September 2, 2025 • 24 mins
Tony and Austin talk with Joe Danneman from FOX 19 on ESPN 1530!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
About Cincinnati from Cincinnati, sponsored in part by Cinci Shirts.
Cincy Shirts all since E all Day. This is ESPN
fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Good afternoon, welcome back our number two since E three
sixty thanks to Cincy Shirts. Thank you for listening on
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. Let's get right to it.
It's Tuesday. You know what that means. Joe Daniman Fox
nineteen is here. He's ready to go, so let's not
waste any more time.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Joey D.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
What's going on?
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Man?
Speaker 4 (00:36):
Tony? Make sure you asked Auten what I just said
to him right before we came on the air at
your next commercial break.
Speaker 5 (00:44):
My exact response was, oh my god, hold on, we're
back right right, Tody.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yes, listen Friday. That was gonna be the first I know.
We've got Reds, and we've got Bengals, and we've got
college football. Before we even get to it, Fox nineteen
Game of the Week went to Veterans Memorial Stadium. We
don't have to talk about the outcome of the game,
but just your experience in reading Joe.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
So we show up and with the Fox nineteen Game
of the Week that comes with extra pregame attention. So
we have live shots in the news and the five
o'clock at the six o'clock hour, we show up at
five o'clock and the field is completely empty. So I say, okay,
we've got to find something interesting here for TV. So
(01:32):
we found the loyal tailgaters, oh yeah, who were out
there right around the parking lot getting ready for the
Redding Blue Devil football team. Spirit walk through the parking
lot of the stadium, and these folks brought it.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I think they get there about noon, they listen to
Sincy three sixty, they start part taking in pregame activities,
and then by five o'clock they're ready to go.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
The word I would use for the young people there
were was unhinged.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Unhinged.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
The kids were so much fun. And if you have teenagers,
if you're listening to this and you have teenagers, the
kids kept making me do the six seven thing. And
I can't say some of the other things that the
kids wanted me to say yeah, because I didn't.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Know what they meant.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
And if I don't know what they mean, they could
have a connotation that could get me in trouble. So
I stopped. But man, the kids were great.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
We had fat heads, we had kids.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
I had glitter on my arm. It was amazing. The
ding was rocking on Friday.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Congrats down.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Now is this a thing with thoughts that you can
only win it once per year? Are you going to
throw them back on there? Let them dominate another pole?
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Oh boy, there were no rules.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
Oh let's run it back and I will put them
back on the ballot. If if you promised to be
there for the pregame show live shots in the five
and six o'clock out all right now?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
September twelfth, they played Deer Park. That's our guy, Willie
Cunningham squad. Maybe we can make something happen for that.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Here we go. I think we've got a bit if ready.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
If they make it back again this year, I will
be there as part of the pregame festivities.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Stamp sold work go.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
They're back on the balance, le' go.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Let's go. How good does it feel, Joe that we
have felt like waited for an eternity and here we are,
We're back. The regular season in the NFL gets underway
this week. Where do you stand with this Bengals team?
Are there more questions that you still have that need
to be answered between now and Sunday.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
I don't think between now and Sunday. I think the
questions that have will be answered on Sunday. And the
biggest question I have with the team, I'm not sure
can be answered on Sunday because of what we expect
the Browns to be, especially on the offensive side of
the ball. My questions what the Bengals are. Is the
defense going to take just that they have to take
(04:03):
this year for this team not just to get back
in the playoffs, but also be a team that can
win a game or two in the playoffs. And I'm
not sure we're going to know that until they faced
the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week two, who do have some
skill positioned players and do have a quarterback with some
talent who can effectively move the ball against the Bengals
(04:24):
if they're playing well. So that's my biggest question. I'm
not sure it's going to be answered on Sunday. But
I will say this, the idea that the Bengals have
a Browns problem, and I know it was discussed a
little bit in the first hour, this is kind of
a misnomer. Now in Cincinnati. I think the thing is
taken on a life of its own. The Bengals are
(04:46):
four and one in the last five games against the
Cleveland Browns and winning by an average of nearly two touchdowns.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
And yeah, that's.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Skewed a little bit by Cleveland coming here to Cincinnati
in Week eighteen a couple of years ago, and I
said we punting on the game because they were going
to the playoffs and didn't want to play their starters.
But in the last couple of years, outside of the
rainy opening day in Cleveland when Joe Burrow of the
offense were a mess, the Bengals have kind of figured
(05:13):
this game out against the Cleveland Browns, and I'm confident
the Bengals are going to win the game. I think
it might be a little ugly, it might be a
little clunky because of how the Browns can kind of
drag you in the mud and make you play their
game a little bit. But if stars matter, the Bengals
have more star players, and I would argue four of
(05:34):
the five best players in this game. Certainly we could
argue whether it's Denzel Ward or Trey Hendrickson's in that
top five, but there's no doubt that three of the
top four played for Cincinnati. So if stars matter, guys,
the Bengals have more stars and the stars need to
earn it on Sunday in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
That's why I was a little curious when I looked
at the lines and see that it's just a four
and a half point spread. I get it's on the road,
but this Cleveland team is projected to be the worst
or one of the worst teams in football. To put
it into perspective, you got the Ravens and the Bills
on Sunday Night Football. That's a one and a half
point favorite, so only three points separate that spread and
(06:12):
the Browns and the Bengals. I'm with you. The better
players are on the Cincinnati Bengals, and I know they've
had a problem starting slow. But I look at that
and then I see different publications, Good Morning Football. Everyone
on their panel. No one picked the Bengals to make
the playoffs this year. Where are you setting your expectations
going into Sunday for this season for the Bengals.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
My expectations this year are I think what they were
last year. And I'll say it again, I guaranteed it
last year and I had to put my foot in
my mouth because I said of Joe Burrow played seventeen games,
I guarantee the teams makes the playoffs. Now, it took
what felt like a generational run of bad luck and
(06:55):
bad break for this team not to make the playoffs.
