October 29, 2025 • 11 mins
"Skinny" joins Lance to discuss the Bengals' upcoming matchup against the Bears.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
All right.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
My next guest covers the Bengals and the local sports
scene for Local twelve dot com. His Skinny podcast with
Roock Brewing a must watch as well Stocks and Bengals
with the man they call Skinny, Richard Skinner. How are you.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I'm good, Lass, Thanks for having me, Thanks for.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Making time tonight. Let's start with the news of the
day surrounding Joe Flacco. What do you make of his
if we're projecting ahead now from Wednesday forward, what do
you make of his status for Sunday?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Yeah? I think. I mean fifty to fifty is what
Zach Taylor called, and that's probably being generous. I mean,
you know, when he went down on that sack on
the next to last series, I had my head down
for a second and somebody said, oh, Jake's throwing, and
I looked up, okay, and then you see Joe kind
of being looked at by the medical staff. Then he
tries to throw. He's wincing in pain. They give him
a couple of a couple of I don't know maybe
(01:00):
tyle at all, but I know he took something on
the sideline that went into the locker room, and you
can imagine probably got a shot of something in the
locker room and did finish the game, and he was
asked after the game how he felt and said, I
feel fine. Well, that's all well and good because you
just got shot up with pain medication probably so you did.
And then the reality comes in that, yeah, he sprained
his ac joint and that's Those things can be dicey.
(01:21):
I mean, they can be really long term, they can
be medium term. They can sometimes be short term. But
if he wasn't good enough to go today and he
doesn't go tomorrow, I know, Zach said, you know, if
he feels good on Sunday, even without reps, he could
probably play him. I just I think that's a really
big ask. I mean, I'll give him credit. I know
Zach did too. I mean, kudos to him for wanting
(01:41):
to play, right. I mean, yeah, this guy's forty plus
years older. He just hurt his throwing shoulder. You got
a bye week coming up, easy, go hey man, I'm good.
Get Jake ready for this week and I'll come back
hopefully and you know, after the bye week. But I
just think it's a big ask if he plays this weekend.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
After the game on Sunday, Zach made a public declaration
of a need for some to step up on defense.
What'd you make of that?
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Yeah, you know you lost the leadership with Logan Wilson.
I mean he's still playing snaps, but he's not playing
he started. Actually he's not playing you know, the majority
of the snaps. I think it's a plea for somebody
to make a play. I believe that. I mean, like, uh,
you know, somebody needs to make a tackle. Something needs
to disengage and go make a fact. Somebody needs to
you know, come up with an interception of sometimes. But
(02:24):
I think he's looking for leadership with Logan off the
field and Logan's I don't want to call Logan not
a leader. That's not fair. He's just quiet, okay. And
you know leaders do different things. I mean some lead
quietly by example, when some are our real leaders. The
guy I think they're pointing to is Barrett Carter. I
mean he, I know Zach really likes Spirit's leadership qualities.
The problem there is, you know, you've also got to
(02:45):
lead by example too. And I'm not gonna knock Bear
a Carter for everything because he had a really good
first couple of series, Like alling was great, and he's
played okay, but he also had a chance on a
tackle on Isaiah Davis, the running back. I mean he
diagnoses the play. He gets right in the gap. It's
one on one in the gap, and the thing you
have to do there as a professional linebacker is put
that guy on the ground. Would have been a yard
gain it most probably, and he slips through and goes
(03:06):
for fifty yards. It's hard to lead when you're not
making the plays and you're a rookie on top of it.
But I do think that's you're looking for the leader
that they're trying to point to. I think he'd be
the guy. Maybe Jordan Battle a little bit, but again,
his performance doesn't exactly scream Hey, I'm really good, so
I'm gonna lead you guys. So I think I think.
I think it's a mess at the moment. I really do.
I mean, they have all three levels of the defense. Skinny.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Is there an in season fix for this defense?
Speaker 1 (03:32):
I don't think so. I just don't think it's one guy.
