12/16/24 - The Tony & Mo Football Show - Mo Egger

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is the Tony and Mo Football Show, Live from
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Visit OnCore Dot Tech and Station East Coast subs Penn Station.
It's all in good taste Honda East, Cincinnati's Ultimate Honda Experience.
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Just off I seventy one X and fifty inside the

(00:24):
Holiday and at the Roberts Center, and by your Tri
State Chevy Dealers. Chevrolet, the number one selling brand in
Cincinnati for the past eight years. Chevrolet Together, Let's drive
on the official home of the Bengals, Cincinnatis, ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
It is exactly three o'clock on ESPN fifteen thirty. Good Afternoon,
Moegar with Tony Pike. We are broadcasting this afternoon from
Twin Peaks in Westchester. It's a victory Monday edition of
The Toniamo Football Show on ESPN fifteen thirty, the day
after the Bengals stay alive with a thirty seven to
twenty seven road victory over the Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati winning

(01:02):
its second consecutive game and mathematically at least still alive
for a playoff spot. We are here until six o'clock.
We are just moments away from Zach Taylor's Monday afternoon
press conference, carry live for you out of contractual obligation
on ESPN fifteen thirty. And then once that's done, Tony,
we have a game that you would describe with one
word as what ugly.

Speaker 3 (01:26):
I'm still in the sense I can't believe, like when
I hear the number like the year two thousand, I
don't feel like it's that long ago, but it's almost
twenty five years. Yeah, that many penalties, that many turnovers
in a game hadn't happened since the year two thousand,
and it happened yesterday, And I guess I didn't care
as much because the Bengals won. Yeah, my goodness. What
a slopfest.

Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah, I mean it was a slopfest from in terms
of how the team's played. It was a slopfest, I
thought from an officiating standpoint. But it was effective and
the Bengals do stay alive. And I think I think
most of us are still ring to at least connect
the dots as to what would have to happen if
the Bengals were to make the postseason. Before we do that,
Zach Taylor chatting right now at the even you originally

(02:09):
known as Paul Brown Stadium.

Speaker 1 (02:11):
Time for the Zach Taylor Press Conference, brought to you
and Bart by your local client Mester Dealers and Can
Garot on the officials home of the Bengals, Cincinnati's ESBN
fifteen thirty.

Speaker 4 (02:23):
How long it's going to be, but there's a chance
of that when will I guess at.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
This point is harm and iron Well.

Speaker 4 (02:31):
We'll just work through it.

Speaker 2 (02:32):
You know.

Speaker 4 (02:32):
It's again information you get today and we'll continue to
work through that and make the best decision.

Speaker 3 (02:37):
It seems like through a lot, yeah, this year, in the.

Speaker 2 (02:40):
Last few years, and how important is he been? Everything
that you all want in the build?

Speaker 4 (02:44):
With that Wills played critical. I mean that guy I've
leaned on every second I've been here. Always practice the
right way, works, the right way, leads, the right way,
assess the tone for the whole team. I mean, we
got the news on the sidelines. His gut instinct was
I don't care. I'm playing and you know, and by
the time I walked away to go back to offense,

(03:04):
obviously they got him and said no you're not playing,
But that was just his reaction was screwed on playing.
So certainly means a lot to this team.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
Did Alex Kapok coming through? I saw him to spend
a good camp out of time in the Blue tenth
and go to the locker room before the game ended.

Speaker 4 (03:19):
Yeah, uh, you being concussion protocol. We'll just work through
it this week.

Speaker 3 (03:23):
How good?

Speaker 5 (03:30):
Who are some of your options for guard?

Speaker 3 (03:33):
Like when we were looking at the game on Sunday,
hid Kapa dot come back in after you got his
hands Tage wondering.

Speaker 6 (03:41):
You know what your regards situation looked like.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
With Cody out?

Speaker 4 (03:44):
Yeah, super went in, you know, and so Stuber is
the next option in there. And then from the you know,
it's it's you know, we're at the we're at the
depth there of our fifty three man roster. You've got
Trey Hill who's on the practice squad, who's done a
great job over the years, uh playing that role for
us the season practice squad wide, we elevated him a
few times. So and again Kappa felt good to day.

(04:05):
I know it's concussion protocol, so you get to go
through the protocol and there can be a roller coaster there,
but we'll just work through the week with him.

Speaker 2 (04:14):
Zach, did you feel better or worse? I have to
watch the game back.

Speaker 4 (04:18):
Well, there's things that you're still frustrated by. I'm happy
we won. I don't take that lightly winning winning on
the road. And there's a lot of really positive things
that we highlated with the team that we did well.
We got turnovers, scored off those turnovers on defense, turned
those next possessions on offense into points, and so there

(04:40):
was a lot of really good stuff there. The fourteen
penalties is not us, you know, and we addressed every
single one of those. And so again there's things that
we can continue to clean up because a lot of
those were pre snapped. A lot of those had nothing
to do with Tennessee. They're just there are things that
we prod ourselves on being better and and in order

(05:00):
to win this next game, we're gonna have to be better.

Speaker 3 (05:02):
Why do you think this three stretch plind of you
guys are have the penalty stuff?

Speaker 2 (05:06):
I mean, obviously each penalty is different.

Speaker 4 (05:08):
But like just this, yeah, each each one in this
last game was different, you know, And I was I
liked our the way our DB's competed, you know, and
so they had some call that you know that that
was called a little bit both ways, and I was
happy to see those guys compete. And sometimes they're gonna
be right there and they're gonna call it on you.
And I like to see our guys going down that
way as opposed to giving up access and giving up completion.

(05:30):
So I was happy with that two of them were
on the tackles getting out you know, tick early. I
know they got them on one, two, you know, on offense.
And then really the ones where we had three fall
starts that were just fall starts for fall starts that
that aside from the tackles getting out early, those are
the ones you can't have. Those are the ones that
are not acceptable. And and it's guys that we we

(05:52):
count on that that are about the right stuff. And
I know we'll be better on that going forward.

Speaker 5 (05:58):
What have you liked the most about an ring Mems
is development.

Speaker 4 (06:01):
That you don't notice him, you know, during games, it's
just he's over there and he's he's playing really good
football over there, and you don't you don't notice it.
You can feel that during the game he's faced. I mean,
I told him come off field against Dallas. He doesn't understand.
I don't think the wave of rushers he has faced
this year and it's it's tops in the league in
terms of who he's had to go against. And he's

(06:26):
done a great job. And it doesn't mean that there's
not room for improvement, you know, over his time. He's
just a rookie. He got no training camp. But again
he's he's been really consistent and there's a lot to
like there and and it hasn't been too big for him,
that's for sure.

Speaker 5 (06:40):
He told us that that's the one thing that he
has noticed is that it's sometimes in college you get
a break guy one week is not the same as
in the elite rusher he face next week or the
previous week.

Speaker 2 (06:54):
In the NFL, it's not like that at all. What
kind of condition do you have to get used to.

Speaker 4 (07:01):
Things? It's physical condition and mental conditioning, you know, to
just get yourself ready because every play can be the
one that matters the most, especially when you're playing all
the guys you know, Garrett TJ. Watt and all the
guys we faced, Micro Parson, Smacks Crosby, everybody. Every play
can be the difference we throw the ball a lot.
So if you let your guard down for one snap

(07:23):
and allow a guy to get around an edge and
sack fumble and they pick it up and go, that
can be the difference in the game, That can be
the difference in the season. So from a mental standpoint,
just locking in on every single play, making sure you're
doing your job. And it's as much as anything as
the physical part. No, No, it's impossible to know. I mean,
I think our scouts really liked him and what he

(07:46):
was about because they had the best assessment. I mean,
they got to go to practice, they got to see
who he practiced against. We had seven games of footage
to go against, which was good stuff. But that's probably
the least amount of information you ever have on a prospect,
especially we won your place in the first round pick
on it. So yes, as coaches, we certainly liked him,
But I would tell you our scouts were the ones

(08:06):
that stood on the table for him and said, hey,
I know, I know you guys don't get a chance
to see all the stuff we see, but I'm telling
you this guy's made of the right stuff and he's
going to be a great pick for us. And so
You got to give a lot of credit to Duke
and Trey Brown and Mike Potts and those guys that
went in there and really did the work on him
and stood on the table for the guy, and we
get to read the benefits of.

Speaker 2 (08:27):
That big rounds would really be efficient and that big
love washing years.

Speaker 4 (08:32):
I think the guys have done a good job opening
up the holes for him. He's doing a good job
of seeing it. We're getting him in a pretty good rhythm,
you know, trying to get him the ball as many
touches as possible. He's really gotten a rhythm as the
season's gone, gotten a lot more carries. And this is
I mean, he was the leading rusher, second leading Russian
college football. So this is what he showed, you know,
in his career leading up to us drafting him, is

(08:53):
that he's you can give him twenty something carries. He's
going to hit some explosive runs for you. He's going
to be durable. He's probably catching the ball a lot
better than he did in college. You know, we're giving
him more opportunities. That wasn't really how they were built,
so we're certainly giving him a lot of opportunities there
to get more touches, but really pleased with his approach.
And you know, twenty five carries yesterday and he's not tired.

(09:15):
You know, it's it's we're making sure. I'm with Justin Hill, like,
is are we doing too much? And it's no, He's
in great shape. He looks great. The flow of the game.
I mean there was a sequence there that fell like
three and a half hours where the offense wasn't on
the field, so the offense got plenty of break there
to where and a lot of his carries came at
the very end. You know, I think we got eleven
carries in that last seventeen point drive and so you

(09:37):
can look statistically and say how do you do twenty
five and one, But really the game, the way the
game breaks down, it made a lot of sense to
give him that workload.

Speaker 2 (09:45):
Fact is how we like to play. Ideals be a
really other running need to start spot later.

Speaker 4 (09:51):
That's how a good football game is. We we pride
ourselves on being in the past passing team in all football,
and so we're gonna get ourselves in a position to
build leads. That's how we want to do that. But
at the end of the game, when you got a
two score game, two score lead, you want to be
able to lean on the run game, and that's where
three of our explosive runs came from. You know, we
got eleven runs off in those last seventeen plays and

(10:12):
for forty yards. And that's the difference is when you
get to play with the lead and finish the game
at four minute, you get to stack a lot more runs,
you get a lot more yardage, and all of a sudden,
it's a good rushing day because of that last drive.
When you've worn down the defense, then you get a
chance to lean on that and can't really commit to it.
And so that's just that's that's good football. That's how
you want to play it.

Speaker 2 (10:32):
That Convin's real quick, which you know we're de red tackle.

Speaker 3 (10:35):
You usually think you're gonna see defenses targeting that guy
going after and you notice, did you notice that this year?
If you notice that lesson as the year's gone, you
will see his tapment. Then like that, maybe we shouldn't.

Speaker 4 (10:45):
Yeah, I mean, you see guys move around. Really, a
lot of the guys we face to have moved around
quite a bit. Obviously, we've played three different left tackles.
You know, and so there's been the not as much
consistency over there with who the person is. So maybe
the get over there and they try to test that
a little bit more. But I haven't seen people directly
say we're gonna we're gonna go after this matchup and

(11:06):
we expect to win.

Speaker 2 (11:15):
Right now, but that music is quite soothing. It's eleven
minutes after three o'clock. Did did we lose the Zach
Taylor feed from the venue originally known as Paul.

Speaker 3 (11:23):
Brown Stadium hopped in the elevator.

Speaker 1 (11:25):
No, the Bengals live feed put ad in the middle
of the press conference.

Speaker 2 (11:30):
So the the Bengals put an ad, so we we
we grab money talks. I had no problem with that whatsoever.
So is Zach continuing to talk. I don't want to
be accused of cutting short Zach Taylor. Want to hear
the rest? Of course, we gotta hear the rest, Zach Taylor.
There's no more musical interruptions from the venue originally known
as Paul Brown Stadium.

Speaker 4 (11:47):
For it's just it's silly to ask, and you know,
to give Devin credit. That was our confidence in Devin.
That's the way Devin has practiced. Devin practiced at a
level against Trey Hendrickson every single to give us the
confidence that we can put Devin out there. We don't
have to force the guy out there in a bad situation,
and Devin can go out there and hold the fort down.

(12:07):
And I was pleased with what Devin did in his
first career start. Okay, thank you.

Speaker 1 (12:15):
This has been the Zach Taylor press conference on the
official home of the Bengals, Cincinnatis, ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (12:22):
Right there you go, Zach Taylor, the wind up of
his press conference. The end of his press conference on
ESPN fifteen thirty, broadcast live out of contractual obligation. Appreciate
both Zach and the assemble Pro Football Media for keeping
that to a nice, crisp eleven minutes today. Thank you
very much.

Speaker 3 (12:42):
Well, they know what this week is.

Speaker 2 (12:43):
It is huge.

Speaker 3 (12:44):
There's a lot going on. Let's get back to work,
Let's figure out how to beat the Cleveland Browns and
root like hell for the Chargers at home on Thursday
night football.

Speaker 2 (12:56):
I today was the first day that you know, for
a couple of weeks, we've understood the Bengals postseason chances
have been remote and a lot had to happen. Today
was the first day that I started to actually examine
what has to happen. Yeah, today was the first day
that I did that.

Speaker 3 (13:12):
You know, I looked earlier, Dolphins and Colts. One more
slip up. If the Chargers or the Broncos lose out
and the Bengals went out there in the Chargers will
not lose out. Their remaining schedule after Denver is very easy.
Denver will play in Los Angeles on Thursday, in Cincinnati
the following week, and then welcome to the Kansas City Chiefs.

(13:35):
The interesting thing the Chiefs have a two game buffer,
but Buffalo owns the tie break, So now Mahomes is
banged up. They play Houston on Saturday, and then they
have that Christmas Day quick turnaround at Pittsburgh. If they
lose one of those two, they have to win Week
eight team the number one seed. So yeah, I've crunched

(13:59):
the numbers. I know where we're at, and I know
that things get very interesting on Thursday night. If the
Chargers walk out of that game as a winner, man,
who would have thought. And if they don't, then on
Friday we get to start down the path of had
they just not lost to the Patriots. I'm still there.
Had they just beat the Ravens in one of those

(14:19):
two games, had they beat the Chargers when the game
was there for the taking. There are so many of
those instances the Pittsburgh game, yea, so many of those instances.
And now you.

Speaker 2 (14:29):
Look back and how tight it is.

Speaker 3 (14:31):
If one of those goes your way, you have a
chance to control your own destiny.

Speaker 2 (14:35):
Don't put yourself at the mercy of external factors. And
the Bengals have unfortunately done that. They've put themselves at
the mercy of other teams needing to help them, including
some of the bad teams that the Colts and Dolphins play,
and perhaps some of the bad teams the Chargers play.
But they are still alive after a weird game yesterday,

(14:56):
a win they will not give back. We will talk
about it when we come back to Twin Peaks in Westchester.
Here till six o'clock tonight on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati
Sports Station.

