December 9, 2025 • 38 mins
Tony and Austin talk NFL, take your calls, check in with Mo, and more on ESPN 1530!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Tony Pike Cincy three sixty about Cincinnati from Cincinnati,
sponsored in part by Penn Station East Coast Subs. Hand
crept it I grilled subs, fresh cut fries and lemonade.
It's all about good taste. Penn Station East Coast Subs
order on line today. This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati
(00:25):
Sports Station.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Welcome back our three Sincy three sixty on ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports Station thanks to our good friends at
Penn Station. Do you know Austin that on Tuesdays during
football season, Penn Station partners.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Up with the Bengals. Did you know this?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I did not have a deal going on with the
Bengals where if you order any sized sub you get
a free small sub as well.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
That's pretty good.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Now it's paired with the Bengals game days. It's called
who Day Tuesdays. It's a free small sub with any
sub purchase every Tuesday after a Bengal game. You know
what they did. That's so nice. It's available after wins
or losses. Oh that's cool, so you don't wait when
they win. You could go into a Penn Station today
or use online promo code Bengals twenty five and get
(01:18):
a free small sub just by purchasing any other size sub.
Speaker 5 (01:22):
Yeah, I mean you can't call a Penn station, you know,
fair Weather Partners at all.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Thanks to Penn Station. Thank you for listening. Get the
phone calls in just a few seconds. You know, Austin
said you had some Elie day la Cruz news. I
can imagine that this is just the Red's pivoting, not
getting Kyle Schwarber, just signing Ellie to a massive deal.
Speaker 5 (01:40):
No, it's it's not that. But Gordon Wittenmeyer, who of
course covers the Reds sometimes for Cincinnati dot Com, is
I believe at the MLB Winter meetings and at the
moment the World Baseball Classic teams are being announced. Well,
the manager for the Dominican Public, which is Ellie's home country,
(02:02):
is Albert Poolhols. Albert pool Holes, according to Gordon Wittenmeyer
said he talked to Ellie de la Cruz last night
and the Red shortstop is indeed committed to playing for
the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Okay, so
something to keep an eye out on there. As far
as I know, he's the only Red that is going
(02:23):
to play. There might be one more, but Ellie de
la Cruz. According to Gordon Wittmeyer, Albert pool Hols is
going to play, although it hasn't been officially announced.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
All right, if you missed it earlier. A couple of
things happening in Major League Baseball. Edwin Diaz, the All
Star closer for the Mets, is now a Los Angeles Dodger,
and Kyle Schwarber is back to the Philadelphia Phillies on
a five year, one hundred and fifty million dollar deal.
Speaker 5 (02:52):
I did put a poll question up on Twitter at
Audie Elmore A U T y E L m O
r E if you want to go vote the Red's
pursuit of Kyle Schwarber was which of the following kicking
the tires, taking a test drive, or driving around the
lot right now? Forty nine percent say kicking the tires. Oh,
(03:14):
forty one percent say driving around the lot, and nine
percent say taking a test drive. I think it was
closer to taking a test drive. Mo chimed in. Most
said they took a look at the sticker.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Moe also said that he's adding a new item to
his muted words on social media.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
Oh really, what's that league average defense? Why is he
ruins everything? What's wrong with that?
Speaker 3 (03:45):
You just don't want to hear it anymore?
Speaker 5 (03:46):
No, but like, what's the deal? I got to ask
him this?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Do you want to know his other ones?
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Sure?
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Well I know someone Belichick girlfriend of course, Bengals cash problem. Yeah,
Elon Musk Fair, Kanye very fair, Mattress Mark Yes, Ruin
college basketball agreed, Ruin college football agreed, Nevada game.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
I have no beef with any of those except the
league average defense?
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Why not?
Speaker 2 (04:10):
They don't want to hear about anymore? Didn't want to
hear about these league average defense. All the Bengals need
to do is be a league average defense.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
Why can't average be a goal for someone who's well
below average? Just be average? It's the new motto. I mean,
are we getting a new banner in this studio? By
the way, I don't got time for banners. I got
a new laptop. I can't get it to print anything, man, Okay,
from you know how it is with the Sure I
(04:36):
get it, I get it.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
You know more than most.
Speaker 5 (04:39):
Yeah, does your laptop still work? Do they deactivate it?
Speaker 3 (04:42):
It was deactivated for quite some time. It was it
was useless it's rendered useless. I know that feeling. Uh,
what's up, John, how are you?
Speaker 6 (04:53):
What do you guys? Working at the prins of gone.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Might as well be Wow.
Speaker 6 (04:59):
I think as far as kicking the tires, the Reds
probably just looked online at whatever vehicle they were interested
in and then just you know, xed outlook value. Yeah,
pretty much, you know, I mean, I know they were
kicking the tires, is what they are saying. Or they
were interested in Kyle s FORBA. But you know, of
course I'm interested in taking du a leap out for lunch.
But that's not gonna happen either, So we'll.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Do the best we can with that.
Speaker 6 (05:22):
As far as Moe's league average defense, that's want to
run these numbers by you guys. In the last two seasons,
which is thirty games, the Bengals have scored thirty three
or more points and eleven of those games. In those
eleven games, they have four wins seven losses. That the
thirty six percent winning percentage when scoring thirty three or
more points. And it's happened Sunday in Buffalo. The rest
of the league the other thirty one teams, and they
(05:42):
scored thirty three more points, win ninety percent of their games.
If they had a league average defense, they would have
had five more wins over the last two years, would
have made the playoffs last year, it would probably in
control of winning the North this year. So a league
average defense would be very much welcome for this team.
And again it's it's just a curring problem to this
team that you know, score thirty four points and still
(06:04):
lose by five. I mean, heck, they lost forty They
scored forty two against the Bears and lost to them
forty seven forty two.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I mean, there's there's no other way around it. That
I mentioned earlier.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
In the nine losses, the defense is given up thirty
six point one points per game. I mean, it's just
that there's no other way around that. There's no other
way around it.
Speaker 6 (06:23):
And when you look at the defense, to me, I mean,
obviously you guys know more than I and so he's
played at a very high level. It seems like the
defensive lineman just want to engauge with the blocker. So
that's supposed to free up linebackers to make plays. They
don't have linebackers that can make plays. That's part seeing Yeah,
seven eight yard runs without anybody getting there.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
That's the problem normally, and I think that was a
little bit around the idea of TJ. Slayton is saying, Okay,
let's get a guy that can occupy some blockers and
then let's let the linebackers play downhill. That that's the
ultimate goal. And I compared to UC when Dante Corleone
is healthy, it allows the linebackers of UC in a
three three five to be active when he's not in
and when the offensive line can get to the second level,
(07:06):
makes it a lot easier to run the ball. The
problem for the Bengals is I feel like a lot
of times the linebackers are able to run free and
they're still not able to do anything. And that is
a linebacker issue. I saw a stat yesterday that I
believe Orin Burks is the worst coverage linebacker in the NFL.
Demetrius Knight as ranked by Pro Football Focus as the
(07:28):
worst graded linebacker in the NFL, and Barrett Carter gives
up the most yards per reception of any linebacker in
the NFL. That's not a good trio for the Bengals.
Speaker 6 (07:37):
No other than that, how is the play? Missus Lincoln
I mean, you know, when you really just look at
all that stuff, it's very disheightening because they did spend
some draft picks at linebacker, even a free agent at linebacker.
And you know, I know we were all thinking that
the Miami game was going to be very winnable. But
now you've got Miami's won just out of six. They're
running the ball better than any team in football. You
got Mike McDaniels, Say what you want about him. He
(07:59):
can scheme up the running game better than anyone. He
was the guy who steamed up the running game in
the twenty nineteen NFC Championship game for the forty Niners
against the Packers, who were coached by Jerry Montgomery on
the defensive line. So the Dolphins could run for three
hundred yards a week from now against the Bengals, and
you will go again with Joe Burrow having to put
up like thirty seven points to win the game. Just
it's just it's unfathomable. I mean, this defense is that bad.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Yeah, That to me is the most frustrating.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
And that's why I said when we finished up our
number two, there's a path that Baltimore has to go
to and thwo the Pittsburgh s teamers had to go
one in three. We're also asking the Bengals to win
four games in a row, and they've won exactly four
games in thirteen tries this year. And we're talking about
the same defense that has been.
Speaker 6 (08:43):
Bad, right, and again we're talking about a defense. I mean,
Baltimore's offense is plumbiting, so you never know with them.
They can ride and shine in a divisional game. Then
Miami game looked to me like a Shore win. Now
it looks like maybe a sure loss or at least
a game where they're gonna have to score a thirty
seven forty points to win the game because Miami's potting
points on the board.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Miami beat Buffalo.
Speaker 6 (09:03):
They manhandled the Jets, which is no great shakes, but
they ran in the football better than name of them
right now, and that's a bad matchup for the Bengals.
And in the last two games obviously Arizona and Cleveland,
they're at fulm. But yeah, there's there's still a path.
