October 22, 2024 • 18 mins
Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic and The Growler Podcast joined us to discuss the Cincinnati Bengals after their win over the Browns.
Podcasts of The Mo Egger Radio Show are a service of Longnecks Sports Grill.
Listen to the show live weekday afternoons 3:00 - 6:00 on ESPN1530.
Listen Live: ESPN1530.com/listen
Get more: https://linktr.ee/MoEgger
Follow on X: @MoEgger
Instagram too: @MoEgger
Podcasts of The Mo Egger Radio Show are a service of Longnecks Sports Grill.
Listen to the show live weekday afternoons 3:00 - 6:00 on ESPN1530.
Listen Live: ESPN1530.com/listen
Get more: https://linktr.ee/MoEgger
Follow on X: @MoEgger
Instagram too: @MoEgger
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
And feathers Joe Burrow.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Whether it's third touchdown pass.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
The jungle will be a rock and it's Joe Burrow
at its Bengals take on Jalen Hurts Sunday, eating touchdown
thang Go. Burrow and his boys continue their winning ways.
The Orange and Black defense ground Phillies burd heck Go
get the goal live from Dean Hoard and Dave lapat.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Is Copper Nail.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I am Bam Bam coverage John Sunday morning at nine
on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Bengals.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
What's up, Good afternoon, my Leger esd N fifteen thirty.
It's five minutes after Lee and Locke. I am a
thrill that you are here. We are in Middletown at
Buffalo Wild Wings and it is gorgeous out we are inside.
We've got a lot going on here at Buffalo Wild Wings. Uh.
We've got buy one, get one half all traditional Wings.
(00:55):
We've got bud Light specials. We've got the six for
nineteen ninety nine deal. We've got tickets to the game
on Side Day Bengals v. Eagles. We're giving them away.
We've got other bud Light swag. We've got the Bengals
golf hooty thanks to bud Light. You want to win
the tickets? And every week when we give away tickets, well,
how do I win the tickets? What do I need
to do to win the tickets? I want to win
the tickets. Awesome, You can't win them if you're not here.
(01:17):
Once you're here, once you sign up, there are no guarantees.
This is an above board contest. We're not taking brides,
but you cannot win if you're not here, and so
get here, sign up, have a cold bud light. I
will warn you when I said this to Austin Elmore,
if you are joining us from maybe south of town,
and you're driving up by seventy five, it's a big
revenue enhancement day, I guess here in the state of Ohio.
(01:39):
So keep your speed to a minimum, so to speak.
We are here until six o'clock. We are just moments
away or minutes away from seventy five, and the folks
here have been very, very hospitable. We have a lot
to get to today. Typically when we go to Buffalo
Wild Wings on Tuesdays, typically, no matter where we are
in Tuesdays, whether it's in studio or at beat Ups
were joined in person by our friend Paul Danner Jr.
(02:02):
Who covers the Bengals for the Athletic dot Com. He
is the host of the Growler podcast, the latest of
which Balds Don't Lie, dropped a short while ago. Go
get that, as we say, where you get your podcasts.
He couldn't be with us in person, but he is
kind enough to still join us over the telephone. And
he's with us now, Hi, Paul, what's up? Well?
Speaker 3 (02:22):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
I'm at Buffalo Wild Wings. That couldn't be any better?
How about yourself?
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Yeah, I mean can't be much better.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
I'm sad that I'm not here hanging out with you.
Faith to faith, But I'll do my best to make
it still feel like I am. I'll do everything I
can to maybe that maybe my takes can be as
hot as the wings.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Oh, very good, very good. Well let me ask you this.
To start through five games, some said Bengals might be
the best one in four team ever? Right now? Are
they the worst three and four team ever?
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Has an unbelievable away playing in a way that doesn't
go with the result, right, Like, they play.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Great and lose and.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
They seem to play bad and win, So it makes
it very hard to uh to make conclusions, to draw
conclusions properly.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
To that that said, I mean, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
I think that they've sort of been a team that
they went and played What are they? What are we
talking about Carolina? Right we're talking about the Browns.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
We're talking about Daniel Jones. Is anybody inspired? Is anybody
like really feeling great?