You know, and listen to. The defense was what the
defense was, but also bad breaks including Evan McPherson not
performing like we expected him to perform and that was
a difference maker in multiple games. But this to me,
and if you dive into the deep analytical stats of
(07:17):
the NFL, when Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase and T Higgins
are on the field together, you have the big three
on the field together. It is the best and most
efficient offense in the NFL. Period. You can pick the Eagles,
you can pick the Bills, you can pick the Ravens,
you can pick the Lions. Find the numbers you'll see
when the Bengals have those three on the field healthy,
(07:39):
they are the best offense in the NFL. Now to
your question about why is the Lions so low only
four and a half, well, I think that's partly because
of what Cleveland's identity, what they want to be their strengths.
Right as an organizations, they get after the quarterback and
they can play a physical style of offense. Those seem
(08:01):
to be the two areas of the matchup that can
hit the Bengals at their weakest points. Right, Can they
protect Joe Burrow And can this run defense? Even if
they weren't showing anything in the preseason, they weren't winning
at the point of attack on defense against the run games.
So if that's Cleveland's game plan is they're gonna get
after Joe and they're gonna play ball control offense and
(08:22):
keep the ball away from Joe Burrow and then have
Joe Flaco pop a big player two either Jerry Judy
or his tight end. That's the formula for them to win.
And that hits the Bengals that probably their two weakest points.
And I think that's why the line is where it is.
But if the Bengals are going to invest the kind
of money they've invested in the Big Three and Trey Hendrickson,
(08:44):
if you add it all up, it's half billion dollars.
This is what these guys are paid to do, is
to overcome that kind of matchup and win a game
when they are the better team. They're the better team,
getting off to a one to zero start will propel
this towards getting back to the playoffs. And I'll say
it again, Joe Burrow plays every game this year. I
(09:06):
would be absolutely floored that this team doesn't make the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
They were so good offensively last year. Burrow did play
every game. Burrow had career numbers. Jamar Chase won the
Triple Crown. Is there still an avenue in your opinion
that this offense can be better than what it was
last year? Because I can see that as maybe a
conversation point for people to say, they were so good
offensively last year, how can they be that good again?
(09:31):
And if they regress at all offensively, as the defense
good enough, I can see that as an argument. Do
you see a path where this offense can even be
even more explosive, can be even more efficient than what
they were last year?
Speaker 4 (09:43):
I do. And the number all go to is five
five games that Tee Higgins didn't play in last year.
If he Higgins plays in seventeen games this year, that
the offense is going to be better and more efficient
this coming year. Now, that might not lead itself into
raw numbers. The forty three touchdown passes for Joe Burrow
(10:06):
or approaching five thousand yards or Jamar Chase winning a
triple crown. I don't think it the necessarily have to
beat the wraw numbers. I don't think the Bengals want
to beat the wrong numbers because that means they're playing
from behind and they're playing close games in the fourth
quarter near the end of the game, where those stats
continue to be accumulated. They would like some of those
(10:27):
numbers to go down. They would like Chase Brown to
take on more and for him to be leaned on
in the fourth quarter for this team to close games out.
But I think if you're looking just at what an
offense can be and what's the next level to this offense,
I think you're gonna look at Joe Burrow. The number
one stat he's going to point to this year is
his completion percentage, his efficiency, And I think that's what's
(10:49):
going to happen if this team gets a fully healthy
season from all three of their big three. So yeah,
if you're gonna ask me right now, are you gonna
bet the over under of and Jamar Chase beating the
raw numbers for last year, I'm going to bet the
under just because of the idea that before game one,
you can't predict that t Higgins is going to miss games.
(11:13):
I know he's missed five each of the last two seasons,
but you can't make that prediction. And also you would
think the numbers would go down if this team is
playing better complementary team football and winning more games. So yeah,
I think they can be better offensively this year, but
I think it would be more in some of the
hidden analytical numbers of them being more efficient, even though
(11:34):
last year they were the most efficient team in the
NFL when they had those Big three on the field.
Speaker 5 (11:39):
How confident do you think the Bengals are in this
revamped running game that really builds specific parts of the
offense around Chase Brown.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
I think they're confident.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
They should be confident, and I think it starts with
the idea that Chase Brown is confident in his role.
And you think back to last year and what this
team was that they weren't ready to give Chase Brown
the keys of the car at the start of the season.
It took several weeks before they saw him on the
field in that role as the lead guy, the number
(12:16):
one guy, before they the light bulb kind of went
off and said, Okay, this is our guy going forward.
