November 20, 2025 • 15 mins
Tony and Austin talk Bengals with John Sheeran on ESPN 1530!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Is Tony Pike Sincy three sixty about Cincinnati from Cincinnati,
sponsored in Park by Cincy Shirts. Cincy Shirts, All Cincy,
all Day. This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Welcome back, Thanks again for listening. It's our number two
and thanks to Cincy Shirts. Check about Cincy Shirts dot
com or visit any of the retail locations. Get yourself
ready for sporting events in the holiday season. All perfect
for your spot at Cincy Shirts. We have your talkbacks
coming up in just a few moments. Leave your talk
(00:36):
back and let us know what your thought is around
Joe Burrow or Ellie Daily Cruz or anything else we've
talked about today. But for right now, it's Thursday. It's
one o'clock. That means our guy John Sheeran standing by
to join us from A to Z Sports covering the
Cincinnati Bengals. What's going on?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
John? Hey, guys, I haven't seen the sun this week
so far, but I guess Joe Burrow's going to provide
that on Sunday. Maybe would be the closest thing.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Is this the most interesting three and seventeen we've had
in the NFL in quite some time?
Speaker 4 (01:05):
I would probably say that you never really know what
you're gonna get on Sundays, but some things you kind
of do know what you're gonna get. Maybe a lot
of mistackles, maybe a lot of not knowing how to win,
not a lot of complimentary football.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Some things kind of remain the same, you know.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
And yet with all of that, it feels like a
boxing match right now where they've been knocked out or
seemingly almost knocked out multiple times and they survived the round.
I thought last week was the final blow, and then
this week happens, and Joe Burrow's back, and Joe Burrow
was a full participant yesterday, and everything that I'm leading
(01:38):
to see is telling me that Joe Burrow might actually
even play on Sunday. The big question is John should
he play on Sunday? What are your overall thoughts on
Joe Burrow?
Speaker 4 (01:49):
I think this is one of the very few things
where I just have no interest in speculating at all
into something that I just don't know about. I think
this whole thing has been either correctly reported or just
there's just not been any actual concrete information on anyone.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Outside of pay Course Stadium.
Speaker 5 (02:06):
Nos.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
This is supposed to be a three month at minimum
recovery for a very serious injury, that very painful injury,
by the way, And somehow, after fifty two days after
he had surgery, he's back in practice. So obviously the
timeline was accelerated or it was just a lot quicker
than anyone on the outside thought. So I went from
mid December to Thanksgiving to a week after Thanksgiving, two
(02:28):
a week before Thanksgiving. It's been jumping all over the place,
and I just I have no idea how healthy he is.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
And I think the safest thing to assume is.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
That if he's medically clear to play, and he's able
to practice fully, and he's the best quarterback that they
have on the roster, especially with Joe Flaco excuse me,
dealing with an ac joint spring, then he might as
well play. And if that's the case, and that's the case,
and if he doesn't play, then if to assume that
he's just not ready to play, I don't think I
can go any further than that without recklessly speculating on
something that frankly, again, like we just don't know. Every
(02:58):
injury is different, every recovery. He's different, And clearly this
has been an injury that has either been misreported on
or this we just do not know. So I think
the safest thing to assume is that if he does play,
then he's able to play, and he's the best option
that they got and for a team that's still technically
technically in the playoff race, that's just what they got
to do.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
So if he does play, you're just ready to talk
about really reeling off seven in a row.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Then yeah, exactly, exactly, Yeah, he's.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Gonna Is he gonna help the Bengals defense adjust schematically
and help them tackle?
Speaker 3 (03:26):
I doubt it, you know, I doubt it.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I think with this matchup, specifically, a quarterback in Drake
May that can throw over the yard really all three
levels of the field. He's been incredibly accurate in that
offense that Josh mcdannals has always run, knows how the
scheme guy's open in the underneath areas of the field.
So this is just it should be another week in
which the Bengals should be prepared to score thirty. And
I think that's an interesting variable coming off of this
(03:49):
past week, when you know, I don't know if if TJ.
