Tony Pike's Monday Midday Quarterback -- 12/22/25

Tony and Austin recap a Bengals victory, recap the weekend, take your calls and TalkBacks, and more on ESPN 1530!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
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(00:24):
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Speaker 2 (00:39):
All Right, good afternoon, Happy Monday, Happy Victory Monday. The
Monday Midday Quarterback starts right now on the Home of
the Bengals, ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station. I'm Tony Pike.
Austin Elmore is with us. We have a lot of
ground to cover, hoday, I've got two hours to do
it and then I'm heading to Florence for the Tony

(00:59):
and mo Christmas Football Show from three to six, Austin.

Speaker 3 (01:04):
Will have It's not Christmas yet, man, Well, it's our
Christmas Show. It's the last show we do before Christmas.
You guys should do a show together on Christmas. Well
we are.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
Christ Well you're going to join Lance and on Christmas
Day we're going to do a show.

Speaker 3 (01:18):
You guys should do a three to six that day.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
Maybe, But for those that are that are wondering, this
is our last since e three sixty before Christmas, you
might say, well, why what about tomorrow? Well, tomorrow Kentucky
host Bellerman at one o'clock. That means the pregame starts
right when we would come on air, So you're not
going to get us tomorrow. You'll get the Kentucky Bellerman game.

(01:42):
And then Wednesday's Christmas Eve, Thursday's Christmas Day. We're off
on Friday. So this is the one and only time
Austin that we'll be together this week. We've got to
make the most of it. We'll take your phone calls five, one, three, seven, four, nine,
fifteen thirty. More importantly, we'll take your talkbacks in hour
number two. Open the iHeartRadio app, hit the microphone, leave
us a talkback. We'll get to those in hour number two.

(02:03):
We have a lot to break down from a victory
Sunday for the Bengals, Joe Burrow had fun. I think
that's the most important thing. He threw four touchdown passes
and won for over three hundred yards. Chase Brown had
a third quarter that some in the National Football League

(02:23):
would give their career for sure. Chase Brown was fantastic.
T Higgins after seeing a specialist and getting a different
helmet and a new outlook on things was awesome. Jamar
Chase for the twenty seventh time since he's been a
Cincinnati Bengal, eclipsed one hundred or more yards. The defense
forced three turnovers yesterday. It's a good day to just

(02:45):
feel good. I get it. The season has been a struggle.
The season has been a grind. I get that. There
are folks out there that say, well, it was against
a backup quarterback, and you can't let that cloud I agree,
that can't cloud what the rest of the season has been.
But for this week and for right now, let's enjoy
what the Cincinnati Bengals were able to do yesterday. We'll

(03:07):
talk about that all throughout our one and a little
bit of hour number two. We also need to look
around what happened in the rest of the NFL. We'll
do that at the top of the second hour. We
will whip around not only the AFC North, but we'll
talk about the Jaguars, the Bears, the Chargers, the Panthers,
and so much more in the National Football League. We'll

(03:29):
get you ready for the forty nine Ers and the
Colts tonight. It was an impressive win as the Kentucky
Wildcats are now healthy, getting guys back healthy, including Jay
and Quinn, who was awesome against Saint John's. A huge
second half propelled Kentucky over Saint John's. On Saturday, the

(03:51):
Xavier Musketeers went on the road and literally made Ed
Cooley lose his mind. If you've not seen the clip,
Ed Cooley went to chuck a water bottle I think
up in the stands and must have held onto it
a little too long.

Speaker 3 (04:07):
It went into the first row and hit a kid.
Ed Cooley has been suspended for their game. It's funny
because the kid is okay correct, and it's one of
those moments where as soon as you do it, you're like, ah,
I wish I wouldn't have done that. Yep, And you
know you feel it coming off your hand like this
is not yep. One of those I could just imagine
the anger that he had the frustration. It was. It

(04:30):
was a human moment. That's what loser will do to
you when you lose to Richard Patina. That's it.

Speaker 2 (04:37):
Some other college basketball happenings over the weekend Austin. I
think the most impressive win of the college basketball year
I watched on Saturday night when Texas Tech beat Duke.
They were down seventeen in the second half and Texas
Tech was essentially playing with only seven healthy players and
they beat the Duke Blue Devils.

Speaker 3 (04:54):
That was impressive.

Speaker 2 (04:55):
Watching Houston pretty much just toy with Arkansas ninety four
to eighty was impressive. Louisville dominated Montana North Carolina with
one last stay in beats Ohio State seventy one to seventy.
Unfortunately for the Norse and the Bearcats, it wasn't a
good weekend. NKU Austin falls at home to Chris Max

(05:17):
Charleston squad.

Speaker 3 (05:18):
Yeah, disappointed, and.

Speaker 2 (05:20):
The Bearcats, who at one point trailed in their game
against Clemson by twenty seven, battled back, had a shot
to tie it at the buzzer, but ultimately fall by
three to Clemson. It was for the Bearcats about as
embarrassing as it can get. I felt bad for our

(05:41):
guy Moeger, who was calling the game. Moe has always
did a fantastic job. But for the Cincinnati Bearcats, at
one point trailed eleven nothing. They also trailed thirty to five,
They trailed thirty eight to eleven.

Speaker 3 (05:57):
They fall sixty eight sixty five. It's unique.

Speaker 2 (06:01):
Seannaby of the five Star did not play over the
final eleven minutes and forty seven seconds of the game.
Wo Kirk Crisa did not play a second in the
second half.

Speaker 3 (06:09):
Okay, so maybe we identified some problem spots here. Oh yeah,
they guys, and then the Bearcats outscored their apponted by
seventeen in the second half.

Speaker 2 (06:18):
Figured something out. All right, that's what we're gonna leave.
Always the grass is always greener. Sure, yeah, Austin, listen.

Speaker 3 (06:26):
I wasn't watching that game yesterday because who watches college
basketball on a Sunday in the NFL. But I did
see a tweet pop up on my screen that said
thirty to five, and I thought to myself, surely this
is the end. Go down there, get smoked with Roy
Williams sitting courtside the disappointment Roy's eyes.

Speaker 2 (06:47):
Yeah, I had to make sure that this was an
actual score and didn't go to overtime. Congratulations to the Bulls.

Speaker 3 (06:56):
They don't know if you'd see this or not.

Speaker 2 (06:57):
They beat the Hawks one fift to one fifty. Michael,
surely that means that game was in overtime or six overtimes.

Speaker 3 (07:04):
That's a regulation score, defense optional in Atlanta, one fifty
two to one fifty. The Chicago Bulls have now won
three straight games, by the way bull by two of
them against Cleveland, and in those wins it's been one
hundred and twenty seven points, one hundred and thirty six points,
and one hundred and fifty two points. So much little.

Speaker 2 (07:26):
Post game with Cleveland's coach who's just like, we just
don't have an answer for them right now.

Speaker 3 (07:29):
Defensively, yeah, I mean very few teams do. I mean
what the Bulls are able to do? Just a three hit,
four or five six headed monster in the ability to score.
And it was very reminiscent of the highlights I saw
of a young Wilder Pike, Oh the weekend buckets, just
filling it up. Yeap, doesn't matter where he's at on
the floor, he'll get the board, he'll bring it out,

(07:50):
he'll shoot it, and he'll cash It and the bulls
in a very similar mindset.

Speaker 2 (07:53):
The thing is for for a Walker or for Wilder.
He ain't getting a board and going right up with it.
He wants to get he wants getting, he wants get outside.
He wants to shoot what he calls three pointers. Yeah,
he's been watching too much Steph Kurk's been watching a
lot of Steph and I don't know who he's watching
for his celebrations after his.

Speaker 3 (08:08):
Score, We're watching the bear Cat. No he's not. We're
gonna work on the celebrations. I think as a Christmas
gift to Wilder, what you should do is maybe sit
the young man down and show him some Michael Jordan highlights,
I swear, and show him that mid range from Mike Jordans.
I swear.

Speaker 2 (08:26):
We were sitting there Saturday morning and he's eating breakfast.
I said, what do you need to do to get
ready for the game, and he said, can you put
on Michael Jordan highlights?

Speaker 3 (08:34):
Oh my gosh, you're good. I am.

Speaker 2 (08:36):
I was proud. I'm like, we're done. And I was like, Mayor, Babe,
we're good. Let's move on to the next kids. Wilder
set he wants to watch MJ before his game.

Speaker 3 (08:46):
There is no greater confirmation that you have done well
as parents they're doing, Meredith than to hear that come
out of the mouth of Wilder Pike. It was fantastic.
That's awesome.

Speaker 2 (08:56):
Some other moves that happened. You see what Bill Belichick's done?

Speaker 3 (09:00):
I did.

Speaker 2 (09:01):
Yeah, Bobby Petrino is gonna be the OC. Yeah, what
what could go wrong? Whoa Bobby Petrinos joining Bill Belichick.

Speaker 3 (09:10):
Busy weekend in Major League based anybody called to get
Mike Zimmer's reaction yet not yet either. Those who don't know,
just google Mike Zimmer, Bobby Patrino and get back to me.

Speaker 2 (09:22):
The Red Sox have acquired Wilson Contreras in a trade
with the Cardinals. The home Run Record Center center in Japan.
I'm just gonna butcher this. Munataka Mourakami okay has joined
the Chicago White Sox of all teams, Wow, how are
the White Sox landing Japan's home Run Record Center?

Speaker 3 (09:41):
Because I think it was a two year deal where
thirty four million dollars Okay, is that correct? That would
be it? And the initial like projected contract for this
cat was like eight for one eighty wow, and very
clearly major league teams did not think as high of him,
either as he himself thought or as his Japanese team

(10:05):
that posted him thought. I'm sure they're pretty upset because
that's not a very big posting fee that they're getting.
But I've already seen the conspiracy theorists out there that
say he goes to Chicago for a couple of years
and he, you know, figures out life in the big leagues,
life in the United States, and then by that time
Freddie Freeman will be retiring and the Dodgers will be

(10:27):
looking for a first back.

Speaker 2 (10:28):
He'll the Dodgers already lead the Major League Baseball with
one hundred and sixty nine million dollar luxury tax. Also
from South Korea, infielder Sung mn Song okay has signed
a four year, fifteen million dollar with the Padres loaded
with incentives.

Speaker 3 (10:44):
Okay, so there's more time. Can give me the name
one more time? That is Sung Mon song Okay song?
That's beautiful, four year, fifteen million Can he sing? You'd
have to you'd think you would song for something wrong
that for a name like that.

Speaker 2 (10:59):
Now, I wanted to rap segment one here with your
thoughts on what happened in college football over the weekend. Now,
to college Football's credit, Austin Friday night was good. Yeah,
at Alabama Oklahoma game. Alabama overcomes a seventeen to nothing deficit.
It was awesome, great game, fun one to watch. And
then Saturday happened.

Speaker 3 (11:23):
Now.

Speaker 2 (11:23):
I wish they would have put the Miami Texas A
and M game late night, just because that early start
made it a little bit tough. But how about Miami
the U Michael Irving. I was concerned about Michael Irving
on the sidelines throughout the game. But Miami goes on
the road to College Station and beats Texas A and
M ten to three. Ole miss beat to Lane forty

(11:44):
one to ten. Oregon put up fifty one on James Madison.
They did give up thirty four a back door cover
as James Madison won the second half fifty one to
thirty four. But all I heard all weekend Austin was well,
these teams would have easily lost to Notre Dame. These
teams don't deserve to be here. The college football playoff

(12:07):
system has broken. Vanderbilt and Notre Dame would have been
so much more fun to watch than Tulane and James Madison.
To those folks, what are you saying? Do you agree
with them?

Speaker 4 (12:17):
Like?

Speaker 2 (12:18):
It was awful? It was I love college football, I
love football in general. That Tulane Old Miss game in
Oregon James Madison was impossible to watch.

Speaker 3 (12:25):
Yeah, well, I think you can also make the same
argument about Miami and Texas A and m for a
while being difficult to watch those teams play. I think
the Notre Dame argument is kind of lost because you know,
they did lose to both Miami and Texas A and
m and then Alabama on the road overcame a deficit
to win. I do think Notre Dame had a legitimate

(12:48):
grip for not being in the College Football Playoff, no
doubt about it. But when you lose to two of
the teams that are in, that's on you and it
doesn't matter too like, oh, Alabama's shouldn't be in and
then those people got quiet. Yeah, it doesn't matter. You
know when you played them or what you lost to
those two teams, and had you won one of them,
you'd be in correct, and that's I don't feel bad

(13:10):
for you in that regard. The other thing is we've
known how This was going to play off play out
the entire time. The rules have not changed. Now they're
going to change next year, and lord knows what they're
going to be. But you always knew this was going
to happen. So why do we act surprised about it
or why do we complain about it? Yeah, like, this
is what people wanted. I have very adamantly and vehemently

(13:31):
denied and stood against expansion the college football Playoff because
I think it's pointless and this is what you get
when you expanded. And the ultimate question that we're going
to have to ask ourselves as college football fans, and
if any of the idiots that are running that sport
want to ask themselves, do we want inclusivity or do

(13:52):
we want the best matchups? And that's ultimately what it's
going to come down to. It's not James Madison's fault,
it's not tu Lane's fault. They basically play a different
sport than the other conferences and when it financially and
all this other stuff, and this is a product of
the inefficiency and stupidity of the people who run that sport.

(14:14):
So this is what we all wanted, This is what
we all push for. This, we keep watching the games,
and keep buying the gear, and keep doing all the
stuff that increases their desire to do such things. So
this is the result that we get not surprised, don't
really care. I mean, even if you look at the
next round of games other than Oregon Texas Tech, which

(14:34):
is Oregon favored by a point and a half, I
would hammer Texas Tech. Yeah, but Indiana's favored by a touchdown,
George is favored by a touchdown, and Ohio State's favored
by ten points. So they don't even think those games
are going to be close? Can I ask them about
the games?

Speaker 5 (14:49):
Though?

Speaker 2 (14:49):
And I saw this brought up by a couple of
people over the weekend. I think you can make the
argument that the five seed might be the best spot
to be in the college football playoffs. Sure, you get
to play a home game, and then you get to
go on the road against the lowest of the remaining
top four teams, and that's going to be a team
that hasn't played.