Speaker 7 (15:06):
Cincinnati.

Speaker 2 (15:15):
Three o'clock ESPN fifteen thirty Malagar with Tony Plake, Tony
and Moo Football Show. We're broadcasting from Twin Peaks in Westchester.
We are here today. We are here one week from today.
There are two, count them, two Monday night football games tonight.
If you're looking for a place to watch, if you're
looking for a place to watch the college football playoff

(15:36):
games this weekend, if you're looking for a place to
watch your favorite college basketball team, this is the place
to be.

Speaker 3 (15:43):
Bowl games start tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (15:44):
Yep. Very easy to get to. Right off I seventy five,
Get off at the Union Center Boulevard exit and you
are good to go. The wait staff here is terrific.
The food is awesome. The bourbon selection is top notch.
They've got plenty of ice cold beer. As Chick Ludwig
might say, all we need is you. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (16:02):
I was nervous Saturday because the bowl season is upon us,
and I got a text from a friend of mine
who's a Marshall fan. He said, Hey, we don't have
enough players to play in the Independence Ball and the
rumblings are that that Cincinnati is going.

Speaker 2 (16:15):
To take the place. Yeah, like, oh man, I'm good.
Did they really hear rumblings? Tony, I'm good? Did they
really hear rumblings?

Speaker 3 (16:23):
I mean, because of the academics we'd have been in.

Speaker 2 (16:25):
Yeah, I can assure you there were no rumblings They're not.

Speaker 3 (16:28):
I'm like, I don't think the team has done any
activities in the last couple of weeks, minus Joe Royer
saying he's coming.

Speaker 2 (16:33):
Back, which was big a shootout, say, no question, it
was a.

Speaker 3 (16:37):
Fun weekend there. As you mentioned the college football playoff slate,
you see Dayton on Friday night's going to be a
big one. It's one of the best sports weeks slash
weekends of the year. And it just so happens that
now it kind of just carries over into Christmas week
because we get Christmas Day games.

Speaker 2 (16:57):
Yep.

Speaker 3 (16:59):
How many times? Well, Netflix crash on Christmas Day because
there were all kinds of problems for the Tyson fight.

Speaker 2 (17:06):
Hm.

Speaker 3 (17:07):
From what I heard, ESPN Plus was not great during
the shootout garbage. Are we sure that the streaming services
are ready for the type of volume, because I know
that at the Pike household the games are gonna be on. Yes,
people are gonna be watching. They need to figure it out.

Speaker 2 (17:24):
Well, is it a streaming thing? I mean, you know
NFL games are on Amazon Prime. I've had no issue.
The ESPN Plus thing quickly got a lot of scrutiny
going in and look, this is the day and age
we live in. Right. Games are going to be streamed,
but there is a massive difference between the production quality
and value you get on Amazon Prime and what they

(17:46):
were putting on ESPN Plus, including an announcer who three
times referred to Oscar Robinson. I have made hundreds of
mistakes in my podcasting career, not three Oscar Robinson's.

Speaker 3 (17:58):
And to look ahead talking about Twin Peaks. If you're
free in late August next year, oh yes, and you
want to place Maybe you can't make the eight plus
hour drive, but you want to watch UC play. They're
going to play Nebraska at Arrowhead Stadium home game next year,
home game on a Thursday night. Yep, so make your
plans accordingly.

Speaker 2 (18:18):
Now, all right, twenty one minutes after three o'clock Twin Peaks, Westchester.
We have a lot of ground to cover. We'll start
to cover it when we come back on ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports Station for more. All right, So Tony
and Football Show Twin Peaks in Westchester. Here till six,
we've started to go down the road of what has
to happen. Yeah, and we'll talk about the game itself

(18:40):
Miami has to lose one more game. Their final three
include Tilts at home against San Francisco on the road,
against the Browns on the road against the Jets.

Speaker 3 (18:50):
Nothing from watching them yesterday screams agreed, a team that's
going to go on a run.

Speaker 2 (18:54):
I agree.

Speaker 3 (18:54):
Now, I don't know what Chanl Waddle's future is. Tyreek
Hill was pretty much non existent yesterday. That's not a
team I look at as Oh, they're going to run
the table.

Speaker 2 (19:03):
Indeed, loses to Denver yesterday, they need to lose one
more game. Their final three are against the Titans at home,
on the road against the Giants home for the Jacks.

Speaker 3 (19:13):
That's probably the easiest path. But that team I watched
yesterday is gonna get in their own way at some point.

Speaker 2 (19:19):
That's the thing about both those teams. You could say, well,
their schedules are pretty easy, and they are. But are
those teams good enough to win all three? With Anthony
richardson right, No, So, Chargers and Broncos play on Thursday night.
If LA wins, Bengals cannot catch the Chargers. But suddenly,

(19:40):
if Denver loses consecutive games, including the Week seventeen game
against Cincinnati and the Bengals win out, and we're kind
of assuming here the Bengals are going to beat the Browns,
which maybe we shouldn't do. I would say we should do.
If Denver loses out then and the Bengals win out,
Bengals are good. They're in. If Denver beats the Chargers,

(20:02):
then it becomes a little bit more difficult. Because LA's
last two games are against the Patriots and the Raiders.

Speaker 3 (20:08):
They won't lose out. So for me, you got to
be a Chargers fan Thursday night, and if you start
to peek ahead to Week eighteen, as they're announcing right
now in NFL Live, Patrick Mahomes is diagnosed with a
high ankle spring, so he's not going to be one
hundred percent. He's not played like he's one hundred percent.
He completed fifty percent of his passes yesterday for two touchdowns.

(20:31):
They play the next to Houston, and then that quick
they're in the midst of three and eleven days. They're
at Houston or Houston at home, and then at Pittsburgh
on Christmas Day. If they slip up in one of those,
they will in all likelihood have to win Week eighteen,
which would be against the Denver Broncos, and I'm assuming
with that team and Mahomes and the ankle and age

(20:52):
a little bit that it's important for them to get
that number one seed and the path come through Arrowhead
because of the way Buffalo is playing right now. So
you know, I think to me, the conversation would amp
up if the Chargers get a win Thursday night, because
then you you mentally say, okay, beat Cleveland and then
you get to control at home against Denver, and then

(21:14):
if you control that, then you at least go into
Week eighteen with a shot guaranteeing that it's meaningful football.
And I mean, and who wouldn't have signed up for
that two weeks based on the losses they've had and
how the season's gone. And I still I still contend,
and I know I'm not gonna be one that's going
to resell you. On the defense today, No, Tennessee's awful.

(21:35):
Will Levis is terrible. This isn't a good Bengals defense.
But Burrow has broken his own record for franchise touchdowns,
has three games to play. Jamar Chase is leading in
all the Triple Crown categories, and t Higgins starting to
play like t. Higginson. Oh, by the way, they have
a running back one in Chase Brown, who's a work course.

(21:56):
Good luck if you're the team that would draw them,
if they could sneak into the playoffs. That's why it's
so dangerous, and that's why you have the conversation, because
it doesn't feel like they would just get in and
then they get boat raced and they're out. They'd get
in and you'd create a model in which they could win. Yeah,
because of how good the offense is.

Speaker 2 (22:14):
Yeah, and you look at what's happening around the AFC.
The Bills can't stop anybody, no, right, Pittsburgh basically has
to have George Pickens on the field. The Ravens defensively
don't scare me, and they commit a thousand penalties per game.
The Chiefs have their flaws, Like would.

Speaker 3 (22:30):
You say some of those teams would want to play
the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (22:32):
Right, Yes, And so I get from a Bengals perspective,
I get a bit of a house money situation team
that goes into the playoffs with a head of team
against flawed teams that Joe Burrow has had success against before.
In some cases like dude, absolutely, I could not agree more.
I am sitting on my hands when it comes to
the playoff percentages, the scenarios. But if the Chargers win

(22:56):
that game on Thursday, game on, correct, I mean legit.
Not that it's likely, because mathematically it's not. But at
that point, dude, game on, let's.

Speaker 3 (23:05):
Go control you at least control Sunday in the following right,
that's what you get, yes, and then if you do
control that, you get to go into Week eighteen. Ideally
for meaningful football. We said three weeks ago. If you
still want to entertain twenty twenty four being a year
where the Bengals could do something meaningful, just get me
to the Denver game.

Speaker 2 (23:26):
Get me there. They're one win away.

Speaker 3 (23:29):
And offensively, selfishly, I know right now it's Josh Allen
by a long shot. If let's say Burrow continues the
pace's on and finishes the year with forty five touchdown
passes and the Bengals sneak in at nine and eight,
he's getting votes. He's getting the most Valuable Player votes
in the NFL. And if he's doing that, and he should,
Jamar Chase is getting Offensive Player of the Year votes,

(23:50):
and he should because he's probably going to still be
in line for the triple crown. So you know, if
you're Burrow and you're Chase and I know we're diving
into it. You want to know why he was so
mad at the end of yesterday game because he knows
that those mistakes won't translate against Cleveland and they sure
as hell won't translate against the Denver Broncos. So it's
one thing to say, hey, we won. You know, we

(24:11):
got to push this narrative forward. It's another thing to
have that realization from Joe Burrow's mind. Yeah, who holds
himself to the highest standard of We're not being anyone
playing like that.

Speaker 2 (24:20):
Yesterday's performance will not work if the idea is to
win the next three. One thing we don't know is
what the Steelers are going to be playing for a
week eighteen either. But yeah, look, be happy with the victory,
but they have to play better, especially on offense. They
have to play better yesterday. Yeah, look, keep my foot
on the gas. Hey, it's great that we've won. We

(24:42):
have a lot of work to do. Being six and
eight is not worth celebrating. We have to clean things up.
We cannot have eleven penalties by our offensive unit. It
is twenty six away from four o'clock. We're at Twin
Peaks in Westchester. It's the Tony and mol Football Show
on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 7 (24:59):
Station, Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 3 (25:04):
You're listening to the Home of the Bengals, ESPN fifteen
to thirty.

Speaker 2 (25:07):
Sports headlines are a service at Kelsey Chevroley, home of
lifetime power training, protection and guarantee credit approval from their
family to yours for life kelseyschev dot Com. The Bengals
officially not ruling out Sam Hubbard's return for the twenty
twenty four season, but Zach Taylor did today say that
he will miss this Sunday's game against the Browns with

(25:28):
that PCL injury he suffered yesterday after scoring a touchdown
his first career offensive touchdown of the game yesterday over
the the win yesterday with the Tennessee Titans. Meanwhile, Alex
Kappa is in the NFL's concussion protocol. Bengals Browns that
game on Sunday at one o'clock. You'll hear it live
on ESPN fifteen thirty. Kevin Stefanski, the Cleveland Brown's head coach,

(25:51):
is not yet willing to commit to any of his quarterbacks.
Jamis Winston pulled yesterday in favor of Dorian Thompson Robinson.

Speaker 3 (26:00):
Nick Chubbs broke his foot.

Speaker 2 (26:01):
Nick Chubb has broken his foot. They could also play
Bailey's Appy. We'll find out. Pregame covered Sunday morning starts
at nine am. Two Monday night football games tonight. You
got the Bears and Vikings on ESPN fifteen thirty. The
Falcons and Raiders can be heard on Fox Sports thirteen
sixty College Football News. It was made official today something

(26:22):
that had been speculated on. The UC Nebraska game next
year to start the season take place at Arrowhead Stadium
in Kansas City. Game will be on Thursday night, August.
The twenty eighth College basketball Latest Poll AP Top twenty
five pole has Cincinnati now nineteenth and Kentucky fourth, Dayton

(26:43):
twenty second. I just went to ESPN dot com to
see if I can get the coaches poll, and there
is no data of it there. We are twentieth, the
Bearcats coaches, Dayton twenty fourth, Coaches Kentucky fourth coaches poll.

Speaker 3 (26:58):
There you go, Flyers might be the the best twenty
second ranked team in the country. In recent years.

Speaker 2 (27:03):
It could be big home victory over Marquette. Bad news
for Zach Fremantle his season in jeopardy. He is going
to be out and definitely with a knee injury suffered
during Saturday's Skyline Chile Crosstown shootout. Sean Miller showed tonight
at seven o'clock on fifty five KRC. Mark Pope Show
at six after Kentucky's went over Louisville on Saturday. That

(27:25):
is on ESPN fifteen thirty. We're here at Twin Peaks
in Westchester. It is the Tony and Mo Football Show
on ESPN fifteen thirty. Sam Hubbard caught a touchdown pass,
celebrated spike the ball. Joe Burrow then goes and gets
it for him, and then we find out that Sam
Hubbard's done for the day. Yeah, now we found out

(27:46):
that he's got a PCL injury. They are not, according
to Zach Taylor, ruling out his return this year. But
it's worth wondering is that going to end up being
Sam Hubbard's final play as a Bengal.

Speaker 3 (27:58):
It's hard not to think so. This team is just
going in a direction. They need to completely overhaul the
defensive side of the ball. They also need to overhaul
the defensive side of the ball and save themselves some money,
and it just feels like that's the type of move
that would do both. I think Sam has been great
here in Cincinnati. He's been great in the community, but
he's also a guy that's been injury prone over the

(28:18):
last couple of years, and his production has just dipped.
He has not been the same player at all this year.
He played through injury. Last year we found out he's
playing through injury. This year, he is at times non
existent on the field. Yes, and with how bad this
defense is in the direction they need to go, I
just don't know how you can buy back into that.

Speaker 2 (28:41):
Yeah, I feel the same way. I mean everything you
just said, I think encapsulates not just how I feel,
but I think how a lot of people feel. Sam
has been a terrific Bengal Awesome story right, hometown guy
is a part of the franchise's revival Super Bowl team.
Are Yeah. Authored an iconic play the following season and
that a wild card game against the Baltimore Ravens, has

(29:03):
handled himself like a pro, has represented himself extraordinarily well.
I just I've watched this season and more often than not,
I go where Sam. Now, you could say that about
a lot of players. Sam is going to turn thirty
next summer. It's his eighth season, his best year scene
behind him. I'm willing to move on.

Speaker 3 (29:24):
And it just feels him catching that touchdown pass. If
it is the end, that's a good way to go out.

Speaker 2 (29:29):
Sure, yes, Sam Hubber will be very fondly remembered by
Bengals fans. It should be. But I'm interested in what's next.
And a thirty year old player whose production has dipped
for a while, who I don't notice when he's on
the field, is just not somebody up that interested in
bringing back.

Speaker 3 (29:46):
Doesn't make sense. Doesn't make sense with how many holes
this team needs to fill and how they need to
allocate their money. It's just not something that makes sense.

Speaker 2 (29:55):
What do you make of the Jordan Battle fumble.