And as the season progressed, there was a thought of, Okay,
they're going to have to ease up on Chase Brown's
touches because he was getting twenty five, twenty seven, twenty nine,
over thirty touches in some of these games in the
(12:36):
second half of last season, and Zach Burrow would say
midweek almost every week that he wanted to get some
of the touches away from Chase Brown. And then you
get in the game and you can't take him off
the field. So with two new offensive linemen, and we
still don't know who one of those offensive linemen will be,
I think we have a guess on who it would be,
at least for Week one. I think when you bring
(12:59):
in two offensive lineman, the idea that this team right
now can lean a little bit on Chase Brown to
take some of the pressure off of this team having
to protect Joe Burrow because that's the microscope of the offense.
It always will be with Joe Burrow as the quarterback
is can this offensive line protect him? But I think
I think they're ready to turn this over full time
(13:22):
to Chase Brown. Unleash him a bit, not only in
the run game, but in the short passing game and
give him chances to make big plays. Because that goes
back to what Tony just asked before about how can
this offense be better in twenty twenty five Chase Brown.
If you give the guy twenty twenty five touches, at
(13:43):
least two or three of those are going to be
plays that he's going to have an opportunity to spring
for a big game. So that, to me, it should
be where the confidence comes from is the fact that
they've found their guys. They're comfortable with their guy back there,
and now they can design their scheme around him. Listen,
it's a it's a new offensive mind coach. It's not
(14:04):
just a new defensive coordinator and the new offensive line
coach comes to new philosophy and what this run game
is going to look like this year. I'm excited to
see it.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
I think he's he's.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
Poised to have a huge year him being Chase Brown.
If they get again, if they get seventeen games out
of him, he's going to vault himself into the one
of the top eight to ten running backs. I think
when you look at the numbers this coming season. So
to me, that's the most exciting question to answer starting
Sunday is what does this run game look like now
(14:34):
with Chase Brown as everybody knowing he is the guy.
In twenty twenty five.
Speaker 5 (14:39):
As you were talking, the Bengals released their depth chart
and it features Lucas Patrick as the starting right guard,
Dalton Reisner behind him. What's your immediate reaction to that
and do you think we see both of them on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
That's a good question. My immediate reaction would be not
surprised because of what I saw Monday at practice. That's
the way they were lining up, That's the way they were.
They were game not they weren't really in game plan,
but they were walking through on on Monday. With Lucas Patrick,
I mean's he's he's been in the building for a week.
Uh So, even though he's a veteran guy, and Zach
(15:16):
Taylor says he understands the playbook and the concepts quickly,
it's going to take time for him to feel like
he's ready to be a starter. Yeah, I mean, is
there a chance he comes in? Sure? If Lucas Patrick
performs like he did in the preseason at some point
you turn to the bench and say, get me somebody better.
(15:39):
And and Dalton Reisner was brought in for a reason.
I fully anticipate Dalton Reisner will will be a starter
sooner rather than later. So if if he's if he's in,
he being Lucas Patrick is struggling in Week one, in
the first half against Cleveland, and it's a dead anchor
(15:59):
on what the up intive line is trying to accomplish.
Haven't ready, haven't ready to go put him in, see
what he's got. But I do think it won't take
long for Dalton Reisner to overtake that spot. I think
that's what they want, and they want that to happen
as quick as possible.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
DJ Turner for that first official depth chart listed as
corner number two, Joseph Osai listed as a starter over
Shamar Stewart and Charlie Jones and Mitchell Tinsley listed as
the first two backup wide receivers. For what It's worth,
for the first official depth chart for the Cincinnati Bengals
this upcoming season, I would be remiss Joe not to
switch and ask you a little bit this Reds team.
(16:36):
As we now turn the page to September. I feel
like we had the same conversation at the start of August.
Can the Reds maintain? Can the Reds stay in the hunt?
They have found a way when at times it feels
like it was going to fall apart. In yesterday in
the ninth inning, it certainly felt like that. But as
you go into September, two big ones against Toronto, then
you get the Mets in your building, your four games back,
(16:56):
how much of a pulse are you giving the Red
still you get into September.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Well, this is it.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
This is the moment that we were hoping they would
push forward, that they would get to these first ten
days in September with a heartbeat, with a pulse, and
with a shot.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
To do this thing.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
And what they did yesterday not only bringing South Stewart
up and adding that kind of energy to the room,
but the way they won yesterday, you wonder if that
can be some kind of momentum springboard for them to
take it through the rest of the week. And to me,
it was always you know they talk about in baseball,
just stay in slam range, just give yourself a chance.
(17:36):
Right in the ninth inning, if you're within slam range,
you got a chance if you're within range here of
catching the Mets before you get to that series, and
right now it feels like they will be unless they
lose the next two and the Mets win the next
two and they're suddenly down six games.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
But if they come into.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
This series against the Mets down three games or four games,
even five games, you give yourself a real shot against
New York with a couple of your horses going on
the mount against the Mets. And the Mets pitching staff
right now seems to be a bit of a mess.
Their bullpen has been a Mets all season outside of
their closer, but they're hitting, and it's going to be
(18:17):
such a dichotomy of teams, one team that hits like crazy,
one team that pitches like crazy in this huge series
on a weekend in Cincinnati, where all of our tension
is going to be trying to be forced to the
Bengals season opener in Cleveland, but then we have this
massive series here in Cincinnati. But I pushed all summer
(18:37):
long for them to get to these ten days in
September against the first place Blue Jays against the Mets,
and then going on the road to San Diego as
the ten days where we would find out if this
team is going to be a factor in the finals.
