September 5, 2025 • 9 mins
Robert Weintraub writes a weekly Bengals column for Cincinnati Magazine. His column this week might be the most optimistic season forecast that's out there.
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Podcasts of The Mo Egger Radio Show are a service of Longnecks Sports Grill.
Listen to the show live weekday afternoons 3:00 - 6:00 on ESPN1530.
Listen Live: ESPN1530.com/listen
Get more: https://linktr.ee/MoEgger
Follow on X: @MoEgger
Instagram too: @MoEgger
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
A few minutes late twenty two from sex ESPN fifteen
to thirty. If you are looking for at this point
the most optimistic prognostication, projection, whatever you want to call
it for the Bengals this year, you could read Cincinnati Magazine.
Go to Cincinnati Magazine dot com and read Robert Wintrump's column.
He does one every week on the Bengals. He's got
(00:22):
him going thirteen and four. So I spoiled that part.
Go read the rest at Cincinnati dot com. Congratulations on
being a ray of light amid all the rest of
us who are predicting that they'll only win like ten games.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Yeah, somebody has to be around here for God's sakes. Yeah.
And it stands in stark contrast to last year that
was the lone voice of tessimism. So I like to
think that it'll, you know, work to our advantage this year.
And I think, you know, the Bengals in high expectations
don't go together particularly well, not exactly chocolate peanut butter.
And I don't think they have the high expectations this year.
(00:57):
As you say, most team, most predictions have them sort
of in the mix for that last one or two
playoff berths. But I think we agree with Joe Burrow
and his weapons, and you know, the way that they
have such explosiveness on offense, their ceiling is certainly higher
than that. Defense tends to be a lot less, you know, predictable,
(01:18):
and it's a lot more variable from year to year
than offense. I just think they can get enough done
and win some of those games. So many of the
games last year, in excruciating fashion went against them. Certainly
some of those have to come back and fall on
our side this year. So that's that's why I think
they could threaten the franchise record for wins, which is
only twelve, you know, and with the extra game, why
(01:41):
not let's go for thirteen.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
I like it.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
I like it.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
You reference something that we've kind of made fun of here,
which is the Dalton Riisner hype, right the single most
exciting like just before the season post cutdown day signing
in the history of the NFL. Why is there Alton
Riisener height.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
He has a cool name. Maybe it kind of gives
off that Patrick Swayzee roadhouse. Vive make sure certainly wasn't
expecting the fireworks display over the Robling Bridge there for
signing a you know, a league average at best replacement
level guard. But you know they had to go They
were going into the season with two mid round rookies
(02:23):
and an oft injured mediocrity at the position. So now
they have a second off injured mediocrity, which you know
balances things out, And just from a pure depth perspective,
they had to get somebody else in there. It was
just not tenable to go into the season with three
guards of that little pedigree. So, you know, anything he
(02:43):
gives beyond getting you know, pancakes, every play would be good.
And you know he's he's had his moments. He's a
better pass protector than he is a run blocker. You know,
I think most of the Bengals lineman ar that's what
they want. Makes a lot of sense that they would
want that, and he fits into their and if he
can stay healthy, he could provide a he's halfway decent
play when he gets his chance. So you can understand,
(03:06):
you know, thinking it's a good signing. The hype might
have been a little out of control, but that's what happens.
In August, before the games started.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Very well said is is there, Like we've talked about
this for weeks on and they've done nothing at safety,
literally nothing, which I would have wagered against being the
case when the season ended last year. From your perspective
as a rational person, is there an explanation that you
buy as to why they did nothing at safety?
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, I just did just predict him to go thirteen
and four. So I don't know how rational I am necessarily,
but you know, I think it's Okham's razor right. The
simplest explanation is usually the right one, and they just
don't think anybody who's out there available to be signed
is is worthwhile. I don't know if I agree with
that necessarily, but you know, I can say I live
(03:57):
here in Atlanta. I saw the Falcons bring and Justin Simmons,
a guy who's been out there a lot of the
potential Bengal signing. They put him next to Jesse Bates
last year and he was a disaster and they don't
want him. And there's a lot of that going around.
Nobody seems to be satisfyed with their safeties, and I
guess Al Golden is thinking, I've had you know, Geno
(04:17):
Stone and Jordan battle together all off season. They know
what I want they know what they're doing, at least
to the point that you know, better than some newcomer
coming in at the last second, and he'll roll with that.
