10-31-25 - Bengals Pep Rally

Love.

This is Bengals PEP rally presented by Just Bear Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network Paycre. Paycor 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. This is ESPN fifteen to thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Good afternoon, Welcome to the Bengals PEP probably so, presented by Just Bear Chicken Live on ESPN and presented by the Bengals Radio Network and Just Bear Chicken, Waynebox Miller Dave Lapboy live at the on the Rhyine Eatery, one hundred East Court Street, Downtown. It is the Halloween edition. No tricks, right treats, just good football talk. Getting ready for another big game, a must win game, Dave Lapham, I tell you this is one I told you earlier

Yeah, you're right, Box, I mean, I think I think you know that's one thing that the coaching staff that I've talked to Vegans head coach Zach Taylor, coordinator, offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher, defensive coordinator Al Gold, and all the other position coaches. The players are all in still. I mean they they want it, they don't. They don't want to be known as you know somebody that cast their chips in you know, yeah and said, no, Moss, I'm

There's not.

Every single football team has lost at least one game, you know, and you're only eight games into it, so that you know it's competitive and there's probably not gonna be a team that pulls away and has a dominant season like dub Bears, the eighty five Chicago Bears. I don't think there's gonna be a team like that. Yes year. So if the Bengals can you know, hang in there. Get everybody healthy. They need to get healthy, and you know,

Yeah, I mean because Pittsburgh hasn't helped themselves. They lose on Sunday night at home to the Packers. They're four and three, the Bengals three and five. It's only two games separating you right there, and you know Pittsburgh got a tough game coming up this week. I want to digress just for a second from football. We're going to dive into all this and and kind of ask you

That, man, it was surreal. You know, it was something I never ever dreamed would happen. You know, back when I was a little rug rat running around trying to play the game of football and learn as much as I could about football, and you know, just fell in love with the game totally. Everything about football was made sense to me. You know, the team concept of it was big, twenty two moving parts, twenty two moving pieces that you don't have to all be in concert, you know,

You know, he can't do it all by right.

He's got to have you know, ten other people on his side of the football working in concert, getting getting things done for him. So that's what I really liked about the game of football early on, and you know, wanted to be as good as I could possibly be and had great coaches along the way, great teammates and great coaches along the way to help me get there.

You Know what was most fitting for me was at the event on Saturday and Kenny Anderson and Max Montoya and Anthony Munio talked about the things that people don't know about Dave Lapham and I'm gonna talk about Anthony specifically, saying his first two years here, you were his north star. You know, you guided him through that playbook and all those kinds of things, and there's room for people to be selfish. Number one pick comes in, gets all the

And that was very much appreciated. I mean, those guys went above me on the call of duty. I think, you know, to be as complimentary as kind and kind as they could be. But I have such a great relationship with all of them. And that's the thing about sports. You know, box you played sports, the bond that you make yes with your teammates is so unique. I mean it's like nothing else in life. You know, It's it's almost impossible to break it. Those guys are gonna have

Yeah, And I tell you what, when we were setting up here, people were coming by. Everybody came by literally knew what happened last week, and they were saying, right, he congratulates that, they happy for you. It's just one after another after another, which to me spoke about why we thought you deserved to be in there for football for broadcasts, but because of how you are for the team and and the other thing that I kind of

Yeah, yeah, you're right, Box, I mean, it was uh, you know, national geographic from my family coming in with this football game, California, Arizona, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, or I mean friends and family from from all over and it's it just it's humbling, you know, when everybody's coming in because they want to be there for you. And generations of family, you know, not just

Yeah. Man, you deserved every piece of it. Appreciate a little bit of it man, I couldn't be happier. Dave Lapham, thanks Ring of Honor and Dan Horror from any that don't know, broke out the sixty two jersey, which was great as well. We're gonna get into some football on the field now we talked about football off the field. We'll be talking to members of the Bears media when we come back on the other side as far as what the Bears are looking at this week. But let's

There you go.

It's good to go there. And I think to Tea, tell me we're ready to go. Team all right, we're good. Let's jump on the hot line man and the man who's down on the sideline when the games are going on for the Chicago Bears, giving that eyewitness report, our pleasure to welcome to the Bengals peparalley. So, Jason McKee, Jason, how are you, brother?

Good?

How you guys doing good?

We're doing fantastic, man. This is obviously a big game for both teams. Not a good outcome in Baltimore for you, certainly not good for us here. What do you look at as the number one focus for the Bears coming into this game?

Yeah?

I think for the Bears, I think the message all week has been cleaning up self inflicted mistakes pre snat penalties that really plagued the Bears offense, which has, you know, hindered them for putting up touchdowns. They've relied on stield goals the past few weeks, and I know that's been a real point of emphasis throughout this week of practice, trying to get that cleaned up so that way they

Yeah, there's definitely some quality receivers over here on this side of At this end of it, Joe Flacco can can rally and get himself ready to go and play in this football game, and I think he will start. I think he will play, and I think he'll be delivering the football pretty well. The injury factor, like we're talking about with football teams, Both teams have been nicked up and have have had their share of injury struggles when healthy, How good are the Chicago Bears?

Yeah, I think they can be really good. It's it's you know, they have talent at the receiver positions. Obviously Caleb the young quarterback with a lot of ability that's still you know, growing and developing. You've got a guy that's in his second year, his second system on another head coach. So, uh, there's been growing pains, but there also has been you know development as well. And when you look at the defensive side of the running backs,

Side of the ball.

They've got a ton of guys on a defensive line that can make plays. Obviously Montese sweating the focal point of that group, but Javon Exter has played well. Dale with Dingo is a guy they brought over in fregency from the Indianapolis coach who they've been you know, relying on. Uh,

Right.

You know, it's interesting to excuse me, certain teams just have an identity. They draft that identity. Uh, they're known by that identity. And the Bears defense is one of those examples. I mean, there are the takeaway machine right now with a plus ten differential. Uh, what makes these guys so good at ball hawking?

Yeah?

And coach Al Harrison, who runs that secondary, he talked about this a few weeks ago in which you know, taking away the football, he said, as a mindset. So he said, if you don't have that mindset and mentality every single day that you're out there on the practice field, and you're not going to get those takeaways in the game. And he says, his secondary teaches those guys that, hey, when that ball is in the air, you're the receiver, you're going to attack that ball like the quarterbacks throwing

The Bears defense, you know, looking at the Chicago Bears defensively and as an organization, as a football team, historically, things they've done well played, but kicking defense, you know, they destroy you. Defensively, They basically take your soul away from you. Offensively and say, okay, well maybe better luck another day. It's not happening today. And then offensively, you know, they want to run the football, they can throw it.

You owe that a doubt.

It's It's been a formula that has worked with this organization for years. Despite what type of personnel that you have on your roster, that formula has been proven. I was a part of that formula for seven years. And you know with the Bears, they want they want to get off the bus running obviously, they want to play great defense and get takeaways, put the offense on short fields and advantageous field position, and then play solid special team. So it's something when you look at the Bears wins

You know. One of the things I've always felt for and had some compassion for Caleb Williams because he's gone through a series of coordinators, but it seemed like he's finally kind of settling man. And then with Rome Adouze, I hope I'm saying his name correctly, got thirty one catches already this year, that they're they're maybe developing some chemistry. Is it fair to say that now he's probably finally getting comfortable?

Yeah, I think with I think it's I think it's a continual process. And he says that, you know, each and every game he's still learning, you know, still learning the offense. And I think that's something that's going to be,

So the Chicago Bears have been around the National Football League for a long time, There's no question about it. They're a historic organization and their DNA is physicality and they have a mental toughness as well. And when you go to Chicago to play the Chicago Bears, you better bring it because they are and they're gonna it's gonna be a long day for you if you're not playing

It's not the way.

Is that what the Bears were?

Yeah, the way you just described it, you know, you gave me flashbacks in which I almost ran in and try to try to find a helmet, you know, to get out there and get a mouth piece, and you described it so well. It's but that's exactly I mean, that's exactly what you know. This organization is built upon it. Right, you look at the Monsters of the Midway, and it's not just a name. It's not cliche when you look at the players that have warned you know, the Bears uniform,

Well, you know, last question before we let you go in the man, thank you you again, man for making time for it. Is Kevin byern Man. I remember when he was at Tennessee and you know, he moved from there and I think went on the Philadelphia Knights there. But man, he's having a really really pro Bowl type year.

Yeah, he is.

He's just been a guy who's just finds the football, or it seems like football finds him.

He's like a magnet.

Stuck in because I mean every time you look up, he's either getting his hands on a football or he's intercepting the football, and those are really good things. You know. He just has a knack for being able to disguise coverages. He has an understanding through his film study and in terms of what type of route concepts that offense is trying to present to the defense, and through that study, he puts himself a position to get those takeaways. So he's he's been you know one of the captains on

It's been awesome to see hey, brother, Thank you so much for joining us.

Man.