I think, honestly, Atlantis is multiple seasons. It's gonna take
to fix, you know. I think part of what you're
seeing with the rookie linebackers is okay, these are our
guys for the next few years, and let's just let
them go. They're gonna make mistakes. I mean, you saw
the one in Green Bay where they both won to
the outside gap on a on a Josh Jacob's fourteen
yard touchdown rune, he goes right up the middle of
(03:53):
the end zone. Both of them went to the wrong place.
Both of them went the wrong way. I don't say
you have to live with it, but you kind of do.
While they kind of get some of that out of
their system. And you know, at the cornerback spot, you've
been up and down with the cam Tiller brit situation
at the safety spot, and neither safeties played well. And
guess what if you're looking, well, put somebody else in there.
(04:14):
They don't really have a backup safety. They got two
special teams guys backing up at safety and Tyson Anderson PJ.
Jewels and up front I mean Lance, you see the
audience is seen in their list the last two weeks.
They don't disengage from a soul. I mean it's not
even like getting pressure. It's like velcro. When offensive lineman
get them, it is staggering. Then in the last two weeks,
they have three quarterback hits total. One of those was
(04:36):
on that Aaron Rodgers, remember when he scrambled for eight
plus seconds and threw a touchdown pass. Dimitri's not actually
hit him right after he threw the ball. That's one
quarterback hit. Another one came this past week when Cam
Taylor britt blitz and hit and hit Justin Fields. Those
are two of the three quarterback hits in the last
two games. Not sacks, just hits. And that's a big
(04:57):
problem at the moment because while you can put the
second gosh, how to Justine Fields carve him up? Well,
he carve himup because he stood back there for eons
to throw the football. There was one wor second or
who the receiver was, because they were all, you know,
backup quality guys. I thought a guy want a takeoff route,
and I kind of looked away for a second. All
of a sudden, I see Justin throw it that way.
The guy came back ten yards of the football because
(05:17):
he had a billion years to throw. They've got to
find a way to generate pass rush, and I think
Al Golden hinted this, hinted at that with us on
Monday a little bit without let mcallam bag. He's on
the record. He said it like, I've got to create more.
I gotta create more pressures, and I think the only
way to do that is to start blitzing more and
just throw caution the way. But we ain't getting stops anyway.
Maybe I can create a negative play, maybe I can
(05:37):
create a turnover too, And that's the only way we're
gonnaet stops. Because if this team just lines up and
says we're gonna try to stop you in base defense
and maybe occasionally blitz, it's not gonna work. It's just
not good enough.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
The run game is clicking. Joe Flacco has been kept
relatively clean other than the hit he got smoked on Sunday.
Why has that happened?
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Great question, and that was actually to Damn Pitcher today
and that was asked of Dan. He just I just
think the offensive lines played well the last couple of weeks.
You know, I thought Orlando Brown was sliding backwards significantly
for the first few weeks. He's played well. Ted Carris
has actually elevated his level of play. It looks like
Jalen Rivers I think settling in nicely at right guard.
Marius Mims has kept his side quiet and and you know,
(06:19):
Dylan Fairschowd came back in for Dalton Reisner and Dalton
started the previous game, and the offensive line played well
against Pittsburgh. I just think I think they've somehow settled in.
Uh you know, I know people continue to look at
the offensive line with a John Desai and go, oh,
they well, they haven't stunk. They've run the ball great.
Joe's been stacked three times and hit minimal times in
the last two games at approximately you know, eighty some
(06:39):
odd drop backs and uh, you know, they still have
to they still have to protect for a lot of
times in the game, and they dropped back to pass
so much. So Yeah, I don't honestly, there's no real
answer than they're just playing better.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Jamar obviously has been incredible and heavily targeted. Did the
two t targets on Sunday raise an eyebrow?
