11/26/25 - Bengals Game Plan

Wayne "Box" Miller & Eric "ET" Thomas get you set for the Thanksgiving showdown between the Bengals and Ravens!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Bengals Game Plan, presented by bud Light on
the Bengals Radio Network. Brought to you by bud Light,
bud Light, Easy to Drink, Easy to Enjoy, Pain Corps
Paincourp is proud to be the official HR software provider
of the Cincinnati Bengals. Kettering Health Best Care for the
Best Fans. Kettering Health, Official healthcare provider of the Cincinnati Bengals.

(00:24):
This is ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the
Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
Welcome to Bengals game Plan right here on fifty five
care seat this week, Wayne Boxmeller glad to be joined
in the studio by former All Pro defensive back Eric
et Thomas. As you get ready to preview the Baltimore
Ravens at Sentai Bengals, Et, glad to have you borored.
Appreciated to have me, young blood, No question bout let's
get straight to the hotline. We got you on defense,
where we got to go to offense. He was a
ten year NFL veteran and got that bling ring that

(00:54):
eluded you. Eric et Thomas, super Bowl thirty five champion
from the Baltimore Ravens, currently co host of The Purple
pregame and postgame on wj Z A good Man Quad,
Kadrie Isabel Kadrie. How you doing? Happy Thanksgiving?

Speaker 3 (01:07):
Man, Box? What's going on with Havy Thanksgiving?

Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yes, sir, Happy Thanksgiving?

Speaker 4 (01:12):
Man?

Speaker 2 (01:12):
And uh, this guy out here was pretty fast. He
might have been able to get in your family with
the rocket in the missile. I don't know what you
would call it, Eric et Thomas, but running the four
to three back in the day, what was the nineteen
eighty eight when you.

Speaker 5 (01:24):
Came in the league.

Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yeah, indeed you might you might have been able to
fit in.

Speaker 5 (01:29):
Probably maybe.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
Hey, Codree, you know when this is the season started?
As et is, I used to do a show with
Et called the Primetime Sports Show. But he used to
always say, you know when the team started off, So
he say, hey, man, it's a long season. Man, it's
a long season. And I think Baltimore is indicative of
what a long season means, because man, the way they
came out, everybody was panicking. But there are those who

(01:53):
said stay the course and now they're right back in
first place.

Speaker 3 (01:57):
Well, it will be one of those seasons is that
you will remember if you are on the current roster,
because it's certainly testing your resolves physically, mentally, And I
think part of going into any NFL season is not
taking it for granted. And I think the guys realize
just because everyone's touting them as the best in the

(02:20):
league and they have a roster that's built to win
a super Bowl and they're the favorites and all that,
you still got to go out there and play. So
as much as I am yes loving the fact that
they're back in the conversation of the playoffs, they're six
and five, Obviously they're going to face a division opponent

(02:40):
with the Bengals, but yeah, getting off to that one
to five start really has tested this team's character. You know.

Speaker 2 (02:46):
Speaking of character of the character, this team also gets
tested when your your your stars go down and you
think about Lamar Jackson going down for a while and
somebody else has to step in, Other guys have to
make place. Man, it's incumbent upon everybody to find out
what else they can do in the absence of that superstar.
But it started to seem that this team said, you

(03:09):
know what, we got to ramp it up because it
is that time. What has impressed you the most about
them kind of rebounding from a rough start.

Speaker 3 (03:18):
Well, you know, I think you look over on to
the defensive side and you will start there. They got
into it with the Buffalo Bills, and obviously it was
a forty one forty loss. Then they go ahead and
they face a Cleveland Browns team that, you know, you

(03:40):
I think that was a little bit of false confidence
because they they looked good. They just was all over
the field, creating turnovers all that. But then they just
went through a gauntlet of games where it was the Lions,
the Chiefs, the Texans. They just didn't look the Rams.

(04:01):
They just didn't look like they were this upper tier team.
And a lot of it just was because there was
no pressure on the quarterback whatsoever. And I think it finally,
you know, hit the organization. They needed to make a change.
Da Fayowe was traded to the Chargers. They traded for
Lohi Gilman. And while you would say, well, why would

(04:23):
you trade away a first round pick for safety? But
I think a Loi Gillman has really been the catalyst
of change because it allows them Zach or the defensive
coordinator to do a very unusual style of defense in
the three headed monster of safety. Play. And so when
you got Kyle Hamilton, who from a safety aspect, can

(04:45):
play down at the line of scrimmage, can cover guys
in a slot, can blitz off the end, can be
strong in run support, and at the same time keep
the integrity of the back end and not really give
up any big plays. I think that's really been the
telltale sign. And so while yes, Lamar Jackson has been hurt,
it's been one of those things where your defense has

(05:07):
definitely stepped up. And I think that's been the bonus.

Speaker 5 (05:10):
Of course, when you look at their defense and excuse me,
when you know with with with three safeties from an
offensive standpoint plan receiver, how does that look You know
a lot of times when you when you're receiver and
you looking at a defense, a lot of times you
used to see in three corners, not three safetiesh Kyle
Hamilton's is uh what I call a super hybrid because

(05:32):
he can do so much. The length, the fact that
he can go and play play back deep, he can
play it on the line of scrimms, you can rush
all the things you mentioned. What does that look like
from a receiver from from an offensive standpoint half of
the play against that type of scheme because I heard
about that and I said, that's unusual.

Speaker 4 (05:49):
What is it?

Speaker 5 (05:49):
How do you make those kind of adjustments as a
as an offense?

Speaker 3 (05:54):
So the league in general, as we all know, has
the copycat moniker to it. In other words, you know,
teams will be Okay, they're they're using you know, three
wide receivers predominantly. Oh wow, they got four wives. Oh
they're running a wildcat. Oh now it's transformed into a

(06:17):
more dominant no huddle run pass option RPOs, you know,
the offense with balls, and so in that evolution comes well,
we know one thing, We're not going to have linebackers
that are going to be banging all day because why
we need linebackers that could run. So you get these
hybrid type college players that I think has then transformed

(06:42):
the defense. So now the defense says, huh, why y'all
pay y'all slick y'all gonna go ahead and change up
the or the offensive. Look, well, we're going to give
you so many different looks. Whether you can identify what
is a will A Sam Mike additional sense is no
longer we now call it, whether it be dime, nipkele,

(07:06):
big Nickel, big Dime. You know, you got all these
different monikers, and it puts pressure on the opposing teams coordinators.
So I think it's just a violent game of chess
between the coordinators and the pieces like the Kyle Hamilton's
of the world. They're feasting on the opposing team's offense, no.

Speaker 2 (07:26):
Question about it, you know, a katri One of the
other things I wanted to ask you about Joe Burrow's
coming back. You know, Lamar Jackson has been heard coming back.
You've had that with quarterbacks. What is the number one
thing that quarterbacks need to do to get back in
rhythm after being on the sideline for a minute.

Speaker 3 (07:44):
I think one thing that is underlooked. You know, you
obviously know the plays and the play calling and all that,
but you know, I know, playing with Peyton Manning and
you know, just kind of the things that he would
go through. You take it for granted that you're in
the pocket and you have your good pocket awareness and
all that, but I think that's the the sensory flow

(08:06):
of it all. And he would say, yeah, you you
you miss a quarter, it's like missing a game. If
you miss a half, it's like missing a game. And
a half. If you miss multiple games, it's like missing
you know, three four games even almost half a season.
In other words, the touch, the timing to anticipation, uh,

(08:27):
the feel of the pocket, and the play calling is
where quarterbacks can be off if you will. So I think,
you know that's gonna be the big thing for Joe
is how can he get in a groove quickly? And
I know the defense they're gonna.

Speaker 6 (08:47):
Hold that he doesn't.

Speaker 3 (08:48):
But he's a dynamic receiver in Jamar Chase and Jamar
has been uh in the Ravens lore of uh race
been killer, yes, and you know between him and aj
Green Bruh, I think both of their jerseys need to
be retired.

Speaker 5 (09:12):
They both got a lot of damns to the Ravens.

Speaker 2 (09:14):
They unexpected turn of events on the special teams bringing
in a new kicker and uh, you know with everything
that happen in that respect, but uh, your assessment of
the new kicker, Tyler Loop.

Speaker 3 (09:28):
Yeah, I think Tyler has been fantastic. You know Tyler, Uh,
there was a heck of a lot of expectations put
upon him, and you know they had somewhat of a
kicking competition early in camp, but then they let the
one young man go and was like, hey, you know,
we're going to believe in Loop and he goes out

(09:50):
in a stadium practice.

Speaker 1 (09:54):
He did well.

Speaker 3 (09:55):
He kicked a couple of fifty yarders and I think
he missed maybe two. But it was more technique oriented
and you can see where he quickly realized it fixed
it and because of him doing it so quickly, the
confidence just kept growing for him. Oddly enough, it's not

(10:15):
kicking it through the uprights that has the team concerned.
It's the new kickoff rules where you got to kick
it in the landing room. He's been kicking it shorter landings. Also,
teams have been getting some favorable field position.

Speaker 2 (10:28):
No question, Codrick, thank you so much for joining me man.
I always appreciate your reaching out, brother. And if you
celebrate Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgiving. If not, enjoy the early part
of the day. But we'll all be working tomorrow night.

Speaker 3 (10:40):
We all will be working tomorrow night, and I will
say this, I am grateful for our friendship that has
lasted over all the years. And at the same time,
go read it.

Speaker 2 (10:53):
Thank you brother, I appreciate you, appreciate, enjoy us. Thank
you so much. We'll take a break, We'll be back
at more of the Bengals game plan presented by Bud
Light right here on the Bengals Radio Network. Welcome back
to the Bengals game Plan presented by Bud Light on
the Bengals Radio Network. Wayne Boxmeller glad to have him
board with Eric et Thomas, former All Pro Cincinnati Bengal.

(11:15):
Don't forget to stop by the Pregame at the Banks
presented by Sports Illustrated Tickets, an official fan experienced partner
of the Cincinnati Bengals before all regular season Bengal home games.
Visit bingles dot com slash Pregame at the Banks for
more information. Before we get to the hot line, I
want to send my prayers and condolences to the family
of Jesse Jackson. We all knew Jesse Jackson, one of

(11:36):
the best in the business, worked everything Bengals, reds uc
Xavier and you just couldn't find a nicer guy. So
to his family, my prayers condolences on the sudden pass.
You know of a brother that was media was kind,
was all that, So I just had to get that

(11:56):
in because it is deserved. Let's get back to the
hot line. We talked to Cadrea smel Let's go to
the man who covers the Baltimore Ravens for Baltimore Ravens
dot com, Clifton Brown. Clifton, Happy Thanksgiving, Thank you for
joining his brother.