Speaker 3 (29:56):
I don't get it. I for the life for me,
I can't understand in today's football, with as many guys
that have been guilty of it, how we still have
multiple times on an NFL Sunday players dropping the ball
going to I think there's.

Speaker 2 (30:10):
A difference between between Jordan Battle and that Johns Taylor did.

Speaker 3 (30:13):
Yeah, I think Battle was just lost control of it. Yes,
whereas Taylor was already starting his celebration. The good news
is for Battle, it didn't alter the outcome of the game. No,
And in that Jonathan Taylor fumble that would make it
twenty to seven, right, coat's rolling instead the coachs don't
score another point on the day that had a significant impact.
And you just you feel bad for Jordan Battle because

(30:34):
he played really well. He had ten tackles in the game.

Speaker 2 (30:36):
And who knows if he's ever going to have another
chance to score a touchdown chance?

Speaker 3 (30:39):
Right, that was your opportunity hold it with two hands.
You know, Prime always show voted, but he put both
hands on the ball when he show voted, right, I
just man, it was I don't get in today's football,
how it keeps happening.

Speaker 2 (30:52):
I don't understand. I mean, I understand less what Jonathan
Taylor did. You're dropping the ball, like I I do
not understand that, Yeah, I do not, And like I'm
the bat flip guy, right, I'm here for all the celebrations.
I do not understand. I'm coming up on the goal line.
I'm coming up on the goal line. Let's go ahead
and start the celebration until you're like, what's the harmon
waiting another half second? When you're two or three yards

(31:14):
deep into the end.

Speaker 3 (31:15):
Zone, Taylor dropped it and then celebrated. I think Battle knew. Yes,
he was like, oh, because he didn't even want to celebrate. Yeah,
it's a play that you're glad didn't come back to Hanum.
I know that, but it oddly felt appropriate for yesterday's game.

Speaker 2 (31:30):
How would you assess Joe Burrow's performance yesterday?

Speaker 3 (31:35):
Hit or miss?

Speaker 2 (31:37):
You know?

Speaker 3 (31:37):
For for Burrow, you start the game awfully, and I
think a lot is to be said about the week
that was. You're you're coming off your knees not feeling great,
your house was robbed, you're putting up insane numbers, and
your team was still a sliver of a chance to
make the playoffs.

Speaker 2 (31:55):
And you started the game. Now, he played better as
it went on. I thought he texted you. I thought
Dennick Cochran was gonna to get him killed.

Speaker 3 (32:00):
Well, not only that you're you're playing, you're you're shorthanded
on the blind side. You go into a game like
that and your left tackle as a guy that no
one even heard of. And to your point, the way
he started the game, I tweet it feels like you're
gonna be playing with fire for four quarters and they
somehow brought it together.

Speaker 2 (32:20):
Look as the game went on, he played better.

Speaker 3 (32:22):
Somehow he was sacked once yesterday. Yeah, I have no
idea how uh huh. I just the fumble has to
be corrected. But on the interceptions, I know that he
wants to have him back, but he's asked to do
so much. He's asked to make plays with his legs
on every single time he drops back, and I think

(32:46):
sometimes you just maybe force a ball or maybe you
have to try to get a ball out quicker than
when it should and the timing is off, and that
means the way the route is broken off maybe off
or something like that. It's just it's remarkable to me
again at the and he's putting together, you know, with
thirty six touchdowns with three games left.

Speaker 2 (33:04):
The touchdown passed to Chase Brown, it's unbelievable. Where he
had the ball for over nine seconds.

Speaker 3 (33:08):
Yeah, and he's moving so calmly with his eyes down
the field.

Speaker 2 (33:11):
That was the thing about it. I said to the
people that I was watching the game with It didn't
feel rushed, it didn't feel panicked. Yeah, it felt like
he was going through a drill. It felt like he
was going through a drill. He had gone for the
bags at your feet dozens of times. Like the calm,
the ability to still find the man down the field, like.

Speaker 3 (33:30):
It's his calm when everyone else is like, like, have
you watched the defenders?

Speaker 2 (33:34):
Yeah, they're one.

Speaker 3 (33:34):
Hundred miles an hour. Yeah, they're just throwing their hands everywhere,
and he's just subtenly moving in and out.

Speaker 2 (33:39):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (33:39):
I thought even more so when I look at Joe's
performance yesterday. You mentioned the penalties and the teams combined
for twenty six of him for two on twenty three yards.
Joe and the Bengals were ten to thirteen on third down. Yeah,
Like if you want to talk about, okay, sloppy but
lock in and Brian Callahan said we couldn't get him
out the fet on third down. Yeah, and that's in
a lot of third long situations. Ten of thirteen on

(34:02):
third down is insane, especially when you're putting yourself behind
the chains over and over and over again. So I
look at it in that sense, they got plays done
when they needed to get him done. It wasn't the
sharpest game, but I mean he's doing things that others
in the NFL don't do it.

Speaker 2 (34:19):
The Burrough play we were just talking about, like, I
hope we never get to a point with him where
we start to take stuff like that.

Speaker 3 (34:26):
For grant, right, And I think there are folks that
do it, because yesterday, I guess I don't want to
hear anything about this. Burrows turned it over three times? Okay,
all right, okay, And he's gonna be the first one
to say it. I have to be better.

Speaker 2 (34:39):
It you.

Speaker 3 (34:41):
I even am guilty of it sometimes, Like you just
see a play and it's like all right.

Speaker 2 (34:44):
But that was the thing about that play in particularly,
he he made that look routine. Correct, that's not routine.
You know this better than anybody if that's not routine.

Speaker 3 (34:52):
If you just watched the old line on that play.
Outside of cockerho a good rep. Yeah, everyone else is
getting beat, but you don't even think that because he's
just so moving. He knows he's got this uncanny ability
of when to move up in the pocket, when to backpedal,
and not not even escape at times. But he's so
good at that backpedaling reset stet to just give himself

(35:13):
a little bit more of a view. He knows when
to get out right, he knows when to get out left,
and he knows when to just burn it. Yeah, like
he has that clock and that understanding. Okay, now it's
got to come out. If not, he's an extend to
play as long as he possibly can. And still I
know it won a time, but you see him getting
hit and peeling himself off the touchdown to t Higgins

(35:35):
and you're just like, how much can you play with.

Speaker 2 (35:38):
That early in the game. I swore this is going
to be the game where Joe exits with an injury.

Speaker 3 (35:43):
And if so, how do you answer that?

Speaker 2 (35:45):
If you're the organization, Well, Joe was frustrated yesterday for
a variety of reasons. Can you imagine what sort of
body language we're dealing with or what sort of fallout
we're dealing with if behind that offensive line, like we
have to have a conversation about the two guards who
are terrible.

Speaker 3 (36:02):
No, the past block win rate in the first half
Volsa was twenty six, Kapa.

Speaker 2 (36:08):
Was zero zero one. I don't think that was possible.
Didn't win a rep yes.

Speaker 3 (36:12):
And So my thought is the frustration because eventually you're
you're Joe and you're looking said in the franchise record,
I got three games left to play for six and eight.

Speaker 2 (36:24):
Well, here's what I would say, Here's what I would
be thinking if I were Joe Burrow. This is my
fifth NFL season. I have never been behind a good
offensive line. Correct, I've been behind some that were better
than the others, but I've never been when am I
When am I actually going to play behind a good
offensive line?

Speaker 3 (36:44):
And what these numbers look like?

Speaker 2 (36:45):
Right? And even the one they had two years ago,
it was okay, it was all right, we all acknowledge,
like it's not great, it's okay. When am I going
to play behind an offensive line that is considered among
the league's best, because guess what, it's probably not going
to be next year. Yeah, that's that's what I would
be wondering if I was Joe. Not wondering if thinking
I'm gonna force a trade, but I'd go, I'm five

(37:05):
years in man, like I'm an established NFL player. We're
now going into my second contract. I have yet to
take a snap behind an offensive line that is considered
to be among the league's top third much less better
than that.

Speaker 3 (37:17):
Do you know who? That protects the play caller because
if there's a good offensive line, yeah, good points and
put more emphasis on right play design scheme because a
majority and I don't know the number, you'd have to
go back and watch all thirty six. I would venture
to say more than half of those are broken or
extended place that he makes and that hides scheme, That

(37:40):
hides play design. Yeah, because a lot of times it's
him making a guy miss extending the play and he's
pointing Jamar somewhere, or he's letting his receivers run a scramble,
drill it. It's maddening, and it also protects a guy
calling the place.

Speaker 2 (37:55):
No question about that. It's ate away from four o'clock.
We're here for another two hour hours plus till six o'clock.
Twin Peaks in Westchester Tony and Mo Football Show, Lot
of ground to cover on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 1 (38:13):
This is the Tony and Mo Football Show, Live from
the Twin Peaks, brought to you in part by Encore Technologies.
Visit OnCore dot Tech and Station East Ghast subs Penn Station.
It's all in good taste. Honda East, Cincinnati's Ultimate Honda Experience.
First State Bank built on Billy Ralph's American Grill in Wilmington, Ohio.
Just off I seventy one X and fifty inside the

(38:34):
Holiday and at the Roberts Center, and by your Tri
State Chevy Dealers. Chevrolet, the number one selling brand in
Cincinnati for the past eight years. Chevrolet Together. Let's drive
on the official home of the Bengal Cincinnatis, ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (38:51):
The Middle Hour, the Second Hour, the four o'clock hour,
The Tony and Mo Football Show on ESPN fifteen thirty
Moegger with Tony Pike. We are broadcast today from Twin
Peaks in Westchester, the day after the Bengals beat the
Tennessee Titans to remain I'm not even gonna say slim playoff,
thank you. Their playoff hopes remain alive after yesterday's winning Nashville.

(39:13):
A sloppy game, I thought, an entertaining game at times,
a frustrating game, but a game in which the Bengals
record their sixth victory of the season, and so yes,
they remain alive for a spot in the postseason. We're
here till six o'clock twin Peaks in Westchester. Back here
next Monday, the day after the Bengals take on the Browns.

Speaker 3 (39:32):
What excuse do people have if they don't show up
next Monday.

Speaker 2 (39:35):
Oh, they'll come up with them. I got familys, holidays,
haven't done my shopping yet. Hustle and bustle, that sort
of thing. What does our current coworker count of four? Four?

Speaker 3 (39:45):
Four?

Speaker 2 (39:45):
Because our stat guy did show up last week? Four
co workers? Yes? In this is week fifteen. This is
week fifteen, okay, of year ten. All right?

Speaker 3 (39:54):
I thought, what the holidays coming up, Maybe that's the
time that the gift would be bestowed. This would be it,
This would be the time. Okay, really holding out a
lot of hope for that. But if not today, you
have zero excuse for next week.

Speaker 2 (40:09):
Agreed.

Speaker 3 (40:10):
I don't know anyone that's working next Tuesday except you
and I.

Speaker 2 (40:15):
It's Monday.

Speaker 3 (40:16):
Well I mean to come here. I gonna have to
worry about work on Tuesday.

Speaker 2 (40:20):
You and I are working on Tuesday, Yeah, because we're
team players. We're not doing our shows. I'm not doing mine. Yeah,
but we are working next Tuesday. Yes, company holiday.

Speaker 3 (40:31):
Company holiday, burning the midnight oil comp Day, Baby, I'm
working a lot of those. Comp Day Baby, I am
working a lot of those. So it is the Tony
and Mo Football Show.

Speaker 2 (40:41):
But there are times where there are extenuating circumstances where
we step outside of football and talk about something else.
Oh Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout represents those extenuating circumstances. Sixty
eight to sixty five. The Bearcats beat Xavier on Saturday.
If you don't know, unfortunately, in the aftermath of the
Skyline Chili Crosstown shootout, Zach Fremantle, who was terrific in

(41:05):
the first half of that game against UC over half
their points, Yeah, suffered a knee injury during the game
and he is being ruled out. And definitely that news
came down earlier today and by the way, confirmed by XU.
Your big takeaway from the shootout was what.

Speaker 3 (41:21):
Of all the years that I felt like the Bearcats
had a better team and didn't win, this year, they
have a better team and so many key pieces didn't
contribute the way you counted on, and they found a
way to win. That type of result seemingly always goes
Xavier's way. And there was a point that in the

(41:42):
second half, it felt like it was gonna go Xavier's
way again.

Speaker 2 (41:44):
It was a point at halftime, and the yead it
was going to go.

Speaker 3 (41:46):
I mean to have a nine point lead in the
first half and think, all right, a couple stops away
twenty five sixteen to go down one at the half.
Gisel going over eleven is insane because I thought ten
of his eleven shots were really good shots. Seemos was
nowhere in the first half. Dan Skillings was really nowhere.

(42:06):
Day Day shot one to five. I thought that was
the best game we've seen from his eas bandego as
a bear Cat, and I thought Dylan Mitchell's activity kept
them going until the others could pick up the pace.
And I thought a guy that we had talked about
in a different sense, I thought Connor Hickman had a
huge nine points. Yeah, you know, I thought uc made

(42:28):
the plays win necessary and I think on the other end,
and I could be completely wrong, but watching from my
vantage point, Freemantle was so good in the first half.
I think Sean Miller knew he had to get someone
going with him, and that's Conwell. And I think he
made it a point so early in the second half
to get Conwell going that it might have taken away

(42:49):
Freemantle's rhythm a little bit. Freemantle became a screener.

Speaker 2 (42:53):
Yeah, he became. If you watched the second half and
didn't know how the first half unfolded, you wouldn't believe
that that was the best player on the floor. Yeah,
for either team, I think it was.

Speaker 3 (43:01):
I think it was them realizing, right, we got to
get someone going to go with Freemantle, and in doing so,
it took him out of his rhythm in a big way.

Speaker 2 (43:08):
I thought the final minute of the first half felt
like a microcosm from a UC perspective, a microcosm of
the series where there's a miss dunk, there's a missed
wide open three, there's a tip ball, and then Zach
Fremantle calmly drains the three from the top of the key.
And this first half that was mostly I don't want

(43:29):
to say dominated, but where you see looked like the
better team and at one point had a nine point lead.
Now they go in. Now they go in down by
a point, and the energy in the building wasn't great.
You mentioned Gisel James. I'll give him credit for this.
He was over eleven he makes the two free throws
at the end. His body language, his demeanor never changed. Yeah,
I look for that sometimes. Man. Basketball is very transparent sport.

(43:53):
You and I have both watched players across the sport
who they're having a bad night and it affects them.

Speaker 3 (43:57):
They shy away from anything.

Speaker 6 (43:58):
No.

Speaker 2 (43:58):
I used to watch Jaron number one. You know, God
love him, but when he was having a bad shooting game,
you could just the negative energy wasn't good. And I
talked about that, well, he was a player here. I
didn't get that from from Gisel James. I thought Xavier
ran out of gas. Yeah, I think they're seen that
from UC a couple of times this year. No, quite
hard to keep up with. Yeah, I thought Xavier in

(44:20):
the final five or six minutes just ran out of
gas and that I think that affected their offensive execution.
But they executed the last shot correctly.

