Tony Pike's Monday Midday Quarterback -- 11/24/25

Tony and Austin recap the weekend, break down the Bengals and Bearcats, take your calls and TalkBacks, chat with Mo Egger, and more on ESPN 1530!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
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(00:23):
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Speaker 2 (00:42):
Ah right, let's uh, let's try to navigate this one today.
Welcome in the Monday Midday Quarterback ESBN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati
Sports Station. Thanks as well to our friends at Skyline Chili. Hey,
anytime you're feeling good and hungry, you know it's Skyline time.
And as we get closer now to the day season,
what better way, what better time than now to make

(01:03):
it Skyline time for not only you, but those people
on your list that are just hard to buy for.
Make it really easy. Just off a Skyline Chili gift card.
Give that out for the best gift of Christmas season this.

Speaker 3 (01:15):
Year, it was skyline time for me last night. Tony.

Speaker 2 (01:17):
Yeah, I don't know how anyone could could go through
the sports weekend that was locally here in Cincinnati and
not find a need for some comfort food at some
point over the weekend. What we're going to try to
do is sift through what may very well be austin
the worst Cincinnati sports weekend we've ever had.

Speaker 3 (01:41):
Now.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
I was asked this last night. My brother actually sent
me a message last night, and you know, he said,
it's it's one of those things that the games have
ended and I'm still struggling. I'm mad, I'm frustrated. What
do we do at this point? Is this the worst
Cincinnati sports weekend? And before we get those folks from
Xavier that want to say, well, wait a second, Joe

(02:04):
Daniman had to point this out as well. I'm talking
about sports that were held here in the city of Cincinnati.
I will point out Xavier lost a very good game
to Georgia over the weekend on Friday night. They bounced
back as a pretty big underdog yesterday against West Virginian
won that game outright going away. So the Xavier Musketeers
are playing much better basketball, and they did hold it

(02:27):
down for the city of Cincinnati by getting a win.
And I believe what was the Charleston Classic yesterday afternoon.
But locally, if we want to take away from the
awesomeness that was on display at pay Corps Stadium on
Friday night between Elder and st X and SAX storming
back and get an amazing win, if we want to

(02:48):
take out the awesomeness of high school football at pay
Corpse Stadium with over what twenty two thousand people in attendance,
What a crappy local weekend in sports. So I'm looking
for another weekend in your memory that could top what
this weekend was. You know, I've had bad weekends. I've

(03:14):
watched UC blow a twenty two point lead to Nevada,
and then I watched Xavier the game after blow a
lead and their NCAA tournament hopes both ended in the
NCAA Tournament on the same night. That was pretty terrible.
I've watched the Jeremy Hill fumble against the Pittsburgh Steelers
and that was terrible. But I'm talking about everything together.

(03:37):
UC falls to Louisville at Heritage Bank Arena on Friday night.
UC football falls to BYU and will outline all of
the reasons why. But they fall to BYU, essentially ending
any hopes they had at a Big twelve Championship game appearance.
They did so with three missed field goals, a failed
fourth and one from inside the five yard line. They

(03:59):
lined up all sides on a fourth and three when
the opponent was punting, They gave up a second nineteen
with general ease. They fumbled inside I believe the thirty
yard line going in against BYU. Brendan Soarsby threw a
very poor interception. They the epitome of shooting themselves in
the foot. After an awesome build up to the game,

(04:21):
Big noon kickoff was fun, the atmosphere at Nippert Stadium
was unbelievable. But it all resulted in a loss. And
then you turn the page to Sunday. Yes, the Bengals
the Patriots, and I know there are some out there
that'll say, man, they fought, they battled at least, and
they did. We'll dive into the Bengals game specifically. They

(04:41):
did fight defensively, multiple fourth down stops, they forced a
field goal, they got to turnover run downs, Genostone had
to pick six. There are good things to talk about,
but at the end, it's the Bengals coming up short
again and now a three to eight record on the season,
and then of course to finish thing off. And I
think maybe one of the more disappointing finishes of the

(05:06):
weekend was that last night of FC Cincinnati. And I
think more disappointing than anything because if you asked people
last Thursday or last Friday afternoon, you said, man, big
weekend in Cincinnati sports. Who who's gonna be the torch bearer?
Who's going to carry the light for the city of Cincinnati,
A lot of people would have said FC Cincinnati. And

(05:29):
FC Cincinnati was obliterated at TQL Stadium four nil the
NL MESSI got things started in the nineteenth minute with
a header and from there the onslaught was on three
second half goals from Miami. They pull away and end
the season of FC Cincinnati. Another disappointing end to a
season for FC Cincinnati. So I ask you today, was

(05:53):
it the worst local sports weekend in your memory? And
if not, can you give me other options? And you
give me other reasons? How about that Austin. We start
Thanksgiving week by asking people to relive their worst sports
weekend here in Cincinnati. Wow, we got a lot to
be thankful for, we do. I don't know that we

(06:16):
have a lot to be thankful for sportswatch. I don't
know if we're necessarily in that boat. You know, the
first thing I thought of when you said that was
twenty twelve when the Reds lost to the Giants in
the NLDS. That happened on a Thursday. And then that
Sunday the Bengals gave up twenty one fourth quarter points

(06:38):
to the windless Browns and lost in Cleveland. But those
are just the two that I remember from twenty twelve.
I can't imagine there's been a worse weekend than this
when you consider like the national stage that the Bearcats
were on on big noon kickoff, and you know, I

(06:58):
got to watch a pretty decent out of that, and gosh,
the University of Cincinnati looked awesome, crowd was awesome, energy, hype,
all of it leading up to that game, and a
chance to really take what I think was a step
forward if they had been able to beat BYU. And
then you know that obviously didn't go that way. They
get blown out really by f c SINCINNTI getting blown

(07:21):
out by MESSI and uh or I guess we're just
I'm just gonna call them inter MESSI. Yep, they're not Miami,
they're inter Messy.

Speaker 4 (07:29):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (07:30):
It's just yeah, I don't know that it gets any
worse than that now. I mean from a national standpoint,
the University of Cincinnati getting criticized because of the chance
by the UC students about b YU and that is
an added layer to this whole thing that's not not
going away at least for the next couple of a

(07:51):
couple of days. So yeah, it's just a lot of
layers to it. Yeah, it is.

Speaker 2 (07:59):
It's a city situation, and you mentioned those chants. It's
something that has already been addressed by the athletic director
John Cunningham at the University of Cincinnati. He just released
this just a few minutes ago on behalf of the
University of Cincinnati and Bearcat Athletics. I want to serely
apologize to the BYU community. In the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter day Saints, the use of offensive or

(08:21):
religiously derogatory language by a group of fans during Saturday's
game was unacceptable and does not reflect our values. We
remain committed to create an environment at Nippert Stadium where
every visiting team and that supporters are treated with dignity
and respect. And I will say this often. I've gone
to a lot of UC football games, and for the
most part, outside of that, the atmosphere was phenomenal. And

(08:43):
I will give credit to BYU fans Austin because I
have very rarely seen a opposing fan base travel in
which the numbers BYU brought to Cincinnati.

Speaker 3 (08:53):
Yeah, that's what I heard.

Speaker 2 (08:54):
And it's not like a drive, right, you gotta fly
yeah to Cincinnati.

Speaker 3 (08:59):
Admittedly, you know, I was at a wedding this weekend,
so I didn't get to see any sports really on
Saturday past twelve o'clock, so I didn't get to see much.
But everything I read in the clips, it was just
just an insane amount of people.

Speaker 2 (09:14):
They filled their fans filled the soccer stadium for a tailcate,
no kidding, and like not only like philed it, they
had like BYU inflatables tense. I've never seen it before.

Speaker 3 (09:25):
That's pretty cool.

Speaker 2 (09:26):
They traveled well. Again, it was an awesome environment. A
tough loss for UC and we'll talk more about that
loss as we get along. It was also a very
unique weekend in the National Football League. The Giants have
made another coaching change. Shane Bowen is out their defensive
coordinator after a collapse late against the Detroit Lions. They

(09:49):
ruined the brilliance Austin of Jamis Winston. They ruined more
Jamis Winston brilliance magic. Also, get that cannon ready again.
The offensive coordinator of the Las Vegas Raiders, Chip Kelly
gone gone after a twenty four to ten loss to

(10:09):
the Cleveland Browns. Yes, Austin, those Cleveland Browns who started
Shador Sanders and Shador didn't actually look too bad.

Speaker 3 (10:17):
You know, the Bengals and the Browns have the same record, yep, both.
Let that sink in three and eight. Let that sink.
Miles Garrett has eighteen sacks. Let that sink in. The
Browns as a team yesterday against the Raiders had ten sacks.
Miles You might understand this, Tony. There's six games left
in the season. Yes, so Miles is almost certainly going

(10:42):
to destroy the single season record I believe still held
by Michael Strahan. Of twenty two sacks. Yeah, and I'm
sure he would love to get it in sixteen games.
He might get out of seventeen, he might get to thirty.
He's had fourteen sacks in the last five games alone. Yep.

(11:02):
I really think you can make the argument that Miles
Garrett is the best player. Yeah, in the National Football League.
I agree. You know, you talk all the time about
the goat debate. Who are we watching now? That's an
all time great. I mean I would have a hard
time thinking otherwise. I mean, yes, Reggie White, Lawrence Taylor,
elite edge rushers, Hall of famers. I don't know that

(11:26):
there's ever been one better than Miles Garrett.

Speaker 2 (11:28):
It was the day in the NFL in which some
teams flex their muscles. You want to talk about flex
and what about the Rams last night? I was impressive. Now,
Baker Mayfield, you hate to see it. Left shoulder injuries,
gett an MRI today. You hope for the best. It
wouldn't matter if Baker was healthy or not last night.
Matthew Stafford is playing at an MVP level right now.
He's the MVP of the National Football League, I believe. Now,

(11:50):
thirty touchdowns and two interceptions.

Speaker 3 (11:52):
That's pretty good. They flexed their muscles. Yesterday.

Speaker 2 (11:57):
The Baltimore Ravens, although sloppy, won their fifth straight game,
and it also was a day of some meltdowns for teams.
The Giants blow a lead to the Lions. Credit to
the Lions for coming back and winning that one a
lot on the strength of Jamier Gibbs.

Speaker 3 (12:11):
By the way, those Giants, congratulations to them, not only
for you know, firing Shane Bowen. The Giants are the
first team officially eliminated from playoff contention. Okay, the Giants
are two to ten, but they are officially eliminated. That
means Tony that the Tennessee Titans at one in ten
are technically mathematically still alive.

Speaker 2 (12:33):
We'll talk about teams still being alive today as well.
The Indianapolis Colts melt down in the fourth quarter against
the Chiefs, and again give credit to the Chiefs. They
snapped their skid. It was pretty much a must win.
They found away in overtime to beat the Indianapolis Colts.
The Jaguars beat the Cardinals in overtime. The Cowboys faced
a twenty one to nothing deficit at one point against

(12:56):
the Eagles. They come all the way back to win
it twenty five war to twenty one. It was madness
across the National Football League yesterday and into last night.
The Bears moved to eight and three with the win
over the Pittsburgh Steelers, meaning the Ravens move into a
tie for first in the AFC North against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

(13:17):
And Week twelve will come to an end tonight as
the six and five Carolina Panthers take on these seven
and four San Francisco forty nine ers. Also in college football,
not a ton of marquee games happening over the weekend.
In Week thirteen, the college football slay Ohio State continued
their dominance over Rutgers. The SEC teams that scheduled by

(13:40):
weeks all dominated Oregon. I thought had an impressive win
over USC. Lincoln Riley has won nothing. By the way,
at USC Oklahoma a big win. What does Lincoln Riley
won at all? That's also a good point.

Speaker 3 (13:51):
Nothing. It's also a good point. That is one of
the most over hyped, overrated, nonsensical anything's every Lincoln Riley
has won nothing. Oh he I mean he had some
Heisman Trophy winners at Oklahoma. Okay, cool. What did he win? Yeah,
he's Brian Kelly. Also, we got to make fun of that. Yeah,

(14:16):
if you want, and I'm not going to speak for
you because I know you and BK are tight. If
you want any indication of Brian Kelly and the man
that he is, Yeah, look at the reflection of him
and his son. Yeah, the way that his son was
acting on senior day for LSU and his son, by
the way, he can't sniff the field. He's a terrible player.

(14:36):
He should He's never If his dad wasn't the coach,
he'd never be at LSU. He'd be selling insurance somewhere.
Not that there's anything wrong with them, but he wouldn't
be playing college football. Yeah. I don't know if I've
ever the way that he acted was. It was just gross.

Speaker 2 (14:51):
Now, as far as I know, BK still in line
to get fifty four million dollars.

Speaker 3 (14:55):
As he should keep fighting for it.

Speaker 2 (14:57):
Brother, So shout out to Brian Kelly's son who put
BK on his undershirt and kept saying on camera, long
live BK. Free, my boy, Free, my boy, free, my boy,
my boy. I have a great relationship with my father.
I don't think i've ever related. I've ever referred to
my father as my boy, free my boy.

Speaker 3 (15:20):
How early are my Did you start calling your parents
by my first names? Not until I was probably out
of college, See, I that was the thing that I
did early on. My parents did not like that.

Speaker 2 (15:33):
Yeah, I mean, free my boy. One, that's your father.
Two he's not imprisoned.

Speaker 3 (15:42):
Yeah, no, he's waiting to collect fifty four million dollars.
He did say that that he wanted his dad to
join him, yeah, for senior Day, and Lsu said no,
which I think that's kind of weak by Lsu. Sure, However,
you have to understand if Brian Kelly walks out on
to that field, oh, with his son, it's not a

(16:04):
good look for anybody. He would be booed mercilessly. It
would it would take away from his son's actual You
just use the word merciless, mercifully, mercilessly, mercilessly. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (16:17):
Is that what happened with Notre Dame in Syracuse? How
about that game?

Speaker 3 (16:21):
What happened in that game?

Speaker 2 (16:22):
Notre Dame led after one thirty five nothing, Notre Dame
led at halftime forty nine nothing, Notre Dame one seventy
to seven. What has happened to Syracuse. Oklahoma did get
a big win Utah storms back in the forth they
beat Kansas State fifty one to forty seven, and Diego
Pavia with THEO Vaughn walking with his mom a senior day.

Speaker 3 (16:48):
I don't know what's going on there.

Speaker 2 (16:50):
He counted for six touchdowns in a while to a
forty five seventeen win over Kentucky.

Speaker 3 (16:55):
I don't think there was a lot of brain cells
walking onto that field.

Speaker 2 (16:57):
Pittsburgh got a big win over Georgia Tech, Texas rolled Tennessee,
rolled Wisconsin. Man Luke Fickle without the vest two and one.
Now another top twenty five win.

Speaker 3 (17:08):
Good for him, man, good for him.

Speaker 2 (17:10):
And Michigan beat Maryland, which sets up where I want
to go with this. Now it's now the week here Austin.
Are we done with the letter? Are we done with
the letter? Like Mark is waiting on hold? Do we
have to use like it's a arc this week? Well,
let me ask you on this.

Speaker 3 (17:28):
If you go to my Twitter page right now for
the last I can't even remember how long, probably since
two thousand and nine, since I've been on this website,
I have taken all the m's out, taking the m
out of my name, out of my bio everywhere that
I am removed today. But if you look at it
right now, it's it's not removed. Wow. And the reason

(17:51):
it's not is Ohio State hasn't earned that. It's not
a rivalry right now, Okay, Michigan is kind of kicked
or you know what. Okay, and until you earn the
right to like make it a rivalry again, why should
I I feel that. I don't know if I'm broken
or what. But I don't feel anything this week. There's

(18:15):
kind of like this little bit of dread and nervousness,
but it's very minuscule compared to you know, years ago.
I shouldn't stop thinking about this game, sure from the
moment that the game on Saturday ended. And I don't
know if I'm just broken. I don't know what's going on.
I don't feel the same energy, fervor, excitement, passion about

(18:38):
this rivalry as I did before. I truly think something
inside of me was broken last year. Wow. And I
don't know how to repair it. Gosh. I hate that,
and it does kind of suck for the whole thought
of the rivalry and what makes rivalries great.