Three weeks. They've got one down, they've got eight games left,
nine days and this ten days stretch fun one yesterday,
(19:01):
but they have to follow it up and keep themselves
in range of the Mets before that series.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Before we let you go this afternoon, Joe, I didn't
get to catch up after Thursday night, obviously the Thursday
night game for the Cincinnati Bearcats. What was one of
your biggest takeaways watching what the Bearcats did on the
field and obviously unable to get a win, But did
they show you anything that you're hanging your hat on
going forward with this team?
Speaker 4 (19:27):
Twenty five pass attempts, sixty nine passing.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Yards, but they got those new receivers.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
It's simply not good enough. And the narrative before the
game was and U see do something to stay relevant
in the sports conversation in Cincinnati that's jam packed right now.
It's the start of the NFL season. The Reds are
in a playoff chase FC Cincinnati's near the top high
school football matters here? How can this team day relevant?
(20:01):
Since in a city that has so many options for
people to turn their attention to and talk about. Because
on Saturday, yeah, we'll watch the games. I mean, it's
it's college football Saturday. But right now, you know, you
see has has two weeks where they play teams and
I know Bulling Green, you know Eddie George. They're not
favored by forty points. It's only a twenty one point game.
(20:24):
But but these are going to be games that won't
have the attention of the casual fan until they get
into Big twelve play. But this is if Brendan Soarsby
comes back and he's rated as a top twenty quarterback
and Scott Saderfield is an offensive minded coach, twenty five
pass attempts sixty nine yards.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
It's not good enough.
Speaker 4 (20:48):
It has to be better, and it has to start immediately.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Ohio State also won their football game. But there was
a photo that we was making rounds that looked as
if Ryan Day may have had his nipple pierced. I
don't know if it was photoshopped, if there was an
actual nipple piercing. Is there any type of bet you
could make from a sports standpoint that would push you
to get your nipple pierced? Going forward? Or do you
already have do you already have you?
Speaker 4 (21:13):
No? I did when I was a kid, but not anymore.
It was a bad experience.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
I will tell you that, Tony.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
I have boots on the ground in Columbus and Ryan
Day spoke today and I sent a text to my
friend who works at a TV station in Columbus, and
they said, young man, did anybody ask Ryan Day about
the picture? And his answer was two letters n oh.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
I saw a couple of people say it was one
of those Yeah, it was one of those things where
it's like, hey, coach, if we win the national championship,
you gotta and and maybe he's just a man of
his word.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Now what can we get you to do it?
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Let me hold on, Joe, let me run this by you,
because I received a text in my group chat with
Tony and Mo over the weekend that said, if Ohio
State goes back to back Austin, will you get your
nipple pierced? And I said, I said, I need to
think about that a little bit just for you, Joe,
being my friend and my mentor here, how would you
(22:17):
advise me with an offer like that from Tony and Mo?
Speaker 4 (22:22):
I would say this, I need more details, okay, because
it's one thing to get it pierced, it's another thing
to maintain the piers game day. Is it one thing
where I have to get it done and then we're done,
or is it one thing where I have to get
it done and then I have to continue to wear
the actual I don't know. Is it? Is it a ring?
(22:45):
What do you call that bar that goes?
Speaker 2 (22:46):
I believe it's just called a bar.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
I would be more details on what how well do
you have to wear?
Speaker 5 (22:53):
What do you think that What do you think would
be fair for them to have to do if Ohio
State doesn't win.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
That's it?
Speaker 4 (23:02):
Yeah, it can't be just a one way street here
where you know, you have to do something if that happens.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
So, I don't know, you see makes the college football Playoff,
I'll do it. Yeah, well that's yeah, yeah, okay.
Speaker 5 (23:16):
I think you both should have to get your ears
pierced and wear matching ear rings for a month.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
I would go. I would definitely go dangling.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Didn't you have your ears pierced at one point?
Speaker 2 (23:28):
No, you're thinking of the wrong person. No, no, no,
I had the hair dyed for a while. I went
I went all blog for a while.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
But yeah, I believe I can't remember you having kind
of like a boy band, look.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
A little bit frosted the tips here.
Speaker 4 (23:44):
I figured you had the ear ring, so that that's
my bad Tony.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
What is uh? What's coming up this week on Fox
nineteen that folks should be ready.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
For big week? Is the one nine.
Speaker 4 (23:54):
Okay, you're ready? We have the Reds on Fox nineteen.
Now tonight boom, we have the return season two of
Bengals now live at Newport on the Levee Wednesday night,
six o'clock, Mike Kazicki, Panner Hudson special live guests, and
then Sunday Bengals Browns on Fox nineteen. Now you talk
(24:17):
about a lineup. We go live pregame show at nine am,
then Bengals Programming ten to eleven am, then Fox National
eleven to one, and then Bengals Browns at one o'clock
in the return of Bengals Breakdown eleven thirty Sunday nights
on the one nine. We are loaded, man for a
(24:38):
big week the Bengals in Red on the flagship station.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
You're the man. Thanks, thanks so much, Thank you. Questions
I have, thanks man, Yes, Joe Daneman, Your talkbacks are
next on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports station
About Cincinnati from Cincinnati, sponsored in part by Cinci Shirts.