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Because those are your three wins right now. This team
is has a lot of potential, and they've shown a
lot of things that have been good in a lot
of places, but right now, like they're a team that
has those three wins.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
And that's why I love this game Sunday.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
This is a great opportunity to go out and really
beat a good team, a team that is at a
very similar They're kind of the NFC Bengals, They're very
similar to the Bengals in a lot of ways, and
go beat a team that is another quality team to
really get the belief going and go beat a good.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Team at home, get your season rolling the right way.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
I think it's a true we always talk about with
measuring stick games, barometers, any number of devices that you
could use to measure things. I feel like this is
one of those you can really kind of get a
feel for maybe what direction this season is about to
go for this team.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
So at the top of everybody's mind are the offensive issues,
and we're going to discuss them. But they were I
don't want to say a garbage time touchdown, but they
were a late touchdown away from having back to back
games where they held the opposing team to fewer than
ten points. And you could say, well, it's the Giants
and it's the Cleveland Browns. Relative to what we saw
(04:51):
the defensively from the Bengals prior to those two games,
I think that's pretty significant. Has the defense gotten significantly
better or they just taken advantage of opponents were awful.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Well, I think there's a couple of different things here.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
For one, let's let's talk about what the output they've
allowed has been this year.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Now. They had that two.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
To three week stretch after Kansas City where they were
without DJ Hill and Shayla Sheldon Rankins, and they have
still had Jackson and Murphy. We documented that pretty well,
But think about it. I mean, they if you take
the games against the Commanders and the Ravens, which we've
clearly seen can score.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
On just about anybody out there.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Both of those played with some depleted defensive line groups.
You've got a team that's given up sixteen, twenty six,
twenty four, seven.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
And fourteen.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
I think that's probably the level that you would have
thought them being at right before.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
The season started. That you just said, that sounds about right.
That's like the kind of group that they probably have.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Now, how do they they need to be better and
make a few more plays against those high end groups.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
We'll see if that can be the case.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
Again, another great reason like the Sequels game that has
the receivers.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
In the running game that they do.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
But I just I feel like this is a better
representation if they can make bad offenses look bad, and
I think really good offenses might be able to make
them look bad.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
So that what a middle of the road defense kind
of looks like.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
And they need their young guys to get better and
take in as send for them.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
To be anything other than an Oka defense.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
We knew that.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Before the season started, didn't We have?
Speaker 4 (06:29):
This season was gonna be about how many of those
young players they have on that defense can go from
being young prospects to productive pros. We still are kind
of figuring that out. They're getting their opportunities, but so
I think they're probably about where we thought they would be.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
They just they caught a couple of buzz saws without.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
Any any of the tools that they needed against Washington
and Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
If I would have told you when they were carting
Geno stoneof wearing an air cast that he would be
labeled day to day less than twenty four hours later,
you would.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Say, what, Yeah, you don't usually see air cast?
Speaker 3 (07:08):
I don't.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
I don't think I've ever seen in my entire time
covered league someone go off on a cart with an
air cast and then they walk past me.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
A half hour later, I was walking into the locker room.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
You know, Stone just he wasn't going fast, but he
was just walking, nothing special on his leg, just walked
right past me, And thought, is that the same guy?
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Is there? Like a thund double situation? What is going
on here?
Speaker 4 (07:35):
And so, yeah, I mean, that's incredible that we're even
having even entertaining the idea of him potentially playing against
the Eagles this weekend is pretty pretty shocking.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Yeah, pretty remarkable, and uh and good for him and uh,
and good for the team. I jumped into the podcast
late today. I admittedly haven't had a chance to listen yet,
but I do want to touch on something that that
you and Jay Morrison were discussing when I jumped in,
which was what's happening at tackle right now? Because Orlando
Brown came out of the game, we had a chance
(08:09):
to watch Cody Ford and I caught the tail end
of the conversation. And and when you guys were I
couldn't wait for the subject to change because you were
scaring me. How worried should I be about what the
Bengals are at tackle? Uh? And I guess how worried
should I be about Orlando Brown's health? Uh?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
You know I've heard anybody it's been a Bengals fan
for any amount of time that calf injuries they just
come and go and you never hear about them again.
