October 29, 2025 • 9 mins
Shawn Syed's Stats and Scheme Newsletter is terrific. He joined us to discuss the obvious. Again.
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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
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Twenty six minutes after five o'clock. This is ESPN fifteen thirty.
We need to bring in somebody smart. Sean Saya fits
the bill Suomer Sports Suomer sports dot com. By the way,
Soomer's su M. E. R. And one of the authors
of the Stats and Scheme newsletter, which shows up in
your inbox multiple times per week. It'll make you a
smarter football fan at this At this stage, Sean, I
(00:24):
like being smarter right now. I feel like I'm more
concerned about my mental health watching this team's defense. How
are you well, I'm doing well.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Yeah, maybe a little bit better than ever watching that
film again, really really tough on the defense. But me personally,
you know, I guess I'm doing okay. Things are flying
well for our guy Joe Blacko out there.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Yeah, does the scheme exit? I know I've asked you
this before. Does does the scheme exist that you could
use with this collection of defensive players?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
You know, I always think like, if I am a
talent deficient team on defense, I want to lean into
variants like I just want to get.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Guys going downhill as fast as they can. I want
to blitz a lot. I want to just cause.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Chaos because you know, when you have bobsley Borough healthy,
you're looking at this as saying, we just need like one.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Or two takeaways.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
We're gonna win this game because we're gonna score so
much on offense. I mean, you score thirty eight points,
you just need like a turnover here or there to
be able to win the game. So to me, that's
what I think about leaning into just because yeah, I mean,
I'm watching these clips and I'm looking at guys's going
on our direction or people not being able to read
the play correctly, and that it's really tough. Like you're
(01:37):
right in that there's not like a at a certain point,
there is kind of a limit just on what coaches
can kind of do. But at the same time, those
guys get paid a heck of a lot of money
to do the job.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
So to me, it's like, lean into variance.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Let's try and steal one out there, because especially in
a game where you're just scoring points in points, you
just got to get like a few stops here and
there to end up with a win.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Yeah, you know, like folks say, well, you know, they
should blitz more, they should send more pressure after the quarterback. Okay, Well,
I mean, look look at some of the guys back
there that you're leaving on an island, or don't put
more pressure on the quarterback. You got to be better
in coverage. Well, it's like the same collection of DJ
Turner's played well, but it's like the same collection of
(02:21):
dbs from last year. I feel bad for Al Golden
in his first year because I don't have an answer,
and I don't know. It really feels like the ultimate
pick your poison conundrum for him.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Right absolutely, And like I look at defenses across the
league and I think, like, well, what is your weakest point,
right that's where teams really want to attack. And so
the Bengals, unfortunately, you kind of have some choices. Like
I think about, for example, like the Commander's defense, Like
they'll try and play name coverage, but they'll got be
one on one. They'll try and play zone coverage and
they'll bust the coverage, and like you said, then at
(02:55):
a certain point, it's like all right, well, like whatever
you say, you know you're you're going to either direction
and you're still kind of hitting a brick wall. So
I definitely feel a little bit for Al Golden in
this situation. Because either situation like either solution you go to,
you're it's not like this super super plus situation, Like
you can't just feel great about blisting, you can't feel
(03:15):
great about playing man covered, you can't feel great about
playing zone coverage.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
So then you're just deciding, like.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Well, what is the variants that we want to lean
into for this game to just try and feel something
for a win?
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Is there anything you've seen other teams do that if
you're out golden and go, you know what, I'll steal that.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
I think like I like when I think of defenses overall,
like this whole kind of Ravens Tree of defense where
it's like we're only gonna rush for we're gonna play
zone coverage behind it, We're gonna blitz the linebackers from
the second level of bunch like that. That is probably
my preferred message of playing defense in twenty twenty five.
It does, you know, keep your guys out there in
(03:54):
situation where even your zone coverage it becomes a one
on one. So I never want to say, oh, there's nothing,
can try to just give up like it's always going
to be a kind of a game to game basis.
I'd love to see you know, if you want to
get your defensive line going, maybe it's you know, you're
getting more stunts overall. I just have guys twisting back
and forth, like literally just trying kind of anything because
it feels like at this point you kind of you
(04:15):
kind of do have to just try anything to make
it work here.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
I think like the next step they're going to take
is just see if the referees notice that they sneak
a twelve guy onto the field. I think that's where
I think that's where things are right now.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Sean, Look, I mean, you gotta try something, right I'm
never to telling someone to not try.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Just just see if they they don't know how to count.
Sean side is with us the TETs and scheme newsletters.
They have been offensively. I'll be positive you're they're becoming
a good running team. What's changed?
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Oh? Thank you?