Speaker 2 (18:53):
Absolutely real quick out. It's nice to go up there
and win the game this weekend. It's not the it's
the it's my boy wake up. You see is going
to play a three thirty game at TCU on Saturday.
Locally College Hoop Xavier back in action on Friday as
well against Texas A and M Corpus. Chris Christy and

(19:16):
the Bearcats try to get back to their winning ways
against the New Jersey Institute of Technology tonight and then
against the EMUs of Eastern Michigan tomorrow.

Speaker 3 (19:25):
I feel about the same way about Ohio State Michigan
as you probably feel about the New Jersey Institute of
Technology Tonight. There we go. You're like, yeah, I expect
to win. I want to win, but yeah, it's probably
not going to be as easy as I'd like it
to be. I'm feeling a little dead in thought as
well today. Yeh, we all feel.

Speaker 2 (19:42):
We will take your phone calls along the way. Five one, three, seven, four, nine,
fifteen thirty. I'm here till two. Austin takes over an hour.
Three I'm heading to Florence for the Tony and Mo
Football Show from three to six. We have your phone calls.
Five one, three, seven, four nine, fifteen thirty, your talkbacks,
and plenty more, including our reaction to the Cincinnati Bengals loss,

(20:02):
which we'll give next on the Home of the Bengals,
ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 5 (20:07):
Hey Laddie, brought to you by Postman Law on ESPN
fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 2 (20:18):
All right, let's dive in here to a little football
in the NATI, shall we, Austin, Let's do it as
much as you know, maybe some people might just be
over it. At this point, We're going to continue to
push on. The Bengals lose yesterday to the New England
Patriots in what was at times a competitive game at

(20:40):
pay Corp Stadium. The Bengals jumped out to actually a
tend to nothing lead in this one before Hunter Henry, Yes,
Hunter Henry and the New England Patriots got going a
little bit. It was, I thought, Austin a game that
obviously felt weird going in because of the Joe Burrow
lead in, and then he was not going to be used,

(21:02):
and he didn't have Jamar Chase, and at the core
of it all, before the game even started, I thought
we officially said goodbye and saw the end of the
Jermaine Burton air in Cincinnati.

Speaker 3 (21:13):
Oh yeah, I mean, I think that writing's been on
the wall for a while.

Speaker 2 (21:15):
Jermaine Burton not active, and that goes to further hurt them.
Late in the game, t Higgins left due to a
pretty nasty concussion, so they were very shorthanded yesterday. Joe Flacco,
who I already thought was compromised, dealt with a little
bit of a finger issue as well. Yesterday. It was
just it was not going to be an easy game

(21:37):
going in. I think everyone around this fan base knew that.
But they did go up ten to nothing before ultimately
going down twenty three to thirteen. But I thought there
were positives on the defensive side of the ball. We
have been asking for this team to show some fight,
into show effort. I thought Al Golden at times yesterday

(21:58):
Austin kind of just let the play empty out, but
he played more aggressive with some of his calls. Geno
Stone had a pick six, Like at that point, I'm like,
maybe this is the day because Genostone just did that.
Genostone got a pick six, They got multiple short yardage stops,
forcing a turnover on downs.

Speaker 3 (22:19):
They forced another.

Speaker 2 (22:20):
Field goal late by New England that allowed them to
stay in the game because of their fourth down stops. Yes,
the linebacking play is questionable. Yes, they couldn't cover Hunter
Henry who torched him for one hundred and fifteen yards,
as well as Austin Hooper who had a nice day
as well. But I thought, all in all, for an
MVP season he's having, Drake May was okay twenty two

(22:41):
to thirty five. Trevon Henderson didn't crush them in the
running game. It was unfortunately a day where they just
couldn't play the complimentary football because while the defense did
get some stops, the offense struggled in a mighty way.
The offense went three for thirteen on third down. I
do think it was a positive to get some positivity

(23:06):
going in the running game. Chase Brown ran it for
five six a carry, nineteen carries for one oh seven.
Joe Flacco was only sacked once. So in a season
Austin where it's been very easy to pick apart a
lot of the bad, I wanted to try today at
least to find some good. I think the offensive line
has improved vastly and I thought Chase Brown was impressive yesterday.
Outside of that, Joe Flacco was not good.

Speaker 3 (23:27):
That's a game.

Speaker 2 (23:28):
Probably yesterday where if Joe Burrow plays, I think the
Bengals win that game. And I thought there was a
blatant lack of aggressiveness from the head coach Zach Taylor
on many short yarded situations yesterday in which I thought
the Bengals could have went for the fourth down. They

(23:48):
had a fourth and four on the thirty seven, They
had a fourth and four again on the thirty seven.
They had a fourth and one from the forty five
yard line, which they ultimately punted and Ryan Rico punted
that ball into the end zone. You're three and seven.
You're playing without Jamar Chase, You're playing without Joe Burrow,
you're playing without Trey Hendrickson.

Speaker 3 (24:06):
Why not just empty the clip? Why not just go
for it? It felt like he was coaching scared, yep, And
there's no reason for that. I don't know if he's
just trying to preserve the idea that you Burrow's gonna
come back and maybe they can go on a run.
But you're going nowhere if you don't win that game
and beating a team like New England with those guys
out requires aggression and sometimes it requires stepping over that

(24:31):
line from aggressive to reckless. And Zach never went past
the aggressive line. And there were multiple times where it
felt like they had some positive momentum running the ball
and he would go away from that mean, most notably
that sequence where it was a third and one and
then a fourth and one, Chase Brown averaging five and

(24:51):
a half almost six yards per carry as a whole,
the team averaging over five yards per carry, and instead
of running the ball and keeping the drive alive on
third and one, Zach Taylor elects to pass Flacco, goes
deep down the field, it's incomplete, and then instead of
going for it on that fourth and one, they allow

(25:13):
for a delay of game penalty and punt the football
away with about thirteen minutes left to go and down
by a score. I thought that was coaching scared from
Zach Taylor. I thought that was a lack of feel
from Zach Taylor. And it's become way too often of
a problem. Zach Taylor way too frequently kicks the ball

(25:34):
away or punts it back to the other team when
he should be going for it on fourth downs, it
has become an unfortunate part of the Zach Taylor issue,
and there are plenty of issues. It's getting the play
call in on time. Yeah, they took one on purpose yesterday,
But the Bengals, do you know, lead the National Football
League and delay of game penalties. We've talked about them

(25:55):
burning timeouts that are pointless in the past. The operation
is not clean, the feel is not there, and Zach Taylor,
I thought coach scared and there's you're not going to
win without your best players. If you're coaching like that.

Speaker 2 (26:10):
There's a if you follow along with just the world
of analytics. The analytics on that play alone are strong
recommendation to go for it. So even analytically, that is
a situation where you want to go for it. I
don't quite understand, and I guess for me, Austin, the
biggest takeaway I had and you nailed it on a
day where you ran the ball for five point two

(26:30):
yards per carry. Joe Flacco was clearly compromised and has
been compromised. You still asked him to throw at thirty
seven times in a game where you weren't trailing by
a large margin at all. Really like it wasn't like
you were three scores down and had to panic in
a band. In the running game, you let it ten

(26:52):
to nothing at halftime, it was seventeen thirteen. You're still alive.
Going into the fourth quarter it was twenty to three thirteen.
You're still more than alive. And yet Joe Flacco throw
it thirty seven times. That doesn't make sense from an
offensive standpoint, and I thought that was a miss for
the Cincinnati backus.

Speaker 3 (27:11):
And especially when you have a quarterback that you know
is compromised, yep, and you don't have Jamar Chase there
for him to throw the ball to. I mean, you
make the point, if they have Burrow, they win that game.
I think you could say even without Burrow, if they
have chased, maybe they win that game. That's how close
it was. And in those moments, in those types of games,

(27:31):
you cannot, in my opinion, put it on your defense
to keep you in the game. And yes, the defense
has turned things around to an extent. I think they've
tackled better. I think they've defended the run better. They're
still atrocious on third downs and especially third and longs.
They just give up. It doesn't matter what it is,

(27:52):
it could be third and seventy five. They'll find a
way to give it up. But there are at least
signs of improvement. And I hope that Zach Taylor wasn't
fooled by that into this, you know, false sense of
security in belief in his defense and just a rough day.
I mean, even even when healthy, you kind of need

(28:12):
everything to go perfect for the Bengals just because of
the way the roster is constructed. And if you don't
play complimentary football and you don't have a head coach
that understands the importance of a specific moment or the
analytics or the feel or what you're doing well, or
the momentum. We've talked about momentum before, We've debated about

(28:33):
momentum before. I believe fully in momentum, and a coach
that doesn't understand that is a coach that gives you
less of a chance to win. And that's an issue.

Speaker 2 (28:43):
It now opens up what will be conversations this week
Austin about meaningless wins, first draft positioning with six games
to play, it'll bring up a conversation this week about
Joe Burrow and do you play Joe Burrow on Thursday
Night when you're playing out a string of games. I
know mathematically there's still a chance it is the Ravens

(29:05):
on Thursday night, Thanksgiving Night, Ravens installed already as a
seven and a half point favor. But those are all
discussions now that will happen going forward because of another
Bengal loss where quote they just didn't make the plays
they needed to make, in a quote that I've heard
far too many times after a Cincinnati Bengals loss.

Speaker 3 (29:22):
Let's take a break.

Speaker 2 (29:22):
Let's hear from you next five, one, three, seven, four, nine,
fifteen thirty, the Monday midday Quarterback on ESPN fifteen thirty,
Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 5 (29:29):
You've been listening to Football in the NATI on ESPN
fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 6 (29:43):
There have been three attempts in franchise history of sixty plus.
Moneymack missed from sixty seven, Doug Telfree missed from sixty three.
Shane Graham missed from sixty two. This will be a
sixty three yard try as Evan McPherson tries to join
the club of NFL kickers who have made kicks from

(30:03):
beyond sixty yards. Ryan Rico on the Bengals logo waiting
for the snap from Will Wagner. The staff is good.
Here comes the kick. Loft it high into the air
bag over end kick.

Speaker 7 (30:15):
Yes good, nice, haven't met. Pherson mates Bengals history with
a sixty three yard field goal, four yards longer than
the previous longest kick that he shared with Cade York
and Cincinnati scores at the gun in the second quarter.

Speaker 3 (30:37):
To pull within four. How about that?

Speaker 2 (30:41):
That just goes to show Austin the difference of having
the actual kicking ball in the game makes man those
it a couple of weeks ago. He was short from
like what fifty two?

Speaker 3 (30:49):
I believe it was fifty four fifty four either way,
well within his range. As you can tell, they got
the kicking ball right. I was trying to think, what's
my favorite moment of this Bengals season. I was a
hit because you know the what was it, nine plays
in a row with gold to go yesterday, the Bengals
defense made a stand. I was thinking about that. I
was thinking about Evan McPherson, and then I remember, I

(31:10):
think my favorite part was being at lambeau Field and
watching Evan McPherson break the NFL record but it didn't
count because that's kind of like the epitome of the
Bengals season. By the way, you heard Dan in that
call mention Cade York. You know Kate York is among
a couple of different kickers getting a tryout for the

(31:31):
New Orleans Saints today. Wow, do you know who one
of the other kickers is? Justin Tucker? Justin Tucker getting
a try out with the Saints as well, alongside Bengals
legend Kady York.

Speaker 2 (31:46):
All right, then, Cad, who's that call today? Brought to
you by that's our friends at Wynn Shoulders. I could
think of nothing, Austin, nothing better then Thanksgiving coming up
this Thursday and showing up or hosting your thanks Giving
get together, and you got all four fantastic flavors of
wind Shoulders right there at the table.

Speaker 3 (32:05):
You know I packed my lunch today, Yes, and I
brought some wind Shoulders.

Speaker 2 (32:09):
Very good and we have a snaric leader thanks to
our friends at wind Shoolers. Let's take a couple of
phone calls. What's up, Gunner?

Speaker 8 (32:19):
Hey, Yeah, we're doing to the Happy Monday guys. First thing,
I just just got to give a quick shout out
to my dad to his birthday this week. Happy Birthday Mark.
Listen over in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

Speaker 3 (32:31):
Hunter, have you ever called your dad your boy.

Speaker 9 (32:36):
Boy? Did I just call him that?

Speaker 2 (32:39):
No, that's what That's what Brian kelly Son was calling him.
So I was just curious.

Speaker 3 (32:44):
I did see that. I did see that.

Speaker 8 (32:45):
Well, maybe because my dad and I have such an
infinity for Brian kelly As and Sandy Bear Captain. I
think the holiday is really good, just his birthday week.
We're big fans of your guys show. Give us something
to you know, stay in touch about constantly even we
live you know, different different cities from each other. So
I appreciate you guys as well. And before I get

(33:06):
to the bangals, I got to say often, as a
lifelong Buckeye, I don't understand the front running. I know
we've lost the last couple of years, but were you
taking the ant out of your Twitter profile when we
were winning for twenty plus years in a row.

Speaker 3 (33:18):
He was no gun I have a standard gunner, and
it's not being upheld at the moment by the by
the current regime at the Ohio State University. When it
comes to that game specifically.

Speaker 8 (33:31):
I get it I get it. I'm I'm I've got
some weird superstitions as well. But I think we get
done this Saturday quickly. On the Bangalas, you guys hit
on most of it already. That that fourth and one call,
I mean, if that just isn't a microcosm of Zach
Taylor as the head coach of Sincannai bangles just coaching
to lose, coaching scared. I don't understand what you're doing.

(33:54):
I mean, you're you're three and seven, You're not six
and five. Right, we don't have this great defense that's
been stopping people all year. It was I had to
put my mortgage. I had to put my mortgage on
the on the Patriot schooling there and score and field
goal or a touchdown. But you guys hit on that.
I just I can't see this guy as the coach anymore.

(34:15):
I've been that way a few years. Something's got to change.
Something's got a you know, heads of guy to turn.
They've got to get him out of here. And I'll
leave you with this last thing. You know, I thought
the offensive play calling in the first half was really creative. Right,
we're missing guys. Black was a little hurt a lot
of motion, a lot of creative stuff, a lot of
running the football. Didn't see that in the second half.

Speaker 3 (34:36):
I don't know.

Speaker 8 (34:37):
I just you know, you're at a loss for words
when you see that kind of stuff with him, and
it's it's week over week, season overseas, season overseason with him.
So I'll leave you with that. Guys, have a happy,
happy holiday, spend time with your family, and look forward
to hearing from you when we get back.

Speaker 2 (34:52):
Gunnar, thank you for the call, man, and happy birthday
to your father. We appreciate that. How about that at
the Gunner, It is true, though, you know you've had
for the season the worst statistical defense in the history
of the NFL. YEP, You're not gonna win games with
field goals. You're not gonna win games with field position.
You're also playing at a three and seven mark. Just

(35:14):
be aggressive, and you've ran the ball for all five
yards of carry, Go for it and make a statement.

Speaker 3 (35:21):
And Flacco was not good, correct, he wasn't good last week,
He's not good this week. I mean, the guy barely
took any reps. You don't know how many chances you're
gonna get. Yeah, go make the most of it. I
just I can't. I can't wrap my head around it
at all. Yeah, I am one with you. What's up, Mike?