You know, no worries, they don't linger, they don't kill
the first month.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Of a season or anything like that.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
I don't initially go right to to calf injury and
start thinking about how you can't rush that thing back
too faster.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
It can end up learing all year. And Orlando it
has just been such a huge part and a.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
Really underrated part of what has been going well for
them offensively this year.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Because he's been so soiled they're on that left side.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
They haven't had to give tons of attention with chips
and all the other stuff that.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
That you will need to with quote Cody Ford play.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
I think that okay. I I don't think that it's
gonna be debilitating for them.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
As long as Cody Ford and a Marius Men stay healthy.
You know.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
The the problem is there is a big drop obviously.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
From Orlando drawing to Cody Ford.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
But the one you're gonna see behind Cody Ford is uh,
you know, if it's off a bridge into the Ohio River.
I mean it's you're you're talking about the guy they
plucked off the Falcons practice squads, Andrew Suber.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
You're talking. I guess we've glad.
Speaker 4 (09:39):
We've got a Coker now here, uh from I mean
they just signing their practice squad and that guy Devin Cochrane,
who you probably enjoyed during such things as preseason Game
number three.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
H It's it is, it is not.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
It's hard to believe the way they've been depleted at
that position and if seven guys on their injured reserve
list right now and three of them are tackles, so
and and they have their top guys, and you love
the starting five right now. But something that we applauded
them for and felt like had been one of the
stories of the preseason was man that death really came
(10:18):
along on the offensive line.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
You feel good about that.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
You like Jackson Kirkland, You like the idea of having
Trent Brown in the wings. Of course, you love what
you saw from Mims and yeah, Matt Lee, guys.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
Turned out to be something pretty good. You could move
on from.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
Jackson Carmen and Trey Hill doesn't need to make the team.
He's really turning the page that whole death thing. And
now here you are like, I don't know who's stupor
you just you end up you end up in this
spot where.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
You're it's just it's really.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Unclear what would happen and how bad it would look
if you, uh, if you have an injury that happens
to Mems or Board right now, or or you know,
who knows something that would maybe happened to Orlando as
he tries to work his way back or maybe come
back too early.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
So that's a concerning thing, is what.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Would happen if you saw anything happen to your you know,
your top two or I guess so the third one
in now with Cody.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Paul Danner Junior from The Athletic and the Growler podcast
for a few minutes with us I'm at Buffalo Wild
Wings in Middletown. When you're wondering about the disappearance or
maybe the re emergence of the third receiving target, that's
a first world problem. I'll kind of lump the other
(11:34):
guys at Wide Receiver into the mix of tight ends.
A few weeks ago we were talking about how boy,
you're really seeing the depth of this offense and the
wealth of options and they've got a thousand tight ends.
That feels like it's dried up. Now, you know again,
Jamar Chason T. Higgins have been productive. You're always going
to look for those guys to make plays first. And
(11:55):
yet there is a as you put in your piece
of clunkiness to this offense. And as long as that
is the case, you're looking for other options. You're looking
for other guys to step up and do things. I
take a lot of us hope early in the season
that there would be players capable of doing that, and
yet in recent weeks that really hasn't been the case.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Why well, I think that part of it has been
they have featured those guys the key in Jamar because
they've seen a little bit more man to man, and
the moment that happens, we know what they're looking to do.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
I mean, they're looking to find those guys win in
one on one. That's what they have. For the most part,
that hasn't been terrible.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
I don't know why, but because I thought that early
when things were really going, one of the things that
we were applauding so much was, gosh, the usage of
all the tight ends and you can't just.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Double Jamar and team now. And that's what it.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Is because teams knew that they could come in and
they always could just go double double and take those
guys off the board. For you, you got to be
able to beat them other ways, and it felt like
they were doing that in the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I don't know whether it's circumstance.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
I don't know if it's if it's scheme, I don't know,
if it's the defensive line winning too fast.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
And so you're not getting to those other parts.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
But it just doesn't feel like there has been a
desire to get the other pieces involved. And that makes
me sound stupid, like because that means you're just not
throwing the tea in Jamar as much, and that's pretty idiotic.