Speaker 2 (04:42):
The run game has been so fun to watch. That
has been really really good. I think it was like
it was like one hundred and eighty yards against the
gest where our guys SMANJ Pierre and they're able to
get almost one hundred yards there and a touchdown able
to create after contact, you know, running through Tassels or
really really positive there.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
So I felt like take Carris played a good game
here too.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Where we don't talk about the offensive line in a
positive way a whole lot when we get to talk
every week, but you know, you get some movement up front,
and yeah, like that is something that you can really
kind of build your team around in a way if
you're able to run at that level always. Now do
I think the defense is the best run defense in
the NFL? I do not personally, but I do think
it's something that we've seen now multiple weeks that oh,
(05:25):
the running game is actually working, like things are moving
in the right direction.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
You can feel pretty positive about that. Just the way
that things are going up front.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
I really like that where you get you can get
attacking schemes, you can get schemes already moving in the
outside where things on Peter Ryan's touchdown, where you have
two tight ends on the field, but the defense wants
to play with nickel personnel, five defensive backs, those light bodies. Hey,
we can take advantage of you when you're doing that,
where the Bangals haven't always been able to do that.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
So in exciting.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Development in Bengal, and I would say is that run game.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Yeah, I'm trying. I want to be excited about it
having a hard time. They play the Bears this week.
Ben Johnson is in his first year as the head coach.
Where where has he had the most immediate impact with
Caleb Williams and.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Company the Bears overall?
Speaker 2 (06:14):
There, I will say their under center play action game
is positive, like absolutely, that is something where Ben Johnson
comes in, you know, that's what he wants.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
To bring in. It is a really really good situation.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
I think that Johnson has helped the connection between Caleb
Williams and Romadunze out there. It still feels like there
are a lot of just kind of like operational type
issues with this offense overall.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
I think the run game was.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Able to get going two weeks prior to this game,
but the Ravens defense that has had a lot of
struggles against the run, they were able to kind of
handle the Bears run game a little bit. So from
the offensive end of the ball, I would I would
definitely call it uneven where I think Caleb still has
a bunch of things to prove and then you know,
the Bears defense does not particularly scare me in this
matchup all.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Right, I hope I feel better next Tuesday. Sean. You
can hear the despair in my voice.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
It's a tough fun. All I want is for you
to be happy.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Yeah, well it's it's uh. The Bengals aren't helping, but
Suomer Sports does. Let's talk about the Summer Brain feature,
which is very very cool for folks who haven't used
it yet. What what'll they get?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Thanks so much Sooomer sports dot Com slash Stoomer Brain.
There really any sat question you have? Type it in
and I will say it might be this week, it
might be next week. We're gonna have fantasy pumps in
there so you can ask for your fantasy football questions there.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
We're still hammering things out, cleaning it up.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
But you want to look at Hey, well what do
the Bear do on third downs against outside runs? Go
and check that and you're gonna be able to get
a lot of good information for free with Schumer Brain.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
And the stats in Schame newsletter, which shows up in
your inbox multiple times per week. What is it?
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Yes, it's a lot of fun to do.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
It's an advanced game for you and reduse for every
single game across the entire year. And we've also been
adding in some fun topics you've done, you know, the
rise of two.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Tight end looks.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
This week we're going to do a lot of teams
that you have a lot of fun running out of
under center looks, particularly on fourth down. Also adding a
sixth offensive lineman to the field, something that you'll see
teams do now.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
So a lot of data, a lot of a lot
of film, a lot of staff, a lot.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Of talking about the good stuff going on in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Well, the good stuff going on in the NFL is
not happening here, Sean, but awesome to have you.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Nonetheless, thanks so much more, looking forward to talking next week.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
That's our guy, Sean Saya Stats and Scheme newsletter. Sign
up for because it's great. Check out sumer sports dot com.
We are late. We'll hear from Scott Sanderfield. His team's good,
the best, the best football coach in Cincinnati. Do we
can we do that yet? I don't know. I think
there is something about his program that not a lot
of folks wanted to acknowledge two years ago. But I
(08:49):
think now that the team is playing well, we'll go
ahead and acknowledge it. Make that make sense when we
come back. On ESPN fifteen thirty.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
You've been listening to Football in the NATI brought to
you by Cincinnati Tax Resolution powered by Tafe Sheldon on
ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center with a Stroke
Every second counts and so does your team home to
rapid life saving treatment and clinical trials. U see Health
as the clear choice for stroke care. Learn more at
ucehealth dot com. Union Center Boulevard is shut down overnight
between Mulhauser Road and I seventy five that for pavement
(09:38):
repairs after an earlier tanker fire also got an accident
on eastbound two seventy five that is before Coleraine im
at Ezelic with traffic.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
This report is sponsored by Macy's Backsage.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Macys Lives are service of Kelsey Show
Twenty six minutes after five o'clock. This is ESPN fifteen thirty.