I'm gonna stick with you guys and hope that the
path comes through because the vision is just a mess.
So why not us.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
There we go?
Speaker 2 (09:22):
John, Thank you my man. Appreciate you, Yes, sir uh.
From John to Paul. What's up, Paul, Hey, I.
Speaker 7 (09:31):
Have a question for you. Do you think the Dodgers
signed the right Daz brother this time?
Speaker 2 (09:38):
I think I think they saw so much in Alexus.
They're like, we've got to fine blood that's related to
this guy, and we got to give him a lot
of money. And they're like, all right, boom, Edwin Diaz,
here we go.
Speaker 7 (09:48):
That was the biggest thing. And my question for you
guys is, do you guys think Al Golden's going to
be on a very short lease next year?
Speaker 5 (09:58):
I would think, I mean, I don't know how you're not.
I don't know that it's a shoe in that he
comes back next year, to be honest, especially if they
really fall apart. But for that reason, I would think, yes,
he would. He would certainly be on a ship. I'm not.
Speaker 7 (10:16):
I'm an average football fan. And when I saw third
and fifteen, I said, there's no possible way Josh Allen
throws that ball, and how you cannot. I don't care
if it's the gen I don't care if it's a
backup safety. Your best tackler should be the spy on
that third and fifteen. Yeah, I mean, I'm just I
(10:38):
was beside myself, and as soon as he passed the
defensive line, I thought, oh my gosh, are you kidding me?
Where is everybody? And then he slides down and I thought, Okay,
well there it is. Yep, And I don't really feel
so bad for lou ray Ana Romo anymore. You know,
I thought I felt like he was getting a roll
deal last year. I felt like a lot of their
(11:00):
troubles wasn't the scheme, but was more of the players.
And everyone seemed to think it was the scheme and
run its course. And now I'm thinking, now it's more
the players.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Yeah, yep, with out a doubt. Paul, thank you man,
We appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
All right, let's do this, Austin.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Let's break, let's come back, Let's have a Bengals conversation.
I know we've talked about the need for perfection from
Joe Burrow, and you know, I think Joe Daniman had
kind of hit the nail on the head. Joe's talked
about that, the quarterback that's turning twenty nine years old.
I think there's a path that that begins to wear
more and more on Joe Burrow, and there is a
(11:41):
Zach Taylor question looming in all of this as well.
We'll dive into both of those when we returned on
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Your front row seat to the fiercest debates in sports.
Mo Egger today at three pm on ESPN fifteen thirty.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Welcome back.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Since he three p sixty ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports
Station thanks to Penn Station. I have to ask the question,
and I know that that can change based on how
this stretch run for the Bengals goes. But there is
(12:42):
a question to be had, and I think the question,
as it did the early part of the middle part
of the season, will still revolve around Zach Taylor. Is
there anything that happens over the last four games that,
in one way or another decides the fate of Zach Taylor?
Or is it already decided that Zach Taylor is going
to be the coach of the Cincinnati Bengals next year.
(13:03):
I mean, there's a conversation like the Bengals since losing
in the twenty twenty two AFC Championship Game are twenty
two and twenty five.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
They are.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Staring at another year of missing the playoffs, which would
mean that in Zach Taylor's tenure, they would have missed
the playoffs in five of seven years. Joe Daniman earlier
in the show, Austin mentioned that here you have Joe
burrow Is turning twenty nine years old. He's again, you
still got plenty of time with NFL careers and quarterbacks.
(13:39):
I mean, we're talking about Philip Rivers is back with
the Colts at forty four years old. But nonetheless, we've
constantly talked about the super Bowl window and how do
you attack that window and how far away, Let's be honest,
how far away this roster is from being a legit
super Bowl contender.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
What's the fallout, Austin?
Speaker 2 (13:57):
If this doesn't happen, if they don't make the playoffs
and they're on the outside looking in again, is their fallout?
Speaker 5 (14:05):
As it relates to Zach Taylor. I do not anticipate
any fallout. I think the best the most likely thing
to happen would be Al Golden getting fired, and I
don't think that that would happen either. I think the
best thing for the franchise would be to do an
overhaul of the personnel department. But I don't think that's
(14:27):
going to happen either, So I don't expect Zach to
get fired. I said all along. If this thing unravels
and they're getting embarrassed in these games, then maybe, but
they haven't been. They've been competitive in most of them.
And I still think that the Brown family views Zach
as a good offensive mind and a good fit with
(14:49):
Joe Burrow, and I think because of that, he will
remain the head coach.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
Yeah, is that the way it should be? Because I
know that that's the way kind of the Bengals do it.
Is that the way it should be. I know this
isn't a good answer. I have no problem keeping him
this year. If it felt like this.
Speaker 5 (15:15):
Thing was just completely like there's nothing there, there's no hope,
then yes they should move on from him and they
should do things differently.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
But for much of the season, hasn't it felt that way.
I mean, we're talking about a four and nine football team.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
But we've also taken most of the blame away from
Zach Taylor and put it on Duke Tobin.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
This year.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
There's never been a season, at least as long as
I've been doing this, and certainly as long as I've
had a brain good enough to understand what's going on
in this organization, has there been more of a microscope
and the crossairs put on Duke Tobin. I think most
people would tell you that the issues with the Bengals
(15:57):
start at the top in the world way that they
assess an acquire talent and the way that they do business,
and then it has a trickle down effect on everyone else,
including Zach Taylor. I also, we've talked about it a lot.
I don't know if there is a guy out there
that you feel like, you know, is there a Mike
(16:18):
Rabel out there this year?
Speaker 6 (16:21):
So?
Speaker 5 (16:21):
If it's not, is there you know? Is there a
Kyle Schwarber out there for you to change the way
you do business? I don't know that there is.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
So if it's If it's not that, what about the
same question as it relates to the personnel department.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
Yeah, I've advocated for it. I did it on Monday.
I think they should be fired. I think they should
clean house with the whole personnel department.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
So is there is there?
Speaker 2 (16:46):
This is what I've been asked the most this week,
and that's why I kind of alluded to it with
Joe Danoman. If they're eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday,
is there a is there a point to winning the
final three games? I get your competitive I get you're
never just going to roll over. I get you always
(17:07):
want to win. But I also understand the side of
the fan base or people that I've talked to that
have said, so they win the final three, everyone's job
stay secure. You talk about Burrow's injury and how close
you were, no major changes, and in the stretch run,
you also cost yourself pivotal draft positioning. Is that an
(17:31):
argument that is fair for people to be having down
the stretch.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
Sure, I think you can look at it and say, Okay, well,
historically when this personnel department, if it's going to remain intact, historically,
when they make their best picks, it's when it's inside
the top ten.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Correct.
Speaker 5 (17:49):
I do think there's a very real possibility that if
they are to be eliminated, we would not see Joe
Burrow and Jamar Chase and some of those guys just
because you go into full evaluation mode, you try to
protect your stars all that. Like I would have I
wouldn't love it as somebody who wants to watch them
(18:09):
play football. But I would understand it if that was
the case, and we've seen them kind of make those
decisions in the past. You think of Ryan Finley getting
the nod over Andy Dalton. For a while, we've seen,
you know, when they're The thing is, though we haven't
seen this since that like twenty nineteen twenty twenty season. Absolutely,
because they've never been eliminated until the final day of
(18:30):
the season.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
So because I like, I get people that are now
coming out and saying, well, all we're gonna do, they're
gonna be on the outside looking in, and they're just
gonna cost themselves draft positioning and they've had a hard
enough time evaluating talent as this. Like I get that argument.
I get that conversation. And if it comes down to,
(18:52):
you know, we're we're at the draft and we're we're
broadcasting and it comes down to them being three spots
away from a potential guy like Caleb Down, then yeah,
I would see it even more.
Speaker 5 (19:02):
Yeah, and you know, we'll get into a lot of
the different guys that they could potentially take in the draft.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
In the debate.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
We'll rage on at some point this offseason will be
should you take a safety in the top ten. That's
a whole nother you know, that's entire show's worth of
stuff later on. But if you look right now, and
let's talk about it, because it's part of the conversation.
The draft order as it stands at the moment, you
have the New York Giants at number one. They're not
(19:31):
going to take a quarterback. Las Vegas is at number two,
they probably will. Tennessee is at number three, they won't. Cleveland,
I guess they probably would. At number four, New Orleans
maybe maybe not. Washington won't, the Jets will, Arizona will,
and then Atlanta traded their pick to the Rams. I
(19:54):
would imagine the Rams would take a quarterback if they're
in the top ten. So if you have one, two, three, four, five, six,
seven of the teams ahead of you that are likely
to go for a quarterback, that puts you in a
really good position as it stands right now, to get
(20:14):
an impact player on your.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
At number ten. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Now, the see this is where it gets crazy, because
the Bengals sit at four and nine. That's the same
pick as the Falcons. The Falcons right now would pick nine.
The Bengals would pick ten. But the difference of the
picks around you outside of the Giants, Raiders, and Titans
all have ten wins, You've got the Browns, the Saints,
the Commanders, the Jets, and the Cardinals all with three.