Speaker 4 (12:09):
Happy Thanksgiving to you guys. Thanks for having me.

Speaker 2 (12:11):
Yeah, now what are you doing Thanksgiving tomorrow?

Speaker 3 (12:17):
Laughing?

Speaker 4 (12:20):
What we do? What we do?

Speaker 5 (12:21):
Hey?

Speaker 2 (12:22):
I got I told my family, like, can we eat early?
Because the key is to get the nap and then
bounce back and do the show tomorrow.

Speaker 5 (12:28):
That's right, that's right.

Speaker 4 (12:31):
Yeah, I can't do it Thanksgiving for me. It's gonna
be Friday. Man. If I eat that bird.

Speaker 2 (12:43):
Somebody having them stats, let me make them stuff.

Speaker 4 (12:46):
Exactly.

Speaker 2 (12:48):
You know, you guys got off to a rough start,
and uh, it seems like everything is moving in the
right direction for you. What do you think turned the
time for this team?

Speaker 4 (12:58):
A couple of things. I mean, the defense, that's the
biggest thing to me, started playing much better. They got
They traded for a lowis Gilman and he's moved in
immediately to start a safety that allowed Kyle Hamilton to
run around and do what he does, which is really
be one of the best all round defensive players in
the league. And yeah, they've only given up thirteen point

(13:20):
one points per game these last five games, which they've
won and then two. You know, I'm Lamar to me,
he still may not be one hundred percent, but you know,
he missed three games with a hamstring, And I thought
the buye came at a great time for the Ravens.
They were one and five at the buy and even
though Lamar wasn't ready to play right away, they did

(13:41):
win the game. They beat the Bears without Lamar with
Kyler Huntley being the quarterback, and this as Lamar has
been back, they they run the table. So yeah, this
is more like what people expected from the Ravens this year.
They were supposed to be a Super Bowl contender, looked
like they weren't even gonna make the playoffs. And now
even though the playoffs are una locked, only right back
in the playoff hunt no.

Speaker 2 (14:02):
Question about it. I would think with Jamar Chase coming
back number one, Jamar Chase has had a lot of
success against this team, but coming off of the suspension,
I would think that he really is going to have
to stay composed and in the game of this magnitude, Uh,
he could be pressed a little bit on how he
responds to a little bit of physical just touching up,

(14:23):
you know, as et Eric ket Thompson and he's say,
like the touch up guys a little bit more, man,
It's going to be interesting to see how he responds
to that.

Speaker 4 (14:31):
Yeah, I mean, Jamar Chase is always a target for
the opposition. He's a great, great player, and for the
most part, I think he's handled it okay. But obviously
he did not a couple of weeks ago against the
Steelers and it cost him a game. Uh he you
know her, I read the statement that he put out.
You know, he's got to back it up with his actions.
But as far as a football player, I mean, he's

(14:53):
he's tremendous. As you mentioned, he has really carved the
Ravens up a few times in his career and he's
priority number one. He and Joe Burrow are priorities number
one in one A for the Ravens to try and
contain them. You know, they're gonna make some plays, but
not let Chase, you know, do some of the things
he's done in the pass against the Ravens or score
multiple touchdowns, have over twenty yards receiving when that happens.

(15:17):
They're tough to beat.

Speaker 5 (15:19):
Yes they are. Let me ask you something. Get back
to your offense and the quarterback. You know, when teams
go through those losing streaks like they were going through,
and someone like Lamar Jackson clearly couldn't play in a
couple of those games. When he comes back, how did
he handle that? Did he did he? Did he seem stress?
Did he feel like like he had to press? How
has his demeanor been? Because I think that when you

(15:39):
look at the great teams, they'll always take on the
demeanor of the of the quarterback. How has he been?
It looks like he's really composed and really sort of
focused on just the task at hand, not thinking too
far ahead, not worried about what's already happened. How is
he handling that?

Speaker 4 (15:54):
Yeah? I think those are actualent points. Lamar. You guys
may have heard about this, but you know learn in
the season he went to the equipment manager and had
all the King Kong tables video games and he wouldn't
have said anything about it if you know, the media
didn't find out about it. He just leads in his

(16:14):
own way. He definitely reached a point in his career
and really hasn't been those way since the beginning with
a super Bowl. Winning the super Bowl is all that
matters to him, and it's really the only thing he
hasn't done yet in his career. So yeah, when they
were struggling early and he was hurt, he was very frustrated,

(16:34):
but to his credit, really to this whole team's credit,
they didn't fall apart. I mean, when you start one
and five, I don't care who you are, it's really
tough to stay together as a team. And I think
his leadership, Lamar's leadership, John Harball's leadership, and other leaders
of Kyle Hamilton, this team has a lot of leaders
and they really needed that when they were one and five.

(16:56):
So yeah, Lamar, to me, I mean, he is going
to win a super Bowl at some point, perhaps multiple
super Bowls, but yeah, he's driven to do that, and
really that's the only thing he's playing for right now.

Speaker 2 (17:11):
You Know, one of the things I've always admired him
about him, and I thought that it's posed a challenge
for other teams is his growth. You know, every year
it seems like when he comes back there's something else
to his game that has improved, whether it's throwing the ball,
whether it's getting down now, not trying to run till
he can't, getting hit, maybe getting knocked out of the game,

(17:32):
relying on the open receiver, not just maybe a favorite
receiver for me. I think that's the challenge he poses
to us, is that this version of Lamar Jackson, and
every year he seems to be adding more to his game.

Speaker 4 (17:45):
Yeah, there's no question. I mean, he has become one
of the best pocket passers in the NFL. Yes, and
I didn't hear anyone saying that he was going to
do that when he was drafted. I think even people
who were in Lamar's cornerople who were against Lamar I
have to take note of the fact that he has
been has become so much better of a quarterback from

(18:08):
the pocket that a lot of people gave him credit
for coming out of Louisville. And yeah, he's worked on
his game. He also sees the field tremendously well. He's
always every year one of the guys who has the
least amount of interceptions. That's because he rarely throws into traffic.
He takes chances, he's aggressive, but he sees the field
extremely well. And this year, you know, with the handstring.

(18:31):
He's had a handstring, he's had an ankle, he has
a knee. He hasn't used his legs enough or as much,
I just say, and probably won't this season unless they
get to the playoffs and that's needed. And I think
that could happen that even though he hasn't run much
this year, once they get very late in the season
into the playoffs, then I think he may cut it loose,

(18:52):
particularly if he feels healthy. I think he will cut
it loose as a runner. And then when he does that,
he's to me the best dual creat quarterback in the NFL.

Speaker 5 (19:01):
You know, you have to I think you have to
get a lot of credit. Talk a little bit about
John Harble, not just horrible, but the franchise itself and
when they drafted him. You know there you heard all
the knocks on him about what he couldn't do, but
they decided that, hey, he was going to be our
guy and they were going to make him the franchise quarterback.
Talk about how how the franchise cultivated that that uh,
that culture within him and now that the dividends that

(19:23):
are being paid from that.

Speaker 4 (19:25):
Yeah, no question. I mean, you know they did a
lot of research on Lamar before the draft. Ozzie Newsome,
I mean that was Ozie Newsom's last draft, Mark Jackson,
right and and Mark Andrews and his last draft, his
first draft, you know, Jonathan Johnson, Oden and Ray Lewis.
I mean, that's.

Speaker 5 (19:44):
Definitely coming in and going out with.

Speaker 4 (19:48):
But uh yeah, they they loved what they heard about
Lamar as a person from people in Louisville. They felt
he was a leader. So obviously he's got tremendous talent.
The original plan was for him to sit his rookie
year behind Joe Flacker still at the time. Flaco suffered
an injury midway through the season. Lamar came in and

(20:11):
they immediately started winning. They won like three straight. Flatta
was ready to come back, and then John Harbot had
to make the decision do we move ahead with Lamar
do we let Flat finish three? And he stuck with Lamar.
He saw how the team responds to Lamar wasn't just
the way he plays. He has that in factor. Joe
Burrow has it too that you look for from a

(20:32):
quarterback that guys want to play with him. So yeah,
then after that decision was made, instead of like running
away from the fact that Lamar is a great athlete
and not wanting him to run so much. They designed
their whole offensive system around his strengths. And yeah, I
think that now. I really think Lamar's success has made
it much easier for other mobile quarterbacks to come into

(20:55):
the league and teams say, Okay, this is our guy.
You know you see what he's doing to God, here's
a lawlessen Kyler Murray all I think Lamar has opened
the door for all those guys, and now run a
running quarterback has looked as an asset, not as a negative, no.

Speaker 2 (21:13):
Question about it. Hey, Clifford, thank Clifton. Thank you so
much for joining us, man, and uh look forward to
talking to you again because we got you guys another time.
I'd love to get you back on Thanks.

Speaker 4 (21:24):
For having me anytime, and have a happy Thanksgiving.

Speaker 2 (21:27):
Happy Thanksgiving on Friday. Thank you brother. All Right, all right,
that was Clifton Brown from Baltimore Ravens dot com. And
let's get this out of the time for that injury report,
and we just got it and brought to you by
Kettering Healthy, official health care provider of the Cincinnati Bengals,

(21:48):
providing the best care for the best fans, and uh,
let's take a look at that ETV because here you go,
h Taj Books is out, Jermaine Burton is out, Trey
Hendrickson is out. T Higgins is out. All of those
are not. Nobody's really surprised. Tavin Bryan, the defensive tackle
was out for the Ravens and Justice Hill, so Dax

(22:12):
hills brother, Justice Hill is out. So those are the
only two guys that have been ruled out as far
as game status goes. So you know, this is a
big game for both teams because obviously we know the
Ravens are back in the driver's seat because they've got
two with Pittsburgh. But the Bengals, like last year, have
to win out pretty much, and you just don't want

(22:33):
to put all those tie breakers in the hands of
other people. That's the hard part because then you're sitting
there watching TV like they did last year when the
Chiefs played the Broncos and the Chiefs weren't gonna help
you at all.

Speaker 5 (22:43):
Well, you know, I think last year was interesting because
they won the games they won, they won against NFC teams, yes,
and that hurt them ultimately in the tie breakers. Because
if they had won those games against those ASC teams
Texans and the games those games we saw them losing
in those shootouts, they would have probably got in again.
They're gonna have to run off a lot of games.
I think that as a Bengal fan, I'm thinking, let's

(23:06):
just take one game at a time. Let's not think
too far ahead, because at the end of the day,
you're not going to get the game two for you
get to game one, and that's tomorrow night. I think
it'll be a good opportunity for Joe to get himself back,
get himself back in the game and going. The Ravens
should be hungry, so they think that, you know, we
got a chance because now we're back in the hunt.
This ought to be a really exciting game.