We look forward to seeing you this weekend and all the best to you.

That sounds good.

You guys, take care and thanks for having me.

Thanks Rich trout Right.

Jason McKee from the Chicago Bears. He's a sideline reporter, former fall back as well. We'll take a break. We'll be back with Tom Thayer on the offensive line, former offensive lineman. As the Bengals Pet Rowley Show continues, presented by Just Bear Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network. Welcome back to the Bengals pep Rowley Show presented by Just Bear Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network. Wayne box Filler, Dave Lapping with you. Glad to have you a board.

I appreciate you guys having me on.

Well, we appreciate it. I'll turn it over to my colleague and offensive lineman Dave Lapham.

Much appreciated box. Tom, you were a hell of a player. Congratulations on a magnificent a career with the Chicago Bears, and it was full of successes and awards for your team individually. You probably had a probably dreams as a youngster about playing in the National Football League, and your dream couldn't have come sure any better, could it?

Yeah?

You know, Dave, I grew up a Chicago Bears sad my whole life being from Joey at Illinois and before they had all the channels and the satellites where you could go and gravitate or watch any seam that you like the players from.

You had to grow.

Up born in nineteen sixty one. You had to grow up in say a Bears fan. So I've been a Bears fan my whole life, and now it's a little different because I'm an alumni, a season ticket holder. I'm an a Bears fan and the broadcaster. So it seems like every time you ask me a question, you got to tell me what guy are you asking that question to?

And I'll give you that answer.

You know, Tom, one of the things I wanted to ask you about is, you know, the Bears probably would like to be better than they are on third down conversion, but that defense is really holding their end. I mean probably under thirty percent or so. I'm looking at that. What do you think they need to do to get better on third down? As far as the Bears offense concern, you know.

I still think it's a process of Caleb Williams learning the Ben Johnson's system so perfectly. He knows where all the openings and opportunities are going to be when he looks across the line, of scrimmage and see what defense they're offering him. And then if he does have to go to the alternate flight the huddle, exactly what that meant to the other ten guys in the huddle.

And I'm not I think I'm more realistic.

About the difficulty of a quarterback mastering the terminology. And I think the longer that Caleb is fortunate to be in the system, the better he gets. And we may not see the best of Caleb Williams until next year. However, he is making those incremental improvements. But when you look at a specific down in distance and you know third down, or even look at the red zone, that's where the Bears are having the most difficulty. And last week the

You mentioned red zone, third down, couple of areas of concern and very important obviously to have success, you have to you have to be able to execute well in those those two areas for sure. Where else? What is where is theiggest problem in your mind? Why are the Chicago Bears kind of middle of the road? I guess as such in terms of how it's gone so far this season. Is there any one area or are there multiple areas where they're need draft improvement.

Well, there's two areas to me.

Number one is the fact that they're not getting sacks and getting pressure on the quarterback that results and you know, just the pressure that a good defensive line can put on a quarterback and change the whole process and the thinking process of his game. And you know, they have Montesewen, and they brought in Grady Jarrett, and they have dio O Dangbo, and they have Gervon Deck. So they drafted high. So they do have guys that should be able to

The offensive tackle position.

And I think when you're trying to put in a new system, you need that same offensive line to be intact. You need to have them listen to the cadence of the quarterback a thousand times or fifteen hundred times so they can be you know, be able to anticipate the rhythm of account which they haven't been able to do yet. And they're having some fall start penalties or just some issues on the offensive line that keeps them from you know,

You know, when you talk about the kicking game and neither team has had anybody take it to the house, do you feel like their special teams is on the verge or cusp of a big play.

You know, that's a great quing.

You know, I spent every single game in my professional career on kickoff return and I was frustrated when they were just kicking into the end zone and taking them out from that point so I was excited to see what this new kickoff kickoff return was going to offer the NFL. And I've been a little disappointed about the you know, big yard returns or even touchdowns for that matter. So, you know, coach Hogh Tower still waiting to see. They had their longest return last week by Devin Duburne, which

You know, you know football, you know good football. You know football players. You know good football players, guys to execute and play at the highest level. To your eye, as a broadcaster who's watched the Chicago Bears for many years, this year's version of the Bears. Who are the better players.

You know, TJ.

Edwards has been a heck of a player. Kevin Byern at the safety position has been a really good player. It's Jaquanton Brisker at the safety. If he can stay healthy he missed almost the whole year last year with a concussion, he can be he can be a good player. You know, Joe Tooney who they brought here as a free agent. Fundamentally, he's still playing some of the best offensive.

Guard that there is in the league.

After all this time, we're still waiting for guys like Cole Comett and Darnell Wright to be those players that they were drafted to be. Cole Comett has showed signs that he has the ability to be one of the top tight ends in the league. But you know, just because of the installation of this new offense, he hasn't been getting targeted like he has in the past. And then Darnell Wright with the eleventh pick in the draft a couple of years ago, at the offensive tackle position

If he.

Really grows inside this Ben Johnson offense.

And you know day, which is kind of crazy.

You know that a couple of weeks ago, after the game is over, Jeff Joniak and I get to interview him first, and I asked him because he often talks about pressing the repeat button at halftime or the reset button at halftime, and I said, well, if you press the reset button, how often do you press the repeat button.

During a game? He says he never calls the same play twice. And to me, when.

You're talking about mastering terminology, every single play changes. You don't repeat one that back in our day, probably forty of our game plan you could.

It's installed week.

To week and you just something you go accustomed to.

And so I think that does.

Present the more difficult learning curve or Caleb, than if you had an offense that was consistent week to week.

Hey, Tom, I tell you, man, that's great information and we appreciate you so much. Look forward to seeing you this weekend at Cincinnati, and and thank you for making some time for us today.

You know Dave Lampton, he's still the king of all radio broadcasters nearly forty years.

We only strive to be in the booth that long.

Yeah, you got that right. And I'm so far away I'm probably California to Maine in terms of distance. Appreciates, appreciate you guys.

Save travels. Tom.

All right, man, we'll take a break. We'll be back with more of the Bengals. Pep Rallley Soho presented by just Bear Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network was pep Rowley Show broadcasting live right here and on the Ryan Eatery under these Court Street. Uh, you got to get out here. So many nice restaurants, so much good food, burgers, wing, solid drinks, patio. And thank you to all our fans and Bengal fans that come out, Big Dan, all of

For both Jake and John and Frodi or are.

You getting ready pretty much both?

Whoever?

Does it make the week any more challenging when there is a little bit of mystery surrounding who will be throwing past the Sunday?

No, we still got to attack it the same way and just do us at the end of the day, we can't really worry about that situation.

Does it change the way that you prepared throughout the course of the week? Now, how did Flaka look today?

Regularly?

Look pretty same? Didn't look I didn't even know it was injured for her?

What was it like when you saw him coming back out of the tunnel on Sunday. Do you think that they're being shy to come back, but just like come back at that moment?

Uh, If I'm being honest, I didn't. I didn't even see Flacker runs on the field. I just was in a huddle and I heard of play being caught and I looked up.

It was Flacco, So I didn't. I didn't know what was going on.

So I talked yesterday about, you know, about how much Flaka wants to play, given that he's only been here for a little bit. What's it like to see guy's been here for like a month and really wants to play through an injury like that.

Mean still wants it?

You know what I'm man, He loves this game, obviously, you could tell the way he plays and just the performance he gives off, the energy he gives off. But he's still attackses the same way practice throughout the week.

You said you wouldn't find it practice, You didn't. You didn't see anything different about the way the ball was coming out or anything like that.

How does it feel to be here at home in your own bed for such a long stretch after playing so many road games over the course.

Of the first several weeks the season.

Now you've been at home the last couple of weeks, then you get to bye week.

How does that feel.

It's good that we get a chance to play in front the crowd, front the home stap, the home field give us a better advantage just with the crowd and just getting points on the board.

After a different after the difficult loss on Sunday.

Actually, you're a captain now this year, it's a lot of young guys who.

I'm sure were not thrilled with the way the game went. How do you now?

You know?

And a captain drill sort of calmed them down get ready for the next week.

I wouldn't really say I calming them down anything. Uh, defense did their own thing with the meeting, how they you know, their stuff going on the offense does too, So we really can I'm really just controlling them the things that I can control and the stuff that I can just give advice to the younger guys and just push them to be better and just getting the prep going for the week after a game like that.

Tomorrow you obviously we're upset.

You're professional or competitives.

What of the last couple of days as you trying to process.

Just move on.

Uh.

After the game, I was that that was my last day thinking about the game. If I'm being honest, Once the next day happened, I got a transposition with all my focus going into the next game.

How high we said for you to.

Talk to.

It wasn't hard for me to talk to y'all. It's just hard for me to give y'all a full answer. That's the hard part for me. Why is that because I don't want to talk?

Yeah, it does.

Do you think if you happen you figure what it's talk?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure probably.

The full answer.