(35:43):
How are you?

Speaker 8 (35:45):
Hey?

Speaker 10 (35:45):
Guys?

Speaker 9 (35:46):
Hey Donnard, that was a good call.

Speaker 11 (35:47):
Brother.

Speaker 9 (35:48):
I never heard you on air before, but I thought
that was a very very pogent.

Speaker 12 (35:53):
Yeah.

Speaker 9 (35:54):
I like he was very organized and made a lot
of sense. My dad, who died when he was sixty three,
his birthday is tomorrow, and so I always commemorate that
he was a Cincinnati firefighter for a long time. Yeah,
the smoke inhalation ended up killing him from the for
his heart and stuff. But anyway, my dad's birthday, he

(36:15):
would have been ninety nine years old. Wow. Wow, Taylor's
gotta go, guys. I mean, come on, let's quit crapping
around here. I don't know what these guys are thinking about,
but I will say Jase is doing so well running
the ball, and the old line is getting better than
the run, aren't they?

Speaker 13 (36:31):
Really?

Speaker 3 (36:33):
They were doing everything you wanted to from an offensive line. Yesterday.

Speaker 2 (36:35):
They gave up one sack and you were running the
ball for over five yards of carry and you go
away from it. I just, for the life of me,
I can't understand it and you go away from it
without Joe Burrow and without Jamar chasing the game as well.
Why you're passing the ball there if you're not setting
up to go for it and run the ball and
fourth down I'll never understand.

Speaker 9 (36:56):
And then you get your boy Higgins dinged up.

Speaker 14 (36:58):
Yep.

Speaker 9 (37:00):
I mean that's a big price to pay on top
everything else. But let's just say it right now, the
Rams categorically are the best team in the NFL right now.
I don't know how they will be, but for now
they are the best team. I mean, they smacked a
snot out of Tampa yesterday.

Speaker 2 (37:16):
Yeah, without a doubt they You cannot go against it
right now. That was one of the most impressive football
games I've watched from start to finish all year.

Speaker 9 (37:27):
And in less Sneid, theyre GM the combination of Sneid
and McVeigh. They've surpassed Andy Reid now and they are
or whoever his GM is in my opinion, because they
drafted Verse and Fisk Brandon Fisk both out of FSU
last year on the same defensive line, and then they
come up with Forbes. I don't even know where they
pulled him out of but that guy can play some

(37:49):
serious cornerback, can't he.

Speaker 3 (37:51):
There's a first round pick of the Washington Commanders a
couple of years ago, and they cut bait with him,
and I remember we had conversations on this show about
the Bengals go after him. Yep, and you know he
is really really turned it around in Los Angeles.

Speaker 9 (38:08):
Yeah, you guys did say that. Well, you guys are clairvoyant. Man.
That's pretty good. That's really pretty damn good. You know,
my favorite party yesterday, I have to admit, for the
first time I didn't listen to Dan Horden laughed, Shame
on me. But when I found out Marvin was calling
the game because I picked him up on a game
earlier in the year, and I loved listening to Marvin sure,

(38:30):
and because he has so much knowledge and the play
by play guy was great because it was a network thing.
I was on the radio and Marvin two times he
got so irritated with the Bengals. It was because, you know,
he's kind of a monotone guy, but he actually had
some vim and vigor in his in his speech pattern

(38:51):
during his comments on two issues. One was towards the
end of the game instead of calling a time out.
He goes, why guys rushed to the ball, rush to
the ball and didn't clock it or make them play
or something, but don't use your last time out. That
just pissed him off. And then then he said the
thing that really just got his goat, and he said,

(39:13):
if I was a coach, this would never have happened.
The DB's and the safeties don't turn their heads around,
and that is what's killing this secondary. Yeah, all you
guys agree.

Speaker 3 (39:25):
Yeah, all valid, All valid.

Speaker 2 (39:27):
They were penalized as well, six times for sixty five
yards yesterday.

Speaker 3 (39:31):
So it just they they don't do it.

Speaker 2 (39:33):
It's it's almost a similar conversation I can have about
the Bearcats as well. They just they don't do the
small things that teams with a small margin of ara
have to get done.

Speaker 9 (39:44):
So you got yeah, I mean not even having ever
been a d bat DD, but I how can you
play somebody if you don't have some idea where the
ball is?

Speaker 3 (39:55):
Yeah? No, it's fair.

Speaker 10 (39:57):
Is that?

Speaker 3 (39:57):
Yeah, it's tough, and it's it's a thing that's talked
about lot when it comes to evaluating the talent or
scouting the talent of some of these young defensive backs
is their ball skills, their ability to track the ball,
they're able to find it in the air, to go
after it, to you know, get their hand in front
of it. I've said for a couple of years now,
I don't know that that's a very well coached unit.

(40:20):
And I was surprised that Charles Burk's and Jordan Kovacs
stuck around. They were here in the Luanna Rumo era
for the last couple of years and they're still here
with Al Golden and that group really hasn't taken strides
forward at all. I mean, DJ Turner maybe is the exception,
and even then teams are starting to throw away from him,
so we don't see him as much. But I mean

(40:42):
Cam Taylor Britt that hasn't worked, Dax Hill that hasn't worked,
Jordan Battle hasn't worked, Genostone hasn't worked. I mean, there's
a long list of cornerbacks that just haven't worked out here,
and safeties for.

Speaker 9 (40:53):
That well, I appreciate you. It's fining that to me. Awesome,
give me a historical back. But you know, okay, so
if you take your eye off the ball for a
second as a DD to find the ball, you can still.
Usually those guys are pretty fast, right, they can catch
up the stride or too. Maybe that they lost to
the guy right, But I just don't know how you

(41:14):
played that position without telling where the ball is.

Speaker 3 (41:17):
Thanks guys, I appreciate it, and Tony, you could correct
me if I'm wrong here. But I think a lot
of times now guys are taught to watch the eyes
of the hands of the receiver. That's why receivers you
hear them often talk about late hands.

Speaker 9 (41:29):
Yep.

Speaker 3 (41:30):
They don't want to show where the ball is or
where it's going until the very last second. I think
the best in the NFL at this is Devonte Adams.
He showed that last night, that one where he had
half a step on a guy yep, and waited as
long as he could, and you see the defenders watching
his hands and puts his hand out there as soon
as DeVante starts to move his hands, but it was
too late. Like that is you know, the way they're

(41:53):
taught these days, especially if you get beat, find their hands,
find their eyes.

Speaker 2 (41:56):
One of the sobering thoughts I had last night watching them,
who are now ahead of the Eagles as Super Bowl favorites.

Speaker 3 (42:05):
One of the things. I thought.

Speaker 2 (42:06):
I went back to the Super Bowl Loston, and I thought,
and I mentioned this to Mo yesterday, if you're walking
out of that Super Bowl and you're thinking, Okay, five
years from now, four years from now, the Bengals may
have lost tonight, but they're going to be in better
shape than the Rams, because at that time, do you remember,
the Rams had seemingly gone all in. They were all
in for a title, They had no draft picks, they

(42:29):
were paying guys a lot of money. Aaron Donald has
since retired, and yet as we sit here on November
twenty fourth, the Rams are right back in it and
the Bengals, albeit with Jamar Chase and Joe Burrow, are
nowhere near getting back to that level Ram. It is
sobering that they have run circles around the Bengals.

Speaker 3 (42:50):
Hit on the late round draft picks that they've had, yep.
And they've also done a terrific job with undrafted free agents.
That's been a huge part of their success. Like they've
they've supplemented the roster a little bit with free agents,
and you know, every team does very specific role player
type of guys. But they've hit, but they've hit on

(43:11):
late round picks that have turned into depth pieces that
have turned into development pieces, and they've kind of hit
that cycle over and over again, and they've hit on
undrafted free agents. Yeah. Now, I will say this, the
Bengals do have a history of at least being able
to have some undrafted free agents and success. I mean,
Vontes Berfect is no better example than that. And I
think we've seen a little bit of that, but not

(43:32):
nearly as much as there needs to be.

Speaker 2 (43:36):
And they just play like there was The point was
made last night, like everyone that dresses for the Rams
is expected to play a big role in the game.
They rotate guys in, they give you a bunch of
different looks. And I've said it a thousand times. Their
personnel just matches their scheme and what they want to do.
With Sean McVay, we'll take a break. We wrap up

(43:57):
our number one. When we get back, we'll get down
number two. We'll open it up for more phone calls.
We got more on the Bengals. We got to talk
about the Bearcats as well. Today the Monday Midday Quarterback
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station WC Welcome back Monday

(44:18):
Midday Quarterback ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. You know,
these losses weren't as hard Austin when the Bearcats had
won their seven games in a row because you just
were able to talk about a win for the Bearcats.
Now the Bearcats have lost three games in a row
that are underdogs on the road at TCU. Unfortunately, going

(44:39):
to take a few minutes when we get back to
talk about another failed opportunity in Clifton on Saturday.

Speaker 3 (44:47):
We'll do that when we get back. We've got more
Nip and night was so cool. That was cool though.

Speaker 2 (44:52):
We've got more on the Bengals and your phone calls
all next, along with talkbacks Hour two Monday Midday Quarterback
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 15 (45:04):
WCKY, Cincinnati. Make us the number one pre sent on
your car radio and on the free new and improved
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Mike's Monday Midday Quarterback Show brought to you in part
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and service the rest. Cincinnati Tax Resolution powered by Tope, Sheldon, O'Connor,

(45:27):
Johnny and Levy Attorneys. You know attorneys you trust. Visit
oeldash Law dot com.

Speaker 1 (45:34):
Donados the official pizza of the Bengals, Quality Blacktoping, Cincinnati's
most trusted company, and by Thomas Moore University. Accelerate your
career with a business degree from Thomas Moore University. On
ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 3 (45:57):
All right, here we go.

Speaker 2 (45:58):
It's our two Monday Mida Quarterback on the Home of
the Bengals, ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station. Let's uh,
let's grab one more phone call and then we'll shift
a little bit to Uh, what happened in Clifton on
Saturday night?

Speaker 3 (46:12):
Mark? What's happening, buddy?

Speaker 14 (46:16):
Hey, how's it going?

Speaker 16 (46:17):
Uh?

Speaker 3 (46:19):
Am?

Speaker 14 (46:19):
I off base on this. Let me make a point.
I might ask a question then make a point. I
mean the coach Bengals coach, he coaches like he's not
for sure of himself. I mean, for whether this his
seventh season or for however many seasons he been coaching.
Doesn't doesn't it seem like he coaches like he's not

(46:40):
for certain of hisself and what he's doing. Like when
you see these other coaches like Dan Campbell, for an example,
when he when when when you see him coaching and
he makes decisions, he's certain about what he's doing, whether
it works or not. Yeah, he was certain about why
he was doing it and what he was doing.

Speaker 2 (47:01):
And I think that fourth down was evident because I
think there are most coaches out there that on a
third and one would say, okay, let's take a shot
on third and one, knowing that you have a play
ready to go for fourth and one. And that to
me is the most that's the most criminal part of
it all. You take away running the ball, which you

(47:21):
did so successful to try to get one on third down.
In my mind, I'm like, all right, let's come back
and now let's just get the first down by running
the ball on fourth down. I was shocked to see
them punt the ball. But yes, I think there's more
conviction in some of the other coaches you'll see across
the game.

Speaker 14 (47:39):
Yeah, it took you back to the Jets game, you know,
that second to the last series when he went and
shotgun for three straight plays and never ran the ball.
It's like, even when he's running the ball good, he'll
go away from it when he should be running it.
I never understood that about his coaching, and well when

(48:01):
I saw him this weekend, it made me think about
Jerry Fouts. You know when he was coaching at Moeler,
you know he was beating everybody. He was the he
was everything. At Molar, well, you know he had the
best players at the high school level because it was
open enrollment. He could get players from all over. The
other high school teams couldn't. They had to play. You

(48:23):
had to live in a certain district to play at
that school. Then when he went to know the Dame,
where he was on even playing field with everybody else,
now he had to coach and he flamed out, wasn't
four seasons and had to go to Akron. So I'm
looking at Zach Taylor. It's like when you take something

(48:45):
away from him, you take Burrow away, or you take
Chase or he did you take something or that defense,
you know the guys they had on defense, DJ Reeder,
you know the bon Bell, Jesse Date, a woozy Age.
You take those guys away. Now he has a coach
and it looks like he's in He looks like a

(49:07):
coasz in over his ard now like he doesn't know
what to do. Yeah, I mean, when the situations come up,
it shows that.

Speaker 2 (49:15):
Yeah, I think those are fair criticisms for what we
have seen or at this point not seen from this
team and what they've been able to do or not do.

Speaker 3 (49:25):
Mark. I appreciate your phone call. Thank you. Yeah, I don't,
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (49:31):
I I guess for me, Austin, I'm I'm still in
the mindset that that call on third down yesterday is
called with the idea that you have something in mind
on fourth down.

Speaker 3 (49:40):
Yeah, I mean you go back and look at that play.
It was, you know, one of the more basic concepts
in football. It's it's a flood concept basically to the
right side of the field, and Flacco had an opportunity.
He had a chance to hit an open t Higgins.
He had hit a chance to hit an open Drew sample,
believe it or not, and there was indecision by the

(50:02):
part of the quarterback that led to a check down
and it was too late and they didn't get it.
But I agree with you. If you're going to call
a play like that, why not run the ball the
next play or run any other play the next play.

Speaker 2 (50:18):
Yeah, my mindset is, let's take a little chance on
third down and then I know I got this in
my back pocket on fourth.

Speaker 9 (50:24):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (50:24):
I also I think Mark's criticism there is fair. I
think Zach Taylor oftentimes doesn't know what he wants to
do before he does it. Yeah, we've talked about the
play calls led to the play calls getting in late,
the delay of games. Maybe not the k ball situation.
We've talked about. That is an annoying and frustrating trait

(50:47):
for a head coach to have. By the way, Zach
Taylor is speaking to the media right now. You guys
will hear that on the Tony and Most Show later
this afternoon. But Zach Taylor has said he expects Joe
Burrow to play on Thanksgiving night in Baltimore. He said
he's not ready to declare him the starter yet. We'll
see how the week goes, and Joe Flacco would be

(51:10):
the backup if Burrow starts. Yeah, that's Zach Taylor talking
with the media right now. He also said that t Higgins,
Trey Hendrickson, and Taj Brooks would all not play in
Baltimore on Thanksgiving.

Speaker 2 (51:24):
Yeah, you just wondered, especially with TEA with a quick
turnaround and the severity of what looked like to be
that concussion. Probably the smart decision there to withhold him.

Speaker 3 (51:33):
I think there's a chance we may not see him
again this year.

Speaker 2 (51:36):
Better chance to see Trey or t this year, I
would say tea, Yeah, that's pretty smart as well.

Speaker 3 (51:43):
I don't think we'll be hearing from Trey much anymore. Nope.
Did you see him at all on the sidelines yesterday?
I didn't. They didn't show him on television. But he
was there. Okay, he was there.

Speaker 2 (51:54):
I was there Saturday night, nip at night. They had
a drone show, which was awesome.

Speaker 3 (52:00):
That's cool.