But I mean it's still a point that I just
think they're just so much better and there's so.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Much more dynamic when they are.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Getting some explosive plays and finding ways to get those
other guys involved to keep the defense thinking about that
and not just.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Being ce Jamar Fike.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
And if that's working all day and you're racking up
tons of points and it looks like the Washington game
or the Carolina game or whatever, they keep doing it,
but those games look different.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Those games had a different feeling.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
And they need to get more explosion happening in the
running game consistently and not go a half where nothing pops.
And so I think that they've got to figure out
ways to get that stuff going, to get their rhythm
going and not be so reliant on Key and on
Jamar to be the reasons that the offense gets that
early rhythm that they seem unable to get glass stew leaks.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Evan McPherson's first two NFL seasons, he was money, which is,
you know, he's got a nickname, money Mack. First two years,
he missed two field goals from beyond fifty yards. That
includes playoffs where he was perfect. The last two seasons
ten of seventeen, you know, one of them obviously mitigating
circumstances with the bad hold by Ryan Rico. And I
(14:37):
think we are all still very happy that Evin McPherson
is the kicker, but there's a part of me that
feels like they're you know, when they drafted him and
early in his run here we talked about how his
presence gives them a weapon, but it can impact your
play calling, both from the standpoint of maybe being a
little bit less aggressive and sometimes maybe being a little
bit more aggressive. But you have that as a weapon.
(14:59):
This guy, I can bang home kicks from fifty to
fifty nine and maybe even further. And that was the
case the first two years and hasn't quite been the
case the last two. Are they leaning on him a
little bit too heavily to make kicks that I think
over his first two seasons we kind of took for granted,
(15:22):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Think so kicking can.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
I mean, kicking can be consistent and unstable at times.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
And you know, I was more impressed last year that
Evan never meant to kick any kit inside of fifty.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
I think you you go outside of fifty, and I
think that you account him to make those for sure,
And I don't think that that should necessarily change.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
You work through stuff, but you just want.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
To know and feel that your golden when you do
get inside of that.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
And so when you see a mysth happen there some
of the stuffing's happened over fifty.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
I think the combination of that being a little different
raises an eyebrow.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
This year, I.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
Still think he has a he's so good in the
clutch and has been. I still think that you counting me,
he's hit some big kicks this year.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
I just think that that can be a little circumstance
show on.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
I'm gonna need to see probably more evidence before I
start saying that relying on him too much, or.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
They should start changing their strategy or be a little
more nervous.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
I mean, you're inherently going to be a touch more
nervous because he's seen some failure recently, but I still
feel pretty confident that Evan to be the type of
guy that can straightened out and have the kind of
runs that that we've seen him have the majority of
his career.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Here all right, I wish you were here, but nonetheless
awesome to have you on the phone. And we'll talk
next week.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Yeah, sounds great. Appreciate it, man, you got it.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Paul Danner Jingier covering the Bengals. Forth Athletic dot Com
catches podcast The Growler Podcast, the latest edition today. Hear
that or balls Don't Everything? Okay, there're Mike, you're watching
Woody Woodpecker. I think balls Don't Lie part of the
(17:11):
Growler podcast. That's the one that I'm on. I just
I'm making sure everything's all right. It's twenty two minutes
after three o'clock at Buffalo Wild Wings in Middletown. We
are here until six. Jim Kelly, color analyst for UC football,
is going to join us a little bit after four o'clock.
You see getting set to play Colorado on Saturday evening,
(17:33):
a match up against Shador Sanders, Travis Hunter. And it's
interesting a team that is not being talked about nearly
as much but has actually improved and I think obviously
provides the Bearcats with a very tough opponent on Saturday.