(20:37):
So you're one away right now in the lost column
or the win column from being a higher pick. But
if you look behind the Bengals, Vikings are at eleven, Dolphins, Ravens,
Chiefs all at six wins, Carolina is at seven. Like,
the difference of you know, a finishing record of what
eight and nine or seven and ten for the Bengals
(20:59):
could very well them five or six or even more
spots in the draft. And yes, so I do understand,
and I do get that there is a conversation to
be had. Now is the time for that conversation?
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Now?
Speaker 2 (21:11):
No, Because as long as this team is mathematically alive,
they're going to play.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
That's what it is.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
And if they beat the Ravens and the Steelers lose
on Monday night, that conversation only heats up. Sure, But
if this team loses on Sunday, there has to be
a legit conversation about how you handle the remaining three
games of the schedule.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
And what are you valuing if you.
Speaker 5 (21:36):
Think about it. I mean, Baltimore and Miami are right
behind them, and you could essentially flip spots with them
if you were to beat them. Arizona and Cleveland are
right ahead of them. Arizona's schedule the rest of the
way is Houston, Atlanta, the Bengals, and the Rams. You
would expect at least two losses right there for Arizona.
(21:58):
I hate that this is what we're talking about right now, correct,
but it is. Yeah, It's part of the conversation reality
because where they're at. I don't think though that the
Bengals really entertain it until they are eliminated. Yeah, and
then you kind of sit down and say, Okay, how
do we want to go about this? And the way
I see it, like, I really don't need to see
(22:21):
Joe Burrow in Week eighteen in a meaningless game if
he wants to play this week, especially Week ten and
Miles Garrett Miami and against Arizona, if he wants to
play those games. Okay, but Week eighteen and Miles Garrett
more than likely either having already set the sack record
and trying to add on to it. Or trying to
get the sack record. I have no interest.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Yeah, conversations that hopefully are delayed us having to have
because the Bengals take care of the Baltimore Ravens on
Sunday and then we're all Dolphins fans on Monday Night football.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
We'll take a break.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
When we come back, phone lines will be open five one, three, seven,
four nine, fifteen thirty. We got to talk a little
college hoops as well if we have an opportunity, and
we'll check in with Moagger from Oakley Greens for quick
kits on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Men, Tony Pikes since E three sixty is back now
on ESPN fifteen thirty.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Welcome back since E three to sixty.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station at thanks compend station.
Speaker 5 (23:24):
You never call it Tony Pikes since E three sixty.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
I don't know. I don't literally talk about myself in
third person.
Speaker 5 (23:29):
I've done it many times in the past.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
No, I never said, well Tony thinks this, Tony does that, Okay,
Tony says this. Here's what I say out of these teams,
and we're going to get into QB tiers. Tomorrow We're
going to dive deep into the quarterback tiers in the
National Football League. I wrote these teams down as Super
Bowl contenders. Who would you add or take off this list? Rams, Packers, Seahawks,
(23:57):
forty nine Ers, Lions, Texans, Bills, Broncos. Those are the
only teams I have right now as contenders.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
I would take off the forty nine Ers, the Lions,
and the Niners just because of the competition. Yeah, I
don't think they're that good. You take off the Lions,
forty nine Ers, Lions. Yeah, the Broncos and Texans are
the same team to me, I mean outside of the
But I'm bill still not crazy. I don't know that
(24:27):
there is one.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
I think this year that the narrative is about to shift,
by the way, because Burrow, Jackson and Mahomes are not
going to be in the playoffs, So the narrative is
going to shift to Okay, Josh Allen, never have you
had a better chance than this right here. You don't
have to go through those three guys at any point
to get your team to the Super Bowl. And so
I think I have a hard time betting against Josh
(24:51):
Allen right now when it comes to the AFC.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:54):
Now, I don't think they're the best team, but they
got the best player.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
I think the forty nine ers are off list. I'm
not ready to move the Lions just yet.
Speaker 4 (25:03):
Injuries and their det.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Darnold is the big question for me. Rams, Packers, Seahawks, Lions, Texans,
Bill's Broncos, out of out of this list, Panthers, Cowboys, Eagles, Bears, Chiefs, Dolphins, Ravens, Colts, Chargers, Jaguars, Steelers, Patriots, Bucks, Bengals.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
I can't remember any of them. Any of those teams
should be a contender.
Speaker 5 (25:32):
That was too many for the Bengals are a contender.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
No, I'm asking you, like, these are the teams I
just have as off my off my contender list, but
but they're still mathematically These are the teams that are
still mathematically and or in the playoffs. But I'm just
not counting them as a contender. Bengals, Tampa Bay, New England.
(25:56):
You have New England as a contender or no, okay, Steelers, Jaguars.
You've seen enough from the Jags to be a contender
in a weekend AFC.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
No, what do you think? Are you just naming teams
and asking me my list.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
My list was the original Rams, Packers, Seahawks, Niners, Lions, Texans,
Bill's Broncos. Those are the teams I view as actual
contenders as we sit here on December ninth. Off my
contender list. Now there's irrelevant teams that don't matter at
this point. But the teams that are still alive Panthers, Cowboys, Eagles, Bears, Chiefs, Dolphins.
Speaker 5 (26:33):
I think there's three in the NFC that can win
the Super Bowl. The Rams, the Packers, saw the Seahawks,
and the big thing for the Seahawks, And you mentioned
Sam Darnold. He's not going to have to play Brian
floor as in the playoffs like he did last year.
Sure well, ayad Brian Floor is on his team last year,
but he's not gonna have to face, you know, that
type of defense in the playoffs where he was really
(26:53):
getting torn up.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
So I think those three are the any other in
the AFC that you would put into the contender list.
Speaker 5 (27:03):
I don't really feel good about any of them at all. Yeah,
Like I think they're technically contenders because somebody has to
come out of the AFC. Yeah, I would still lean
towards Buffalo, even though I know Denver has a better defense,
Houston has a better defense. New England is maybe the
most complete team of the group.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
I think it's interesting with the Seahawks as well. You're
gonna learn a lot down the stretch. Colts Rams on
the road against the Panthers, on the road against the
forty nine ers.
Speaker 5 (27:33):
I think they'll win every one of those games.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
I just don't. I don't think they beat the Rams.
Speaker 5 (27:38):
They almost beat them the first time in Los Angeles.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
They did, and that was a game Darnold through four picks.
Speaker 5 (27:44):
It's a home Thursday night game in Seattle. They'll win
that game. Okay, Seattle win that game, all right. They're
playing a ninety six year old quarterback this week.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
What if he wins? Though, what if Phil wins? It
would be a great story. I gotta see if I
would be fitting considering I just said, yep, they'll win out.
I we got a break. We gotta get the mowagger.
I've got to return a phone call to Indy. Yeah,
I guess I don't have to make I guess I
don't have to make a drive up there.
Speaker 5 (28:11):
We never we don't make that joke.
Speaker 3 (28:12):
On ESPN fifteenth.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
Talk about himself in third person. Yeah, well I got
you guys to wreck his career? Got you earlier? Are
you already cut my mic off? ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati
Sports station.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Now it's time for a quick hits on Tony Tykes.
Since three sixteen.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Was looking for Mo it is.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
We're heading out to Oakley Greens to do so. Mowager
is there today and yet still nice enough to join
us right now?
Speaker 3 (28:38):
What's up?
Speaker 5 (28:39):
Mo?
Speaker 4 (28:40):
Fellas? How are we?
Speaker 3 (28:41):
I'm great? How are you?
Speaker 4 (28:44):
I'm all right? What do you get?
Speaker 6 (28:46):
What do you get?
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Coming up on the.
Speaker 8 (28:50):
I was gonna try to squeeze a few more segments out.
Speaker 4 (28:53):
Of Kyle Schwarber this week. Yeah, and I'll do so today.
Speaker 8 (28:56):
But I was sort of hoping that I could just
I could, I could, I could suckle on that teat.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
Just a little bit.
Speaker 5 (29:02):
Wow, he's no Trey Hendrickson.
Speaker 4 (29:05):
No.
Speaker 8 (29:07):
I was thinking about this today that the standings Trey
Hendrickson has so far run away with the title of
most radio segments about Shamar Stewart number two. Kyle Schwarber
doesn't make the top fifteen, but I got a good
ten to twelve segments out of the Reds pursuit of Kyle.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
Schwartz, who's the all time leader in that category, like
Pete Rose, Carson Palmer.
Speaker 4 (29:33):
Like, that's a good question.
Speaker 8 (29:35):
It's probably either Andy Dalton or Joey Vado.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
It's probably Joey because.
Speaker 8 (29:44):
If you think of all the different you know, well,
he didn't drive in enough, Arby Hines.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
Enough too much, walks too much, he'd.
Speaker 8 (29:52):
Not be invade the walk and then all the subsequent topics,
but probably Vado. I would say Voo Dalton, and then
number three would be just generic UC football coaching searches.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
I mean that's true. I know it's true. Like all
the UC there.