And obviously if injuries start coming, and you know they
almost certainly will, they will need a so a Dalton
Riseing or type to come in at safety just to
(04:39):
you know, have somebody to man the position. You would,
thank you. But otherwise, yeah, it doesn't make a ton
of sense from the outside, But I guess you have
to put your faith in Al Golden on this one.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Are analytics as unkind to the Bengal safeties as my
eyes and memory are.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Well, I guess it depends on do you consider missed
tackles analytics. I mean, we're just counting them. Certainly Geno
Stone piled them up again fifteen and that might have
been generous. So in that sense, yeah, you know, they
played a lot of too high. They were very low
in terms of having their safeties matched up on receivers.
(05:18):
When it came to the passing game, they hardly ever
did that, and when it did happen, it was usually
von Bell who had the majority of time when a
safety was directly covering the receiver and he was saying
he was targeted a lot and didn't do well when
he was. So a lot of the uptick that you
saw in the Bengals defense toward the end of the
season last year came when Jordan Battle replaced Bell and
(05:40):
just playing, you know, semi competently in the passing game
when he was matched up against receivers helped the overall
defense quite a bit. You know, the tackling issue is
one that's always going to be there and it has
to be proven to be fixed before we can predict it.
But otherwise, I think, just on a sort of play
to play down to down days, the Bengals secondary as
(06:01):
a whole wasn't as bad as it was as you
might remember. I mean, they were middle of the pack
when it came to average yards per tenth last year
against them. It was just in the big situations and
the big plays killed him. And when it came to
like a guy making a reception of the ten yard line,
breaking the tackle and getting into the end zone, that's
what really killed him. If you can just make the
tackle reset and force the field goal instead of a touchdown,
(06:22):
it changes the whole game, right, So that's the kind
of thing they need to improve on. It's not necessarily
even an analytics thing, just a football fundamental thing. Get
the guy to the ground when you have the opportunity.
And if they can do that, they can certainly be
a better defense than they were last year.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
So you mentioned big situations, and you know, the mantra
for eight months has been they just need to be
a league average defense, and I understand that. I agree
with it. But that's what I'm most curious about is
fourth quarter game is on the line. Can they get
a stop there they're down for other teams got the ball,
the Bengals defense has to get the ball back to
(06:57):
Joe Burrow. Can they can they close games a lah
Trey Hendrickson against the Steelers last year? Can they win
a game where maybe it's it's an off day for
the offense and they kind of spin their tires like
I don't know how much of that stuff I'll measure
by just looking at the baseline stats. And so if
they're a league average defense, that's fine. I want to
know how they are in crunch time because last year
(07:18):
they were awful.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Yeah, generally speaking, that's true. Although you mentioned the Trey
Hendrickson against the Steelers, and really we think of that
five game run that almost got him into the playoffs,
you know, as the defense improving, But what did they
really do. They made stops in the fourth quarter against
Dallas two or three times, you know, in the overtime
against the Broncos, they got them off the field a
(07:40):
couple of times set up to win. Even against the Browns,
they made some plays when that game was still a
game in the fourth quarter, a couple of red zone turnovers.
So as you say, that's really the critical element. And
you know, what they give up in a sort of
average yard or play basis is not really the place
to look. It's third downs, red zone and doing the
(08:02):
job in the fourth quarter when they're protecting the lead.
As you know, certainly you would imagine they would have
their share of given their offensive attack, and all eyes
are going to be on that. They prove that they
could do it at least a little bit, granted against
some mediocre quarterbacks. But nevertheless, you know, that's what happens
in the NFL. A lot they proved they could do
at the end of last year. It's going to have
to hold over, and it doesn't mean they're going to
(08:24):
have to be the eighty five Bears in the fourth quarter.
They just have to make the critical plays when it
matters and not give up the critical plays like against
Kansas City or against Baltimore that they did, and the
entire narrative changes on really a half dozen plays last year,
and if they can turn them in their favor, it's
a whole different team. And that's why I think I'm
optimistic about their playoff chances this year.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
I wish they were the eighty five Bears in the
fourth mode. Otis Wilson, Richard Dent, Steve McMichael, god rest
his soul. I'd sign you.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Up for that, Gary Fenzik, Frank does.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Yeah, Dan Hampton.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Too, so that would be interesting.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Uh, you're the man. We'll talk next week. Thank you
as always.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Looking forward to him. Thanks so much, and let's have
a great season.