Plus it's Tuesday, so we talk with our guy, Sean
Sayed the Stats and Schemes podcast sumer sports dot Com
(17:54):
breaks down the tape. He'll talk Bengals Browns and Bengals
Eagles with US coming up in two hours five twenty
two hours from right now. Our phone numbers are five one, three,
seven four nine, fifteen thirty and eight sixty six, seven
oh two, three, seven seven six. We are here till
six o'clock at Buffalo Wild Wings in Middletown on ESPN
fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station
And feathers Joe Burrow.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Whether it's third touchdown pass.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
The jungle will be a rock and it's Joe Burrow
at its Bengals take on Jalen Hurts Sunday, eating touchdown
thang Go. Burrow and his boys continue their winning ways.
The Orange and Black defense ground Phillies burd heck Go
get the goal live from Dean Hoard and Dave lapat.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Is Copper Nail.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I am Bam Bam coverage John Sunday morning at nine
on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Bengals.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
What's up, Good afternoon, my Leger esd N fifteen thirty.
It's five minutes after Lee and Locke. I am a
thrill that you are here. We are in Middletown at
Buffalo Wild Wings and it is gorgeous out we are inside.
We've got a lot going on here at Buffalo Wild Wings. Uh.
We've got buy one, get one half all traditional Wings.
(00:55):
We've got bud Light specials. We've got the six for
nineteen ninety nine deal. We've got tickets to the game
on Side Day Bengals v. Eagles. We're giving them away.
We've got other bud Light swag. We've got the Bengals
golf hooty thanks to bud Light. You want to win
the tickets? And every week when we give away tickets, well,
how do I win the tickets? What do I need
to do to win the tickets? I want to win
the tickets. Awesome, You can't win them if you're not here.
(01:17):
Once you're here, once you sign up, there are no guarantees.
This is an above board contest. We're not taking brides,
but you cannot win if you're not here, and so
get here, sign up, have a cold bud light. I
will warn you when I said this to Austin Elmore,
if you are joining us from maybe south of town,
and you're driving up by seventy five, it's a big
revenue enhancement day, I guess here in the state of Ohio.
(01:39):
So keep your speed to a minimum, so to speak.
We are here until six o'clock. We are just moments
away or minutes away from seventy five, and the folks
here have been very, very hospitable. We have a lot
to get to today. Typically when we go to Buffalo
Wild Wings on Tuesdays, typically, no matter where we are
in Tuesdays, whether it's in studio or at beat Ups
were joined in person by our friend Paul Danner Jr.
(02:02):
Who covers the Bengals for the Athletic dot Com. He
is the host of the Growler podcast, the latest of
which Balds Don't Lie, dropped a short while ago. Go
get that, as we say, where you get your podcasts.
He couldn't be with us in person, but he is
kind enough to still join us over the telephone. And
he's with us now, Hi, Paul, what's up? Well?
Speaker 3 (02:22):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
I'm at Buffalo Wild Wings. That couldn't be any better?
How about yourself?
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Yeah, I mean can't be much better.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
I'm sad that I'm not here hanging out with you.
Faith to faith, But I'll do my best to make
it still feel like I am. I'll do everything I
can to maybe that maybe my takes can be as
hot as the wings.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Oh, very good, very good. Well let me ask you this.
To start through five games, some said Bengals might be
the best one in four team ever? Right now? Are
they the worst three and four team ever?
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Has an unbelievable away playing in a way that doesn't
go with the result, right, Like, they play.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Great and lose and.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
They seem to play bad and win, So it makes
it very hard to uh to make conclusions, to draw
conclusions properly.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
To that that said, I mean, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
I think that they've sort of been a team that
they went and played What are they? What are we
talking about Carolina? Right we're talking about the Browns.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
We're talking about Daniel Jones. Is anybody inspired? Is anybody
like really feeling great?