Speaker 3 (44:28):
That was a great, great play because Conwell had been
the guy and they show the the movement that Freeman
was going to set the screen and it's Conwell that
sets it on two guys, on two guys, and.

Speaker 2 (44:39):
I can't believe it didn't go in. I know Zach
Freemantle is not a great three point.

Speaker 3 (44:44):
Shooter the end of the half.

Speaker 2 (44:45):
I cannot believe it didn't go in.

Speaker 3 (44:47):
Yep, it's just that that ability to exhale, and I
think you sensed that with Wes after the game.

Speaker 2 (44:52):
Yes, I thought Wes's post game was phenomenal.

Speaker 3 (44:55):
I love it. Like Dylan Mitchell, seems like the most
genuine and astute player that I remember a long time.
I mean to head the Wherewithal he talked about the
crowd and the atmosphere and the big game feel, and
Wes did a great job of that as well. But
it goes to show West felt the pressure that we
all talked about. No question, he knew he needed to
win that game.

Speaker 2 (45:16):
I thought.

Speaker 3 (45:16):
I thought the atmosphere was phenomenal at fifth third, and
I will give the Bear Couch credit for this. Even
when their shots aren't falling day day jizzle skillings, those
guys defend their tail off. I mean, I know Davian
McKnight didn't have a lot of points. They they were
up in him much of the games for the first half.

(45:37):
Conwall couldn't get anything going. I think they defend well.
On the other end, I'm surprised and Austin brought this
up earlier today. I'm surprised they didn't try to push
more with their offense struggling, because it felt like at
times lobbs and and easy baskets were any thing they
could do to score because the shots just weren't falling.
And it wasn't It wasn't like and this isn't a

(45:58):
shot at Xavier. It wasn't like they weren't getting good looks.
I mean, how many times did the ball go in
and out? It seemed like late first half, second half,
every loose ball bounced. I mean, there was one under
Xavier's basket. Two UC players go up, it goes under
his legs, drum Hunter picks it up. It felt like,
you know, one of those games where every loose ball
was going against you, and they stayed with it. They

(46:20):
made their run. Lukashis made the shots down the stretch
when he needed to, and they got such a big
win because think about this, If they don't win that
and now you and I have talked, Dayton has two losses.
When they were up twenty one on North Carolina, they're
up sixteen on Iowa State. They have wins over Yukon
and number six Marquette yep. I mean that's a good
team on Friday night. If you're hanging your head after

(46:42):
losing the shootout, yeah, if you're hanging your head after
losing the shootout, it's snowballs now.

Speaker 2 (46:47):
You know.

Speaker 3 (46:47):
There was that clip of Wes Miller that I don't
think Wes wanted to get out. He was right, you
couldn't shoot, you couldn't make a layup, you couldn't do
anything right, and you found a way to win.

Speaker 2 (46:56):
The game, yeah, he said in the postgame show. And
you're right, man. I've sat I've sat next to and
across from him for a lot of postgame shows. I
have never seen him or any other coach where the
look of relief and exhaustion and elation, and you know
he's he went out of his way to say, like,

(47:17):
my favorite games to win are the ones where we
don't shoot it well, we have to overcome ourselves, and
they did in the game. I'll go ahead and acknowledge
this because I believe in fairness. You see got a
friendly whistle. Skilling should have been called for a violation.
I'm the first to acknowledge that. But there's a reason
why I don't harp on beat officiating, one of my
team loses because sometimes you benefit from them getting it wrong.

(47:41):
You see benefited from it. But you talk about snowballing now.
So part of the story is Xavier season. My take
last week was from a UC perspective. This game is
about the rivalry and it's about Wes Miller and not
going six straight, not going zero to four. Xavier didn't
come into that game playing great either. They've lost arguably

(48:01):
their best player in Zach Fremantle. Turn around and play
Yukon on the road Wednesday. Turn around after that and
play Marquette here. You know, we talked about this last week.
If you're an x fan, you're going, Okay, you gotta
be UC because the next two after that, you don't
do you want to lose three straight going into Christmas,
five losses three already going into Big East play. Now

(48:21):
you got to do it without a key guy. So
and then I think from a bear cap perspective, once
you kind of step away from the game itself. You
mentioned their issues in the half court. It was a
lob or nothing. They have to execute better in the
half court offensively.

Speaker 3 (48:35):
I when they went into the Villanova game, I said,
they need to win two or three against Nova, Xavier
and Dayton, and losing against Nova strengths that margin vera.
But if you if you're at uc and you find
a way to beat Dayton, you have one loss in
your non conference, you're pretty good. You feel good going
into Big Twelve play, You feel good going into Christmas.

(48:55):
I know they got a game against Grambling in there
as well, but much like Xavier, you see start. So
the Big twelve players a gauntlet on their first two
home games are Kansas and Arizona. Yeah, you're on the
road against good teams. Iowa State all of a sudden
looks like the front runner in the Big twelve. So
you got a lot that that's coming up. And now
I just think mentally it does so much for you
to say, we shot thirty seven percent, Yeah, twenty five

(49:19):
percent from three and we won. We won that game.
We're not gonna shoot that bad at least I hope not. Yeah,
collective a minute day day skillings, jizsel siemas, I think
combined to go ten for thirty nine seven turnovers and
you won that game. I think you can learn and
you can take a lot from that, and if you

(49:40):
can find a way to bottle that and do it
at Heritage on Friday night. Yeah, you feel great about
your non conference.

Speaker 2 (49:48):
I think if a beat Dayton, well we'll give them
an a minus for the non conference. They will have
gone on the road in one twice. They will have
won a neutral side game against now a ranked team.
They will have won the Xavier game. I think if
you lose this one Dayton, it emotionally doesn't wash away
the Xavier game. But I think it's gonna feel underwhelming. Yep,
going into league play with with with two losses, they

(50:09):
have to be better in the half court. Your half
court offense cannot be just throwing up lobs. And there
was a stretch on Saturday where that was the case.
But I'm gonna bet that Gisel James never goes oh
for eleven again. And they got through a game. I
thought as the game went on, you started to see
Dan Skillings just feel better. Yeah right.

Speaker 3 (50:28):
I think it was weird too, you know, in West's
post game of saying, you know, I love it here
in Cincinnati. I don't want to have to leave Cincinnati
if that game goes the other way. It's different, But
I also think it's different because you and I spend
a lot of time talking about rotations. Betsy played, but
not a ton. Reid played but not a ton. I
think he realized it's time, Okay, let's shrink the rotation

(50:50):
a little bit in these types of games. And it's
not a shot at Reid and it's not a shot
at Betsy. So the matchups just don't work sometimes. And
I think Betsy's gonna be so good, but he's got
a long way to go on the defensive side of
the ball. And if you're Wes and every possession is
important because the offense is struggling, you can't give up
easy looks because a freshman isn't where he needs to be.

(51:11):
So I just I think they learned a lot about
themselves and something that in bad games going forward you
can draw back on. We've been in games where we
shot it terribly before. You find a way to win,
and they found that way to beat Xavier and do
so for the first time in what feels like forever
and now, Like I said, because of the Nova loss,

(51:32):
it gives you a chance to make the non conference successful,
because I still don't think it's as successful if out
of the three biggest games you play, you lose two
of them.

Speaker 2 (51:39):
Well, and metrically that Dayton game is enormous, you know.
Metrically the Xavier game is a Q two win. I mean,
it's certainly one you'll you'll take and they beat what
I still think is a good team. I'm not sure
how good they're going to be, but yeah, I mean
he used read a little bit late in the first half.
Just picked his spot. Yeah, Betsy, it kind of felt
like he picked his spot, which is different than how

(52:00):
he had been coaching in the page See, I called
my shot late on Saturday night. Arrington Page is gonna
win a game for him? I think so he's gonna
win a game for him in the second half of
the seas. He has a big put back, Yeah, he is.
In my opinion, I think he's their best big with
his back to the basket the second half of year

(52:20):
two for a college basketball player, because they played last
year at USC that's where we're getting a leap.

Speaker 3 (52:26):
I still think he gets sped up a little bit
offensively any times.

Speaker 2 (52:29):
And defensively sometimes it looks like he's.

Speaker 3 (52:31):
So athletic and we've seen and I know it's a
different sample size. Reid or Mitchell can face you up
and go around you. He's got that nice spin move.
He can shoot it over you. Azz is not a
back to the basket guy. Page is a guy. I
genuinely think you can throw it down to him and
he can make a move on the block, and they're
missing that. They don't have that yet. I think there

(52:53):
is a spot on this team for that and to
be the big that spells Mitchell and his ease when
they need it.

Speaker 2 (52:59):
Yeah, it is twenty minutes after four o'clock. He's Tony Pike.
You enjoyed that tension in a long time. You when
when you see a lot of old school four point play.

Speaker 3 (53:10):
Oh gosh, I do it, and then immediately it's like
it's gonna come down a free throw shooting.

Speaker 2 (53:14):
I don't like that. Yeah, Jisell goes over for eleven.
It makes a couple yep. I give him. I give
him a lot of credit for that. You know what
it is? Still it is still you know going in
You know, I gave Jason Williams a hard time on
the station down the hall for his his column the
other day. One year, we're going to look at the

(53:35):
game solely through the lens of what it is instead
of what it used to be and what it's not anymore. Yep.
And I come out of that game every year going
there are people who think this game doesn't matter as
much unbelievable as people have like the did you feel.

Speaker 3 (53:49):
The energy in that arena? The uneasiness?

Speaker 2 (53:53):
This is incredible, the tension that was the earliest I.

Speaker 3 (53:56):
Remember seeing fans or students fill the students action? Do
you know everything about that game? And the energy is
what makes college basketball so special? And if you think
that the game's lost a little bit.

Speaker 2 (54:09):
Of that exactly I said every year, I can't.

Speaker 3 (54:13):
Tell that when you stream because the stream was all
frozen and stuffy. Man, look if you if you if
you think genuinely that that game has lost anything, just
go one year.

Speaker 2 (54:23):
Go go one year, or look at the social media
feeds of the former players on either side.

Speaker 3 (54:29):
Yeah, and how.

Speaker 2 (54:30):
Much it means to them.

Speaker 3 (54:31):
I saw because where I'm sitting, I saw Corey Blunt
on his feet the whole game, losing his mind at
the stands sitting behind him. Probably not the best, but
it's like Kenyon and and and Leonard Stokes are there,
and like I said, Corey Blunts done everything. He couldn't back.
He played with Jordan, he played with Kobe, and he
had more emotion about that game than I've ever seen

(54:54):
from him and Wes. Wes say that you go in
the locker room and you see these former guys and
what it means, and on the other you see it
from former Xavier players. If you can't see that and
you see it from Sean Miller or go to a game,
no chance. It's one of the best rivalries going. And
it's it to me, It's what college basketball is supposed
to feel.

Speaker 2 (55:12):
It's my favorite. Look, we're biased, we're Bearcat fans. It
is my favorite annual Cincinnati sporting event. And I say
that in our team usually loses.

Speaker 3 (55:21):
It's almost it's my favorite, but also my most hated
because there were times like I'm talking to Marya during
the game, like I hate, like I feel terrible, I'm nervous.
I got this feeling in the pit of my stomach.
If they lose this game, We're not doing anything afterwards.

Speaker 2 (55:34):
We're gone.

Speaker 3 (55:34):
We are not going out.

Speaker 2 (55:36):
You said the atmosphere was great, and it was, but
the the energy in the building at halftime, like the
like the pensiveness, the apprehension in there based on having
lost it five straight years, and omg, we just kind
of outplayed him and we're still down by a point.

Speaker 3 (55:51):
If I've got a nitpick, I need something else for
halftime besides entertainment. No, there was like nine straight minutes
where nothing happened on the court and I'm looking around
and no one's making a noise.

Speaker 2 (56:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (56:03):
It was the quietest, Yeah, and it happens like Freemantle shot,
like give me the dogs chasing the Frisbees, give me
the squirrel on the back of it.

Speaker 2 (56:11):
Early in the second half, I said to Dan and Terry,
can can they introduce Kenning again? Yes? It felt can
Joe Royer come back out? And it felt worse at
halftime announced that he's humming back again.

Speaker 3 (56:22):
By the way it ended. And then I'm just looking
around halftime and everyone's just sitting in quiet, and I'm like,
this is bad.

Speaker 2 (56:28):
It is twenty three minutes after three o'clock. All right,
back to football? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, when we come back.
Tony and Mo Football Show A twin peaks in Westchester
on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 1 (56:38):
Station is Football in the Natti, brought to you in
part by modern office methods on the official home of
the Bengals, Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (56:51):
Twenty eight minutes after four o'clock ESPN fifteen thirty, Moleggar
with Tony Mike It is the Tony and Mo Football
Show on ESPN fifteen. You said something that I think
five or six weeks ago a lot of people would
have snickered at. Chase Brown is running back one man
of all the things that have happened this year, as

(57:13):
they relate to next year, or as they have impacted
this season, one of the more pleasant developments I'm not
gonna say surprising, because I think a lot of us
thought Chase Brown had a chance to be pretty good.
One of the more pleasant developments has been how good
he has been and how they have continually expanded his role.

Speaker 3 (57:33):
Yeah, and we would be remissed if we didn't give
the organization credit when we are holding them accountable for
certain situational moves. They weighed the Joe Mixon contract, his age,
and they decided to move on from him, which was
not a fan favorite decision by a lot of accounts,
And they said, Chase Brown's our guy. We've seen enough

(57:55):
we know enough. Chase Brown's our guy, and I know
Joe Mixon has been for the Texans this year. Chase
Brown's been unbelievable for the Bengals this year. He had
another three catches yesterday in a touchdown. How about twenty
five carries ninety seven yards in a touchdown. What I
liked most about his whole day yesterday, late in the game,
when the defense knew what was coming, and he still

(58:16):
ran just as hard in his twenty second, twenty third,
twenty four to twenty fifth carries he did in his
first and second carry. He does so at a rate
he doesn't get tired. I think he is a genuine weapon.
And when you were talking about this offense, Amarius Mims,
build around him. Chase Brown, build around him, Jamar Chase,

(58:37):
Joe Burrow, build around him. If you tend to move
in the direction we've seen the last week, t Higgins,
build around him. Those are four sure pieces that you
have going forward. You put Chase Brown in that conversation.