Speaker 3 (15:05):
In like a month. Well last year was that's why
all the teams have played in the first round one
last year, So that's my question. Last year that fourth
team was a conference champion, right now. This year it's
not right. So last year it definitely was.

Speaker 2 (15:18):
So my question then goes to for Ohio State. Now,
they did play on December six because they were in
the Big Ten championship game, but the teams that didn't
play in their conference championship game, that's even a week
less even for Ohio State though Austin. The last game
they played was on December sixth. The next game they
play is going to be on New Year's Eve, I

(15:39):
mean December thirty.

Speaker 6 (15:40):
First.

Speaker 2 (15:41):
Yeah, that's an insane, insane gap in between games, and
you got to wait. Like, now you've waited, now you
know your opponent, you can get to work on them.
I just I don't mind the bracket. That's too much
time in between games.

Speaker 3 (15:55):
I will say this for Ohio State though, I think
they did a good job with their schedule because they
put their last bye week right in the middle of
the schedule. So they had a bye week like the
weekend of October twenty fifth, right before Halloween, and then
they had that game against Penn State. So then they

(16:16):
played one, two, three, four, five six games in a row.
Now they get the other bye week. I think Ohio
State everything they did this year was with the thought
in mind of we're going to be playing in the playoffs,
and that includes their schedule. And I think that the
other thing, too, is let's say you don't get to
the Big Ten Championship game, but if you're still playing

(16:37):
the way you expect to play, you'll probably have a
bye week in the Big Ten Championship game built in
for the playoffs. So I think Ohio State did a
good job with the way they curated their schedule to
be able to set this up to where they physically
need a bye week, mentally need a bye week, and
you can kind of treat it like everything else, even
though it's a little bit longer than normal.

Speaker 2 (16:57):
Miami, Ohio State, New Year's Eve Day, Oregon, Texas Tech, Alabama, Indiana,
Old Miss Georgia. Which of those top four teams is
most susceptible to be an upset you think? I would say,
I don't think Texas Tech. I think Texas Tech's good.

Speaker 3 (17:17):
I would say Indiana. I was thinking Indiana too, but
even then I'm not buying that.

Speaker 2 (17:22):
All the way Ole Miss. I was impressed with all
the distractions. They came out and took care of business.

Speaker 3 (17:26):
I'll tell you this about the Miami Ohio State matchup.
Oh Ohio State's offensive line I think is suspect, and
Miami can rush the hell out of the passer. They
got a good defensive line, they got a guy that
could be a Bengal ruben Bain and made his presence
felt repeatedly against Texas A and M. And we saw
in the Big Ten championship game Indiana was dominant UPFRONTEP

(17:49):
against Ohio State. So I'm not crazy about that line
being nine and a half in favor of I think
there's be a close game, Yeah, mainly because of that matchup,
the Miami defensive front up against Ohio States offensive.

Speaker 2 (18:01):
One that is the highest spread mentioned. Texas Tech is
a one and a half point dog against Oregon, Indiana
and Georgia both six and a half point favorites, and
then Austin. If you don't have your fill of football
by then New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, then just
wait for that Friday at four thirty and the Bearcats'll
tip kickoff against Navy in the auto z oonne Liberty Bawl.

(18:24):
So a full new year of college football coming your way.
We'll take me some time in an auto parts store.

Speaker 3 (18:30):
Over the weekend. Okay, okay, I got real blue collar
over there. I get it. I get it.

Speaker 2 (18:35):
Our first break happens. Now we've got phone calls to
get to. Before that, Let's talk about the game yesterday.
Let's talk about the Bengals win and so many bright
spots to take out of the Miami victory on this victory. Monday,
the Monday Midday Quarterback on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 6 (18:54):
Hey, it's Mall Lagger. Join.

Speaker 7 (18:56):
This is Football in the Natti, brought to you by
Postman Law on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of
the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 3 (19:08):
Welcome back Football in the NATI.

Speaker 2 (19:10):
Yeah, Monday Midday Quarterback, ESBN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.
This is simple, Austin. The Bengals dominated yesterday. They dominated,
especially in the second half against the Miami Dolphins, in
route to a forty five twenty one victory. They outscored
the Dolphins twenty eight to seven in the second half.

Speaker 3 (19:31):
Twenty one nothing in the third quarter. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (19:33):
Chase Brown Baby four touchdown passes on the afternoon for
Joe Burrow. One of those went to t Higgins Monster
T higgins first catch might be one of the most
impressive catches I've seen all year.

Speaker 3 (19:46):
It's amazing how he holds on to the ball. He won.

Speaker 2 (19:51):
He did a better job falling, yes, because he actually
like let his hands fall.

Speaker 3 (19:55):
First, uh huh while holding the ball, which is incredible.

Speaker 2 (19:58):
Went and saw a concussion special got a different helmet made,
so all things like that that to me, Austin, you
want to talk about just a team guy. He could
have very easily said I'm done this year. Yeah, I
don't want to risk it. He's playing in meaningless football games.
And he went out and balled yesterday.

Speaker 3 (20:16):
Nobody would have blamed him. No, I'm not gonna risk
this any further. I did think it was cool that
the team was like, hey, we'll set you up with
this specialist just to double check and give you some
peace of mind. And he went and he said he
was nervous about it. He was anxious, and who wouldn't
be when you're dealing with a brain injury like that.

(20:37):
And for him to kind of just get the peace
of mind, got the new helmet that they said, I
guess came in right before they left for Miami. That
he was able to put on that was it was
cool to see t do that again and a reminder
of like, you know he is, I believe. Paul Danner
Junior wrote about it today and called him the ultimate
wild card. You know when he's on the field.

Speaker 2 (20:58):
Knows when when Burrows and Higgins are on the field together,
it's a completely different animal.

Speaker 3 (21:03):
Yeah it is.

Speaker 2 (21:04):
Nine different Bengals made catches yesterday, led by Jamar Chase
nine catches and a buck nine. I mentioned earlier his
twenty seventh time since he became a Bengal of going
over the one hundred yard mark.

Speaker 3 (21:14):
Absolutely ridiculous. You know who almost got up over one
hundred was Drew Sample he did You saw the way
he was scooting. I mean fifteen and a half per catch. Yeah,
what about Cam Grandy? Cam Grandy got involved and immediately
got hurt. Yep, Tanne Hudson. I think it was a
collarbone injury for Cakee, Ryan Yosi, Vash Kasicki. Unbelievable stuff. Again,

(21:35):
Nine different Bengals set up to Mitchell Tinsley with the target,
that's right, Kasicki. Kasicki had the touchdown. Chase Brown had
two receiving touchdowns and a rushing touchdown. He went over
the one hundred yard total mark again. Chase Brown is
a monster. He got one hundred and sixty four yards
away or one hundred and fifty four yards away from

(21:57):
one thousand on the season. That's just on the ground yep.
For total receiving yards this year, He's already got sixty
two catches for three hundred and seventy nine yards. He's
in four touchdowns. He's having a really good season. Borrow
Gave was sacked twice yesterday. One of those Orlando Brown yikes.

(22:17):
I continue to worry about Orlando Brown. I don't worry
about many of the other things on the old line
right now. How about this.

Speaker 2 (22:24):
Marius Memmes has graded at a seventy or higher in
four of his last five games. He graded at seventy
plus in only two of his previous twenty five games
before that. He's twenty three years old. But I think
the Bengals found something at Marius Mems.

Speaker 3 (22:38):
And a little bit banged up going into that game
and was still able to play as well as he did.

Speaker 2 (22:43):
I you can't you can't help, and I hate to
do it, but wonder if if the offense could just
be healthy together for seventeen games what it would look like.

Speaker 3 (22:53):
I do think, you know, going as we go into
the offseason, we'll have to talk a lot about the
word that is a really boring offseason topic. Depth, And
that's really the only thing we'll have to talk about
on offense. A third wide receiver, tight end, offensive line depth,
but depth in general, especially at the wide receiver position.

(23:16):
If Higgins goes down, you know, or Andre josavash or
whatever it might be, they need depth to be able
to sustain that offensive output if anybody goes down, and
offensive line is a huge part of that.

Speaker 2 (23:29):
Defensively, three takeaways for the Bengals defense. Yesterday, Barrett Carter
had an interception on a tipball. Jalen Davis played a
ball to Jaylen Waddall, but as good as you can
play it as a second Do.

Speaker 3 (23:42):
You remember during training camp I was pounding the drum
on Jalen Davis and I was a little surprised that
he didn't get an opportunity none. And he spent like
the first ten weeks of the season on the practice
squad and he has come in and immediately been one
of the best players on the field, whether he's playing
in the nickel or he's gone outside. He's been a

(24:03):
short tackler, Like I remember watching him the last couple
of years and thinking, that is a dude that has
a role on a good defense in the NFL, and
he didn't get that chance at all this year. And
I don't quite understand it, but I thought over all,
the cornerbacks, all of them had a good day, and
especially gutsy from DJ Turner trying to play through the
flu and finally Zach Taylor told him just go get

(24:25):
some fluids and get out of there. But yeah, I
mean the corner's played great. Miles Murphy another good game.
My favorite story of the twenty twenty five big.

Speaker 2 (24:36):
Tackle for a loss on third and short, had a
quarterback hit, recovered a fumble yesterday, five tackles on the day.
Jordan Battle led the way with ten tackles. Dj Ivy, Barrett, Carter,
Shaka Hayward all showing up on the stat sheet. One
player that I don't see here on the stat sheet
Austin Geno Stone. Yeah, after that a chain run, I

(24:56):
was like, oh boy, here we go Geno Stone with
an absolute whiff. But out that and again I know
this is prefaced and I heard it yesterday. You can't
take it these on. You're playing against QUINNYA. That's fine,
rookie quarterback or not making his first start or not.
The defensive effort in performance yesterday needs to be recognized
as well.

Speaker 3 (25:16):
Yeah, and specifically, you know, I think they did some
stuff schematically against the tight end Darren Waller, who clearly
was a big part of the Miami plan for quinn Ewers,
and the Bengals did a good job taking that away.
He got a couple, made a couple of good plays,
and players in the NFL do that. Waller was as
good as any for a couple of years ago. So

(25:38):
but overall, I think the the execution of that, the
ability to respond to Zach Taylor at halftime challenging them
to create turnovers, and they did that. You know, the
turnovers weren't really because of a rookie quarterback. Now, the
one that was tipped by Josh Newton and intercepted by
Barrett Carter, Yeah, that's a ball the probably shouldn't be thrown.
But the Jalen Davis play is a great athletic play.

(26:00):
The forced fumble by Jordan Battle is a great play.
Those things have nothing to do with their being a
rookie quarterback. That was being an instinctive and aggressive defense
that was opportunistic and to circle back really quickly to
Miles Murphy, speed, power, instincts, smart football like his development
this year is the perfect encapsulization. I think I made

(26:24):
that up. Encapsulation. Who cares of what they are looking
for on defense? Ye Like, it's hard to get that
from six guys yep. So they're obviously gonna have to
supplement that in the offseason. But that's what they've been
looking for, for that light bulb to come on for
multiple guys, and I'm glad it has. I also saw
a lot of pokes.

Speaker 2 (26:43):
We're talking about why didn't Han get more carries with
a rookie quarterback only got fifteen on the day average
five point four carry. He did have a forty eight
yarder in there. But Mike McDaniel after the game talked
about the run defense of the Bengals giving them some
fits and the way they schematically attack them is something
they hadn't seen much, and that was a successful Miami
running attack for much of the year. So some good

(27:05):
things to build on.

Speaker 3 (27:06):
Mike McDaniel's quote on that after the game. For the
first time really that I can remember this season, it
felt like we had the opportunities to run and we
were getting out techniqued. That's it. They had a good plan.
They wanted to be on the finer details a little
bit more than we did. End quote Dolphins head coach
Mike McDaniel. Yah, not often you get out techniqued. And

(27:29):
Joe Flacco, good day at the office. One for one
four yards. Yeah, that's good work, right. Shout out to
Joe Flacco. I bet his body was loving that humidity.
Ye couldn't agree more. We'll break.

Speaker 2 (27:39):
We'll talk to you next the Monday midday Quarterback ESPN
fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 7 (27:44):
You've been listening to Football in the Nattie on ESPN
fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 3 (27:56):
My name is Whitney Allen.

Speaker 8 (27:57):
I am a widow my husband Ryan of the Cincinnati Bank,
ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 9 (28:05):
Third down and ten shotgun snapped to Burrow. He drops
back five steps, He's in trouble, rolls right, throws back,
caught Bigaseki, all sorts of running room.

Speaker 6 (28:15):
He's at the twenty. The fifteen the ten.

Speaker 3 (28:18):
And he gets tackled near the ten yard line.

Speaker 9 (28:21):
Has Burrow rolled right and then chucked its sideways to
the left. It's actually Drew Sample night Mike Kaziki, and
it becomes a huge gain on third down and ten.

Speaker 10 (28:32):
Yeah, you're right, Danna bey your descriptions. Right on, he
climbs the pocket, works as well, right, throws back across
his body to between the hash marks, finds Drew Sample.

Speaker 3 (28:43):
After the races goes true sample.

Speaker 10 (28:45):
I mean, Joe Burrow has vision, he has patience, He's
got it all so good.

Speaker 2 (28:52):
That was his Joe Burrow, my favorite player of the season. Yeah,
vintage Burrow. Find him at the last second and Drew
Ample rumbling and stumbling. That's why they thought it was
Gasicki at first, because of the speed samples exactly.

Speaker 3 (29:05):
I mean a site no defense wants to see.

Speaker 2 (29:08):
Now you think of Darnell Washington, No, no, no, but
what about bearing down on you. That's our Win Schulers
call today, thanks to our friends at Win Schulders. Look,
last minute holiday idea, you're you're hosting, You're going somewhere.
All you got to do is put out the win shoulders.
Four delicious cheese spreads, and you'll be the hit of
any holiday party that you attend. Let's take a couple

(29:29):
of phone calls here and our number one as we
move along, Rob is calling in.