Speaker 2 (23:24):
All Right, we'll take a break. We'll come back and
talk to Ben Baby from ESPN. Wayne Boxmeller, Eric E. T. Thomas,
Glad to have you guys aboard. It is the Bengals
game Plan right here, presented by Bud Light on the
Bengals Radio Network. Welcome back to the Bengals game Plan
presented by Bud Lighting on the Bengals Radio Network. Wayne Boxmeller,
Eric KT Thomas. Glad to have your board paid course,

(23:45):
proud to be the official HR software provider of the
Sensai Bengals, and I'm proud to have er KT Thomas
in with me. We did had a great eight year
run with the Primetown Sports Show, and I learned a
lot about football from being wrong talking to Et on
the RADI so, and I.

Speaker 5 (24:00):
Learned a lot about radio about being wrong on the radio. Right.

Speaker 2 (24:04):
Well, when you're both wrong, when you go to Ben
Baby from ESPN and you get the facts. Glad to
welcome to so Ben Baby. How you doing brother?

Speaker 6 (24:12):
Hey Box, I can't help you a whole lot. I'm
wrong and good to mind you have anybody, I appreciate.

Speaker 2 (24:17):
That you know Ben. I've often said to Et and
a couple of other people, there's one guy that Joe
seems to have really meaningful conversations with. Something you've cultivated
with him over the years. But that being said, uh,
your assessment about his demeanor, because I saw a guy
that was a lot more at peace with the fact

(24:37):
that man, I'm ready to get on with football. But
you've been down with the team, been around the presser
and everything. What's your takeaway about his mood, his frame
of mind right now, you know, Box.

Speaker 6 (24:48):
You know, I talked to him last week, and you know,
because this week's been a truncated week, and you know,
I caught up in I said, hey, you know, do
you feel like you're ready to go? And he said
he was good. He didn't have any setbacks. I think
he was ready to play last week. Ultimately, you know
that he decided to go with what Zach Taylor said
and take a couple of days off and be ready
for this Thursday night game against Baltimore. The Bengals wanted

(25:08):
to not have him take those two games in five days.
That's rough for any player, but for a guy coming
back from an injury like that, having not played in
two months. You know, the Bengals wanted to be cautious
with that. But Burrow's ready to go.

Speaker 4 (25:21):
You know.

Speaker 6 (25:21):
You heard him say this week that he is a
football player and he's a guy that always wants to
go out. And you know, I talked to him a
couple of weeks ago and he said, listen, you know,
and I told him, I said, Joe, I know you
long enough over these years. I know that if you're
healthy and ready to go, You're gonna play no matter
what the record is, and he said I would agree
with that, And I think you're going to see that
come to fruition.

Speaker 3 (25:41):
Over the next six games.

Speaker 5 (25:43):
Ben. You know, when coming off this kind of injury
and you know him being like a he heals very quickly. Really,
how has his demeanor been. Has it been like he's
he's is he really ready to go? Or any any
hesitancy and anything like that.

Speaker 6 (25:59):
Yeah, you know, it's fun because I asked him about,
you know, kind of along those lines something along that
in the press conference, and he said that, listen, if
there's ever a time I feel like I can't go
out there and contribute, you know, I'm not gonna step
foot on the field. And if you ever think that,
it's just time to basically hang him up. And so
anytime that he feels like he's good to go, he
feels healthy, he feels confident, He you know, he's going
to go out there and try to give everything he

(26:20):
can to help the team win. Now, we have seen
in years past where Joe takes a little bit of
time to really get acclimated. We've seen that with every injury.
So I'm curious to see what happened right this time around.
You know how long it's going to take him to
find this footing. And let's be honest, this is not
an easy task. He's going to have Thursday night at Baltimore,
a rowdy road environment within the division, Baltimore really playing well.

(26:45):
This is a very tough test, if we're being honest,
for Joe to come back and really test out where
he's at physically after not playing these last couple of months.

Speaker 2 (26:54):
You know, I agree with that, Ben. I think the
two elements in this game that I'm going to keep
a high on is Number one, the pressure put on
Joe Burrow because of him not playing and maybe his
timing not being where it needs to be at the
beginning of the game. He'll probably get going. Once Joe
Burrow gets going, I think Joe Burrow will become Joe Burrow,
But initially I would believe the pressure is going to

(27:15):
be hot and heavy. The second thing is is a
little baiting by the secondary and players on their Baltimore
defense toward the Jamar chase. You know, because coming off
of that one thing that I've learned, ET and I
did a radio show for eight years and ET would
always say, hey, if a guy put the ball on
the ground, they're going to go, hey, let's try to
make him put the ball on the ground again. If
a guy gets personal foul penalties, let's try to get

(27:37):
him to get some more personal foul offendy. So those
two things for me I'll be looking at early on.
Is Jamar's composure, which I think he'll do well. And
I think the pressure with Joe Burrow, this offensive line
has done well. They've only give him up one sack
in each of the last two games.

Speaker 6 (27:53):
Yeah, I think there's a couple of things there. Box one,
Joe's got to make sure that he gets the ball
out quick. I think he's got to make sure processes
things quickly and does things the way that he needs
to have him done. I think that, you know, we'll
see how that goes. You know, Joe likes to extend plays.
He likes to be a playing baker. You know, how
where is this timing at after not having a game speed?

(28:13):
You know, it's one thing to practice like he has
the last couple of weeks. Is another thing to feel
it in games. And Joe's been honest in the past
about you know, it takes him a little while to
really feel what that's like. So I think that that's
a big part of you know, how quickly he's going
to get the ball out, how much he's going to
feel pressure, just how comfortable he feels.

Speaker 4 (28:29):
I think.

Speaker 6 (28:30):
I think there's not a pressure a component to it.
I think it's just a matter of him getting those
reps under his belt and getting a feel for things.
That might take a little bit of time, but you know,
we'll see how that progresses tomorrow night. As for Jamaar,
this is a bigger question because here's the thing. Jamar
over the word. Since he's come into the week, he's
been no stranger for confrontation. He likes getting under people's

(28:50):
skin a little bit. He likes going back and forth,
and sometimes, if we're being honest, Jamar does cross that line.
We haven't seen it to the degree that we saw
against Pittsburgh, but but we ran the numbers. ESPN's got
him at five I believe four expected accepted penalties since
twenty twenty one. The only two guys who have more
than that are aj Brown and George Pickens. And that's

(29:12):
not including penalties that are offsetting. And so I think
at a certain point, and Jamar did kind of shied
away from the question when I asked him about it yesterday.
But I think there is a line to be towed
to a degree because you know, when you see how
how much teams target Jamarrow, like you said, he's going
to have a target on his bat. Guys are going
to try to get under his skin. But as a

(29:33):
guy who is a leader on this team and now
a captain, I think the expectation changes a little bit.
You know, yesterday he talked about the fact that now
that he is a captain, it makes him a better
version of himself. He knows what is asked of him.
So I think now you know, we've seen that maturation
throughout this season. For me, this is the final test
and that if he was going to get a captain's degree,

(29:54):
get that, get that massive degree. I think this is it.
You've got to make sure that you're not provoke, that
you're patient, you're calmed, and you know what you need
to do it. And really that's what champions do. They
don't let other people get under their skin. They're able
to go out and make the plays and kind of
lead that outside noise even on the field, outside so
this is going to be a good test for him

(30:15):
because his Baltimore defense is going to be done it
for him and that Cincinnati office.

Speaker 2 (30:19):
You know, I've been I'm so glad that you said
that because I told Jamar, you know, I said, man,
I'm so proud of you, because I think his growth
has been evident, and I think that this was part
of the degree. You have to go through these things
to get to a place where you say, Okay, I've
done this. The pendulum has swung both ways from me
great and not so great, and how you handle that
and how you bounce back from that continues the maturation process.

(30:42):
And I think people forget all the time. These are kids. Man,
there's still kids. We put a lot of expectations on
their behavior and everything else, and we don't put them
on ourselves. But I'm excited to see how he handles this.
I think he's going to do well. I would be
very surprised if he doesn't underst stand the game within
the game, and that's that they're going to try to

(31:03):
provoke me and prop me to do something I don't
want to do. Looking at this team going forward to
the defense, the last two weeks been has really played
very good football. I think this team, it would be
more if you described it thus far as just a
Jucklin High team. One one week, you got the defense
playing well to start the season in Cleveland. Then you

(31:23):
get the offense doing well. Now it seems like the
defense is back doing well. Trying to get them all
to play together and play well at the same time
as the goal going down. The stress for these last
six games.

Speaker 6 (31:36):
Yeah, I think you said the best box being able
to complimentary football. That's the offense is playing well and
the defense playing well at the same time. You know,
that's evaded the Bengals drop the season. You know, at
the beginning of the year, the defense played well. Offense,
you know, struggled, but the Bengals were able to get
a couple of wins. Then, you know, when Jake Browning
came in, they weren't able to really have the same
offense and consistency that they saw in twenty three. When

(31:57):
Browning came in and they went and traded for Flacco,
offense played great, defense couldn't hold up atend of the bargain.
And then really the last couple of weeks, like you said,
the defense is playing well, for whatever reason. You know,
the offense has just really struggled with Flacco in my opinion,
is not seeing the field as well as he did
and that heard everything much. But you know, this is
going to be a good test over these next six

(32:18):
games because you know, the Bengals they've got very slim
playoff chances. I think the biggest thing, in my opinion,
is you've got to figure out who are going to
be the guys that you can build on moving forward.
And you know, talking to guys throughout this week, is
one of the only guys that was in the locker
room every single day that we had availability, making sure
that people did you know, all the all the things

(32:38):
that I heard. A lot of these guys have a
lot of pride. They want to go out and show
that they've been better than they've been these first eleven
games and also just just beat pros pro I think
that's that's going out there and making sure it no
matter what the record is in the season, that you're
able to put your best look forward. And for guys
who either want to prove to the Bengals that they
can be contributors moving forward or guys who know they

(32:59):
may not be in the long term plans here, but
they want to show teams elsewhere.

Speaker 2 (33:03):
That's right.

Speaker 6 (33:03):
I can go out and be starters in the NFL.
Everybody over these next six games is going to have
something to play for. And I think you know if
you're going to if you want to be in the NFL,
you have a lot take a lot of pride in that.
You take a lot of pride in what you put
on tape. And everyone that I've spoken to this week,
they've all echoed that sentiment.