Speaker 8 (30:10):
Is nothing and I mean this in the eighteen years
I guess I've been doing our show, there is nothing
that gets people talking more on our show than a
UC football.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
Still a good coaching search.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
Once they hired the coach. It's like, you want to
talk about the games, but when.
Speaker 8 (30:30):
They when they have a coaching need, people get all
fired up for that.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
You know, we talked yesterday that on Sunday, in that
fourth quarter, you allowed yourself to believe again. You you
opened the door back up and it came crashing down.
I think I had that same thing happen today. I
started to allow myself to believe that Kyle Schwarber could
actually happen. Do you think this was ever a real possibility?
Do you see Schwarber is just kind of playing this
(30:56):
to get more from the Philadelphia Phillies that the passing.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
Piece comes out.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
The Reds were not able to match financially what Kyle
Schwarber wanted. Do you think this was ever a consideration.
Speaker 8 (31:07):
A consideration for Kyle or conation. I'm sure he was
open to it. Yeah, I'm gonna guess he never seriously
considered the Reds offer. There's a difference between you know,
I'll consider the Reds as a possibility and I'm interested
in what they would have to say, versus I'm considering
their offer. My guess is he considered Cincinnati until he
got the offer. And I think that's the question we
(31:29):
all have here. How serious was their pursuit. I was
told very late last night. I got a text from
somebody who I really really trust, late last night, like
after the Monday night football game, and it's like, you
can stop talking about Kyle.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Schwerber now man.
Speaker 8 (31:49):
And I was like, okay, And I've been told that
by a lot of folks like, why are you wasting
your time? Why are you wasting your breath? What did
I do sports talk radio for a living man like
con But I was told last night by somebody who
would know, like, you can stop talking about it.
Speaker 4 (32:06):
He's going back to the Phillies. Yea. And so it
was fun.
Speaker 8 (32:11):
But did any of us really believe you know, in
sports we do this all the time.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
We create certain narratives. Well, he's from Cincinnati, so he's
gonna want to be here.
Speaker 8 (32:21):
Yeah, right, Oh, it looked Ficker will never leave because
this has got a fat a thousand kids and they
all go to the schools here here.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
Okay, at the end of the.
Speaker 8 (32:28):
Day, it's about money. And so it was fun. It
was fun to entertaine. But there was a great amount
of skepticism that the Reds were seriously going to pursue him.
And I mean, like, say, all right, we'll match with
the Phillies or the Mets or the Red Sox are
willing to offer. I'm led to believe that their offer
was not even in the same ball.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
So do you think they go and they take that
money they did offer and go try to get another
high level free agent.
Speaker 4 (32:53):
Well, you know, I have a poll question.
Speaker 8 (32:55):
I thought maybe you guys could answer it for me
at moegar so, because I think there's four different possibilities.
The first possibility is a player who used to be
good before he got hurt. The next possibility would be
the kind of player whose value can only be appreciated
if you look at the underlying metrics. If I hear again, well,
(33:17):
if you look at the underlying metrics, if I have
to look at the underlying.
Speaker 4 (33:19):
Metrics, you stick.
Speaker 8 (33:21):
Or there's former guardian who brings value because Tito knows them.
Or there's guy who is a big player on a
really good team and who's winning pedigree provides more value
than any real statistical contribution. Which of those four players
would be the best plan? B?
Speaker 5 (33:41):
If you will, I'm going to well, I don't know
that it's the best. But what they will do is
a guy who used to be good before he got hurt.
I think it'll actually be like a mix between A
and B. But okay, mostly underlying metrics.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
But if you could find someone who used to be
good that has a relationship with Tito, watch out.
Speaker 5 (34:02):
If you metrics before he got hurt, he was really you.
Speaker 8 (34:05):
Could like guy who was with the Guardians when they
were good and Tito was manager but used to be
good before he got hurt and also has great underlying
metrics that sort of satisfies all for But it's a
legitimate question, like now what right, So we were talking about, Okay,
could they add a guy who you could pretty.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
Much jot down to hit forty home runs for you? Okay,
well he's off, he's off. Now what now?
Speaker 8 (34:31):
What is going to satisfy their need for a power bat?
Is there a free agent possibility? Or is it they
dip into their reservoir of starting pitchers to go, uh
trade one of those guys and get someone to return.
Speaker 5 (34:42):
Scott Boris hinted today that maybe the Reds were interested
in Cody Bellinger. Does that do anything for you?
Speaker 4 (34:49):
Yeah, a little bit sure.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Outside of another Schreber segment, what do you got on
the show today?
Speaker 8 (34:55):
Jeff Carr is going to come on the show to
talk about Collegewood.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
Okay, so we're just we're really gonna milk this. I might.
Speaker 8 (35:04):
What I was looking forward to was being inundated with
You know, my my brother went to middle school with
college for where you should have him on because I
was already starting to get that, and I was also
starting to get like, you know, my sister used to
wait tables at the I Hop in Middletown. She says,
it's a done deal. She says, he's comming.
Speaker 4 (35:24):
I was.
Speaker 8 (35:24):
I was starting to get some of that too. Paul
Danner Junior is going to be on the show. We'll
talk about the Bengals and a lot of different things
in play there. Our guy, Sean Sayed's Stats and Scheme
newsletter is going to break down the Bengals schemes because
I'm gonna ask him about spying the quarterback.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
Do other teams do this to other team's spot?
Speaker 5 (35:44):
That's tough, that's tough to teach. You're going to ask
him his favorite Jermaine Burton moment, Well.
Speaker 8 (35:49):
He had four catches. That was one of my pole
questions yesterday, which all four catches? Was your favorite? My
favorite Jermaine Burton moment was when he had the good
preseason game against the Buccaneers and he was like other world.
Yet after the game, all anybody talked about was like
they're pretty much said on TV, he falls asleep in the.
Speaker 4 (36:05):
Meetings, don't know what he's doing doesn't show.
Speaker 8 (36:07):
Up on times like damn guy, I like game. They're like, hey, yeah,
I just see when he was in he was in
the late in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
I liked when he wore that beach tal for like
three days at Trant.
Speaker 5 (36:15):
Forgot about that.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Austin was wondering as well. He wanted to bring this
up and ask you. You added a new item to
your muted words list on social media, League average defense.
You're done with this now?
Speaker 4 (36:28):
Why?
Speaker 8 (36:30):
Because I'm tired of hearing about how they just need
a league average defense.
Speaker 5 (36:34):
But it's true.
Speaker 8 (36:36):
It's not true. They need a defense that can help
you win games. They need a defense that can win
games in the fourth quarter. They need a championship level defense. Now, statistically,
if that's their fifteenth that's fine.
Speaker 4 (36:47):
What are they in the fourth quarter?
Speaker 8 (36:49):
League average defense doesn't do anything for me if they
stink on third and fifteen or fourth and fifteen in
the fourth quarter when John has the football and you
know what he's gonna do that defense metric maybe middle
of the pack. Can I get a defense that can
get off the field against the Detroit Lions when they've
cut the deficit to eleven points, and they're still time
at home. Can I get a defense that can get
(37:09):
off the field against the New York Jets when they're
the offense has done enough to win it. Can I
get a defense that can stop the Chicago Bears in
the fourth quarter when the game is there.
Speaker 4 (37:17):
To be won. I don't.
Speaker 8 (37:19):
I have no remote idea where the Bengals ranked defensively none.
I could not care less. When the games have been
hanging in the balance, it has failed. If a league
average defense is more likely to get those stops, that's
one thing. I want a championship caliber defense. I want
a defense that can win games for you. In twenty
twenty one, the Bengals had a defense that could win
games for it. I don't know what they were statistically,
(37:40):
don't care. They could win games. That unit could win games.
So miss me with this lead. When you just gotta
be league average means all you're aspiring to is league average.
When you're ceiling is league average, Your floor is a
comparison to the nineteen sixty six New York Giants. It's
so stop with the just need league average. I'm tired
of it. We do it with all the team, but
(38:01):
it just gotta be okay, let just go get Mike
Schwarbur instead of Kyle Schwarber. Just in the league average,
stop attaining, stop striving for average, how about strive for good.
What they need next year is a good defense?
Speaker 4 (38:13):
Good? Okay?
Speaker 3 (38:14):
Do you remember times that.
Speaker 8 (38:16):
That they have legitimately competed for anything? The defense when
it is counted has been good? Not eh, that's the
league average. Is a sound effect.
Speaker 4 (38:25):
What do you want next year? How's the how's Al
Gold's defense gonna be next year?
Speaker 8 (38:29):
No? I want like a word that describes the defense,
not a sound effect.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
What was your first muted word? Nevada game?
Speaker 4 (38:37):
Kanyeah?
Speaker 8 (38:38):
Okay, kanye was later Nevada game was the first muted term.
Speaker 4 (38:42):
All right, Nevada game.