Speaker 2 (52:01):
The crowd was awesome, the environment was awesome. The game
itself was anything but the game was infuriating. The game
was maddening. The game was frustrating, and in a way,
it was everything that has been wrong with this team
for now a couple of years. They didn't make the
plays necessary when they were presented to them. They turned

(52:24):
the ball over at inopportune times. They didn't take advantage
of opportunities that were presented in front of them, which
is the same case you can make for Utah, which
is the same case you can make for the Arizona loss.
And now the same case that you can make for
the BYU loss as well. The Bearcats on Saturday night

(52:44):
failed to convert a fourth and one inside the five
yard line. The Bearcats threw a inexperienced, just inexcusable interception
to start the third quarter from Brendan sowersby Cyrus Allen
had a fumble that went against the Bearcats in the
fourth quarter. The Bearcats were off sides. They just lined

(53:07):
up off sides on a punt in the second half
on a fourth and three in which they were getting
the ball back and instead Byu was able to extend
their drive. The Bearcats, also on the leg of Stephen Russknack,
missed three field goals. All of this, Austin in a
game until BYU scored with fifty six seconds left on

(53:33):
the clock, was still.

Speaker 3 (53:36):
A twenty to fourteen game.

Speaker 2 (53:39):
All of those things that went against the Bearcats, and
yet with a minute left in the fourth quarter they
were down by six points. It is again another collapse
by the Bearcats. You gave me the stat today, Austin.
I don't know the official number of what the Bearcats
under Scott Sanderfield are when trailing it to half. I mean,

(54:02):
it's so in sixteen Owen sixteen, when the Bearcats trail
at the half. Moegger pointed out yesterday that since joining
the Big Ten or Big Twelve under Scott Sanderfield, the
Bearcats are now one in ten in the month of
November Owen sixteen when trailing at the half, one in

(54:24):
ten in the month of November. This after winning seven
in a row, climbing into the top twenty five, being
what seemed to be a contender for a Big Twelve
title along the way, it is now all fallen by
the wayside. They're seven and four overall. They're five and
three in the Big Twelve. They're a four and a

(54:44):
half point underdog this week on the road at TCU.
They are in danger of dropping four straight games to
end the season before going to a bowl game. After
last year dropping five straight games to end their twenty
twenty four campaign. It was more of the same frustrations
on display Saturday night. Joe Royer was targeted just twice.

Speaker 3 (55:09):
Austin.

Speaker 2 (55:09):
There was an interview moe did with the Bearcat's tight
end coach before the game, and the Bearcat tight end
coach said Joe Royer is the best tight end in
the Country. Todd McShay going into the season, did a
mock draft and had Joe Royers the thirty first pick overall,
that is the end of the first round, and yet
against Utah he was targeted once. Against Arizona he was

(55:30):
targeted once, and on Saturday night he was targeted just twice.
The Bearcats also fell victim to l J. Martin six
two two twenty five running back for BYU. He carried
the ball thirty two times, yes, thirty two times, for
two hundred and twenty two yards. That's six point nine
to carry two touchdowns. As a team, BYU carried it

(55:53):
forty nine times, ran it for five point four yards
per carry. Nothing statistically went the Bearcat favor. But in
a shock, after the Bearcats cut this to a twenty
to fourteen game, still had their timeouts. I believe BYU
was getting the ball back with just under five minutes remaining.

(56:16):
The Godfather your best player on defense, Dante Corleone Austin
wasn't even on the field to start the final drive.
It was back to back first downs in which BYU
gained six yards and then seven yards, which make it
very hard to use timeouts and stop a team from
gaining first downs to essentially get yourself the ball back.
You see on that drive. Also was playing with two

(56:37):
safeties about twelve to fifteen yards off the line of scrimmage.

Speaker 3 (56:41):
I don't get it.

Speaker 2 (56:42):
I don't understand it, but the frustrations for me boiled
over on Saturday night. It wasn't the most winnable game
of the three game stretch. I think Arizona was, but
it was certainly the game that was there for the
taking because all the mistakes that we are that I
just outlined, and yet it was still a six point
game with under five minutes left. But you couldn't get

(57:03):
a stop, you couldn't get the ball back. Sowersby was
okay twenty five to thirty eight on the game. He
did throw two touchdown passes, but it's been more of
the same. They got nothing on the ground from Tywee
Walker five carries for nine yards, Evan Pryor just seven
carries for thirty six. It was a game in which

(57:24):
we saw much of the same that we've seen all year.
BYU possessed the ball for nearly forty of the sixty
minutes in the game. Forty of the sixty minutes went
in favor of BYU. You see, going into the fourth
quarter had just converted one third down on the game.

(57:47):
BYU was fifty percent on third downs. They possessed the ball,
they didn't beat themselves, they didn't have costly penalties. You
said you didn't get to watch much of the game, Austin,
BYU solid. BYU's not the eleventh ranked team in the
country that just has NFL talent all over the field.

(58:07):
They're just good. They're solid. They don't beat themselves. And
UC does not do the things necessary and has not
done the things necessary to win games like that, at
least so far in the Scotts Suderfield era. As Austin
mentioned Ohen sixteen when trailing at the half one in
ten in the month of November, since joining the Big Twelve,

(58:32):
that's not going to be good enough. And now it
feels again as the season is unraveled. You got to
go on the road a day after Thanksgiving, you fly out,
you play on Saturday. You're an underdog in a game.
Now that doesn't mean anything as it relates to conference
opportunity to play for a Big Twelve championship. You've slid

(58:54):
down that totem pole it's it's just been a season
of missus for the Bearcats, especially over the last couple
of weeks, and they have landed themselves back into this
feeling of kind of no man's land, and I think
that's one of the scarier places to be in college football.
A frustrating night. It was also made frustrating because of

(59:15):
what happened Friday night. UC fell to Louisville at Heritage
Bank Arena in a game in which you see led early,
they led at the half. Louisville ultimately pulls away and
wins the game by ten. Good defensive effort from the
Bearcats Friday night, very poor on the offensive side of
the ball. Bobo Miller did not play for much of
the second half, and I thought he was phenomenal in

(59:36):
the first half, but he went out with an injury
at the start of the second half that certainly hurt
the Bearcats as well. But all in all, a very
disappointing weekend here locally for the Cincinnati Bearcats as Wes
Miller failed to get his signature win and Scott Sadderfield
misses another opportunity at a marquee win for the Cincinnati Bearcats,

(59:56):
and what was sandwiched in between of a really fun time,
the crowd, the Atmos Big Neon kickoff. It was fun
in Clifton on Saturday leading up to nip at Night,
and it's unfortunate that this addition of the Bearcats felt
all too similar to the last couple editions of the
Bearcats as we get down the stretch. For what it's worth,

(01:00:17):
the Bearcats have also now lost four consecutive games on
Senior Day, so all things trending Austin and the complete
wrong direction for the Cincinnati Bearcats, and it's led to
again this feeling of I guess, helplessness, a frustration. I

(01:00:41):
don't even know what it is, but I do know
it is just just not fun. It's not fun to
have a chance to win a big game against the
eleventh ranked team in the country and instead talk about
miscues and being close but just not getting it done.
I mean, it's almost laughable to point Austin. If you
go back to last year, Stephen Russnacht at Charlotte didn't

(01:01:02):
miss a kick all year going into the game Saturday night,
he missed just one on the season, and misses three
in the biggest moment in a game. You end up
losing by twelve, but you were within six with four
and a half minutes left. You left nine points on
the board just by and they weren't It wasn't hail

(01:01:23):
Mary type field goals. They were all makeable field goals
that Russknack has hit all season long. A failed fourth
down from the three or four yard line where you
ran the exact same look and play that you ran
earlier on the drive to convert a fourth and short
maddening on so many levels and has led the Bearcats

(01:01:44):
again falling back to seven and four, with one more
regular season opportunity in front of them on Saturday in
Fort Worth against TCU, a team, by the way, there's
also seven and four and UH looking to surpass the
Cincinnati Bearcats in the Big twelve standings. We will take

(01:02:06):
a break when we come back. The Monday midday quarterback
edition of Your Talkbacks next on the Home of the
Bengals ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station, thanks to CINTI.

Speaker 17 (01:02:15):
Shirts, WCKY, Cincinnati and iHeartRadio Station Guaranteed Human ESPN fifteen
thirty I Heard Radio Backs.

Speaker 4 (01:02:30):
Press the microphone and record your message or Austin in
tone please keep it.

Speaker 18 (01:02:36):
Clean and don't be mean as a sprinkle sprinkle, drip, drip.

Speaker 3 (01:02:42):
It's that time for talkbacks.

Speaker 4 (01:02:44):
It's our favorite part of Sincy three sixty.

Speaker 12 (01:02:49):
So Austin, buddy, play those.

Speaker 4 (01:02:51):
Talkbacks on your screen and please ride out to sabotage.

Speaker 2 (01:02:59):
It's the Monday midday quarterback edition of your talkbacks. Thanks
to Cincy Shurtch. Thank you for listening on ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports station. Yeah yeah, it uhhh, it is.

Speaker 19 (01:03:13):
It is.

Speaker 3 (01:03:13):
I'm just it wouldn't surprise me.

Speaker 9 (01:03:15):
No, it is.

Speaker 3 (01:03:16):
There's a lot of them, so I'm making sure I
start at the right spot. Uh So, I just headed
to a little bit of scrolling.

Speaker 11 (01:03:24):
Hacking Monday, everybody. I also hoping Georgia mow management day
off on Friday. Defense. I thought they played well enough
to win that game, especially at the pick six.

Speaker 3 (01:03:33):
At the offense.

Speaker 11 (01:03:34):
Signed not to show other than Chase Brown, I show
speed roller of the jungle and hey, one of those
family members was on the sidelines there in the former
Zach Taylor, is I show back coaching? I show I
showed poor decisions and I showing up should be fired?

Speaker 18 (01:03:49):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (01:03:50):
Yikes, wow, show enough all.

Speaker 4 (01:03:53):
Right, Hello, this is former president Ronalder again. Will it
wasn't a complete loss this weekend for since Addie sports fans. No,
the Reds didn't have a bad weekend at all. Oh,
And wouldn't it be ironic if Joe Burrow were to
come back for Thursday Night's game and lead the Bengals
to six straight victories to end the season, only to

(01:04:15):
miss the playoffs by one game? If only Zach would
have played Joe yesterday.

Speaker 3 (01:04:22):
Yep, just saying, yep, yep, yep, Blue Lima well up.

Speaker 20 (01:04:27):
Drove two hours each way yesterday to see our best
quarterback option not play and Zach Taylor tuck his tail
between his legs on fourth and one. I've been a
Zach defender for a long time, but his seven years
in the league and he still just does not get it,
has no feel for the game. Can't defend him anymore.

Speaker 3 (01:04:50):
Yep. That's pretty much how I feel like Zach. I
think he's a really good coach. Offensively, he's a great guy.
I just feel like it's run its course. Hey, Tony
and Austin, it's here.

Speaker 21 (01:05:00):
I know we have been just bashing our defense all year,
all season, and they deserve credit.

Speaker 3 (01:05:07):
They played so much better yesterday.

Speaker 21 (01:05:10):
I think we all seen that. It's a good feeling
because there is hope for this defense. And you know,
we played very well against the Patriots, so Chase would
have been playing, who knows, we probably would have been
able to win that game. So let's move on to Thanksgiving.

Speaker 3 (01:05:27):
I think we just got a lot of those if
this would have happened. If hey, guys, yeah, there's an
old saying out there, if ifs and butts were candy
and nuts or something like that.

Speaker 22 (01:05:37):
Yep, hey, guys, Jim and Milford here, if you can't tell,
film pretty down a brutal weekends for Cincinnati Sports. I
don't know if it's going to take bus loads and
bus loads of Catholic priests to come down to Fountain
Square and do an exorcism on whatever curse is going

(01:05:59):
on in this city with Cincinnati Sports. But man, it's
just it's just brutal to live here.

Speaker 3 (01:06:09):
I still believe. I still believe it's the curse of
Aftab pure vol and what he did going into the
twenty twenty two or it would have been January of
twenty three AFC Championship game, what he did in the
mockery he made fool he made of himself in the
city in Bengals fans with that dumb ass proclamation.

Speaker 23 (01:06:33):
It's the Lord. Hey, Tony, Hey Austin. Did you happen
to watch the NFL today? Do you happen to check
out what Nate Burlson was wearing? No, I didn't know.

Speaker 3 (01:06:43):
There was a Star Trek.

Speaker 23 (01:06:45):
Convention in town. I guess he was going to that afterwards.
I didn't know see it in prospered, Nate.

Speaker 3 (01:06:52):
Do you find yourself watching pregame shows as much anymore?

Speaker 24 (01:06:55):
Nope?

Speaker 3 (01:06:57):
Nope, I do not.

Speaker 25 (01:06:58):
As a season ticket whole in FC Cincinnati, I've never
been so embarrassed or disgusted with a performance as I
was last night. I woke up this morning and I
honestly believe it's time to move on from Pat Noonan.
The guy has not won in the playoffs. This team
is spent money, so there's no excuse there. We need

(01:07:22):
a coach that can get us to the finish line,
and clearly he cannot.

Speaker 3 (01:07:27):
A lot of changes coming for FC Cincinnati as well.
I know there's gonna be a lot of roster turnover
and stuff like that.

Speaker 26 (01:07:35):
Happy Monday guys, Ken from the city here, Salt Lake City,
that is Austin. You nailed it last week when you
guessed where I would be. I'm impressed and flattered. Full disclosure,
I'm actually in Ogden, which is just north of Salt
Lake City. As for the Cincinnati teams this weekend, so anyway,

(01:08:00):
who day, go Rich and can go big Blue?

Speaker 3 (01:08:02):
All right?

Speaker 27 (01:08:03):
Wow?

Speaker 3 (01:08:04):
Getting out getting up early for US yep.

Speaker 28 (01:08:07):
One win from any team other than Zavier would have
been great this weekend. West for once, just beat the
team no one thinks you can beat. It just seems
like a copy and paste. No matter what the big
game is, it gets the same result. As for sat
this one wasn't all on you. But man, you lose
next week and I have seats the scorching hot. It's
just too many mistakes and key moments in that game.

(01:08:28):
And as for the Bengals, Joe, please don't win us
a couple of random games here down the stretch and
scared we're gonna be in purgatory, that is, draft in
a Shamar type.

Speaker 3 (01:08:38):
Purgatory.

Speaker 24 (01:08:40):
Austin and Tony, if you want to question my since
he sports fandom after this, that's understandable. But I know
I wasn't going to one to do this.

Speaker 23 (01:08:46):
On Friday morning, I woke up when I.

Speaker 24 (01:08:48):
Looked at the since He Sports Weekend landscape, and my
heart's said, we're gonna win at least one of these games.
But my brain said, take the money line parlay, and
that's exactly what I did. It's new too, though it
was only plus six fifty.

Speaker 3 (01:09:02):
Yeah, a lot.

Speaker 2 (01:09:03):
I talked about this on on Friday, what great value
it was, and I think a lot of people took
advantage of it.

Speaker 3 (01:09:08):
I mean, it's not like we were favored in any
of the game, no, so I wasn't surprised by the
result of FI.

Speaker 29 (01:09:17):
Happy Monday, Jens wondering if we've reached the point of
the season where it's time to discuss Jake Browning's restricted
free agent status for next year and what his contract
situation is gonna be.

Speaker 3 (01:09:27):
Thank you, man, I don't think we have to worry
about that anymore. Yeah, I think you think we have
to worry about that. I thought he was He's just
a normal guy. But I do think he's technically a
restricted free agent. But the Bengals, they won't be worrying
about that.

Speaker 30 (01:09:40):
They will be to be kidding me, wrapping this city
out here, Sonny hot Zona?

Speaker 3 (01:09:45):
What up, Tony? What up?

Speaker 12 (01:09:45):
Body?

Speaker 30 (01:09:46):
You see basketball can't hit shots to save a life.
I'm already starting to turn the seat up on West
of Slap the tight bit, dude, your team can't make shots?

Speaker 3 (01:09:54):
You see football, Coach sat see already on fire. Frame
him up. You don't featre Joe worry.