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Because those are your three wins right now. This team
is has a lot of potential, and they've shown a
lot of things that have been good in a lot
of places, but right now, like they're a team that
has those three wins.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
And that's why I love this game Sunday.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
This is a great opportunity to go out and really
beat a good team, a team that is at a
very similar They're kind of the NFC Bengals, They're very
similar to the Bengals in a lot of ways, and
go beat a team that is another quality team to
really get the belief going and go beat a good.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Team at home, get your season rolling the right way.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
I think it's a true we always talk about with
measuring stick games, barometers, any number of devices that you
could use to measure things. I feel like this is
one of those you can really kind of get a
feel for maybe what direction this season is about to
go for this team.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
So at the top of everybody's mind are the offensive issues,
and we're going to discuss them. But they were I
don't want to say a garbage time touchdown, but they
were a late touchdown away from having back to back
games where they held the opposing team to fewer than
ten points. And you could say, well, it's the Giants
and it's the Cleveland Browns. Relative to what we saw
(04:51):
the defensively from the Bengals prior to those two games,
I think that's pretty significant. Has the defense gotten significantly
better or they just taken advantage of opponents were awful.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Well, I think there's a couple of different things here.
Speaker 4 (05:06):
For one, let's let's talk about what the output they've
allowed has been this year.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Now. They had that two.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
To three week stretch after Kansas City where they were
without DJ Hill and Shayla Sheldon Rankins, and they have
still had Jackson and Murphy. We documented that pretty well,
But think about it. I mean, they if you take
the games against the Commanders and the Ravens, which we've
clearly seen can score.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
On just about anybody out there.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
Both of those played with some depleted defensive line groups.
You've got a team that's given up sixteen, twenty six,
twenty four, seven.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
And fourteen.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
I think that's probably the level that you would have
thought them being at right before.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
The season started. That you just said, that sounds about right.
That's like the kind of group that they probably have.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Now, how do they they need to be better and
make a few more plays against those high end groups.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
We'll see if that can be the case.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
Again, another great reason like the Sequels game that has
the receivers.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
In the running game that they do.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
But I just I feel like this is a better
representation if they can make bad offenses look bad, and
I think really good offenses might be able to make
them look bad.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
So that what a middle of the road defense kind
of looks like.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
And they need their young guys to get better and
take in as send for them.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
To be anything other than an Oka defense.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
We knew that.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Before the season started, didn't We have?
Speaker 4 (06:29):
This season was gonna be about how many of those
young players they have on that defense can go from
being young prospects to productive pros. We still are kind
of figuring that out. They're getting their opportunities, but so
I think they're probably about where we thought they would be.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
They just they caught a couple of buzz saws without.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
Any any of the tools that they needed against Washington
and Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
If I would have told you when they were carting
Geno stoneof wearing an air cast that he would be
labeled day to day less than twenty four hours later,
you would.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Say, what, Yeah, you don't usually see air cast?
Speaker 3 (07:08):
I don't.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
I don't think I've ever seen in my entire time
covered league someone go off on a cart with an
air cast and then they walk past me.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
A half hour later, I was walking into the locker room.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
You know, Stone just he wasn't going fast, but he
was just walking, nothing special on his leg, just walked
right past me, And thought, is that the same guy?
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Is there? Like a thund double situation? What is going
on here?
Speaker 4 (07:35):
And so, yeah, I mean, that's incredible that we're even
having even entertaining the idea of him potentially playing against
the Eagles this weekend is pretty pretty shocking.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Yeah, pretty remarkable, and uh and good for him and uh,
and good for the team. I jumped into the podcast
late today. I admittedly haven't had a chance to listen yet,
but I do want to touch on something that that
you and Jay Morrison were discussing when I jumped in,
which was what's happening at tackle right now? Because Orlando
Brown came out of the game, we had a chance
(08:09):
to watch Cody Ford and I caught the tail end
of the conversation. And and when you guys were I
couldn't wait for the subject to change because you were
scaring me. How worried should I be about what the
Bengals are at tackle? Uh? And I guess how worried
should I be about Orlando Brown's health? Uh?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
You know I've heard anybody it's been a Bengals fan
for any amount of time that calf injuries they just
come and go and you never hear about them again.