Speaker 2 (33:21):
No question about it. Ben Baby Happy Thanksgiving Man. I
know you'll be away from the FAMU, but enjoy your
time in Baltimore and I'll see you when you get back.

Speaker 6 (33:29):
Sounds good, box Et, thank you for having me.

Speaker 2 (33:32):
I thank you so much. Brother has been Baby Man,
love for getting his perspective all the time. We'll take
a break to come back with more of the Bengals
game Plan right here on the Bengals Radio Network presented
by Bud Light. Welcome back to the Bengals game Plan
presented by Bud Light on the Bengals Radio Network. Wayne
box Miller, Eric Et Thomas joined me in the studio.
Dan Howard, Dave Lapham, Aaron Borne on their way to

(33:53):
Thanksgiving the Sintinai Bengals on Thanksgiving Day or Thanksgiving night.
I should say I'm happy, but I'm not happy because
Thanksgiving Day you're supposed to sit home and eat. Well, first,
you watched the first game, and you just kind of
get ready, right right. Then you eat, and then you
fall asleep on the second half of the Dallas game, right,
and then you wake up and watch the third.

Speaker 5 (34:15):
Game in its entirety, same game plan.

Speaker 2 (34:18):
Same game plan window. I'll be here, I can't you, but.

Speaker 5 (34:27):
I'm gonna do just that. I take a little nap
somewhere between, and I'm gonna jump up and watch those Bengals. Look,
this is gonna be an exciting game. I think that
uh viewership will be up because Joe Burrow's playing, right.
I mean think everyone knows that, But I think that
people need to understand humble yourself a little bit. I
watched Rock Party on Monday night and he had the
same injury Joe had. And when you've been out for

(34:48):
a long time, the timing all those things kind of matter,
and you have to be able to be patient enough
to let those things come. I hope Joe just lets himself. Play.
Hey if they if they got your beat, throw the
ball away to the next play and get yourself accimated
to thinking your way through the game. Because I think
that's one of his strength. He's so smart. I think
that he uses his brain to manipulate the game. So

(35:10):
I hope he goes in this game and understands that
and don't think he has to make every single play. Yeah,
and the most important thing coach has to make sure
that run the football. Run the football. Chase Brown is
running ball very well right now. Run that ball to
protect the quarterback. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (35:23):
The last two weeks, he's averaging over five yards to carry.
And I mean, you know, let's credit this offensive line
because they, you know, a lot of times they were
under persecution by people. They've given up one sack in
each of the last two games. They're averaging five plus
yards on the ground with the running game. I mean,
they're playing very well. But each one of the things
I was going to ask you about, you know, because
you share it with me, you and Eric Davis former

(35:44):
since I read Eric Davis who follows the Bengals, he
loves football, and we were talking about Joe Burrow coming back.
It's almost like you guys talk to each other before
you talk to me, because you said almost said the
exact same thing. Fox players want to play, and you
know Eric Davis said the same thing that you said, Like,
you know, you miss so much time, you don't want
to miss any more time. You want to get out

(36:05):
on the field and play.

Speaker 5 (36:06):
That's right. Then you know what happens with athletes. You know,
football is a little different game because it's not like baseball.
You can miss twenty games and you still got a
whole lot to play. Well. In football, you know, when
you miss seven eight games, I mean, you're missing a
lot of time, right. And for Joe Burrow, when you
think about his career, the knee injury, the wrist, now
the toe, he's already missed some probably over twenty five

(36:28):
twenty games in his career. And I think that he
understands too that you don't get these football games back
the same Football is not like any other sport. You
do not get these games back at the end of
the day. You have to believe that that missing those
games is going to affect his career stats at the
end of the day. So for him and I understand,
I was injured I had to come back. At the
end of the year. I decided I wanted to play.

(36:49):
They told me I was cleared. They said, you ready
to play.

Speaker 2 (36:52):
Yes, I am, And I got left in that season
for you, I.

Speaker 5 (36:55):
Think I missed. I played the last two games of
the season, then we went to the playoffs, right, So
I only played three games the year, But I wanted
to play. Uh. And when you're wired to the right way,
of course, you want to get on the field every
time you get a chance. And I understood. I understand
exactly what Joe's thinking about.

Speaker 2 (37:10):
Well, you're a defensive back. You got a guy like
Jamar Chase coming on the field after what happened last week.
I think in one respect, yeah, you want to poking prode.
But I would also maybe swing the pendulum the other
way and say, don't get too consumed with that that
you forget to play football and let him get out
and put numbers up right.

Speaker 5 (37:28):
I think people need to understand there's a lot of
talk about what Jamar Chase did. Now he bit y'all
maybe being talked about how he talks a little bit.
Trusts me, the talk is universal across the field. Everyone
on that field is talking because there are a lot
of alpha males on that field. And so when you
talk about a corner corners playing against wide receivers, safety

(37:49):
is going up heast running backs, linebackers going to his
tight ends, defensive ends and tackles. There's a lot of
jawing and that's part of the gamesmanship. Uh, that's never
going to go away. I think Jamar has to understand
how to manage that and not, you know, do some talking,
but don't let it go past that when you start
losing focus about what you're out there for. He's out
there to make big plays and catch touchdowns and I

(38:11):
think if he gets himself back to focus on that,
he'll be successful against the Ravens.

Speaker 2 (38:15):
Yeah, and the Ravens don't want to hear that, but
that's the truth. We'll take a break and come back
and then we'll get up to the top of the
hour with Eric E. T. Thomas. Thank you for having
some time out with me, brother, I know you've been busy. Yes, sir,
we'll get it done. And the second hour coming up,
we'll be talking to Valerie Proctor with W B A L.
And we're listening to Joe Bress. Joe Burrow's press conference

(38:36):
as well as Zactly. We have time, but it's Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving,
eve Man, and I am excited to see the Bengals
in prime time. As Joe Burrow said, why do we
always have to play the Ravens in primetime in Baltimore.
Let's move that game to Cincinnati. Maybe after tomorrow night
they'll listening. Yes, back with one of the Bengles game
Plan presented by bud Light all the Biggles Radio Network.

(39:00):
Welcome back to the Bengals game Plan present about Bud
Light on the Bengals Radio Network. Wayne box Millian with
you former Cincinnati Bengal All pro Eric ET Thomas, and
don't forget Alti Fiber as the official Wi Fi and
Internet provider of the Bengals and Greater Cincinnati's fastest Internet
with up to two gigs of symmetrical speed.

Speaker 3 (39:17):
Eric T.

Speaker 2 (39:17):
Thomas. I'll ask you, when I think about this team
and where they are right now, and I think Ben
Baby talked about it. At some point, it becomes just
how much do you love the game and how much
do you love the team? Is there a season that
you can reflect upon where you were tested in terms
of your love of the game because the season just
wasn't going well.

Speaker 5 (39:38):
Well, you know, my rookie year. As a matter of fact,
som Wilcotts tonight, it was we knew that. We had
talked about it before. We knew at some point if
the season wasn't going out the strike year. Yeah, we
knew that if the season wasn't going well, we were
going to get an opportunity to get in the game.
And you know, if you remember that that season, you know,
some guys cross the picket line sort of divide our
team a little bit. That was why Ted Sam came

(39:59):
back the next year, made us change roommates. We go
to Super Bowl. But towards the end of that year,
it was probably we probably had two or three games
left and we were coming back from somewhere and Dick
Lebo comes up to Salomon and he says, hey, guys,
uh uh, there's a chance that David and Lewis aren't
gonna play. You guys need to get ready. Oh really,

(40:21):
And so we were waiting for the opportunity. We knew
that at some point it was gonna becoming because Solomon
talked about it. He said, he, man, they gonna let
us pay at some point and when we got in
the game, we knew that was important that we get
in and make some plays.

Speaker 2 (40:31):
Right.

Speaker 5 (40:32):
And I think that all these young players that they
have you in your second third year, you should be
thinking about that that about what what what's the next
step for me? Am I going to be impressive enough
for this team to give me an extension? All those
corners Dax Hill can't say the brit uh dj ivy,
I mean dj all these guys your contracts coming out,

(40:52):
and you have to show them something that you that
that that you're worth of extending if they if they
don't extend you, you have to be you have to
show some worth where some thinks that you can come
and help them. So you're playing for something. Guys think
that they're not, but in this scenario, they're playing for
their jobs and their livelihood going forward for the next
several years.

Speaker 2 (41:10):
You know, when you look at this game tomorrow night,
what do you need to see to feel like this
team is moving in the right direction in terms of
putting themselves in position to win the game?

Speaker 5 (41:20):
You know, play on defense like they did last week,
Be aggressive, be physical, make some plays. You have to
be able to make some plays. They can't go with it.
They can't go with the same effort that happened against Pittsburgh.
It's got to happen like what happened last week. That
gives them a chance if they do that, the offense,
we believe that the offense is going to flow a
little bit more with Joe Burrow. I think just in

(41:40):
terms of Zach calling the right plays and getting him
in and some kind of flow. I want to see
them offensively run the ball and get him acclimated to
the speed of the game again, make him, allow him
to come out and throw some them the short passes,
and get himself going. I think Tinsley is going to
play a big role this week. We're talking about the
talented kid, and I think that Joe Burrow hasn't had
a chance to throw to him yet. He should be

(42:01):
excited about that because if he throws the ball up,
this kid makes plays. We've seen that. So if you're
talking about again the balance that you're talking about, you
want to see those things strong running game, good defense, physical,
slow down a running game. You know that Baltimore is
going to try to line up and run a big
running back. I think what they do I think they
got their fullback back and everything's looking like old Baltimore.

(42:22):
So they're going to do that. The Bengals have to
buckle down and do that if they're gonna lose, make
Lamar Jackson beat you from the pocket.

Speaker 2 (42:28):
Yeah, no question about it. Derick Henry was contained a
little bit last week against Jet's the only average three
yards of carry. But the reality is they're not going
to abandon the run. And I think that's the thing
about the Ravens that people if you don't understand that,
understand that they won't. I mean, he had one hundred
and three yards game before that against Cleveland. But they
will never abandon the run.

Speaker 5 (42:49):
They won't. And one thing you have to know once
they get down in the red area, I mean the
heavy packages are coming in. They're gonna gohead and such
tasta if you can run the ball in there. Derrick
Henry's a guy, all right.

Speaker 2 (42:58):
Back to more of the Bengals game plan right here
on the Bengals Radio Network.