Speaker 2 (58:50):
Joe Mixon has had a positive impact on a team
that has won a division. He is he's gotten two
hundred and he's missed games, but he's got two hundred
and forty nine touches this season for the Houston Texans.
He's averaging four point eight yards per touch. Chase Brown
has gotten eleven fewer touches this season. He's averaging four

(59:12):
point eight yards per touch. Look, Joe has had a
positive impact on the Texans. I think sometimes some have
gone out of the way to talk about Joe Mixon
like he's having this Saquon Barkley type season. He's started crazy,
He's slowed down a bunch. So in three of his
last five games, here's his yards per carry total or

(59:32):
average one point eight four, one point five to seven,
one point nine to two.

Speaker 3 (59:37):
Yeah, just that has Again he started great. I think
though it's it's one of those situations and we see
this in sports from time to time. Both sides win.
The Houston Texans are better because of Joe Mixon, and
the Bengals have a really good young running back under
team control on that rookie deal in Chase Brown. I mean,
don't forget he set records at college. Yes, I mean

(59:59):
he finished at the top of a lot of rushing records.

Speaker 2 (01:00:01):
I watched Chase Brown kind of an maybe this isn't
fair kind of to the lens of why couldn't they
use him the way they're using him this year.

Speaker 3 (01:00:08):
Last year, yep, and yesterday an extremely highly graded pass
protection den Yes, so a three down back. Now, I
do think it's worth consideration with how good he's become.
How do you view the backup running back role and
what that looks like going forward? Because it's probably not
going to be a position of priority because they have

(01:00:28):
so many other positions of priority. But he has certainly
changed the conversation and a added weapon for this team
and for Joe Burrow going forward.

Speaker 2 (01:00:37):
All Right, let's talk about two players that I do
not want to watch anymore. When week come back, we'll
also talk about what happened everything around the NFL yesterday,
everything that went down during Week fifteen. It's twenty eight
away from five o'clock Tony and Mo Football Show at
Twin Peaks in Westchester on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Day.

Speaker 1 (01:00:58):
You've been listening to a football in the name on
the official home of the Bengals, Cincinnatis. ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (01:01:08):
Sports Headlines are a service to Kelsey Chevrolet, home of
lifetime power train protection and Guaranteed Credit approval from their family.
Yours for life, kelseyshev dot com. Sam Hubbard's not going
to play Sunday against the Browns. Suffered a PCL injury
yesterday when the Bengals beat the Titans. They are not,
at least publicly at least ruling out the possibility for

(01:01:30):
his return in twenty twenty four. Guard Alex Kappa in
concussion protocol. Bengals playing the Browns on Sunday. Nick Chubb
done for the season with a broken foot Cleveland and
that lost to Kansas City yesterday. Benched Jamis Winston, Kevin
Stefanski today noncommittal.

Speaker 3 (01:01:46):
Oh as to who's going to play quarterback on Sunday,
Miles Garrett was banged up in that game. It was
Nick Chubb broke his foot in that game. It feels
like the Jamis magic has worn off a little bit.
I don't know what that team is playing for. If
you witness the Chargers beat the Broncos and you don't

(01:02:07):
start fast on Sunday, I don't know what you're missing. Yeah,
I mean you have a chance. Like it's a team
that's not playing for anything. You have to dominate them.

Speaker 2 (01:02:16):
Such well, we will watch hard Knocks this week, and
I'm sure the motivation is going to be stated as
let's end Cincinnati season. Whether or not they can is
a different story.

Speaker 3 (01:02:25):
Speaking of Hard Knocks, I so hope that Hard Knocks
has the audio from the end of the game with
Burrow and Zach Taylor. I mean, I need that.

Speaker 2 (01:02:33):
I want. I want the audio of Burrow and Zach
Taylor at the end of the game. And I want
the audio of Jordan Battle after.

Speaker 3 (01:02:38):
Fucking the ball.

Speaker 2 (01:02:39):
Yeah. Sunday's game at one live on ESPN fifteen thirty.
Pre game coverage at nine Monday Night Football Tonight two games.
ESPN fifteen thirty has the Bears and Vikings. Fox Sports
thirteen sixty has the Falcons and Raiders.

Speaker 3 (01:02:53):
You know they're calling that the deser Ritter revenge game.

Speaker 2 (01:02:56):
Let's go. I'm here for it.

Speaker 3 (01:03:00):
Think Kirk Cousins dough for like six hundred yards in
a game this season? Uh huh, shines come off that
a little bit in Atlanta till.

Speaker 2 (01:03:06):
A little bit. Yes, college Football News you see is
gonna play Nebraska. We knew that the game is not
going to be in Cincinnati. We knew that game will
be at Arrowhead stadium. We suspected that that was confirmed today.
It'll be Thursday night, August the twenty eighth college basketball
Disappointing news for the Xavier Musketeer. Zach Fremantle suffered a

(01:03:27):
knee injury in Saturday Skyline Chile Crosstown shootout. He is
out indefinitely. More tonight on the Sean Miller Radio Show.
That's at seven o'clock on fifty five KRC. The Mark
Pope Radio Show is tonight at six on ESPN fifteen thirty.
Pope's Wildcats beating Louisville's close game on Saturday. It was
it was a closter game that I thought, closer game

(01:03:48):
that I thought I was going to be pack Kelsey's
team despite being shorthanded, hung in there. Yeah, what else
do we have? Oh? The rankings top twenty five eight
p pole, Cincinnati is nineteenth if in the Coach's poll,
Kentucky is fourth in both, and the aforementioned Dayton Flyers
Okay our twenty second, ap twenty fourth in the coaches poll. Now,

(01:04:12):
making the matchup on Friday night a battle between man
ranked teams. I can't watch Alex Kappape and Cordell Volson anymore. Nope.

Speaker 3 (01:04:21):
I you know, it's crazy in a game where Devin
Cochrane started at left tackle that we are talking about
poor guard play more than Devin Cochrane. And this isn't
the problem is, this isn't just a.

Speaker 2 (01:04:35):
Yeah, but Devin Cochran's a backup to a backup.

Speaker 3 (01:04:37):
Right, those are starter, That's what I mean. We're talking
more about the poor guard play than the third string
left tackle. Right. If this was just a flash in
the pan or a couple of weeks stretch, they've both
been awful all year and from playing the position, I
would you can't be deficient at both guards because the

(01:04:58):
pressure in your face just prohibits to lot. And I
think what's even more telling, because I think a lot
of we're questioning a lot of Okay, who are the
pieces you can keep around? Seeing what Ted Carris is
doing with both of them next to him, Yeah, I
mean he's on an island at thirty one. At thirty one,
I would buy back into Karras for a year or two.
I'm fine with that because those two guards gotta go. Yeah,

(01:05:19):
I'm fine with that. Like if I bookend Orlando Brown junior,
Marius Mims and Ted Carris, give me two new guards.
I'm at least in the conversation of getting that thing
turned around. Yeah, I mean they are so bad, so
bad at guard. How can you grate out of as
zero pass blocking in a half of football.

Speaker 2 (01:05:36):
By the way, it's worth mentioning. The thirty third team
tweeted this out today about Mariusmims. Thirty eight pass protection snaps,
no pressures. Good day for him. I think we're all
on board with him. Is the idea of being a cornerstone,
and I think we're all okay. With Orlando Brown hopefully
healthy coming back. You cannot go into next year with
Kappa and Volson as you're starting guards.

Speaker 3 (01:05:58):
You cannot be absolute mouth this not practice. To Joe Burrow,
what I do think I saw the stat earlier. A
Marius Mims, assuming he plays the whole game against Cleveland,
will have played more snaps this season than he did
all at Georgia, and he did so with no training
camp and limited reps of Georgia had some training camp,

(01:06:19):
but yes, the peck injury and he probably got thrown
in there a little bit earlier than what he was
ready for.

Speaker 2 (01:06:27):
Yeah, the idea was for Trent Brown to take over itself,
so I don't.

Speaker 3 (01:06:32):
I don't know how you could not feel good about
a Marius. Remember Trent Brown, I I remember watching him
run sprints after one practice and thinking, oh, this is interesting.

Speaker 2 (01:06:45):
But what is the bigger need? Entire defense or entire
guard room?

Speaker 3 (01:06:52):
I mean, as as an offensive guy, I would say
the guards, because you know, but again it so much
of it for me is an unknown because I know
how terrible the defense is. Better guard play, I said
this earlier, will put more of an emphasis on play
calling in scheme, because say what you want about how
bad the guards are. Joe Burrow's ability to extend the

(01:07:14):
play makes this offense better right now than they are.

Speaker 2 (01:07:17):
Yeah, that's awesome. I can't have that be the end
every week.

Speaker 3 (01:07:21):
No want you want to make sure that they're calling
the right place and steaming everything out.

Speaker 2 (01:07:24):
I once want to go into a season feeling like,
you know what, the Bengals have five good offensive linemen.

Speaker 3 (01:07:30):
How could it? How can I have gone so bad?

Speaker 2 (01:07:31):
For Kappa got old and I all right, so terrible.

Speaker 3 (01:07:36):
But if you're gonna move on from the guards, are
you moving on from Frank Pollack?

Speaker 2 (01:07:41):
It's on the table. Yeah, I mean Frank Pollack has
had This is year five if I'm not mistake.

Speaker 3 (01:07:47):
As you mentioned, Joe Burrow has never had a comfortable offense.

Speaker 2 (01:07:50):
He's never had a good even I would say the
best one would have been twenty twenty two. Would you
have put that offensive line in the top, say, top
half of the league. No, probably not.

Speaker 3 (01:08:02):
They've not had a top half of the league offensive line.
And the problem is what's maddening. It's not like they've
ignored it. They've drafted and he spent money there. So
if those things are off, that's either the personnel department
or that's the offensive line coach not.

Speaker 2 (01:08:17):
Being able to develop. Like think, I think some people
get annoyed with me, which is a general rule. I
can't blame anybody, but because you know, we last week
it was all T Higgins and man, I'll talk about
T Higgins all day long, pros and cons. But regardless
of what happens to T Higgins, the two biggest issues
this offseason are fixed the defense and fix the offensive line.
And it just it feels like, because we're so caught

(01:08:39):
up and Tea, we're dismissive about it. It's been almost
ten years since the Bengals had a top end offensive line. Yeah,
and I've heard for years, well, you it just has
to be league average. The lower year ceiling is the
lower your floor is, right. I just once, I want
to see what Joe Burrow can do playing behind. Look,
they had an offensive line in twenty fifteen that was awesome. Whitworth, Zeidler, Bowling,

(01:09:03):
Andre Smith was on that team, like a good, top
you would say, top three or four offensive line. Since then,
it's been average at best, and usually much worse. Just once,
I want to see Joe Burrow one of the top
two or three quarterbacks on the planet, maybe the best
quite frankly, although Josh Allen would certainly have something to
say about that. I want to see Joe Burrow play

(01:09:25):
behind a great offensive line, and I don't think that's
ever going to happen.

Speaker 3 (01:09:30):
Can you imagine the stress that would put on defenses
if they had to commit six guys, right, because you
have to find ways to get to Burrow and all
of a sudden you're one on one with Chase or
one on one with t Higgins. Yeah, I mean that's
the idea. But when you can pressure with four, it
makes what they're doing even more unbelievable because for the
most part, Chase is always doubled and Burrow is just

(01:09:51):
making things happen with his legs and in accuracy. I
just it would put because right now every defense is
the same rush for drop seven, get pressure with the
front four.

Speaker 2 (01:10:02):
So this is not exactly the scenario how it will unfold.
But let's say the Bengals draft a guard. Let's say
their plan going into the offseason is, in the first
two days of the draft, we are gonna draft a
guard that we could play Week one, and then we're
gonna go get the best guard in the NFL. But
then we can't bring back T Higgins.

Speaker 3 (01:10:21):
Yeah, it's tough.

Speaker 2 (01:10:23):
What would you do, Not that it has to be
that way.

Speaker 3 (01:10:27):
I'd probably protect because you know, as good as Tea
his he's not doing it. If Burrows not in the
game and you're franchising to go anywhere. If you know it,
it's Jake Browning and T Higgins and Jamar Chase. No
offense to Jake Browning. That's just the nature of it.
I did look out of curiosity. I saw one first

(01:10:51):
round graded eligible guard in the upcoming draft, and he
was Frank thirty second so i'd be the bottom of
the first round. Yeah, but you know, the Ravens were rewarded.
They took Tyler Linderbaum in the interior part of that
offensive line, and he's turned into a really good player.
And you know, you you're still chasing, you know, the

(01:11:13):
next Zeitler or the next I mean, you eventually have
to take the swing next year, but you better be
damn sure that you have the guy to develop him
next year, as you're a line coach.

Speaker 2 (01:11:22):
Will be the tenth anniversary of the Bengals last good
offensive line. Should they bring those guys back to celebrate
the tenth anniversary Yes, of the last competent on line
of the last good Yeah offensive line?

Speaker 3 (01:11:32):
Like a bibblehead. Do a giveaway for a game?

Speaker 2 (01:11:34):
Yeah? Like have an event that fun. I'm in. It
is thirteen away from five o'clock word twin Peaks in Westchester,
Tonio Jos flying It really is flying by. We we
have some college football to get to in the last
hour of the show and talk about everything else happening
around the NFL as well, on top of all the
Bengals ins and outs from yesterday's victory over the Titans

(01:11:55):
on ESPN fifteen thirty. Cincinnati Sports Station Cincinnati ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 6 (01:12:02):
Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center for unmatched cancer care.
Choose the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center, the only regional
program offering proton therapy. Call five one three five eighty
four beam he's found. Two seventy five after I seventy one,
the right lane blocked from an accident up to a
fifteen minute to lay back from Lebanon Road on Wenton Road.

(01:12:26):
Another accident, this one north of Cross County Highway in
northbound seventy one. An accident on the ramp to Norwood
Lateral on that he's out, like with traffic.

Speaker 2 (01:12:35):
I'm told Clyde Edwards hilaris got cut by the Kansas
City Chiefs. There's your answer, man, Can you ask? I
give you one. He was inactive in yesterday's game against
Cleveland and cut today. So there you go. What do
we have? Not away from five o'clock?

Speaker 3 (01:12:52):
He is pre you'll pick him up.

Speaker 2 (01:12:54):
No, I'm good.

Speaker 3 (01:12:56):
Do you want Clyde Edwards at LSU?

Speaker 2 (01:12:58):
I know, but do you want him him?

Speaker 3 (01:13:00):
That is moss? Get the whole band back together. Kay,
York's here? Where's Joe Brady is that or on?

Speaker 2 (01:13:10):
Yeah, Kojo, who's gonna win the AFC? Let me ask
you this everything now.

Speaker 3 (01:13:15):
I'll still say Kansas City because they've got a little
bit of a buffer. But Buffalo offensively right now is incredible.

Speaker 2 (01:13:24):
Allen's the MVP.

Speaker 3 (01:13:25):
Allen's the MVP right now. Cook is so good running back.
And you know they don't have the star wide out
some good ones. Yeah, but so much of that as
Allen like I. But their defense is so bad. Their
defense gets cashed as well. So that's a game, like you,
I think to be buffally ift.