Speaker 3 (38:43):
Have a great show. We appreciate you. See Guyer's next
Speaker 2 (38:46):
From Oakley Greens on ESPN fifteen thirty Centcinnati Sports Station
This is Tony Pike Cincy three sixty about Cincinnati from Cincinnati,
sponsored in part by Penn Station East Coast Subs. Hand
crept it I grilled subs, fresh cut fries and lemonade.
It's all about good taste. Penn Station East Coast Subs
order on line today. This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati
(00:25):
Sports Station.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Welcome back our three Sincy three sixty on ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports Station thanks to our good friends at
Penn Station. Do you know Austin that on Tuesdays during
football season, Penn Station partners.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Up with the Bengals. Did you know this?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I did not have a deal going on with the
Bengals where if you order any sized sub you get
a free small sub as well.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
That's pretty good.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Now it's paired with the Bengals game days. It's called
who Day Tuesdays. It's a free small sub with any
sub purchase every Tuesday after a Bengal game. You know
what they did. That's so nice. It's available after wins
or losses. Oh that's cool, so you don't wait when
they win. You could go into a Penn Station today
or use online promo code Bengals twenty five and get
(01:18):
a free small sub just by purchasing any other size sub.
Speaker 5 (01:22):
Yeah, I mean you can't call a Penn station, you know,
fair Weather Partners at all.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Thanks to Penn Station. Thank you for listening. Get the
phone calls in just a few seconds. You know, Austin
said you had some Elie day la Cruz news. I
can imagine that this is just the Red's pivoting, not
getting Kyle Schwarber, just signing Ellie to a massive deal.
Speaker 5 (01:40):
No, it's it's not that. But Gordon Wittenmeyer, who of
course covers the Reds sometimes for Cincinnati dot Com, is
I believe at the MLB Winter meetings and at the
moment the World Baseball Classic teams are being announced. Well,
the manager for the Dominican Public, which is Ellie's home country,
(02:02):
is Albert Poolhols. Albert pool Holes, according to Gordon Wittenmeyer
said he talked to Ellie de la Cruz last night
and the Red shortstop is indeed committed to playing for
the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Okay, so
something to keep an eye out on there. As far
as I know, he's the only Red that is going
(02:23):
to play. There might be one more, but Ellie de
la Cruz. According to Gordon Wittmeyer, Albert pool Hols is
going to play, although it hasn't been officially announced.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
All right, if you missed it earlier. A couple of
things happening in Major League Baseball. Edwin Diaz, the All
Star closer for the Mets, is now a Los Angeles Dodger,
and Kyle Schwarber is back to the Philadelphia Phillies on
a five year, one hundred and fifty million dollar deal.
Speaker 5 (02:52):
I did put a poll question up on Twitter at
Audie Elmore A U T y E L m O
r E if you want to go vote the Red's
pursuit of Kyle Schwarber was which of the following kicking
the tires, taking a test drive, or driving around the
lot right now? Forty nine percent say kicking the tires. Oh,
(03:14):
forty one percent say driving around the lot, and nine
percent say taking a test drive. I think it was
closer to taking a test drive. Mo chimed in. Most
said they took a look at the sticker.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Moe also said that he's adding a new item to
his muted words on social media.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
Oh really, what's that league average defense? Why is he
ruins everything? What's wrong with that?
Speaker 3 (03:45):
You just don't want to hear it anymore?
Speaker 5 (03:46):
No, but like, what's the deal? I got to ask
him this?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Do you want to know his other ones?
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Sure?
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Well I know someone Belichick girlfriend of course, Bengals cash problem. Yeah,
Elon Musk Fair, Kanye very fair, Mattress Mark Yes, Ruin
college basketball agreed, Ruin college football agreed, Nevada game.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
I have no beef with any of those except the
league average defense?
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Why not?
Speaker 2 (04:10):
They don't want to hear about anymore? Didn't want to
hear about these league average defense. All the Bengals need
to do is be a league average defense.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
Why can't average be a goal for someone who's well
below average? Just be average? It's the new motto. I mean,
are we getting a new banner in this studio? By
the way, I don't got time for banners. I got
a new laptop. I can't get it to print anything, man, Okay,
from you know how it is with the Sure I
(04:36):
get it, I get it.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
You know more than most.
Speaker 5 (04:39):
Yeah, does your laptop still work? Do they deactivate it?
Speaker 3 (04:42):
It was deactivated for quite some time. It was it
was useless it's rendered useless. I know that feeling. Uh,
what's up, John, how are you?
Speaker 6 (04:53):
What do you guys? Working at the prins of gone.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Might as well be Wow.
Speaker 6 (04:59):
I think as far as kicking the tires, the Reds
probably just looked online at whatever vehicle they were interested
in and then just you know, xed outlook value. Yeah,
pretty much, you know, I mean, I know they were
kicking the tires, is what they are saying. Or they
were interested in Kyle s FORBA. But you know, of
course I'm interested in taking du a leap out for lunch.
But that's not gonna happen either, So we'll.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Do the best we can with that.
Speaker 6 (05:22):
As far as Moe's league average defense, that's want to
run these numbers by you guys. In the last two seasons,
which is thirty games, the Bengals have scored thirty three
or more points and eleven of those games. In those
eleven games, they have four wins seven losses. That the
thirty six percent winning percentage when scoring thirty three or
more points. And it's happened Sunday in Buffalo. The rest
of the league the other thirty one teams, and they
(05:42):
scored thirty three more points, win ninety percent of their games.
If they had a league average defense, they would have
had five more wins over the last two years, would
have made the playoffs last year, it would probably in
control of winning the North this year. So a league
average defense would be very much welcome for this team.
And again it's it's just a curring problem to this
team that you know, score thirty four points and still
(06:04):
lose by five. I mean, heck, they lost forty They
scored forty two against the Bears and lost to them
forty seven forty two.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I mean, there's there's no other way around it. That
I mentioned earlier.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
In the nine losses, the defense is given up thirty
six point one points per game. I mean, it's just
that there's no other way around that. There's no other
way around it.
Speaker 6 (06:23):
And when you look at the defense, to me, I mean,
obviously you guys know more than I and so he's
played at a very high level. It seems like the
defensive lineman just want to engauge with the blocker. So
that's supposed to free up linebackers to make plays. They
don't have linebackers that can make plays. That's part seeing Yeah,
seven eight yard runs without anybody getting there.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
That's the problem normally, and I think that was a
little bit around the idea of TJ. Slayton is saying, Okay,
let's get a guy that can occupy some blockers and
then let's let the linebackers play downhill. That that's the
ultimate goal. And I compared to UC when Dante Corleone
is healthy, it allows the linebackers of UC in a
three three five to be active when he's not in
and when the offensive line can get to the second level,
(07:06):
makes it a lot easier to run the ball. The
problem for the Bengals is I feel like a lot
of times the linebackers are able to run free and
they're still not able to do anything. And that is
a linebacker issue. I saw a stat yesterday that I
believe Orin Burks is the worst coverage linebacker in the NFL.
Demetrius Knight as ranked by Pro Football Focus as the
(07:28):
worst graded linebacker in the NFL, and Barrett Carter gives
up the most yards per reception of any linebacker in
the NFL. That's not a good trio for the Bengals.
Speaker 6 (07:37):
No other than that, how is the play? Missus Lincoln
I mean, you know, when you really just look at
all that stuff, it's very disheightening because they did spend
some draft picks at linebacker, even a free agent at linebacker.
And you know, I know we were all thinking that
the Miami game was going to be very winnable. But
now you've got Miami's won just out of six. They're
running the ball better than any team in football. You
got Mike McDaniels, Say what you want about him. He
(07:59):
can scheme up the running game better than anyone. He
was the guy who steamed up the running game in
the twenty nineteen NFC Championship game for the forty Niners
against the Packers, who were coached by Jerry Montgomery on
the defensive line. So the Dolphins could run for three
hundred yards a week from now against the Bengals, and
you will go again with Joe Burrow having to put
up like thirty seven points to win the game. Just
it's just it's unfathomable. I mean, this defense is that bad.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Yeah, That to me is the most frustrating.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
And that's why I said when we finished up our
number two, there's a path that Baltimore has to go
to and thwo the Pittsburgh s teamers had to go
one in three. We're also asking the Bengals to win
four games in a row, and they've won exactly four
games in thirteen tries this year. And we're talking about
the same defense that has been.
Speaker 6 (08:43):
Bad, right, and again we're talking about a defense. I mean,
Baltimore's offense is plumbiting, so you never know with them.
They can ride and shine in a divisional game. Then
Miami game looked to me like a Shore win. Now
it looks like maybe a sure loss or at least
a game where they're gonna have to score a thirty
seven forty points to win the game because Miami's potting
points on the board.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Miami beat Buffalo.
Speaker 6 (09:03):
They manhandled the Jets, which is no great shakes, but
they ran in the football better than name of them
right now, and that's a bad matchup for the Bengals.
And in the last two games obviously Arizona and Cleveland,
they're at fulm. But yeah, there's there's still a path.
I'm gonna stick with you guys and hope that the
path comes through because the vision is just a mess.
So why not us.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
There we go?