Now, maybe it depends, I said.

Al Golden said that with the players meeting, the defensive players meeting that he doesn't know what was discussed or should he.

Do you take the same approach or were you asking those guys what they were talking about?

I would take the same approach. I mean, I talked to Gino Stone about it a little bit. Me and him had all our words about it, but I told him at the end of the day, like they can only control the things they control and don't over don't over don't overdo it with each other. At the end of the day, I still gotta have each other's backs and be a union. But that's all I can say to him.

Do you think something like that can make a difference a meeting like that?

Yeah?

I can't. Yeah, what do.

You feel like the offense probably need to do better at the end of games in order to make sure the.

Uh probably closing out the game better.

I don't know.

It's hard to say.

We wasn't in those positions like we were a lot this year, so I mean, we learned from the opportunity. Maybe we could have slowed the possesion down when we scored too fast.

Who knows, what what's your report like with Sack after a game like that?

What's the rapport, what's the what's the dialogue.

Like with Zack after a game like that? Do you guys sit down and go over things? And how is that kind of evolve Over.

The years, everything still feels the same, pretty much normal. I mean, we still talk about the players that we're putting in or will put in, and you know, we go from that, but we don't really talk about stuff like that.

I would assume that's a Joe Burrow thing.

I know, you want to win every game and you have to win every game and or all of those things.

That's your mindset, your mindset each and every week.

Does it feel like your backs are against the wall a bit after what happened Sunday going.

I wouldn't say that, No, you know, I just feel like I would say we fell off a cliff of what we wanted to be at. What I'm saying, we got to climb back up.

Is that possible?

Yes?

What's it gonna tell me?

Now?

At three and five? Knowing where y'all want to go? What's gonna take to make sure that y'all don't let that slip you further?

You gotta close out the game a lot better.

Defense, gotta adjust today the stuff that they talk about offense, Gotta close out the game better and just start fast in the game.

You know, it sounds like a lot, but it's something that we can do.

Thanks, Thanks, Thanks you.

That was pretty dope.

Does Jamar Chase? I thought somebody was coming with another question. Yo, this is a guy you don't have to worry about Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Tuesday, Friday. He's bringing it.

He is Jamar Chase is a competitor, and he referenced that and Uh, it's a good thing. I mean it's Jamar Chase wants to win football games. He wants to be at his best at all times. He wants to be a big reason why the football team is winning football games. He is a football player. I mean that is the definition of the Jamar Chase. That's who he is, That's who he wants to be, and that's what he

No question out. We'll take a break and get back back and wrap up this first hour. You're listening to the Bengals pep Rally so broadcasting live on the Ride and one hundred. He scored straight on the Bengals Radio Network presented by Just Barticken. Welcome back to the Bengals pep Rally SOHO broadcasting live. I'm on the Rude ethery one hundred. He's scored streets US Bear, Chicken, Wayne box Millow, Dave lab I'm at now is time for the Catherine the health injury.

Report lap, Yeah, Box. I think the Chicago Bears, as far as they're concerned, I don't think they have any debilitating injuries where a player is going to miss the game because of injury that took place during the course of the football game. I think they're probably still tired beating up all that. And whenever you play an NFL game, no matter who the opponent is, uh, you're going to have those kind of those kind of feelings when the football game is over because you put so much into

We just got a recent update. DeAndre Swift has been ruled out for this game.

Really, so that's a big yeah.

Yeah, that just came in.

And so what's his injury?

They said, growing, He's got the groin, so it's gonna be tough on him.

Yeah, that's loose Groun's a happy growing and this isn't very happy right now.

No question about that. We got a happy group and we back with more. Is the Halloween edition of the Bengals PEP rallyes Hell Broadcasting Live. I'm on the rye eatery right here, presented by Just Bear Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network.

This is Bengals PEP probably presented by Just bearn Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network.

Pacor.

Pacor is proud to be the official HR soft wear provider of the Cincinnati Bengals. Kettering Health best Care for the best fans. Kettering Health, official healthcare provider of the Cincinnati Bengals. This is ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Welcome back to our number two of the Bengals pent Rally Show, presented by just Bear checking on the Bengals Radio Network. We're broadcasting live and on the rhine of one hundred East Court Street. If you haven't been here, you got to check it out. They have some of the best food, the best locations, a stock bar. The bartender knows how to make the drinks perfectly.

Yes, so I heard.

I don't drink while I'm working the outdoor terrace out there. The smoked wings here are from on top shelter burgers or top shelter salads. I've had salads wing. I didn't get the sushi. I'm not a sushi guy, but someone sushi's good. Everything's good on the second floor. You got the grocery store down on the first floor, and then we're up on the second floor every week three to six and uh. We were gonna be joined by Chris

Does he need I mean, you've seen, you've seen what he's done. Came in and played on a Thursday, you know, after three days of practice. So I think if anybody, if anybody in this league can get by with minimal reps right now, it's it's tempt.

So if he if he didn't practice at all, if physically he could go Sunday, you would.

Still be Yeah, And we've got a plan in place to see what we can do physically during the week. So he won't be today, he won't be out there during the open portion of things will come out after that, but we got to play in place to see where he's at as the week goes. Yeah, I mean, here's the deal with him. I don't know because I've never done it. He wants to play in the game, and so kudos to him. Man, he's been here three weeks. He wants to play. I he hate speaking for him,

Can you elaborate kind of what you mean kind of the whole kudos to him. Point about Flacco just getting here and wanted to.

Play, Yeah, I mean he's been he wasn't hear in the off season, he wasn't invested in our training camp, you know. And so for him to come in and it would be easy to make a decision that there's no way I'm playing, you know, I just I've got a ac joint. We got a bye week next week. Let's just let this think. Heel up, and that has not been the communication he's given to me at all. Now, ultimately he may not be able to play. We may

Understandable. He doesn't need the reps what he's done.

But how comfortable do you need to feel on Sunday?

No, I really don't. I mean again, I've I've seen him show up three days with no knowledge of our offense whatsoever. Jamar got minimal work that week. The next week, we got no physical reps whatsoever. And so I think that the proofs out there that you know, we we could do it if we needed to. I'm not that's not my terminology. We'll just work through the week and see rings up. He will not practice the same thing with pain Taler.

It's almost and saying if he gets basically good enough for Sunday, it's probably the better question for Jacob being away for a couple of weeks, specially playing not playing.

It's just kind of have to see how much that maybe helps him little bit to clear his head.

Yeah, that probably better question for him. You know, he's had that experience before where he's played for us, and so again I've got confidenent them, I've seen him do it. We'll put together a great plan that that enhances everything we can do.

Defense is eleven turnovers, Yeah, their first in the league and turnover margin, you know, and they've had a ton of takeaways, picks, fumbles, guy guys that have a real knack for the ball.

You know.

I know that the guys that are healthy right now, the backers and the safeties have done an excellent job taking the ball away from people anticipating throws, doing a great job with their covered structures of being in a position to be aggressive.

You know.

The unknown who they're corners are yet no with Tyreek to see how he plays out. But those guys in the in the dB room, I've had some turnovers as well, so a really good job. Again when you're number one in the league and turnover margin. That says a lot about how you're playing. And so it's a real challenge for our guys to protect the ball, protect the quarterback. I've got to get you in and over there as the world coach.

What do you appreciate about what pe Ryan brings to the offense.

I mean, he's just the same guy every day, you know, for years now. I always used to watch his tape when he was in Kansas City and Denver. I'd go through every week and watch his protections and just consistent throughout his entire career. Very reliable, hard to bring down, durable back understands where you're fitting the ball, does a great job in protection, has a great knack for the checkdowns.

You said you wouldn't classify it as a must winner, you wouldn't use those terms.

What is your message do ye.

With Flacco's situation?

Do you have to do any differently with Sean Clifford just in case?

Well, he'll get Scout team reps, you know, more so than he would have in the past, when when Jake's gotten most of those. So again, Brad always does a great job during the special teams period. That that's just any any quarterback room you're in, that's where you get the work for the guys that don't get a lot of reps. So certainly he'll get more with Joe being out and uh of practice today, he'll get He'll get more opportunity with Scout team reps and normally Jake takes

Zach, what did you learn over the three weeks that Jake was through and a half weeks that Jake was a quarterback in terms of the way you guys run things, the way he played, and then how quickly it kind of got better when Joe got your real lessons you took from that time period.

I mean, it's that was a wholesale offense. We got to play better and and at times there were tough circumstances that the Minnesota game got out of control fast with just turnovers that that we've done an excellent job of preventing, you know, in terms of the fumbles and things like that. Next week we went on the road in a tough environment. I think Denver speaks for himself right now how they're playing on defense. That's that's been

So you think that the.

Offense could pick up Jake's level play given the fact that they've been playing at a certain level.

I think that's everybody. I think everybody picks everybody up, you know, and it's the quarterback lifting up others, others lifting up the quarterback. It's it's that's part of what a great unit does is find different ways for different guys to step up whatever position they play, maybe and and find a way to get the most out of everybody.