A few minutes late twenty two from sex ESPN fifteen
to thirty. If you are looking for at this point
the most optimistic prognostication, projection, whatever you want to call
it for the Bengals this year, you could read Cincinnati Magazine.
Go to Cincinnati Magazine dot com and read Robert Wintrump's column.
He does one every week on the Bengals. He's got
(00:22):
him going thirteen and four. So I spoiled that part.
Go read the rest at Cincinnati dot com. Congratulations on
being a ray of light amid all the rest of
us who are predicting that they'll only win like ten games.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Yeah, somebody has to be around here for God's sakes. Yeah.
And it stands in stark contrast to last year that
was the lone voice of tessimism. So I like to
think that it'll, you know, work to our advantage this year.
And I think, you know, the Bengals in high expectations
don't go together particularly well, not exactly chocolate peanut butter.
And I don't think they have the high expectations this year.
(00:57):
As you say, most team, most predictions have them sort
of in the mix for that last one or two
playoff berths. But I think we agree with Joe Burrow
and his weapons, and you know, the way that they
have such explosiveness on offense, their ceiling is certainly higher
than that. Defense tends to be a lot less, you know, predictable,
(01:18):
and it's a lot more variable from year to year
than offense. I just think they can get enough done
and win some of those games. So many of the
games last year, in excruciating fashion went against them. Certainly
some of those have to come back and fall on
our side this year. So that's that's why I think
they could threaten the franchise record for wins, which is
only twelve, you know, and with the extra game, why
(01:41):
not let's go for thirteen.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
I like it.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
I like it.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
You reference something that we've kind of made fun of here,
which is the Dalton Riisner hype, right the single most
exciting like just before the season post cutdown day signing
in the history of the NFL. Why is there Alton
Riisener height.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
He has a cool name. Maybe it kind of gives
off that Patrick Swayzee roadhouse. Vive make sure certainly wasn't
expecting the fireworks display over the Robling Bridge there for
signing a you know, a league average at best replacement
level guard. But you know they had to go They
were going into the season with two mid round rookies
(02:23):
and an oft injured mediocrity at the position. So now
they have a second off injured mediocrity, which you know
balances things out, And just from a pure depth perspective,
they had to get somebody else in there. It was
just not tenable to go into the season with three
guards of that little pedigree. So, you know, anything he
(02:43):
gives beyond getting you know, pancakes, every play would be good.
And you know he's he's had his moments. He's a
better pass protector than he is a run blocker. You know,
I think most of the Bengals lineman ar that's what
they want. Makes a lot of sense that they would
want that, and he fits into their and if he
can stay healthy, he could provide a he's halfway decent
play when he gets his chance. So you can understand,
(03:06):
you know, thinking it's a good signing. The hype might
have been a little out of control, but that's what happens.
In August, before the games started.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Very well said is is there, Like we've talked about
this for weeks on and they've done nothing at safety,
literally nothing, which I would have wagered against being the
case when the season ended last year. From your perspective
as a rational person, is there an explanation that you
buy as to why they did nothing at safety?
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, I just did just predict him to go thirteen
and four. So I don't know how rational I am necessarily,
but you know, I think it's Okham's razor right. The
simplest explanation is usually the right one, and they just
don't think anybody who's out there available to be signed
is is worthwhile. I don't know if I agree with
that necessarily, but you know, I can say I live
(03:57):
here in Atlanta. I saw the Falcons bring and Justin Simmons,
a guy who's been out there a lot of the
potential Bengal signing. They put him next to Jesse Bates
last year and he was a disaster and they don't
want him. And there's a lot of that going around.
Nobody seems to be satisfyed with their safeties, and I
guess Al Golden is thinking, I've had you know, Geno
(04:17):
Stone and Jordan battle together all off season. They know
what I want they know what they're doing, at least
to the point that you know, better than some newcomer
coming in at the last second, and he'll roll with that.