Speaker 3 (29:33):
Hey Rob, Hey, guys, how you doing. What's up? Man?

Speaker 5 (29:40):
Hey?

Speaker 11 (29:41):
I just want to say Bengals, good job. I'm happy
to Burrow and the team. You know, he's get his
head right when is fun on to that. Offensively, they
did good. I'm glad that they did what they did.
As far as next year, offensively, I'm not too worried
about it. I think we need, like you guys said
debut at the offense tackle Tenner. I think we got

(30:05):
a few centers that are capable of doing it eventually.
But my main things defense and I love the fact
that Murphy's coming along. The thing about him what's gonna
make him good is he can stop the run. Yeah,
He's got the capability of the roofs endless for him
in pass rushing once he figures that out. Defensive end, mars,

(30:28):
I think we're good. Maybe bring back Aside if we can.
But as far as the draft is concerned, I wanted
to throw a few names out you guys, probably top
ten tick probably top fifteen. We're gonna be picking right.
So we got Reuben Bain Junior from Miami, the sack guy.
He's proven sacks. His numbers are there. Peter Woods, defensive

(30:50):
tackle from Clemson Athletic. Big guy can create some pass rush,
stop the run. Of course, Caleb downs, but I don't
think he's gonna be there. The one thing I like
about this guy Kendrick Falk from Auburn. He can play
defensive tackle too, and I think that's a big position
in the NFL where they're having defensive end hybrid as

(31:11):
defensive tackles. And then Caden McDaniel from the High State,
big old plug in the middle. If you gotta plug
in the middle, you can. You can make our linebackers
look Just to ask them, Just ask them now. We
had DJ Reader forever and our linebackers played like out
of their minds. And then Jared McCoy Jamal McCoy from

(31:31):
Orion d D. I don't think he'll be there. And
Spencer Finila, offensive tackle from Utah. I think he'll be there,
but he wouldn't start.

Speaker 2 (31:40):
Yeah, Rob, I appreciate the phone call, man, Thank you.
Rob's already got his big board. Yeah, Rob's big board
is up and running. Outside of Caleb downs and final
because I watched him dominate the Bearcats, I don't know
much about the rest, but I'll take his.

Speaker 3 (31:54):
Word for it. Yeah, I was doing his research. He's
ready to go. Interested in watching Ruben Bain over the weekend. Uh,
and then obviously we'll be looking forward to watching him
against Ohio State. But yeah, I mean, I don't know
that I'm at that point where I'm ready to dive
fully into all that stuff yet, but I mean, hell,

(32:14):
it's that they're in a position on defense where they
have so many issues that you can take best defensive
player available and probably be happy with it. And even
if that's a cornerback. I don't think that's necessarily a
bad thing. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (32:30):
I uh again, I think we're I'm a little early
on the draft stuff, but there's a lot of different
ways I think we can be talked into as the
draft approaches on the defensive side of the ball.

Speaker 3 (32:40):
What's going on, John, How are you good?

Speaker 5 (32:43):
Afternoon?

Speaker 3 (32:44):
Tony?

Speaker 12 (32:45):
Good afternoon, Austin, Merry Christmas, Happy holidays.

Speaker 3 (32:48):
Likewise, thank you too.

Speaker 5 (32:50):
Well.

Speaker 12 (32:50):
I think the Bengals have to higher on He's up
the speed already on the draft. I mean, right, that
guy would sit in. I mean they need some help
in the scouting department.

Speaker 5 (32:57):
Run's ready to go.

Speaker 3 (32:58):
Yeah things.

Speaker 12 (33:00):
First of all, you know, we could talk about Duke
Tobin and Mike Brown and Zach Taylor and everything, but
if the quarterback isn't happy and all in, nothing else
really matters. And it was so great to see him yesterday.
Looked like himself, even his demeanor, his body language so
much better. And I think what led him to a
melancholy place for about ten days was he blames himself

(33:22):
for every loss. And he still talks about the loss
of the Patriots and the season opener a year ago,
and you know that's a long time ago, but he
blames himself for every loss. I think he was really
hard on himself with the Buffalo loss because they were
up ten, they had a chance. I think he gets
really excited playing against the other top quarterbacks and that
would have been a game may propel them into the playoffs.
I think that's really where he was that by being

(33:44):
so down on himself to that particular game. So it
seems like to recover that from this point going forward,
I think what we need to also see happen is
I think before every future game, have a national reporter
come out and say that the teams that the Bengals
are playing that day offered the Bengals four first round
picks before the twenty twenty draft to draft Joe Burrow
because I think he kind of looked at the team

(34:05):
and said, four first round picks, that's not enough for me.

Speaker 3 (34:07):
I'm sure Stephen Ross, the owner of the Dolphins, was
watch doubled yesterday thinking we should have offered him eight yep,
double it. Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 12 (34:16):
You know that The thing is with Miami too, Uh,
they haven't had a star football player really since Stan Marino.
I mean, two is not a star superstar like Joe
Burrow is. And I think Stephen Ross probably salivates over
a player like that, a personality like that, how popularly
would be in South Beach. I mean, that's probably why
he was ready to fork over all the draft picks, you.

Speaker 3 (34:35):
Know, going forward.

Speaker 12 (34:36):
But yeah, I think it was It was great to
see finish the season out with a good strong wins
and carry it in from there. But it just it
was just refreshing to see that yesterday because if he's
all in.

Speaker 3 (34:48):
Then a lot of the problems can be so correct. Correct, John,
thanks so much, man, have a great holiday. Yeah you
two as well. Thank you. Let's get one more here.
Uh Kenny, what's up, hey, Joe.

Speaker 13 (35:01):
Bengals from yesterday? I man just thinking the defense that
played for the other part of the season, like they did,
you know, last games or so, where we'd be.

Speaker 14 (35:11):
But my question that the.

Speaker 13 (35:13):
Quarterback from James Madison, Uh Barnett. Yeah, watching them play,
I don't know how they did what they did this year.
Is his delivery that dropped them side on them?

Speaker 15 (35:26):
That?

Speaker 13 (35:28):
I mean he had passed his knocked down.

Speaker 2 (35:29):
Yeah, I watched. I watched a little bit, and he
put up good stats this year. I think I think
twenty eight hundred or so. They were talking about passing,
and I know he ran it for over five or
six hundred on the year as well. So he's a
great athlete. But he does not he does not have
a buttoned up delivery. And I'm sure that being on
that that type of showcase, he's going to have a

(35:50):
lot of offers in the portal of teams that are
going to say, hey, we can get him in here.
He already has the athleticism, but we can make him
more of a passer. Are there are going to be
teams that take a chance on him and a lot
of money at him. But I think what he was
asked to do at James Madison, it was it wasn't
necessary for him to be as polished at the at
the release standpoint. But I watched the same thing. Here's

(36:12):
a super athlete put up some gaudy numbers, but just
from a sheer quarterback standpoint, you could tell he's not
done much on the throwing at throwing motion aspect.

Speaker 13 (36:22):
And I just you know that game looked like playing
with boys.

Speaker 2 (36:26):
Yes it yep. And again as Austin, yeah, thank you, Kenny.
As Austin said, thank you, it's not against James Madison.
James Madison did what they had to do and they
capitalized on what the system is. But that was a severe,
severe matchup discrepancy. And we knew the old miss was
going to because we watched the game earlier in the
ye where they beat him by thirty five. So it

(36:49):
is at times it was men against boys.

Speaker 3 (36:52):
And shout out to Lane Kiffin for getting that two
hundred and fifty thousand shout.

Speaker 2 (36:56):
Out to Lane Kiffin Man unbelievable beeble one final.

Speaker 3 (37:01):
Bak is this bad? I didn't watch a snap of
jmu Oregon. I don't blame you. I didn't watch one
second of that because I did a little and it
wasn't great. I had like it was a family Christmas
going on, and then by that time the Bears Packers started. Yeah,
so I was like, I'm not watching this. Yep. I
gave it a chance. Shouldn't have. Uh.

Speaker 2 (37:23):
We will wrap up our number one when we get back,
when we get to our two, a very busy Saturday
and Sunday in the National Football League that we'll recap
and then get to your talkbacks here on the Monday
midday Quarterback on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 6 (37:40):
Hey, it's ma Legger. Join us today at twin peak.

Speaker 3 (37:48):
There we go. Now we're talking here, Come Tony Klaus there.

Speaker 16 (37:54):
It is.

Speaker 2 (37:56):
One final thing here Austin before we get to our two,
because I want to talk about a day in the
NFL and many things that happened, what the playoff implications
look like, will peak ahead to week seventeen as well.
But one name we did not mention in the first
hour that I think we should Shamar Stewart, yes two tackles,
two solo tackles, one tackle for a loss. I didn't

(38:19):
see glaring omissions from Shamar Stewart. I saw him around
the ball a lot, and I saw him very active
in his first game back.

Speaker 3 (38:28):
Yeah, I need to go back and look through some
of it, but from what I remember, he seemed to
be pretty solid in the run game, which you know,
we talked about how well the Bengals defense played in
the run game. From what I remember, I thought Chamar
really held his own and played a pretty good game
against the run.

Speaker 2 (38:46):
Yeah, something we hadn't talked about yet, but did make
his presence known at times on the field yesterday, and
he's going to have opportunities down the stretch in these
final two to find something that they can hopefully build
on going forward to next year. But I thought it
at least necessary to bring up Shamar Stewart did have

(39:08):
an impact in that game yesterday as well. Jalen Davis,
Miles Murphy, and Shamar Stewart combined for the Bengals three
tackles for losses yesterday. They did not register a sack
on Quin Yours. But I think that was more of
the game plan of what Miami did as well. Not
a lot of drop back, deep, deep setting routes. It
was a lot of get the ball out quick in

(39:30):
play action. But I thought the Bengals defense played good
football yesterday. The Bengals offense played elite football yesterday. And
one thing we haven't talked a ton about this year,
Austin Ryan Rico has been awesome. Yeah, Evan McPherson has
been really really Evan McPherson's had a very good bounce
back year.

Speaker 3 (39:50):
Yeah. I've seen Ryan Rico catch some flack and he
does have probably more touchbacks than he needs or should have.
But he's also been really good penning teams inside the twenty.
All four of his punts yesterday pinned the Dolphins inside
the twenty. Again, complimentary football was all over the field
for the Bengals yesterday, and that includes special teams.

Speaker 2 (40:11):
Agreed hour two of the Monday midday quarterback is next.
We'll grab any phone calls five, one, three, seven, four, nine,
fifteen thirty and look around the rest of the National
Football League right here on the home of the Bengals,
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station KY Cincinnati.

Speaker 1 (40:26):
Make us the number one pre set on your car
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Free never.

Speaker 16 (40:31):
Sounded so good.

Speaker 1 (40:32):
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(40:58):
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Speaker 3 (41:16):
All right, we're back.

Speaker 2 (41:17):
It is the second hour of the Monday midday Quarterback
on the Home of the Bengals, ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati
Sports Station.

Speaker 3 (41:25):
Thanks as well to.

Speaker 2 (41:25):
Our friends at since he Shirts, We've discussed the Bengals
from yesterday and listen. It's not to take away from
the Bengals win. They are games right now that do
not have a bearing on the postseason.

Speaker 3 (41:43):
For the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (41:43):
So there is a side of this, Austin, to say,
let's enjoy the win, let's enjoy the finer things from
yesterday's game, but also the expectations and standards going into
the offseason must be held much higher than they were
last year.

Speaker 3 (41:57):
I think both those things are true.

Speaker 2 (42:00):
You can't you can't just rely on yesterday and hopefully
a good performance against the Cardinals and a good performance
against the Browns and say, okay, well we're more further
along than we thought, so we don't have to be
as aggressive. The standards and the expectations have to be
higher going into the offseason, but you can also enjoy
what yesterday was and that is a win for the

(42:20):
Cincinnati Bengals. Austin, do you think that the folks at
the National Football League, when they made their Christmas Day
schedule viewed what would be at stake this upcoming Thursday.
I mean I think they viewed what could you had
to have thought like, Okay, Cowboys, Commanders. Those teams will
be competing, especially the Commanders. Sure, Lions should be a

(42:42):
Super Bowl contender. Lions are essentially out of it. Broncos, Chiefs.
There is one playoff team that's going to be playing
on Christmas Day.

Speaker 3 (42:51):
Well, the Lions will are technically alive, still alive. Yeah,
so the Lions can make the playoffs, albeit their chances
are very slim. It'll be the Broncos and the Lions,
only two of the six teams still and some of
the quarterback battles as well.

Speaker 6 (43:06):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (43:07):
I don't know who's going to start for the Chiefs.
I don't even know who that guy was that finished
that game. I had never heard of him. No Aluacin
or something me, no clue past me. So I don't
know who Chris Chris Alucan, Yeah, which I would rather
probably watch him than JJ McCarthy take another snap. He's terrible,

(43:28):
but we'll have to watch him. And they're awful Christmas
alternate uniforms that the Vikings will be wearing. I do think,
you know, at least the Cowboys offense is fun. The
Lions offense is mostly fun about The Broncos and Chiefs
might set football back a couple of years. But here's
the thing with the NFL. They they put out bangers

(43:51):
in some way, shape or form like Saturday. Both those
games were pretty good, and then you know who knows
what's going to happen on Christmas Night or Christmas Day?
Like you just never know. I remember it was it
last year or two years ago the Chiefs knocked off
or the Raiders knocked off the Chiefs on Black Friday,
and nobody thought that was going to be a good game. Yeah,

(44:11):
this coming Saturday, Texans, Chargers, Ravens, Packers, yep so.

Speaker 2 (44:17):
And Ravens will play that game still alive because they
won't know the outcome obviously of the Steelers until Sunday.
So the Ravens and we'll let let's get to that
schedule in a moment. Let's talk about what happened yesterday
across the National Football League. We'll start with with Saturday
night Austin. I thought it was a solid performance from

(44:38):
the Eagles. Commanders aren't a very good football team, But
you want to talk about a will to win and
finding a way. The Bears did just that. They convert
on a fourth down down the stretch they were covering
on side kick, they score a touchdown, and then DJ
more in overtime on an unbelievable pass from Caleb Williams.