Speaker 2 (09:22):
John, Thank you my man. Appreciate you, Yes, sir uh.
From John to Paul. What's up, Paul, Hey, I.
Speaker 7 (09:31):
Have a question for you. Do you think the Dodgers
signed the right Daz brother this time?
Speaker 2 (09:38):
I think I think they saw so much in Alexus.
They're like, we've got to fine blood that's related to
this guy, and we got to give him a lot
of money. And they're like, all right, boom, Edwin Diaz,
here we go.
Speaker 7 (09:48):
That was the biggest thing. And my question for you
guys is, do you guys think Al Golden's going to
be on a very short lease next year?
Speaker 5 (09:58):
I would think, I mean, I don't know how you're not.
I don't know that it's a shoe in that he
comes back next year, to be honest, especially if they
really fall apart. But for that reason, I would think, yes,
he would. He would certainly be on a ship. I'm not.
Speaker 7 (10:16):
I'm an average football fan. And when I saw third
and fifteen, I said, there's no possible way Josh Allen
throws that ball, and how you cannot. I don't care
if it's the gen I don't care if it's a
backup safety. Your best tackler should be the spy on
that third and fifteen. Yeah, I mean, I'm just I
(10:38):
was beside myself, and as soon as he passed the
defensive line, I thought, oh my gosh, are you kidding me?
Where is everybody? And then he slides down and I thought, Okay,
well there it is. Yep, And I don't really feel
so bad for lou ray Ana Romo anymore. You know,
I thought I felt like he was getting a roll
deal last year. I felt like a lot of their
(11:00):
troubles wasn't the scheme, but was more of the players.
And everyone seemed to think it was the scheme and
run its course. And now I'm thinking, now it's more
the players.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Yeah, yep, with out a doubt. Paul, thank you man,
We appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
All right, let's do this, Austin.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Let's break, let's come back, Let's have a Bengals conversation.
I know we've talked about the need for perfection from
Joe Burrow, and you know, I think Joe Daniman had
kind of hit the nail on the head. Joe's talked
about that, the quarterback that's turning twenty nine years old.
I think there's a path that that begins to wear
more and more on Joe Burrow, and there is a
(11:41):
Zach Taylor question looming in all of this as well.
We'll dive into both of those when we returned on
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Your front row seat to the fiercest debates in sports.
Mo Egger today at three pm on ESPN fifteen thirty.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Welcome back.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Since he three p sixty ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports
Station thanks to Penn Station. I have to ask the question,
and I know that that can change based on how
this stretch run for the Bengals goes. But there is
(12:42):
a question to be had, and I think the question,
as it did the early part of the middle part
of the season, will still revolve around Zach Taylor. Is
there anything that happens over the last four games that,
in one way or another decides the fate of Zach Taylor?
Or is it already decided that Zach Taylor is going
to be the coach of the Cincinnati Bengals next year.
(13:03):
I mean, there's a conversation like the Bengals since losing
in the twenty twenty two AFC Championship Game are twenty
two and twenty five.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
They are.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Staring at another year of missing the playoffs, which would
mean that in Zach Taylor's tenure, they would have missed
the playoffs in five of seven years. Joe Daniman earlier
in the show, Austin mentioned that here you have Joe
burrow Is turning twenty nine years old. He's again, you
still got plenty of time with NFL careers and quarterbacks.
(13:39):
I mean, we're talking about Philip Rivers is back with
the Colts at forty four years old. But nonetheless, we've
constantly talked about the super Bowl window and how do
you attack that window and how far away, Let's be honest,
how far away this roster is from being a legit
super Bowl contender.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
What's the fallout, Austin?
Speaker 2 (13:57):
If this doesn't happen, if they don't make the playoffs
and they're on the outside looking in again, is their fallout?
Speaker 5 (14:05):
As it relates to Zach Taylor. I do not anticipate
any fallout. I think the best the most likely thing
to happen would be Al Golden getting fired, and I
don't think that that would happen either. I think the
best thing for the franchise would be to do an
overhaul of the personnel department. But I don't think that's
(14:27):
going to happen either, So I don't expect Zach to
get fired. I said all along. If this thing unravels
and they're getting embarrassed in these games, then maybe, but
they haven't been. They've been competitive in most of them.
And I still think that the Brown family views Zach
as a good offensive mind and a good fit with
(14:49):
Joe Burrow, and I think because of that, he will
remain the head coach.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
Yeah, is that the way it should be? Because I
know that that's the way kind of the Bengals do it.
Is that the way it should be. I know this
isn't a good answer. I have no problem keeping him
this year. If it felt like this.
Speaker 5 (15:15):
Thing was just completely like there's nothing there, there's no hope,
then yes they should move on from him and they
should do things differently.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
But for much of the season, hasn't it felt that way.
I mean, we're talking about a four and nine football team.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
But we've also taken most of the blame away from
Zach Taylor and put it on Duke Tobin.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
This year.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
There's never been a season, at least as long as
I've been doing this, and certainly as long as I've
had a brain good enough to understand what's going on
in this organization, has there been more of a microscope
and the crossairs put on Duke Tobin. I think most
people would tell you that the issues with the Bengals
(15:57):
start at the top in the world way that they
assess an acquire talent and the way that they do business,
and then it has a trickle down effect on everyone else,
including Zach Taylor. I also, we've talked about it a lot.
I don't know if there is a guy out there
that you feel like, you know, is there a Mike
(16:18):
Rabel out there this year?
Speaker 6 (16:21):
So?
Speaker 5 (16:21):
If it's not, is there you know? Is there a
Kyle Schwarber out there for you to change the way
you do business? I don't know that there is.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
So if it's If it's not that, what about the
same question as it relates to the personnel department.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
Yeah, I've advocated for it. I did it on Monday.
I think they should be fired. I think they should
clean house with the whole personnel department.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
So is there is there?
Speaker 2 (16:46):
This is what I've been asked the most this week,
and that's why I kind of alluded to it with
Joe Danoman. If they're eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday,
is there a is there a point to winning the
final three games? I get your competitive I get you're
never just going to roll over. I get you always
(17:07):
want to win. But I also understand the side of
the fan base or people that I've talked to that
have said, so they win the final three, everyone's job
stay secure. You talk about Burrow's injury and how close
you were, no major changes, and in the stretch run,
you also cost yourself pivotal draft positioning. Is that an
(17:31):
argument that is fair for people to be having down
the stretch.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
Sure, I think you can look at it and say, Okay, well,
historically when this personnel department, if it's going to remain intact, historically,
when they make their best picks, it's when it's inside
the top ten.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Correct.
Speaker 5 (17:49):
I do think there's a very real possibility that if
they are to be eliminated, we would not see Joe
Burrow and Jamar Chase and some of those guys just
because you go into full evaluation mode, you try to
protect your stars all that. Like I would have I
wouldn't love it as somebody who wants to watch them
(18:09):
play football. But I would understand it if that was
the case, and we've seen them kind of make those
decisions in the past. You think of Ryan Finley getting
the nod over Andy Dalton. For a while, we've seen,
you know, when they're The thing is, though we haven't
seen this since that like twenty nineteen twenty twenty season. Absolutely,
because they've never been eliminated until the final day of
(18:30):
the season.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
So because I like, I get people that are now
coming out and saying, well, all we're gonna do, they're
gonna be on the outside looking in, and they're just
gonna cost themselves draft positioning and they've had a hard
enough time evaluating talent as this. Like I get that argument.
I get that conversation. And if it comes down to,
(18:52):
you know, we're we're at the draft and we're we're
broadcasting and it comes down to them being three spots
away from a potential guy like Caleb Down, then yeah,
I would see it even more.
Speaker 5 (19:02):
Yeah, and you know, we'll get into a lot of
the different guys that they could potentially take in the draft.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
In the debate.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
We'll rage on at some point this offseason will be
should you take a safety in the top ten. That's
a whole nother you know, that's entire show's worth of
stuff later on. But if you look right now, and
let's talk about it, because it's part of the conversation.
The draft order as it stands at the moment, you
have the New York Giants at number one. They're not
(19:31):
going to take a quarterback. Las Vegas is at number two,
they probably will. Tennessee is at number three, they won't. Cleveland,
I guess they probably would. At number four, New Orleans
maybe maybe not. Washington won't, the Jets will, Arizona will,
and then Atlanta traded their pick to the Rams. I
(19:54):
would imagine the Rams would take a quarterback if they're
in the top ten. So if you have one, two, three, four, five, six,
seven of the teams ahead of you that are likely
to go for a quarterback, that puts you in a
really good position as it stands right now, to get
(20:14):
an impact player on your.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
At number ten. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Now, the see this is where it gets crazy, because
the Bengals sit at four and nine. That's the same
pick as the Falcons. The Falcons right now would pick nine.
The Bengals would pick ten. But the difference of the
picks around you outside of the Giants, Raiders, and Titans
all have ten wins, You've got the Browns, the Saints,
the Commanders, the Jets, and the Cardinals all with three.