Speaker 1 (43:02):
Is Bengals game Plan presented by bud Light on the
first Star Logistics Bengals Radio Network, brought to you by
bud Light. Blud Light Easy to Drink, Easy to enjoy
paycre Paycor is proud to be the official HR software
provider of the Cincinnati Bengals. Kettleing Health Best Care for
the best Fans. Kettling Health Official healthcare provider of the

(43:24):
Cincinnati Bengals. Cincinnatis ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of
the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (43:32):
Welcome back down our number two of the Bengals game
Plan presented by Bud Light on the Bengals Radio Network.
Wayne Box, Miller, Eric et Thomas. Glad to have you
board as we get ready for Thursday night prime time
the Bengals and Ravens on the road at M and
T Banks Stadium. And we'll get more into that in
the second. We talked about him in love enough, Let's
let him talk for himself. Is Joe Burrow talking with

(43:53):
the media?

Speaker 7 (43:55):
So good radio?

Speaker 8 (43:56):
When when you got hurt, were you told this will
be a three month process? And obviously you cut it down?

Speaker 7 (44:03):
Yeah, you know, originally it was twelve weeks and then
you know, we'll start to talk about it.

Speaker 9 (44:12):
But just tack of thinning injury, you start to learn
more about it and start to ask questions about things.

Speaker 1 (44:18):
You can and can't do.

Speaker 9 (44:19):
You know what do we have to avoid in certain
time periods post surgery and just kind of take it
as it goes. Did you get creative to cut that
time down? H Yeah, Yeah, I guess you could say that.

Speaker 4 (44:32):
I think.

Speaker 9 (44:35):
Number one, I have a physical therapist in Nick and
trainers mainly Matt, that really understood what stress the repair,
what we could and couldn't do in certain time periods,
and so we push it within the limits of what
we could do and kind of just based it on

(44:58):
how I was feeling, how I was recover learn how
it looked the next day after we push it and
just went from there.

Speaker 10 (45:04):
I was last week for you getting multiple full practices
in and.

Speaker 7 (45:08):
Doing that, Yeah, it was, it was It felt good.
I needed it.

Speaker 9 (45:14):
It felt good to get some live reps both got
a team and first team, and I think that will
serve me well this week, having a full week where
you know you're expecting to play and you're going through
your preparation like.

Speaker 7 (45:30):
Like you're gonna play and then it doesn't happen.

Speaker 9 (45:33):
So but it's good to have that under your belt
to to then go into this week where you're not
going to get a ton of full speed reps because
It's a Thursday night against the team that I played
a million times, and uh, I think that will serve the.

Speaker 11 (45:47):
Unknown last week as you're you're pushing, I think to
play and you don't know if it's gonna happen or not.

Speaker 7 (45:53):
Yeah, that's been in that situation. Yeah, I've been. I've
been in that spot before.

Speaker 9 (45:57):
And you know, trust that this makers and trust the
medical people and everybody that was involved in the decision making.

Speaker 7 (46:05):
And you know, I thought we made a good decision.
And now this week we'll be rid up ready to go.

Speaker 6 (46:11):
Joe.

Speaker 12 (46:11):
Just to be clear, you're playing on starting on Thursday, correct,
Like that's okay. You said that this wouldn't be very
meaningful to come back on Thanksgiving? Why does this carry
so much meaning to come back with this game specifically?

Speaker 7 (46:23):
Number one, it's a division game.

Speaker 9 (46:26):
Got all the respects for the people on the opposite
side of the ball, but when you play people twice
a year, it's.

Speaker 6 (46:33):
You.

Speaker 9 (46:34):
You get tired of them, you don't like them. It's
a division rivalry. You got respect for him, but it's
intense out there. It's something I wanted to be out
there for playing on Thanksgiving. It's something I've always wanted
to do that I pushed for in the past, and
the NFL gave it to us, and then, you know,
the injury happened and thought I wasn't gonna be able

(46:56):
to play, and then as we got closer, I you know,
felt like it was a real possibility.

Speaker 7 (46:59):
So that's exciting to me.

Speaker 9 (47:02):
And it's a national stage to go out and improve
yourself again after not playing for several weeks, and every
opportunity that you get to to go improve all the
hard work that you've put in the type of player
you are is something that I try to take advantage of.

Speaker 12 (47:20):
Your second Thanksgiving Day game correct with at L, s U,
A and M was Thanksgiving?

Speaker 9 (47:24):
Car Maybe I don't quite I don't really, I don't.
I don't remember if that was Thanksgiving or not. I
don't remember playing on Thanksgiving before, but.

Speaker 7 (47:34):
Could could be.

Speaker 10 (47:35):
What what do you like about what?

Speaker 2 (47:37):
What?

Speaker 10 (47:37):
What's so meaningful about that day?

Speaker 13 (47:39):
Specifically?

Speaker 10 (47:40):
Like why have you always liked want to play?

Speaker 7 (47:41):
To say?

Speaker 9 (47:44):
I think just like a lot of kids, you you
grow up going through Thanksgiving, You have your meals with
your family, and then you go and sell on the
couch and typically there's not a lot on except football.
Back in the day, it was Lions and somebody. You
go watch Matthew Stafford throw for three hundred four hundred

(48:05):
some yards with Calvin Johnson and probably lose the game,
but it was fun to watch. You know, those are
memories that you have, and so I kind of always
wanted to be the person out there.

Speaker 8 (48:19):
You've got some really cool things in your career. Is
are you able to just appreciate how cool it is
to come back from major rays on a prime time
thanks to the game that's particularly exciting prease.

Speaker 4 (48:33):
Yeah. I think.

Speaker 9 (48:36):
Obviously the winning and the division championships that we've won
are the most exciting things that we've done. But whenever
you have an opportunity like this against a divisional opponent
that's one five straight and you're playing on a on

(48:56):
a Thursday night in front of the world, that's that's
an exciting opportunity.

Speaker 13 (49:00):
Did you make us your tim regardless of what this
team's record is or what.

Speaker 5 (49:04):
It was going to be, that you were going to
come back.

Speaker 7 (49:07):
As soon as it happened, I was. I was pushing
to do everything that we could to try to get
back on the field.

Speaker 9 (49:15):
I'm a football player, I get paid a lot of
money to go and play a game with my friends,
and we work really hard, and you know, it's intense
and there's jobs on the line, but at the end
of the day, it's a game. And I've worked hard
to put myself in this position and get as healthy
as I can be to to go out and play
with these guys, and that's something I wanted to do.

Speaker 14 (49:37):
What are your thoughts when people say you're the franchise,
you're the most important player in the importance age, and
you should be protected for next year and going forward
beyond that.

Speaker 9 (49:51):
You understand I, yes, I understand why people feel that way,
But if you look at it from my perspective, I'm.

Speaker 7 (50:02):
A football player, and.

Speaker 9 (50:05):
If I get hurt, I'm gonna go through the rehab process,
and then I'm gonna let everybody know when I feel like.

Speaker 7 (50:12):
I can go out there and play. I don't really
know what else to say about that.

Speaker 9 (50:19):
I'm not gonna ever go to somebody and say, yeah,
I'm healthy, but you know, I don't think I don't
think I should go out there and play.

Speaker 7 (50:29):
That doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Speaker 9 (50:30):
I'm not gonna live my life and play this game,
scared of something happening, like, Yeah, something's gonna happen. It's football.
Guys are gonna get hurt. Guys are gonna get concussions.
You're gonna break bones, tear ligaments. It's a physical, intense game.
That's that's part of this. And yeah, I've had injuries.

(50:52):
There's not a lot I can do about that. I
work really hard to have that not happen. But what
I can do is when it does happen, I can
control how I'm attacking my rehab and attacking practice and
doing everything in my power to get back as quickly
as possible.

Speaker 7 (51:07):
That's what I did, all right.

Speaker 2 (51:08):
That's Joe Burrow, part of Espresso Et and he said,
this is what I signed up for. You get hurt
playing football, but you play football because you love the game.

Speaker 5 (51:16):
That's right. I'm a football player and I think that
that's what people need to understand. It's hard to wrap
for average people. It's hard to wrap your head around that.
But why would a guy want to get there and
risk himself go out Their team's not going anywhere. That's
not what you play for. You don't play to go
out there and jump on board when the team's going somewhere,
But when the team's not going anywhere, that's probably more

(51:36):
important to get on board to that. And then I
think this players like that. I really appreciate him as
a as an athlete. I appreciate him being frank and
upfront about how he feels about doing what he does.
Football players, it's a grimy, hard game and you sign
up for it, and injuries are part of it. As
I told you many times, ninety nine percent of football
players get injured. So if that's our concern going out,

(51:58):
we might have. We can't cart anyone if that's the
number of concern. But players, as you know, I told
you all these players are alpha players. They don't worry
about getting injured. They're still young. They think about what
they can do when they get out there. They think
about the successes, and that's what really fuels guys. And
I think that our quarterback, the Bengal fan Bus should
be very fortunate to be happy because you have a
guy that really cares. He really does, and I hope

(52:20):
that he continues to be that way. I hope he
takes the teams this franchise to a championship.

Speaker 2 (52:24):
All right, erk t Thomas. Thank you for hanging out
with us. Know you've got to get home, getting man,
getting old man. You get no. I know the feeling.
Trust me. I'm a little bit ahead of it.

Speaker 5 (52:32):
But I don't have a test. But I'm gonna put
on auto pilot. See how that works.

Speaker 2 (52:35):
See how that.

Speaker 5 (52:38):
All right?

Speaker 2 (52:38):
Thank you so much for joining us. We come back.
We're gonna be talking to program director from sports director
from WBAO, Valerie Practor. It's Wayne Boxmeller, Eric K. T. Thomas.
This is the Bengals Game Plan Show presented by bud
Light on the Bengals Radio Network. Welcome back to the
Bengals Game Plan Show right here on the Bengals Radio Network,
presented by bud Light. Wayne box Smeller's spuscled. Thanks to

(53:00):
Eric K. T. Thomas for joining us in the first hour.
And you heard Joe Burrow's presser and getting ready for
this game. And we got to go back to the
hot line sports tank and reporter for ninety eight Rock
and WBAL Radio. Valerie Practor. I hope I'm saying that correctly. Valerie.
Happy Thanksgiving, Yes, thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 15 (53:19):
Happy Thanksgiving guys.

Speaker 2 (53:21):
Yeah, let's talk about this game tomorrow night is one
where Joe Burrow returns. I thought that the networks were
really happy when we traded for Joe Flacco, because either way,
if Joe Burrow wasn't ready, it was going to be
a big build up of Joe Flacco going back to
where it started. But this team has really gotten themselves
in a good groove and turned things around. What do
you attribute their recent success to.