Speaker 3 (44:59):
I'm with you. We talked about this before the show. Austin.

Speaker 2 (45:02):
I feel like I'm still not yet all the way
sold on the Bears, but my goodness, is Caleb Williams
improving and that defense and what Ben Johnson has done
is very impressive.

Speaker 3 (45:12):
I don't know if there's anybody in the NFC that
I'm totally sold on other than the Rams, and they
clearly have their deficiencies. I mean, hell, they just lost
to Seattle. I think the Bears are a fun story.
I think they would be really interesting and if Caleb
Williams is going to play like that in their biggest moments.
They do have a run game, at least historically they've

(45:33):
had a run game. I think their defense has slowly
gotten better. Those two things in and of itself can
make you a team that's dangerous in the playoffs. So
the way that they were able to rally and they
kind of got punched in the mouth after Jordan Love
went out, I thought Malik Willis played really well. Yes,
and all of a sudden, Chicago's like, oh crap, this
isn't going to be easy. We got to find our

(45:54):
way through this, and they did. I mean, I'll score
Green Bay by ten in the fourth quarter and then
in overtime. That was That was one of the funnest
games of the year.

Speaker 5 (46:02):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (46:03):
Bill's clunky against the Browns devastating.

Speaker 13 (46:07):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (46:07):
I hated seeing quin Shawn Juckkins get taken off the
field on an air cast. Shador Sanders keeps showing me
some stuff though. I think Schador's playing pretty well.

Speaker 3 (46:17):
Yeah, I agree.

Speaker 2 (46:18):
James Cook was awesome yesterday. Josh Allen was not great.
I don't think he needed to be Chargers double up
the Cowboys? How good? What's the ceiling for the Chargers?
Omarion Hampton is now back. He changes their run game.
Herbert was awesome yesterday. What's the ceiling for the Chargers?
The ceiling for the Chargers is they could still win

(46:40):
the AFC West. Yes, if they went out.

Speaker 3 (46:42):
I played they played the Texans on Saturday and then
the Broncos. If they went out, they win the AFC West.
And you know, I think that could be a really
interesting development in the AFC, just because of the home
field advantage that's built in with the Broncos. If that's
taken away from them, different, Yeah, that's an entirely different

(47:02):
team in the postseason. Yep. And now the Chargers may
not really have a quote unquote home field advantage. I
think they have more of one than the Rams do typically,
but still, I mean that could really flip the balance
of power in the AFCU.

Speaker 2 (47:18):
Chiefs essentially didn't even show up in Tennessee. Gardan Minshew
also leaves with an acl injury. Titans beat the Chiefs.
Saints might have found something here. Saints are are playing well.
Tyler shock three in a row, Tyler, what shock? Shuck?

Speaker 3 (47:34):
Shuck?

Speaker 2 (47:34):
Yeah, shucks. They're getting shucked up down there here. Orland
won over three hundred yards yesterday. Uh, Chris shuck, Chris
o'lav don't forget to throw him the ball Jets. Jets
now have gone fifteen games without an interception. Can they
make it the whole year without a pick?

Speaker 3 (47:52):
I hope?

Speaker 15 (47:52):
So.

Speaker 3 (47:52):
I think that'd be really fun.

Speaker 2 (47:53):
Carolina Baby, How about the Panthers taking control of that division?

Speaker 3 (47:58):
Man beating the Buccaneers at home a game nobody wanted
to win. Does Baker Mayfield stink again? Are we gonna
hear something about him in the offseason, like some sort
of surgery or something like that got his weapons back
to you know, we talked last week about if Zach
Taylor were to be fired, that the Bengals have maybe
the most interesting or most desirable job available. If Todd
Bowles gets fired, Tampa's towards the top of that list

(48:19):
as well. That could be a good conversation, be a
fun team to UH to take over. And and I
wonder about a guy like Clint Koubiak in Seattle. Could
he come down there and make some noise with with
that team. But you know, it's getting ahead of myself.
I'm happy for Carolina. Every once in a while you
see these Bryce Young plays that's like, oh, yeah, that's
the Bryce Young. They got picked in the first number

(48:42):
one overalls. It doesn't happen often, but you see it sometimes.
Texans kind of slept walk to a win over the Raiders.
That was a better game than people thought. I watched
a good chunk of that game. The Raiders were very
much in it. That was one of the worst officiated
games of the NFL season. Was that game in Houston?
You know it was really good and just getting wate
right now. Robinson, Yeah, I know that. As a fantasy

(49:03):
owner of Bejon Robinson.

Speaker 2 (49:05):
Seven catches for ninety two and a touchdown ran for
seventy six.

Speaker 3 (49:08):
I think Kirk Cousins has played pretty well down the stretch.
By the way, I think that's a name that we
have to watch out for in the offseason. The other
games three that we've not mentioned yet. Let's start Austin
with I'll give you your flowers. Thank you.

Speaker 2 (49:22):
The Jacksonville Jaguars, who not only are on a proverbial
heater right now, the Jaguars have won six games in
a row, six games. That's the longest winning streak in
the National Football League. They did so yesterday by dominating
the Denver Broncos in Denver. That Denver defense no answer

(49:45):
for Trevor Lawrence in company. They win thirty four to twenty.
Jaguars Austin. With the openings in the AFC, no Mahomes,
no Lamar right now, no Joe Burrow. This is open
for the Jaguars right now because not playing great football.
That's a team you have to pay attention to in
the AFC.

Speaker 16 (50:04):
It really is.

Speaker 3 (50:05):
Then they're going to play Indianapolis coming off of a
short week next week, and they finished this season at
home against Tennessee, so you expect them to finish the
year on an eight game win streak at least I
would personally. But yeah, you mentioned I've been high on
the Jags all season long, and part of that equation
was Brian Thomas Junior and Travis Hunter playing well together. Well,

(50:25):
Travis Hunter's barely played. They've done all this without him,
and their best player on offense hasn't been Brian Thomas Junior.
It's been Parker Washington. He's been unbelievable for this team
this year. Over six hundred receiving yards, already four touchdowns.
He's a threatned special teams as well. They do it
in a lot of different ways. It felt like it

(50:45):
feels like the light bulb has come on a little
bit for Trevor Lawrence as well. It's a fun team,
it's a good team, and that was a team with
attitude yesterday that went into Denver and took it to him.
You remember that. I don't know. I don't think we
talked about it on the air, But one of the
dumbest things I've ever heard NFL head coach say was
Sean Payton last week talking about Jacksonville being a small

(51:05):
market team. Yeah, the market size in the National Football
League does not about it at all too and and
he should, and the players going into the locker room,
we're talking about it as well. I'll tell you that
little stuff like that matters. Man, and Jacksonville does kind
of feel like it's them against the world mentality because
it kind of is nobody really believed them besides me,
So do vall. Now, we don't got to say that.

(51:27):
I think that's dumb. That's like us saying Hamilton because
we're in Hamilton County all the time.

Speaker 2 (51:35):
Now, the two AFC North games to end the night,
So let's start with the Ravens, who lose Lamar Jackson
to a back injury, which was weird because there's times
he was on the sideline and looked like he was
coming back in and he never did. And the Patriots
look like I thought the Patriots were out of that game.
I thought Baltimore was going to get themselves a very

(51:56):
good win. Was it in the fourth quarter alone? Derrick
Henry ran it in. It was twenty four to thirteen,
and you thought, man, Baltimore is going to find a
way to win this. And then Drake May happened, and
then ramondre Stevenson happened, and then John Harball in the
offense of the Baltimore Ravens forgot that Derrick Henry had
carried the ball for seven point one yards per carry

(52:17):
and just went away from him in the fourth quarter
and gave the ball more to Tyler Huntley. And that's
not saying Tyler Huntley was bad. He was nine to
ten in the game. Why take the ball out of
Dereck Henry's hands. Zay Flowers fumbled again. He's got more
fumbles than touchdowns this year. Are the Baltimore Ravens done?
Does it feel like it? Yes, feels like it's over.

Speaker 3 (52:38):
Yeah, And I believe another weird injury for Lamar And
now they got to go win at green Bay just
to keep their season alive. Yeah, and now, and that's
very possible based off of you know, green Bay's the
walking wounded right now. I mean they barely got anybody left.
But still going up to green Bay late in the
year like this is not going to be easy, especially

(52:59):
on a shoe.

Speaker 17 (53:02):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (53:02):
And finally, the game that I'm still trying to figure
out from yesterday, what was the ending of the Lions
Pittsburgh Steelers.

Speaker 3 (53:10):
It was entertaining. It was entertaining, for sure. It was
miserable having to listen to Jim Nants and Tony Romo,
who have quickly become one of the worst broadcasting duos
in sports. That CBS production crew didn't show a replay
the almost the entire time. That was awful with that.
That was awful, awful production on that crew. I don't
know what was going on. And then the way that

(53:32):
Carl Cheffer's, the referee, explained it at the end was
just bonkers. The you just you broken up over it
or I just I it was frustrating watching the end
of that game because you're You're like, the reason I'm
watching this is so I should get some kind of

(53:53):
insight here.

Speaker 2 (53:54):
Yeah, Jalen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell were awesome yesterday for
the Steelers.

Speaker 3 (53:59):
I've said it before. The Steelers' entire offenses built a
brown Kenneth Gainwell, I can't, I cannot believe that, but
it's true. Yeah, Adam Thielan had a big catch.

Speaker 2 (54:10):
Adam Ceiling, Darnell Washington had a big like Detroit couldn't
get a stop in the fourth quarter. No, they they
could not get a stop when they needed it the most.
And I thought the door opened up there at the
end when Boswell missed, It's like, oh boy, here come
the Lions. It was a it was a weird game,
Jamier Gibbs. Austin ran seven times for two yards but

(54:34):
caught ten passes for sixty six.

Speaker 3 (54:35):
Yep, that's what killed me.

Speaker 2 (54:36):
But yeah, it's just so at the end, Detroit a
couple of shots at it to win it. I thought
the offensive pass interference call on the Amen Ross Saint
Brown touchdown was soft, and I thought the offensive pass
interference on Aman Ross Saint Brown on the lateral touchdown was.

Speaker 3 (54:53):
Soft as well. I agree just so the fact that
they that place should have been blown dead, Yes, it
would have been cool, no doubt. But and I'm rooting
against the Steelers, but yeah, just the last two minutes
of that game was wild, ending bad.

Speaker 2 (55:09):
And again with that loss, Pittsburgh can now clinch if
they just beat the Cleveland Browns. By the way, Austin
death Texas Mike Tomlin over five hundred.

Speaker 3 (55:22):
Nineteen years in a row something like that.

Speaker 2 (55:25):
It looks like they're playing with that understanding and attitude.
Like you see the shot of Tomlin walking off the
field in between Rogers and Cam Hayward and Cam Hayward
and Rogers are both kind of pointing to Tomlin, like, Yeah,
he's that guy.

Speaker 3 (55:38):
We hear the noise. We're just winning football games. They
have certainly seemed to have figured it out yep, over
the last couple of weeks.

Speaker 2 (55:45):
Yeah, frustrating to say the least. We'll take a break.
Your talkbacks the Monday Midday Quarterback Edition next on ESPN
fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 3 (55:59):
Hey, Alexa, who's out.

Speaker 1 (56:03):
Here's that hypeer talkbacks?

Speaker 18 (56:05):
It's that microphone and record a message, Oh hunters a
biscil toe. I'd be remission to not keep for this, so.

Speaker 5 (56:15):
You better not be naughty. That's kind of that hype
for talkbacks.

Speaker 1 (56:19):
It's the most wonderful time of the show. Austin and
Hoy hope you type this very slow today and try
not to sabotage it.

Speaker 3 (56:31):
So fitting on a day.

Speaker 2 (56:35):
That is our final day Austin before the holiday on
Thursday of your talkbacks on the Monday edition of the
Monday Midday Quarterback Thanks as well to our friends at Cincy.

Speaker 19 (56:45):
Shirts excellent to see wheelborrow tune back in yesterday down
in Miami. Today is my sixty second year on the planet. Wow,
Merry Christmas, Happiness year to home and always.

Speaker 3 (57:02):
Frank him Happy Birthday. Happy Birthday, will crank him up, Jeff,
frank him, matt.

Speaker 20 (57:07):
Hey, fellows, it's Vinnie calling on a victory Monday. How
about that, Austin. Merry Christmas to you, buddy, and Shabat shalom.
Happy hone. Cut to you, Tony, my dear friend, Tony Pike. Listen, Tony,
I do want an apology to me. Austin, Zach Taylor
and Duke Tobin. We said, let Joey Burr play and play.
He did, and guess what, he's happy again. Let's finish

(57:30):
the season strong. Let's do some quality draft picks.

Speaker 2 (57:34):
Let's go who Day shout out, shout out to happy
Joe Barrow.

Speaker 3 (57:39):
Are you gonna apologize? I'm sorry, Vinnie, Austin, Duke and
Zech Nope, nope.

Speaker 8 (57:46):
Hey guys, it's Jeff and New Rich Jeff, Happy Monday,
Glad the Bengals won yesterday. Just wanted to do a
quick shout out to you guys. Hope you have a
very merry Christmas, happy New Year, as well as all
the talkbackers, listeners, everybody involved with your show. Moe and

(58:06):
his show, Chad Brindle, all the guys who fill in
and do a marvelous job.

Speaker 3 (58:13):
We appreciate you, tak Well, thank you, Jeff, Thanks Jeff.
Appreciate those words.

Speaker 8 (58:19):
All right, So I left the positive ones. You see
basketball yesterday. Wes Miller is a dead man walking. There's
no getting around that at this point. My hope is
that we have to fire John Cunningham before we fire

(58:40):
Wes Miller, because we cannot let him choose the next coach.
Take care, have a great day.

Speaker 3 (58:46):
Just the dead man the dead pan delivery of dead
Man walking. Gosh, Man's beautiful. He's a dead man walking.

Speaker 21 (58:53):
A big shout out to Jay Way to start the
day on social media this morning. Yeah, the last paragraph
of his post about sums up everything and how good
life can be and how tough today will be.

Speaker 3 (59:05):
Yeah, I know Jay posted it, and we are.