You know, no worries, they don't linger, they don't kill
the first month.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Of a season or anything like that.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
I don't initially go right to to calf injury and
start thinking about how you can't rush that thing back
too faster.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
It can end up learing all year. And Orlando it
has just been such a huge part and a.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
Really underrated part of what has been going well for
them offensively this year.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Because he's been so soiled they're on that left side.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
They haven't had to give tons of attention with chips
and all the other stuff that.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
That you will need to with quote Cody Ford play.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
I think that okay. I I don't think that it's
gonna be debilitating for them.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
As long as Cody Ford and a Marius Men stay healthy.
You know.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
The the problem is there is a big drop obviously.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
From Orlando drawing to Cody Ford.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
But the one you're gonna see behind Cody Ford is uh,
you know, if it's off a bridge into the Ohio River.
I mean it's you're you're talking about the guy they
plucked off the Falcons practice squads, Andrew Suber.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
You're talking. I guess we've glad.
Speaker 4 (09:39):
We've got a Coker now here, uh from I mean
they just signing their practice squad and that guy Devin Cochrane,
who you probably enjoyed during such things as preseason Game
number three.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
H It's it is, it is not.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
It's hard to believe the way they've been depleted at
that position and if seven guys on their injured reserve
list right now and three of them are tackles, so
and and they have their top guys, and you love
the starting five right now. But something that we applauded
them for and felt like had been one of the
stories of the preseason was man that death really came
(10:18):
along on the offensive line.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
You feel good about that.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
You like Jackson Kirkland, You like the idea of having
Trent Brown in the wings. Of course, you love what
you saw from Mims and yeah, Matt Lee, guys.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
Turned out to be something pretty good. You could move
on from.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
Jackson Carmen and Trey Hill doesn't need to make the team.
He's really turning the page that whole death thing. And
now here you are like, I don't know who's stupor
you just you end up you end up in this
spot where.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
You're it's just it's really.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Unclear what would happen and how bad it would look
if you, uh, if you have an injury that happens
to Mems or Board right now, or or you know,
who knows something that would maybe happened to Orlando as
he tries to work his way back or maybe come
back too early.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
So that's a concerning thing, is what.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Would happen if you saw anything happen to your you know,
your top two or I guess so the third one
in now with Cody.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Paul Danner Junior from The Athletic and the Growler podcast
for a few minutes with us I'm at Buffalo Wild
Wings in Middletown. When you're wondering about the disappearance or
maybe the re emergence of the third receiving target, that's
a first world problem. I'll kind of lump the other
(11:34):
guys at Wide Receiver into the mix of tight ends.
A few weeks ago we were talking about how boy,
you're really seeing the depth of this offense and the
wealth of options and they've got a thousand tight ends.
That feels like it's dried up. Now, you know again,
Jamar Chason T. Higgins have been productive. You're always going
to look for those guys to make plays first. And
(11:55):
yet there is a as you put in your piece
of clunkiness to this offense. And as long as that
is the case, you're looking for other options. You're looking
for other guys to step up and do things. I
take a lot of us hope early in the season
that there would be players capable of doing that, and
yet in recent weeks that really hasn't been the case.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Why well, I think that part of it has been
they have featured those guys the key in Jamar because
they've seen a little bit more man to man, and
the moment that happens, we know what they're looking to do.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
I mean, they're looking to find those guys win in
one on one. That's what they have. For the most part,
that hasn't been terrible.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
I don't know why, but because I thought that early
when things were really going, one of the things that
we were applauding so much was, gosh, the usage of
all the tight ends and you can't just.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Double Jamar and team now. And that's what it.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Is because teams knew that they could come in and
they always could just go double double and take those
guys off the board. For you, you got to be
able to beat them other ways, and it felt like
they were doing that in the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I don't know whether it's circumstance.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
I don't know if it's if it's scheme, I don't know,
if it's the defensive line winning too fast.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
And so you're not getting to those other parts.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
But it just doesn't feel like there has been a
desire to get the other pieces involved. And that makes
me sound stupid, like because that means you're just not
throwing the tea in Jamar as much, and that's pretty idiotic.