Speaker 15 (53:45):
Yeah, for the Ravens, honestly, it's definitely been the defense.
I know, the last couple of games haven't looked too pretty.
We've been calling them kind of ugly win to John Harbaugh,
just because the offense has been so slow in that
first half, not being able to score a touchdown until
the second half like they did last week against the Jets,
or I guess Sunday I should say, since it's a
short week, but the defense has really turned around and

(54:06):
been so much more consistent. I mean that first week
in Buffalo, everybody remembers that fourth quarter collapsed, right, So
there was a lot of people calling for Zach or
the defensive coordinator's head, and I think in the past
six weeks things have drastically changed. They went through all
those injuries for a couple of weeks and that was
kind of the dip. But now they're back up. I mean,
they're completely healthy on the defense other than you know,

(54:28):
their season departures of like Nom de mat of K
who obviously won't return with injury, Broderick Washington who they've
been missing. But these guys have stepped up. I mean
in the secondary, they've had seven turnovers, I mean in
all those weeks straight, and then they haven't allowed more
than twenty points in the last six weeks. So the
defense is really what's holding them up. On this side

(54:48):
of things.

Speaker 2 (54:49):
You know, Jamar Chase has had a lot of success
against his team, and I know that that's going to
be a priority for them. But the return of Joe
Burrow as well, this isn't an offense. Unfortunately, they'll be
without Ta Higgins who had the concussion just a very
very hard landing on the field. But this team still
has some other players. But what are your thoughts about

(55:10):
what this team needs to do to maybe slow down
that connection of Burrow to Chase.

Speaker 15 (55:15):
Yeah, honestly, that is really what I think worries most
people in Baltimore right now. I know that Higgins being out,
and remember they used to have the three headed monster
that would get in Baltimore's way every single year. So
now that it's just that two headed threat and now
you don't have t Higgins, it seems like it should
be a little bit easier. But I think that you're right.
The connection that Jamar Chase has with Joe Burrow is

(55:36):
just absolutely lethal. We're just hoping that, you know, there
is a bit of rust on Joe Burrow after nine
weeks of being out with that toe injury and not
playing since Week two, So I think that's probably what
they're looking for. But at the same time, I feel
like Joe Burrow really circled this date on the calendar
and was like, I'm going to game plan specifically for
the Ravens because that's when I want to come back

(55:56):
Thanksgiving for a minute of the people. I will give
him that, okay, But I think the Ravens at this point,
you know, they've seen the Bengals year in and year out.
They know how tough this offense is to go against
no matter what. And look, the last couple of years
these games have been shootout. Nay Flowers telling us he
hopes that it's not a shootout this time. And I
think that the Bengals offense is so familiar with this

(56:18):
Ravens defense that it just really comes down to the wire.
But we have seen the Ravens offense really get into
gear in that second half. Like I said before, Lawn
Jackson's fourth quarter stats right now are really what's carrying
the team offensively at least.

Speaker 5 (56:31):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (56:32):
I think one of the other assets that the Baltimore
Ravens have is John Harbaugh. And I say that because
I think that when this team struggled very badly at
the beginning of the season, having a guy that's been
around for so long that there was this no need
to panic kind of demeanor about him. He knew that
there were some things that were broken, some things that

(56:52):
needed to be picked, but he also knew that it's
the seventeen game season. And I think that you know
the same thing with Zach Taylor. You know, the Bengals
hit a skid and they were just losing. But these
coaches understand that it's longevity. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
But I think he really is one.

Speaker 15 (57:09):
That really gets that you're absolutely right, to be honest,
thinking back to those first few weeks where definitely the
fans were show out on this team after starting one
and five for the first time in forever, and you
see all of the percentages of like no team has
gone to the super Bowl that started out one and five,
or the chances of them going to the playoffs or
you know, less than ten percent. Now they put themselves

(57:30):
in this situation. But you're right, John Harbaugh has been
so setfast in really kind of manifesting this comeback for
them and this turnaround. I mean, looks they went from
losing four straight and then have turned it into five
straight wins looking for a six on Thursday night if
that happened. I mean, that's the type of rip that
he knew this team could go on. And so I

(57:51):
think him having all of that belief in this team
just truly shows you that the characteristics that he has
as a head coach. And you're right, being with the
Ravens and the was you know, singular team for eighteen seasons.
Now the fan office completed him. And there was a
couple of weeks there where we were asking John Harbaugh,
what does se Bashatti, the owner think of this? I mean,
there's nobody in the seats at a home game because

(58:11):
this team is losing. That's not what you want to see, right,
what Eric DaCosta thinking like, how are they going to
make this team look better for the fans to buy
back into it? And I'm gonna be honest, I think
we all have bought back into it now with these
five straight wins.

Speaker 2 (58:24):
Yeah, you know, there was a time, you know, especially
when Marvin Lewis was here and then with Zach coming
behind it, that these games in the series was literally
almost deadlocked and there was one one team had maybe
one win more in the series, and then the point
differential in the games were one to two points. So
it's always been a respectful rivalry. It's not the raven

(58:45):
Steelers or the Browns Bengals, but it's still a rivalry
in a lot of sense. And I think that the
fans being on Thanksgiving Night, the team playing well again,
the Bengals who have given them fits going back, even
thinking the Andy Dalton and Tyler Boyd and knocking him out,
there's just a very healthy rivalry even with the fan base.

Speaker 15 (59:08):
Yeah, you're absolutely right, And to be honest with you,
I think the way that we look at it here
in Baltimore is none of the AFC game. ANFC North
games are easy. I know that the Ravens Steelers, like
you said, is pretty much that, like you know, stereotypical
division rivalry, but I think that it's now extended because
each of these teams, I mean, maybe you can cancel
out the Browns, but has such capable quarterbacks that you

(59:31):
can overlook them no matter what. And it's so bizarre
to me, honestly this season that there's so many pundits
and media outlets that are looking at the AFC North
Division and saying it's an easy division because it's never
been easy for any of these teams to win against
each other, right, And so I think that kind of
tells you exactly what you're looking at when you get

(59:51):
a Ravens Bengals matchup, especially at night here at MG
Bank Stadium, including the fact that it's a holiday, this
is a national game. I think that the country is
going to go wild for this and if we get
a shootout, Wow, what a treat on Thanksgiving night?

Speaker 2 (01:00:07):
Right, No question about the Valerie Preactora is on with us.
She's a sports anka reporter for ninety eight Rock and
wba L Radio. And Valie. One of the things that
I think has been I would say surprising in the
sense of the sudden departure of Justin Tucker and then
for Loup to come in and kick the way he has,
it is really kind of stabilized that special team's part

(01:00:30):
of the Ravens football team.

Speaker 15 (01:00:33):
It really has. It's so interesting that you say that,
because I literally spoke with the long snapper Nick Moore
yesterday about how this whole special teams unit has been
playing this year, because that's really been such a bright
spot for this team. Honestly. I mean, Tyler Loop being
as consistent as he has been and going into the
Dog Pound just a couple of weeks ago in Cleveland,
kicking in those windy conditions is not easy for anybody.

(01:00:55):
And Nick Moore was telling me that, you know, for
the fact that the rookie's able to I mean even
a forty, it sounds like it's not, you know, too
far that's for anybody to make. In the fact that
he was able to do it in those conditions on
you know, on a on a road game, I mean,
that just kind of tells you everything you need to
know about Tyler Lup. The guy is very balanced. They
say that he's a bit quirky, so I think he

(01:01:16):
sinks right into this locker room. And not to mention
Jordan's stout, the punter has been incredible this year. He
boomed a seventy four yard ton against the Jets, absolutely
pinning their defense back in their territory. That's what you
need out of a punter. He has struggled the past
couple of years, but this year Nick Marre was telling

(01:01:36):
me this could be a career year for him. So yeah,
special teams all around has been huge.

Speaker 2 (01:01:40):
You know, it was great to hear that because for us,
we've experienced the same thing. I mean, Evan McPherson just
set a record Bengal record personal best sixty three yard
field goal. And Ryan Rico, who you know, this team
had drafted Brad Robbins, but Rico came in and just
I mean literally moved him out of the way because
he booms the ball the same way. And special teams

(01:02:01):
in a game like this or in this division, special
teams has so much value because field flipping field position
or keeping someone in poor field position really says the
stays for both of these defenses.

Speaker 15 (01:02:14):
And you know what, else too. About Tyler Loop. We
thought at the beginning of the season what we were
looking forward to seeing from him was during the preseason, like,
how is he going to be in these pressure situations?

Speaker 3 (01:02:24):
Right?

Speaker 15 (01:02:24):
It comes down to it an AFC North matchup, like
it is going to be tomorrow night at the Bank.
It's down to the final kick. We've seen justin Tucker
in past year's hit game winners when the time comes.
We haven't seen that yet from Tyler Loop. I'm honestly
still waiting for it. Maybe that's one thing that I'm
looking for that we haven't seen in this season just yet.
Is Kyler Loop three seconds left on the clock and

(01:02:46):
absolutely nailing a really tough kick against a very formidable opponent.
So I think that's something to look forward to that,
you know, we just haven't seen yet. And so that's
really going to determine how I think maybe he is
by the stand base, which he already is. I mean,
you'll listen on Thursday night if he kicks anything afterward
and it goes in the whole stadium, loves in the

(01:03:08):
Loop or loop there it is. I mean, he's completely
you know, bought into this whole Ravens block, so it's
really incredible. But yeah, special teams again, that goes back
to John Harbaugh, right, like he's a special team's coordinator
before he became the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens.
So that's really where his heart lies. And I think
that's why it's such.

Speaker 2 (01:03:24):
A specialty on this team, no question about it. Valerie,
thank you so much for joining us. And he could
make that kick with three seconds left. Two weeks from
now when they play it, you guys play still as
that'll be fun. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family,
and I hope you guys have a great day tomorrow,
but we'll all be working to borrow night yup.

Speaker 15 (01:03:41):
Thank you so much. We're gonna have some fun at
the bank tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (01:03:44):
Thanks so much for having me, Yes yes, in the
Valor prorector from WBA l as he's great, really enjoyed
having Herwan Let's take a break. We'll get back with
more and it is the Bengals game plan presented by
Bud Light right here on the Bengals Radio Network. Welcome
back to the Bengals game presented by Bud Light on
the Bengals Radio Network. Wayne Box millerwere there don't forget

(01:04:04):
shop the Bengals Pro Shop a Fanatics experience at the
North Plaza level of pay Court Stadium or online at
shop dot Bengals dot com and Christmas will be up
on us. And if you know a diehard Bengal fan,
the thing to do is to go down or get
online get those Christmas gifts, because you know you can't
go wrong. If they're a Bengal fan and you get

(01:04:25):
them something Bengal that they don't have, it just made
their Christmas.

Speaker 5 (01:04:30):
All right.