Cincy Shirts all since E all Day. This is ESPN
fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Good afternoon, welcome back our number two since E three
sixty thanks to Cincy Shirts. Thank you for listening on
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. Let's get right to it.
It's Tuesday. You know what that means. Joe Daniman Fox
nineteen is here. He's ready to go, so let's not
waste any more time.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Joey D.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
What's going on?
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Man?
Speaker 4 (00:36):
Tony? Make sure you asked Auten what I just said
to him right before we came on the air at
your next commercial break.
Speaker 5 (00:44):
My exact response was, oh my god, hold on, we're
back right right, Tody.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yes, listen Friday. That was gonna be the first I know.
We've got Reds, and we've got Bengals, and we've got
college football. Before we even get to it, Fox nineteen
Game of the Week went to Veterans Memorial Stadium. We
don't have to talk about the outcome of the game,
but just your experience in reading Joe.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
So we show up and with the Fox nineteen Game
of the Week that comes with extra pregame attention. So
we have live shots in the news and the five
o'clock at the six o'clock hour, we show up at
five o'clock and the field is completely empty. So I say, okay,
we've got to find something interesting here for TV. So
(01:32):
we found the loyal tailgaters, oh yeah, who were out
there right around the parking lot getting ready for the
Redding Blue Devil football team. Spirit walk through the parking
lot of the stadium, and these folks brought it.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I think they get there about noon, they listen to
Sincy three sixty, they start part taking in pregame activities,
and then by five o'clock they're ready to go.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
The word I would use for the young people there
were was unhinged.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Unhinged.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
The kids were so much fun. And if you have teenagers,
if you're listening to this and you have teenagers, the
kids kept making me do the six seven thing. And
I can't say some of the other things that the
kids wanted me to say yeah, because I didn't.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Know what they meant.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
And if I don't know what they mean, they could
have a connotation that could get me in trouble. So
I stopped. But man, the kids were great.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
We had fat heads, we had kids.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
I had glitter on my arm. It was amazing. The
ding was rocking on Friday.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Congrats down.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Now is this a thing with thoughts that you can
only win it once per year? Are you going to
throw them back on there? Let them dominate another pole?
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Oh boy, there were no rules.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
Oh let's run it back and I will put them
back on the ballot. If if you promised to be
there for the pregame show live shots in the five
and six o'clock out all right now?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
September twelfth, they played Deer Park. That's our guy, Willie
Cunningham squad. Maybe we can make something happen for that.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Here we go. I think we've got a bit if ready.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
If they make it back again this year, I will
be there as part of the pregame festivities.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Stamp sold work go.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
They're back on the balance, le' go.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Let's go. How good does it feel, Joe that we
have felt like waited for an eternity and here we are,
We're back. The regular season in the NFL gets underway
this week. Where do you stand with this Bengals team?
Are there more questions that you still have that need
to be answered between now and Sunday.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
I don't think between now and Sunday. I think the
questions that have will be answered on Sunday. And the
biggest question I have with the team, I'm not sure
can be answered on Sunday because of what we expect
the Browns to be, especially on the offensive side of
the ball. My questions what the Bengals are. Is the
defense going to take just that they have to take
(04:03):
this year for this team not just to get back
in the playoffs, but also be a team that can
win a game or two in the playoffs. And I'm
not sure we're going to know that until they faced
the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week two, who do have some
skill positioned players and do have a quarterback with some
talent who can effectively move the ball against the Bengals
(04:24):
if they're playing well. So that's my biggest question. I'm
not sure it's going to be answered on Sunday. But
I will say this, the idea that the Bengals have
a Browns problem, and I know it was discussed a
little bit in the first hour, this is kind of
a misnomer. Now in Cincinnati. I think the thing is
taken on a life of its own. The Bengals are
(04:46):
four and one in the last five games against the
Cleveland Browns and winning by an average of nearly two touchdowns.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
And yeah, that's.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
Skewed a little bit by Cleveland coming here to Cincinnati
in Week eighteen a couple of years ago, and I
said we punting on the game because they were going
to the playoffs and didn't want to play their starters.
But in the last couple of years, outside of the
rainy opening day in Cleveland when Joe Burrow of the
offense were a mess, the Bengals have kind of figured
(05:13):
this game out against the Cleveland Browns, and I'm confident
the Bengals are going to win the game. I think
it might be a little ugly, it might be a
little clunky because of how the Browns can kind of
drag you in the mud and make you play their
game a little bit. But if stars matter, the Bengals
have more star players, and I would argue four of
(05:34):
the five best players in this game. Certainly we could
argue whether it's Denzel Ward or Trey Hendrickson's in that
top five, but there's no doubt that three of the
top four played for Cincinnati. So if stars matter, guys,
the Bengals have more stars and the stars need to
earn it on Sunday in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
That's why I was a little curious when I looked
at the lines and see that it's just a four
and a half point spread. I get it's on the road,
but this Cleveland team is projected to be the worst
or one of the worst teams in football. To put
it into perspective, you got the Ravens and the Bills
on Sunday Night Football. That's a one and a half
point favorite, so only three points separate that spread and
(06:12):
the Browns and the Bengals. I'm with you. The better
players are on the Cincinnati Bengals, and I know they've
had a problem starting slow. But I look at that
and then I see different publications, Good Morning Football. Everyone
on their panel. No one picked the Bengals to make
the playoffs this year. Where are you setting your expectations
going into Sunday for this season for the Bengals.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
My expectations this year are I think what they were
last year. And I'll say it again, I guaranteed it
last year and I had to put my foot in
my mouth because I said of Joe Burrow played seventeen games,
I guarantee the teams makes the playoffs. Now, it took
what felt like a generational run of bad luck and
(06:55):
bad break for this team not to make the playoffs.