(20:37):
So you're one away right now in the lost column
or the win column from being a higher pick. But
if you look behind the Bengals, Vikings are at eleven, Dolphins, Ravens,
Chiefs all at six wins, Carolina is at seven. Like,
the difference of you know, a finishing record of what
eight and nine or seven and ten for the Bengals
(20:59):
could very well them five or six or even more
spots in the draft. And yes, so I do understand,
and I do get that there is a conversation to
be had. Now is the time for that conversation?
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Now?
Speaker 2 (21:11):
No, Because as long as this team is mathematically alive,
they're going to play.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
That's what it is.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
And if they beat the Ravens and the Steelers lose
on Monday night, that conversation only heats up. Sure, But
if this team loses on Sunday, there has to be
a legit conversation about how you handle the remaining three
games of the schedule.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
And what are you valuing if you.
Speaker 5 (21:36):
Think about it. I mean, Baltimore and Miami are right
behind them, and you could essentially flip spots with them
if you were to beat them. Arizona and Cleveland are
right ahead of them. Arizona's schedule the rest of the
way is Houston, Atlanta, the Bengals, and the Rams. You
would expect at least two losses right there for Arizona.
(21:58):
I hate that this is what we're talking about right now, correct,
but it is. Yeah, It's part of the conversation reality
because where they're at. I don't think though that the
Bengals really entertain it until they are eliminated. Yeah, and
then you kind of sit down and say, Okay, how
do we want to go about this? And the way
I see it, like, I really don't need to see
(22:21):
Joe Burrow in Week eighteen in a meaningless game if
he wants to play this week, especially Week ten and
Miles Garrett Miami and against Arizona, if he wants to
play those games. Okay, but Week eighteen and Miles Garrett
more than likely either having already set the sack record
and trying to add on to it. Or trying to
get the sack record. I have no interest.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Yeah, conversations that hopefully are delayed us having to have
because the Bengals take care of the Baltimore Ravens on
Sunday and then we're all Dolphins fans on Monday Night football.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
We'll take a break.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
When we come back, phone lines will be open five one, three, seven,
four nine, fifteen thirty. We got to talk a little
college hoops as well if we have an opportunity, and
we'll check in with Moagger from Oakley Greens for quick
kits on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Men, Tony Pikes since E three sixty is back now
on ESPN fifteen thirty.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Welcome back since E three to sixty.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station at thanks compend station.
Speaker 5 (23:24):
You never call it Tony Pikes since E three sixty.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
I don't know. I don't literally talk about myself in
third person.
Speaker 5 (23:29):
I've done it many times in the past.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
No, I never said, well Tony thinks this, Tony does that, Okay,
Tony says this. Here's what I say out of these teams,
and we're going to get into QB tiers. Tomorrow We're
going to dive deep into the quarterback tiers in the
National Football League. I wrote these teams down as Super
Bowl contenders. Who would you add or take off this list? Rams, Packers, Seahawks,
(23:57):
forty nine Ers, Lions, Texans, Bills, Broncos. Those are the
only teams I have right now as contenders.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
I would take off the forty nine Ers, the Lions,
and the Niners just because of the competition. Yeah, I
don't think they're that good. You take off the Lions,
forty nine Ers, Lions. Yeah, the Broncos and Texans are
the same team to me, I mean outside of the
But I'm bill still not crazy. I don't know that
(24:27):
there is one.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
I think this year that the narrative is about to shift,
by the way, because Burrow, Jackson and Mahomes are not
going to be in the playoffs, So the narrative is
going to shift to Okay, Josh Allen, never have you
had a better chance than this right here. You don't
have to go through those three guys at any point
to get your team to the Super Bowl. And so
I think I have a hard time betting against Josh
(24:51):
Allen right now when it comes to the AFC.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:54):
Now, I don't think they're the best team, but they
got the best player.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
I think the forty nine ers are off list. I'm
not ready to move the Lions just yet.
Speaker 4 (25:03):
Injuries and their det.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Darnold is the big question for me. Rams, Packers, Seahawks, Lions, Texans,
Bill's Broncos, out of out of this list, Panthers, Cowboys, Eagles, Bears, Chiefs, Dolphins, Ravens, Colts, Chargers, Jaguars, Steelers, Patriots, Bucks, Bengals.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
I can't remember any of them. Any of those teams
should be a contender.
Speaker 5 (25:32):
That was too many for the Bengals are a contender.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
No, I'm asking you, like, these are the teams I
just have as off my off my contender list, but
but they're still mathematically These are the teams that are
still mathematically and or in the playoffs. But I'm just
not counting them as a contender. Bengals, Tampa Bay, New England.
(25:56):
You have New England as a contender or no, okay, Steelers, Jaguars.
You've seen enough from the Jags to be a contender
in a weekend AFC.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
No, what do you think? Are you just naming teams
and asking me my list.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
My list was the original Rams, Packers, Seahawks, Niners, Lions, Texans,
Bill's Broncos. Those are the teams I view as actual
contenders as we sit here on December ninth. Off my
contender list. Now there's irrelevant teams that don't matter at
this point. But the teams that are still alive Panthers, Cowboys, Eagles, Bears, Chiefs, Dolphins.
Speaker 5 (26:33):
I think there's three in the NFC that can win
the Super Bowl. The Rams, the Packers, saw the Seahawks,
and the big thing for the Seahawks, And you mentioned
Sam Darnold. He's not going to have to play Brian
floor as in the playoffs like he did last year.
Sure well, ayad Brian Floor is on his team last year,
but he's not gonna have to face, you know, that
type of defense in the playoffs where he was really
(26:53):
getting torn up.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
So I think those three are the any other in
the AFC that you would put into the contender list.
Speaker 5 (27:03):
I don't really feel good about any of them at all. Yeah,
Like I think they're technically contenders because somebody has to
come out of the AFC. Yeah, I would still lean
towards Buffalo, even though I know Denver has a better defense,
Houston has a better defense. New England is maybe the
most complete team of the group.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
I think it's interesting with the Seahawks as well. You're
gonna learn a lot down the stretch. Colts Rams on
the road against the Panthers, on the road against the
forty nine ers.
Speaker 5 (27:33):
I think they'll win every one of those games.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
I just don't. I don't think they beat the Rams.
Speaker 5 (27:38):
They almost beat them the first time in Los Angeles.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
They did, and that was a game Darnold through four picks.
Speaker 5 (27:44):
It's a home Thursday night game in Seattle. They'll win
that game. Okay, Seattle win that game, all right. They're
playing a ninety six year old quarterback this week.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
What if he wins? Though, what if Phil wins? It
would be a great story. I gotta see if I
would be fitting considering I just said, yep, they'll win out.
I we got a break. We gotta get the mowagger.
I've got to return a phone call to Indy. Yeah,
I guess I don't have to make I guess I
don't have to make a drive up there.
Speaker 5 (28:11):
We never we don't make that joke.
Speaker 3 (28:12):
On ESPN fifteenth.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
Talk about himself in third person. Yeah, well I got
you guys to wreck his career? Got you earlier? Are
you already cut my mic off? ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati
Sports station.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Now it's time for a quick hits on Tony Tykes.
Since three sixteen.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Was looking for Mo it is.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
We're heading out to Oakley Greens to do so. Mowager
is there today and yet still nice enough to join
us right now?
Speaker 3 (28:38):
What's up?
Speaker 5 (28:39):
Mo?
Speaker 4 (28:40):
Fellas? How are we?
Speaker 3 (28:41):
I'm great? How are you?
Speaker 4 (28:44):
I'm all right? What do you get?
Speaker 6 (28:46):
What do you get?
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Coming up on the.
Speaker 8 (28:50):
I was gonna try to squeeze a few more segments out.
Speaker 4 (28:53):
Of Kyle Schwarber this week. Yeah, and I'll do so today.
Speaker 8 (28:56):
But I was sort of hoping that I could just
I could, I could, I could suckle on that teat.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
Just a little bit.
Speaker 5 (29:02):
Wow, he's no Trey Hendrickson.
Speaker 4 (29:05):
No.
Speaker 8 (29:07):
I was thinking about this today that the standings Trey
Hendrickson has so far run away with the title of
most radio segments about Shamar Stewart number two. Kyle Schwarber
doesn't make the top fifteen, but I got a good
ten to twelve segments out of the Reds pursuit of Kyle.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
Schwartz, who's the all time leader in that category, like
Pete Rose, Carson Palmer.
Speaker 4 (29:33):
Like, that's a good question.
Speaker 8 (29:35):
It's probably either Andy Dalton or Joey Vado.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
It's probably Joey because.
Speaker 8 (29:44):
If you think of all the different you know, well,
he didn't drive in enough, Arby Hines.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
Enough too much, walks too much, he'd.
Speaker 8 (29:52):
Not be invade the walk and then all the subsequent topics,
but probably Vado. I would say Voo Dalton, and then
number three would be just generic UC football coaching searches.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
I mean that's true. I know it's true. Like all
the UC there.