And obviously if injuries start coming, and you know they
almost certainly will, they will need a so a Dalton
Riseing or type to come in at safety just to
(04:39):
you know, have somebody to man the position. You would,
thank you. But otherwise, yeah, it doesn't make a ton
of sense from the outside, But I guess you have
to put your faith in Al Golden on this one.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Are analytics as unkind to the Bengal safeties as my
eyes and memory are.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Well, I guess it depends on do you consider missed
tackles analytics. I mean, we're just counting them. Certainly Geno
Stone piled them up again fifteen and that might have
been generous. So in that sense, yeah, you know, they
played a lot of too high. They were very low
in terms of having their safeties matched up on receivers.
(05:18):
When it came to the passing game, they hardly ever
did that, and when it did happen, it was usually
von Bell who had the majority of time when a
safety was directly covering the receiver and he was saying
he was targeted a lot and didn't do well when
he was. So a lot of the uptick that you
saw in the Bengals defense toward the end of the
season last year came when Jordan Battle replaced Bell and
(05:40):
just playing, you know, semi competently in the passing game
when he was matched up against receivers helped the overall
defense quite a bit. You know, the tackling issue is
one that's always going to be there and it has
to be proven to be fixed before we can predict it.
But otherwise, I think, just on a sort of play
to play down to down days, the Bengals secondary as
(06:01):
a whole wasn't as bad as it was as you
might remember. I mean, they were middle of the pack
when it came to average yards per tenth last year
against them. It was just in the big situations and
the big plays killed him. And when it came to
like a guy making a reception of the ten yard line,
breaking the tackle and getting into the end zone, that's
what really killed him. If you can just make the
tackle reset and force the field goal instead of a touchdown,
(06:22):
it changes the whole game, right, So that's the kind
of thing they need to improve on. It's not necessarily
even an analytics thing, just a football fundamental thing. Get
the guy to the ground when you have the opportunity.
And if they can do that, they can certainly be
a better defense than they were last year.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
So you mentioned big situations, and you know, the mantra
for eight months has been they just need to be
a league average defense, and I understand that. I agree
with it. But that's what I'm most curious about is
fourth quarter game is on the line. Can they get
a stop there they're down for other teams got the ball,
the Bengals defense has to get the ball back to
(06:57):
Joe Burrow. Can they can they close games a lah
Trey Hendrickson against the Steelers last year? Can they win
a game where maybe it's it's an off day for
the offense and they kind of spin their tires like
I don't know how much of that stuff I'll measure
by just looking at the baseline stats. And so if
they're a league average defense, that's fine. I want to
know how they are in crunch time because last year
(07:18):
they were awful.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Yeah, generally speaking, that's true. Although you mentioned the Trey
Hendrickson against the Steelers, and really we think of that
five game run that almost got him into the playoffs,
you know, as the defense improving, But what did they
really do. They made stops in the fourth quarter against
Dallas two or three times, you know, in the overtime
against the Broncos, they got them off the field a
(07:40):
couple of times set up to win. Even against the Browns,
they made some plays when that game was still a
game in the fourth quarter, a couple of red zone turnovers.
So as you say, that's really the critical element. And
you know, what they give up in a sort of
average yard or play basis is not really the place
to look. It's third downs, red zone and doing the
(08:02):
job in the fourth quarter when they're protecting the lead.
As you know, certainly you would imagine they would have
their share of given their offensive attack, and all eyes
are going to be on that. They prove that they
could do it at least a little bit, granted against
some mediocre quarterbacks. But nevertheless, you know, that's what happens
in the NFL. A lot they proved they could do
at the end of last year. It's going to have
to hold over, and it doesn't mean they're going to
(08:24):
have to be the eighty five Bears in the fourth quarter.
They just have to make the critical plays when it
matters and not give up the critical plays like against
Kansas City or against Baltimore that they did, and the
entire narrative changes on really a half dozen plays last year,
and if they can turn them in their favor, it's
a whole different team. And that's why I think I'm
optimistic about their playoff chances this year.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
I wish they were the eighty five Bears in the
fourth mode. Otis Wilson, Richard Dent, Steve McMichael, god rest
his soul. I'd sign you.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Up for that, Gary Fenzik, Frank does.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Yeah, Dan Hampton.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Too, so that would be interesting.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Uh, you're the man. We'll talk next week. Thank you
as always.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Looking forward to him. Thanks so much, and let's have
a great season.
Mo Egger News
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