Speaker 2 (01:13:45):
To outscore them.

Speaker 3 (01:13:46):
They're gonna score, They're gonna give up points. Can you
score more?

Speaker 2 (01:13:51):
Like?

Speaker 3 (01:13:52):
They're not gonna They're not gonna have twenty to seventeen
playoff games. They have scored over thirty and eight straight
football games. Yeah, that's insane, and they have won them all. No,
it's a crazy part.

Speaker 2 (01:14:04):
They played that game with Detroit yesterday. Dan Campbell tries
an onside kick down multiple scores. Did you have a problem.

Speaker 3 (01:14:10):
No, because it's a coach that's honest about where his
team's at. He knew they weren't stopping Buffalo, and at
that point in the game, You've got all your timeouts left.
You know, at worst Buffalo's gonna get it back and
take some time off the clock and probably go score.
So shorten the field. See if you can get a

(01:14:32):
fluke onside kick, and if not, can you hold him
to a field goal? And if you do, it's a
two score game. You still got all three of your timeouts,
but you're shrinking the field and not taking up as
much time. I don't have a problem with it. The
only thing I don't like is the declaring.

Speaker 2 (01:14:45):
I don't like that.

Speaker 3 (01:14:46):
Yeah, I don't like that part of the rule, and
I know it's hard because of where everyone's lined up.

Speaker 2 (01:14:50):
Does it feel to you like the kickoff rule is
going to change again this offseason.

Speaker 3 (01:14:55):
I don't think it's been what they hoped it would be. No,
I don't know if it's around.

Speaker 2 (01:15:02):
I still am confused.

Speaker 3 (01:15:05):
Yeah, I just like I said, But it takes away
an ability to surprise another team, Like if that was
a normal situation, I don't think Buffalo would be expecting
an on side kick with eleven minutes left in three timeouts.
So you do cut down on the element of surprise
a little bit, and you're able to get the right
personnel out there and how you want to handle it.

(01:15:27):
But you can't be You can't be on the side
of riding with Dan Campbell when he does the crazy
stuff and it works, and then crush him and be
off the wagon when he does stuff that doesn't work.

Speaker 2 (01:15:38):
All right and sticks away. From five o'clock ESPN fifteen thirty,
The Power Hour is coming out football show from Twin
Peaks in Westchester on ESPN fifteen thirty. Cincinnati sports station.

Speaker 6 (01:15:49):
Toyota Thon is on the perfect time to show for
a new SUV with more all wheel drive.

Speaker 1 (01:15:54):
Choices than any football show live from the Twin Peaks.
Brought to you in part by Encore Technologies. Visit OnCore
dot Tech and Station East Coast subs Penn Station. It's
all in good taste Honda East, Cincinnati's Ultimate Honda Experience.
First State Bank built on Billy Ralph's American Grill in Wilmington, Ohio,

(01:16:16):
just off I seventy one, Exit fifty inside the Holiday
and at the Roberts Center, and by your Tri State
Chevy Dealers. Chevrolet the number one selling brand in Cincinnati
for the past eight years. Chevrolet Together, Let's drive on
the official home of the Bengal Cincinnatis, ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (01:16:36):
What's Up, Good Afternoon, mowegor ESPN fifteen thirty alongside Tony Pike.
We're at Twin Peaks in Westchester for the Power Hour
of the Tony and Moe Football Show on ESPN fifteen thirty,
the day after the Bengals remain alive with a road
victory over the Tennessee Titans thirty seven to twenty seven.
We're here till six o'clock tonight. If you haven't been

(01:16:56):
a Twin Peaks, you know this is the time of year. Tony,
were you here? People refer to the hustle and bustle
yep of the holiday season. Yes. Now, I don't really
know what that means, but the hustle and bustle would
suggest maybe a little bit too busy to cook. So
instead of that, come on out have dinner at Twin Peaks,
watch a couple of Monday night football games tonight and
you will have a great time. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:17:17):
I think hustle and bustle stops at the door here.

Speaker 2 (01:17:20):
It does.

Speaker 3 (01:17:20):
This is a place where you can relax and go
non hustle and bustle.

Speaker 2 (01:17:25):
Have you ever said that in a sentence, Boy, the
hustle and bustle, No, I have a holiday live reads
that I say it in do you? Yeah?

Speaker 3 (01:17:31):
But usually you know you get you.

Speaker 2 (01:17:33):
And your wife. Don't lament the hustle and bustle of.

Speaker 3 (01:17:36):
The hustle and bustle of this season.

Speaker 2 (01:17:38):
No, okay, very good? Is Will Levis the worst starting
quarterback you've ever watched?

Speaker 3 (01:17:43):
Yeah, I think he overtook what I used to watch
from Mac Jones because I don't think Mac Jones is
a good quarterback either. But you know we talked about
in our pregame hit. What makes him maddening is the decisions.
You know, he has the physical attributes good athletes, strong arm,
and every now and then he makes that sixty yard

(01:18:03):
throw that is perfect and you're like, oh, that's why,
that's why you got to stick with him. But not
only the turnovers, but the turnovers will result in touchdowns.
This year have been remarkable on how he's made those
decisions over and over again, and the mark of the
quarterbacks that stick around. You're gonna make mistakes like that,

(01:18:23):
especially when you're young and you're trying to make a
lot happen. If you don't learn from it, you don't
grow from it. And here we are, you know, as
the season winding down to the last couple of weeks,
he's still making the same types of plays that he
made early in the year. And you know, I'm sure
for Brian Callahan and that coaching staff, it's maddening. For
Tennessee Titans fans. It's probably maddening because there was I

(01:18:43):
would say, a contingent that said, Okay, here's Levis. Yeah,
let's bring in an offensive guy in Brian Callahan and
groom him. And it's just been an absolute disaster.

Speaker 2 (01:18:53):
Yeah, I feel bad for Brian Callahan. I do too,
because if it works there in Nashville, it ain't gonna
be with Will Levis.

Speaker 3 (01:18:59):
And now you know, you look at Okay, you're probably
going to be drafting pretty high, probably going to need
a quarterback. Drew Aller just took his name out. He's
going back to Penn State. I don't think that there
are a ton of NFL ready guys coming out in
the draft this year, and I think that puts Brian
Callahan in a really tough spot because it's not like
they're loaded with weapons on both sides of the ball.

(01:19:21):
They have a lot of holes on that roster to fill,
and I think they were counting on, you know, quarterback
rookie deal as a way to build around him.

Speaker 2 (01:19:28):
Did you make of yesterday's officiating.

Speaker 3 (01:19:32):
I think the officiating for much of the year has
been terrible.

Speaker 2 (01:19:34):
Across the league, across the league.

Speaker 3 (01:19:36):
And you know that that's one of those things too,
what you mentioned in college basketballer and talking about the officials.
You know, it's hard to say, Oh man, I'm shocked
at how bad the officials were because for many of
the NFL games I watch, I feel like the calls
that the officials are making are bad.

Speaker 2 (01:19:53):
Yeah, I feel like I think we talked about this
last week. Now, when there's a bad call, I just
kind of shrugged my shoulders, right, bad calls are supposed
to stand out because everything else is really good. Bad
calls don't stand out anymore.

Speaker 3 (01:20:06):
Yeah, it h it. When it affects your team more
than it it helps, it becomes even more frustrating. But
I mean you mentioned across the league yesterday. If you're
a commander, like how do you how do you stop
the clock for four seconds in that game? You know
there are the procedural stuff, right, yeah, plays not judgment,

(01:20:28):
not subjective, you know, procedurals weekend and week at that
You're like, what and how does that even happen? Or
the miscalls on quarterbacks that have happened across the league
and more so to the Cincinnati Bengals, It's just it's
been a comedy of airs. And like you said that,
the most damning part about all this is bad calls.
Now you just kind of help there's another one. You

(01:20:48):
don't get irate about him anymore because that happened all
the time.

Speaker 2 (01:20:51):
Have have the Bengals gotten better on defense? Where have
they just locked into Cooper Rush, Will Levis and Mason
Rudolph that you know, I never'll put up a bunch
of yards against the prevent defense.

Speaker 3 (01:21:02):
Yeah, I never thought I would be nervous when Mason
Rudolph entered the football game with a deficit, But yet
here I was. Look, we warned about this last week.
Do not allow end of the season product against bad offenses.
Not playing for much dictate how bad this defense has
been for much of the year. Because if the defense

(01:21:23):
had been a middle of the pack defense or a
top twenty defense in the NFL, we're talking about today
where this team is seated in the playoffs, not what
they have to do offensively to get themselves back into
the conversation. So I'm not buying into the defense. Is
it nice to see Geno Stone put together good performances?

Speaker 2 (01:21:45):
Yes?

Speaker 3 (01:21:46):
I am more excited about Josh Newton get an interception
because that's a guy you want to see more out
of down the stretch.

Speaker 2 (01:21:54):
But and I get excited about Cam Taylor Britt because
they still hold out hope that he can be as
good as they think he can.

Speaker 3 (01:21:59):
He's played better since coming out of being benched. Yeah,
I do think so. You know, Gino's done with the
pick six battlehead ten plus tackles yesterday and.

Speaker 2 (01:22:08):
He played well except for the correct It just crushes yet.

Speaker 3 (01:22:12):
But no, I don't buy in that this is a
good defense. I also don't buy in.

Speaker 2 (01:22:20):
You know.

Speaker 3 (01:22:21):
I'm I'm watching on on social media yesterday and I'm
hearing and seeing Jermaine Pratt after the game and the
message he sends after fos.

Speaker 2 (01:22:31):
Go ahead and expand upon that.

Speaker 3 (01:22:33):
So Jermaine Pratt, you know, Charlie Clifford tweeted it out
yesterday that Jermaine Pratt, I believe is up to one
hundred and nineteen tackles on the season, which sets a
new career high. And Jermaine Pratt, right after the game, responds,
but I don't tackle with a couple laughing emojis. And
I'll let you know right now this is all a

(01:22:54):
run on sentence. There's no punctuation in here, which is
hard to go with you going to mistackle. But I
was terrible today. I'll be back next week. Believe that
blood drop emoji. Can't stop. Won't stop. Haters, never stop.
High Point, North Carolina, boy Joy. You know what I
don't need or want is a player that's going to

(01:23:16):
try to push for himself like that after a game
he's missing tackles. You you don't have to be like
Nick Vigil led the NFL and tackles at one point
he was terrible Preston Brown. Let's just so I look
at him saying that, and then on the other end,
I look at how Burrow handles his stuff. Couldn't be
madder after setting a franchise record, rewriting the record books,

(01:23:41):
doing what offenses don't do in today's NFL. Could not
be more upset. And here's a guy on what's been
a terrible defense for all of the season to come
out and say, oh, look at that.

Speaker 2 (01:23:54):
Look at that.

Speaker 3 (01:23:56):
That's a new career high in tackles. Now, what do
you have to say about me?

Speaker 2 (01:23:59):
I just you're six and eight.

Speaker 3 (01:24:01):
You're six and eight.

Speaker 2 (01:24:01):
I don't have to say about you. Is your team
is six and eight.

Speaker 3 (01:24:05):
Your six and eight?

Speaker 2 (01:24:06):
Good? Good win. Cangratulations on the win. Glad you guys
six and eight.

Speaker 3 (01:24:10):
His former teammate and friend responded to him and said,
shut up and get off Twitter. Now that could be
in a joking way, but it could also be like,
grow up if you don't need to do that. Tackles
are one of the most elusive stats in football because
if you're making tackles eight and nine yards down the field,
or you're making tackles because the opposing team throws it
at you all the time, how many plays.

Speaker 2 (01:24:31):
Do you make?

Speaker 3 (01:24:31):
There's a different run making tackles and making don't make
the plays. And more times than that, he's not making
the plays. He's on the wrong side of these like, Okay,
your new career highest set good. This defense stinks and
you're a part of the defense. And you've also been
one that's run your mouth on the bye week. It's
going to be different. It wasn't different, So you can't

(01:24:52):
be that guy. Look at the leader on your team
and how he's responding to wins and success, because you're
wasting stuff right now. And Jermaine could be the same way.
Hey new career high in tackles, but we're wasting the
season because we're six and eight. Yeah, that should be
the response.

Speaker 2 (01:25:09):
And you know Joe Burrow, I was gonna go there
next his interactions with Zach Taylor.

Speaker 3 (01:25:15):
Come on Hard Knocks.

Speaker 2 (01:25:16):
I mean, I I hum. Tomorrow night at nine o'clock
we get a we get a real good glimpse into
what was saying in the back and forth. I love
this version of Joe Burrow. This. I'm gonna speak my mind.
I'm gonna tell you how I feel. I'm gonna try
to use my leverage. And you know what, if I'm
pissed off at how we're playing and how I'm playing,

(01:25:38):
You're gonna see it. You're gonna notice it. Like I love,
I love the message that sends. I love the message
that sends to everybody else. This is this isn't good enough,
and like it is cool that they won the game.
It is, and it's it's fun to start putting the
pieces in the puzzle that get this team to the playoffs.

(01:26:00):
But I love the message that it sends this isn't
good enough. We saw Joe last week in the game
against the Cowboys where he throws the pick and he's
really pissed off in himself, and he saw some of
that yesterday. I like the fact that you had a
guy who's watching his offensive teammates commit eleven penalties. I'm
sure he's not happy with how he was complicit in
the offense's issues as well, and he's showing everybody. Yep.

(01:26:21):
I love it.

Speaker 3 (01:26:22):
Yeah, I love it, you know. And there was a part,
you know, he embraced Tyler Boyd. And I'm sure that
there's a point when you get in the locker room,
you take the pads off, you say, got through another one.
Yeah we're still alive.

Speaker 2 (01:26:33):
Sure, and you could be grateful about that, but we
have to be better.

Speaker 3 (01:26:36):
But at the same time, you want your quarterback to
take on that personality of now, this ain't it. This
isn't the way we're holding ourselves accountable. So I mean him,
if I'm gonna be happy about it going forward. Our
guy on sinty three to sixty, our friend Mike from
LA called in and he said, in LA, the talk
shows are talking a ton about Joe Burrow and how

(01:26:57):
much that's respected, the way he's handling this season, and
how great nationally, how great they're talking about Joe Burrow is.
And yet if you're nationally and you watch the end
of that game yesterday, you think that that was a
guy that is having the worst year of his career. Yeah,
you know, he runs for his life every game. He
got his house broken into, he's putting up MVP numbers

(01:27:19):
and he's not even in the conversation because the team
is six and eight and couldn't get in front of
an opposing offense to save their life.

Speaker 2 (01:27:24):
He's had his greatness often wasted this year.