Speaker 30 (01:10:00):
You don't win big games.

Speaker 3 (01:10:01):
It is frustrating, you see, just frustrating.

Speaker 30 (01:10:05):
Bengals are the Bengals, and FC Cincinnati was just so
heartbreaking and crushing.

Speaker 26 (01:10:09):
It was.

Speaker 3 (01:10:10):
It was I share a lot of those sentiments. Sorry
about that, my SISI peeps.

Speaker 30 (01:10:19):
I'm just a mad, frustrated Cincinnati fan out here, so
hard to be optimistic in my city. Sports teams, man,
especially when they get in big game situations you see football.
I'm speaking directly towards you, Coach sat Man. It's like
you're getting out coaching every big game. But you play
against these small teams and the other teams. You guys
do good, but you're gonna listen these big teams and
big game situations you disappear, just irritating what you see football.

Speaker 3 (01:10:43):
I'm ready to let coach sat Man. Ronnie's going through
it today. Ronnie's going through it. I feel for him.

Speaker 31 (01:10:51):
Hey, Tony, I was at the game Friday night. I
said hi to you when you were walking down your
seats when you first got there. Does you see do
you not play the national anthem at crazy games? Because
they didn't during that game, Go Muskies.

Speaker 2 (01:11:11):
I said that to my wife. I've never been to
a basketball game where they didn't play the national anthem.
They did not play at pregame at all. No idea
what happened. I can tell you exactly what happened. I'm
gonna keep my thoughts to myself.

Speaker 32 (01:11:28):
Walker from the West Side checking on here. After the
possible worst weekend for Cincinnati sports. I was at the
Louisville game. Really wasn't even competitive the second half, But
with all that being said, we kind of suspected all
these other teams were gonna lose. I saw people hitting
that parlay, but Austin, you hit the nail on the head.
One of the worst ones was obviously the Giants game.

Speaker 13 (01:11:47):
I was there.

Speaker 32 (01:11:48):
I was also at the Bengals playoff loss with the
perfect but my personal worst nightmare in Nashville when U
see Xavier both lost back to back.

Speaker 3 (01:11:58):
That's a good one. Yep, that's a good one. Forget that, man, so.

Speaker 23 (01:12:02):
And I'll tell you what's going on with theobon and
diego pab your mom.

Speaker 33 (01:12:05):
She bet that's what's going on.

Speaker 3 (01:12:07):
Man, deal said, I want.

Speaker 14 (01:12:08):
A piece of that.

Speaker 34 (01:12:12):
Hey, Tony Austin, this is David from Provo. Happened to
be down for the game this past weekend. I don't
hold it against those kids, those rascals. They're just having fun.

Speaker 35 (01:12:21):
Like I said, it was unsavory, but I'm.

Speaker 34 (01:12:24):
Not gonna hold it against some who am I to
judge anyway. I'll let you guys go.

Speaker 3 (01:12:29):
Thank you, David, Thank you appreciate that.

Speaker 36 (01:12:32):
Hey Austin, Tony, this is Steve down in Parking, Florida.
I made it up to the game this weekend, the
since EBYU game, And I don't know that BYU actually
travels that well.

Speaker 3 (01:12:44):
I just think they sent like about like.

Speaker 36 (01:12:45):
A hundred very talented fans that are just having a
knack for recruiting in the parking lot before the game.

Speaker 3 (01:12:53):
Oh maybe maybe a knack for recruiting.

Speaker 19 (01:12:58):
You say, Okay, hey Joe from case here, two things
one miles Garrett out here playing mad and everybody else
is playing NFL football on that field. It's kind of funny.
And then secondly, I'm wondering if you guys think the uh,
the Bengals will get too bull eligible this year. They're
gonna hit six wins.

Speaker 3 (01:13:18):
I don't know, ball eligibility. Probably gonna rattle off about
six straight here at number nine coming back.

Speaker 37 (01:13:25):
Yeah, Brian Kelly's son, he didn't fall too far from
the tree. The UC student chant unacceptable, very rude, tough
loss for UC football man. They gotta do a better
job stopping to run. I thought the Bengals defense had
some life to him, you know, O side Jenkins Stone,

(01:13:50):
the linebackers, where have they been?

Speaker 3 (01:13:54):
I believe they were only given six six misstackles according
to pro football folks. That's a day now, Yeah, that's
a day.

Speaker 26 (01:14:05):
Well, they made the Pats earn it. I guess too
bad they're allergic to tight ends.

Speaker 2 (01:14:12):
Yeah, Hunter Henry Man, I didn't see that coming. Didn't
see that coming.

Speaker 3 (01:14:18):
Uh, getting word here that the national anthem was skipped
because there was an issue with the clock and scoreboard,
and so they skipped it because people were working on
the clock and scoreboard.

Speaker 38 (01:14:37):
Hey there, leaving early Tony and Austin. Tough weekend for
Cincinnati sports. I got a stot bench cut of tea.
Two Cincinnati mascots for you. Put Chopped from the Cyclones,
Gappa from the Reds, and Gary the Lion from FC

(01:14:58):
Cincinnati Tier two.

Speaker 3 (01:15:00):
I don't know. I don't know that I would say
any of them are tier. I think Gapper's fantastic puck Chop.
Puck Chop is a low key good mascot. Let's start.
I'd start Gapper for sure. Puck Chop better than old Twister.
I'll tell you that.

Speaker 39 (01:15:17):
Anybody knows the echo plasm all over the Bengals secondary yesterday.
This totally explains the last twenty five years. Tight Ends
are actually ghosts to the Bengals.

Speaker 18 (01:15:25):
They can't see them.

Speaker 39 (01:15:27):
Not their fault, But who a you gonna call anyway?
Audie really coming around your boys. As he said, We're
gonna find a win because losing is the worst.

Speaker 3 (01:15:35):
He's gonna find that win. He's been certain high low, looking.

Speaker 39 (01:15:38):
Under every rock. He's even looking at his cookie jar
for that win. Keep looking, Zach. Those unicorns and rainbows
is gonna show up soon.

Speaker 3 (01:15:47):
We're close man.

Speaker 40 (01:15:49):
Hey, guys, Stephen Montgomery. The most disgusting thing about yesterday
the Bengals loss was the pick six by Gino Stone.
Why was it disgusting? Well, first of all, it was
a horrible throw that he into and he did make
a nice run back. But because of that, we'll never
see Tyson Anderson or Jon and Year, despite the fact
that it was Hunter Henry that kept usually running right

(01:16:10):
by his zone and he loves left unattended and went
off for a career high Hunter Henry, you own Geno Stone.

Speaker 3 (01:16:19):
Yeah, I get the feeling. I've kind of heard that,
like Tyson Anderson doesn't know the playbook like that. That's
kind of and Zach kind of alluded to that last week.
I think that's maybe part of the equation, which, you know,
if that's the case, dear God, what's he been doing?
What if you been doing this whole time? I do

(01:16:39):
think we'll see Dejon Anthony though. I think we'll see him,
and then we should. Tony be sick. It's the man.
Here's how the rest of the season is going to go.
Joe Burrow is gonna come back.

Speaker 18 (01:16:52):
They're gonna win three or four games, blow a good
draft pick and Joe Burrow might even get her again.
The Bengals are going nowhere fast and they're gonna wind
up messing up their draft stock. You guys have another
best day ever.

Speaker 3 (01:17:11):
Well, the draft stock's not that great to begin with.
I think it's still number nine. They could lose out,
they'd probably still be picking like nine to twelve. So
I don't know that there's a huge difference draft pickwise.
I also don't think when you when you have a quarterback,
I don't think that's the right way to look at it.

Speaker 10 (01:17:34):
I forgot to mention when I saw Tony at the game.
At one point, when Louisville started pulling ahead, Tony walked
up and with one of his friends and said, get
me to the old Smoky Moonshine bar right now.

Speaker 2 (01:17:51):
Sounds like something you would say, listen, there's not many
drink choices that are normally my go to that Heritage
Bank arena, if you know what I mean. So I
found the old smoky spot right there, and I went
and visited that for a cocktail.

Speaker 3 (01:18:08):
Do you have a drinking problem? No, I got no
problem drinking at all.

Speaker 41 (01:18:14):
Thank you, hey, guys, Paul from Cleaves here, I can
honestly tell you I've quit wasting my Sundays on the Bengals.
The season's over. I don't expect us to win twelve games. Ever,
because of the leadership that we have. I don't expect

(01:18:35):
us to contend ever again. We are gonna waste this
talent that we have and there's nothing gonna happen.

Speaker 3 (01:18:44):
Okay, well, I hope you find something that you like, Paul.

Speaker 21 (01:18:48):
Yeah.

Speaker 42 (01:18:48):
I think another positive for the Bengals yesterday was Jake
Browning played pretty well. He wont Sean fourteen yards. Unbelievable.
Shout out Jake Browning. Great game, dude.

Speaker 3 (01:19:01):
I'll tell you what. I was horrified when I saw
him throw that ball in the run. I was like,
who's going to catch this? Great ball?

Speaker 32 (01:19:08):
Though?

Speaker 3 (01:19:09):
Yep, good afternoon, gentlemen. This is Rod from Michigan.

Speaker 43 (01:19:11):
What I don't get is, if Burrow's going to play Thursday,
why not activate him for Sunday for the Patriots game
and let him back up case Flacco couldn't throw the
ball down the field, Let Burrow come in third or
fourth quarter, let Joe throw the ball down the field.
And plus I want marvelus the fact though, GM get

(01:19:34):
Tobin out of here.

Speaker 3 (01:19:36):
Have a good day, gentlemen. Could you imagine let's say
that scenario happened and instead of Jake Browning running out there,
it was Joe Burrow and he throws a dot on
the run and then comes back out for just back
to win.

Speaker 36 (01:19:52):
Again, double dipping. This is mock draft Monday coaches version.
I think we get Joe Brady as an offensive court
or burro. I think we bring in Matt Patricia coach
defensive minded Matt Patricia, and I think we bring in
Bill Belatick as a GM.

Speaker 16 (01:20:11):
Let's go.

Speaker 3 (01:20:12):
First of all, keep telling, keep your grubby Pauls off
of Matt Patricia. He has fine, fine where he is.
And I want nothing to do with Joe Brady. Have
you seen that offense? You want to talk about people
turning on somebody. Joe Brady is not a popular guy
in Buffalo right now.

Speaker 28 (01:20:28):
Negative Hey, Tony, Hey, Tony, Hey, it's Jimmy, Jimmy Clawson.

Speaker 3 (01:20:34):
I met Jimmy yesterday.

Speaker 10 (01:20:35):
It was so good yesterday.

Speaker 12 (01:20:37):
My god, Wow.

Speaker 3 (01:20:39):
I want an environment down there.

Speaker 4 (01:20:41):
Man.

Speaker 18 (01:20:42):
Hey, I took that.

Speaker 3 (01:20:45):
I think I took that. Bill, I got to register.

Speaker 12 (01:20:47):
I didn't have that, did I?

Speaker 13 (01:20:50):
Get that.

Speaker 44 (01:20:51):
Oh man, hey, I gotta get down there and see
you all one day.

Speaker 3 (01:20:54):
You and uh Austin Gilmore. I met Jimmy yesterday.

Speaker 35 (01:21:01):
Good to see Austin. I absolutely loved a My your
optimism and I to sharing those optimistic qualities. But I
have to agree with Mo in his tweet if anyone
saw it, I think there's a greater chance of Jennifer
anis than going to a Bengals game with Mo than
there is of the Bengals making the playoffs. Would make
for great radio though, if we got around the show
love that?

Speaker 3 (01:21:19):
Yeah? Did you? By the way, there was a photo
shoot a couple of weeks ago Jennifer Anderson, Oh, still
bringing it? I didn't see that. So, yeah, did you
see this exchange with me and Mo? Today? I saw
that you're putting out playoffs prediction. So I'm going through
all my stuff in the morning. I'm like, all right,
finished up, let me go through the playoff predictor one time?

(01:21:41):
Can I get the Bengals in the playoffs at eight
and nine? And I could? I found a way so
they can go five and one. It's disgusting. The rest
of the way, it's disgusting and make the playoffs. It
just start getting you to do different stuff with your time.

Speaker 9 (01:21:56):
Now.

Speaker 3 (01:21:57):
I also tried away this is not this is not
a joke. I also tried a way to get the
Titans into the playoffs with them winning out. It didn't happen.
Couldn't figure that one out.

Speaker 44 (01:22:09):
I am broken.

Speaker 45 (01:22:12):
Final nail in the coffin for both football teams. Hats
off to BYU fans were very nice and they traveled
extremely well.

Speaker 3 (01:22:29):
And shame on the college kids or.

Speaker 45 (01:22:32):
Saying what they said after BYU donated twenty thousand.

Speaker 3 (01:22:40):
Yeahl and Zach Taylor?

Speaker 46 (01:22:41):
Does anybody else find his press conference is unbearable to
watch them? I'm fascinated, but I try to watch him
and get through them, but I just can't get through
a full press conference what I want without wanting to
throw my phone. I mean, his inflection, his lack of
self awareness just radiates.

Speaker 3 (01:22:58):
It's for jaruous to try to watch that guy.

Speaker 46 (01:23:01):
And I can't imagine what he's like in the locker
room trying to give you know, pregame speeches and stuff
like that.

Speaker 3 (01:23:07):
Just my goodness, don't tell your phone those things are expensive.
I'm fascinated by his press conferences. I love watching them. Uh,
And I don't think the Zach Taylor that speaks to
his team is the same Zach Taylor that speaks to
the rest of us. And I don't know that there
are many coaches that are like that coach speaks.

Speaker 8 (01:23:27):
Hey, guys, Arcus and the grove.

Speaker 18 (01:23:30):
This weekend basically put the nail and a coffin for
the entire winter, Especially for me.

Speaker 3 (01:23:38):
I don't have much confidence right now.

Speaker 27 (01:23:40):
And Mark Poop and the Kentucky Wildcats, Oh, No, one
hundred and twenty three days until we are dumping on
that smoke Justice Opening Day, Baby, that's all I got
before too now.

Speaker 3 (01:23:50):
Yikes, got Lee already twenty three already down the days pictures.

Speaker 16 (01:23:56):
And Bengal supply country. There's no short job, gallible Bengals
fans waiting in lying to give Mike Brown their money,
their time, and their devotion because out here we know
what it takes to be a real fan. We're born
and bred that way. You can knock us down, but
we'll keep getting backed up, smiling through them broken teeth

(01:24:17):
because out here we never give up, and.

Speaker 3 (01:24:19):
We always say there's always next year. Who the Yeah,
let's go. Hey, keep smiling, Keep smiling.

Speaker 39 (01:24:30):
Austin, Tony TJ east Side touching on the defenders not
looking for the ball.

Speaker 3 (01:24:34):
I wanted to ask this question for a while.

Speaker 39 (01:24:35):
I clearly don't understand the strategy of not looking when
the receiver is in the back corner of the end zone.
You have two extra defenders the back line, the sideline.
There was nowhere for the receiver to go, but there's
still faceguard the receiver with absolutely zero idea. See what's
going behind them? Should they not be playing the back
corner of the end zone differently? What am I missing here?

Speaker 3 (01:24:53):
You should?

Speaker 2 (01:24:53):
It's almost like the baseline in basketball. That's how you
should be playing it.

Speaker 3 (01:24:58):
Did anybody hear that weird in the background during Joe
Flacker's press conference yesterday. Let me play it for you
a couple of different plays, and this could look like
a much different story. Oh yeah, listen, I mean, it's
all about winning in this league.

Speaker 23 (01:25:11):
And you know I've talked about it alive.