We need to bring in somebody smart. Sean Saya fits
the bill Suomer Sports Suomer sports dot com. By the way,
Soomer's su M. E. R. And one of the authors
of the Stats and Scheme newsletter, which shows up in
your inbox multiple times per week. It'll make you a
smarter football fan at this At this stage, Sean, I
(00:24):
like being smarter right now. I feel like I'm more
concerned about my mental health watching this team's defense. How
are you well, I'm doing well.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Yeah, maybe a little bit better than ever watching that
film again, really really tough on the defense. But me personally,
you know, I guess I'm doing okay. Things are flying
well for our guy Joe Blacko out there.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Yeah, does the scheme exit? I know I've asked you
this before. Does does the scheme exist that you could
use with this collection of defensive players?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
You know, I always think like, if I am a
talent deficient team on defense, I want to lean into
variants like I just want to get.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Guys going downhill as fast as they can. I want
to blitz a lot. I want to just cause.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Chaos because you know, when you have bobsley Borough healthy,
you're looking at this as saying, we just need like one.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Or two takeaways.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
We're gonna win this game because we're gonna score so
much on offense. I mean, you score thirty eight points,
you just need like a turnover here or there to
be able to win the game. So to me, that's
what I think about leaning into just because yeah, I mean,
I'm watching these clips and I'm looking at guys's going
on our direction or people not being able to read
the play correctly, and that it's really tough. Like you're
(01:37):
right in that there's not like a at a certain point,
there is kind of a limit just on what coaches
can kind of do. But at the same time, those
guys get paid a heck of a lot of money
to do the job.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
So to me, it's like, lean into variance.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Let's try and steal one out there, because especially in
a game where you're just scoring points in points, you
just got to get like a few stops here and
there to end up with a win.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Yeah, you know, like folks say, well, you know, they
should blitz more, they should send more pressure after the quarterback. Okay, Well,
I mean, look look at some of the guys back
there that you're leaving on an island, or don't put
more pressure on the quarterback. You got to be better
in coverage. Well, it's like the same collection of DJ
Turner's played well, but it's like the same collection of
(02:21):
dbs from last year. I feel bad for Al Golden
in his first year because I don't have an answer,
and I don't know. It really feels like the ultimate
pick your poison conundrum for him.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Right absolutely, And like I look at defenses across the
league and I think, like, well, what is your weakest point,
right that's where teams really want to attack. And so
the Bengals, unfortunately, you kind of have some choices. Like
I think about, for example, like the Commander's defense, Like
they'll try and play name coverage, but they'll got be
one on one. They'll try and play zone coverage and
they'll bust the coverage, and like you said, then at
(02:55):
a certain point, it's like all right, well, like whatever
you say, you know you're you're going to either direction
and you're still kind of hitting a brick wall. So
I definitely feel a little bit for Al Golden in
this situation. Because either situation like either solution you go to,
you're it's not like this super super plus situation, Like
you can't just feel great about blisting, you can't feel
(03:15):
great about playing man covered, you can't feel great about
playing zone coverage.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
So then you're just deciding, like.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Well, what is the variants that we want to lean
into for this game to just try and feel something
for a win?
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Is there anything you've seen other teams do that if
you're out golden and go, you know what, I'll steal that.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
I think like I like when I think of defenses overall,
like this whole kind of Ravens Tree of defense where
it's like we're only gonna rush for we're gonna play
zone coverage behind it, We're gonna blitz the linebackers from
the second level of bunch like that. That is probably
my preferred message of playing defense in twenty twenty five.
It does, you know, keep your guys out there in
(03:54):
situation where even your zone coverage it becomes a one
on one. So I never want to say, oh, there's nothing,
can try to just give up like it's always going
to be a kind of a game to game basis.
I'd love to see you know, if you want to
get your defensive line going, maybe it's you know, you're
getting more stunts overall. I just have guys twisting back
and forth, like literally just trying kind of anything because
it feels like at this point you kind of you
(04:15):
kind of do have to just try anything to make
it work here.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
I think like the next step they're going to take
is just see if the referees notice that they sneak
a twelve guy onto the field. I think that's where
I think that's where things are right now.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Sean, Look, I mean, you gotta try something, right I'm
never to telling someone to not try.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Just just see if they they don't know how to count.
Sean side is with us the TETs and scheme newsletters.
They have been offensively. I'll be positive you're they're becoming
a good running team. What's changed?
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Oh? Thank you?