But I mean it's still a point that I just
think they're just so much better and there's so.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Much more dynamic when they are.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Getting some explosive plays and finding ways to get those
other guys involved to keep the defense thinking about that
and not just.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Being ce Jamar Fike.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
And if that's working all day and you're racking up
tons of points and it looks like the Washington game
or the Carolina game or whatever, they keep doing it,
but those games look different.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Those games had a different feeling.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
And they need to get more explosion happening in the
running game consistently and not go a half where nothing pops.
And so I think that they've got to figure out
ways to get that stuff going, to get their rhythm
going and not be so reliant on Key and on
Jamar to be the reasons that the offense gets that
early rhythm that they seem unable to get glass stew leaks.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Evan McPherson's first two NFL seasons, he was money, which is,
you know, he's got a nickname, money Mack. First two years,
he missed two field goals from beyond fifty yards. That
includes playoffs where he was perfect. The last two seasons
ten of seventeen, you know, one of them obviously mitigating
circumstances with the bad hold by Ryan Rico. And I
(14:37):
think we are all still very happy that Evin McPherson
is the kicker, but there's a part of me that
feels like they're you know, when they drafted him and
early in his run here we talked about how his
presence gives them a weapon, but it can impact your
play calling, both from the standpoint of maybe being a
little bit less aggressive and sometimes maybe being a little
bit more aggressive. But you have that as a weapon.
(14:59):
This guy, I can bang home kicks from fifty to
fifty nine and maybe even further. And that was the
case the first two years and hasn't quite been the
case the last two. Are they leaning on him a
little bit too heavily to make kicks that I think
over his first two seasons we kind of took for granted,
(15:22):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Think so kicking can.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
I mean, kicking can be consistent and unstable at times.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
And you know, I was more impressed last year that
Evan never meant to kick any kit inside of fifty.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
I think you you go outside of fifty, and I
think that you account him to make those for sure,
And I don't think that that should necessarily change.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
You work through stuff, but you just want.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
To know and feel that your golden when you do
get inside of that.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
And so when you see a mysth happen there some
of the stuffing's happened over fifty.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
I think the combination of that being a little different
raises an eyebrow.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
This year, I.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
Still think he has a he's so good in the
clutch and has been. I still think that you counting me,
he's hit some big kicks this year.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
I just think that that can be a little circumstance
show on.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
I'm gonna need to see probably more evidence before I
start saying that relying on him too much, or.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
They should start changing their strategy or be a little
more nervous.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
I mean, you're inherently going to be a touch more
nervous because he's seen some failure recently, but I still
feel pretty confident that Evan to be the type of
guy that can straightened out and have the kind of
runs that that we've seen him have the majority of
his career.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Here all right, I wish you were here, but nonetheless
awesome to have you on the phone. And we'll talk
next week.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Yeah, sounds great. Appreciate it, man, you got it.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Paul Danner Jingier covering the Bengals. Forth Athletic dot Com
catches podcast The Growler Podcast, the latest edition today. Hear
that or balls Don't Everything? Okay, there're Mike, you're watching
Woody Woodpecker. I think balls Don't Lie part of the
(17:11):
Growler podcast. That's the one that I'm on. I just
I'm making sure everything's all right. It's twenty two minutes
after three o'clock at Buffalo Wild Wings in Middletown. We
are here until six. Jim Kelly, color analyst for UC football,
is going to join us a little bit after four o'clock.
You see getting set to play Colorado on Saturday evening,
(17:33):
a match up against Shador Sanders, Travis Hunter. And it's
interesting a team that is not being talked about nearly
as much but has actually improved and I think obviously
provides the Bearcats with a very tough opponent on Saturday.
Plus it's Tuesday, so we talk with our guy, Sean
Sayed the Stats and Schemes podcast sumer sports dot Com
(17:54):
breaks down the tape. He'll talk Bengals Browns and Bengals
Eagles with US coming up in two hours five twenty
two hours from right now. Our phone numbers are five one, three,
seven four nine, fifteen thirty and eight sixty six, seven
oh two, three, seven seven six. We are here till
six o'clock at Buffalo Wild Wings in Middletown on ESPN
fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station
Mo Egger News
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.