Speaker 3 (01:25:16):
Did you hear that here? Let me let me play
it one more time.

Speaker 1 (01:25:19):
Oh yeah, listen, I mean it's all about winning in
this league.

Speaker 3 (01:25:21):
And yeah, that's Zach Taylor squeezing his clown nose. I
know exactly what that is as someone who has driven
many golf carts through the bowels of Paul Brown Stadium
in my day. That is the sound of a horn
at one of the corners. And the media room is

(01:25:42):
right next to one of the corners. So every once
in a while, because you know a lot of you
be youlla be safe driving down there. You gotta boop.
Let people know I'm coming around this corner. I've seen
some accidents down there. Being a big fan of the
Bengals and the Bearcats, I think all three teams suffer

(01:26:04):
from the same thing. They just cannot finish.

Speaker 19 (01:26:07):
There's always an excuse if it's not the offense, it's
a defense, it's turnovers, it's players are hurt, whatever it is.

Speaker 3 (01:26:14):
And I think it's all a reflection of the coaches.

Speaker 19 (01:26:16):
The coaches don't instill that confidence that we're going to
take it attitude.

Speaker 3 (01:26:21):
They're just.

Speaker 2 (01:26:24):
It just it always comes down to dress well. It
just didn't do this right today, didn't do.

Speaker 47 (01:26:29):
Any Thank you for suggesting the bet about all four
Cincinnati teams losing this weekend. I know you said the
all four Cincinnati teams winning thing was pretty good. I
did the five dollars on each and I still came
out on top of twenty bucks ahead. Because you know
it's either going to be disaster or yeah, just pretty

(01:26:49):
much you know it's going to be disaster. I probably
wasted that five bucks on all four winning.

Speaker 33 (01:26:54):
Congratulations a Cincinnati losing weekend start Bencher Cutt.

Speaker 3 (01:27:01):
Who's more likely to lose?

Speaker 33 (01:27:04):
Tony Pike and the Anthony Bourdain sophisticated palette contests? Austin
Ellmore and the Budweiser Budding. I'm the Budsman contest, huh
or mo Egger in the chromas Dome contest.

Speaker 3 (01:27:21):
Probably probably with Boardaine. Yeah, I'll start it. I don't
even know what a Budsman is easy, Bud.

Speaker 29 (01:27:33):
I was a huge Zach Taylor defender for a long time.
I would go to war for this guy. Not anymore.

Speaker 3 (01:27:40):
I can't do it.

Speaker 29 (01:27:41):
An offensive coordinator. He's great, he's amazing. He's gonna be
a great offensive coordinator somewhere when he leaves the Bengals.
But he's not getting it done as a head coach.
I don't know if he can't handle all the duties
that's on his plate, but he's not getting the job done,
and it's time to move on. Great guy, great offensive
coordinator here.

Speaker 3 (01:28:01):
Mhm.

Speaker 2 (01:28:03):
I love Mitch Tinsley, but do you think we can
get maybe a third round pick for him?

Speaker 3 (01:28:07):
He's at least the number two, number three wide receiver.
Might as well. Uh no, you got no chance to
get this.

Speaker 18 (01:28:17):
You're here.

Speaker 8 (01:28:19):
How come Charlie Jones runs out of bounds? Look just
a battery kickoff, wants fight for the.

Speaker 3 (01:28:24):
Out of I'm just curious why it's not true.

Speaker 2 (01:28:29):
Of a full page of notes that I have from
yesterday's game, Charlie Jones and the returns are not one
of them.

Speaker 3 (01:28:37):
Tony Pike, your thoughts on Heaven? Brian Kelly take over
for Zach Taylor. He coach the Bengals. Fox, all right,
bring him here, I will. I'm done. If that's the case,
I'm out.

Speaker 2 (01:28:50):
Bring him in. I am bring him in. What do
you mean you're out? Putting down the microphone? You mean
you're out?

Speaker 3 (01:28:56):
I won't deal with that guy. Wow, I won't do it.
Weekly Segment. Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope nope. BK and
his bros. Nope nope, nopop nope nope nope. You will
do this show with Kenzel Kelly, I am not doing that. Also,
do you think it's funny when people call you by
your first and last name sometimes like hey, Tony Pike?

(01:29:16):
Sometimes I think that's funny. All Right, those our last one.
All right, we're very late, we're gonna break, we'll come back.
I'm guessing one quick segment and then we'll get to
our three where Austin will take it from there. Oh yeah, man,
Well ahead to Florence for the Tony and Mo Football Show.
It all comes up next, ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 1 (01:29:34):
Man trouble in the bed.

Speaker 5 (01:29:36):
This is football in the NATI. Blutch you and part
by Blood Light and by Oakley Greens on ESPN fifteen thirty,
the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 2 (01:29:48):
All Right, welcome back. It is football in the NATI.
We are finishing up our number two here on the
Monday midday Quarterback ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station. Really
brief here if you missed it earlier, As Zach Taylor
did speak play his press conference, send It's entirety on
the Tony and Mo Football Show later this afternoon, but
he did confirm Austin no t Higgins, No, Trey Hendrickson

(01:30:11):
for sure on Thursday night. Did anything else stand out
from that conversation that we've had.

Speaker 3 (01:30:16):
Yet, Well, I haven't had a chance to hear what
Zach said. I have it recorded. But how long did
Zach talk today? Thirteen minutes and eight seconds according to this. Okay,
but here's the big thing. He said he anticipates Joe
Burrow playing. That's right now. They don't really have a
real practice this week because of the short week. Joe

(01:30:39):
Burrow has posted on his Instagram story. Oh it is
the famous photo of him wearing his Lebron James jersey
in the mirror when he was probably in high school. Yes,
I would imagine, yes, And the caption simply says, He's back.
Let's go, Let's go. Let's go Joe, joey b Let's go.

(01:31:03):
Joe appears to be coming back, Let's go, Joe. What
do you got? I can't speak for everybody, but I'm
a Joe Burrow fan.

Speaker 12 (01:31:11):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:31:11):
It's gonna make Thanksgiving better to be able to turn
that into Joe Burrow is a kid from a small
town in Ohio, just like me. Okay, I like Joe Burrow.

Speaker 12 (01:31:20):
I do too.

Speaker 3 (01:31:22):
He's very similar to you, a kid from a small
town in Ohio that made it to the big leagues.
You got a couple more trophies than you do. But
that's okay, a couple more still. Yeah, I'm not a Burrow.
I'm not saying you did. I don't think we should
operate from a spirit of fear. Okay, there is a

(01:31:45):
chance that he gets hurt on Thursday night. There's a
chance he gets hurt three years from now playing for
the Bengals. Every game he plays, there's a chance he
gets hurt. We saw it yesterday. That's the nature of
the business. That's a tough business, Yes, it is. Uh,
what do you got coming up? I want to talk

(01:32:06):
a little bit about my friend Zach Taylor. I don't know,
but he's my friend according to a lot of people,
because of the ferocious defense I have laid.

Speaker 2 (01:32:15):
Out for him in the past. Yep, that's good. That's
coming up next. It's the Monday midday quarterback and.

Speaker 3 (01:32:23):
Also what happens if Joe Burrow comes back and they
are good again. I'm going to talk about how that question.
I'm going to talk about this wins versus draft slots.
How that could shape the conversation about the franchise's future.
BANG phone lines are open to at five one, three, seven,
four nine, fifteen thirty. Here we go.

Speaker 2 (01:32:42):
It is since he three sixty. Monday mid Day Quarterback
ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 5 (01:32:49):
You've been listening to Football in the NATI on ESPN
fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 1 (01:33:01):
From me, this is Tony Pike's Monday Midday Quarterback Show,
brought to you and buttby Ajorned Window Company. They sell
the best and service the rest. Cincinnati Tax Resolution powered
by top Sheldon O'Connor, Johnny and Levy Attorneys You know,
attorneys you trust. Visit oeldash Law dot com. Donados the

(01:33:23):
official pizza of the Bengals. Quality Black Coping, Cincinnati's most
trusted company, and by Thomas Moore University. Accelerate your career
with a business degree from Thomas Moore University on ESPN
fifteen thirty, The official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 3 (01:33:42):
Hi, Hello, Welcome in final hour of Tony Pike's Monday
Midday Quarterback Here on ESPN fifteen thirty. My names Austin Elmore,
Tony back alongside Moegar about forty minutes from right now
for quick hits ahead of the Tony and mo Football
show that'll come your way this afternoon from three to
six at Twin Peaks in Florence. News of the day

(01:34:06):
is that Joe Burrow, according to Zach Taylor, is anticipated
to start on Thursday night, Thanksgiving Night in Baltimore for
the Bengals. The Bengals now three to eight following a
loss twenty six to twenty to the New England Patriots yesterday,
a game that certainly was winnable. Cincinnati when having a
ten point lead in the Zach Taylor era prior to

(01:34:27):
yesterday was thirty six and six. We blew that ten
point lead and lost by six to New England to
make it thirty six and seven in the Taylor era
and three and eight on the season. Now, you might
be saying too little, too late for Joe Burrow to
come back, and I don't necessarily disagree with that. It's

(01:34:47):
nearly impossible for this team to go on a run
and to make the playoffs. I get it, and you
can make the argument, and I think it's a fair argument.
When there is a team that needs a lot of
hole and they need all the help they can get.
When it comes to drafting young players, it's a fair
argument to say this season needs to be about next

(01:35:09):
year and the year after that and the year after that.
So you should give other players a chance to play,
whether it be Jake Browning or Jermaine Burton, or Mitchell
Tinsley or any of the myriad of young players on defense.

Speaker 12 (01:35:24):
I get it.

Speaker 3 (01:35:25):
I understand that, and I would have a hard time
arguing against it. That being said, Joe Burrow is the
face of the franchise. He's the best player. He's being
paid fifty five million dollars. The players on that team
respect him. They I think, have a renewed focus and

(01:35:46):
a renewed energy when he's on the field and in
the locker room and engaged in the meetings and around.
I think that he in and of himself, raises the
standard for everybody, not just the players that he plays
next to, but the coaches all the way on down
and all the way on up. I believe that that's

(01:36:08):
the type of impact that Joe Burrow has. And this
has been a season that feels like it's from hell.
Nothing seems to go right. They can't seem to make
the right the right plays and the right moments for
winning football. They always seem to make the mistake or
get that penalty, or drop that pass, or you don't

(01:36:28):
go forward on third and one, or you don't go
forward on fourth and one, or the punt goes through
the back of the end zone, or the fumble happened.
It's just nothing has gone right for this team. They
are in this weird situation where they could very easily
be ohen eight or oh in eleven, or they could

(01:36:52):
be eight and three. Like the difference is not that
crazy when you think about this Patriots game, when you
think about the Bears game, when you think about, you know,
the Jets game, like, things could be so different. And
that's what I'm kind of afraid of with the idea
of Burrow coming back, because without him, it has exposed

(01:37:17):
the various issues on the roster and I think in
the coaching staff, and if you're Mike Brown and you're
the ownership group, if you're Katie and Troy and Elizabeth
and Caroline and all the members of the family that
operate this franchise, you surely have been taking note of

(01:37:38):
what has happened this year, and the ways in which
things have gone wrong and the reasons for which they
have gone wrong, and Joe Burrow not being there is
not a good enough excuse. Whether or not Burrow is there.
Many of this stuff was going to happen, especially defensively.

(01:37:59):
Now the offense maybe play some more complimentary football. Absolutely,
the turnovers from Jake Browning against Detroit and Minnesota inexcusable.
Those things, you know, that's a fair argument to say,
that's just kind of a bit of a you know,
an outlier, and in the Minnesota game, for sure, I

(01:38:19):
get it. But there are plenty of issues top to
bottom with this team. There have been a lot of
things that have gone poorly. There have been a couple
of things that have gone well. I think the development
of the offensive line has been a good thing. Dylan
Fairchild especially that appears to be a hit on a

(01:38:41):
draft pick. The Bengals when it comes to running the
football are the best in the National Football League over
the last month. I think they're up total to like
second in the NFL in expected points added per rush
and one of the best, if not the best, inefficiency
in the run game. That I think is a testament

(01:39:02):
to good offensive line play, good play calling, and good coaching.
That's a positive because that run game was atrocious to
start the season. And I get that there are gonna
be people out there that say, well, that's because of
Joe Flacco, and that's because of under center, and that's
because of blah blah blah. Well, Chase Brown has been
running from shotgun and under center at nearly the exact

(01:39:25):
same split this season as he was a year ago,
so that argument is invalid. And I do think, and
I heard Charlie say this Friday when he was talking
to Tony, that the idea of the shotgun versus under
center thing is one of the more wildly overblown topics
about the twenty twenty five Bengals. I'm not saying that
there's no merit to it at all. I just think

(01:39:48):
that it's become a crutch in the argument for criticizing
the offense and maybe at some points criticizing Joe Burrow.
Here's what I'm afraid of, though, if you go back
to that twenty twenty four season and Burrow played out
of his mind and Chase played out of his mind,

(01:40:09):
and there was so much good stuff offensively but there
were just a couple of plays. There were Evan McPherson
having a down year and an injury in a fumbled snap.
There was Tanner Hudson fumbling going into the end zone
on opening Day against the Patriots. There was the de
John Anthony pass interference against the Kansas City Chiefs. There

(01:40:29):
were a number of things that just went the other
way for the Bengals and because of that, they missed
the playoffs narrowly by one game, and going into the offseason,
the conversation by Duke Tobin and those around the team

(01:40:49):
basically said the quiet part out loud, which is that
we got unlucky this year and we're not gonna get
that unlucky again. And because of that, we're not going
to make a lot of changes. I promise you. The
only reason Trey Hendrickson is a Bengal this year is
because the Bengals thought they were close enough to win

(01:41:10):
a Super Bowl. They thought they could supplement the losses
of a Keem Davis Gaither and Jermaine Pratt with two
new linebackers. They thought that the issues on defense were
because of the coordinator, not because of the players themselves,
and they thought that all of this would end up
in being a net positive, and it would be just

(01:41:31):
enough for Burrow to lead the Bengals to the playoffs again. Well,
what happens when Joe gets hurt? Your backup quarterback gets exposed.
For what looks like it was probably a fraudulent twenty
twenty three season in which he came in for Burrow
and had a much better defense behind him. You trade
for a forty year old guy who's a great dude

(01:41:52):
and has been fun to watch, and a guy that's
easy to root for and put up some fun numbers.
But even he couldn't overcome the deficiencies of your defense,
and now he's playing compromise with a bad shoulder and
out with a bad finger. You came to realize very
quickly this season that last year wasn't just about being unlucky.

(01:42:14):
Last year was about you don't have the talent or
the development at those main positions, and you didn't do
a good enough job to fix it. Defensively, and it's
become an issue now offensively, I think you could say
took a step forward with the running backs, took a
step forward with the offensive line, took a step forward
with the tight end room. I've loved the addition of

(01:42:36):
Noah fan I think offensively, you know, without Burrow, obviously
it's a little bit different, but some of those key
spots that needed to be addressed, needed to be fixed,
have been fixed.

Speaker 9 (01:42:48):
Now.

Speaker 3 (01:42:48):
The detractor there would be Jermaine Burton is still completely useless.
Andre Yoshavash feels like maybe he took a step backwards,
But there's the potential development of Mitchell Tinsley. I think
that's a position that needs to be talked about in
the off season. I think left tackle is a position
that needs to be talked about in the offseason. But
your guard play got better, your center play got better.