Speaker 2 (01:04:30):
Let's get back to the media because Zach Taylor addressed
the media on Monday. We'll get a little bit of
his conversation, then come back on the other side of that.

Speaker 11 (01:04:40):
Rush through the through the day, last night, Tea will
be out, Trey will be out, Taj Brooks will be out,
Cam Sample and samaj.

Speaker 10 (01:04:55):
We'll get through the week and see see where they
end up.

Speaker 11 (01:04:58):
Obviously, Cam's out last game, trying to progress back, same
as samage. He had a good week, feels good. We'll
just we'll just take these extra couple of days see
where he ends up.

Speaker 7 (01:05:08):
So there you go, through out.

Speaker 10 (01:05:09):
I mean they're not playing.

Speaker 12 (01:05:11):
Yeah, how did how did he progress through obviously it
looks like a hardket How has he been over these
last twenty four hours?

Speaker 11 (01:05:18):
Yeah, I don't want to speak for him. It was
obviously a tough one, so swel for any announcement on Joe.
I anticipate him playing, but we'll continue to work through
the week. I'm not going to declare that definitively work
through the week coming off an injuries, done everything he could.
He put himself in a position to do his best
to play yesterday, and we'll continue with that mindset. But

(01:05:40):
he looks like he's in good shape right now.

Speaker 5 (01:05:41):
He'd be ready to go.

Speaker 10 (01:05:44):
That's how we go.

Speaker 5 (01:05:45):
Yep.

Speaker 10 (01:05:45):
If Joe ends up being the starter, then Joe Flack
would be the backup.

Speaker 4 (01:05:51):
Was that like on the short tat?

Speaker 2 (01:05:52):
I mean, how much did you guys bake that into
schedule last week?

Speaker 7 (01:05:56):
Nowhere be a limited week this week to get Joe
those graphs last week?

Speaker 4 (01:05:59):
No?

Speaker 10 (01:05:59):
I mean really last week.

Speaker 11 (01:06:00):
It just fell because of it was it was easier
for us to handle because Joe Flacco has been limited
in practice and so his schedule had been conducive to
Burrow coming in there and taking all the snaps. So
it didn't throw anything off kilter because that had been
our routine previously. He just took a bunch of reps
that Jake Browning had been taken when when Flacco was out.
So so from that perspective, it worked out well. We're

(01:06:23):
able to balance that without disrupting anything. And now you'll
go into just walk through reps, which is really what
we're doing the next two days. So it's nothing physical,
walk through mental reps and getting everybody ready.

Speaker 4 (01:06:32):
To go play.

Speaker 13 (01:06:37):
On yesterday's game fourth and one, and you go through
a game like that and go through the film and everything,
you talk to your coaches about being not doing that
or going for it and what could have been handled.

Speaker 11 (01:06:50):
Always, always you know your your heart on self when
you see the result end up being what it is.
Obviously my mind there, we're going to punt the ball,
put them down in there and get a stop, get
the ball back, but the same position didn't work out
that way, and so you just go through the process
of of why we do things the way we do it,
and and that was one that we didn't go for
and it didn't work out for us. But we always

(01:07:11):
try to rehash all this situational stuff that that we
can handle the same or differently as we afford.

Speaker 5 (01:07:16):
What did you particular about it?

Speaker 11 (01:07:18):
You just follow your process of of where you're at
while you made that decision, and so that's the decision
to make one.

Speaker 8 (01:07:24):
More injury thing? Has you listed Hendrickson has out or
doubtful pretty quickly over the last couple of weeks. Has
he made any progress?

Speaker 11 (01:07:32):
Still just recovering from the injury, you know, and so
with a short week, I think it's easy to climb out.

Speaker 7 (01:07:39):
Did you come through the game?

Speaker 3 (01:07:40):
Okay?

Speaker 5 (01:07:40):
He did, he did.

Speaker 11 (01:07:42):
He'll be good to go. I know he was dinged
up there for a couple of plays there in the
fourth quarter, but he'll be ready to go for Thursday.

Speaker 12 (01:07:47):
What's the energy like around when you Joe as you know,
when you know and he's going to be playing on
Thursday and that kind of game, in the kind of environment.

Speaker 7 (01:07:54):
What does that do?

Speaker 4 (01:07:55):
Well?

Speaker 11 (01:07:55):
I mean, he's he's a great player obviously, and so
it's exciting to have a back. I think our energy
is been really good. I don't feel like that's been
an issue for us, you know, and you see the
way the team fought there till the very end, trying
to trying to get stops in all three phases and
and score points on offense. And so these guys fought
tooth and nail, played with really good energy. Obviously, when
you got one of the greatest players in the world

(01:08:16):
coming back, that's that's another boost on top of that.
And so you know, when we do get Joe back,
it'll be exciting to watch him out there and play,
and I'm sure it's energy for for everybody involved at least.

Speaker 10 (01:08:26):
Look like first game back hasn't played in a few months.

Speaker 11 (01:08:28):
What do you think that will move difficult, difficult to predict.
You know, it has been several months, and so again
I'm not gonna make any predictions on what it looks like.
But again, he's he's put himself in great shape. It's
good to see him through the progression that we've had
over the last several weeks. I think was it was
a fair progression for him to do the seven on seven,
do the eleven on eleven, get your mind right, try
to try to get ready to play in a game,

(01:08:50):
and then ultimately we'll wait and see where aliens. But
I think it's been a really good progression that's been
helpful for him and done everything he can and we
can to get him ready to go play a game.

Speaker 13 (01:09:00):
What are the discussions like Jumaine Barton, because it seems
like in a game like yesterday, he would have been
He's a candidate h to be promoted and active for
the for the game in the game where you were.

Speaker 10 (01:09:11):
Down a receiver, Yeah, I mean we were down a receiver.

Speaker 11 (01:09:13):
We got Mikeaseki back, you know, So that's one way
to look at it is we got a tight end
BEP that we felt like it was a good matchup
for us, and in that replace the receiver that we.

Speaker 7 (01:09:21):
Lost With Burrow, he's just so good at offscript plays.

Speaker 14 (01:09:25):
Do you try to whenever he comes back coaching out
of that or do you just have to let him play.

Speaker 11 (01:09:32):
It's a great question. There's a balance there of obviously
him coming off of injury. You want to be very
mindful of that and that a lot of that will
be up to him as he as he feels his
pocket movement and his play style. Those are decisions that
that he's gonna have to feel out as he goes forward.
And sure, i'd love to say, you know, let's let's

(01:09:52):
be protective and not put him in an environment where
that's going to happen. But you out there in the
football field, and that's that's the why it's gonna take shape,
especially on third downs especially and known passing situations.

Speaker 10 (01:10:02):
'chu good defense.

Speaker 11 (01:10:03):
You know, these guys will do a lot to disrupt
you and throw you off course in the skies and
pressure from different angles, and they got good players, and
so you can't it's the NFL. You can't go out
there with with kid gloves on and say we're never gonna.

Speaker 10 (01:10:14):
Let this happen.

Speaker 11 (01:10:15):
It's some things are gonna happen naturally, and it'll be
in his hands to take care of it if he's
out there.

Speaker 8 (01:10:20):
Over the last few months in the background, have you
made any tweets kind of the Borough offense and the
idea of how instant Burrough comes back.

Speaker 11 (01:10:26):
Or is it just like yeah, I mean, we game
plan for the teams we're playing against, and you know,
so a lot of times that's that's the forefront of it,
is how do we utilize our weapons and how do
we game plan against the team, you know, for all
the things they're showing us to keep them off off kilter.
So that's always what we balance and that's what we'll

(01:10:48):
continue to do as we move forward.

Speaker 2 (01:10:50):
All right, that's Zach Taylor media with the media Monday,
and then talking about Joe Flacco will be in the backup.
So interesting that Joe Flacco will be the number two
and Brownie moves down one. But what a story when
you think about Joe Flack on what he's done over
the time that Joe Burrow has been out energized this offense.

(01:11:11):
When he first got here. You had a couple of
hiccups here in the last couple of weeks points off
turnovers for the defenses of the Steelers and the Patriots.
So it'll be interesting to see how Joe Burrow gets
in a rhythm, how soon, how long, and how that happens.
As Eric et Thomas, who had joined us in the
first hour, thought that the Bengals should just run the ball,

(01:11:34):
try to establish the run game and give Joe a
chance to get up to speed. But in either case,
you know that Joe Burrow was chomping at the bed.
I tell you what I just have not seen or
don't recall a player that can bounce back from significant
injuries as fast as this guy. I don't know. What
do you know his pain tolerance. Typically that's what it is,

(01:11:56):
because they will take you to the point of paying tolerance,
and many people pain tolerance is.

Speaker 5 (01:12:01):
Not that high.

Speaker 2 (01:12:01):
But there are some guys whose pain tolerance is beyond description.
And I have to believe that he is one of
them because it seems like these injuries and they give
him this benchmark, well, it's going to be this and
it's probably going to be into December or whatever, and
here it is. It's like if Thanksgiving night, this guy's

(01:12:21):
going to be on the field, and if he feels
like he can play and he's going to play, you
would expect him to have the results that come along
with being a starting quarterback in the NFL in primetime
on Thursday night against an AFC North rival. To that point,
the bigger question remains to be seen because t Higgins

(01:12:44):
is not going to be on the field, and so
you lose a lot of productivity. You lose that guy
that can high point that ball better than probably most
people in the NFL. He's not going to be on
the field. So what does that do for Jamar Chase
and A. S. E. T. Thomas. Rikichi Thomas said as well,

(01:13:04):
mister Tinsley, Andre Josi Vash Mike Geski, all you guys,
this is that time, man, This is that time that
mister Tinsley did that in the preseason. He did it
this past Sunday. He makes plays, he gets the one
on matchup, one on one matchup, and he seems to
win that matchup. And so this young man continues to

(01:13:26):
show that when given the opportunity, he is going to deliver.
Andre Josi Vosh looked good the last couple of weeks.
The couple of hiccups that he had along the way
seem to have those ironed out. Great toe tap, sideline,
rowdy ran. And so there's some players that can make
plays in the absence of t Higgins into the compliment

(01:13:46):
of Jamar Chase. And if Chase Brown continues to run
the way he has the last couple of weeks averaging
over five yards per carry, that really opens up the
passing game and makes play action a lot more believable.
Take a break and come back. It is the Bengals
game Plan hill right here on the Bengals Radio Network,
presented by Bud Light. Welcome back to the Bengals game

(01:14:08):
Plan right here on the Bengals Radio Network, presented by
Bud Light, Wayne box Smeller. Glad to have your board
and again you ready for that Thanksgiving game. Going to
be a great game, the return of Joe Burrow after
an absence, and again these teams, man, they battle and
they get it done. You think of last year. The
Ravens swept the series last year. So it's going to

(01:14:31):
be interesting in that both of these games one point games.
That Week five game here in Cincinnati last year that
the Ravens won in overtime forty one thirty eight. Joe
Burrow had five touchdowns in that game, unfortunately, had an
interception Marlon Humphrey did that and a miss Bengals field goal.