Can you put your finger on the let's revived the running game in the last two weeks, big numbers.

I mean, I think we've we've had better control is not a great word of the game, but just opportunity with with drives. I think you guys have heard me myself a million times. Getting that first first down really gives us a chance to get into a flow. And we've done a much better job of that these last couple of weeks. And so you got a chance to

There's something that switched to a point that you look at with the offensive.

Line pitch're just saying how well he's felt like they have played.

The last couple of weeks is something you feel like has been a turning point for them over the course of this year.

They've worked really hard at it, you know, and even when we weren't really statistically you want the tape having having a great deal of success, we still believe that we were right there. It was just we got to fine tune some things to continue to improve. You know, We've we've had two young guards that are playing in there, and they're only going to get better with every rep

There are a couple of running plays where it would be a big run and you see Orlando kind of big reaction pointing to the sidelight you, guys, is that something when you see stuff like that that.

Convinces you to keep going back to it more? Does that?

Is that?

Can that impacting a play?

Cards? Well?

I think the success of the run is what impacts me as much as anything. It's great to have that emotion. It's great to have guys. Scott does a great job getting those guys to go cover down the field and pick people up, and Dalton has some great examples of that in Pittsburgh that stood out to me. Those guys all play with great energy and when you're finding success

Ted gets a lot of pub for me, just ed, but as a player the last because he's getting older, it seems like he is getting almost better of it.

As a head coach, Yeah, I mean he's he's does a great job. He is certainly a leader on the field, certainly a leader in the old line room.

Uh.

Probably my favorite time of day with Ted is the walkthroughs, just the commitment to excellency he's gotten the walkthroughs and the energy he plays with in the detail of trying to get it right and asking the right questions to get us going. So those are things that people wouldn't even see, you know, they see the emotion on the

By week's coming up, how much do you guys weigh that into the system, you know, whether you best playing or not.

We'll weigh everything in there. But we'll see how he feels as a week progresses, and we'll make a decision from that. And again there's certainly an element of protecting them from certain Now I'm got to trust him how he feels and how he communicates, and I trust eighteen years in he's probably played with injuries before on I can do this or I can't do this, And so I think we'll get good information as the next couple of days go bye and make our decision what we need to do given.

The importance of his position. Could it go up to a pregame work.

At like it might? You know, I've never been in this exact situation, So I hate to sit here on a Wednesday and to find exactly how the week's gonna look. We have an idea in our own heads, and Joe's on that same page, and we'll just see how it shakes out. Yeah, Yeah, he's been good I don't have any updates on there. It's gone as we had hoped. He's had a great attitude, great energy about him. You know, he's in the meetings, met with than one on one.

When when the defense needs a lift, you've talked about leaders stepping up, you spend more time during the practice week leaning that way, watching the defense, around the defense.

Ord's that.

It's the same as as I always do, you know, communicating with the defensive staff, interacting with the players.

I do.

I do spend time with the offense as well. As you're getting ready to call the game. That's important as well. So it's a head coach, you got to you got to manage a lot of different things. And I do everything I can to be there for the defense and help them with my feedback. And that's that's what I do.

Are you seeing what you need to see out of a guy or a couple of guys in that room.

I know it's still kind of early in the week.

Yeah, Yeah, everything's been positive. Everything's the response has been what we have We haven't had an opportunity to do a lot yet. You know, we just had the meetings this morning, and the walkthrough that part is easy. It's easy to pass that test. And so again we'll just we'll see how the practices go.

Knowing Ben Johnson for as long as you have, what do you thought of his first year as a head coach and the job he's doing.

I think he's doing an excellent job. I think he's put together a really good staff. He's done a great job getting his team to where they're at right now. It's it's obviously it's challenging for every team. Everyone's trying to find a way to win, and everyone's got close games. But Ben's a very smart guy. I think he's been thorough and detailed and demanding, and I know that he's gonna be very successful during this time there.

A medical staff feels like Joe Flacco is unable to go. What do you do as a backup? I mean, do you have Joel on the side. I mean, it's just the start against nicked up God forbid.

And yeah, we'll see, we'll see as we get through the week exactly what our quarternight claim will be.

All right as Zach Taylor talking with the media getting ready for Chicago Bears. He knows Ben Jonson Well is gonna be very interesting. We'll come back and break it all down. You're listening to the Bengals pep Prowley SO broadcasting life from on the Ryan Eatery one hundred Court Street, presented by Just Bear Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network.

I feel good?

Yeah, you feel good about.

Yeah? I mean, I listen.

I've never really talked about injuries before, so I don't know what to say, but.

Yeah, I feel I feel good. Yesterday it went while I was happy without one.

So what's the biggest obstacle point with that type of shoulder spring with how how does that make it's more difficult to maybe other natures?

Yeah, well, I think it's I don't know I've never really dealt with it before, but I guess there's a point where it's not really up to you. It's just kind of how it's reacting and and and how you feel. So that's why I wanted to make sure, you know, I was able to test it out a little bit.

So it was Wednesday, just today, We're just give it one more day and then give it the shot on Thursday.

I didn't want to do anything to you know, I think the I think the idea was just treatment and and get as much as that, get as much of that as possible, get it feeling as good as possible, and then go from there, needing.

To see how it reacts.

Is that why even though you say you feel.

Good about like you really need to need a couple.

More nations to make sure on Sunday everything's good or at this point is it good?

Well, I feel pretty good. I just think, yeah, I you don't want to just assume you're gonna be able to throw or not really know. So I think I wanted I definitely wanted to be able to go out there at some point this week and and and feel good about what was going on.

I think that's all I was trying to say, kind.

Sailer, kudos to you on wanting to try to play through this. Why is it so important to try to play through where you could have easily sent with the Bible on the other side to just this heel and come back out your side.

I don't know. I didn't really give it much thought.

I just always it's like, if you can, you know, just just you try to play. You're the quarterback, you know, and and then you take it from there. So I think my initial instinct is always just, you know, whatever we can do to get there and then adjust.

Do you anticipate doing just normal pregame workout and all that kind of stuff on Sunday?

Yeah, yeah, I don't do much, you know, going into the game anyway. And I mean, yeah, I don't necessarily anticipate trying to do anymore, just to just to just to go feel it.

Out once the game starts, to you expect any limitations or you are just the same.

It's gonna treat it the same, you know.

If I'm out there and you know, then I'm treating it the same, just like any other game.

I mean, it's the same amount of I.

Think it's gotten better like there's certain things about it that is that have gotten better. I feel like I just not having dealt with it before, But I feel like it's something that definitely you can feel improvement on day to day. But at the same time, it's one of those things that you know, you can aggravate it and piss it off and and all those things.

So the offense responded the Steeler game and against the Jets for the most part last week. Do you feel a sense of obligation the offense really produced with you there you want to.

I think when you're the guys out there play in you always there's always a sense of obligation to to go out there and and and be there for your team. I mean I missed, you know, and sent in in kind of terms of that showing up for your team, Like I missed.

My second son's birth because I wanted.

I thought it was important for the quarterback to be out there, and you know, I didn't know I was gonna miss it, Like it just so happened.

That he came on that day.

But like, yeah, I do, I do feel a sense of obligation being out there for your for the guys that you play with, for sure. I think it's just natural to, you know, when you're when you play this game to kind of want to be out there with everybody.

Did you allow yourself to I won't be able to go this week or as a bit from the job, I mean text on Wednesday you want to play.

I mean it's it's been pretty clear that.

Yeah.

Uh.

I think that was just always the mindset is getting to the point where I can and like working towards that, and then you know, I think with this specifically, it was always going to come down to like you just can't. But I think mindset wise, it was just I am until you know, I just know I can't.

No, I was curious, would you be willing to share what the worst injury you've ever played through is?

Uh?

There was one. We ended up playing New England in the playoffs and we won. I only completed I only threw like eleven passes that game. But like it was something I was dealing with all year, like I wear I make sure I've had my hips up and stuff these days ever since then, because I had something on my hip that just kept blowing up, and by the end of the year, my whole left leg was just like destroyed, Like I was not moving well at all,

So you mentioned you didn't complete many passes in that game, but any good memories from maybe something you did were you kind of pushed through in that game against the Patriots.

I don't know.

We won the game and we didn't have to We didn't have to throw the ball that much. So anytime you go win a playoff game up in New England, it's a good memory. First the first first hand, first play the game right took for a touchdown.

So do you weigh the real percussions of maybe playing now what that would mean down the road the rest of the season, look at it as this week.

I think there's time to do that, and I don't.

I don't think i've I don't think I've necessarily thought about that in this case.

How much this is about just maximizing me, like what you got here said, maximizing all the opportunities we get care?

How much of that is Listen, I don't know.

I think you can try to like frame it in in that context, but I just feel like I just feel like it's always kind of in my mindset and I'm not changing it now.