(01:43:10):
Amarius Mims has gotten better and he stayed healthy. So offensively, overall,
I think you're pleased with what you got, even you know,
without Joe Burrow and all the different issues that you
had to fix and get better at, you got better
at even in the absence of Joe Burrow. I'm okay
with that. There aren't Joe Burrows that grow on trees,

(01:43:31):
and there was at one point a serious group of
people that thought that Joe Flacco was better than Joe Burrow.
Well over the last couple of weeks injured or not.
You've seen the difference between the two. And so what
I don't want to happen is Joe Burrow to come
in this Thursday night against the Ravens and play elite,

(01:43:53):
ridiculous football and the Bengals rattle off six straight wins
and that's used as an excuse for inaction in the
upcoming off season. Now, trust me, I want them to win.
I would love nothing more than for this team to
rattle off six straight wins and sneak their way into
the playoffs and see what happens. There's nothing I want

(01:44:14):
more I honest to God, I mean that. But you
cannot allow that to be an excuse for inaction in
the offseason. What you've learned about the team through these
first eleven twelve weeks, that's not or should not change

(01:44:34):
from the takeaways you have at the end of the season.
Yes there can be turnarounds, Yes there can be development,
Yes there can be good, Yes there can be change,
but let us not forget what we've seen over the
last eleven games, and don't let a few more games
five or six or four, whatever it might be. I
just accidentally threw my pen across the room. Don't let

(01:44:55):
that be a detractor from action in the offseason. If
you've heard me at all, I've said it extensively. The
Bengals have the cap space and the flexibility to improve
their roster next year. One of the big issues with
the Marvin Lewis era, starting in really if you go
from like two thousand and nine through that twenty fifteen

(01:45:18):
or sixteen season, is that they built a roster that
was capable of winning and getting to the playoffs, and
each year they didn't do enough to improve it because
it was almost as if, oh, we're good enough to
get to the playoffs. If that's the case, who knows
what can happen. If we're good enough to get to

(01:45:38):
the playoffs, something's finally going to go our way. If
we're good enough to go to the playoffs, we don't
need somebody to put us over the top. And so
each year the Bengals would kind of do the same thing.
They'd sign some mid level guy on the third or
fourth day of free agency who really wouldn't have that
much of an impact, but they could kind of say
they did something. And back then they drafted halfway decent.

(01:46:01):
But because they put the same plan in place every
off season, the same result would happen every season. They'd
get to the playoffs and they'd lose because they didn't
do enough to build the roster around the players that
they had. And that's what I'm afraid of happening with
this iteration of the Bengals. Now that they've paid the quarterback,

(01:46:25):
now that they've paid the wide receivers, now that they've
gone through yet another feud with Trey Hendrickson, are you
able to build a roster around the players you have?
Are you able to develop the young players? Are you
able to actually execute your plan? The Bengals plan has
been pretty clear, young players, young defenders, spend money on offense,

(01:46:49):
draft and develop on defense. The plan is clear, and
I can understand the plan, and I appreciate the plan.
It hasn't worked. And you cannot let nine to eight
last year lead to an off season of inaction. You
cannot let no matter what happens this year, whether the
Bengals go on a run and do the same thing

(01:47:09):
this year as they did last year, or whether they
go winless the rest of the way, with or without
Joe Burrow, you cannot allow yourself to think that this
play against the Bears, or that play against the Jets,
or this play against the Patriots, or that moment against
the Steelers, or that moment against Denver or that moment

(01:47:29):
against Detroit, that's enough to say, Okay, that's not going
to happen next year. We've got the things or the people,
or the places or the coaches that we like, so
let's go forward with them. You cannot afford to have
another season of inaction, another off season of inaction, and
you cannot look back at the moments or the bounces

(01:47:51):
or the luck of the twenty twenty four season or
the twenty twenty five season and say, you know what,
we're closer than people think. And I don't know that
that would work for Duke Tobin. Again, now we all
know that Duke very rarely speaks. And I've said on
this show and I stand by it. A guy who

(01:48:14):
allows someone else to get up there and take the
arrows for his failures, allows someone else to answer for
his shortcomings. A guy who never goes up there and
takes accountability for his own actions, I think that's a
reflection of poor character. I don't know Duke Tobin. I
don't know anything about Duke Tobin, but just from what

(01:48:36):
I do know and what I do see of him,
that to me is a reflection of poor character. And
I hope that Duke Tobin is starting to feel the heat,
and I hope that Mike and Katie and Troy and
everybody up there is putting the heat on him and
on Zach Taylor. Because you know what's weird about this

(01:48:56):
whole thing with Duke Tobin. Really, over the last twenty
five years, since he's been here, his name has not
really been brought up. It's not really been raked over
the coals, it's not really been on the hot seat.
Nobody's really pointed the finger at him. But I think
because of the job Zach Zach Taylor has done coaching

(01:49:17):
the offense, and what Joe and Jamar did last year
and what Flacco to an extent, has done this year,
and the fact that that's an offensive minded coach with
really good offensive players and they haven't been able to
draft and develop on defense, that to me means that
most people are looking around saying, hey, wait a minute,

(01:49:37):
Zach Taylor's doing his job. Joe Burrow and those guys
have done their job offensively, Why is this defense so bad?
And you fired Louis in a rumo he's having success
in the fingers start coming back towards Duke Tobin. This
is new for us. This is uncharted territory, uncharted territory
for the Bengals because Duke Tobin's never been in the

(01:49:59):
crosshairs bere and now he is. A couple of weeks ago,
Mike Florio Pro Foot Pro Football Talk says there are
rumblings about Duke Tobin getting fired. I read in The
Athletic this morning that there are NFL insiders wondering about
the future of Duke Tobin. I read on ESPN a

(01:50:23):
list of four NFL executives that should be under the
hot seat, and Duke Tobin was one of them. I
hope he's feeling the heat. He should be feeling the heat.
He's not the only one. We'll get into Zach Taylor
in just a moment. But I hope that that spurs

(01:50:44):
some action from this group. And you don't look at
what happened last year and look at what happened this
year and say, you know what, we're really not that
far away. Because I don't know if you've watched this
defense play, and while they have been better the last
two weeks, they are still miles and miles and miles
and miles and miles and miles and miles and miles
and miles away from being a championship caliber defense. And

(01:51:06):
if we're taking ourselves seriously, if we're telling the truth,
if we're in all this for the right reasons, it's
about championships and nothing else. The standard has to be upheld.
That's why I'm glad Burrow's coming back, because I think
Burrow holds people to a standard, and I hope and
I think in the past we've seen it a little

(01:51:28):
bit that Burrow can put the pressure on the organization
to uphold that standard as well. I'm not just talking
about the ownership group. I'm talking about Duke Tobin. I'm
talking about Zach Taylor. Let's keep talking about Zach when
we get back. ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 48 (01:51:42):
Hey, it's ma Legger. What a miserable football weekend in Cincinnati.
We have a lot to talk about today on the
Tony and Moll Football Show. Join us at Twin Peaks
in Florence, starting at three zero five on ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati sports station man truck.

Speaker 3 (01:52:01):
Tony Pike's Monday midday quarterback ESPN fifteen thirty on Austin
No More. My apologies for my voice not quite as
strong as it's been in the past. I one of
my best friends got married this weekend, and you know,
I'm in the wedding party, and you know, there's a
lot of fun that's had, a lot of drinks that

(01:52:22):
are had. It's a little bit cold November air. But
I also had the honor of doing the introductions for
the wedding party into the reception, including my own name,
and I got I really got into a flow state.
I reached a flow state. I turned into like the
nineteen ninety five Chicago Bulls, you know, bringing those people out,

(01:52:43):
saying the man in the middle and all that. I
couldn't speak for like hours afterwards. I really did a
number on my voice. But we've recovered greatly, I think,
better than I expected. So I appreciate you bearing with me.
Hopefully back to full strength tomorrow, because I'm gonna go
nonverbal from three pm until noon again tomorrow, at least hopefully.

Speaker 12 (01:53:04):
By the way.

Speaker 3 (01:53:05):
At Audiel Moore A U T Y E.

Speaker 36 (01:53:07):
L M.

Speaker 3 (01:53:08):
O ri E on Twitter. I put up a poll question,
if the Bengals move on from Zach Taylor, would you
consider his tenure a success? You have two options. You
vote yes or you vote no. Those are the only
two options. I don't need a reply explaining something else.
I want yes or I want no. If the Bengals

(01:53:28):
move on from Zach Taylor, would you consider his tenure
a success? While you go, vote on that, we'll get
to Zach in a minute. We've got time for a
couple of phone calls. Let's start with Brian in Fort Thomas.
What's up, Brian? Oh hey, what's going on on?

Speaker 13 (01:53:44):
How you going?

Speaker 3 (01:53:44):
I'm good man? What's on your mind?

Speaker 13 (01:53:47):
Oh?

Speaker 9 (01:53:48):
So, I agree?

Speaker 44 (01:53:49):
Like my biggest fear about the next the rest of
the football seasons that they go they win out because
Joe's just he's the best player I've ever seen in
the Bengals uniform. And then they find out as the
excuse to not do anything with Zach or Duke or anything,
and it's going to be the status quo, and then
we're going to be in the same situation. I don't

(01:54:12):
just want to make it to the playoffs. We should
have like a real chance to win a Super Bowl,
like one top teams in the league, and I just
don't understand how, you know, anything else is acceptable, Like
just sneaking in the playoffs isn't good enough for we
have We have a top five quarterback in the league.
We should be able to be one of the top

(01:54:33):
teams and you know, one of the top seeds every
single every single season. So that's that's my concern about
the upcoming week. I don't want to root against the Bengals,
but I surely don't want them to go in to
tearor I mean, I feel terrible saying that because I'm
you know, I'm a bit.

Speaker 3 (01:54:48):
Of faan my whole life.

Speaker 44 (01:54:50):
But it's I just really think, Zach, it's just time
to move on. We just not his tenure has any success.
So I'm, yes, I'm not on the socials, and I
think he's you know, very successful, you know tenure. He's
brought me my great my best moment as fans ever,
So like it's, uh, it's that's just how I feel.

(01:55:12):
And this is not the worst sports week in Cincinnati history.
I mean, oh five, when Carson got hurt, that was
much much worse than us, Like we knew. We knew
the Bangals weren't going anywhere this year. We knew that
the fair Casts aren't going anywhere this year. FC. Yes,
that was terrible, that was a shilling, but oh five

(01:55:32):
when Carson got.

Speaker 14 (01:55:33):
Hurt, that was just wow.

Speaker 44 (01:55:35):
It Yeah, took all the all the way out of
our sales because that team was incredible. They were probably
the tablers won the Super Bowl.

Speaker 3 (01:55:42):
Yeah, I do. I think they could win the Super Bowl.
That five team could have won A Brian, thank you
for the phone call. Yeah, you're exactly right, Like you're
stuck between wanting things to happen that demand the change
that you think can take the organization to the next level,
and also so being a fan and wanting your team
to win and wanting your players to do well. And

(01:56:05):
it's been like seventy five days since the Bengals last
won a game. I think coffee tastes better on Mondays
after the Bengals win on Sunday. I love that feeling.
I love waking up and reading about it and blah
blah blah instead of I'm reading about losses and this
just happened this year. So I get where you're coming from.
I've always kind of taken the stance that you should

(01:56:25):
never root for your team to lose. I think I
still feel that way, but I certainly understand that mindset.
One more quick phone calls going to Dave and reading Dave,
what do you got?

Speaker 13 (01:56:37):
Yeah, Austin, I was a you hit Mike on before
you're talking about he's talking about having Marv A. Lewis one.
There's talking about defensive backs my bikers junior high Loggiment's back.
But I was always taught it's your beat. You you,
you gotta get your head around it. I'm gonna call
pass their forth most tabo. You can tell the ball's

(01:56:59):
coming by the look the eyes received. Its just automakely
of all eyes get bigger when they come. But what
I want to talk about, though, was Tony was asking
if there's ever a more miserable weekend and sports. I
can give you a day that was more miserable and
the old times, you guys will remember. It's being young.
But hopefully Mike's listening, he might remember if he's in

(01:57:20):
not States the time. But the Reds were playing the
Oakland A's in Game seven of the World Series, and
back then they had for some reason they had. They
had the games all in the afternoon in the weekends,
NBC had the game and the Red of the Course
lost the heartbreaker off every game by one run that series.
And then they so then the NBC also had the

(01:57:44):
AFC games football games, so they had the game. They
had all this cell braces, all this stuff. They switched
to the Bengals football game you had. They're playing the Rams,
a big game of time. They're showing the video of
the game, but they got the audio of the Kansas
City Chiefs Oakland Raiders game, and the Raiders fans, they said,

(01:58:05):
the Open Raiders, you know, the Oakland fans just found
out their team won the World season cheering. You're hearing
this while you're watching the Bengals fumbling the opening kick
off and he lost the kickoff, and it was a
big game. Anyway, you might've known about this game is
notorious that the Bengals actually came back and Horse Muleman

(01:58:26):
missed like three twenty five thirty yard field goals in
a row toward the end of the game when it
was tied twelve to twelve, and they wound up losing
that game on a field goal. They had a roughing
up Passerpelly. It said them most like a forty eight
yard fieldle. Their ticker made it and the Bengals lost
that game. You just imagine how miserable was Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:58:47):
Yeah, definitely some salt in the wound after experiencing that, Dave,
thank you for the phone call. I appreciate it. Yeah,
that's what Tony was searching for some of those those
awful Cincinnati sports weekends. I mean, anytime you lose the
World Series, that certainly would go into it. I obviously
think back to the Bengals losing against the Rams in

(01:59:09):
the Super Bowl, which was part of my poll question,
if the Bengals move on from Zach Taylor, would you
consider his tenure a success? Updated results Fifty five percent
say yes, forty four percent say no. Now for me,
I say yes. He was part of the team that
drafted Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase and T Higgins, part
of the team that signed Trey Hendrickson, won back to

(01:59:32):
back AFC North titles, went to back to back AFC
Championship games, won an AFC Championship game, broke the playoff
drought well in five playoff games in two years. The
Hubbard yard dash and obviously a Super Bowl appearance. All
those things I think mean his tenure was a success,
and I don't put all of the blame of their
failures on him. He deserves it some of it, a

(01:59:56):
chunk of it, not all of it. And I think
that's I kind of in a nutshell, how I feel
about Zach Taylor this year.

Speaker 12 (02:00:05):
I like Zach.