Watts hit on Joe Flacco impacted his shoulder. I don't
know if it was the weather that he was not
able to put to drive the ball through all that win,
but wasn't where it needed to be for the rest
of the season because you just have to assume that
the defense is going to continue giving.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Up thirty points every week.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
So I do think that there is some value in
Joe Flacco potentially coming back down to Earth. Whether that's injury,
whether the fact that he's forty or not, it doesn't
really matter. Like this offense still needs to be reliable
every single week, no matter of the matchups. So if
you do get better production out of a again, if
he's healthy, a healthy Joe Burrow with you know, reunited
with his weapons and everything like that, that should allow
(04:29):
them to remain at least competitive in these games. And yeah,
like obviously, you know, whoever the quarterback is doesn't really
impact the defense. But if you still have to play
with this defense and you need the best quarterback out
there possible.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
You mentioned getting back with his weapons, they're obviously going
to be without Jamar Chase. Does that at all go
into this decision making in your opinion that you are shorthanded,
it's going to make it a little easier on the
New England defense to defend the Cincinnati Bengals. When you
take arguably the best receiver in football away from an offense,
does that factor in at all you in a game
(05:00):
plan or in Joe Burrow getting back out there.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Possibly? Possibly.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
I think they ran into a lot of things that
didn't expect last week against the Steelers and how they
defended Jamar Chase, and I.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Think that I also led into a lot of their issues.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
Joe is obviously played without Jamar within this offense. I
remember the you know, the four game stretch when Chase
had the hip injury back in twenty twenty two. Teagans
averaged just under one hundred receiving yards a game that
that season, and during that stretch, Trent Irwin was obviously
a guy that's stepped up big, and maybe that's gonna
be Mitchell Tinsley. Now, obviously andre Yo Sabas is going
to have more of a mixpended role like this offense
(05:35):
still needs, you know, multiple quality receivers outside of the
you know, the true X on the field at the time,
and that is going to be Tigue. And so Burrow
does have that experience and whereas Flacco doesn't. Flaco's really
relied on spamming targets to Jamar Chase. He's every fourteen
a game with Laco in there, So how they redistribute
that is going to be interesting. I would hope that
Mike Seki's healthy enough to play, and if he does,
(05:57):
like that's just another big body receiver that he can
have against the defense you know, like is pretty solid
in all three phases or all three levels of that defense.
So yeah, I think there is value in Burrow being
back out there knowing what it's, knowing how to redistrib
to the ball when the true gravitational force of Jamar
Chason that out there and does make.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
It harder for the quarterback.
Speaker 5 (06:17):
You mentioned the Patriots defense, I mean they're the best
run defense in the NFL as far as yards per game,
which I'm sure plays a role in the game plan
with or without Joe Burrow when it comes to passing
it against them. How do you expect that rotation to
work with the wide receivers. Do you think it's gonna
be Mitch Tinsley time. Do you think Charlie Jones gets involved?
And where does this put Jermaine Burton, everybody's favorite player.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
I do think that Burton should be excited to actually
maybe dress.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
For once this time. I would highly doubt that he has.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Any sort of trust with the coaching staff that it's
actually plays significant snaps, But as someone who's going to
be in uniform and can come onto the field and
maybe very specific situations, that could be a case in
which Burton does see the field.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
But you have to think it's Tinsley right.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
He's fourth on the death chart because of how much
trust that he's earned over the offseason and then the
very few opportunities that he's had in actual games. He
continues to show like it wasn't just you know, the
preseason game against the Commanders which had two touchdowns, that
wasn't just a miage. He knows how to track, you know,
deep passes, and he knows how to bring it in
and knows how.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
To work against quarterbacks like that. So I think it's.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
Been a case where you don't want to take Chase
and Higgins off the field and put Mitchell Tintley on
the boundary, which is where he's had the majority of
the success.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Success.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
But now that you have one of those guys who
has to sit out this game. That's the perfect opportunity
for Tinsley to fill in. Keep Andre Josavash in a
role in which he's been practicing now throughout the last
couple of years.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
They don't really change what you do with him, but.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
You insert Tindsley either into the X or into the flanker,
you know, whatever, however you want to adjust with t Higgins,
and then you kind of roll with that trio and
then Charlie Jones can step in if needed, and then
Burton is going to be maybe your emergency backup off
the bench.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
That's how I would expect it.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
I would be very surprised if Burdon just somehow assended
over Tinsley, though, because I think Tinsley has very much
earned this opportunity.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Do you take anything positive coming out of the buy
From what we saw from the defense. They gave up
the opening drive touchdown. They allowed Mason Rudolph to essentially
do whatever he wanted, especially on third and eleven multiple
times third and I believe sixteen. They only went one
third down and not converting in the whole second half.