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Sure? Did you know? I know the Jets were, you know,
trying to take both of them away. But you know,
if I'm taking one away, no offense to T Higgins,
I'm gonna focus my taking away on Jamar Chase and
not tea and so Jamar got plenty of targets and
had plenty of catches. He had two targets. Andre Yoshibash
had three. Look, I know, Andre was probably single covered
(07:21):
more often that last play at the end of the game,
they did double both team and Jamar Jamar talked about
that and Andre was the place to go with it.
But in what world did you sign t Higgins in
this contract and he only gets two targets? That just
seems to be crazy to me, Like, and it feels
like it's kind of been that way almost all year,
where he seems kind of invisible at times. And listen,
(07:43):
he is a clear number two to Jamar Chase. Let's
not forget that. But you didn't pay him like a
clear number two. You paid him like a one A.
And if you're gonna pay him like a one a,
then you better find a way. I mean, honestly, you
better throw four jump balls to him again just to
get him extra targets. In my opinion, if not, why
did you resign him?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Do you see Yoshi's snaps declining? And if so, who
assumes those snaps?
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Yeah, that's a great question because we you know, we
asked both pitch and I think Zach either Monday or today,
and we asked pitch today of you know, do you
still have confidence Andre? And they both expressed their confidence.
I wouldn't expect them to say anything otherwise publicly, but
it's hard not to. I mean that last play is
an example of kind of how his years gone. He
doesn't get much separation. It was a contested catch. I
think we can agree with that. It was not a
(08:29):
you know, he wasn't wide open. It wasn't wide open
because he didn't get separation, and then it was a
contested catch that he couldn't quite haul in. He's had
some issues with some drops. I mean, it's hard not
to like the kid, but at some point, like has
nothing to do with this. I can't imagine you don't
give Mitchell Tin's a little bit more on. I think
it'd be silly not to, just because you know, Andre's
(08:50):
not producing, and you know, I think there's a there's
a role where they'd like to get Jermaine Burton on
the field, and Jermaine keeps probably stubbing his foot and
not get on the field, and so there's that issue,
and so it's it's really it's either Mitchell Tinsley or him.
I mean maybe if Mike Kasicki was healthy, you could
might put Mike in that role, but Mike's not healthy.
So yeah, I think the next man up would be
(09:11):
Mitchell Tinsley, and I think you need to see more
of that, to be honest with you.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
All Right, last question. They're three and five, there's nine
games left. I saw a new win total today posted
for them at seven and a half. If you were
Terry Rozier, would you bet over or under on that total?
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Yeah? The other thing is I don't have control of
this like Terry totals, man. I mean, that's the one
thing he had gone for. He could determine what those
totals were going to be.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
That would be five, and that'd be five and four
the rest of the way to go over.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Yeah, I think they. I think they do because I
think they win this week. I think Flacco is at
least back for the Pittsburgh game and they have a
shot to go there. Believe it or not, they win
this week. There is a world in which Pittsburgh is
four and five and the Bengals are four and five
playing at Pittsburgh. First place, or at least to keep
(10:05):
the raven Heck, the Ravens might be four and five
at that point two, but you'd be playing head to
head to see which one of you goes to five
and five. That's the goofy part. I mean, nine wins
can win this division. The question is then you're asking
can they hit the seven and a half? Can they
get denying there's a world where they can. There's also
a war where they win two more games the rest
of the way because this defense is just so horrific.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
All right, what are you working on? And how can
listeners read and watch all you have going on?
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Yep, just go to Local twelve dot com slash spars.
I got the Joe Flacco story up today and kind
of the confidence they again have in Jake Browning. And
then tomorrow Lance I did this today. I was gonna
post today if the Joe Flacker whos had to come out.
I redrafted the Bengals first three picks this year just
because I wanted to just see who you could go with,
and it took me in a direction where it wasn't
(10:52):
completely off base. And the three picks make a whole
lot of sense, and it makes you wonder, what are
they doing in the draft through one draft.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Night, Well I can't wait. I will rate it at
Local twelve dot com. You're a good man. I appreciate
the time. Thank you. All Right, there you go, Richard Skinner.
Check it in tonight
All right.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
My next guest covers the Bengals and the local sports
scene for Local twelve dot com. His Skinny podcast with
Roock Brewing a must watch as well Stocks and Bengals
with the man they call Skinny, Richard Skinner. How are you.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I'm good, Lass, Thanks for having me, Thanks for.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Making time tonight. Let's start with the news of the
day surrounding Joe Flacco. What do you make of his
if we're projecting ahead now from Wednesday forward, what do
you make of his status for Sunday?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Yeah? I think. I mean fifty to fifty is what
Zach Taylor called, and that's probably being generous. I mean,
you know, when he went down on that sack on
the next to last series, I had my head down
for a second and somebody said, oh, Jake's throwing, and
I looked up, okay, and then you see Joe kind
of being looked at by the medical staff. Then he
tries to throw. He's wincing in pain. They give him
a couple of a couple of I don't know maybe
(01:00):
tyle at all, but I know he took something on
the sideline that went into the locker room, and you
can imagine probably got a shot of something in the
locker room and did finish the game, and he was
asked after the game how he felt and said, I
feel fine. Well, that's all well and good because you
just got shot up with pain medication probably so you did.
And then the reality comes in that, yeah, he sprained
his ac joint and that's Those things can be dicey.
(01:21):
I mean, they can be really long term, they can
be medium term. They can sometimes be short term. But
if he wasn't good enough to go today and he
doesn't go tomorrow, I know, Zach said, you know, if
he feels good on Sunday, even without reps, he could
probably play him. I just I think that's a really
big ask. I mean, I'll give him credit. I know
Zach did too. I mean, kudos to him for wanting
(01:41):
to play, right. I mean, yeah, this guy's forty plus
years older. He just hurt his throwing shoulder. You got
a bye week coming up, easy, go hey man, I'm good.
Get Jake ready for this week and I'll come back
hopefully and you know, after the bye week. But I
just think it's a big ask if he plays this weekend.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
After the game on Sunday, Zach made a public declaration
of a need for some to step up on defense.
What'd you make of that?
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Yeah, you know you lost the leadership with Logan Wilson.
I mean he's still playing snaps, but he's not playing
he started. Actually he's not playing you know, the majority
of the snaps. I think it's a plea for somebody
to make a play. I believe that. I mean, like, uh,
you know, somebody needs to make a tackle. Something needs
to disengage and go make a fact. Somebody needs to
you know, come up with an interception of sometimes. But
(02:24):
I think he's looking for leadership with Logan off the
field and Logan's I don't want to call Logan not
a leader. That's not fair. He's just quiet, okay. And
you know leaders do different things. I mean some lead
quietly by example, when some are our real leaders. The
guy I think they're pointing to is Barrett Carter. I
mean he, I know Zach really likes Spirit's leadership qualities.
The problem there is, you know, you've also got to
(02:45):
lead by example too. And I'm not gonna knock Bear
a Carter for everything because he had a really good
first couple of series, Like alling was great, and he's
played okay, but he also had a chance on a
tackle on Isaiah Davis, the running back. I mean he
diagnoses the play. He gets right in the gap. It's
one on one in the gap, and the thing you
have to do there as a professional linebacker is put
that guy on the ground. Would have been a yard
gain it most probably, and he slips through and goes
(03:06):
for fifty yards. It's hard to lead when you're not
making the plays and you're a rookie on top of it.
But I do think that's you're looking for the leader
that they're trying to point to. I think he'd be
the guy. Maybe Jordan Battle a little bit, but again,
his performance doesn't exactly scream Hey, I'm really good, so
I'm gonna lead you guys. So I think I think.
I think it's a mess at the moment. I really do.
I mean, they have all three levels of the defense. Skinny.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Is there an in season fix for this defense?
Speaker 1 (03:32):
I don't think so. I just don't think it's one guy.
I think, honestly, Atlantis is multiple seasons. It's gonna take
to fix, you know. I think part of what you're
seeing with the rookie linebackers is okay, these are our
guys for the next few years, and let's just let
them go. They're gonna make mistakes. I mean, you saw
the one in Green Bay where they both won to
the outside gap on a on a Josh Jacob's fourteen
yard touchdown rune, he goes right up the middle of
(03:53):
the end zone. Both of them went to the wrong place.
Both of them went the wrong way. I don't say
you have to live with it, but you kind of do.
While they kind of get some of that out of
their system. And you know, at the cornerback spot, you've
been up and down with the cam Tiller brit situation
at the safety spot, and neither safeties played well. And
guess what if you're looking, well, put somebody else in there.
(04:14):
They don't really have a backup safety. They got two
special teams guys backing up at safety and Tyson Anderson PJ.
Jewels and up front I mean Lance, you see the
audience is seen in their list the last two weeks.
They don't disengage from a soul. I mean it's not
even like getting pressure. It's like velcro. When offensive lineman
get them, it is staggering. Then in the last two weeks,
they have three quarterback hits total. One of those was
(04:36):
on that Aaron Rodgers, remember when he scrambled for eight
plus seconds and threw a touchdown pass. Dimitri's not actually
hit him right after he threw the ball. That's one
quarterback hit. Another one came this past week when Cam
Taylor britt blitz and hit and hit Justin Fields. Those
are two of the three quarterback hits in the last
two games. Not sacks, just hits. And that's a big
(04:57):
problem at the moment because while you can put the
second gosh, how to Justine Fields carve him up? Well,
he carve himup because he stood back there for eons
to throw the football. There was one wor second or
who the receiver was, because they were all, you know,
backup quality guys. I thought a guy want a takeoff route,
and I kind of looked away for a second. All
of a sudden, I see Justin throw it that way.
The guy came back ten yards of the football because
(05:17):
he had a billion years to throw. They've got to
find a way to generate pass rush, and I think
Al Golden hinted this, hinted at that with us on
Monday a little bit without let mcallam bag. He's on
the record. He said it like, I've got to create more.
I gotta create more pressures, and I think the only
way to do that is to start blitzing more and
just throw caution the way. But we ain't getting stops anyway.
Maybe I can create a negative play, maybe I can
(05:37):
create a turnover too, And that's the only way we're
gonnaet stops. Because if this team just lines up and
says we're gonna try to stop you in base defense
and maybe occasionally blitz, it's not gonna work. It's just
not good enough.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
The run game is clicking. Joe Flacco has been kept
relatively clean other than the hit he got smoked on Sunday.
Why has that happened?
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Great question, and that was actually to Damn Pitcher today
and that was asked of Dan. He just I just
think the offensive lines played well the last couple of weeks.
You know, I thought Orlando Brown was sliding backwards significantly
for the first few weeks. He's played well. Ted Carris
has actually elevated his level of play. It looks like
Jalen Rivers I think settling in nicely at right guard.
Marius Mims has kept his side quiet and and you know,
(06:19):
Dylan Fairschowd came back in for Dalton Reisner and Dalton
started the previous game, and the offensive line played well
against Pittsburgh. I just think I think they've somehow settled in.
Uh you know, I know people continue to look at
the offensive line with a John Desai and go, oh,
they well, they haven't stunk. They've run the ball great.
Joe's been stacked three times and hit minimal times in
the last two games at approximately you know, eighty some
(06:39):
odd drop backs and uh, you know, they still have
to they still have to protect for a lot of
times in the game, and they dropped back to pass
so much. So Yeah, I don't honestly, there's no real
answer than they're just playing better.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Jamar obviously has been incredible and heavily targeted. Did the
two t targets on Sunday raise an eyebrow?