So what's what's a mood been like after a loss like you'll have last week as you'll get ready.

For this team?

Yeah, Listen, it's tough. I honestly feel like in spite of that, we've had a we've had a good week mentally and and and physically. I think guys have been you know, I think guys have been chopping at the bit to get back out there, and I think it's shown in a positive way. I think there's been a lot of energy, and practices have had some good tempo to them, and I think that's a good time.

How crucial is this game, especially going into the buy So you guys.

Haven't I've talked about it before.

I mean, they're all so crucial every single one that you know, we only play seventeen of them, and yeah, it's more than we used to, but they're still all so important. And I've also talked about the fact that you can't really think about those things because that's just putting more pressure on you and it's making you make decision. It'll make you make decisions that you know are bad. You know they're not they're not They're not how you

What was.

Yeah, listen, I I hopefully those guys got something out of it, you know.

And and I I feel like sometimes a's players, you feel like you have to do those things when you're not maybe playing the way you want to.

And I don't know if they if they end up being positive or not.

But but just from like I said a couple of minutes ago, talking about the energy that we had a practice and the tempo that we were playing with, it feels as though it feels as though those guys came together a little bit and you could tell by the way they practice this week.

How little you've been a part of how many players?

Not many, I mean a few throughout the years, and they're usually a little awkward and uncomfortable and and us it takes a little bit of time to kind of get to the point, but then you eventually do get there and find and find the reason for having it, and they usually end up being.

Positive because of that.

But as you can imagine, like when you when you call those there's probably a little bit of awkwardness and there's a little bit of a tension just because it's usually it's usually happening because of stuff that you don't want is going on on the field. So but yeah, in my experience, you probably sit in there and it's tough to kind of get going, and then as you get going, you find some reason that you that you find the reason that you did it, and hopefully.

You have a good reaction to it.

Is that kind of what you touched on after the game on Sunday, that everybody has to kind of focus on doing their own job to that's their ability and not have blinders on.

Yeah, you can't.

You can't worry about what you've done in the past, and you can't worry about what's about to happen three hours after the kickoff. You have to just go play the game, and you can't worry about, you know, what people were thinking when things happen throughout the course of a game.

You just got to you gotta just go.

Play and and and.

You look up when it's all said and done.

And you're cheering with your teammates, and it's it's such a hard thing to do. I think that's it's it's kind of like corny and cliche to talk about, but it is such a hard thing to do. Is you know, just be in the moment. Being in the moment is I mean in my experience, I mean, it's just you find.

A way to do it. But maybe it's like.

How can you just take this secret formula and be in the moment at all times? There's always things trying to distract you. And I think that's the biggest cause of just making decisions and playing, you know, not up to your standards, because you're worried about things other than the task at hand. And it's that's why when you talk about routines and everything like that, it's it's it's giving yourself the best percentage to be in the moment

But there's all these outside distractions.

That are that they are they're just distracting you from being in the moment when you need to be in the moment. And one of those things is, you know, how did we play last week?

Man?

We really need to win. Well, really needing to win isn't a real thing. It's it's worrying about stuff that you can't control in the moment, and you got to get out of that mindset.

All right, just Joe Flacco, we'll take a break. I want to come back and break that down with you. Lab. A lot of things I heard there that come from an eighteen year veteran about how to handle a bump in a rod or a speed bump.

I heard a lot about it in the moment. Yeah, I mean there was a lot of that.

All right, we'll be right back. You're listening to the Bengals Routing Show right here on the Sin Siety Bengals Radio Network, presented by Just Bear Chicken. Welcome back to the Bengals Rowley Show presented by Just Bare Chicken right here on the Bengals Radio Network at on the Ryan Eatery, one of my favorite spots. Now. I'm hoo yeah, sure, but I want to get back to Joe Flacco. You bo. We both heard in the moment, but what also heard was wisdom from an eighteen year veteran.

No doubt he is something special. I think he's got the right mindset, the right approach, the right attitude. He's got it all. And you know, he's physically gifted as well. I mean, the guy he's a big man six or four plus and thirty pounds and can rip the football, and he throws the ball with power and accuracy, and he can put her to any quadron into the football field with accuracy and with power. The players love him. Everybody I've talked to in the locker room. In a

I think the other thing that I heard the press conference after the game last week, and I was just banging my fist on the table because he you know, the media was trying to bait him, you know, they were trying to bait him, you know, to blame the defense, to blame somebody. And he knew, because again he's a veteran. I see where you guys are going with this. And he's like, no, sure, we are one. He said, we are one. You know, we win as a team, we

Salacious, good word box, I like it. Yeah he is. I mean, he gets it. You know, he's a football lifer. He understands that it's a team game. It's team game in every sense in the world. There's nobody that's more important, more special than any other. And you know when the media does try to try to bait you and set you up and throw a hook in the water to see if you'll bite about your importance, you know how

Far from out The other thing I was going to ask you ab about what I think Joe Flacco gives this team That is not written, it's not statistic, but he gives Zach Taylor some comfort to say, I know, I got a guy, a veteran guy that's gonna help me make sure that this team stays cohesive doing this turbulent time right here.

I agree Box. I think he knows he's got a guy that can deliver his message. You know, he knows he's got a veteran presence in the locker room that understands exactly what he's trying to do, how he's trying to do it, why he's trying to do it, and can convey that to the entire locker room. So I do think in a very short period of time, Joe Flacco has garnered respect from the entire locker room both sides of the football. They look at him as the

Question about it. What'll take a break, come back and talk. Looking at this matchup and some key matchups, it's the Bengals and Bears coming up to this lady. But right now it's the Bengals pep Rally Show broadcasting live from on the Ryan Eatery, presented by Just Bear Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network. Welcome back to the Bengals pep Rally Show, broadcasting live from on the Ryan Eatery on the Sinsine Bengals Radio Network, presented by Just Bear Chicken.

You're right, Box, and I think turnovers are the biggest key to success or failure in any foot in any football game at any level, I think high school, college or National Football League. We do keys to the game. You know every single week, and it's almost like it's a given. Turnovers are going to be the biggest key.

Yeah, and I think they're averaging seven point one points her turnover, which means they're converted in the scores. It reminds me of the player for them, Peena Tillman. I mean that guy just had a punches them out.

Man.

He was a professional puncher, not in the boxing says, but I mean just incredible. But they're also a lot like the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sense of they want to get a lead and then they just want to hand the ball off. They just want to pound you out. Like you said earlier when you were talking to him.

Yeah, I mean the turnovers the reason I'm probably scoring at that rate seven points per turnover differential short fields. I mean they're they're turning the ball over and short fields for their offense, giving them like, you know, twenty five thirty yards they have to go to pay dirt and they're putting them in the end zone. Credit them too. They're finishing. They're not having red zone difficulties where they have to settle for field goals and all that, all

Well, you know, the other fundamental stuff is you got to play sound football. But the non football stuff, Kevin is a buyered. There are guys in this league that have always seemed to just be where the ball is. You can't explain it. There's no you can't chalkboard it or whatever. It's just one of those weird things that they have. One of those guys they do.

And you know, whenever we would play against a great offensi or defensive player, the coaches would put that name up on the chalkboard early in the week and say, don't let this guy control and dick take the temple of the game. Can't let it happen. If he does, if we allow him to have his way, we're gonna have trouble. We're gonna have trouble winning the football game. So you know, some guys, you would you would have to try to work to neutralize their ability. They would

Well, you know. The other thing is, you know lap One of the things about these defenses when you go into Bengals that I think is advantage for us is Joe Flackle knows if you're gonna put two of my guy over here, Yeah, I'm expecting one of my other guys to beat their guy one on one.

Absolutely. I mean, it's like we've got talent. We have receivers in this room that are going to win one on one battles. I have all the confidence in the world. I have all the faith in the world. My guy's gonna beat their guy one on one, and if they don't,

No question about it. We come back. I want to talk about special teams because it could be the turning point of this game. Both of them will overdue. It's the Bengals. Pep Rowley so broadcasts he live and on the Rhyane Eatory one hundred score Straight presented by Just Bear Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network. Welcome back to the Bengals Rally. Jo Brook Cashing live from on the Ryan Eadery One under These Spurt Street presented by Just

Yeah.

Uh, it's just nobody's had a big run and they you know, McKee talked about that they got a couple of guys averaging over twenty twenty five yards per return. But man, you talk about changing the field, special teams can just make or break a day.

Really can. And Darren Simmons understands that better than anybody. He's been around coaching special teams in the National Football League, ark than any special teams coach in the league right now. I think he understands the impact that special teams have on the game in terms of field position. Long field. Short field is what it's all about. I mean, that's

No question about it. You know, I'm growing to like the new kickoff. I wasn't a fan of it in the beginning. I think I'm used to it now. I still like the other way better, but yeah, I think that, you know, teams and players just have to figure out how to make it work to their advantage.