You know, and listen to. The defense was what the
defense was, but also bad breaks including Evan McPherson not
performing like we expected him to perform and that was
a difference maker in multiple games. But this to me,
and if you dive into the deep analytical stats of
(07:17):
the NFL, when Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase and T Higgins
are on the field together, you have the big three
on the field together. It is the best and most
efficient offense in the NFL. Period. You can pick the Eagles,
you can pick the Bills, you can pick the Ravens,
you can pick the Lions. Find the numbers you'll see
when the Bengals have those three on the field healthy,
(07:39):
they are the best offense in the NFL. Now to
your question about why is the Lions so low only
four and a half, well, I think that's partly because
of what Cleveland's identity, what they want to be their strengths.
Right as an organizations, they get after the quarterback and
they can play a physical style of offense. Those seem
(08:01):
to be the two areas of the matchup that can
hit the Bengals at their weakest points. Right, Can they
protect Joe Burrow And can this run defense? Even if
they weren't showing anything in the preseason, they weren't winning
at the point of attack on defense against the run games.
So if that's Cleveland's game plan is they're gonna get
after Joe and they're gonna play ball control offense and
(08:22):
keep the ball away from Joe Burrow and then have
Joe Flaco pop a big player two either Jerry Judy
or his tight end. That's the formula for them to win.
And that hits the Bengals that probably their two weakest points.
And I think that's why the line is where it is.
But if the Bengals are going to invest the kind
of money they've invested in the Big Three and Trey Hendrickson,
(08:44):
if you add it all up, it's half billion dollars.
This is what these guys are paid to do, is
to overcome that kind of matchup and win a game
when they are the better team. They're the better team,
getting off to a one to zero start will propel
this towards getting back to the playoffs. And I'll say
it again, Joe Burrow plays every game this year. I
(09:06):
would be absolutely floored that this team doesn't make the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
They were so good offensively last year. Burrow did play
every game. Burrow had career numbers. Jamar Chase won the
Triple Crown. Is there still an avenue in your opinion
that this offense can be better than what it was
last year? Because I can see that as maybe a
conversation point for people to say, they were so good
offensively last year, how can they be that good again?
(09:31):
And if they regress at all offensively, as the defense
good enough, I can see that as an argument. Do
you see a path where this offense can even be
even more explosive, can be even more efficient than what
they were last year?
Speaker 4 (09:43):
I do. And the number all go to is five
five games that Tee Higgins didn't play in last year.
If he Higgins plays in seventeen games this year, that
the offense is going to be better and more efficient
this coming year. Now, that might not lead itself into
raw numbers. The forty three touchdown passes for Joe Burrow
(10:06):
or approaching five thousand yards or Jamar Chase winning a
triple crown. I don't think it the necessarily have to
beat the wraw numbers. I don't think the Bengals want
to beat the wrong numbers because that means they're playing
from behind and they're playing close games in the fourth
quarter near the end of the game, where those stats
continue to be accumulated. They would like some of those
(10:27):
numbers to go down. They would like Chase Brown to
take on more and for him to be leaned on
in the fourth quarter for this team to close games out.
But I think if you're looking just at what an
offense can be and what's the next level to this offense,
I think you're gonna look at Joe Burrow. The number
one stat he's going to point to this year is
his completion percentage, his efficiency, And I think that's what's
(10:49):
going to happen if this team gets a fully healthy
season from all three of their big three. So yeah,
if you're gonna ask me right now, are you gonna
bet the over under of and Jamar Chase beating the
raw numbers for last year, I'm going to bet the
under just because of the idea that before game one,
you can't predict that t Higgins is going to miss games.
(11:13):
I know he's missed five each of the last two seasons,
but you can't make that prediction. And also you would
think the numbers would go down if this team is
playing better complementary team football and winning more games. So yeah,
I think they can be better offensively this year, but
I think it would be more in some of the
hidden analytical numbers of them being more efficient, even though
(11:34):
last year they were the most efficient team in the
NFL when they had those Big three on the field.
Speaker 5 (11:39):
How confident do you think the Bengals are in this
revamped running game that really builds specific parts of the
offense around Chase Brown.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
I think they're confident.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
They should be confident, and I think it starts with
the idea that Chase Brown is confident in his role.
And you think back to last year and what this
team was that they weren't ready to give Chase Brown
the keys of the car at the start of the season.
It took several weeks before they saw him on the
field in that role as the lead guy, the number
(12:16):
one guy, before they the light bulb kind of went
off and said, Okay, this is our guy going forward.