Speaker 3 (01:27:26):
Yes, he's been banged up. He's had me like he's
gone through other seasons where he hasn't been able to
finish the season, and now here he is statistically his
best season. He's healthy and the team isn't producing. And
I love the fact that he is showing like he

(01:27:46):
would be happier if he'd thrown ten touchdowns this year
instead of thirty six, and this team was in the playoffs.

Speaker 2 (01:27:52):
Right, yeah, I love this pissed off playing with an edge.
Tell everybody how I feel.

Speaker 3 (01:27:57):
Joe Burrow, yep, because it sends a message. He sent
the message couple weeks ago. We're gonna figure out who
in this locker room we can counter well.

Speaker 2 (01:28:03):
What is One of the criticisms of the Bengals over
the years has been that good enough is good enough? Right,
We're not gonna strive for excellence. We're not gonna strive
to be the best in the world of what we do.
I think it is great to have the avatar for
your franchise, the face of the franchise be this sort
of person who publicly, and I'm in the guest privately

(01:28:25):
is telling everybody, this isn't good enough, this is below standard.
We need to be better like this franchise has in
so many periods in their history they've needed someone like that.
It's great to have a player, not just any player,
one of the best in the league, one of the
faces of this league being that player.

Speaker 3 (01:28:45):
He could be the guy who makes business decisions. Third
third string tackle guard, stink my knees a little banged up. Sure,
I'll just get rid of the ball quick. You know,
I'm not gonna scramble. I'm not gonna take any hits.
I'll just throw it away. He is the biggest competitor
I can remember watching because I said this last week
to mentally know that on every time you drop back,

(01:29:08):
you're either gonna take a shot under the chin or
you're gonna have to play Houdini. And he just does
it every time. And when he has to take the
shot under the chin, he takes it. When he has
to play Houdini and magically escape, he does it. And
he's done so at a level that is setting records
for this franchise. It's very It could be easy to
be like, ah, I'm good, Like what are we doing this?

(01:29:31):
That guy's protecting me today? Now, it's not worth it.
That's not his mentality. He's gonna continue to push, he's
gonna continue to fight. And it's why we had to
have the conversation a couple of weeks ago. If they
are mathematically eliminated, you have to sit him because he's
never gonna take himself.

Speaker 2 (01:29:46):
Out if if they do get there, and I don't,
I think the game against the Broncos is gonna matter
because I think the Bengals is gonna win on Sunday.
But if they were to lose to Cleveland, no Joe,
see you next year. Hey, sorry, wasted your season. Congratulations
on a great year. I'd tell them not even to
come to the game.

Speaker 3 (01:30:05):
Yep, watch them up there in this week.

Speaker 2 (01:30:08):
Go watch it from Cabo or something. Go do what
you gotta do, man like, Yeah, one thousand percent. But
but they are not yet playing meaningless games, and so
they still have a shot. Still have ages raising, percentages raising.
We'll run through what those percentages are when we come back.
It's eighteen minutes after five o'clock Tony Imo Football Show
here at Twin Peaks in Westchester on ESPN fifteen thirty,

(01:30:31):
Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 1 (01:30:32):
In the Cincinnati's ESPN This is Football in Theinnatti, run
to you in part by Blood Light and by Skyline
Hill on the official home of the Bengals, Cincinnati's ESPN
fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (01:30:48):
Twenty two after five o'clock ESPN fifteen thirty on Moegor,
Tony Pike was with me the Tonia Moo Football Show. Wow,
Twin Peaks, Westchester. We're back here. Next Monday. I'm gonna
go ahead and just say it. Okay, you and I
have done this show now for ten years, ten years together,
and the last five have been here at Twin Peaks.

(01:31:10):
If I'm not mistaken. We started during the twenty twenty
season coug.

Speaker 3 (01:31:13):
Our first Twin Peaks Crossdown, shootout victory Monday.

Speaker 2 (01:31:17):
That's true. So we've been doing this show at Twin Peaks.
This is our fifth season here, and we thank them
for the hospitality. We thank the folks at both this
location and the one at Florence for being such gracious hosts.
We love working with them. So that is there's eighteen
weeks in an NFL season. That has been the case

(01:31:39):
now for three years. Yes, and we've had two teams
make playoff runs. So eighteen times five is ninety. We've
done nearly one hundred shows a Twin Peaks Wow, somewhere
between ninety and ninety five shows. Yeah, the Twin Peaks
or we will have by the end of the season. Sure,
So we have right now scheduled after today, three more

(01:31:59):
to go, three more games, three more shows. I never
want to hear again from anybody in our lives who
tell us next summer next offseason. No, hey, I gotta
get to one of those. Sorry, if you can't make
it to the one Monday, Yeah, yeah, maybe come on

(01:32:20):
the thirtieth, or I'll be here for the last one
in January. No, the one we im I'm calling out
everybody who at some point over the years has told
we're gonna come to one. This is the one you
gotta be at. Yep, you know.

Speaker 3 (01:32:34):
One of the things I love doing each and every
show after games, no question. But there are two shows
pretty much doughout the year that stand out to me.
One our bye week show that's always fun, and two
the show that'll come up on Monday, because odds are
unless your work course is like you and I, and
we'll be at work, you know, the next morning at
eight thirty, eight thirty in the morning, and that's what

(01:32:56):
we'll be doing outside of it.

Speaker 2 (01:32:57):
It's a company holiday. Yes, we'll be there at eight
thirty in the morning on Christmas Eve. Yep.

Speaker 3 (01:33:02):
Whatever they need from us, we'll do it. But if
you have been making those excuses.

Speaker 2 (01:33:08):
Special and my stocking from the people who ru on iHeartRadio.

Speaker 3 (01:33:11):
If you've been making those excuses and you find a
way to make one next Monday. If people are even
working next week, They're working Monday, and that's it. Some
are gonna call it after Friday, Right, what's holding you
back from getting here?

Speaker 2 (01:33:26):
Next Monday, We're gonna find out. You know this is
the one. This is the one next week? Yep. If
you are in our orbit of people that we know,
people we work with, some people outside of work, and
you've insisted I'm gonna come, I'm gonna come to one
next put up a shut up times next Monday. You know.

Speaker 3 (01:33:45):
I know you're not a huge country music guy. You'll
follow some of it. But Tracy Lawrence has a song
find Out who your Friends are, and I think that's
gonna hold very true for us.

Speaker 2 (01:33:56):
Next week.

Speaker 3 (01:33:57):
Yeah, we'll find out who our true friends are. Here
show the Christmas Show and hopefully a show where we're
talking about the gift that could keep on giving, which
is meaningful. Football still being played in Cincinnati.

Speaker 2 (01:34:10):
Which of these three games are the Dolphins most likely
to lose? I think I know the answer to this
one San Francisco, which is a home game for Miami,
Brown's on the road or Jets on the San Francisco
San fran I think Miami loses this week. Okay, it's good,
take it, yeah, perfect, Colts have to lose a game
they lost yesterday. Need one more home for Tennessee at

(01:34:30):
the Giants. Home for the Jags.

Speaker 3 (01:34:33):
I could see them losing to Tennessee or New York.

Speaker 2 (01:34:39):
You don't see him losing to Jackson vinew.

Speaker 3 (01:34:41):
Gosh no, but I think the thing with Indy is
New York.

Speaker 2 (01:34:45):
Who's gonna pay quarterback for him?

Speaker 3 (01:34:46):
I hope it's the veto the thing with Indy.

Speaker 2 (01:34:49):
Who's gonna pay quarterback for Tennessee.

Speaker 3 (01:34:51):
He's gonna be Mason rudolphah Ivin's some Mason Rudolph we
saw yesterday. Then San Fran eliminates Miami, Tennessee eliminates Indy.
Brian Calian helps Zach Taylor in the Bengals one last time.
Chargers win, Chiefs lose because I should probably rest Mahomes
at this point. Week eighteen matters, all right, so you
better be sure Week seventeen matters.

Speaker 2 (01:35:11):
So if Denver wins, they're in. They're in the postseason.

Speaker 3 (01:35:15):
If Denver wins, I'm calling it, yeah, because Chargers aren't
gonna lose the.

Speaker 2 (01:35:20):
Then the Chargers would have to lose, and this on
top of the Bengals winning all their games. No, right,
the Chargers would then have to lose to either the
Patriots or the Raiders.

Speaker 3 (01:35:29):
Would would it not be the most Bengal thing to do?
Like they beat Denver next week and Week eighteen matters
and they flex the Bengals to a later game, Kansas
City wins, and then the Steelers beat the Bengals. That's
how life works, That's how That's why Zach Fremantle usually
makes that shot.

Speaker 2 (01:35:50):
Maybe this is different. So I guess one of the
questions would be what's Pittsburgh playing for at that point?

Speaker 3 (01:35:56):
Correct?

Speaker 2 (01:35:56):
Now, Steelers lose to Philly yesterday, don't have Georgie Pickens again?

Speaker 3 (01:36:01):
And now I believe they play Baltimore this week. Yes,
So you know, all of a sudden, you know, you
start to look at playoff seating and who you're gonna play.
Look to me, I knew we would be doing this,
but it it sucks to have to have this conversation
when you look back and you say, could you have
gotten one of the following New England one of the

(01:36:25):
two against Baltimore, the Chargers game, the Steelers game, So
could you have just gotten one of those.

Speaker 2 (01:36:30):
Yeah, are well.

Speaker 3 (01:36:32):
I'm not even mentioned the Chiefs.

Speaker 2 (01:36:34):
Yeah, well you're away an. Yeah. So if Pittsburgh beats Baltimore,
they win the North right Champions to the North, Champions
of the North, so they would not be playing Week
eighteen for a division crown. They are still in play.
I guess conceivably they could. They could be the one

(01:36:54):
being Kansas City head to head. So you know, I
guess what I want to know is what's Pittsburgh playing
for that last game? Right? Could we get could we
get the Steelers perhaps laying that, Could we get Justin
Fields playing quarterback for them and Mike Tomlin resting some well,
that would not be good. And by the way, that TJ.
Watt injury is worth paying aton.

Speaker 3 (01:37:12):
Wouldn't be good because you saw what Justin Field did
the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (01:37:15):
Oh yeah, that's right. He's gonna run the ball and
we don't know about it.

Speaker 3 (01:37:18):
I'm more interested in in the Chiefs because if the
Chiefs win the next two, they cruise in Week eight
team they don't play anybody, and if they had their choice,
if you're Kansas City and you win the next two,
you're resting anyway, because you don't want the Bengals in
the playoffs. You're happily taking somebody else other than the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (01:37:38):
They have a team.

Speaker 3 (01:37:38):
That took you to the wire in your building.

Speaker 2 (01:37:41):
Because if if the Bengals, let's say the Bengals get
in as the seven Chiefs get the bye, but the
seven wins, you're playing the lowest seeding team, You're playing Cincinnati.
You don't want to have that correct. I means, as
cliche as it has almost turned in, it's.

Speaker 3 (01:37:54):
The Chargers, the Broncos, or the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (01:37:56):
I still I bet you if you asked any Kansas
City fan. Now, look, they narrowly beat the Broncos, they
got the block kick, and their games against the Chargers
have been chose. But in a playoff setting, yep, I'd
be willing to bet if you asked any Kansas City fan, no, thanks,
would you rather play Burrow justin Herbert or bow Knicks? Yeah,
they would say Nicks or Herbert ahead of Joe Burrow. Yep,

(01:38:19):
you know what. And by the way, if I'm a
Bills fan, Okay, now they've kind of turned into the
Bengals where they've got to outscore everybody. Do do I
want to put that defense on the field against the
quarterback who's won a playoff game in my building? Nope?
In the snow, nope, you know? Or would I rather
play Denver, the Chargers or one of those other teams.

Speaker 3 (01:38:38):
I look at the Chiefs as the interesting dynamic here
because if the Chargers, as currently constructed favorites, win Thursday
against Denver and the Bengals win against Cleveland, and then
they beat Denver at home, the Chiefs are the most
remarkable question for me because here you have Mahomes with

(01:38:59):
the high anklesp and they're in the midst of three
games in eleven days. So not only are they going
to play at home and they are dogs right now
against the Texans, they're going to turn around from playing
Saturday and play Wednesday in Pittsburgh, not a great field
as is from a footing standpoint. It takes them losing
one of those in Buffalo winning to make Week Eighteam

(01:39:21):
matter to Kansas City. And if you're Kansas City, you
can ill afford to lose the number one seed, and
all of a sudden you're a team that's having to
go to Buffalo down the stretch. So that's why to me,
I know the rooting interest, like you want the Chargers
to win, you also want the Texans to win on Saturday,
and then I know you don't want to do this,

(01:39:43):
then you probably want the Steelers to win. And I
sure that's a hard concept for a lot of Cincinnati
folks to know.

Speaker 2 (01:39:47):
We want the Chiefs to take the field with something
on the line Week eighteen, correct, So if you're wondering
about the game on Thursday, it's obviously a rematcher divisional foes.
LA did win the first game in Denver twenty three
to sixteen. Now it's been a different Broncos team in
the second half of the season, I think than the first.
It is a Chargers team that kind of comes limping in.
They've lost three out of four. They were destroyed yesterday

(01:40:10):
by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then a couple of
narrow losses. But it kind of felt like once they
beat Cincinnati, like they were about to take off. Herbert
was on the injury report last week. Since then, they've
been beaten at home by Baltimore. They did come back
the following week and went against Atlanta on the road,
and then consecutive losses against the Chiefs and Bucks. So
we are rooting for LA, but the Chargers have to

(01:40:32):
play better than.

Speaker 3 (01:40:33):
They have if it wasn't as dominant as the score
would tell you yesterday with the Broncos and Cole Teether. No,
like I said, that's a, that's a.

Speaker 2 (01:40:41):
If Taylor scored a touchdown twenty, I think Indie wins
the game too, and probably ends up being a worst
case scenario because then any would have to lose two
of those next three.

Speaker 3 (01:40:50):
Yeah, which is a much more unlikely. So you know, look,
you get Harball Herbert and that Chargers defense with their
backs against the wall against the rookie quarterback. If if
the Chargers take care of business Thursday, man like, let's go,

(01:41:12):
then let's go. The conversation gets real.

Speaker 2 (01:41:15):
Then then we're doing more than just having fun with that.
Then I think then we're doing then we're actually like
sizing up their chances. Imagine you don't envision the scenario
because I don't where the Browns beat them. No, I
don't either.

Speaker 3 (01:41:26):
Imagine we're leaving Sunday, San Francisco beats Miami, Indy falls
to Tennessee, and the Chargers beat Denver and the Bengals win,
and the Bengals win. Yeah, and the Texans beat the Chiefs.
I mean, now all of a sudden, then it's it's
it's more than a pipe dream.

Speaker 2 (01:41:45):
Then it's more than the I wrote them all down
and I might have left that at home. But but
ESPN Analytics had it I think at four percent. Yeah,
NFL dot Com has its six percent. Uh FTN, which
does DVOA has it at two point one percent. Playoff
Status dot Com has it at two percent. I committed
all that to memory. Pretty good.