Speaker 2 (59:10):
I am a huge fan and I Austin, I'm sure
I'm a huge fan of everything Jay Morrison does and
his statistics and insights are are so good, Like he
is the one guy to go to for the most
obscure stats that you ever want to know. He shared
on his social media earlier that after undergoing what he
described as a routine procedure things with his wife of

(59:34):
I believe thirty seven years, took a turn for the
worst and that she had essentially been putting on life
support to be an organ donor. But she is, as
Jay mentioned, she was going to be taken off the
machines today. And I can't one. Jay's such a great guy,
great family too. I can't imagine what him and his

(59:55):
family are going through, especially this time of the year,
and just a loss that you're not ready for that
comes out of nowhere. So our our thoughts and prayers
are definitely, I know with with Jay Morrison and his family.

Speaker 3 (01:00:05):
Yeah, and Jay is just the nicest guy in the world,
and just to have your your world taken away from
you like that, it's just unfathomable.

Speaker 1 (01:00:16):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (01:00:16):
And if you in case you missed his announcement, he said,
he's obviously going to be stepping away from the Bengals
beat for a while and taking care of his kids
and trying to put the pieces together. So we're thinking
of him and we certainly are give him our condolences.
I know. Zach Taylor met with the media earlier today
and did the same thing and said some nice things

(01:00:37):
about Jay. So yeah, it's just no easy way to
talk about it. Awful.

Speaker 22 (01:00:43):
Hey it's Greg. You know what I really like about
yesterday's game. Both sides of the ball were playing like
they were still in very very positive I do like that.

Speaker 15 (01:00:55):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:00:55):
We talked last week about the team rollover. There was
no rolling over in South Beach.

Speaker 3 (01:00:59):
Yeah, and a week after it felt like they quit
on him.

Speaker 5 (01:01:03):
Yep.

Speaker 3 (01:01:03):
To see them respond that way, especially the second half.

Speaker 23 (01:01:05):
Yeah, Hey, guys, Sean form me skate. This might just
be old man yelling get clouds, but seeing the video
yesterday of Zach Taylor in his postgame locker room in
the Bengals social media page with the hashtag locker room, selly,
what are you celebrating? You're five and ten, You're going
nowhere for the third straight year. Congratulations, you've hit mediocrity

(01:01:29):
once again.

Speaker 3 (01:01:31):
Celebrating they won. Yep, it's hard of doing the NFL.
Winning is hard, and obviously this season goes without saying.
The season is not where anybody wants it to be.
But those dudes still go to work every day, they
still bust their butt and it's easy for them to,
you know, just pack it in and play like it
doesn't matter. But I think those guys also understand there's

(01:01:51):
a lot going on in terms of decisions being made
about next year, and so there is a lot to
play for personally. And also, I don't think anybody wants
to be a team that finishes four and whatever it
is thirteen. With Joe Burrow at quarterback, I think there's
a pride factor, and so it feels good to win.

Speaker 5 (01:02:12):
Yep, Hey, guys.

Speaker 24 (01:02:13):
Steve Montgomery stating the obvious. The Bengals need to extend
Chase Brown and they need to sign Dalton Risner to
two more years.

Speaker 5 (01:02:20):
And I just had an abstract idea.

Speaker 24 (01:02:22):
One way we can improve the entire defense is by
somehow Bryan Jeffrey Simmons away from the Titans. I know
it seems pretty unlikely, but they need draft picks and
they're not going anywhere, and he'd probably relished the idea
of joining a team with Joe Burrow. I'd offer them
our second round pick and maybe another sweetener.

Speaker 3 (01:02:38):
What do you guys think?

Speaker 2 (01:02:40):
Huh, We got a lot of time to throw those
things around. But I mean, I'm open to it. I'm
open to all possibilities.

Speaker 25 (01:02:48):
You see basketball has lost three of their last four games.

Speaker 22 (01:02:55):
Extinct West Miller, please.

Speaker 3 (01:02:58):
Boyree days about.

Speaker 26 (01:03:02):
Hi.

Speaker 18 (01:03:02):
It was good to see the big Ols kind of
web yesterday. I those they're all but eliminated mathematically, but
I think our forb the Clover still have a chance.

Speaker 3 (01:03:16):
It was good to see Teddy Stewart back over the
film yesterday. They look pretty good on defense.

Speaker 5 (01:03:25):
Hi did some Jake Cramy palm.

Speaker 3 (01:03:31):
Today.

Speaker 27 (01:03:31):
We laid a rest twenty twenty five fantasy football season
for Walker and the west Siders. Oh no, he's got
team Sucon, two Girlies, one Cup Amburro and the Boys.
All three had a chance to make it into the
super Bowl next week and we fall short. Josh Allen
needed to have a pulse yesterday. He did absolutely nothing.

(01:03:54):
Ricodowbell nothing, Theo Johnson couldn't catch anything.

Speaker 2 (01:03:59):
All right, Well, I'll take this chance to extend the
same condolences to my brother Devinpike. Really who who got
taken behind the proverbial woodshed in our family semi finals
one fifty two to sixty nine?

Speaker 3 (01:04:14):
Is that right?

Speaker 2 (01:04:15):
I also had Josh Allen starting at quarterback for me Walker,
so uh, some live with excuses others don't. You gotta
find ways to win. And I'm happy that my team
will be playing for a championship next week.

Speaker 3 (01:04:29):
I need twelve points tonight from Tyler Warren to advance
to the Fantasy Championship. And if so, Ricky Uchino is
waiting for, oh my goodness, and what will be certainly
a battle Ricky Ringside, Ricky Ringside against the opt Man. Now,
if I get in, I'm guaranteed two hundred bucks according
to Rick and if I win, that's faux hunted. Wow.

(01:04:51):
So listen, that's San Francisco. San Francisco favored right now
by five and a half. Yeah, if they need to
get out the tight end, get out to a leader
early and just have Phil Rivers back there slanging that
thing a little bit.

Speaker 2 (01:05:04):
You gotta think Phil's gonna gonna link up with Tyler
Warren a lot. I think Tyler Warren is younger than
one of Phil's kids.

Speaker 3 (01:05:09):
Even if Tyler Warren has two catches for four yards
and two touchdowns, that's all I need. That's it, That's
all I need.

Speaker 17 (01:05:14):
Hey, fellas, I've been in my ah for quite a while.
Often knows why, I don't know, if you do Tony,
but we lost our baby's son, Joshua a few weeks ago.
It's been really hard. I appreciate all the love and
support of everybody has shown. I just want to say
everybody have to marry Christmas and please check on your

(01:05:36):
friends and family and that's having mental health issues this
time of year. God bless y'all.

Speaker 13 (01:05:41):
Man.

Speaker 2 (01:05:41):
Kevin, very very sorry for your loss as well. I
could not even begin to put into words or thought
what that would be like to go through. And Kevin
is obviously a big part of these talkbacks since its inception.
Yeah Yeah, has made it to so many lives shows
that we've done and always supported us in this show.

(01:06:02):
And uh, Kevin, we're certainly here for you in supporting
you through it. Obviously a very tough time as well
thinking about your big fellow. Hopefully you find some something
to be happy and excited about.

Speaker 4 (01:06:16):
At this point in the NFL season for the Cincinnati Bengals,
wins our losses, I mean, you got a six win
team coming here. Since their franchise quarterback brings up a
practice squad guy the week of why they understand the mission?

Speaker 28 (01:06:30):
Man?

Speaker 4 (01:06:31):
Only in Cincinnati, could we make clowns look serious. This
is just ridiculous, Like to go out and win that
game this week and then and then to hear the
media say, oh, this is a glimpse of.

Speaker 3 (01:06:43):
What might have been. No, no, well, okay, I'm gonna
talk about this though.

Speaker 29 (01:06:52):
Ugh, guys, big gohod in Kentucky about that ODDI how
about them Hurricane that we get the match up with
Hi's date. Kahuna is wanting to go, but I told
him now, we're just going to wait for January nineteenth
to go to the championship game in the home stadium
at hard Rock. I'd like to see the Bengals move
Yoshi out of there, Charlie Jones out of there? What

(01:07:14):
do you think about him? Would you think they could
give Tyreek heel and let me when it called to
get him to be the third wife receiver coming off
an injury.

Speaker 5 (01:07:20):
Would it be a bargain?

Speaker 3 (01:07:22):
I don't know that Tyreek would want to come and
be a third wide receiver.

Speaker 30 (01:07:26):
You.

Speaker 31 (01:07:27):
Hello, this is former President Ronald Reagan formally wishing each
and every one of you a very merry Christmas. Oh
and I want to thank you all for the contributions
you make to the show, especially you Tony and you Audie,
Happy New Year, Merry Christmas and enjoy the time off.

Speaker 3 (01:07:46):
Thank you, thank you, mister, appreciate.

Speaker 28 (01:07:48):
That Tony Audi right first and foremost.

Speaker 30 (01:07:54):
Merry Christmas to you and yours, all the talkbackers, and
thank you for getting us mail carriers and all sorts
of delivery drivers through this time of year, for the
fact that nobody wants to go out and shop anymore.
And as far as little Ferrell, i' will box his
mother loving ears in and crack him over the head
with some downy sprinkles.

Speaker 2 (01:08:14):
Wow, I'll tell you what what I think that we
have to have the largest mail delivery service listenership, yeah around.

Speaker 3 (01:08:24):
Which it makes sense in our day part where we're at.
And uh man, I love it, and I hope there's
a little bit more rivalries between them, you know, FedEx
ups Amazon. Doesn't matter, man, let's see it. Go get
them and come back.

Speaker 13 (01:08:38):
Man.

Speaker 32 (01:08:38):
If you want to sit around and talk about Joe
Burrow being injury prone, let's talk about the fans up
in Baltimore with Lamar Jackson. If you say Joe's made
out of glass and then Lamar's made of toothpicks, Lamar
Canning and string together other four games.

Speaker 3 (01:09:02):
They are getting hurt. Ye let them know.

Speaker 2 (01:09:05):
Get on them, Tony and Austin.

Speaker 26 (01:09:10):
I just wanted to wish you, all of our talkbackers,
all of our listeners, all of our friends, all of
our families are very merry Christmas. Also want to point
out that my Wildcats are back.

Speaker 3 (01:09:24):
Yeah they are. Look I think they are. I think
they are. I was rooting for Kens Wildcats in the
volleyball National Championship that didn't go too much.

Speaker 16 (01:09:36):
Yeah, yeah, I agree with you guys.

Speaker 33 (01:09:39):
One love Jalen Davis, Miles Murphy yesterday. I wish the
light ball k came on sooner for Murphy, but at
least it's on now. Jordan Battle, I said earlier in
the year, I give up on Jordan.

Speaker 3 (01:09:55):
I'm done.

Speaker 33 (01:09:55):
But I thought he had a real nice game yesterday.
Let's get Bengals defense. Mary Christen, somebody say, not for me?

Speaker 3 (01:10:05):
Something was going on not for me.

Speaker 16 (01:10:06):
Looks like I'm not the only one leaving Florida on
the high note. In the city out here, Sonny, what up?

Speaker 18 (01:10:11):
Tony?

Speaker 5 (01:10:12):
What up?

Speaker 28 (01:10:12):
Buddy?

Speaker 16 (01:10:13):
Jb Now was on fire yesterday. Chase Brown was lighting
them up.

Speaker 5 (01:10:16):
Yo.

Speaker 16 (01:10:16):
Even Mike g did his kitty gritty that was hilarious.
I'm loving everything I saw yesterday from the defense, which
she was doing that through the whole season. Yep, wes
Man West West West.

Speaker 3 (01:10:27):
Good guy to Mike, we gotta talk.

Speaker 16 (01:10:29):
This is not working out this time for a breakup
because his team was overweighted. And yeah, Tony show up.
Nothing but Jordan videos g let's call.

Speaker 34 (01:10:41):
You know, as I was sitting there yesterday watching the
Bengals just absolutely bludging the Dolphins. I mean, I haven't
seen a mismatch like that since I watched Harambe running
around with that poor.

Speaker 5 (01:10:51):
Child and top of zero.

Speaker 9 (01:10:53):
Gosh, it's meaningless.

Speaker 5 (01:10:55):
You know.

Speaker 35 (01:10:56):
I feel like that talk backer that acts like he's
the board, I feel like it's uninspired as his voice,
the cadence in his voice.

Speaker 25 (01:11:06):
It's just I just felt flat.

Speaker 3 (01:11:08):
I still feel flat.

Speaker 5 (01:11:13):
Again.

Speaker 36 (01:11:15):
Hey, they're Austin, Tony.

Speaker 3 (01:11:16):
This is Brandon from Indy.

Speaker 36 (01:11:18):
First, I wanted to say wish you you and your
family's a merry Christmas and happy New Year and a wonderful,
happy holiday season. Hopefully you guys are safe and God
bless you both.

Speaker 3 (01:11:27):
Thank you.

Speaker 36 (01:11:28):
I'm glad the Bengals won yesterday and Joe Burrow looked great.
The problem is, I'm not sure why they're playing these
guys when they're already eliminated and the games don't matter,
Breach said, Because they want to play. But I just
don't want to see any serious injury.

Speaker 2 (01:11:44):
Yeah, I mean, you're you're running a risk of injury
every time you run on the field.

Speaker 3 (01:11:47):
And I get that.

Speaker 2 (01:11:48):
In a game that is seemingly meaningless when it comes
to no playoff positioning and losing draft capital, you you
run the risk of that.

Speaker 3 (01:11:55):
I get that.

Speaker 2 (01:11:57):
I think if you listen to Joe Burrow at all
in his post game though, you see how much it
means to him to be able to play in these games,
and that's hard to take away from him.

Speaker 37 (01:12:07):
Hey, guys, it's the common talkback matters guy. It's been
a while, and well, I kind of gave up on
the radio station, you know, when they let Tony go
and then to call Sacramento and have a talk with
some of the big wags down there. So san Antonio
saying that I had anything to do with getting his
job back. But you know, the common talkback matters guy

(01:12:31):
really counts a lot.

Speaker 3 (01:12:32):
I want to stay happy holidays? Do you guys have
a safe one? Thanks to hear from you? What's up?