But there are some out there that say two defensive
(08:19):
touchdowns the defense held Pittsburgh to twenty. Are there positives
at all that you took away from the defensive performance
in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
I think there was positives in the adjustments that they
sought to make, and they rolling out with more of
an odd front, which impacted of the roles.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
For the defensive end.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Miles Murphy had definitely his best game of his career,
and I think that was probably attributed to some of
the differences in what they asked him to do. He
saw more planned McKinley Jackson, who was kind of more
in the heads of nose role. I think be Ja
Hill had a previous game along with Joseph Side, so
he saw some promise from the front four of the
front five, if you will, in this case, he saw
more pressure against the definent Steelers offense line, So that
(08:59):
was at least someone.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Promising to see. But I think at the end of
the day, like if.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
If you're if your back seven has trouble in space,
not only with pursued angles, but wrapping up and just
making you know, isolated tackles in space, like that's not
that's not necessarily something that you can just fix on
the fly.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
And the middle season.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Outside of personnel changes, and they just haven't really been
any personnel changes, right, there's still guys on the bench
right now who probably could do a little bit better
job than the likes of Geno Stone and Barck Carter
and things like that, things of that nature.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Right. So there's just so many, so much that you can.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Do schematically to fixed problems that you're just gonna have
issues with no matter who you play. And I think
that was just that's just something that they're gonna have
to live with if they want to keep with this
group of guys. So it was promising to see the
schematic changes up front, but when they weren't able to
rally to the ball at the line of screamage, when
when you had those opportunities in space, like, those problems
are just going to persist. And that's I wasn't necessarily
(09:52):
surprised about that. That's just going to be what the
defense is.
Speaker 5 (09:54):
Why do you think they've been so hesitant to move
off of Geno Stone? And if Dejon Anthony is able
to go, do you expect to see him on Sunday?
Speaker 4 (10:05):
You'd have to assume the leash is just as short
as possible, right, And I like I don't think it
was the coach's decision obviously to cut his pay in
the off season.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
I think that was more of a personnel thing in
regards to this.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Guy's as not worth as much money as we're paying him,
so we're gonna give him a pay cut because he
has to accept that, And that's just how the personnel.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Department saw him. But for whatever reason, the coaching staff.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
Continues to see him as a guy that needs to
be out there for one hundred percent of snaps, and
that's just it just doesn't seem like it's it's worth
at this point to not see what Tyson Anderson or
what dies On Anthony can do in that role instead,
even if it's on a rotational basis, which we've seen
over the past handful of years, ever since Jesse Bates left,
like Nick Scott and Jordan Battle rotated quite often like he.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
Had von Belle rotated in now last year.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Right, I don't know how Gino Stone is any better
or worse than some of the unfortunate liabilities that we've
had at that position in the past couple of years.
And the fact that Tyson Anderson is now interned a
contract year and you still have no idea what he
can do on defense.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
I don't know if he's just not.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
As good in practice, they just don't trust him, whatever
the case may be. It's just embarrassing scene out there,
just completely with on tackles and allowing to all these
explosive plays. Like at some point something has to change
with him or with the people making these decisions.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
John, I'm fascinated. Weekend and week out, we hear Zach
Taylor at the podium, and normally he's pretty close to
the vest when it comes to discussing injuries or player availability,
and yet for back to back weeks when asked about
Trey Hendrickson, it's been very abbreviating to the point that
he's doubtful. Normally, this is something I feel like we
(11:34):
hear from Zach Taylor of well, we're going to give
it a go this week and let the week play
out and we'll make a decision. He's been very to
the point, very adamant. Both mondays Trey Hendrickson is doubtful
in the grand scheme of things. Do you think we
see Trey Hendrickson again this year or not?