And as the season progressed, there was a thought of, Okay,
they're going to have to ease up on Chase Brown's
touches because he was getting twenty five, twenty seven, twenty nine,
over thirty touches in some of these games in the
(12:36):
second half of last season, and Zach Burrow would say
midweek almost every week that he wanted to get some
of the touches away from Chase Brown. And then you
get in the game and you can't take him off
the field. So with two new offensive linemen, and we
still don't know who one of those offensive linemen will be,
I think we have a guess on who it would be,
at least for Week one. I think when you bring
(12:59):
in two offensive lineman, the idea that this team right
now can lean a little bit on Chase Brown to
take some of the pressure off of this team having
to protect Joe Burrow because that's the microscope of the offense.
It always will be with Joe Burrow as the quarterback
is can this offensive line protect him? But I think
I think they're ready to turn this over full time
(13:22):
to Chase Brown. Unleash him a bit, not only in
the run game, but in the short passing game and
give him chances to make big plays. Because that goes
back to what Tony just asked before about how can
this offense be better in twenty twenty five Chase Brown.
If you give the guy twenty twenty five touches, at
(13:43):
least two or three of those are going to be
plays that he's going to have an opportunity to spring
for a big game. So that, to me, it should
be where the confidence comes from is the fact that
they've found their guys. They're comfortable with their guy back there,
and now they can design their scheme around him. Listen,
it's a it's a new offensive mind coach. It's not
(14:04):
just a new defensive coordinator and the new offensive line
coach comes to new philosophy and what this run game
is going to look like this year. I'm excited to
see it.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
I think he's he's.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
Poised to have a huge year him being Chase Brown.
If they get again, if they get seventeen games out
of him, he's going to vault himself into the one
of the top eight to ten running backs. I think
when you look at the numbers this coming season. So
to me, that's the most exciting question to answer starting
Sunday is what does this run game look like now
(14:34):
with Chase Brown as everybody knowing he is the guy.
In twenty twenty five.
Speaker 5 (14:39):
As you were talking, the Bengals released their depth chart
and it features Lucas Patrick as the starting right guard,
Dalton Reisner behind him. What's your immediate reaction to that
and do you think we see both of them on Sunday.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
That's a good question. My immediate reaction would be not
surprised because of what I saw Monday at practice. That's
the way they were lining up, That's the way they were.
They were game not they weren't really in game plan,
but they were walking through on on Monday. With Lucas Patrick,
I mean's he's he's been in the building for a week.
Uh So, even though he's a veteran guy, and Zach
(15:16):
Taylor says he understands the playbook and the concepts quickly,
it's going to take time for him to feel like
he's ready to be a starter. Yeah, I mean, is
there a chance he comes in? Sure? If Lucas Patrick
performs like he did in the preseason at some point
you turn to the bench and say, get me somebody better.
(15:39):
And and Dalton Reisner was brought in for a reason.
I fully anticipate Dalton Reisner will will be a starter
sooner rather than later. So if if he's if he's in,
he being Lucas Patrick is struggling in Week one, in
the first half against Cleveland, and it's a dead anchor
(15:59):
on what the up intive line is trying to accomplish.
Haven't ready, haven't ready to go put him in, see
what he's got. But I do think it won't take
long for Dalton Reisner to overtake that spot. I think
that's what they want, and they want that to happen
as quick as possible.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
DJ Turner for that first official depth chart listed as
corner number two, Joseph Osai listed as a starter over
Shamar Stewart and Charlie Jones and Mitchell Tinsley listed as
the first two backup wide receivers. For what It's worth,
for the first official depth chart for the Cincinnati Bengals
this upcoming season, I would be remiss Joe not to
switch and ask you a little bit this Reds team.
(16:36):
As we now turn the page to September. I feel
like we had the same conversation at the start of August.
Can the Reds maintain? Can the Reds stay in the hunt?
They have found a way when at times it feels
like it was going to fall apart. In yesterday in
the ninth inning, it certainly felt like that. But as
you go into September, two big ones against Toronto, then
you get the Mets in your building, your four games back,
(16:56):
how much of a pulse are you giving the Red
still you get into September.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Well, this is it.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
This is the moment that we were hoping they would
push forward, that they would get to these first ten
days in September with a heartbeat, with a pulse, and
with a shot.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
To do this thing.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
And what they did yesterday not only bringing South Stewart
up and adding that kind of energy to the room,
but the way they won yesterday, you wonder if that
can be some kind of momentum springboard for them to
take it through the rest of the week. And to me,
it was always you know they talk about in baseball,
just stay in slam range, just give yourself a chance.
(17:36):
Right in the ninth inning, if you're within slam range,
you got a chance if you're within range here of
catching the Mets before you get to that series, and
right now it feels like they will be unless they
lose the next two and the Mets win the next
two and they're suddenly down six games.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
But if they come into.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
This series against the Mets down three games or four games,
even five games, you give yourself a real shot against
New York with a couple of your horses going on
the mount against the Mets. And the Mets pitching staff
right now seems to be a bit of a mess.
Their bullpen has been a Mets all season outside of
their closer, but they're hitting, and it's going to be
(18:17):
such a dichotomy of teams, one team that hits like crazy,
one team that pitches like crazy in this huge series
on a weekend in Cincinnati, where all of our tension
is going to be trying to be forced to the
Bengals season opener in Cleveland, but then we have this
massive series here in Cincinnati. But I pushed all summer
(18:37):
long for them to get to these ten days in
September against the first place Blue Jays against the Mets,
and then going on the road to San Diego as
the ten days where we would find out if this
team is going to be a factor in the finals.