Speaker 18 (01:12:40):
Body?

Speaker 5 (01:12:40):
What's up Tony?

Speaker 38 (01:12:41):
When you're not able to celebrate the big victories, you
have to celebrate the small ones. As a guy that
just loves football, loves watching the Bengals play, and loves
watching them play good, I appreciated sitting down yesterday and
watching that game. I enjoyed watching good football. And that's
all I can ask for right now. We're not making
the playoffs.

Speaker 28 (01:13:01):
It is what it is.

Speaker 38 (01:13:02):
We move on and we hope they played good football
this season, and that's all we can do, all right, don.

Speaker 3 (01:13:09):
Yeah, well, fellas here we go again? Winning? Oh cut off?
Oh no, I had serious watch this doesn't.

Speaker 14 (01:13:23):
Mean fellas here we go again?

Speaker 3 (01:13:27):
Oh no? And then it's just silence the rest of
the way.

Speaker 25 (01:13:31):
Sorry man, Pick three Monday who Day can't help but
keep thinking back to the tweet from the Bengals going
into last year's offseason tackle the off season with everything
we got a bunch of clowns.

Speaker 2 (01:13:49):
Oh man, gosh, hey, guys, just wondered what you thought
of Miles Murphy moving forward?

Speaker 3 (01:13:56):
I think we may have something there. What do you think.

Speaker 2 (01:14:00):
Yeah, I, as we said earlier, big fan of what
Miles Murphy has done, not just what I like the
most Dawston. It feels like he's done it consistently now
and I think that shows the most gross And I
think he's becoming a guy you can say, all right,
let's pencil him, is it? And as a guy you
can rely on next year for sure?

Speaker 28 (01:14:18):
Joe and Baltimore. I'm glad this is such a good
win yesterday, probably the most complete game they played in
a long time. Really enjoyed it. With that being said,
I just wanted to wish you guys have married Christmas.
I hope you guys enjoyed the holiday. Also, Jay Morris's
family than my thoughts of prayers, Man, it's horrible, dudes.

(01:14:38):
Who day praying for you? Jay?

Speaker 3 (01:14:41):
Who Day?

Speaker 39 (01:14:43):
All right, I'm in semi finals of the Fantasy football playoffs?

Speaker 3 (01:14:46):
What do you think about this? I'm up twenty eight?

Speaker 4 (01:14:50):
I got Juwan James and he has Christian McCaffrey.

Speaker 3 (01:14:55):
And Michael Pittman.

Speaker 4 (01:14:57):
Oh boy, he says, I got a sixty.

Speaker 3 (01:15:00):
What do you guys? Stay? Am I looking good? Should nervous?

Speaker 2 (01:15:06):
I would be nervous because Christian McCaffrey has the ability
to go for thirty five. And I feel like Juwan
Jennings some games is the guy and other games they
don't remember he's on the field. I don't know as
far as Michael Pittman what to see if Philip Rivers
pushes the ball down the field at all, but I
would I would be cautiously optimistic.

Speaker 3 (01:15:26):
I'm rooting hard for McCaffrey and Pittman. Right done, there we.

Speaker 2 (01:15:31):
Go, Uh, we'll break, we'll come back. Maybe one segment,
maybe two. We'll figure it out as we can, probably two.
We rolled the ball out, and we roll the ball out,
and we just play on a day like this. Is
that a good thing?

Speaker 3 (01:15:42):
Yes? Oh?

Speaker 2 (01:15:43):
Yes, that means you're prepared, you're ready to go. On
the Monday midday quarterback ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station
fort I took a.

Speaker 16 (01:15:51):
Vider primalsill very plays depend on each of ocase.

Speaker 7 (01:15:52):
Football in the Natty brought to you by Bud Light
on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 2 (01:16:02):
All right, since we will be here the rest of
the week, real quick, here with Football in the Nattie
Austin Arizona Cardinals coming to town on Sunday.

Speaker 3 (01:16:11):
The Arizona Cardinals, who lost one of their starting cornerbacks
this weekend to an achilles injury. They also lost their
first round pick from a year ago, Walter Nolan defensive
tackle too. I believe a knee injury.

Speaker 2 (01:16:25):
Yeah, they said it was a non contact as well.

Speaker 3 (01:16:28):
Not great. They've lost seven consecutive games. Kyler Murray has
done as the quarterback in Arizona, but I heard over
the weekend it seems like Jonathan Gannon might be safe
for some reason. They've lost twelve of thirteen. Not good.
They still, to my knowledge, have Trey McBride. Bengals are
currently seven point favorites according to DraftKings if I'm not

(01:16:50):
mistaken for Sunday's game against Arizona James Connor.

Speaker 2 (01:16:55):
Early in the year, they've been banged up at running back,
but again, they do still have Trey McBride.

Speaker 3 (01:17:01):
I think it's gonna be actually halfway decent weather for
that game. Yeah, so hopefully whatever issues plagued the Bengals
during the cold will not plague them again against There's.

Speaker 2 (01:17:10):
Five is the high on Sunday. Marvin Harrison junior, Michael Wilson,
Trey McBride. There's your scouting report Michael Carter too, don't
they Michael Carter, Baby, yeah, yeah, yeah. So there's your
scouting report on the Arizona Cardinals. Can't wait, need anything else?
This has been Read and react, Read and React on

(01:17:31):
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. The Monday Midday Quarterback
will finish up Hour two next on the Home of
the Bengals, ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 7 (01:17:39):
You've been listening to football in the NATI on ESPN
fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 3 (01:17:51):
From the Johnson Heating attempts to all right.

Speaker 2 (01:17:56):
Hour two coming to an end on the Monday Midday Quarterback,
which means my time here today is coming to an end.
On the Home of the Bengals, ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati
Sports Station, Austin will have Hour number three. I will
head to Florence from three to six and be the
Tony and Moe Football Christmas Show. You guys are gonna
have egg no twin peaks. I don't know. I'm sure

(01:18:17):
Moe's got something in store.

Speaker 3 (01:18:19):
I saw the picture on my phone just over the
weekend of the last time I one of the last
times or one of the first times they came to
a Toni and Mo football show and I won the prize.

Speaker 2 (01:18:29):
Yep, maybe someone today could win the prize. And somebody
could win the prize. I think Moe is keeping this
in at least for today, maybe for the rest of
the Tony and Mo football shows this year, where Moe
will clean your seat when you arrive.

Speaker 3 (01:18:41):
Wow. So I know that you guys will have the
Zach Taylor press conference. We'll have that and lasted seven
minutes today. Wow. So you be ready to talk?

Speaker 2 (01:18:50):
Man, we have that, and I'm sure we'll talk about
what Moe had to witness yesterday.

Speaker 3 (01:18:54):
Oh, I'm sure. What do you coming? What are you
going to tuning in for alone? What are you going
to talk about the next hour? Everybody keeps saying the
Bengals won. Yeah, but well but it's the holiday season, man,
it's the holidays. Cheer up a little bit. I love it.
That's next and nothing changed. How it's funny, Austin. Have
a good Christmas, you two Tony Christmas. Well, I'll talk

(01:19:17):
to you for the Christmas show. Yeah, as far as
everything else. So this is Chris Austin's next on the
Monday Midday Quarterback to fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 1 (01:19:26):
Wc KS, Tony Bike's Monday Midday Quarterback show, brought to
you and black by a or in the Window company.
They sell the best and service the rest. Cincinnati Tax
Resolution powered by Toke Sheldon, O'Connor, Johnny and Levy Attorneys
you know, attorneys you trust. Visit oel Dash Law dot com.

(01:19:48):
Donado's the official pizza of the Bengals, Quality black Topping,
Cincinnati's most trusted company, and by Thomas Moore University. Accelerate
your career with a business from Thomas Moore University on
ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 3 (01:20:08):
Hi, Hello, and welcome into the final hour of Tony
Pike's Monday Midday Quarterback. This is ESPN fifteen thirty and
my name is Austin Elmore. Forty minutes from right now,
we'll check in with Tony and Mo ahead of the
Tony and Mo Football Show Christmas Week edition. They are
at the Twin Peaks in Florence following a Bengals victory, Yes,

(01:20:30):
a victory over the Miami Dolphins yesterday at hard Rock
Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. They'll be breaking it all down.
I'm sure Moe will talk about his experience calling the
Bearcats game yesterday as well. There will be plenty to
talk about this afternoon with them. And there's still plenty
of talking to talk about this afternoon right here, right

(01:20:51):
now on this show. So I'll reopen the phone lines
five one, three, seven, four nine fifteen thirty. That's the
phone number. You can also tweet it me at audiell
Moore au t y E lmr E. What a difference
a week makes. Bengals last week in frigid temperatures move

(01:21:12):
the ball pretty dog gone well, but can't get out
of their own way and find a way to lose
and get shut out for the first time in the
Joe Burrow era to the Baltimore Ravens, and it felt
like rock Bottom felt like to me that the team
had quit on Zach Taylor, and I didn't feel like
that was something I had been able to say really

(01:21:33):
in the previous seven seasons with Zach at the Helm,
And it made me wonder about what the future of
he and his staff would be in Cincinnati because of
all the crap that went wrong. And then we get
the report from Paul Dayner last week that says Zach's
not going anywhere, Duke's not going anywhere, and Al Golden's
not going anywhere. And I found myself wondering throughout the week, well,

(01:21:57):
what exactly is this going to look like come Sunday
in Miami, because we know the way they just performed
against the Ravens after they'd been all but eliminated. They
were still alive in that Ravens game, by the way,
Now what will they look like in a game in
which they're actually eliminated? And I was going back through

(01:22:19):
and trying to figure out because I kept hearing that
stat about Patrick Mahomes and how he'd never played in
a game in which the Chiefs were out of playoff contention,
and I wondered, is that true for Joe Burrow? And
I went back and looked, and to my knowledge, the
same thing was true for Joe Burrow. He had gotten

(01:22:39):
hurt and they were I think two six and one
at the time in mid November and twenty twenty, his
rookie season, but they still were mathematically alive although that
team obviously was not very good, and up until yesterday,
Joe had never played in a game in which the
Bengals were not mathematically alive for the playoffs, and for

(01:23:03):
a lot of guys, they hadn't really experienced that at
all on this team. These guys were here in twenty
twenty three, many of them, and the Bengals were alive
till the very end. These guys were here in twenty
twenty four when the Bengals were alive, and we're alive
on the final day of the season, and they've all
been here so far this year, and so it made

(01:23:23):
me wonder, what is this going to look like? If
they quit last week in the cold, what's it going
to look like this week? Especially missing some guys. Chris
Jenkin's not playing, T Higgins status up in the air,
Joseph Osai wasn't on the field. How's it going to
look against a Miami team in a run game that
does all the things well that the Bengals don't do well.

(01:23:44):
I wondered if Devin h Chan would run for four
hundred yards, if Miami would score forty plus points on
this Bengals defense, And what I was met with was
a pleasant surprise. I was surprised by how easy the
Bengals made it look. They cruised forty five to twenty
one over the Dolphins. Joe Burrow looked like his old self,

(01:24:09):
wearing new cleats for the first time after his toe injury.
Appeared to be the same old Joe Burrow and nothing
like the Joe Burrow we had seen against Baltimore, much
more like the Borough we had seen against the first
Ravens game and against the Bills in Buffalo. This is
top flight, Joe Burrow, best in the league type of stuff,

(01:24:32):
and it made me feel good to see that, because
I know we talk about how you know momentum going
into the end of the year, and I think most
of the time that's overblown. But I do think that
there is a standard that you have to try to uphold.
If you're Zach Taylor and I have a standard for

(01:24:54):
the team that is applicable whether or not they are
in playoff. If they had lost that game yesterday, I
would have been upset. I would have been angry. I
would have been trying to figure out how on God's
green Earth they're going to fix this. But going into
that game, going up against Quinn Yours mostly entirely healthy

(01:25:16):
on offense. There were no excuses as far as I'm concerned,
for the Bengals not to win that game. And they
did what they were supposed to do. They took care
of business. And yet if you look at social media,
and I understand that social media does not speak for
every Bengals fan, and it is but a small part

(01:25:37):
of the story and the narrative and the discourse around
the Bengals, you would think that they had lost again,
that they'd been shut out again, because the idea of like, oh, yeah,
this is what it's supposed to look like only reminded
people of the fact that they're not chasing anything anymore,

(01:25:58):
that they are five and ten, that they have let
games get away from them, and they couldn't win games
without Joe Burrow with the exception of one, and that's fine,
and that's part of the story and we should all
be reminded of that, because it's the story of the
twenty twenty five Bengals. They just couldn't get out of
their own way. But if nothing else, if you've switched

(01:26:22):
to evaluation mode like I have, and you're trying to
figure out what pieces are a part of this puzzle
going forward. I think you were reminded, at least in
my mind, that they aren't as far away as people think.
Tony and I have debated this, I know Moe has
talked about this. I don't think they are that far away.

(01:26:45):
I really don't. I've talked about the cap space that
they have and the draft picks that they're gonna have,
the amount of talent that they have on offense that's
going to be returning, the lack of needs that they
have on offense that you can build on in the
off season, like all of that, and then over the
course of the year we have seen some glimmers of

(01:27:07):
hope on defense. Now, glimmers that are make you feel
comfortable building around next year. Probably not not glimmers that
are enough to say we're gonna stand pat We're gonna
sit on our hands during free agency in the draft. No, certainly,
not glimmers like that, But glimmer's from Miles Murphy, glimmers
from Dax Hill, glimmer's from Dj Turner, glimmers from Jordan

(01:27:30):
Battle enough to look around and say, Okay, there's a
starting point for the journey that is going to be
the Bengals offseason to get them back into contention. I
talked last week about how they have a schedule next
year that will certainly be in their favor. All these things,

(01:27:51):
and when you look at yesterday, when the Bengals defense
didn't play its best game but played well enough, you're
reminded of just how good they can be in a game.

Speaker 11 (01:28:05):
Now.