Speaker 4 (11:52):
I think it's right up there with Burrow and the
fact that we just don't know. Obviously, with Hendrickson in
his contract situation, that's a very that he kind of
can go down that rabbit hole and say, does he
is he really pushing to play right now? Is he
just trying to get right And that's just what's been
communicated to Zach and the training staff and how he's
just not quite there and it's just it's just too
early to make any sort of of a well see
(12:14):
type of statement. It was the fact that he suffered
this injury in week six and he was able to
play in week eight obviously wasn't gonna play a week
seven because it was just a hndful of days rest
on Thursday football. So the reaggravation or the aggravation of
set injury has been apparently worse than the actual injury before,
or he just doesn't feel like he can play through
because of how quickly he was re injured again.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
That could be something that plays into it.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
And how he just wants to be fully right before
he goes back out there. But you know, if there's
only seven games left and if we're at a point
where it's not even remotely close to him being playing
when he's making these announcements on Monday, he does start
to feel like maybe that's just the case of he's
just trying to play as safe as possible and maybe
if they're maybe they do somehow make the playoffs, Like
(12:59):
maybe he could be able for the postseason at that point,
but obviously that's a long way away, as a fairy
tale way if they actually do make the playoffs of
this race. So yeah, I think there's something to be
said about where he is with his contract and his
future and the fact that he's dealing with injury that
unfortunately he reinjured and apparently is not worse than what
it was.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
In the beginning.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
It's hard to discuss it against a team who's nine
and two and has been on a tear since a
loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. But during their winning streak
wins against the Panthers, Saints, Titans, Browns, Falcons, and the Jets,
they have impressive wins against Tampa and Buffalo, both on
the road. Is there a pass Is there an avenue
(13:39):
on how they could beat and maybe knock off this
Patriots team, And if so, how do you believe that
can happen?
Speaker 3 (13:45):
The offense just has to produce. Like at the end
of the day, I don't expect.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
Drake May to walk in here and not be the
quarterback that he's been this entire season. I think it's
been incredibly impressive, the accuracy and the deep ball ability
that he's had with his receivers, with Stefan Diggs, with
Kaishawn Boudi, with Connor Henry, like, all those guys are producing.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
They're all on the same page, and it's just a
very cohesive offense.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
And now it's a run game with trade Von Henderson
that is really starting to explode. So I just have
to assume that the Bengals are going to allow points
in this game and that.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
The Bengals need to respond. You could have some.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
Very flutey turnovers here and there that can kind of
even the game a little bit out, But after last
week in which they only scored twelve points, like it
just has to be better than that. They're just not capable.
I don't think they're capable of beating the Patriots and
the kind of an ugly, low scoring type of situation,
and I don't think that's what the Bengals defense is
capable of doing against an offense that has a quarterback
playing at elite level right now. So the path is
(14:39):
to win another high scoring shootout game with some flute turnovers.
So I think that's the only way that they can
beat any of these good teams on the schedule.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
With a defense that is currently the worst scoring defense
of any team in the NFL in the last fifty years,
you would have to expect it's got to be how
the offense goes. It's certainly a busy time around the
Cincinnati Bengals, never a dull moment. It's the easiest way
to follow along with everything you got going on. As
your coverage of the Bengals continues.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
We are locked and loaded. We are firing on all cylinders.
On agenc sports dot com, back Slash, Cincinnati, az Sports Cincinnati,
on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, wherever you get your short from content.
We are there every single day keeping you up to date.
We'll see a Burrow actually plays in there own.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Let's go, John, appreciate you man. We'll talk again next week.