Speaker 2 (04:42):
The run game has been so fun to watch. That
has been really really good. I think it was like
it was like one hundred and eighty yards against the
gest where our guys SMANJ Pierre and they're able to
get almost one hundred yards there and a touchdown able
to create after contact, you know, running through Tassels or
really really positive there.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
So I felt like take Carris played a good game
here too.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Where we don't talk about the offensive line in a
positive way a whole lot when we get to talk
every week, but you know, you get some movement up front,
and yeah, like that is something that you can really
kind of build your team around in a way if
you're able to run at that level always. Now do
I think the defense is the best run defense in
the NFL? I do not personally, but I do think
it's something that we've seen now multiple weeks that oh,
(05:25):
the running game is actually working, like things are moving
in the right direction.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
You can feel pretty positive about that. Just the way
that things are going up front.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
I really like that where you get you can get
attacking schemes, you can get schemes already moving in the
outside where things on Peter Ryan's touchdown, where you have
two tight ends on the field, but the defense wants
to play with nickel personnel, five defensive backs, those light bodies. Hey,
we can take advantage of you when you're doing that,
where the Bangals haven't always been able to do that.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
So in exciting.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Development in Bengal, and I would say is that run game.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Yeah, I'm trying. I want to be excited about it
having a hard time. They play the Bears this week.
Ben Johnson is in his first year as the head coach.
Where where has he had the most immediate impact with
Caleb Williams and.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Company the Bears overall?
Speaker 2 (06:14):
There, I will say their under center play action game
is positive, like absolutely, that is something where Ben Johnson
comes in, you know, that's what he wants.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
To bring in. It is a really really good situation.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
I think that Johnson has helped the connection between Caleb
Williams and Romadunze out there. It still feels like there
are a lot of just kind of like operational type
issues with this offense overall.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
I think the run game was.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Able to get going two weeks prior to this game,
but the Ravens defense that has had a lot of
struggles against the run, they were able to kind of
handle the Bears run game a little bit. So from
the offensive end of the ball, I would I would
definitely call it uneven where I think Caleb still has
a bunch of things to prove and then you know,
the Bears defense does not particularly scare me in this
matchup all.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Right, I hope I feel better next Tuesday. Sean. You
can hear the despair in my voice.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
It's a tough fun. All I want is for you
to be happy.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Yeah, well it's it's uh. The Bengals aren't helping, but
Suomer Sports does. Let's talk about the Summer Brain feature,
which is very very cool for folks who haven't used
it yet. What what'll they get?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Thanks so much Sooomer sports dot Com slash Stoomer Brain.
There really any sat question you have? Type it in
and I will say it might be this week, it
might be next week. We're gonna have fantasy pumps in
there so you can ask for your fantasy football questions there.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
We're still hammering things out, cleaning it up.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
But you want to look at Hey, well what do
the Bear do on third downs against outside runs? Go
and check that and you're gonna be able to get
a lot of good information for free with Schumer Brain.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
And the stats in Schame newsletter, which shows up in
your inbox multiple times per week. What is it?
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Yes, it's a lot of fun to do.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
It's an advanced game for you and reduse for every
single game across the entire year. And we've also been
adding in some fun topics you've done, you know, the
rise of two.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Tight end looks.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
This week we're going to do a lot of teams
that you have a lot of fun running out of
under center looks, particularly on fourth down. Also adding a
sixth offensive lineman to the field, something that you'll see
teams do now.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
So a lot of data, a lot of a lot
of film, a lot of staff, a lot.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Of talking about the good stuff going on in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Well, the good stuff going on in the NFL is
not happening here, Sean, but awesome to have you.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Nonetheless, thanks so much more, looking forward to talking next week.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
That's our guy, Sean Saya Stats and Scheme newsletter. Sign
up for because it's great. Check out sumer sports dot com.
We are late. We'll hear from Scott Sanderfield. His team's good,
the best, the best football coach in Cincinnati. Do we
can we do that yet? I don't know. I think
there is something about his program that not a lot
of folks wanted to acknowledge two years ago. But I
(08:49):
think now that the team is playing well, we'll go
ahead and acknowledge it. Make that make sense when we
come back. On ESPN fifteen thirty.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
You've been listening to Football in the NATI brought to
you by Cincinnati Tax Resolution powered by Tafe Sheldon on
ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center with a Stroke
Every second counts and so does your team home to
rapid life saving treatment and clinical trials. U see Health
as the clear choice for stroke care. Learn more at
ucehealth dot com. Union Center Boulevard is shut down overnight
between Mulhauser Road and I seventy five that for pavement
(09:38):
repairs after an earlier tanker fire also got an accident
on eastbound two seventy five that is before Coleraine im
at Ezelic with traffic.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
This report is sponsored by Macy's Backsage.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Macys Lives are service of Kelsey Show
Mo Egger News
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