Speaker 3 (01:28:05):
I think yesterday the Bengals defense was about as middle
of the road as you could be. And yes, going
up against a quarterback making his first NFL start, that's
probably not good enough. I'm not saying this defense is
good enough, but for a game yesterday, they looked like
what they're supposed to look like. They forced Miami into

(01:28:28):
two into converting just two of ten third downs, they
got off the field on a fourth and short. Now,
total yards still was not great, three hundred and eighty
nine total yards over the course of twelve drives for Miami,
still giving up six point seven yards per play, But
they were opportunistic. They forced three Miami turnovers, they got

(01:28:53):
off the field on a fourth down, and the Bengals
offense made Miami pay on all four of those possessions.
That is complimentary football. And the more you play complimentary football,
the better your team is going to be. And that,
to me is my takeaway. There are guys on this
team that know what it takes, and we saw them

(01:29:16):
perform at the level that will be required of them
in the future so that they can be relied upon
in games that matter next season. I've already come to
grips with the idea and with the fact that the
Bengals aren't going to the playoffs this year. I came
to grips with that months ago. And so for those

(01:29:36):
of you who are just now realizing, oh, yeah, this
is a team that is really good offensively, but they're
not going to the playoffs, I don't know where you've been.
And the idea that them winning has somehow hurt their
draft status is not true. They entered yesterday picking ninth
in the NFL Draft. They will enter next week picking

(01:29:58):
ninth in the NFL Draft. That win had no bearing
on their draft position next week. By the way the
New York Giants and the Las Vegas Raiders play, loser
of that gets the number one pick in the draft.
That should be exciting, but either way it didn't matter.
It does not negatively affect them for next season. If

(01:30:22):
you are thinking about next season, which is what you
should be thinking about. Over these last three games, this
was a net positive for them. They won the football game,
players that are going to be relied upon in the future,
performed well, and they didn't negatively affect their draft stock.
Why can't we be happy with the fact that the

(01:30:45):
team we root for played a good football game when
you have nothing else, at least we can be happy
with the fact that the dudes played well. I like
to see Joe Burrow perform at a high level. He
did that. Now, of course we're all disappointed with the
idea that they aren't playing for something meaningful, But even

(01:31:06):
when the season is lost, there is a standard that
I feel like has to be upheld, and it felt
like to me that they upheld that standard against Miami.
It doesn't matter if you are eliminated or not. You
should beat somebody who's making their first NFL start, and
the Bengals did that. They forced him into bad throws

(01:31:30):
and they took advantage interception by Jalen Davis, which that
even wasn't that bad of a throw. That was just
a good play made tipped ball by Josh Newton, intercepted
by Barrett Carter. Congratulations to Barrett first career interception, forced
him into a bad decision, took advantage of it, then
forcing a fumble on the Miami tight end. What's wrong

(01:31:52):
with that? That has nothing to do with the quarterback.
That was being an opportunistic, aggressive defense that responded getting
off the field on fourth and short. Let's go like
those things don't have much to do with the quarterback
on the other team. They have much to do with
how well are your players play in these moments? And

(01:32:13):
the Bengals stepped up. This is why I've always said
that I don't feel like they're that far away from
being competitive in the AFC. Again, and let me make
it clear, the bar is not to be competitive in
the AFC. The bar is to be a legitimate AFC contender.

(01:32:34):
Point being, if you're that close to competitive, you're not
that far away from contender. And that's my honest feelings
about where this team is at. And I remembered something
from last week. I was going to play this. I
don't think I ever did, but Joe Burrow said something
similar even after they had gotten smoked against the Baltimore Ravens.

(01:32:55):
Joe and his Wednesday press conference was asked about the
team being not that far away. Here's that exchange from
last week on Sunday.

Speaker 40 (01:33:05):
You said not that far when asked how close this
organization was for getting back.

Speaker 3 (01:33:10):
To those big stages. Why do you think you guys.

Speaker 14 (01:33:14):
Are not that far.

Speaker 17 (01:33:20):
Well, we have young guys that are getting better.

Speaker 41 (01:33:22):
I think we have really smart coaches. We have a
lot of highly talented people that go out and perform
at a high level on Sundays, weekend and week out.
You know, it's hard for me to It's hard for

(01:33:43):
me to talk about the totality of the season this
year because I was removed from it for so long,
and you know, I really have I haven't had a season.
I've played four games and that's frustrating to me, and
kind of it made me feel like I was on
the outside looking in for a lot of it because

(01:34:04):
that's what happens. And so I'm just getting my feet
wet again with all this and it feels good. But
you know, I feel confident in the people that we have.

Speaker 5 (01:34:13):
That we have here.

Speaker 3 (01:34:15):
That's Joe Burrow from last week saying he doesn't feel
like they're that far away Sunday to me, if nothing
else is a reminder that they are close. Now close
might be relative, but I guess the best maybe way
to say it is they aren't that far away. And
you can say what you want about the opponent in

(01:34:36):
the Miami Dolphins, that's fine. But if the standard is
the standard, and that is to kick everybody's ass and
to be a legitimate contender, even in these games that
don't matter for the playoffs, the standard should be to
beat and blow out a team that you are better
than from a talent standpoint, And certainly, when there's a

(01:34:57):
quarterback making his first NFL start, you're supposed to make
him look silly. The Bengals yesterday checked all the boxes
as to what I was looking for, and that counts
to something that counts as a win for me when
I'm trying to figure out what the path forward is
going to be this offseason, and yet it's met with
this negativity of oh, well, yeah, well it doesn't matter

(01:35:20):
because they screwed up this and that and blah blah blah.
We know that that's been established. Can't you just be
happy that your team played well and that there is
at least some clarity over the final three games. And
by the way, they should whoop the ass of the
Arizona Cardinals and then finish it off by beating the
Cleveland Browns. That should be the standard. That's what I want.

(01:35:43):
I also don't believe in tanking when you already have
a franchise quarterback. That's a debate for later on this offseason,
but still to me, they checked all the boxes yesterday
that they needed to check. We come back. We'll take
your phone calls, and Hodante and Kentucky is waitingationally. You
also hear from t Higgins, Zach Taylor, and Moore. This
is Tony Pike's Monday midday quarterback right here on the

(01:36:06):
home of the Bengals, Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 6 (01:36:10):
Hey, it's ma legger.

Speaker 39 (01:36:11):
Join us today at Twin Peaks in Florence for the
Tony and Moo Football Show as we talk Bengals, Dolphins,
actual NFL games that matter, the college football playoff and more.
The fun begins at three zero five today on ESPN
fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 3 (01:36:33):
Man doesn't feel like Christmas. We're trying to get everybody
in the spirit. Last show prior to the Christmas break
for us. We'll be back briefly next week. This is
the Tony Pikes Monday Midday Quarterback Show. I'm Austin Olmore
no tone right now, big fellow on his way to Florence.
Tony and Mo Football show coming up this afternoon three

(01:36:53):
to six. Phone lines are open at five, one, three, seven, four, nine,
fifteen thirty And we go out to Kentucky now where
Dante is standing by. What's up? Dante?

Speaker 5 (01:37:06):
Hey, what's up? Austin? But and the motor worker Goma
power with you. Shame, shame, shame.

Speaker 15 (01:37:13):
A man, you're drinking that kool AIDMA.

Speaker 5 (01:37:16):
Forgot that new PS five with the man?

Speaker 3 (01:37:18):
Okay, what do you got? Why am I drinking the
kool aid? Explain it, Austin?

Speaker 15 (01:37:23):
Come on, man, The Bengals do this to us every year.

Speaker 5 (01:37:27):
They always let us down and at the.

Speaker 15 (01:37:29):
End of the year come back strong, give us that
false hope. I'm telling you, Mike Brown is barning On
Bailey a sucker.

Speaker 5 (01:37:35):
Born every minute.

Speaker 15 (01:37:37):
If you gotta If you got a car, auton and
it's broke down, if you don't change as far pus.

Speaker 5 (01:37:42):
As to anything, that car is never.

Speaker 3 (01:37:43):
Gone wrong, right, what does what does what does yesterday
change about next year?

Speaker 15 (01:37:50):
Often they played with no pressure, They had nothing to
play for, no kind of pressure or nothing. And our
coach always told him, I played d one of ut
and I coach always told us Rusher Bus Pikes, the
Bengals weren't playing for nothing yesterday. It wasn't nothing to do.
They were playing with house money. So of course they're
gonna play good.

Speaker 3 (01:38:08):
I mean, I'll try, I'll try to ask you again,
what does yesterday change about next year? If anything, it doesn't.

Speaker 13 (01:38:17):
But okay, didn't I say that it did you?

Speaker 15 (01:38:20):
But with the fans that are not Eve, they're already
looking into it like we win in these last three games,
let's renew I sees and tickets, get back out there
and have Mike Brown, be Lucy and Pool.

Speaker 5 (01:38:30):
That's ball the way like Charlie Brown.

Speaker 3 (01:38:32):
Well, I think the season ticket renewals have already happened.
I think that deadline has passed. And it's not my
responsibility to make sure that other people, you know, know
what's going on. I'm just looking at it like on
an individual basis, the guys that are part of next
year's team performed well, that's something that we can take

(01:38:53):
with us into the off season.

Speaker 15 (01:38:56):
They do that every year all at the end of year,
they're perform well. Look at our wreck and we always
made the playoffs last year, year before that.

Speaker 5 (01:39:03):
I mean, we always do it well.

Speaker 3 (01:39:04):
Last year. The last five games of last year, Dante,
they had immense pressure on them, and they performed in
every single.

Speaker 15 (01:39:10):
Game exactly that we would have beat them bombs the Patriots.

Speaker 5 (01:39:14):
The first game of the year. We were play but.

Speaker 15 (01:39:17):
They can't do any they can't do anything with it
count Our defense is a bunch of gutless wanders. And
I was a personally drive Zeno soon out of town
today and night Brown Cuddy, I'll driving to wherever he
want to go because he ain't worth the shaman extra
Softie wipes's butt.

Speaker 3 (01:39:33):
Oh my goodness. Now that's now that I think we
see that the same way.

Speaker 5 (01:39:39):
Thank you all.

Speaker 15 (01:39:39):
I appreciate that's why you're my boy man.

Speaker 3 (01:39:41):
Thanks for the phone called Dante. Yeah, and let's not
understand I understand the response. I get it. I know
that's what it sounds like. I had somebody DM me
on Instagram the other day. It says my Bengal bias
is showing too much. I don't even know what that means.
I don't have Bengal bias.

Speaker 11 (01:39:56):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (01:39:57):
There was a caller in the off during the break
just now now who wanted to know if I pay
for my own tickets or if I get free passes.
The answer is I pay for my own tickets. There
are games occasionally where I will work, and when I'm working,
I'm not working for this stadium or for this station,
and I'm not working for the Bengals. I work usually

(01:40:17):
for the other teams whenever they need someone. So like
the vast vast majority of the time, when I'm not
working in that capacity, I pay for my own tickets.
I don't have season tickets. I've never been a season
ticket holder. I bought tickets this year to the Jets
game that sucked, but I buy tickets almost always, So

(01:40:42):
there's that, I guess.

Speaker 9 (01:40:44):
You know.

Speaker 3 (01:40:44):
The other thing we talk a lot about is culture, right,
and I do think after last week I started to
really question the culture and wonder if it was based
off all the Borough stuff and all the talk of
the national media and the way that they had lost
that game. I was going to fall off a cliff,
or if there would be any sort of response Zach Taylor.
If you watched in the postgame locker room video that

(01:41:08):
the Bengals posted, he kept bringing up the word response.
You guys responded to what happened last week and performed
at the level that we expect you to perform. And
he was happy about that, and he should be. But
I do think we saw this week indicators of a
strong culture, not just in the way that they performed,

(01:41:31):
but in how they got to this week. Now, the
season could obviously and technically is over when it comes
to meaningful football, but the way that a guy like
t Higgins, for example, battled back to play this week
wanted to play. Nobody would have faulted T Higgins if
he would have said, Nah, I'm done, I had another concussion.

(01:41:54):
I'm not going to mess around with this stuff. I'm done.
Nobody would have batted an eye t Higgins for saying that,
although I'm sure some people would have said, oh, he's
quitting on the team and this guy's not available, blah
blah blah, because some people just like to hear themselves complain.
But for the most part, you'd been like, I don't
mess around with concussions no big deal. But T wants

(01:42:16):
to play, gets cleared to play, and then the Bengals
say to him, Hey, you should go see this specialist
in Pittsburgh just for a second opinion. Instead of like
putting the pressure on him to say we want you
to play, or we demand you to play, or we
need you to play, blah blah blah, they're like, go
talk to this guy, see what he says, and come
back with whatever you want to do. And so the

(01:42:38):
Bengals send her to Pittsburgh. He talks to this concussion specialist,
and this guy clears him and gives him the peace
of mind along with a new helmet. By the way,
that's you know, costs a lot of money that the
Bengals get for T Higgins, and boom, Higgins has the
peace of mind, the comfort to play and does and
plays well and is healthy at the end of the year.

(01:43:00):
That's awesome. That to me is indicative of a strong
culture in the organization. Here's Higgins after the game talking
about all of that.

Speaker 42 (01:43:11):
No, it was fun, you know, just get back there
and compete with my guys. And then it's even better.
We got a w the w that we got too,
so uh, you know, shout out to my guys.

Speaker 3 (01:43:21):
When you're on the flight to and from Pittsburgh. What's
going through your head? Like, what's that like?

Speaker 42 (01:43:26):
Honestly, you know, praying that you know, I come back
with come here and get positive news and come back
with positive news to tell the team and things like that,
And that's what it was. I mean, I was very
you know, obviously I was very anxious and nervous, you
know what they was gonna say. But you know, I
got a peace of mind and it was okay.

Speaker 6 (01:43:47):
Any changes that.

Speaker 25 (01:43:48):
Makes you want to play when they when they clear you,
what is it that made you want to say I
want to finish the season or.

Speaker 42 (01:43:55):
That at the end of the day, I'm a competitor.
I want to compete with the guys. So that's that's
all I came down to.

Speaker 40 (01:44:00):
You make any changes. You know, people see Guardian caps
out there. Obviously didn't wear ever different. How what's different
about this helmet? Just more pattern, you know what I mean.
Was able to get fitted for one and it came
in just in time. That is T Higgins after the
game on Sunday.