I agree, And I think you know, there's a great returner for the Cincinnati Bengals in their history that's going in the Ring of honor or has gone in the Ring of Lamar Parrish. Yeah, I mean, that guy was was lightning in a bottle waiting to happen, waiting to be opened. He was spectacular, I mean, just incredible as a return guy. And what he did for his football team thirteen non offensive touchdowns.

That that number still just blows my mind.

It's sick, it really is. I mean, in terms of okay, interception returns, those are those are spectacular. They you know, they catch the fans fancy. There's no doubt about that fumble returns for touchdowns. But man, he made his mark also on special teams, returning kickoffs and returning punts for touchdowns. He had an unbelievable, an uncanny ability to make people miss in a short space. I mean tight quarters man.

Yeah, he's he's a pretty predecessor to Barry Sanders, who we all saw. Yeah, you know, Eric Thomas was talking to Lamar. He played running back in college. But to me, it speaks again to the genius of Paul Brown. You take Ken Riley a quarterback and Lamar parisps are running back, and you turn them into these two defensive backs that or basically both Hall of famers.

And my yeah, amazing. I mean rattler. Ken Riley quarterback at Florida A and M was gifted as a quarterback. He threw the ball pretty damn well as well, but his feet were the big factor. I mean, he was a he was an option quarterback in high school and at the collegiate level at Florida and him very talented, very gifted player, and just a smart football player, just an unbelievably high football IQ. Understood uh principles and fundamentals of the game and techniques in the game of football.

It just blows my mind. And again, Paul Brown. You know people will use the word genius to people throw the word genius around too much. Stop it.

Paul Brown was a genius, total menza. His IQ was as high as has ever been recorded.

Yeah, if you can't get up there with Paul Brown and just say that you're very good, and you're pretty damn good, but you're not a genius. It's like I heard the word great throwing around all the time, and he's just over you so much as diluted the word. We got another hour. We're scheduled to talk to Chris Jenkins. In this last hour we'll hear fantastic fun facts as well. It's our number three coming up of the Bengals pet Rally Show presented by Just Bear Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network.

Well, this is Bengals pemp Rally presented by Just Bear Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network. Paycore Pincor 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. This is ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Welcome back to the Bengals peart Rally Show, broadcasting live from OTR. I'll tell you this on the rhine. I love this place. I'm thinking about the wings right now because I'm looking at laps and I said, presented by just Bear Chicken, Wayne Box Miller, ring of honored nominee Dave Lapham, and the numbers up there, sixty two us up there, the name was up there, and I couldn't be happier. I, like so many other people, been lobbying

Appreciate having me man, Thank you so much and congratulations for you again.

Appreciate that, Chris, thank you very much. Coming from a member of royalty football family, Royalty Chris Jenkins, that means it means a time you you obviously your foot your family understands the game of football and what it's all about. My man.

Oh, absolutely, unfortunately a little bit too much.

You know, Chris, we were talking earlier this year and you talked about your off season just working out with your uncle. Uh, just because it's new to so many, talk to talk about that again and what that experience was like for you this summer.

Absolutely, it's a very surreal experience. It's a very humbling one too. You know, you get to the point you're learning from some of the best of the best talent, learning mentally, physically, technique wise, and you know, he just told me so much, so many aspects of the game that I still didn't know about and he still he still says, you got much more to teach me. So it's been a very amazing experience working with him, and he's been a vital partner on my work so far in the lead.

You know, people that don't play haven't played football at a very high level don't understand, you know, the techniques and fundamentals and a lineman. You know, i'll they do is knock each other around. There's no there's nothing going on there. There's just it's survival of the fittest. It's just who's the biggest, strongest, toughest. You know, all all of those kind of things is going to win the

Uh, they taught me the beauty of learning technique, the proper way of technique, and then learning technique in the aspect of how it ticks you, Betty, No, talking to my uncle and my father, you know, they taught me so much about myself that I didn't know about my technique loot and it's those little things that can get you go ahead on your gag.

You know, Chris, I was thinking as you were saying that when people know a crap, whether it's you know, carpentry, whether it's football, whether it's whatever, you know, even a chef, it's just things that they can see and right away they know it. Was there one thing that your uncle pointed out to you quickly that you never even thought of. That he just said, right away, one thing I noticed you're doing is this, and you're like, wow, I didn't even recognize that.

Absolutely. One thing we talked about a lot is me reading on the field because I'm a person I like to dispect the play as it's happening before I start to launch. And you know, my uncle's been starting to teach me that you can go, you can launch and take yourself to them, get into play without having it while seeing the play development.

That makes sense.

So being able to think on the fly and being able to as you're going, you already know what type of block or what type of technique you need to use while you're launching into your home, and you know that type of high level technique is some of the stuff you've been trying to build.

Yeah. That uh, that is high level. That is high level technique. Man, that's awesome to have to have that, that kind of support system in your in your back pocket. You know, your your uncle and your dad. Now you learned a lot from them. What about coaches? What coaches when you were a young player? Uh, in elementary school,

Oh, my high school coach is one hundred percent my D line, my D line coach, Kevin mcdad and in my high school.

So I called them to go.

They they helped me a lot while I was in high school because I used to be a small kid, so they started teaching me my powers.

You know you were talking about when you got Michigan. It was an eye opening thing for you as well, because you were you're pretty tagon good in high school and had a lot of hardware and a lot of credentials, and you got up there and realized so did everybody else. And you I'm really proud of how you were very candid about recognizing that and then putting, you know, nose to the grindstone to figuring out how to get better than everybody else.

Absolutely, I mean it's a humbling experience. I mean, you know, like I'm going into Michigan with cats like Aiden Hutchinson, Quitty Bay or there. You know, all these soon all pro athletes at Michigan, and you know, I'm trying to make a name for myself. They're one or two ways you could take it. You know, you can't feel sorry for yourself, you know, you trying to learn this stuff.

Yeah, I mean support system from a high, high caliber teammates that played the game at such a high level is an amazing thing to have in your back pocket as well. But we talked about the coaches. What about players. Is there a player that you said, I'm going to play the game of football just like this guy man watching him on tape, watching him on the football field, be it a practice of be during the course of games. He does everything right. I mean, you know, everything is

David o'jabo, I forgot that he was that guy. Let me do yeah, oh yeah. Watching him work, you know, he's one of those guys. He constantly competes at a high level, and you know at Michigan somehow every practice, you know, every game he was going at one hundred and ten miles an hour. And before he had the season that he had at Michigan, you know, it was just seeing his work at seeing how intentional he was with his training, with his practice, wept, you know, with everything,

Well, let me ask you. I'm gonna tell you to put on an imaginary general general manager had if somebody came here and said, give me, give me a scollary report on Aiden Hutchinson and Mason Graham, what would you what would be your scoulary report on those two guys.

Too? Yeah, oh man, that one. Two high levels, high working athletes that just have a love for the game. That's rare to see in a lot of people. Uh. The amount of time they taken the game is inspiring. And you know they're had the on watching film, study to set up their opponent, and you know, they just they just really intends when it comes to the problem solving. So if they do a rep all or they see something wrong with their technique, they're going to make sure they take sally.

So seasons eight games old, three and five record right now, seasons far from over. I mean there's a lot of football to be played. Uh, Cincinnati Bengals, there's not a football team in the NFL it's undefeated right now. I mean it's very balanced.

It's a.

Tough league, man, on a week for week basis, It's the opponents are are high caliber. There's a lot of good football players on every team in the National Football League, a lot of good coaches coaching them. There's no cakewalking, there's no week off, there's no bye week where you're

One is observing what went wrong and problem solving. You know, we can't you can't afford to feel sorry for yourself after a loss. You have to be able to problem solve and take the situation going into the next game. And you know, the second thing is just looking forwards. Like y'all said, there's a lot of football games left, a lot of opportunities, Lenning, and you know this isn't so you know, we have the opportunity to really do

We have to Sunday, Hey, Chris, we got to take a break and we get one more segment with you.

Absolutely all right, thank you, brother, We'll take a break.

We'll come back with Chris from the Cincinnati Bengals. It is the Bengals pep Rally Show, broadcasting live and on the Rhine one hundred These Court three, presented by just Barre Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network. Welcome back to

How about it?

How about that? Making that that's gotta be something that you hang your hat on. Of course, if you did miss tackles, I'm sure your uncle and dad have something to say.

You know, every every football Sunday, they making sure they watched and so you know, I'm gonna get that feedback the second the game come. Yeah.

You know, uh what what what player or players at the high school, collegiate, at or NFL level were the biggest challenge for you physically for you to match up with I mean everybody's I mean, I've got guys and I don't know. Man, that guy he was a beast.

Man.

I couldn't I couldn't solve all the problems that he was giving me. Man, this guy was too much. Is there anybody like that that you played against?

Uh?

You know what funny story. High school we used to play a school called Gonbaga and that's who their quarterback was.

What's his name?

Oh williams Cale?