Have a good weekend.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Thanks fellas.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
There he is, John Sharon a Toza Sports covering the
Cincinnati Bengals. Your talkbacks come up next. ESBN fifteen thirty
Cincinnati sports station,
Is Tony Pike Sincy three sixty about Cincinnati from Cincinnati,
sponsored in Park by Cincy Shirts. Cincy Shirts, All Cincy,
all Day. This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Welcome back, Thanks again for listening. It's our number two
and thanks to Cincy Shirts. Check about Cincy Shirts dot
com or visit any of the retail locations. Get yourself
ready for sporting events in the holiday season. All perfect
for your spot at Cincy Shirts. We have your talkbacks
coming up in just a few moments. Leave your talk
(00:36):
back and let us know what your thought is around
Joe Burrow or Ellie Daily Cruz or anything else we've
talked about today. But for right now, it's Thursday. It's
one o'clock. That means our guy John Sheeran standing by
to join us from A to Z Sports covering the
Cincinnati Bengals. What's going on?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
John? Hey, guys, I haven't seen the sun this week
so far, but I guess Joe Burrow's going to provide
that on Sunday. Maybe would be the closest thing.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Is this the most interesting three and seventeen we've had
in the NFL in quite some time?
Speaker 4 (01:05):
I would probably say that you never really know what
you're gonna get on Sundays, but some things you kind
of do know what you're gonna get. Maybe a lot
of mistackles, maybe a lot of not knowing how to win,
not a lot of complimentary football.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Some things kind of remain the same, you know.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
And yet with all of that, it feels like a
boxing match right now where they've been knocked out or
seemingly almost knocked out multiple times and they survived the round.
I thought last week was the final blow, and then
this week happens, and Joe Burrow's back, and Joe Burrow
was a full participant yesterday, and everything that I'm leading
(01:38):
to see is telling me that Joe Burrow might actually
even play on Sunday. The big question is John should
he play on Sunday? What are your overall thoughts on
Joe Burrow?
Speaker 4 (01:49):
I think this is one of the very few things
where I just have no interest in speculating at all
into something that I just don't know about. I think
this whole thing has been either correctly reported or just
there's just not been any actual concrete information on anyone.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Outside of pay Course Stadium.
Speaker 5 (02:06):
Nos.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
This is supposed to be a three month at minimum
recovery for a very serious injury, that very painful injury,
by the way, And somehow, after fifty two days after
he had surgery, he's back in practice. So obviously the
timeline was accelerated or it was just a lot quicker
than anyone on the outside thought. So I went from
mid December to Thanksgiving to a week after Thanksgiving, two
(02:28):
a week before Thanksgiving. It's been jumping all over the place,
and I just I have no idea how healthy he is.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
And I think the safest thing to assume is.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
That if he's medically clear to play, and he's able
to practice fully, and he's the best quarterback that they
have on the roster, especially with Joe Flaco excuse me,
dealing with an ac joint spring, then he might as
well play. And if that's the case, and that's the case,
and if he doesn't play, then if to assume that
he's just not ready to play, I don't think I
can go any further than that without recklessly speculating on
something that frankly, again, like we just don't know. Every
(02:58):
injury is different, every recovery. He's different, And clearly this
has been an injury that has either been misreported on
or this we just do not know. So I think
the safest thing to assume is that if he does play,
then he's able to play, and he's the best option
that they got and for a team that's still technically
technically in the playoff race, that's just what they got
to do.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
So if he does play, you're just ready to talk
about really reeling off seven in a row.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Then yeah, exactly, exactly, Yeah, he's.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Gonna Is he gonna help the Bengals defense adjust schematically
and help them tackle?
Speaker 3 (03:26):
I doubt it, you know, I doubt it.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I think with this matchup, specifically, a quarterback in Drake
May that can throw over the yard really all three
levels of the field. He's been incredibly accurate in that
offense that Josh mcdannals has always run, knows how the
scheme guy's open in the underneath areas of the field.
So this is just it should be another week in
which the Bengals should be prepared to score thirty. And
I think that's an interesting variable coming off of this
(03:49):
past week, when you know, I don't know if if TJ.
