it
(35:52):
is, and it should be thatreally really hard to be a team.
You include the playoffs, by theway, jameson Bengals one fourteen last year
thirteen two years ago. But inthe regular season, you're absolutely right.
Yeah, yeah, you can't countplayoffs not for for that now, the
history that is part of the history. Winning a road game in the playoffs,
they had never done that, theyhad never advanced in back to back
(36:14):
playoffs, and they did that.And they've won road games, three road
games, which that's very tough todo. And he's done it in two
years. So maybe they've never donethese things. But why are they in
play because they've broke plenty of recordsalready, Well, why not continue to
do that going into this year?And the one seed? Man, it
(36:34):
would be nice to say, hey, the playoffs run through Cincinnati this year.
A big part of it Joe Burrow. Another big part of it,
like I've mentioned, is he's stillon his rookie deal, So they still
have a ton of money on thedefensive side of the ball and Lou and
a rumo on that side of theball to make them a very complete team.
And Brad Robins the puncher, gonnabe just a huge, huge impact
this year. Yeah, for sure, Hey, punter, punters matter,
(37:00):
know, I think, like Isaid, expectations are really high. I'm
excited to see how it plays out. But this team, I think they're
gonna be really darn good. That'sgonna do it. For this episode of
the Lockdown Bengals podcast, we're gonnado a two early look at the fifty
three man roster as well. We'lldive into that coming up soon here on
Lockdown Bengals. Until then, thanksfor listening, Huda, and have a
(37:22):
good one. Eight Prime members.You can listen to this Lockdown podcast add
three on Amazon Music download the AmazonMusic app. Today, Reds fans,
I'm Jeff Carr and I'm Stephen Offenbaker. We are the hosts of your daily
Reds podcast, Locked On Reds,part of the Lockdown podcast Network, your
(37:43):
team. Every day. Lockd OnReds brings you the latest Reds news and
analysis and breaks down all of theaction. Locked On Reds is everything a
Reds fan could want, all ina thirty minute daily podcast. Subscribe now
to Locked On Reds. Wherever youget your podcasts, search Lockdown Reds and
get your daily dose of Red's analysisand optimism. We are part of the
Lockdow podcast network. Your team everyday
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