Speaker 3 (02:00:06):
I've said that many times. I think he's a really
good offensive coach. I think he's a smart offensive coach.
But I don't know that Zach really is the one
who moves the needle. I don't know that the Bengals
win games because of Zach Taylor. I think he's done
a good job building scheme around players. I think the

(02:00:26):
emergence of Jamar Chase's an example of that. I think
Joe Burrow to an extent is an example of that.
I think the way that they've rebuilt the run game
multiple times, both in that twenty one season so far
this season, I think that's an example of his ability
as a head coach and his ability to adjust the offense.
I think he's hired some smart people like Dan Pitcher,

(02:00:47):
like Justin Rascotti, like Troy Walters. I think he's also
failed in hiring people. By the way, you can add
Louis Ruin to that list of good people that he's hired.
I think he's also failed in hiring people offense of
line coaches like Frank Pollack and Jim Turner. Marion Hobby
the defensive line coach to an extent al golden right now,

(02:01:09):
maybe not exactly what we expected him to be. There
have been issues with staffing. There continue to be game
management and clock management issues. Feel and momentum and understanding
of the moment not great, analytics not great. All of
these things make me feel like, yes, Zach Taylor is

(02:01:29):
a good coach and there's something about him that works
with this particular group of offense. However, it's hard to
argue that this whole thing with Zach hasn't run its course.
The way that you feel after a game, a game
like yesterday, where it's like, damn, if the head coach
would have been buttoned up, maybe we had a chance

(02:01:50):
to win this game. You should never feel that way
about your coach. And I think the point that Mark
brought up earlier is a good one. Indecisive, maybe never
fully sure of who he is and what he wants
and who he wants to be and how he wants
to do it, and not a good enough consistency or
feel of that part of his game I think has

(02:02:12):
led to the Bengals losing games. I don't know that
there's a bunch of times where you point the finger
and say, yes, he's the reason they won. It's happened,
but not a lot, and that's a major issue. But
I think one of the other issues here is if
the Bengals decide to move on from Zach Taylor, who
do you want to replace him? I have a list,

(02:02:35):
I have three different lists here that I'm really curious
to know what you think or if you think any
of these guys are an upgrade from Zach Taylor. Clint Kubiak,
Chris Shula, Eric b Enemy, Dion Sanders, Mike Zimmer, Matt Eberflus,

(02:02:57):
Cliff Kingsbury, Antonio Pierre, Brian Daball, Todd Monkin, Arthur Smith,
Zach Orr, lou An Arumo. What about Mike McCarthy, Jeff Halfley,
John Gruden, Vance, Joseph Doug Peterson, Brian Flores, Joe Brady,
Robert Salah, Jesse Minter, Dan Pitcher, Ajiro Evero, Sean McDermott,

(02:03:26):
Mike McDaniel, Kevin Stefanski, Brian Callahan, Pete Carroll, Raheem Morris,
Jonathan Gannon, Brian Kelly, Chip, Kelly, Shane Bowen, Lane Kiffen.
That's every possible available coach or potentially available coach that

(02:03:49):
I could come up with.

Speaker 12 (02:03:51):
In that list.

Speaker 3 (02:03:52):
I think there's maybe five guys that I would be
mildly interested in. And I do think that the idea
of the experience having worked with Duke Tobin, having worked
with the Brown family, that counts for something. And I
think that is part of the reason why they might

(02:04:14):
want to hang on, or he might want to hang on,
or why it ends up where those two sides stay together.
Because I don't think there's a name on this list
that really jumps out at you is like, yes, you
have to have it. If Kevin O'Connell was out there,
maybe I'd feel differently. If Sean mcvagh was out there,

(02:04:34):
maybe i'd feel differently. Or Andy Reid, i'd feel differently.
But I don't know that that name exists on this list.
I don't know that Zach Taylor qualifies as one of
those names either. I just don't know if they're in
a good spot altogether. And it almost feels like we'll

(02:04:55):
see what happens this year, and we'll see what happens
next year before we make that time decision right, wrong
or indifferent. That's the vibe that I get about this now.
If they completely unravel with Joe Burrow and it continues
to be this ugly, I think maybe there's a chance
that that it does happen. I just don't know if

(02:05:15):
it will, but I certainly can understand it. And I
feel like Zach and his time here has run its course.
I do consider his tenure to be a success. But
it just feels like they they win in spite of
him more than they win because of him, and he

(02:05:38):
in his hand in building the roster and scouting the
players and building the coaching staff, all that together, you know,
I think that plays a hand in the shortcomings of
this team and how it feels like the only way
they win is if they're damn near perfect, and that's

(02:05:58):
no way to survive the new National Football League. Take
a break. We'll come back ESPN fifteen thirty at a.

Speaker 12 (02:06:04):
Need fuel.

Speaker 3 (02:06:10):
Short segment here because We're gonna go out the Twin
Peaks in Florence and talk to Tony Pike and Moe Egger.
Tony and Mo Football show coming up this afternoon. They
will have in its entirety the press conference with Bengals
head coach Zach Taylor. Zach said earlier today he anticipates
Joe Burrow to play on Thanksgiving Night in Baltimore. Joe

(02:06:35):
Burrow posting on his Instagram story earlier today that he's
back the photo famous photo of him when he was
in high school with the lebron James Jersey on in
the mirror, with the caption saying He's back. You know
who else is back today? Jamar Chase back in the
Bengals facility off his suspension for spitting on Jalen Ramsey.

(02:06:59):
I thought this note from Dan Horde was interesting, said
because Jamar Chase was not allowed in the Bengals facility
last week, he worked out privately for several days at
the University of Cincinnati's new Shaikeley indoor practice facility. Dan
said he asked Chase about it today, said he came
away impressed with that facility. So that's cool that the

(02:07:22):
Bengals and Bearcats come together there and they allowed Jamar
Chase a place to work out while he was away
from the team. Jamar, of course, expected to play a
big role in Baltimore on Thursday night. We'll take a break,
we'll come back. We'll talk to Tony and Mo next.
This is ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 17 (02:07:42):
It's time for Sincy three sixty quick hits on ESPN
fifteen thirty.

Speaker 3 (02:07:47):
Was looking for Mo. Well, I think we found Mo
and I think we found Tony. The Tony and Mo
Football Show coming up from Twin Peaks in Florence. Hello, fellas, Audie,
how are we doing?

Speaker 9 (02:07:58):
Hello?

Speaker 3 (02:07:59):
You know I'm not doing two bad Mo. How was
your weekend?

Speaker 26 (02:08:02):
Hm?

Speaker 12 (02:08:02):
Hmm, let's see. I got to spend some quality time
with my family Saturday morning. That was fun. Yeah, took
my daughter out for pancakes. It was a good time.
That's about it. The rest of it wasn't awesome.

Speaker 3 (02:08:25):
A time at the Grail was fun.

Speaker 12 (02:08:26):
Time at the game with Ken Brew yesterday morning was
a blast. That was a good time.

Speaker 3 (02:08:29):
Yeah.

Speaker 12 (02:08:30):
Yeah, I thought, uh, I thought we had good broadcast
this weekend to.

Speaker 3 (02:08:35):
The entire show that you guys do with Ken. But
I was able to listen to the whole thing this week.
You guys were wonderful.

Speaker 48 (02:08:42):
Well, thanks, thanks very much. My father in law told
my wife that I sounded drunk. I was talking about
cheese spread. He sounded drunk.

Speaker 3 (02:08:52):
So we had gift We had gift certificates available.

Speaker 12 (02:08:55):
We had we had plenty.

Speaker 45 (02:08:58):
For that.

Speaker 48 (02:08:59):
Have some more the next one. But it wasn't a
great weekend. But we're gonna have a lot of fun
today here at Twin Peaks in Florence. And I'll pull
back the curtain because some folks have asked me, how
do you decide which Twin Peaks you go to? And
it always revolves around this week. It's kind of like
Red's opening Day, like the baseball season has to start

(02:09:21):
in Cincinnati this week. We always have to be at
the Florence location because this week here we're allowed to
use the letter M and we can call it the
Tony and Mo Football Show, whereas on the other side
of the river, you know, it's that week where you
can't use the letter M the week couldn't call the
show by its proper name.

Speaker 3 (02:09:41):
Smart Yeah, no, you may have missed the conversation I
had with Tony earlier, but I heard it. Yeah, I'm
kind of at a point now where it's it's I'm
a broken name the game. Just please God win the game.
I don't care about anything else but please win the game.
But you know, I think a similar type of matchup
with TCU coming up this weekend.

Speaker 12 (02:10:00):
You know you could feel it I am Game Day
or Big New to Coffee.

Speaker 3 (02:10:06):
Ye, both, both for either UC football or UC basketball.
Are there any silver linings to take from those losses
this weekend?

Speaker 48 (02:10:17):
I thought the Bearcats defend basketball, defended really well in
the first half, defended and rebounded like you expect a
UC team too. But Tony and I have talked about this.
At halftime, They're up four, and that just didn't feel
like enough. It felt like with as as much as
I thought they legitimately took a good Louisville team out
of their offense in the first half, you have to

(02:10:38):
build a ten to twelve, fourteen point cushion, So four
didn't feel enough. And then frankly, offensively in the second half,
it felt like much of the same from last year.

Speaker 12 (02:10:48):
I think if there's a silver lining to take beyond that,
it's just that we're in November.

Speaker 48 (02:10:52):
The UC game, Tony, you and I talked about this
yesterday at Nippert Stadium on Saturday. That is the most
frustrating loss of the last three years because the mistakes,
the missed opportunities, the just mountain of self inflicted issues
they continue to have in a game that carried some

(02:11:14):
decent stakes with it. They're now one in ten in
November since the start of the twenty twenty three season.
That to me, there was no silver lining there whatsoever.

Speaker 2 (02:11:27):
Austin also alluded to the fact that under Scott's sdderfield,
when trailing at the half, they're OZ to sixteen.

Speaker 48 (02:11:32):
Well, it's hard to come back when you trail at
the half when you continually get outscored in the third quarter.

Speaker 2 (02:11:38):
Yeah, for me, I don't. I didn't find much silver lining.
I was frustrated Friday night because I'm walking out of
arena and I had more UC fans tell me that
they were okay and happy with the fact that we
kept it that close, and well, you know, that's a
good Louisville team only lost by you know what. And
I'm like, have we resorted to the fact that if

(02:11:58):
we just try hard but we lose them, we're okay?

Speaker 21 (02:12:01):
With that.

Speaker 2 (02:12:02):
That's what it felt like Friday night to me. And
I watched the same thing I've watched for a couple
of years now, of an offense that struggled to execute
when it needed baskets the most. And then I watched
on Saturday night a lot of the same that that
we've seen far too much of. If you look at
how the season ended last year with five straight losses,
and you look at now how these three straight losses

(02:12:22):
have gone, offense has disappeared. Brendan Sorosby's not playing it
nearly as high as a level. They're not utilizing their
best players. They're beating themselves. They are doing everything that
good football teams don't do. I don't know how you
find the silver lining in those things?

Speaker 3 (02:12:37):
What about the Bengals? Any silver lining there? The defense,
they're they're tackling better, they're stopping.

Speaker 48 (02:12:44):
Then they were good on the goal line and Gino
Stone took some great angles on the interception return.

Speaker 12 (02:12:52):
Gino played a good game, donock man.

Speaker 48 (02:12:54):
If you're just gonna rip on a dude NonStop, then
you gotta point out when the guy does the opposite.
Gino played a good game yesterday. But no, no, silver
lining at all. It's game eleven and we're clinging to hell.
They tackled well, Like I did a show preview video
and I said, like, I detect this surge of optimism

(02:13:14):
because Burrow's coming back, Which I get it.

Speaker 12 (02:13:16):
Joe Burrow is the best as.

Speaker 48 (02:13:17):
Far as I'm concerned, when a healthy quarterback in the
NFL and the defense played okay yesterday. But I keep
coming back to same scenarios. Fourth quarter, down three, A
good defense gets a three and out or turnover. The
Bengals got neither. Instead, they allowed New England after a
good kickoff return gets the ball to the forty. They
allowed New England to kick a field goal, and then

(02:13:40):
you're asking Joe Flacco and his bum finger to go
down the field and make a miracle. So no, no
silver lining. Yes, they have some units that are playing well.
I think the offensive line is playing okay. I think
Joe Flacco's guts are admirable. I think the fact that
he nearly engineered to come back without two of the
best wide receivers in the sport is not insignificant. Chase
Brown's a good player, but they're three and eight. Like

(02:14:02):
I mean, you said, who they've lost eight out of
nine games.

Speaker 12 (02:14:04):
They're three and eight. Well, I'm sorry, yeah, I'm there
are no silver linings when you're three in it.

Speaker 3 (02:14:09):
Who's Chase Brown?

Speaker 12 (02:14:10):
He is a running back, went to Illinois.

Speaker 2 (02:14:13):
They struggled yesterday from no pretty low. Yeah, yeah, I
don't there's no silver lining because every loss just seems
to be, well, this was better, but this failed or
situationally in this spot, they weren't good. It's just always
something and not to me is just a bad football team.
It's always something. Well, the defense was better. If we

(02:14:36):
have to like talk ourselves into like different parts of
the game that are better, you're already in a bad spot.

Speaker 3 (02:14:42):
Hey, they lost, but man, the defense tried hard.

Speaker 12 (02:14:45):
It's November, it's a professional football team. It's winning time.

Speaker 26 (02:14:49):
Ye.

Speaker 48 (02:14:50):
Hey, they they took a step forward to something I
might buy into in September. Yep, well I might buy
into it if your record is better, not when you're
three and eight.

Speaker 3 (02:14:58):
Yeah, I think we did learn know that Geno Stone
is just better when deployed as a blitzer than as
a safety. Yeah sure, that like actually could be his
future and well.

Speaker 2 (02:15:10):
And you know while he's here here, well they could
ask him to take a pay cutch, just blit, bring
him back and just play him in the box.

Speaker 3 (02:15:16):
Just run after the quarterback. By the way, Jalen Davis
with a sack before Shamar Stewart.

Speaker 2 (02:15:22):
Had that on the Bengo card. Uh, it's you hate
like I mean, I said it earlier, Austin. Here we
are in November twenty fourth, and for six weeks we're
gonna have a conversation about you know, is it better
to win meaningless football games or is it better to
get draft positioning?

Speaker 3 (02:15:38):
I mean that's what this is going to turn into.

Speaker 2 (02:15:40):
Yeah, you know, Joe burrowvers to play verse, not to
play meaningless meaningless wins, but it's winning or do you
want to worry about your draft positioning?

Speaker 3 (02:15:48):
But can they get the draft pick right?

Speaker 2 (02:15:49):
It's just I feel like it's just going to be
six weeks of the same thing, and I think that's
the most frustrating.

Speaker 48 (02:15:57):
You know, last year, the goal was for the Bengals
to play themselves into the graphic right the in the hunt,
which which network does sniffing around?

Speaker 3 (02:16:07):
They've changed in the I believe that's Rich Eisen Show does.

Speaker 48 (02:16:11):
Rich Eisen does sniffing around, So the Bengals last night
on Sunday Night Football were not in the in the
hunt column. So you know, beat Baltimore then then what
we're gonna do it? Every what Let's go to if
Austin was doing it today? Yeah, let's get the playoff
simulator on the path at eight. You didn't send you
didn't press in on that message to Jennifer Anderson, did you?

Speaker 21 (02:16:33):
You know?

Speaker 3 (02:16:34):
I didn't much like Zach Taylor. You're a coward. That's
fourth and one and you didn't go for it.

Speaker 48 (02:16:38):
Wow, Jennifer Aniston more cowardly approached or Zach. Jennifer Aniston
has had like legitimate stalkers in her life, like has
had to go to court and and like testify against
people who have stalked her.

Speaker 12 (02:16:53):
So her guard is probably up. Some rando's saying hey.

Speaker 48 (02:16:57):
Want to go to a football game is not what
she knock on your door. Rachel Green doesn't need that now.
So No, I didn't hit tempted you know, shoot your shot.
Not sure how my wife would feel about it, although
I think my affection for Jennifer Andison is is established
enough that she would go fine. She wants to be
a Benkl's Ravens game with you go for it. But

(02:17:19):
no I I did not hit send because I didn't.
I didn't want to end up on like her Instagram
story going, hey, here's what I have to deal with. Yeah,
and I'm sure like me asking her to go to
a football game is tip of the iceberg kind of
stuff compared to some of the weirdos out there. But
I didn't want to be made an example of So
no I I refrained and I did not hit send
on the Jennifer Aniston Instagram message.

Speaker 3 (02:17:41):
Fair enough, Well, I'm sure you'll, as the kids say,
send it this afternoon from three to six for the
Tony and Mo Football Show. Thanks boys, you're Toni and
Mo Football Show. Yes, it's Tony Pikes Tony and Mo
Football Show. To get in trouble for that too, all right,
see you guys. That's the Tonya Mo Football Show coming
up next. This is has been twenty Pikes Monday Midday

(02:18:02):
Quarterback right here on ESPN fifteen thirty this weekend at
Genesis Diamonds.

Speaker 48 (02:18:07):
It's our