Watts hit on Joe Flacco impacted his shoulder. I don't
know if it was the weather that he was not
able to put to drive the ball through all that win,
but wasn't where it needed to be for the rest
of the season because you just have to assume that
the defense is going to continue giving.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Up thirty points every week.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
So I do think that there is some value in
Joe Flacco potentially coming back down to Earth. Whether that's injury,
whether the fact that he's forty or not, it doesn't
really matter. Like this offense still needs to be reliable
every single week, no matter of the matchups. So if
you do get better production out of a again, if
he's healthy, a healthy Joe Burrow with you know, reunited
with his weapons and everything like that, that should allow
(04:29):
them to remain at least competitive in these games. And yeah,
like obviously, you know, whoever the quarterback is doesn't really
impact the defense. But if you still have to play
with this defense and you need the best quarterback out
there possible.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
You mentioned getting back with his weapons, they're obviously going
to be without Jamar Chase. Does that at all go
into this decision making in your opinion that you are shorthanded,
it's going to make it a little easier on the
New England defense to defend the Cincinnati Bengals. When you
take arguably the best receiver in football away from an offense,
does that factor in at all you in a game
(05:00):
plan or in Joe Burrow getting back out there.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Possibly? Possibly.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
I think they ran into a lot of things that
didn't expect last week against the Steelers and how they
defended Jamar Chase, and I.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Think that I also led into a lot of their issues.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
Joe is obviously played without Jamar within this offense. I
remember the you know, the four game stretch when Chase
had the hip injury back in twenty twenty two. Teagans
averaged just under one hundred receiving yards a game that
that season, and during that stretch, Trent Irwin was obviously
a guy that's stepped up big, and maybe that's gonna
be Mitchell Tinsley. Now, obviously andre Yo Sabas is going
to have more of a mixpended role like this offense
(05:35):
still needs, you know, multiple quality receivers outside of the
you know, the true X on the field at the time,
and that is going to be Tigue. And so Burrow
does have that experience and whereas Flacco doesn't. Flaco's really
relied on spamming targets to Jamar Chase. He's every fourteen
a game with Laco in there, So how they redistribute
that is going to be interesting. I would hope that
Mike Seki's healthy enough to play, and if he does,
(05:57):
like that's just another big body receiver that he can
have against the defense you know, like is pretty solid
in all three phases or all three levels of that defense.
So yeah, I think there is value in Burrow being
back out there knowing what it's, knowing how to redistrib
to the ball when the true gravitational force of Jamar
Chason that out there and does make.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
It harder for the quarterback.
Speaker 5 (06:17):
You mentioned the Patriots defense, I mean they're the best
run defense in the NFL as far as yards per game,
which I'm sure plays a role in the game plan
with or without Joe Burrow when it comes to passing
it against them. How do you expect that rotation to
work with the wide receivers. Do you think it's gonna
be Mitch Tinsley time. Do you think Charlie Jones gets involved?
And where does this put Jermaine Burton, everybody's favorite player.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
I do think that Burton should be excited to actually
maybe dress.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
For once this time. I would highly doubt that he has.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Any sort of trust with the coaching staff that it's
actually plays significant snaps, But as someone who's going to
be in uniform and can come onto the field and
maybe very specific situations, that could be a case in
which Burton does see the field.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
But you have to think it's Tinsley right.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
He's fourth on the death chart because of how much
trust that he's earned over the offseason and then the
very few opportunities that he's had in actual games. He
continues to show like it wasn't just you know, the
preseason game against the Commanders which had two touchdowns, that
wasn't just a miage. He knows how to track, you know,
deep passes, and he knows how to bring it in
and knows how.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
To work against quarterbacks like that. So I think it's.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
Been a case where you don't want to take Chase
and Higgins off the field and put Mitchell Tintley on
the boundary, which is where he's had the majority of
the success.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Success.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
But now that you have one of those guys who
has to sit out this game. That's the perfect opportunity
for Tinsley to fill in. Keep Andre Josavash in a
role in which he's been practicing now throughout the last
couple of years.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
They don't really change what you do with him, but.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
You insert Tindsley either into the X or into the flanker,
you know, whatever, however you want to adjust with t Higgins,
and then you kind of roll with that trio and
then Charlie Jones can step in if needed, and then
Burton is going to be maybe your emergency backup off
the bench.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
That's how I would expect it.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
I would be very surprised if Burdon just somehow assended
over Tinsley, though, because I think Tinsley has very much
earned this opportunity.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Do you take anything positive coming out of the buy
From what we saw from the defense. They gave up
the opening drive touchdown. They allowed Mason Rudolph to essentially
do whatever he wanted, especially on third and eleven multiple
times third and I believe sixteen. They only went one
third down and not converting in the whole second half.
But there are some out there that say two defensive
(08:19):
touchdowns the defense held Pittsburgh to twenty. Are there positives
at all that you took away from the defensive performance
in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
I think there was positives in the adjustments that they
sought to make, and they rolling out with more of
an odd front, which impacted of the roles.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
For the defensive end.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Miles Murphy had definitely his best game of his career,
and I think that was probably attributed to some of
the differences in what they asked him to do. He
saw more planned McKinley Jackson, who was kind of more
in the heads of nose role. I think be Ja
Hill had a previous game along with Joseph Side, so
he saw some promise from the front four of the
front five, if you will, in this case, he saw
more pressure against the definent Steelers offense line, So that
(08:59):
was at least someone.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Promising to see. But I think at the end of
the day, like if.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
If you're if your back seven has trouble in space,
not only with pursued angles, but wrapping up and just
making you know, isolated tackles in space, like that's not
that's not necessarily something that you can just fix on
the fly.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
And the middle season.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Outside of personnel changes, and they just haven't really been
any personnel changes, right, there's still guys on the bench
right now who probably could do a little bit better
job than the likes of Geno Stone and Barck Carter
and things like that, things of that nature.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Right. So there's just so many, so much that you can.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Do schematically to fixed problems that you're just gonna have
issues with no matter who you play. And I think
that was just that's just something that they're gonna have
to live with if they want to keep with this
group of guys. So it was promising to see the
schematic changes up front, but when they weren't able to
rally to the ball at the line of screamage, when
when you had those opportunities in space, like, those problems
are just going to persist. And that's I wasn't necessarily
(09:52):
surprised about that. That's just going to be what the
defense is.
Speaker 5 (09:54):
Why do you think they've been so hesitant to move
off of Geno Stone? And if Dejon Anthony is able
to go, do you expect to see him on Sunday?
Speaker 4 (10:05):
You'd have to assume the leash is just as short
as possible, right, And I like I don't think it
was the coach's decision obviously to cut his pay in
the off season.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
I think that was more of a personnel thing in
regards to this.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Guy's as not worth as much money as we're paying him,
so we're gonna give him a pay cut because he
has to accept that, And that's just how the personnel.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Department saw him. But for whatever reason, the coaching staff.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
Continues to see him as a guy that needs to
be out there for one hundred percent of snaps, and
that's just it just doesn't seem like it's it's worth
at this point to not see what Tyson Anderson or
what dies On Anthony can do in that role instead,
even if it's on a rotational basis, which we've seen
over the past handful of years, ever since Jesse Bates left,
like Nick Scott and Jordan Battle rotated quite often like he.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
Had von Belle rotated in now last year.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Right, I don't know how Gino Stone is any better
or worse than some of the unfortunate liabilities that we've
had at that position in the past couple of years.
And the fact that Tyson Anderson is now interned a
contract year and you still have no idea what he
can do on defense.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
I don't know if he's just not.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
As good in practice, they just don't trust him, whatever
the case may be. It's just embarrassing scene out there,
just completely with on tackles and allowing to all these
explosive plays. Like at some point something has to change
with him or with the people making these decisions.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
John, I'm fascinated. Weekend and week out, we hear Zach
Taylor at the podium, and normally he's pretty close to
the vest when it comes to discussing injuries or player availability,
and yet for back to back weeks when asked about
Trey Hendrickson, it's been very abbreviating to the point that
he's doubtful. Normally, this is something I feel like we
(11:34):
hear from Zach Taylor of well, we're going to give
it a go this week and let the week play
out and we'll make a decision. He's been very to
the point, very adamant. Both mondays Trey Hendrickson is doubtful
in the grand scheme of things. Do you think we
see Trey Hendrickson again this year or not?