Speaker 3 (01:44:19):
So yeah, what's wrong with being positive? A little bit?
Sue me? I guess phone lines open five one, three, seven, four, nine,
fifteen thirty. Back after this with more calls on ESPN fifteen.

Speaker 16 (01:44:32):
Thirty, producing.

Speaker 3 (01:44:37):
Tony Pikes Monday Midday quarterback, ESPN fifteen thirty. I'm Austin
no more appreciate you listening. Bengals victorious yesterday forty five
twenty one over the Miami Dolphins. Here is the Bengals
quarterback Joe Burrow after the game talking about having fun. Yeah, fun,

(01:45:00):
I'm having fun playing football.

Speaker 41 (01:45:04):
Not playing football is not fun when you're sending a
locker room rehabit all days.

Speaker 3 (01:45:10):
And that's not why you do it. This is why
you do it. Right here, Burrow with three hundred and
nine passing yards four touchdowns on the day was twenty
five of thirty two. I believe much more along the
lines of what we're used to seeing Joe from a
completion percentage standpoint. A couple of career milestones for Burrow
as well. Went up over one hundred and fifty career

(01:45:30):
touchdown passes and surpassed twenty thousand passing yards. He's the
fifth fastest in NFL history to reach that mark. Kind
of amazing when you consider all the injuries that he's
had for him to be the fifth fastest. Meanwhile, Jamar
Chase reached five hundred career receptions in Miami on Sunday.
He is the second fastest wide receiver to do that

(01:45:52):
in NFL history. You've got time for a couple of
quick phone calls. Let's go to Tony and Florence. What's up, Tony?

Speaker 13 (01:45:59):
Hey, y'a great to be on the show. Mary, Christmas
to you and Tony. I just wanted to, uh to
go back. You asked the color before me about what
did yesterday's win have to do with twenty twenty six.
I think it's got a bout and I trust me,
I love you or Tony Show. I think it's the

(01:46:19):
it's the only three hours. Maybe a little bit of
motion mixed in there, but your All Show is great.
But I disagree, disagree with you. For the first time,
I think that I think yesterday's win just this even
Brown family stance, that that the coach has control of

(01:46:39):
the team and they're playing hard for him and there's
something to build on and blah blah blah, when when
in my opinion, I know it means nothing.

Speaker 5 (01:46:47):
But in my.

Speaker 13 (01:46:47):
Opinion, he's the reason of one of the biggest reasons
why we're in the predicament that we're in every single year,
besides of course Burrow's injuries.

Speaker 3 (01:46:56):
Why do you think it like, why do you think
he's the biggest reason.

Speaker 13 (01:47:00):
I just think his play calling is is is you
see level he was terrible at you see ten years ago.
He's bad. He's been bad with the Bengals ever since,
in my opinions, since he's been there. And I just
think it's it's time for the a fresh start, it's
time for new regime, it's time for new new leadership
for the Bengals. And I think again, by the way

(01:47:21):
the Bengals finished the year every every year, the way
they finished, Yes, it keeps giving my ground. Hey that
you know, we got something to build on. And you know,
maybe I'm wrong, and I hope I'm wrong. I'm just
there that that's the problem.

Speaker 3 (01:47:35):
I hear you, Tony, thank you for the phone call.
I appreciate it. Yeah, I mean my rebuttal to that
would be what I just said. Joe Burrow just went
over twenty thousand yards, fifth fastest NFL history. Jamar Chase
five hundred receiver reception second fastest NFL history. We talked
about the yards and touchdowns that Jamar has had. They've
been a top ten, top twelve offense basically every year
the last five years. Play calling, to me, is not

(01:47:57):
the issue. Has he had bad moments, Absolutely, he sure has,
and I have been very critical of those in the past.
The biggest issues with the Bengals last year and this
year are not directly because of Zach Taylor's play calling.
They're because of the player personnel department's inability to draft
the right guys and partially on Zach and his coaching

(01:48:19):
staff's inability to develop them. So he certainly deserves some
of the blame. I don't think he deserves all of
the blame. Brian and Ford Thomas very quickly we got
about a minute here. What do you got own?

Speaker 14 (01:48:33):
I have a little bit Mary Christmas first off, and
you know, I hope you have a great holiday you too,
thanks say so.

Speaker 13 (01:48:41):
I know the call is before.

Speaker 14 (01:48:43):
You know, we can all wish for that, but we
know it's not happening, and so it doesn't even what
we want doesn't matter. Like Zach's here and it's not
all on him. I just all I wish for is
to attack this offseason the way they did when they
acquired all this free agency. Will made a big investment
in quality people and get back to drafting smartly, don't.

(01:49:06):
I mean, just draft us that tackle in at college
level and have you know the track record being a
you know, a proven, you know, top level player. And
I hope, I hope, you know, I think that's the
way goes.

Speaker 5 (01:49:21):
Yeah, I.

Speaker 3 (01:49:24):
Agree with you, Brian, Thank you for the phone call.
I'm up against the clock here. Yeah, production in college,
you know, shifting that strategy, yes, I think is a
huge part of it. The other thing I will say too,
is as far as like Zach is concerned, Like, yeah,
to me, it was already that's old information, Like Zach
is going to be here for the next two years
more than likely. And so because of that, I am

(01:49:44):
looking for, Okay, well, how do they respond to this
guy who's going to be the head coach? Because last year,
last week, it felt like they quit on him. Then
we get the news Zach is saying, Okay, now, what's
it look like? And I saw the reaction that I
wanted to see. I saw dudes playing hard, all guys
not you know, just quitting on him and and all

(01:50:05):
the things that you look for from a team. And
so it is the lens through which I look at
twenty twenty six as part of next season. If that
makes any sense, I don't know if it does. We'll
talk to Tony and Mo next on ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 16 (01:50:23):
And for a quick hits on Tony Pikes since he.

Speaker 3 (01:50:28):
Was looking. Yes, indeed it is time for quick hits
as we wrap out a Monday midday quarterback here on
ESPN fifteen thirty. And there's no better way to do
that than by talking to Tony Pike and Mo Egger
at Twin Peaks in Florence ahead of the Tony and
Mo Football Show. Fellas, how we doing? Where are we at? Mentally?

Speaker 39 (01:50:46):
I'm in a really good place. Oh, really good place.
We're gonna We're gonna have a lot of fun today.
We have a lot to talk about. We're at Twin Peaks.
And you know, last week we told you about the
the Twin Peaks clet seat Guarantee, the Tony and mofoot
Ball Show clean seat Guaranteed. Just to make people aware
also when you come to Twin Peaks in Florence or

(01:51:06):
in Westchester next Week. If you're a customer, no one
will take a swing at you. I'm like going to
the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Speaker 3 (01:51:12):
Yeah that's true. Yeah, no one will take safe here.

Speaker 6 (01:51:15):
No one will try to punch you.

Speaker 3 (01:51:16):
Now, for those who maybe haven't listened in the past
or attended a Tony and Moe football show, is there
anything different or special about a Christmas Week edition?

Speaker 18 (01:51:26):
Yeah?

Speaker 6 (01:51:26):
We take gifts, well if you want to.

Speaker 39 (01:51:31):
If you want to bring gifts, we will just a
week to do it. Any other show, you bring us something.

Speaker 3 (01:51:36):
Any gift. No, like a kitten or a snake.

Speaker 39 (01:51:39):
A snake, absolutely not kitten. My daughter would love that.
I don't know that I want to take home another
live animal.

Speaker 3 (01:51:45):
We had to turn one down if someone brought you one.

Speaker 39 (01:51:47):
But if you brought me like a snake, I'm saying,
first of all, you walk in If you walk into
Twin Peaks with a snake, yes you might, but no, please,
no live animals.

Speaker 3 (01:51:59):
Okay, Uh, what do you What was your biggest takeaway
from Sunday?

Speaker 6 (01:52:05):
Well, I think I had a big Yes. Fun to
watch Joe Burrow is really good.

Speaker 39 (01:52:09):
It's fun to watch him play offensively when they're at
full capacity, and clicking on all cylinders that are a
blast to watch. They have some defensive players who played
well yesterday the Miami Dolphins quit.

Speaker 6 (01:52:18):
I mean, but I don't know that I have like
a big large Does it take.

Speaker 3 (01:52:21):
Away change anything for you about how you feel about
the Bengals.

Speaker 39 (01:52:25):
No, Joe Burrow's great, they have great offensive weaponry. They're
five and ten.

Speaker 2 (01:52:29):
I am enjoined yesterday, but I will not allow yesterday
nor the final two games of the season changed that
the expectations and standards for this team going forward have
to be well higher than what they were last year.

Speaker 39 (01:52:41):
I'll say this, and I'm going to talk about this
with Tony today. I am sort of done with the
Joe Burrows psychoanalysis.

Speaker 3 (01:52:47):
Yeah, I'm good with that.

Speaker 39 (01:52:48):
I'm like, to me, this is going to take care
of itself. If the team is better next year, Joe
is going to be in a better place. I don't
know that we need to do this every single week
where we are just translate. I mean, it's fatiguing. In fact,
like I took the Thursday and Friday off. Is off
Friday anyway, but I took Thursday off, and I'm like,
you know, I love my job I'm glad I don't

(01:53:10):
have to go to work and talk about what's going
on in Joe's head today, Like I'm kind of done
with it, and fortunately his play and their play has
kind of put that conversation on pause. I do understand
the hesitancy to totally get excited about late season wins

(01:53:34):
for two reasons. One, it's win number five in game
number fifteen. Two, the Cincinnati Bengals have in their history
allowed largely meaningless results to impact macro decisions, and I
understand there being a fear that that's going to be
the case if this team enjoys some late season success.

Speaker 2 (01:53:53):
You know what changes the psychoanalysis aspect just winning? Yeah,
like you mentioned a couple of weeks ago, if we're
sitting here again next year and the team's five and ten,
there'll be a lot more psychoanalysis going on of Joe
Burrow because he's wasted another year.

Speaker 3 (01:54:06):
You want to get away from that. You want to
avoid that.

Speaker 2 (01:54:09):
Win football games and win meaningful football games during the
regular season.

Speaker 6 (01:54:13):
Stop playing out the string.

Speaker 3 (01:54:14):
Is there any harm in them winning the next two games? No?

Speaker 2 (01:54:19):
No, I don't think there is now. But if you're
saying no, now, then you can't be won when the
draft happens and Caleb Downs goes two spots ahead of
you and you say, oh, if they just didn't win
those meaningless games. If you're all in on winning these games,
then understand that it comes with something during the draft
that there's going to probably be a player that you

(01:54:39):
like or players you like that will be drafted ahead
of where the Bengals draft, and you can't be one
to say, well, then they shouldn't have won the last
three games that didn't mean anything.

Speaker 39 (01:54:47):
But what he I mean to me looking at the
downside of winning suggests you want the players to not
try to win, which is this not realistic? So I
don't know that there's a ton to be gained. Like
the the only time in my life I have actively
rooted against the Cincinnati Bengals, I mean actively was that

(01:55:07):
game in twenty nineteen, the game against the Dolphins, because
there was an obvious prize. I don't know picking where
in the range the Bengals could pick in that there's
an obvious prize. I would love Caleb Downs. Who wouldn't,
But is that an obvious prize where you know, if
we finished here, he's gonna be there.

Speaker 6 (01:55:24):
I don't think so. And again I think tank talk.

Speaker 2 (01:55:27):
Well based on Geno stone stat line yesterday, then yeah,
you him trying.

Speaker 39 (01:55:31):
To tackle Deamon ah Chan and was. But I tank
talk I think is overrated. I think it's overrated in
this sport. Players care too much, man, players care too much.
And like I think the Dolphins looked like a checked
out football team yesterday. I think the Bengals last week
against Baltimore looked like a checked out football teams. But
I certainly understand. I'm not nuts about Joe Burrow playing

(01:55:53):
meaningless games, but he wants to play, Okay, I can't
get that mad about it. Rooting for them lose means
you're rooting for players, in my opinion, to not try
their best, which is the antithesis of what we want
from professional athletes.

Speaker 3 (01:56:06):
How much time will be spent on the Bearcat basketball
game from yesterday?

Speaker 18 (01:56:09):
What?

Speaker 3 (01:56:11):
Okay? How much time will be spent on the Xavier
victory over the weekend and especially the throwing of the
water bottle.

Speaker 6 (01:56:17):
I want to know.

Speaker 3 (01:56:18):
Also, if you come here today, you will not get
anything thrown at you.

Speaker 39 (01:56:21):
Oh, correct, nothing will be thrown at you. It's normally
not a guarantee. I want to know if that was
a coach who has a reputation for being more volatile,
and they threw a water bottle into the stands that
hit a child, would the reaction and the suspension be
greater than it's been with Ed Cooley?

Speaker 6 (01:56:40):
If Mick Crona did that, can you imagine? And Mick
would get whatever he deserves.

Speaker 39 (01:56:44):
If back in the day, Bob Huggins or Bob Nider
somebody like that is somebody like that throw a water bottle.

Speaker 3 (01:56:51):
First of all, can you.

Speaker 6 (01:56:52):
Imagine the think pieces? Can you imagine what.

Speaker 3 (01:56:55):
We would be reading today if.

Speaker 39 (01:56:57):
Like Ed Cooley has had success may at Providence. Obviously
he is working on getting the program going at Georgetown,
but can you imagine if that was like a frequent
high temper tantrum coach that took a water bottle and
threw it into the stands and hit a child. I
also want to know this, Had Ed Cooley's players done that,
would they get more than one game from their head coach?

Speaker 3 (01:57:20):
I'm sure they would have.

Speaker 27 (01:57:22):
Mo.

Speaker 3 (01:57:22):
We'll get into the psychoanalysis of Ed Cooley this afternoon
from three to six Tony and MO Football show.

Speaker 6 (01:57:27):
Thanks boys, thank you, thank you.

Speaker 3 (01:57:29):
That is Tony and Mo coming up next. Thanks so
much for listening. We're done until next week here on
SINCY three sixty. Talk to you then on the Home
of the Bengals ESPN fifteen.

Speaker 6 (01:57:42):
You know, payin has