Speaker 8 (30:10):
Is nothing and I mean this in the eighteen years
I guess I've been doing our show, there is nothing
that gets people talking more on our show than a
UC football.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
Still a good coaching search.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
Once they hired the coach. It's like, you want to
talk about the games, but when.
Speaker 8 (30:30):
They when they have a coaching need, people get all
fired up for that.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
You know, we talked yesterday that on Sunday, in that
fourth quarter, you allowed yourself to believe again. You you
opened the door back up and it came crashing down.
I think I had that same thing happen today. I
started to allow myself to believe that Kyle Schwarber could
actually happen. Do you think this was ever a real possibility?
Do you see Schwarber is just kind of playing this
(30:56):
to get more from the Philadelphia Phillies that the passing.
Speaker 3 (30:59):
Piece comes out.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
The Reds were not able to match financially what Kyle
Schwarber wanted. Do you think this was ever a consideration.
Speaker 8 (31:07):
A consideration for Kyle or conation. I'm sure he was
open to it. Yeah, I'm gonna guess he never seriously
considered the Reds offer. There's a difference between you know,
I'll consider the Reds as a possibility and I'm interested
in what they would have to say, versus I'm considering
their offer. My guess is he considered Cincinnati until he
got the offer. And I think that's the question we
(31:29):
all have here. How serious was their pursuit. I was
told very late last night. I got a text from
somebody who I really really trust, late last night, like
after the Monday night football game, and it's like, you
can stop talking about Kyle.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Schwerber now man.
Speaker 8 (31:49):
And I was like, okay, And I've been told that
by a lot of folks like, why are you wasting
your time? Why are you wasting your breath? What did
I do sports talk radio for a living man like
con But I was told last night by somebody who
would know, like, you can stop talking about it.
Speaker 4 (32:06):
He's going back to the Phillies. Yea. And so it
was fun.
Speaker 8 (32:11):
But did any of us really believe you know, in
sports we do this all the time.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
We create certain narratives. Well, he's from Cincinnati, so he's
gonna want to be here.
Speaker 8 (32:21):
Yeah, right, Oh, it looked Ficker will never leave because
this has got a fat a thousand kids and they
all go to the schools here here.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
Okay, at the end of the.
Speaker 8 (32:28):
Day, it's about money. And so it was fun. It
was fun to entertaine. But there was a great amount
of skepticism that the Reds were seriously going to pursue him.
And I mean, like, say, all right, we'll match with
the Phillies or the Mets or the Red Sox are
willing to offer. I'm led to believe that their offer
was not even in the same ball.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
So do you think they go and they take that
money they did offer and go try to get another
high level free agent.
Speaker 4 (32:53):
Well, you know, I have a poll question.
Speaker 8 (32:55):
I thought maybe you guys could answer it for me
at moegar so, because I think there's four different possibilities.
The first possibility is a player who used to be
good before he got hurt. The next possibility would be
the kind of player whose value can only be appreciated
if you look at the underlying metrics. If I hear again, well,
(33:17):
if you look at the underlying metrics, if I have
to look at the underlying.
Speaker 4 (33:19):
Metrics, you stick.
Speaker 8 (33:21):
Or there's former guardian who brings value because Tito knows them.
Or there's guy who is a big player on a
really good team and who's winning pedigree provides more value
than any real statistical contribution. Which of those four players
would be the best plan? B?
Speaker 5 (33:41):
If you will, I'm going to well, I don't know
that it's the best. But what they will do is
a guy who used to be good before he got hurt.
I think it'll actually be like a mix between A
and B. But okay, mostly underlying metrics.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
But if you could find someone who used to be
good that has a relationship with Tito, watch out.
Speaker 5 (34:02):
If you metrics before he got hurt, he was really you.
Speaker 8 (34:05):
Could like guy who was with the Guardians when they
were good and Tito was manager but used to be
good before he got hurt and also has great underlying
metrics that sort of satisfies all for But it's a
legitimate question, like now what right, So we were talking about, Okay,
could they add a guy who you could pretty.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
Much jot down to hit forty home runs for you? Okay,
well he's off, he's off. Now what now?
Speaker 8 (34:31):
What is going to satisfy their need for a power bat?
Is there a free agent possibility? Or is it they
dip into their reservoir of starting pitchers to go, uh
trade one of those guys and get someone to return.
Speaker 5 (34:42):
Scott Boris hinted today that maybe the Reds were interested
in Cody Bellinger. Does that do anything for you?
Speaker 4 (34:49):
Yeah, a little bit sure.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Outside of another Schreber segment, what do you got on
the show today?
Speaker 8 (34:55):
Jeff Carr is going to come on the show to
talk about Collegewood.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
Okay, so we're just we're really gonna milk this. I might.
Speaker 8 (35:04):
What I was looking forward to was being inundated with
You know, my my brother went to middle school with
college for where you should have him on because I
was already starting to get that, and I was also
starting to get like, you know, my sister used to
wait tables at the I Hop in Middletown. She says,
it's a done deal. She says, he's comming.
Speaker 4 (35:24):
I was.
Speaker 8 (35:24):
I was starting to get some of that too. Paul
Danner Junior is going to be on the show. We'll
talk about the Bengals and a lot of different things
in play there. Our guy, Sean Sayed's Stats and Scheme
newsletter is going to break down the Bengals schemes because
I'm gonna ask him about spying the quarterback.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
Do other teams do this to other team's spot?
Speaker 5 (35:44):
That's tough, that's tough to teach. You're going to ask
him his favorite Jermaine Burton moment, Well.
Speaker 8 (35:49):
He had four catches. That was one of my pole
questions yesterday, which all four catches? Was your favorite? My
favorite Jermaine Burton moment was when he had the good
preseason game against the Buccaneers and he was like other world.
Yet after the game, all anybody talked about was like
they're pretty much said on TV, he falls asleep in the.
Speaker 4 (36:05):
Meetings, don't know what he's doing doesn't show.
Speaker 8 (36:07):
Up on times like damn guy, I like game. They're like, hey, yeah,
I just see when he was in he was in
the late in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
I liked when he wore that beach tal for like
three days at Trant.
Speaker 5 (36:15):
Forgot about that.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Austin was wondering as well. He wanted to bring this
up and ask you. You added a new item to
your muted words list on social media, League average defense.
You're done with this now?
Speaker 4 (36:28):
Why?
Speaker 8 (36:30):
Because I'm tired of hearing about how they just need
a league average defense.
Speaker 5 (36:34):
But it's true.
Speaker 8 (36:36):
It's not true. They need a defense that can help
you win games. They need a defense that can win
games in the fourth quarter. They need a championship level defense. Now, statistically,
if that's their fifteenth that's fine.
Speaker 4 (36:47):
What are they in the fourth quarter?
Speaker 8 (36:49):
League average defense doesn't do anything for me if they
stink on third and fifteen or fourth and fifteen in
the fourth quarter when John has the football and you
know what he's gonna do that defense metric maybe middle
of the pack. Can I get a defense that can
get off the field against the Detroit Lions when they've
cut the deficit to eleven points, and they're still time
at home. Can I get a defense that can get
(37:09):
off the field against the New York Jets when they're
the offense has done enough to win it. Can I
get a defense that can stop the Chicago Bears in
the fourth quarter when the game is there.
Speaker 4 (37:17):
To be won. I don't.
Speaker 8 (37:19):
I have no remote idea where the Bengals ranked defensively none.
I could not care less. When the games have been
hanging in the balance, it has failed. If a league
average defense is more likely to get those stops, that's
one thing. I want a championship caliber defense. I want
a defense that can win games for you. In twenty
twenty one, the Bengals had a defense that could win
games for it. I don't know what they were statistically,
(37:40):
don't care. They could win games. That unit could win games.
So miss me with this lead. When you just gotta
be league average means all you're aspiring to is league average.
When you're ceiling is league average, Your floor is a
comparison to the nineteen sixty six New York Giants. It's
so stop with the just need league average. I'm tired
of it. We do it with all the team, but
(38:01):
it just gotta be okay, let just go get Mike
Schwarbur instead of Kyle Schwarber. Just in the league average,
stop attaining, stop striving for average, how about strive for good.
What they need next year is a good defense?
Speaker 4 (38:13):
Good? Okay?
Speaker 3 (38:14):
Do you remember times that.
Speaker 8 (38:16):
That they have legitimately competed for anything? The defense when
it is counted has been good? Not eh, that's the
league average. Is a sound effect.
Speaker 4 (38:25):
What do you want next year? How's the how's Al
Gold's defense gonna be next year?
Speaker 8 (38:29):
No? I want like a word that describes the defense,
not a sound effect.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
What was your first muted word? Nevada game?
Speaker 4 (38:37):
Kanyeah?
Speaker 8 (38:38):
Okay, kanye was later Nevada game was the first muted term.
Speaker 4 (38:42):
All right, Nevada game.
Speaker 3 (38:43):
Have a great show. We appreciate you. See Guyer's next
Speaker 2 (38:46):
From Oakley Greens on ESPN fifteen thirty Centcinnati Sports Station
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