(01:14:51):
The Ravens get the ball and then that big run
you just can't get that big run by Derrick Henry
and gast Ffty two yards and set up the game
winning field goal. But then at M and T Banks
Stadium on that Thursday night, November seventh, it was thirty
five to thirty four. The Ravens win that game, but
they outscored US twenty one thirteen in the fourth quarter

(01:15:14):
to get that win. And Derrek Henry didn't have a
good game in that game. He only had sixty eight
yards on sixteen carries, so neither the team ran the
ball well. Lamar Jackson four touchdowns in that game. Joe
Burrow four touchdowns, neither of them through an interception. So
when you think about both of these quarterbacks, it just

(01:15:35):
seems to be a really healthy rivalry between Burrow and Jackson.
Mutual admiration society, no question about that. But both of
these guys have the ability and have shown the ability
and exhibited the ability to lead their teams to victory,
especially when the game is on the line. They're both
pretty clutch. So it remains to be seen as again

(01:15:58):
I talked earlier these two teams, even going back to
Marvin Lewis era, it was just a very slim marger
between the two teams in terms of the one lost
percentage between the two. Right now, it's different because the
Ravens hold a six game advantage thirty two to twenty six.
The Bengals want to know in the postseason, but it's

(01:16:20):
always close. The games are always close. It always comes
down to a couple of plays in this game at
the end of the game. And so you think back
to those two games, it was two games the Bengals
lose by combined two points. That's how close that is.
And so you got to believe in the direction that
the Ravens are going as a team, that they're optimistic

(01:16:42):
that they're in position to try to get another win.
The Bengals have to believe the way the defense has
played the last two weeks, strong solid goal line stand
against the New England Patriots amidst penalty is still a
goal line stand that if this defense can be consistent
and put together another week like they did the last

(01:17:03):
two weeks, and Joe Burrow can come in and not
give points off turnovers to Baltimore, that the Bengals put
themselves in great position to come away with a win.
And so that's going to be the thing to watch
in this game is if the game is close, as
they've been over the years with these two teams, If

(01:17:25):
the game is close, what is the factor who bends
or who breaks and makes it happen again? The Bengals
at home, great opportunity to close out the game. Interception
by Marlon Humphrey, a missfield goal, The Ravens get the ball,
a fifty two yard run, great field position, and just

(01:17:46):
like that, the pendulum swings so quickly, and so this
game is one where the Bengals want to get back in.
They've got six one game seasons ahead of them, six
to one game seasons, and season number one is tomorrow night.
Nothing else matters. They're no looking down the road. You
look at the AFC playoff standings. Right now, the Bengals

(01:18:09):
are in the twelfth spot. However, Miami has New Orleans
of this coming weekend, Kansas City with a big win,
but they've got Dallas tomorrow night. Pittsburgh hosts Buffalo, and
Buffalo is in the seventh spot. But Buffalo has been struggling.
You know, Buffalo at one point was the number one
seed and everybody had kind of christened them as the

(01:18:30):
AFC representative to the Super Bowl. And that's why talking
doesn't win. Playing does. They were playing lights out and
they struggled. The Colts were playing lights out, and now
they've seem to hit a little scared. New England's at
the top ten and two, Denver nine and two, the
Colt eight and three, and then Baltimore six and five,

(01:18:53):
the Chargers seven and four, Jacksonville seven and four, and
Buffalo seven and four. Long season, there's still six games left,
so New England, they've been on a roll. They could
hit a little patch here. Denver can hit a patch,
and so everybody that's from eight through twelve, which is Houston, Pittsburgh,

(01:19:14):
Kansas City, Miami and the Cincinni Bengals, could have a
reversal of fortunes if there's a shift in the wins
and losses in the first seven, because you can get
right back in that game, but you can't do that
until you win tomorrow night. And that's the only thing
that matters for this team is winning tomorrow night. And

(01:19:36):
so it'd be nice for the Bengals to put another
forty two points up, which is the most points they've
had back in two thousand and five or back in
twenty twenty when the largest margin was twenty four points.
Been nice to get a win, a lead, a win,
a sizeable win and let Joe Burrow get his reps,
get his play in and kind of you know, set

(01:19:57):
and put Joe flackerwin for old time, say for the
Baltimore Ravens where he started his career, and have that
swan song. But other than that, as coach George Jackson
from Withrow High School, Seaton Hall U see used to
always say a one point blowout. I'll take a one
point blowout tomorrow night. And so everybody's getting ready for Thanksgiving.

(01:20:20):
You've got the two games, You've got Detroit and Green Bay.
You've got Dallas hosting Kansas City, and then the night
cap the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens, and that
is going to be one heck of again. Kickoff is
at eight twenty. All right, we'll take a break, we'll
come back and wrap up. This is the Bengals game plan.
Don't forget to join me and Dave Lapham on Friday

(01:20:43):
for the Bengals Rally Show presented by Just Bear Chicken.
We'll be at the on the Rhine at Kroger on
Course Street. Looking forward to having Sean Clifford join this.
Former Saint Xavier quarterback and now drafted by the Packers,
but it's now a Cincinnati Bengal. He'll be with us
as well. This is the Bengals game planning presented by
Bud Light on the Bengals Radio Network. Welcome back to

(01:21:04):
the Bengals game Plan presented by Bud Light on the
Bengals Radio Network. Wayne Box Miller, Glad to have you board.
Thank you so much for joining us. Dan Hoard and
Dave Lapham will be back with me as well tomorrow
as we get ready for the broadcast of the Bengals
and Ravens on Thursday night. And this is the fifth
time that the Bengals and Ravens have met on Thursday Night.

(01:21:25):
It's two to two, so this will be another time
breakup with them and the Bengals as a team that
played twenty times on Thursday Night, posting an eleven and
nine record, eight and two record in Thursday night games
at home in three and seven on the road, so
I need to up that record a little bit. But

(01:21:46):
it's gonna be one of those things. The Bengals are
wearing the let's see the uniforms, are wearing the white
jerseys with the white pants, and they warn them eighteen
times previous eleven and seven record, makeup of that what
you will nothing for me. You're just wearing what you wear.
You got to play how you play. And these two
teams know each other. That's the one thing about rivalries

(01:22:08):
or when you're in the division, you know each other,
You know your players. You pretty much know this games
and I've often said this. For me, it no longer
becomes a game of skill. It becomes a game of
will because I know what you do and you know
what I do. So who is going to will themselves
to win their matchup? Will themselves to win the game,

(01:22:33):
will themselves to take away what the other person does.
The will is going to determine the outcome of a
game when you're playing a division opponent that you've seen
so many times, and you know what Lamar Jackson's going
to do.

Speaker 5 (01:22:49):
Now.

Speaker 2 (01:22:49):
What you may not know is just how much better
he's gotten at a quarterback. But these players know. It's
a shame that people don't want to give him credit
for that. But this young man has improved dramatically. We
know what Joe Burrow can do. We know what Jamar
Chase can do. The thing about i'd say about Baltimore
that the Bengals have to be very careful about is

(01:23:12):
Mark Andrews because he's back and that combination of Jackson
Andrews has been very good for them. Mark Andrews has
been a very reliable target for him and so those
eight flowers obviously is their big playmaker like Jamar Chase Pruss.
But you've got to just put them down in distance.
That makes it difficult for them, and that's with any

(01:23:34):
team because they are going to try to run the ball.
With Derrick Henry, the Bengals defense did a great job
other than that one breakaway run he had in overtime
in Game five here at Pegor Stadium last year, but
he's not had the big explosive one hundred and eighty
one yard games in the nine yards of Carrey and

(01:23:55):
the big runs. So this defense is unwell in that respect.
They will have to continue to do that tomorrow because
Baltimore will want to establish the run to shorten the game.
If you want to beat to Joe Burrow, who's a
prolific player and a play maker, the way you beat
him is just don't let him on the field. And

(01:24:17):
so when teams do that, that's what they want to
do is try to establish that run. And if they
run the ball to eat up that clock, that means
Joe Burrow has to hold his helmet or sit on
the heated bench and wait for the offense to get
a chance to go out on the field. So that'll
be an interesting dynamic as well. If the Bengals defense
can stop them running the ball effectively forcing them to

(01:24:40):
throw the ball, get off the field, and then get
back on the field with Joe Burrow and make some
things happen. Because I think, if last, when you look
at this team last week, three of thirteen on third
down for the Bengals, that's tough. You've got to keep
the ball, you've got to run the ball. Chase Brown

(01:25:01):
ran the ball very well, but when it came to
third down, three of thirteen, that's very difficult to sustain
for four quarters to try to put yourself in position
and winning. Yet they still did that because the defense
played exceptionally well. The Baltimore Ravens beat the New York Jets,
but it wasn't pretty, not by long shot. The Ravens

(01:25:21):
were two of eleven on third down in that game.
So the defense by the New York Jets made it
very difficult for the Baltimore Ravens to get anything, going
two of eleven on third down, and so they were
two of two on fourth down, two of five in
the red zone, but just a third down conversions. They

(01:25:43):
were struggling mildly. So it's on Joe Burrow's back, you know,
the pregame and all the hype is going to be
around the two quarterbacks, and rightfully so. But let's see
how Joe Burrow performs tomorrow. Let's see how long it
takes him to get in rhythm with t Higgins out.
Will they put more of a heavy load double on

(01:26:03):
Jamar Chase all over the field or will they leave
him in some one on one situations remains to be seen.
I hope everybody has a great Thanksgiving. For those that
are experiencing Thanksgiving a loan for the first time and
without someone and praying for you, we're doing that my
sister in law past last Thanksgiving night, so to be
a different one for us as well. But let's all
enjoy the games and let's hopefully celebrate that third game

(01:26:24):
the Bengals over the Ravens. Wayne Box Bill is saying
thank you everybody and Happy Thanksgiving.

Speaker 1 (01:26:30):
This was Bengals game Plan presented by bud Light on
the Bengals Radio Network, brought to you boy bud Light,
bud Light, Easy to Drink, Easy to Enjoy, ped Corps.
Pidcorp is proud to be the official HR software provider
of the Cincinnati Bengos. Aulta Viber Alta Viber the official
Wi Fi and Internet provider of the Cincinnati Bengos. This

(01:26:52):
is ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals,