10-22-25 - Bengals Game Plan

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And away we go. A very pleasant, good evening, everybody, and welcome to the Bengals Game Plan Show presented by bud Light, Easy to Drink, Easy to Enjoy Here on ESPN fifteen thirty. I'm Dan Hord with Dave Lapham. We are live tonight at Champions Grill on the West side of Cincinnati. The address is thirty six seventy Work Road. That is w E RK Work Road, and we're going to be here until eight o'clock tonight. We've got a

And understandably so. Ted Carris is a very very fine football player, high achiever. Ted Carris has worked his body to an efficient level of production. I mean, this guy hits the weight room hard. He's serious about it. He knows what he has to do to be ready to play in the National Football League against these massive nose guards that everybody's playing in the NFL now. And you know, Ted is a football savant in terms of football knowledge.

The Bengals and Jets coming up this Sunday at one o'clock at pay Course Stadium, Cincinnati, looking to even its record at four and four. That, of course, is not the only thing going on at the stadium this week. At halftime of the game, the two newest members of the Bengals Ring of Honor will be inducted, Leap and Lamar Parrish. And who's the other guy that's going in? Oh yes, my dear friend and broadcast partner, Dave Lapham.

Thank you very much.

And from what I've been told, all of the living members of the Ring of Honor are expected to be back in town this weekend. So we're talking Corey Dylan, Boomer, Assias and Chad Johnson, Willie Anderson, Isaac Curtis, Tim Crumrae, Anthony Munoz, Kenny Anderson. It's a who's who of Bengals history and it'll be great for you to see. So many guys that you played with, obviously, and then guys that you've watched from the broadcast boot.

You're right, Dan, I mean it's it's unbelievably humbling. I think is the word this week is just man, it's like an unbelievably beautiful dream that you never want to wake up from, you know, because you're getting congratulations from former teammates, former coaches, even players that played against. Some guys have reached out and and uh, you know, fans like the fans here showing up these these shows and these events that are going to be going on all

It.

The thing that is going to be the most exciting for me, though, is is how the grandkids are taking it all in. You know, they're old enough where they understand what's happening. And you know, they're like fourth grade to sixth grade. And two boys, two girls, My son Dave and daughter Sarah both have a boy and a girl, Cam and Lucy and Casey and Gabby, and they are over the moon. I mean, they are so excited and what is the buddy that you're going into the Ring

So part of being in the Ring of Honor, of course, is the Ring of Honor itself. The names that are posted on the stadium wall. And they don't just put those up on Sunday morning. They've got to get it, you know, up there nicely and in the right position and so forth. So they're up. They'll be covered up on game day until halftime, and then they'll pull down,

I love that kind of stuff, and so I think it's really cool to recognize our players to see those names up there, forever. Those those men, to those that are around to get a chance for their their kids and grandkids to see them up there. I think that's spectacular just for lapp them over here.

You know, it'll be.

Really neat, you know, for his whole family, Sarah, everybody to get up here and see see it up there and never goes away. It's like when you win a conference championship in college. I always tell those guys that number stays up there forever. Whatever year you wanted, that stays up there forever, and every time you go back you get to see.

It and hear in the Ring of honor.

It's the same for these guys that get a chance to see their names up there and never goes away. And pretty pretty special, pretty rare.

You know.

You think of all the players that play in this league and have impacted every different city. To have your name up there is the best of the best.

That's the It's not the.

Point one percentage, the point one percent you know, all the guys that have come through this building, so pretty neat. Congressaive the point.

Oh oh uh, I like that.

And that's exactly right, Yeah, it is. It's it's a it's a small number. So uh as Zach was doing some uh some cipher in there, I guess trying to figure out a way to put it out, put it, I guess, describe it, Describe how small the number is. I do know that, you know, it's rare. It's such a such a humbling experience. Like I said earlier, I just there's no way on God's green earth that I ever expected that I would be one of the guys

They'll get it done, no doubt about it. So that's coming up on Sunday at halftime home game against the New York Jets. Jets coming to town winless. They are zero to seven, the only team without a victory so far this year in the NFL. But they've got some good players up, particularly on their defensive line. We don't know who's going to start a quarterback yet, their first year head coach Aaron Glenn, leaving that up in the air at the moment. I don't know if it really

Yeah, I think that's probably one of the biggest reasons, if not the biggest reason they're own seven is the quarterback play just has not been efficient and proficient enough. Haven't got enough winning play, winning snaps out of the quarterback spot. You know, inconsistent would be I guess the best description for the play at the quarterback position. And you just when your quarterback players are inconsistent, if it's

We are at Champions Grill tonight, thirty six seventy Work Road is the address. We're on the west side of Cincinnati, and we're here until eight o'clock.

Tonight.

Ted Carriss will be our special guest from seven to eight. This looks looks like it'd be a great place to watch a sporting event. Their fat screen TVs all over the place, many taps cold beer up at the bar. See folks that are putting down some good looking food tonight. Yes, lots of seating here and a mammoth parking lot. So if there's ever a place where you're like, geez, I'd like to go watch the game there, but it's gonna be a tough to find a spot to park. Not a problem here.

No issues, grilled, no no issue whatsoever. I mean I almost had the thumb a ride, you know, after I get out of my car we parked, it's like, oh, there it is, it's over there. This is a great place, though, I mean it's it's a Once you're in here, it's very intimate. It's a it's a perfect sports bar setting. And I mean there's like three five say about I don't know ten twelve flat screen TVs here that you can Uh, there's if you if you can't watch a game,

No doubt. The Bengals are here tonight, Taylor and Grace. They're handing out us raffle tickets. We've got some things to give away. The butt Light girls are here, Carrie and Misty and Ted Terrris is going to be here at seven o'clock, so come out and join us here at Champions Grill. We're going to take a time out coming up next. As we mentioned, we don't know who the Jets starting quarterback is going to be on Sunday,

Dan, good to be with you. That's quite an introduction.

Man.

We've had some really good sports editors at the Daily Arts, so thank you for the kind I'm not worthy of that kind of praise, but thank you.

Hey, I think it's totally deserved, at least for the four years that I was there. You know, I can't completely talk about Daily Orange history, but let's talk about the New York Jets. Who do you expect to start a quarterback? Maybe for a couple of minutes. Who do you expect to start a quarterback on Sunday?

I think it'll be Tyrod Taylor. You know, that was the indications I was getting yesterday. I think I'm sure you guys know Eron Glenn did not announce that today. He's playing the coach game. You know, he's doing the old competitive advantage, trying to keep the Bengals in the dark as long as possible. They split the practice reps today for what I've been told, But I'd be shocked if on Sunday Tyrod Taylor is not the quarterback. I think they're trending in that direction.

So is it all quarterback play? I mean, the reason that Jets have not won a football game yet and staring at an oh and seven record, has it been the quarterback play has been that ineffective? Or is it a combination of man we have not supported the quarterback either. I mean, there's no position group on the football team that can raise their hand and say we're doing our job. We're playing as effectively and efficiently as as we could

Well, if you ask the owner, Woody Johnson, he would say it's the quarterback play. He basically threw justin Field under the bus yesterday when we approached him at the League meetings. He you know, he just really dumped on Fields, which I mean what he said was not untrue. I mean, Fields is not having a good year. This team has gone They've only scored six touchdowns in the last six games,

Rich Simini covers the Jets for ESPN. Talking to some of the Bengals offensive linemen this week, they all rave about the Jets defensive front featuring three first round draft picks and Quinn Williams, Well McDonald and Jermaine Johnson. How well have those free guys been playing.

Well.

They don't really have the stats dan to back it up. Quinnin Williams is their best defensive player, and I think he's only had one back so far. He gets double teamed a lot, but he's still a good player, even though it's not going to jump off the stat sheet.

Watching tape and talking to people in the Cincinnati Bengals organizations, they've watched a hell of a lot more tape than I have watching games. They say that defensively, the stud is Quentin Williams Offensively, it's Garrett Wilson. Do you agree with that assessment.

I do. I think, pound for pound of Quinn Williams is their best defensive player. You know, he's a former first team off ro. Now Sauce Gardner gets a lot of the accolades, but I do not believe Sauce Gardner will play in this game on Sunday. He's in the concussion protocol, and so offensively, Garrett Wilson, I do believe is probably their best offensive player. Now there's a good chance he may not play in this game. He did not practice again today. He's dealing with the knee injury

Yeah, Rich when Jamar Chase or t Higgins has to miss a game, the Bengals have the other guy, plus some other pretty good weapons. When Garrett Wilson is out, how's that receiving core for the Jets?

The receiving core for the Jets looks like a maybe, Like what does Syracuse University receiving corps look like in nineteen eighty five? You know, it's just well not good Dan, it's you know, it's Garrett is a sensational player. I mean, he's clearly their their wide receiver one, but after that there is a steep drop off. Josh Reynolds would be their number two. I guess he is really more of a probably a four or five. They have Allen Lazae. He's probably a four or five. What I'm saying is

What about the running game. I've always been a fan of Breess Hall. The coaches again in talking to them a little bit, and players as well, defensive players that have studied the Jets, like we talked about earlier, they were a fan of Breess Hall. They think he's a pretty damn good running back. They think he can do everything. They think that. You know, he can make people miss, great lateral quickness, he can catch the ball out of the backfield, you know, again, make you miss there, get

Yeah, that actually is a pretty good scouting report on Breeze Halt. He is having a good year. I mean, if you look at his numbers, you know he's having a good year. They don't use him enough in the passing game. It's kind of been one of the mysteries here. I think he's such a good receiver. A couple of years ago he had seventy five catches and he let all running backs And now they don't really use him that much. The Jets do not throw screen passes to

Rich My final question has to do with the quarterback the Jets will be facing this Sunday. Former Jet Joe Flacco, who spent three years with New York when he was still a youngster between the ages of thirty five and thirty seven, having covered him for three years. What do you think of this renaissance and the fact that suddenly Bengals fans are have their chests out with pride and optimism that Joe Flacco is their quarterback.

Yeah.

I watched the game last week and it was it was fun watching two x Jet forty year old quarterbacks go at each other with Rogers go and Flacco is. He's the guy with nine lives. You know, it's unbelievable how he's been able to last in this league. His arm is obviously still really good. You know, he doesn't move, but you know he never really could, even in his hey day with Baltimore. But I think it's great. He's

Boy. Back in the day, Paul Brown used to say, beware, this football team has an O and seven record, but they are not an O and seven football team. When I watch them, when I watch the schemes that they run, when I watch the personnel that they put out on the football field, I'm impressed. And that's not easy to do a lot of times with me. You know, that would be his his uh, basically presentation to the football team,

You know that's a that's a fascinating question because if you look at their roster, they do have some some very good players. I mean, we've talked about them, Garrett Wilson and Breeze Hall, and they're offensive line has a couple of good players, and Sauce Gardner and Quinton Williams and Jamie Sherwood's a good linebacker. The two edge rushers, Johnson and McDonald. So they have good players. They just haven't put it together, which is just the sign of

By the way, Rich, in response to a kind of a question you tossed out there, Brady and Breeze were in the same division in their forties. So I'm guessing that Carolina and Atlanta one or the other or both probably both lost to forty year old quarterbacks in the same year because they were facing each of those guys twice. Rich, appreciate your time, and hey, we've been doing a lot of research here about forty year old quarterbacks for the last a week or two. All right, thanks as always

See Sunday, guys, Go Orange.

Thanks guys, you're so rich. All right.

That is my former college classmate, Rich Samini, who is the man when it covers too. When it comes to covering the New York Jets. We'll take a time out when we come back. There might be a benefit of the Bengals adding Joe Flacco that you haven't thought about. We'll tell you what that is when we continue. This is the Bengals Game Plan Show presented by bud Light.

Noah fans.

The Bengals tight end with a touchdown catch and Cincinnati's lead can be back to ten with the extra point.

Aaron Rodgers A little bit discussed, a little bit disturbed.

That's how it sounded on Thursday night, the Bengals beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in a thriller at pay Corpse Stadium, Cincinnati. Now three and four, looking to even gets recorded four and four this Sunday with a one o'clock game against the New York Jets. This is the Bengals Game Plan Show presented by bud Light. We are live at Champions Grill, thirty six seventy Work Road. Teddy Kay Ted Garris will be joining us in about twenty five minutes. Joe Flacco

He is He's never been around somebody, certainly at his position that has the resume that Joe Flacco has, and he probably never will. I mean maybe I don't know, you know, like the guys like Joe Flacco. There aren't that many of them. And how many times will Joe Burrow get a chance to share a meeting room with that guy, share a practice field with that guy?

I don't know.

I know I've learned.

Stuff being around him, and it's an experience that will inform how I coach and how I think about the game and the type of skills and approach that I value at that position. And so I think anybody that spend some time with him could take something away.

It's an added benefit of having Joe Flack on this roster.

Absolutely, And I mean I concur one hundred thousand per with what Dan Pitcher you know, has said. And uh and you're you're astute football mind, Dan, I mean you you pick up on all that stuff as well. And I think, honestly, name me a better duo at the quarterback position, a better one to two punch than the Joe's Joe Flacco and Joe Burrow.

I don't.

I don't think there's a team that you know has that that when Joe Burrow is able to play, Obviously right now he's on the shelf, but hopefully at some point in time he'll be able to he'll be able to take snaps and and threaten defenses and play his game. But I do think that Joe Flacco can learn from Joe Burrow. I don't think their game. Their games, in my opinion, have more similarities than differences. The way they approach the game. They're both highly, highly intelligent, big time

You know, I was trying to think of the answer to your question who has a better duo at quarterback in the NFL? And typically, if you have a guy like Joe Burrow, so we're talking Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, etc. You're spending so much money on that guy, you can't really spend a lot on his backup. Yeah, so you tend to have either a young guy or a journeyman

Yeah, And honestly, it makes It makes sense from the organizational standpoint because Paul Brown loved himself some quarterbacks. He wanted to have guys that could lead his football team run the offense that he was installing. He wanted it to be, you know, highest level possible. And now you know he'd be proud that his son, Mike Brown has pulled it off where he's got two quarterbacks that can execute the game plan that Dan Pitcher and Zach Taylor put together on a weekly basis at as high a

The Bengals and Jets this Sunday, one o'clock at pay Course Stadium. This week's game is presented by Fifth Third Bank. We're going to take a time out. We'll talk about the defense when we come back, and specifically, why are the Bengals having such a hard time tackling people. We

Obviously, sometimes playmakers will make plays, but a lot of like if you look.

At our mistackles, it's just it'sys. We just got to finish.

We got to run through the tackle, take better angles, and you know, things like that.

So it's all correctable mistakes. There's nothing, nothing crazy that we can't fix accurate.

I think it is. I think they're their own worst enemy, you know. I do think the number of miss tackles is alarming. You know, it's the percentage is way high, and it shouldn't be because they do have players that can play football. They do have players that can tackle in space. But they either the technique or the fundamentals

So the tackling has been a negative. Let's talk about a positive, and that's been the play of cornerback DJ Turner. Yes, leading the NFL in passes defense by far, he's got thirteen. I think that's three more than anybody else. Had a spectacular interception last week where he ripped the ball away from DK Metcalf. According to PFF, he's the number five cornerback in the NFL in their coverage grade. Quarterbacks are only completing forty three point eight percent of passes where

Play, Well, like you talked about the fact that he is fearless. He wants to take the best receiver. You know. He'll say to Al Golden, I got him. I'll neutralize him, I'll shut him down. I'll help the defense. He does get his hands on a lot of footballs. I mean, he really is instinctive that way. He reads routes. He reads progression of routes at the same rate the quarterback does,

He really is.

So is Dax Hill.

Those two guys have really shown so far on the defensive side of the ball. Agreed for Cincinnati, we'll take a time out. Coming up next. If you see a guy sitting alone at dinner at a restaurant looking lonely, don't feel bad for Joe Flacco. We'll hear from him on that subject when we continue. This is the Bengals Game Plancho presented by bud Light, Easy to Drink, Easy to Enjoy, Live from Champions Grill on the West side

I think there's always a challenge of sitting in a room by yourself and being lonely. So for me, it's trying to find ways to maybe stay over here a little bit longer and then you know, just kind of take myself out of that mindset, call home, go sit at a restaurant by myself and realize that, man, that's pretty enjoyable to do.

Tell you, I tell people all the time.

I mean I used to see guys sitting at a bar by themselves, or you know, just sitting by themselves eating and grabbing a little meal, and like, man, I feel so bad for that guy. You almost want to go join them. And now I realize like that dude was in heaven. And not to say that that's that's obviously not what I want. I'd rather I'd rather be at home, sitting at the dinner table with my kids and hearing what the hell they were talking about all day.

I love this guy.

True, that's awesome.

His press conference isn't great. He's playing great. I am quickly becoming the president of the Joe Flacco Fan Club.

I hear you, I'll be vice president. He is entertaining. I mean he's he's entertaining in the locker room, he's entertaining in the press conference room.

He's entertaining on.

The football field. The way he's playing, I mean the two games he's very narrow defeat, a nice narrow victory. I mean, he's got his football team in every game. And his teammates love him. They love the guy. They think he's funny, they think he's smart as hell. They think he's got football IQ and calm yeah Joe calm yeah.

Nothing rattles a guy.

No, unflappable. I mean He's been in a lot of big games. He understands what it takes to compete and win big games. And you can't short sell that. That is a valuable commodity right there.

So after the game last week, Zach Taylor was talking to the media after the victory over Pittsburgh, and at one point he mentioned, I need to enunciate the formations better. Maybe it's my Oklahoma accent. And I thought that was kind of amusing. I thought, maybe he's just kind of joking around. Then I listened back to part of our broadcast. I always listened to a little just you know, self critique, and I picked up on something that I did not hear live.

Huh.

The Bengals called it tied a timeout rather, and we're discussing why they called the time out, and then one of the parabolic microphones on the sideline picked up, clear as a bell, Joe Flacco saying a nunciate the formations to Zach.

It was amazing.

I'm sorry we didn't pick up on it live, because you know, we were talking and it got a little bit buried in the background. But as I listened back, it was clear as a bell.

Why that? And really You've got a veteran quarterback in his forties that is unbelievably confident in himself.

To do that, you know.

I mean, he understands that his position right now on this football team is pretty secure and he can give critique, criticized the game plan, criticized play calls, all that sort of thing, and honestly, Za next the kind of coach where he kind of welcomes that that interchange, that interaction. So I like, I like the direction that this is heading. I think that their best football is still way ahead of them. There's a lot of meat left on that bone, and uh, it's gonna be fun to watch him eat it.

The offensive line played well last week and he surrendered a couple of sacks. Ted Carris is going to join us on the show momentarily. Ted has in the house. He is in the house here at Champions Grill. Those guys are going to be tested though on Sunday because the front four for the Jets, that's the strength of the entire.

Team, it is. Quinn Williams is a big time player, you know, he's He's one of those guys that is a Pro Bowl caliber player, has all the physical attribute, size, strength, leverage, long arms, change of direction, quick feet, He's got everything, plays the run in pass equally proficiently and effectively. So oh, it's going to be a Ted's gonna have his hands fall. I mean, he'll be working against him quite a bit

All right, The Bengals are here, Taylor and Grace, the bud Light girls are here, Carrie and Misty. Ted Carris is here and he'll talk to Ted in just a moment. This is the Bengals Game Plan Show presented by bud Light on ESPN fifteen thirty.

PLENN presented by bud Light on the first Star Logistics Bengals Radio Network. Brought to you by bud Light, bud Light, Easy to Bring, Easy to Enjoy, pay Corps. Pay Corps is cloud to be the official HR software provider of the Cincinnati Bengals. Kettleing Hill Best Care for the Best Fans, Kettleing Hill, Official healthcare provider of the Cincinnati Bengals. This is Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Bengals.

Our number two of the Bengals Game Plan Show presented by bud Light, Easy to drink, Easy to enjoy. We are live at Champions Grill here at thirty six seventy Work Road on the West side of Cincinnati, getting you ready for the Bengals and New York Jets coming up this Sunday at one o'clock as the Bengals look for their second consecutive win. Looked even the record at four and four. As promised, we are joined for the second hour of our show by a Bengals fan favorite. He's

All right, the man.

Glad to be here on the West side of night. This is my fourth appearance on the show.

Is that you've been a regular?

Yeah?

Four years in a row. We've done this.

Oh yeah, yeah, you're a go to guy.

Perfect timing too, Starting to get a little cooler, really feeling like Chris Chrispin.

The fez An Indianapolis kid grew up expecting football like this, you know, late October, early November.

First cold Snap's always a holiday in my family.

And you you were on a short shortness of short lists for guests for the show. You're a solid gold guest one.

No doubt.

And I always joke I should have laugh them. Dave Blackholm introduced me everywhere.

Just bring them around. My intros in the trenches are some of them.

They are well and deservedly so well earned, well deserved.

The good news is you are doing this show for the fourth year in a row, but we are thrilled to say that we're going to have you back for a fifth because you're already signed for next year. You got that extension earlier season. Well deserved and just awesome.

Thank you so much. That was a big honor.

I'm really grateful to the Brown family, the Blackbiran family. Really a nod to you know what I want to do here win here, so really excited about it.

You know, I admire you and respect you for the way you take care of yourself. I mean it's it's not easy. It's not like you know, falling off a log, playing double digit seasons in the National Football League. You've done that. I mean, you've accomplished that. There's not a whole lot of guys walking around the face of the earth that can make that claim.

Two of them are right here, though, which is kind of cool.

Yeah that's right. Yeah, that's right. We're both with the dynamic duel. Right. I mean, I wish always laugh. I wish I had played with this guy. I love the guys I played with. Love the offensive lineman, I praaid with Muno's Montoya, all those I love those guys. This guy, though, I mean, he gets it. He's all football all the time.

I don't know if I was big enough to be on that line.

You guys, I still hang out with you guys. I'm like, geez big Joe Walter Ohm.

Telling you Jojo Man, he's a horse force in behalf. I mean I was, you know, in high school and even in college. It's like, you know, six or four that's fairly tall. I was like, looking up, it felt like I was in a hole in the huddle with these guys.

Yea, and they're all giants, giant we have some giants two though, give some Yeah, your tackles, man, big big people, good people though too right, You're you're old line.

It's it just seems to be a hell of a good group of guys. I love going into the locker room and I'll hang back there and just listen to you guys tell each other stories, talk to each other about football. I love hearing the football part of it, but I love hearing you guys, you know, crack jokes and tell stories of each other. That's one of my favorite times of the week.

Man.

Now, we're all really good friends, and that's I think a key to you know, hopefully more success. And like tomorrow night we're going over to Orlando's house. We go line dinner really every Thursday, always hosts it, and uh, you know, he's he's been such a pleasure.

And I think a Marius Men's too. What a what a pick for this organization.

He's a stud man. That guy's a great marvel.

Not a kid anymore, I guess he's not.

So Yeah, so, man, now, book so last Thursday was an awesome win and just a tremendous game and a thrilling night to be a paid course. Yeah sure, and we have since discovered that you were miked up. I highly recommend going to Bengals dot Com checking out the video. It is tremendous. It's one of my favorites in years.

Did they have to beep anything out?

Yeah, there's a pape and that doesn't necessarily translate great from TV to radio, but we're gonna do it anyway. Here is a snippet of Ted's miked up segment from last Thursday's victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Love it, let's go, let's go.

Hud hudd them, hudd 'm hudd up.

Hey, No one relaxes from second. Me and you, Minjy, me and you, Moby, me and you Minjy.

The kick is off.

Yeah, yeah, good.

God, great job job. I love you, man, I love you. I love you too, man. Great job, Scott, great job, great job man. It's stupid movie. Let's finish you saw me? I want I'm not there yet.

Yeah yeah, so good, unbelievable, so good. So at the very end there you're talking to your offensive line coach Scott Peters. Evan McPherson had jus kicked the field goal to give you the lead with seven seconds to go, but you're not taking anything for granted.

I'm not there yet. I mean my whole life. I watched this guy throw at seventy yards. I remember made in my parents' living room watching him throw hail Marys.

I'm not right. He made it there too, he did, he did. I wasn't ready to really that. It's Rogers on the other side.

We know where he's gonna He's gonna roll left, he's gonna plan his feet and longside thing.

Correct.

He holds the all time record for hail Mary's.

Very good.

Very good because not only does he throw it seventy yards, but he throws it with such heights they come straight down.

It's huge.

It's I wasn't there yet, Like I said, I wanted to see that triple zeros.

Well, you got there, and so did the team, which was great. So I had to ask Zach Taylor today about your game day persona, this zone you go into during the course of a game. Here's what your head coach had to say.

I think if three words describe him high energy conversations. Anytime I go to him with something, it's a high energy conversation and response, which is great. I like high energy. I don't want doll, don't want to be out here. I want high energy let's get this fixed. Yeah, let's do that. Let's stick with this Ted Carris high energy conversation. Really all in all phases of life, great quality to have.

I love high.

Energy, bring some juice, you know, and Ted brings some juice, and so I appreciate that.

It's awesome high energy conversation.

Yes, that's the heck of a commedy.

Yeah, yeah, I would say so.

I think some people have considered me a little too much at times, but I've never really cared, you.

Know, bringing the juice. That that's you. I mean, like we said, you love football. Football is what you're all about. Football and Ted Carris is synonymous. Man. I mean, it's a it's a weekly fall activity for you. When did you realize that you had fallen in love with the game of football?

Oh, I mean probably since my earliest memories. Just my dad's been a football coach, you know, his whole career. Yeah, so I was always around a training camp and pretty much since when I understood what football was.

That was my goal is to be good at football. Yeah, that's great.

I've never had, really, I don't have any fallen memory that doesn't involve a football season directly.

Affecting my family's life. Wow, very grateful for that.

That's cool.

So with your dad being a coach, was it kind of the stereotypical You're watching tape with him from a very early age and picking up an understanding of the game.

I'm definitely around, you know, tape was different back then. I'm definitely around the facility a lot that now it was like v v VHS.

Phs Lap had the film.

Yeah, yeah, always. We all watch a lot of Recruits films. And my parents are tuned in, you know, right now in Indianapolis. And now he coaches Marrion University, the Marrior University Knights six nights in the country. And I love those guys. And they got a big they got a big one on Saturday. We got a big weekend coming up for everybody. That's a great thing about football season. It's onto the next, onunder the next, for sure.

And with that said, I mean, you guys are three and four, right in the thick of it, I mean right right in the middle of you know, the season basically a little bit not not quite to the halfway point yet, but coming off a win against the division rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers that have a hell of a quarterback. It's going to be in the Hall of Fame. How big is that win?

That's big, But it's only one win, only counts as one, so I think it definitely got a bad month off our back and now it's time to start building on some things. But yeah, we won one game, and you know everyone that's that is exciting and we're all very excited. But now we got the New York Jets come to town and with a good defensive front seven always and need a string stringing together.

Joe Flacco's last six quarters have been nothing short of remarkable. A guy that arrived on a Tuesday and started at Green Bay on a Sunday. From your ten years of experience in the NFL, what is the most amazing part of all of this to you?

Well, I always say one of my favorite like professional pleasures, I guess, is to watch NFL quarterbacks throw the football.

And I've got to see some all time legends.

I'm very, very grateful I've been able to play with legendary quarterbacks. And he throws one of the nicer scene and the farthest he can. He can really sling that thing and he's he he throws it very hard and personality wise, I don't think anything fazes this guy.

He's cool as a cucumber, no doubt.

Yeah, is man. We all know.

We know obviously that you played with break in New England. Who were your quarterbacks in Miami, Ryan Fitzpatrick Tua. Yeah, we had Brady obviously. Joe Burrow mac Jones was back.

In New England and is playing great.

Gosho Jimmy g played a game with him, but a preseason game with Cam Newton.

Cam.

I have a good list by but Brady fits blacko Joe.

That's you do have a great list, man, I mean, for you have as good a list as anybody ever heard. Rattling off that's a laundry.

That's what Dad said.

I called him on the way here when I was talking about That's what he said too.

So that's interesting.

Yeah, it's you're very grateful your buddy, Joe Tooney's got a pretty good list.

He's got a good list. He got a good list.

He does, he really does. So what wi your offensive line coach or coach is would you say taught you the most that you could use to be a high level player in the National Football League which guy, which coach tutored you the best about offensive line play?

Dante Scarneccia. I look at the game today.

I would not be in the NFL still if I wasn't trained by him. Yeah, I've stolen everything from him.

I live.

I live my football life at O line according to Dante Karen. Now, obviously you have new coaches, new systems, and you have to share and stuff. But the core tenants of how I approach offensive line play are all Dante Scarneccia.

Technique, fundamentals, all that sort of thing and everything.

All the I was raised was ingrained in me at the Yeah.

So, and this question is way too early. You got a lot of football left. But when you're done playing football, could you see yourself coaching? Is that? Is that something? Is that on the table? Is one of the options that you're considering? Uh, when you retire from the NFL.

Everything's on the table. When I retire from the NFL.

Yeah, I'm open to the realm of all possibilities. Come on, I would never say no, it's any opportunity at least consider it. So you know, I love the game, and I love Obviously I'm very well trained offensive line.

So you'd be great. You'd be You'd be an unbelievable line coach. You really would. I mean I wish I wish you were my line coach when I came back, came into the National Football League. I mean, I know if Marius Mims talks about you, how much you have meant to him in the early stages of his professional careers. Like Chris Man, I mean, Ted Carris, he's where, he's where it's at, He's where. Here's what it's all about.

Mimsy's what it's all about too. Though.

I'm really glad he's a stid room and he's really come along and been He's gonna be rock solid for years the city.

That is an excellent segue because we are going to take a time out and when we come back, we will hear from a Marius Villo talking about our special guest, Ted Carris. This is the Bengals Game Plan Show presented by bud Light. We're live at Champions Grill here on Work Road on the west side of Since on ESPN fifteen thirty. We are broadcasting live tonight from Champions Grill. The address is thirty six seventy Work Road on the west side of Cincinnati. It's the Bengals Game Plan Show

I just respect like the man he is and how he comes to work every day being the same guy.

Uh I get.

I'm gonna know, I'm gonna get the same tad every day and then until I feel like he's a great leader he leaves our team. I don't care what anybody say. He's one of the best. Like I said, best humans and best leaders. I've been around my whole life. If you see how hard he practices through pain and all, and just like I've never seen him like, really take

I was like, what kind of question is that? You know that? Come on now, wait, are you kidding me? Run through a wall for you?

I believe that that's a big statement, man, And I would for him too.

Yeah. See that that's that's what That's what the old line is all about, right, I mean that kind of you guys are established in bonds and relationships. They're going to be there your whole life.

They are, and you know, there's not much that I can really tell them technique wise, because we.

Play essentially a different different game there.

You know, I don't know what it's like to be you know, six eight three fifty and there's I think that's why Orlando is so valuable too. And we have such a great group of guys that play off each other, and because Orlando does know what it's like to play that as a big tackle in the NFL sure and has really mentored men's very well.

I think Orlando is one of our best leaders as well.

So I know I get a lot of credit, but I like to defer a lot of it because we have excellent men in our locker room.

So Amarus, as I mentioned, is in his second year and he is kind of a vet by default on this offensive line because you've had two rookies starting at guard with Dylan Fairchild and Jalen Rivers. Do you feel like the Bengals are building a nucleus in those three spots for an offensive line that you know going to be together for a long time.

Heck yeah, I think.

I think Jalen Rivers is unbelievable. I think he'll probably be the right guard here for eight nine years. So it's been a pleasure to watch him grow up even in these five games and just get you know, I tell all these.

Young guys a lot, like a lot of O lines sometimes.

Is just the feel of it, Like you have to have a good feel, and the only way you can get that is by playing in games.

So I mean, I've seen just such a dramatic jump.

Between when he first was in the lineup until you know, this last week. So really excited about that. And Dylan, Dylan's amazing. Hopefully he's you know, he's back on the field this week and and getting some reps in and we.

Have to I think we have a good, good young group in the old line room.

That's the key. Young. I mean, you guys have so many years ahead of you of now you're more like going into your going into the last Yeah right, no, not not not now, not not not until, not until a couple of years.

Not the oldest guy on the team anymore. Okay, everyone signed.

Yeah, that's right. You could be a son, Yeah exactly exactly if he if he, if he was a young dad, you could be a son. But I mean that that group and the way Mims talks about you, I mean he looks at you as almost like a farther figure. I mean, you're you're, you're basically his offensive line savant. I mean you're you're, you're the guy that is going to lead him to higher uh level of play, you know,

And Lucas Patrick was another great addition to your team. I mean, what a guy brought a lot of a lot of great stuff to our line. And it's nice to have another ten year guy around two that can validate some of the things we learned as young players and passed them down how we were raised in the NFL.

To I watched Scott Peters coaching you guys up out in the field, and I mean it's it's as a former offensive lineman and I know Anthony, I've watched practice with the Anthony him being a former lineman Max as well. I mean, it's it's impressive to watch Scott Peters do it what he does. I mean, he is a hell of a coach. Technique fundamentals. I mean, he teaches him as well as anybody.

He does. And you know, it's great to have a group that we have.

And you know, I think as far as veterans goes me and Lucas are way nicer than the veterans when I was coming into the league. But we decided to say, you know, we got to keep this thing going as an edgy Wednesday, and we're like, you know what, we've been too nice to these young guys. So we were on people's butts today and had a really good Wednesday, and we'll be on him again tomorrow.

Cool, high energy, like it, like it.

High energy conversation, there you go and actions. So the running game was awesome on Thursday night against Pittsburgh to the year. Obviously, why what allowed you guys to take off that way on Thursday night?

You know, I think the coaches gave us a good plan.

I always say the two biggest tenants of the run game or a hat on a hat and get the ball downhill.

And I think guys individually executed.

We got the ball entering the line of scrimmage and in a fast rate of speed, and obviously if we can get chase a little bit of room, get things you know, blocked up, and he had some explosives. So I think we got to continue to build on that.

You know, we know who we are.

It's never going to be the highest volume of runs, but we got to be efficient. We got to hit explosives and like I said, get a hat on a hat and get the ball downhill.

I thought that you guys finished blocks about as well as you have all year long. I see you're not in your head a little bit with that.

You agree, I would agree. You know a lot of some people have said that. I think, you know, one thing just watching the game was I don't think there's been a lack of effort at all. I think absolutely, but I think that was an exceptional showing of effort. And then, like we talked about that in the meeting today, is that that's what it is gonna take. So it's it's not like we're not going hard, but we're gonna have to even go the hardest we can to get things going.

And that's it showed up on Thursday night.

It's got to show up again on tomorrow's practice and Sunday afternoon.

So that's why you're talking about being ashy ted. You're gonna get after him a little bit to make sure that they sustain the level what they were performing with on Sunday.

Yeah, it's a padded Thursday. It's gonna be a little edge. You ever to be a little little, a little moody at times?

Love it?

Yeah, there you go.

How good is Quinnin Williams?

Really good player?

I have so much respect for him, you know.

Very I think a lot of people don't realize he's a very strong player.

He's probably the statistically this year he's the leading in run defenses from the defensive tackle positions.

So we have a big task ahead of this.

That whole that whole crew is good, obviously headlined by him, But the New York Jets have always had a good front sevens as long as I've known him, and this year's no exception.

Yeah, you've played against him a lot, I mean you can you can draw comparisons for for a lot of years. What Jets defensive player is the one? You know? Like, I'm not did you play against Gas and Cleco and those guys know that I'm Frank Fraying cramping a little bit? But you did? Yeah? I did know, I sure did. Man Clecko, that son of a buck and them being kind.

I mean the Jets, those Jets defenses early on in my career when I was in New England. We're very tough, you know, Mohammed Wilkerson, Big Stax, Harrison with Henry Anderson. Obviously Quinn Williams showed up. They had a lot of guys, had a lot of guys and really really good players.

DJ Mosley Yeah, that uh, that Jets front, defensive front. They ate human growth hormones and steroids for breakfast, launch and dinner. I mean it was unbelievable and cleo ate the.

Most of them. Can't get away with it now though, No.

No, absolutely not. And you know what I think it's I think it's better. It's certainly better for the players. I mean you have to you have to take care of the players. I mean the players. Yeah, sometimes they're not smart enough to take care of themselves.

It's a lot of long term side effects of that.

Absolutely, Especially the business like this, you do have to regulate that because I mean, if it was legal and everyone's taking them, we don't.

Need to get into the right yea, that was baseball in nineteen ninety eight.

But that's a different subject.

All right, we need to take a time out. I am leaving you, guys, I have to head to the West Miller Radio show at the original Montgomery in so a couple of offensive linemen are gonna take it the rest of the way.

We're gonna, We're gonna, we're gonna finish it out.

Football, Let's give it up for the great ten Let's do it.

How about that you start that.

I'll best thing on my ride to Montgomery.

There you go.

Have a great final half hour. Ted, thank you so much for being here tonight, and we'll take a break. This is the Bengals Game Playing Show presented by Bud Light, live from Champions Grill on the West side of Cincinnati here on ESPN fifteen thirty.

Welcome back.

You're listening to Bengals Game Plan and we're iHeartRadio with Ted Krris. Ted Krris is basically hosting. I'm going to co host the rest of the Yeah, how about it's going to be a show for the old line. You know, So, what teammate other than Bengal teammates. I know you've got Orlando Brown, mimes. What teammate that you played with, either with the Bengals or with the New England Patriots was the biggest athletic marvel, you know, the biggest freakazoid like

So one of my dearest friends and one of my old time best friends, and I always say, probably the best football player at his position that I've ever seen anyone, is Joe Toney and the Chicago Bearris are coming to town in two weeks.

He's a he's a dat and Archbishop Alter Cattering altar.

There you go, there you go, and we you know, we were roommates for four years up in New England. But I remember going into Springs, you know, early in my career, I'm you know, I'm a very competitive guy, trying to keep up with Joe and and like the conditioning and the different athletic tests, and then going into my third year, I was like, you know what, I'm

Really, ye see that that's what people don't understand realize is that offensive linemen. I mean the skill set, you know, techniques, fundamentals we talked about a little bit, but the athletic skill set that you have to have to execute those techniques for fundamentals, it's it's different. There's not a whole lot of people walking around on the face of the earth that you know, can can fulfill those And.

I always say that about NFL tackle.

I always joke there's about one hundred and twenty guys in the whole world who can really do it. So we the NFL finds him though, But it's a that's a that's that's a tough position.

It is it is. And uh man, my good friend Anthony, you know, Hall of Famer himself. I mean he was like the fifth pick of the draft coming out of college, coming out of USC. Everybody expected and projected to him that he would be, you know, a tremendous player in the National Football League.

What a good man he is too?

Oh he is man. I mean he's solid as a rock and in every phase of his life. Great family man, you know, as well as a teammate. And I mean you make bonds with Anthony and they last forever. Who was who was the coach? Well, you already said Dante is the guy that that that you know, gave you your the fundamentals and the techniques to lead you to

Techniques and fundamentals, you know.

I I always had a ton of respect for David Andrews, but I couldn't say that he taught me the fundamentals. I mean we were both you know, learning from scar back then obviously Tom Brady. Just to even see him operate was so invaluable in my life. And I'm still thinking about a lot of what he had to say and how he had to say it.

Not just getting ready to play the quarterback position, but just football in generally.

Yeah, this is general intensity towards there you go.

I I always used to joke, you know, up there it was like a it's almost like a sick obsession with achieving victory and really had to go really hard.

And that was a lot of lessons I learned from that and we did win.

Yeah, So.

You know, other than that, you know, I've had so many great teammates. Ryan Fitzpatrick really is probably my favorite teammate of all.

Really.

Yeah, we had such a fun year.

COVID in South Florida, had a great Miami team ten and six, missed the playoffs. Actually weird, weird year, weird year, but had a great time. Still have a bunch of friends down there and live down there in the offseason.

So so, could you see yourself potentially coaching when you're done playing football?

Definitely?

You know, I'm open to anything, you know, I think I do love the game, you know, I don't.

I don't know what my like is. Life is going to look like. I'm going to be open to any opportunity.

And but I do know that at some at some junction in my life, I do want to be involved with the game.

So that's exciting, But not yet. Maybe I'm a player still, You're.

Still a player, and you're still a heck of a player. There's there's no question about that. We're going to take a little bit of a time out here. We're going to step aside. This is the Bengals Game Plan Show on ESPN fifteen thirty. Well, back, we're at this, You're listening right now on on ESPN fifteen thirty the Bengals Game Plan Show, and we uh, every single Wednesday, we're at a different location. This week we're on the West Side and we're here with Ted Caris who west side

That's side Cincinnati, the Great Mike Mets and Metscore is not too far from here. If anybody in the crowd knows Metscore, it's one of the most extraordinary places I've ever been.

It's an old it's an old hospital.

Actually they can basically the best way to describe it is a kind of converted into a college campus. It's an adult day care for adults with disabilities, and they got a coffee shop, different h opportunities for the kids, different classes.

I pop in.

They do a lot of Disney scene it. I don't know if you ever played that game. It's a game on the DVD. You got to guess the movie and they're really good. So I can hold my own though. But there's there's a bunch of stuff and it's uh, he's a Dynamo, West Side Dynamo, Mike Mets.

Mike Metska so I'm looking at your hat since he had, how about a hand for Ted Carris's foundation. Thank you you guys. You're doing a lot of great things here in the city of Cincinnati, in the community and the region in general. What is it? Why? Why did Ted Krris feel like I want to give back to the community. I want to be a community leader. H I'm I'm proud of what my family is all about. What I'm all about. This is our home, this is our community. Why do you want to give back so badly?

Well, I've always been involved with adults of intellectual disabilities.

Through the village of Mariici growing up.

But it's I didn't set out to be some big philanthropists, you know. I gave money every year to charity and that's that's I think about that a lot.

You know.

How the since he had organically came to be and really was adopted by this whole town and we're able to do something special and thank you to everyone who's you know, bought a hat and it's a Cincinnati community thing, and that's why we're bringing it to Cincinnati. So we got some big projects coming up, most notably in Madisonville here soon hopefully getting this, this ground broken I tell you what real estate development though man goes a little slow.

For my taste in time.