Do kidding? All right? So give us, give us more, give us more, man.

Uh, we used to be high school rivals, so you know, going into that game every single week, there was a lot of preparation.

Uh.

Sometimes you get back there and his ability to scramble it really passed your ability to tackle. Yeah, honestly, now to attribute him to uh really really staying on top of myself with my faculing ability.

Wow, I'm sure that you were able to share what information you have with your teammates, like, hey, he's been doing this for a while, he's not new to this. This is just a character trait that's followed him from there Gonzaga to sc to the NFL. And another Michigan guy up there Coast and Loveland man I mean he's doing well in that tight end position.

Absolutely. Yeah, you know, he's the hang of a player. He played hard, and you know we're right, we're going against each other now. Always good to see my boy. But you know what time it is, right right.

We'll talk about that after the game is over, you know, Yeah, Chris. One of the things I think you've come to appreciate being in Cincinnati is that the fan base here is legit, man. I mean, they really want to see you guys do well. I mean the way they are a paid course stadium even here at our PEP rally shows and and things of that nature. You come from a place where they were packing them in. I mean, you know, I got a chance to go watch a football game of Michigan.

Corps absolutely, you know. And that just goes to show the love and the past that they have for the team and for the game. Man. You know, we love and appreciate that, and that encourages us and players to play harder, you know, be more successful for them, because if they're giving their heart here and for us, you know, we can't do everything in our power give them something you know what I'm saying.

Yeah, yeah, let me let me ask you this as a guy that's got, you know, a second year under his belt that first year, talk about players, how veterans help you guys get acclimated to the game of football at this level because it's totally different from college.

Right, absolutely, and that's huge. You know, you've got to be able to adapt quickly and it is a big difference in college. So having those better to ground and that will helps you to lead you business tech wuise, that's huge. And you know, we're blessed and fortunate enough to have a lot of great bet for Rome that have done that right, and you know, it makes that transition easier.

It makes.

So Chris, you've got a new defensive line coach by the name of Jerry Montgomery. Uh played the game of football at a high level himself, very good football coach. But with every change that you have in the coaching staff, UH, with your defensive line, there's going to be new techniques, new fundamentals, new expectations. What's been like with Jerry.

Is you know what, it's been awesome And it's been a process learning new technique you know, uh, stuff that we haven't been used to since last year. But you know, it's really we've really been improving upon it since the beginning of the year, learning how to do more, not that playing with one hand as opposed to do at time, spend the edge and posing our will and being physical. And you know, he's a very passionate coach and a

Yeah, he seems like a guy that gets very hyped out. I watched a couple of you know, just sessions with him, man, and he really wants the best for you guys. And I one thing I appreciate about what he said is, you know, it doesn't matter what I want, It matters what they want, and if they want to be right,

And that's that's you.

So I'm gonna switch gears here because you know it's it's tough being in the trenches. But there's a great group of guys that are are in the interior of the Sinai Bengals. And uh, the chemistry you guys have, man, is really I I love watching it. But if I had to ask you, you know, without you know, naming names per se unless you want to, who's the funny guy in the group? Man, who's the guy that keeps everybody loose?

And and and you'll already got to answer that I question.

Yeah, it could be you.

Huh No, I'm kidding. I gotta I gotta give it to my man. Uh. DJ Clayton he's one of.

The guess he was on this show a couple of weeks ago. And yeah, he's a funny guy. He's got a sense of humor now, he has a sense of human But I think as a veteran man, it helps keep you young guys loose.

You would I be right in assuming.

That, Oh absolutely, you know, to see a guy do what he does at a high level, you know, have that laid back, funny personality that he does, you know, it's definitely it's definitely bringing a huge life to the room.

Add to that, talking about veteran players that bring something to the room. What about Trey Hendrickson, he is I know he's not an interior defensive lineman, but he's, uh, he's part of the brotherhood. You guys are all a big brotherhood. They're up front in the Bengals defensive line. The way he approaches football in the National Football League, it's the same way he approached in high school and college when he went to Florida. Just I mean, take

Oh? Yeah, Like you said, his mentality to take no prisoner's mentality, and you know that's infected like from every snap, every weapon practice, every rep with your technique list in regard that he's using that mentality and you can see how it shows on the field and he plays.

Yeah, he gets after it, man. I think he gets stronger in the fourth quarter. And that's what callses problem for teams because this dude, man, he just wants it. You know, sometimes people just want it and I told Lap Chris, you know in this in this league, everybody has skill, but then it becomes a matter of will, man and that dude's will to get to the quarterback. It's a rarity.

Oh yeah, like his mentality. He will get to the quarterback. And they said, you're standing in my way. I take no present mentality.

Go yeah, he's like that guy. Well what is it? I will hunt you down and I will find you. What is that movie I can't miss? Liam? Yea, Yeah, that's Trey Henderson. You guys should start calling him Liam Deeson.

For Halloween.

Yeah. Yeah, Hey, Chris Man, thank you so much for making time for us. Man, I know you wanted to be here, and we appreciate you. Getting on the phone with his.

Brother No, my absolute pleasure. Man. I appreciate y'all for having me and Dave again. Congratulations, man, you deserved it.

Thank you very much, Chris. Chris coming from you, uh in the football family that you're a part of that means a ton. I appreciate you.

All right, Chris Jacobs from the University of Michigan defensive tackle and man, glad to have you boored. We'll be back with more of the Bengals pep Rally SOHO broadcasting live and on the Ryan eatery one hundred These Court Street, presented about just Berare Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network. Welcome back to the Bengals pep Rally Show, broadcasting live from on the Ryan Eery one hundred East Court Street,

Yeah.

Uh.

You know.

As always, we love to share some of the Sunday programming and fantastic fun facts with Demetrius Night was a great win. Here's Dan horwid Fantastic fun Facts presented by Skyline Chili.

Time for some fun facts with linebacker Demetrius Night from Locust Grove, Georgia, less than an hour away from Atlanta. Your jersey was retired last week. Describe getting that news and going home for the ceremony.

Yeah, it was a true blessing, just to just to be in that moment. It's not every day you get to retire in an old high school high school jersey number. You kind of think you're for your forgotten sometimes when you when yeah, you're you're often doing other things, but just having that to be recognized as is nothing but God, you know, nothing, nothing but Jesus. And that's what we

You're a linebacker now but you were a four year starting quarterback in high school. Give me a comp what college or NFL quarterback were you most like.

I was definitely most like Cam Newton. I was trying to emulate him and everything he did. And then started to watch more college guys, started to watch Jalen Hurts, just knowing that I was a bigger type of quarterback and knowing that those are bigger quarterbacks, knowing that they they can run, but also you know, not just being the run of also being able to you know, be Leeds.

In the past game.

So as I continued to grow in my high school career, would you know, put the run first mentality behind it and you know, pass first and then run second.

We're chatting with Demetrius Knight. Were you heavily recruited out of high school?

No, sir, not not very much.

Uh to Tech was pretty much the only offer I had going into my junior year and whatnot. And I would go to a camp where Paul Johnson was still the head coach at Georgia Tech and he's like, I don't I don't understand how you don't have more offers.

I'm going to give you a first one, and that that pretty much sold it for us.

So he made the offer, you chose Georgia Tech, and then he left before you got there. How difficult was that for you?

It was pretty pretty difficult, just because I didn't know what I was going to get. I was already getting comfortable with the former coaching staff and him. Of course, that's that's just line. That's a business decision that he and his family had to make. And I didn't hate him or anything for that. That's just just just the way life goes. So of course I still wanted to be close to my mom and sister, uh not wanted to be too far away from them and the due

Uh.

That was the complete opposite of the spectrum. But uh and ended up working out for the best.

What was your reaction when they said Demetrius, you're a linebacker?

Uh?

Pretty much?

Uh?

World went upside down.

Uh.

I didn't know what to think.

It was kind of unreal, and I just kind of went with it for a couple of weeks, thinking, oh, they're just they'll see I'm no good at this linebacker thing, and moved me back to the offense side of the ball in that quarterback And uh now, how now, how God hasn't played? God has it playing all the time. Of course, you had to go through trials and tribulation and perseverance and you end up here in the in the NFL as a linebacker.

While you were in college, you got married and became a dad. What's your wife's name and how did.

You two meet.

My wife's name is gen C gen C Knights. She is She's also from Luggas Grove and we met. We went on a mission trip together my junior year, her sophomore year. But the whole funny thing is, even though we spent a week out in Haiti doing the law's work, we did not say a word to each other the entire trip. I remember sitting at her table with her

After four years at Georgia Tech, you transferred to Charlotte and had a breakout season, earning first team All Conference honors. How important was that season and getting you to where.

You are now? Yeah, it was a lot.

It was very good for me just because it showed that I could play the lineback position. Of course, at Georgia Tech it was ups and downs, his and lows, and that made me the player who I was going into that situation not knowing who was going to be the coach because they're getting it. They ever getting a new coach, ended up getting coach Coach Posy, coach Biff and him coming in was was a great start, just because everybody got to start from ground zero. There were

I didn't.