Speaker 3 (01:42:06):
That's unbelievable because you get in, you do the work
on Mondays, show up, and.

Speaker 2 (01:42:10):
Then I leave it at home till I have to
see correct. Could could recall it, but no, I think
it'd be I think it'd be interesting to see what
the percentages are if the things that we want to
have happened this week happen, including including obviously they yes,
we've talked about a lot today, the likelihood of Los
Angeles losing three in a row.

Speaker 3 (01:42:30):
No, they're not doing it.

Speaker 2 (01:42:31):
They're not losing to the Patriots outside of barring or
the race.

Speaker 3 (01:42:35):
Something with Herbert happening Thursday night where he's gonna miss
and and then but that that goes for for any
team at this standpoint, but this conversation picks ups team.
If the Chargers beat Denver on on Thursday, all.

Speaker 2 (01:42:48):
Right, it is the Broncos have won four consecutive games
after that win. Yesterday afternoon, we'll do some college football.
We've got some good news for the Bearcats on Saturday,
and that a lot of people don't like today and
I was asked to explain my heisman Vie.

Speaker 3 (01:43:05):
And Ryan Day. Now, they're just competent. They're okay. They're
playing for the twelve team playoff. Ohio State fans aren't happy.
I heard Ohio State fans are also not happy because
they're wearing scarlet on Saturday night. And that's a problem.
Just a lot of complaining in Columbus right now. The
game's not at noon, so they'd be happy about that.
I mean, finally, we.

Speaker 2 (01:43:25):
Have to break first. You can complain about Ohio State
fans if you want perfect time. It is twenty five
away from I got yelled at by a buddy of
mine who is an Ohio State fan on Saturday for
my Ryan Day. Take oh it is twenty five away
from six o'clock. It's the Tony and Mo Football Show
on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 1 (01:43:45):
You've been listening to football in Thenetti on the official
home of the Bengals, Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (01:43:53):
Come Sports headlines are a service of Kelsey Chevrolet, Home
of Lifetime powertrain protection and guarantee credit approval from their
family to yours for Lifekelsea chev dot Com. Sam Hubbard
reports are unlikely to return this season for the Bengals.
Zach Taylor today though said not ruling out his return,

(01:44:13):
but he won't play on Sunday. Suffered a piece l
injury when the Bengals beat the Titans yesterday. Sam catching
a touchdown pass, then spiking the ball, then getting hurt.
Bengals Brown Sunday Alex kappas in the NFL's concussion protocol.
Nick Chubb done for the season with a broken foot. Bengals,
I'm sorry Brown's non committal as to who their quarterback

(01:44:35):
is going to be on Sunday. The game is at
one live on ESPN fifteen thirty. Pre Game coverage begins
Sunday morning at nine a m. There are two Monday
night football games, Bears Vikings on ESPN fifteen thirty Falcons
Raiders on Fox Sports thirteen to sixty. College Basketball. Zach
Fremantle out indefinitely for the Xavier Musketeers with anee injury

(01:44:58):
he suffered during a Saturday Skyline Chili Crosstown shootout. Sean
Miller Show tonight at seven on fifty five KRC, Mark
Pope's Radio Show tonight at six on ESPN fifteen thirty
Wildcats beating Louisville over the weekend to the latest college
basketball polls. AP you See is nineteenth Coaches twenty, Kentucky fourth,

(01:45:20):
and both Dayton twenty second, AP twenty fourth in the
coaches poll. It was made official today. Tony you See
is going to play Nebraska at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City,
who on Thursday, August the twenty eighth.

Speaker 3 (01:45:34):
Okay, your thoughts, I understand financially, why in today's football
you do it? I think reports are they going to
make almost two million dollars more somewhere around there? Is
that because of TV? Or why?

Speaker 2 (01:45:50):
Why does movie to give them more? Does Nebraska said
move it here, We'll pay you money deal.

Speaker 3 (01:45:56):
It's on one point, I think better because it'll be
a Thursday night standalone showcase, which makes it cool. I
think the only thing that saves this is having seven
other home games this year, because that's the gripe this
as a home game for UC you'll get seven others.
Should be a cool atmosphere. But I understand why it's

(01:46:19):
hard for some people. It's an eight plus hour trip Cincinnati.
It's a little over three for Nebraska fans. But you know,
in today's world, if you can make a couple extra
million dollars, you gotta take it.

Speaker 2 (01:46:30):
That's the thing. I mean in today's world, right, Like
I wish the only factors were the only considerations were competitiveness, right,
or what's easiest for fans, But those aren't the most
important factors. I hate to say it. Look, I know

(01:46:50):
people who were going to go to Indianapolis for the
game who are now not going to go to Kansas City.
So I feel for those folks. I think the atmosphere
in Indianapolis would have been pretty cool because I think
you see would have traveled. Okay, I do too. I'm
sure there are gonna be some Bearcat fans in Kansas City,
just logistically so not nearly as Madam as Kelsey will
be there. Travis Kelcey will be there, But you have

(01:47:15):
to you have to understand the parameters that everybody is
working within, and those parameters right now and in the
revenue sharing age, dictate that if somebody says to you,
here's a seven figure check to move a football game
that was already not gonna be at Nippert Stadium, still
gonna get seven at Nippert I look as remove that

(01:47:36):
part away from it. I wish they were playing Nebraska
at Nippert Stadium, correct, they're not. I wish they were
playing then at Lucas Oil. They're not. But is there
a good reason for them to move it? Yes, yep,
nearly two to two and a half million dollars worth
of simple I can't have any issue with it.

Speaker 3 (01:47:53):
You know, money is gonna help. I mean, the Big
twelve is being represented the College forball playoff this year
by a team that was preseason picked last m hmm.
More money you have, the more plays you can get
on your roster, dud. They've already done a good job, right,
sores me. Corleone Royer coming back.

Speaker 2 (01:48:08):
Yeah, Royer announced and he is coming back is a
big deal.

Speaker 3 (01:48:10):
It's a good start.

Speaker 2 (01:48:10):
Yeah, who'd you vote? For for the Heisman.

Speaker 3 (01:48:15):
I had Travis Hunter, Ashton Genty, and then Dylan Gabriel.

Speaker 2 (01:48:18):
Okay, were my top three I had? I had Hunter
gent cam Ward. Yeah, I was asked.

Speaker 3 (01:48:25):
Ward like for me, I valued that Gabriel played his
best games in their toughest games.

Speaker 2 (01:48:31):
Fine, no issue with that at all. Yeah, I just
as the season went on, I take the best three
players I watch. I was surprised, and look, Ashton Genty
was insane this year, insane, And there are a lot
of years where he would have gotten my vote and
I wouldn't have had to think about it. But I
was asked number one, I was a little surprised to
vote was as close as it was. Number two. I

(01:48:53):
was asked, explain your vote here? It is ready. Travis
Hunter is the greatest college football player I've ever seen.

Speaker 3 (01:48:58):
Say, are you gonna explain in this? Because what I
get from everyone when I would say this is who
I voted for, was well, he's not a top five receiver,
it's not a top five corner. How can he be
the highest.

Speaker 2 (01:49:09):
He's the top one football player. He's a top one
football player played everybody else played at a high level
in the Big Twelve. Again, Jenty was awesome. I gave
I said to somebody on Saturday night, Dude, I gave
him a second place Heisman vote. That's really good. You
know all the other college wall players didn't get a
second place Heisman vote for me. Travis Hunter is the

(01:49:30):
greatest college wallplayer I've ever seen. I am not backing
away from that.

Speaker 3 (01:49:33):
And like, because I get all the time, well, he's
not this and that. If he just said I'm gonna
be a receiver, he'd be a top five receiver.

Speaker 2 (01:49:41):
Yes.

Speaker 3 (01:49:41):
And if he said I'm gonna be a corner, he'd
be a top corner.

Speaker 2 (01:49:43):
Yes.

Speaker 3 (01:49:44):
He's unbelievable at both. Think about that. Think about the conditioning,
the stamina, the knowledge, the mental side, the preparedness, the
mental side to play both is truly, truly remarkable. Yeah,
I'm with you on the same boat there. How excited

(01:50:04):
are you for the Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl kicking things
off tomorrow?

Speaker 2 (01:50:07):
I'm pretty fire. You know he's playing in it? No,
I mean, yeah, Memphis, West Virginia Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl. Yeah,
who's coaching in West Virginia?

Speaker 3 (01:50:14):
I have no idea.

Speaker 2 (01:50:15):
Rich Rodriguez, I don't know.

Speaker 3 (01:50:17):
I am interested in this one though, Miami of Ohio.

Speaker 2 (01:50:20):
Oh the Snoop Dogg.

Speaker 3 (01:50:21):
Snoop Dogg. Yeah, Now I'm a big bowld gift guy.
What are they given out in the Snoop Dogg bawl
and juice? It's a presenting sponsor, That's what I want
to know. Like, there used to be a thing where
you could just see all these things. But I did
see this from Snoop Dogg. I don't know how many
other bulls are doing this, but in the Snoop Dogg

(01:50:43):
Arizona Bowl, they are going to pay players that decide
to play in the bowl game.

Speaker 2 (01:50:49):
So this has been my argument for years. If you
don't want the players to opt out, they give them
appearance fees. Why is that so hard? And in this
time you can we do need to look. I'm I'm
all for players bouncing around and chasing opportunity in dollars. Fine,
you have to not open the portal until after the

(01:51:10):
season is over. So now you have Penn States back
up quarterback with them playing a playoff game. Quarterbacks leaving
right like leaving before the season is over. I like
what the Arizona State head coach said though, like we
have guys who are gonna leave, they're totally okay to
stay here, ye, finish out the season, do what they've
got to do, as long as they're locked in with
what we ask. If they want to go look and

(01:51:31):
see what else is out there, that's totally fine. But unfortunately,
because of the age that we're in, I could understand,
especially a backup saying hey, I gotta hit the portal
now so I can go And yeah, that might come
at the expense of my team today, but that's how
it works. You've got to do something about that.

Speaker 3 (01:51:49):
Yeah, I mean, for me, I don't I don't look
at the landscape now of a football and criticized kids
for having to jump in the portal when they do,
it's the portal's fault. It's just it's the timing. To
a point, I saw a picture to day of a guy.
He's he's in a Penn State uniform. He's announcing, he's
in the portal and he's flexing and he's got a

(01:52:10):
Georgia tattoo on his biceps and his profile picture is
in a USC uniform. I mean, that's a little bit excessive.
That's all over the place, But outside of anything else
until it gets changed. Like if I were going in
the portal, I'd have to go in now. If not,
you're gonna be an afterthought.

Speaker 2 (01:52:29):
And it stinks. I mean it stinks for the player,
It stinks for the players teammates like that. Timing has
to be has to be fixed.

Speaker 3 (01:52:36):
Of the four And that was the conversation with Ohio
State when when they lost, it's like, well, Ryan Day,
Ryan Day, you can't move on from Ryan Day when
you're playing in the playoff and have the portal open
and then expect to get guys in a new coach
in there.

Speaker 2 (01:52:49):
Of the four games this weekend, the best is Ohio
State Tennessee. Right, yes, it's not at noon, it is
not at noon.

Speaker 3 (01:52:57):
It should be fantastic because the two strengths of Tennessee,
I think, are the weaknesses of Ohio State Tennessee's D
line and Tennessee's ability to run the ball. Now, I
still think Ohio State, as they've been in every game
they've lined up this year roster wise, is better. But
you want to talk about a must win, better win
that game if you're Ryan Day.

Speaker 2 (01:53:18):
Yep.

Speaker 3 (01:53:18):
And I thought it was interesting when the seedings and
the pairings came out. Kirk Kirk Street, whose kids going
to Michigan, I've heard said I'm interested in that game.
Ohio State might have rather that game be on the
road because he talked about if you start slow offensively,
you're gonna get boot off the field. Fan base is
already pissed. Your coach is now saying that the Michigan

(01:53:38):
game really doesn't matter. It's about to playoff, which pisses
them off even more correct So to me, that is
that's so interesting that game Saturday night time.

Speaker 2 (01:53:49):
Now for the sweet Life heating and the air staut
of the week. Thanks to our friends at sweet Life
HVAC and Northern Kentucky Servicing Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana.
Right now, go to call sweet life dot com and
if you get a new installation, I'm gonna get some
money back up to one thousand dollars. Call sweet Life

(01:54:11):
dot com. Jamar Chase went over one thousand receptions on
the season. He joins Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison, Jerry Rice,
and Cooper Cupp as the only players in NFL history
to have a season with one one hundred receptions. Fourteen
hundred yards and fifteen touchdowns and he's got three games.

Speaker 3 (01:54:30):
To go, three to go, and still a nice lead
in the triple.

Speaker 2 (01:54:34):
Crown race, and he might still play in the playoff.

Speaker 3 (01:54:36):
Was it the quietest nine catch ninety plus yard performance
that you can remember?

Speaker 2 (01:54:41):
Now? Some are gonna say that the play where Burrow
gets it and quickly like shoves it to him on
that little jet sweep, that's technically a reception. Yeah, that
that shouldn't count as a reception. Let's say, you haters.

Speaker 3 (01:54:53):
He's leading the touchdown race by four Yep, he has
the yards race, by the way, by just under two fiftyquick.

Speaker 2 (01:55:00):
Because Terren's playing the music the T Higgins play where
he scored and took that hit and knew he was
going to take the hit.

Speaker 3 (01:55:06):
Hey him, dude, Hey the man, dude. I also like
this catch on the sideline ring gave it a little
bit down the side. Yes, I like that edge of
with t Higgins.

Speaker 2 (01:55:14):
Right, we have to go. Thanks to Mike Mills for
producing on site.

Speaker 3 (01:55:16):
Better see you next Monday. Everyone that's list. We're making
a list, checking it twice. Thanks to Tarren Bland for
producing back and Ken would we are back here? Next Monday.

Speaker 2 (01:55:28):
Have a great night, and Tony's back for since he
three sixty Tomorrow at noon. I am broadcasting from a
different location tomorrow at three o five. This has been
the Tony and Mill Football Show. The Mark. The Mark
Polk Show is next on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 7 (01:55:42):
Station Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. Traffic from the.

Speaker 6 (01:55:53):
Uc Health Traffic Center for Unmatched Cancer Care. Choose the
University of Cincinnati Cancer Center, the only regional program offering
proton therapy. Call five one three five A four beam.
It is an accident on Cold Rain Avenue near two
seventy five. Was found Fort Washington Way crash off onto
the right shoulder between US fifty and I seventy five

(01:56:17):
northbound seventy five. It's another accident that is after two
seventy five. I'm at Ezelac with traffic.

Speaker 2 (01:56:23):
This report is spontered

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