I want to get an I know, I want to get this thing going, but uh, you know, I pray often not to squander any opportunities that come my way. And feel that since he had, you know, chose me, I was you know, chosen to do it, and so I take it as the most serious thing in my life. It's my life's mission and I'll never relent on building infrastructure and creating the most favorable ecosystem.

For adults with intellectual disabilities the rest of my life.

I know your wife's all in as well. Your wife's a tremendous support system for you, isn't she? She is?

My wife is amazing. My wife Rachel, and my daughter Penelope. She's eighteen months old, Alopie, she's.

In eighteen months, year and a half.

She's in the jungle.

She usually makes it toll like right after halftime, time to get you go.

It's it gets there's there's quite a buzz going on the jungle. I want to get her out before it really gets jungly.

I love it. I love it. So let's talk about uh, not not just the upcoming game. We've talked about that for quite a while here, bantered about, uh, all different aspects, matchups, all that sort of thing against the Jets. What about the rest of the season. Uh, this football team, you guys are right in the hunt three and four record. There's in the AC North. The only team that has got a better record than you is a team that you just beat, I mean this past weekend to give

Yeah, I mean it was greats get a win, get a small weekend off, recharge the batteries, and really get back to where we want to be, which is, you know, putting notches in the left hand columns. So we got a big one coming up to even it up, and then we got one more before the bye to going with the winning record. So all eyes are on the Jets, all effort on the Jets. That's all we're thinking about for the next five days.

So you had a mini bye week, uh, and you had a victory before that mini bye week. How important is it you have a win before the bye I remember as a player back in the day in the seventies and eighties, to get a win before that bye week and have that bye week to you know, it's a celebratory time. But you know, man, now we can start to string some together. Let's put some wins together and really get in the hunt here and make some noise.

I think if you win and lose any game, it just determines your quality of life for the next week until you get a chance again. So you know, right, if we didn't went on Thursday, I'm probably not here at Champions on the West Side talking about the Bengals. So you know, there's a lot of things you can do when you can win, but you can't remember how you got there, and you got to go get it again because it's very fleeting feeling and you know it's over.

So it's Jets week.

Let's talk about Scott Peters, your offensive line coach. Very talented man. In gotten to know him a little bit. His techniques I think are incredible. You know, he's a he's a leverage guy, martial arts guy. UH footwork is is key and uh instrumental in his techniques and fundamentals that he's teaching. How good a line coaches this dude, he's been great.

Him and Mike McCarthy have been putting us in good positions.

So we've had you know, great meetings, great instaults, and he's you know, scheming us upright. So you know, he's got a big task ahead of him with you know, we have two rookie guards out there and uh and I think he's been doing a great job. And then we have a great veteran room between Lucas me Orlando, even throwing Mimsey in there as a leader.

Of the room. So you know, we gotta keep going.

We got to keep stringing good, good games together and we got a good front coming in. So it's gonna take our best effort Sunday at one.

Leadership leaders the award you just put out there. You can never have enough leadership on a football team. I think the Bengals are blessed with having leaders at just about every position group on the football team. There are players that step up and you know, assume a leadership position in every single one of those position groups.

What do you think I think?

You know, I think one thing about the Bengals organization is we have just such high quality men around offense, defense, special teams. A lot of people want to do things the right way. And you know it is you can never have too many leaders because they can't just it's not just one voice.

But it can never be just one voice.

It's a it's a collective effort. That's a great thing about American football.

Ted Carris and Dave lappam on the West Side. Yeah, folks, it's the best side. We're here till eight o'clock and it's time for another break. This is the Bengals Game Plan Show on ESPN fifteen thirty. Back once again to champions on the West Side. I'm here with Ted Harris, my man, the great Ted Carris. I should say so, as you're getting ready for this New York Jets football team,

You know, I think the number one key to victory in any game is, you know, not turn the ball over.

Yep, so plus over the turnover margin.

I think in this game, specifically for our task, we got to neutralize their front seven. Their best player, Quinn Williams, very good player. They have a good defensive front. We have to, you know, be able to run the ball protect and I think in the passing game, getting the ball on time and like I said, run game hat and a hat, get the ball downhill if I think, not turn the ball over, neutralize the front and the two biggest factors in the winning this game.

Yeah, and that turnover Deal'd love to see you guys be plus one plus two. I mean sometimes plus one is not quite you know, enough of a differential, but you start getting up in the plus two plus three.

Even the statistics are staggering when you look at turnover turnovers, like winning percentage because of turnover differential.

So it is, I mean, that's that's probably the biggest key to success at any level, high school, college or NFL. You're coaching your dad's coaching. Tell us about the coaching tree in the Karris family.

Yeah, so, my my whole family has been football players and football coaches. Awes, my father, Ted Terrris Junior, he's the head football coach at Marion University on the west side of Indianapolis.

And they're killing it, aren't They're killing it.

They're number eight in the country.

They got they got a big game this this weekend up in bourbon A, Illinois.

Excellent.

And you know, the guys are great.

I have a great relationship with you know, all the players, all the coaches.

It's really a lot of fun. I wear my marrying stuff. I got a maryon hats, I got it all with him. So it's all. It was always my One of my favorite things, you know, growing up is coaching with dads.

So what about your granddad did you did your grandfather coach? Was her coach?

He did coach coach. He coached with my father too on some of his staffs. So my uncles as well, and you know, they were always you know, that first generation of Karris has had a lot of different jobs, but which was definitely one of them.

That's spectacular. Spectacular, my man. Well, we're gonna wrap it up, Ted, I mean I can't. I could do this with you till midnight, at least seven o'clock, but we are. We're getting out here. And you were outstanding. I knew you would be you're a spectacular guest. Your your solid gold, you're gold plated, You're you're an honorary Hall of Fame guest here.

Well you're the man. And we didn't even get to touch on ring of Honor.

I know.

Wow, ye telling me I'm the Hall of Famer. You're going up on the stadium, sir, So congratulations.

Yeah, it's gonna be pick for my grandkids. Man, I feel happy for them. They're all excited and I'll tell you they can't sleep at night. It's it's crazy. So it's cion our time. It's time to say goodbye from Champions on the West Side. And this is the Bengals Game Plan Show on ESPN fifteen thirty. Good night, everybody, Safe travels, Safe travels, my man.

Thank you guys so much. Love you since cal.

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