Three weeks. They've got one down, they've got eight games left,
nine days and this ten days stretch fun one yesterday,
(19:01):
but they have to follow it up and keep themselves
in range of the Mets before that series.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Before we let you go this afternoon, Joe, I didn't
get to catch up after Thursday night, obviously the Thursday
night game for the Cincinnati Bearcats. What was one of
your biggest takeaways watching what the Bearcats did on the
field and obviously unable to get a win, But did
they show you anything that you're hanging your hat on
going forward with this team?
Speaker 4 (19:27):
Twenty five pass attempts, sixty nine passing.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Yards, but they got those new receivers.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
It's simply not good enough. And the narrative before the
game was and U see do something to stay relevant
in the sports conversation in Cincinnati that's jam packed right now.
It's the start of the NFL season. The Reds are
in a playoff chase FC Cincinnati's near the top high
school football matters here? How can this team day relevant?
(20:01):
Since in a city that has so many options for
people to turn their attention to and talk about. Because
on Saturday, yeah, we'll watch the games. I mean, it's
it's college football Saturday. But right now, you know, you
see has has two weeks where they play teams and
I know Bulling Green, you know Eddie George. They're not
favored by forty points. It's only a twenty one point game.
(20:24):
But but these are going to be games that won't
have the attention of the casual fan until they get
into Big twelve play. But this is if Brendan Soarsby
comes back and he's rated as a top twenty quarterback
and Scott Saderfield is an offensive minded coach, twenty five
pass attempts sixty nine yards.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
It's not good enough.
Speaker 4 (20:48):
It has to be better, and it has to start immediately.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Ohio State also won their football game. But there was
a photo that we was making rounds that looked as
if Ryan Day may have had his nipple pierced. I
don't know if it was photoshopped, if there was an
actual nipple piercing. Is there any type of bet you
could make from a sports standpoint that would push you
to get your nipple pierced? Going forward? Or do you
already have do you already have you?
Speaker 4 (21:13):
No? I did when I was a kid, but not anymore.
It was a bad experience.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
I will tell you that, Tony.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
I have boots on the ground in Columbus and Ryan
Day spoke today and I sent a text to my
friend who works at a TV station in Columbus, and
they said, young man, did anybody ask Ryan Day about
the picture? And his answer was two letters n oh.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
I saw a couple of people say it was one
of those Yeah, it was one of those things where
it's like, hey, coach, if we win the national championship,
you gotta and and maybe he's just a man of
his word.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Now what can we get you to do it?
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Let me hold on, Joe, let me run this by you,
because I received a text in my group chat with
Tony and Mo over the weekend that said, if Ohio
State goes back to back Austin, will you get your
nipple pierced? And I said, I said, I need to
think about that a little bit just for you, Joe,
being my friend and my mentor here, how would you
(22:17):
advise me with an offer like that from Tony and Mo?
Speaker 4 (22:22):
I would say this, I need more details, okay, because
it's one thing to get it pierced, it's another thing
to maintain the piers game day. Is it one thing
where I have to get it done and then we're done,
or is it one thing where I have to get
it done and then I have to continue to wear
the actual I don't know. Is it? Is it a ring?
(22:45):
What do you call that bar that goes?
Speaker 2 (22:46):
I believe it's just called a bar.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
I would be more details on what how well do
you have to wear?
Speaker 5 (22:53):
What do you think that What do you think would
be fair for them to have to do if Ohio
State doesn't win.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
That's it?
Speaker 4 (23:02):
Yeah, it can't be just a one way street here
where you know, you have to do something if that happens.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
So, I don't know, you see makes the college football Playoff,
I'll do it. Yeah, well that's yeah, yeah, okay.
Speaker 5 (23:16):
I think you both should have to get your ears
pierced and wear matching ear rings for a month.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
I would go. I would definitely go dangling.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
Didn't you have your ears pierced at one point?
Speaker 2 (23:28):
No, you're thinking of the wrong person. No, no, no,
I had the hair dyed for a while. I went
I went all blog for a while.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
But yeah, I believe I can't remember you having kind
of like a boy band, look.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
A little bit frosted the tips here.
Speaker 4 (23:44):
I figured you had the ear ring, so that that's
my bad Tony.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
What is uh? What's coming up this week on Fox
nineteen that folks should be ready.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
For big week? Is the one nine.
Speaker 4 (23:54):
Okay, you're ready? We have the Reds on Fox nineteen.
Now tonight boom, we have the return season two of
Bengals now live at Newport on the Levee Wednesday night,
six o'clock, Mike Kazicki, Panner Hudson special live guests, and
then Sunday Bengals Browns on Fox nineteen. Now you talk
(24:17):
about a lineup. We go live pregame show at nine am,
then Bengals Programming ten to eleven am, then Fox National
eleven to one, and then Bengals Browns at one o'clock
in the return of Bengals Breakdown eleven thirty Sunday nights
on the one nine. We are loaded, man for a
(24:38):
big week the Bengals in Red on the flagship station.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
You're the man. Thanks, thanks so much, Thank you. Questions
I have, thanks man, Yes, Joe Daneman, Your talkbacks are
next on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports station
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