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Sure? Did you know? I know the Jets were, you know,
trying to take both of them away. But you know,
if I'm taking one away, no offense to T Higgins,
I'm gonna focus my taking away on Jamar Chase and
not tea and so Jamar got plenty of targets and
had plenty of catches. He had two targets. Andre Yoshibash
had three. Look, I know, Andre was probably single covered
(07:21):
more often that last play at the end of the game,
they did double both team and Jamar Jamar talked about
that and Andre was the place to go with it.
But in what world did you sign t Higgins in
this contract and he only gets two targets? That just
seems to be crazy to me, Like, and it feels
like it's kind of been that way almost all year,
where he seems kind of invisible at times. And listen,
(07:43):
he is a clear number two to Jamar Chase. Let's
not forget that. But you didn't pay him like a
clear number two. You paid him like a one A.
And if you're gonna pay him like a one a,
then you better find a way. I mean, honestly, you
better throw four jump balls to him again just to
get him extra targets. In my opinion, if not, why
did you resign him?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Do you see Yoshi's snaps declining? And if so, who
assumes those snaps?
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Yeah, that's a great question because we you know, we
asked both pitch and I think Zach either Monday or today,
and we asked pitch today of you know, do you
still have confidence Andre? And they both expressed their confidence.
I wouldn't expect them to say anything otherwise publicly, but
it's hard not to. I mean that last play is
an example of kind of how his years gone. He
doesn't get much separation. It was a contested catch. I
think we can agree with that. It was not a
(08:29):
you know, he wasn't wide open. It wasn't wide open
because he didn't get separation, and then it was a
contested catch that he couldn't quite haul in. He's had
some issues with some drops. I mean, it's hard not
to like the kid, but at some point, like has
nothing to do with this. I can't imagine you don't
give Mitchell Tin's a little bit more on. I think
it'd be silly not to, just because you know, Andre's
(08:50):
not producing, and you know, I think there's a there's
a role where they'd like to get Jermaine Burton on
the field, and Jermaine keeps probably stubbing his foot and
not get on the field, and so there's that issue,
and so it's it's really it's either Mitchell Tinsley or him.
I mean maybe if Mike Kasicki was healthy, you could
might put Mike in that role, but Mike's not healthy.
So yeah, I think the next man up would be
(09:11):
Mitchell Tinsley, and I think you need to see more
of that, to be honest with you.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
All Right, last question. They're three and five, there's nine
games left. I saw a new win total today posted
for them at seven and a half. If you were
Terry Rozier, would you bet over or under on that total?
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Yeah? The other thing is I don't have control of
this like Terry totals, man. I mean, that's the one
thing he had gone for. He could determine what those
totals were going to be.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
That would be five, and that'd be five and four
the rest of the way to go over.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Yeah, I think they. I think they do because I
think they win this week. I think Flacco is at
least back for the Pittsburgh game and they have a
shot to go there. Believe it or not, they win
this week. There is a world in which Pittsburgh is
four and five and the Bengals are four and five
playing at Pittsburgh. First place, or at least to keep
(10:05):
the raven Heck, the Ravens might be four and five
at that point two, but you'd be playing head to
head to see which one of you goes to five
and five. That's the goofy part. I mean, nine wins
can win this division. The question is then you're asking
can they hit the seven and a half? Can they
get denying there's a world where they can. There's also
a war where they win two more games the rest
of the way because this defense is just so horrific.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
All right, what are you working on? And how can
listeners read and watch all you have going on?
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Yep, just go to Local twelve dot com slash spars.
I got the Joe Flacco story up today and kind
of the confidence they again have in Jake Browning. And
then tomorrow Lance I did this today. I was gonna
post today if the Joe Flacker whos had to come out.
I redrafted the Bengals first three picks this year just
because I wanted to just see who you could go with,
and it took me in a direction where it wasn't
(10:52):
completely off base. And the three picks make a whole
lot of sense, and it makes you wonder, what are
they doing in the draft through one draft.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Night, Well I can't wait. I will rate it at
Local twelve dot com. You're a good man. I appreciate
the time. Thank you. All Right, there you go, Richard Skinner.
Check it in tonight
Lance McAlister News
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.