Speaker 4 (11:52):
I think it's right up there with Burrow and the
fact that we just don't know. Obviously, with Hendrickson in
his contract situation, that's a very that he kind of
can go down that rabbit hole and say, does he
is he really pushing to play right now? Is he
just trying to get right And that's just what's been
communicated to Zach and the training staff and how he's
just not quite there and it's just it's just too
early to make any sort of of a well see
(12:14):
type of statement. It was the fact that he suffered
this injury in week six and he was able to
play in week eight obviously wasn't gonna play a week
seven because it was just a hndful of days rest
on Thursday football. So the reaggravation or the aggravation of
set injury has been apparently worse than the actual injury before,
or he just doesn't feel like he can play through
because of how quickly he was re injured again.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
That could be something that plays into it.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
And how he just wants to be fully right before
he goes back out there. But you know, if there's
only seven games left and if we're at a point
where it's not even remotely close to him being playing
when he's making these announcements on Monday, he does start
to feel like maybe that's just the case of he's
just trying to play as safe as possible and maybe
if they're maybe they do somehow make the playoffs, Like
(12:59):
maybe he could be able for the postseason at that point,
but obviously that's a long way away, as a fairy
tale way if they actually do make the playoffs of
this race. So yeah, I think there's something to be
said about where he is with his contract and his
future and the fact that he's dealing with injury that
unfortunately he reinjured and apparently is not worse than what
it was.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
In the beginning.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
It's hard to discuss it against a team who's nine
and two and has been on a tear since a
loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. But during their winning streak
wins against the Panthers, Saints, Titans, Browns, Falcons, and the Jets,
they have impressive wins against Tampa and Buffalo, both on
the road. Is there a pass Is there an avenue
(13:39):
on how they could beat and maybe knock off this
Patriots team, And if so, how do you believe that
can happen?
Speaker 3 (13:45):
The offense just has to produce. Like at the end
of the day, I don't expect.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
Drake May to walk in here and not be the
quarterback that he's been this entire season. I think it's
been incredibly impressive, the accuracy and the deep ball ability
that he's had with his receivers, with Stefan Diggs, with
Kaishawn Boudi, with Connor Henry, like, all those guys are producing.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
They're all on the same page, and it's just a
very cohesive offense.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
And now it's a run game with trade Von Henderson
that is really starting to explode. So I just have
to assume that the Bengals are going to allow points
in this game and that.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
The Bengals need to respond. You could have some.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
Very flutey turnovers here and there that can kind of
even the game a little bit out, But after last
week in which they only scored twelve points, like it
just has to be better than that. They're just not capable.
I don't think they're capable of beating the Patriots and
the kind of an ugly, low scoring type of situation,
and I don't think that's what the Bengals defense is
capable of doing against an offense that has a quarterback
playing at elite level right now. So the path is
(14:39):
to win another high scoring shootout game with some flute turnovers.
So I think that's the only way that they can
beat any of these good teams on the schedule.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
With a defense that is currently the worst scoring defense
of any team in the NFL in the last fifty years,
you would have to expect it's got to be how
the offense goes. It's certainly a busy time around the
Cincinnati Bengals, never a dull moment. It's the easiest way
to follow along with everything you got going on. As
your coverage of the Bengals continues.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
We are locked and loaded. We are firing on all cylinders.
On agenc sports dot com, back Slash, Cincinnati, az Sports Cincinnati,
on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, wherever you get your short from content.
We are there every single day keeping you up to date.
We'll see a Burrow actually plays in there own.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Let's go, John, appreciate you man. We'll talk again next week.
Have a good weekend.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Thanks fellas.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
There he is, John Sharon a Toza Sports covering the
Cincinnati Bengals. Your talkbacks come up next. ESBN fifteen thirty
Cincinnati sports station,
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