I wanted everybody to be on on ground zero and if someone out out, you know how it plays me for the spot, then they just outplayed me. But I wanted to have a fair shot and made sure that I made every rep count there.

After great season of Charlotte, you still had one year of eligibility left. This is the ni l era. You had a wife and a baby at home. Did you look for the best financial offer you could find?

I did, Uh, of.

Course that was there.

There were other schools that I was gonna take visits to, but you know, when you when you have a wife, it ends up being you know, happy wife, happy life.

And we're already in North Carolina.

South Carolina was you know, an hour and some chains away, and we've got to pack up a third floor apartment and take it somewhere.

And she's like, yeah, I don't.

I don't plan on going anywhere far sou South Carolina might be as far as I'm willing to go, because that's not bad of a drive. But it's also close to family, so you know, you know, that's that's perfect to me.

Why not? So it ended up bringing out very well for us.

We learned after the draft that you were a door dash driver in college to bring in a few extra bucks for your family even after games that you played in correct.

Absolutely, yeah, that's uh not what you hear every every day. That not pretty much heard of. I'm sure there are. There are probably players at other smaller schools that do the same thing, but uh, being out of school like Charlotte h there were opportunities where got to make them count. And DoorDash delivered that opportunity to make account where you know, we didn't have to scrounge and I didn't have to go apply for different jobs at a Chick Flair or so,

With them, but.

It ended up working out for the best.

DoorDash was it was quick and easy and you just get on there and right away you start making deliveries. And luckily for me where you know, you live on a college campus. You know college kids love to eat, so that makes makes it pretty quick and easy.

To bring in a quick But yeah, I've got a student in college and I see those door dash bills, so you're absolutely right about that. We're visiting the Demetrius Knight. I'm a sucker for an emotional call from a team to a player during the NFL Draft, and you got choked up when the Bengals called you can you articulate the emotions that you were feeling.

Yeah, just just everything that my family and I had been through, wife and I had been through and kids, just knowing where we were and how unsure we were going from from Tech to Charlotte and it's like, okay, well you don't really hear about people coming out of Charlotte, nless you you know, you're Alex high Smith, who's you know, doing his thing over in Pittsburgh and you know, I'm I can, I can make my mark here and ended up doing that and uh, situations changed, and you know,

Uh and and here we are.

It's uh, it's never it's never the end. It's only just one chapter finishing and and and onto the next.

All right, a few wild card topics now for Demetrius Knight. Who is your all time favorite athlete in any sport?

Right?

Christiano Ronaldo? Uh, soccer fan because of my wife and my kids. But that's my wife's favorite watching his game. He's pretty good. It's between him and you know Line Messi. Those guys, they can get you up on your feet, and of course it's always righty at those games, so uh, definite. Definitely those guys who you know make make a lot of money doing it, So definitely those guys.

Have you checked out an FC Cincinnati match yet?

We get them on TV, so we're on TV. We'll always tune in.

We haven't got to go to one yet just because of the busy schedule, but if we can get around to them, we definitely plan on being there.

You shared with me that you hope to be a movie producer someday. How long have you been interested in the making of movies.

I've been interested in that since I was at Georgia Tech. That's that kind of supports is why I got the degree that I got there. Just so once football is done, you know, I won't be one of those guys just lingering around not knowing what I want to do. I know once football is done, that's that's exactly what I want to do, And no matter what that has to start from, I have to put together movie sets first and work my way up to that road. I'll do it just because I believe all that's fun, it all

All right, final fun fact for Demetrious Night, And this one's kind of deep. If you could meet anybody in history, living or deceased, who would that person be?

Pro I had to be Jesus himself. Uh, I'd love to be a fly on the wall just to hear him speak, and you know, just to be in the room and be in the areas washing them do what he does, you know, washing them do the the miracles that only he can do.

That that would that would have to be number one.

And then if I, if I had you, number two had to be Noah when you know he told told them to build the arc because I can't imagine He's all right, I'll build a big old boat. And you know, just to ask me about how did he persevere, you know, making making a big old boat, going through adversity, being laughed at by people around saying, oh, it's never gonna rain in it until it happens.

So uh, they definitely have to be Jesus and then good old Noah.

Excellent answers. I appreciate your time, best of luck the rest of the year.

Yes, I appreciate you, all right.

That was a Demetrius night with our Dan who will take a break and come back and get into the meat of the Keys to the Game. Coming up Sunday, it is the Bengals pep Rally Show, broadcasting live from on the Rhine Eatery, presented by Bear Kicking on the Bengals Radio Network. Welcome back to the Bengals pep Rally Show,

Yeah, how you write Box, I mean they're plus ten in the turnover margin, the turnover ratio. So when you have a team that can take the ball away like like this Chicago Bear team can do you know you got to you gotta ball security is probably the biggest key to the game, and I think it is I think it is on a weekly basis, high school football,

I'll tell you some j P run man, I think you had so much to that running game. And you know, people forget he was a prolific running back in Oklahoma when Joe Mixon was there. He was ahead of Joe Mixon on the depth chart a few times when they're out there. The other thing, for me, I think, uh, this to me from the Bengals standpoint, it's going to

Absolutely. Box. I think that's a it's a wide statement, you know the game. I mean, I think I think they need to put last week's game in a box, you know, close it up, put a ribbon on it, and put it in the closet and forget about it.

Yeah, and move on.

That's that's gonna be. That's gonna be the biggest key. Coaches were talking about it. Zach Taylor was talking about it, Joe Flacco. It seems to be a pervasive mindset throughout the whole football team.

No question about it. We'll take our last break and come back and wrap up. You're listening to the Bengals pet rally So Broadcasting's Live it on the Rine und These Court Street presented by just Bear Ticket on the Bengals Radio Network. Welcome back to the Bengals pep Rally Show, broadcasting live on the Rhine the one hundred These Court Street presented by Just Bear Ticket on the Bengals Radio Network, Wayne Box, Miller Ring of Honor inductee Dave Lapp and

Yep.

If they kick the ball to us, make a big play, if we kick it at them, knock somebody on there, but make a statement right out of the gate that hey, we have some unfinished business this week and we want to go into this bye week with a win.

And Darren Simmons is here here a box, He's all for it. He he's been talking about the importance of special teams obviously as offense and defensive had their problems, had their struggles, you know, he wanted to be the stabilizing force of stabilizing influence in the in the three phases offense, defense, and special teams. Special teams we talked about earlier in the Keys of the game. You know,

I think this game could gun down to grasshopper and mensa. I think that Caleb Williams, you know, he as every now and they're still learning this offense. You heard it out there say they don't run this. I ain't played twice.

I mean they're calling.

He could have some struggles there and it could be opportunistic for the Bengal Bengals defense. On the other hand, because Joe Flacco is a veteran. Hey, I'm only going to take what you give me. I'm not going to try to force something to Chase force to the Higgins. If Yoci Vosh or if Tanner Hudson, or if Chris Chase Brown is doing a wheel route, whatever is there, I'm going to take it in that minsa of just I know football. It very well could come down to

That's going to be a big key, maybe the biggest. And you know, I like the fact that the Bengals have the quarterback that's got the experience, he's got fifteen years in the NFL. I mean, that's that's that's a big, big deal. And the Chicago Bears have a quarterback that's in his second year and still learning what it takes to be an efficient, effective quarterback in the National Football League.

Yeah, And as much as we talk about the running game, Chase Brown and smajp Run have been running the ball, this offensive line has been blocking, and the Bears have been given up five yards per carry on the ground. This could be a game where again, if keep the ball, keep them on the sideline, eat up the clock, get a lead, and just build on that lead and make them have to play from behind, which means Caleb Williams may have to throw more than he wants to or

Absolutely.

I mean, it's the Abcson football. You know, we're talking about. You know, the things you learn about the game of football in order to win games at a very young age Peewee football, high school collegiate football, National Football League. It's not rocket science now we're talking about. Here are the things, the staples that winning teams accomplish on a week two week basis and win more football games and

And the last thing I'll say is penalties. Yeah, but the Bengals have done better than their opponent's penalty wise, They've had less penalties than their opponents. Sometime they come at the wrong time. But if the Bengals can keep the penalties to a minimum again, and they've last three games, they've had less penalties than their opponents. Keep playing smart, sound football. Don't beat yourself, don't shoot yourself in the foot.

And I think that's that's the mantra for this week's game against Chicago Bears. No self destruction, take care of the football, do not shoot yourself in the foot. You know, make sure that the Chicago Bears beat you. Make them beat you. Don't contribute to their cause. Don't make it easier for the Chicago Bears to beat you by giving them extra possessions, better field position, all the things we talked about. Take care of the ABC's and hopefully the Bengals will have a victory.

Yes they will. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for joining us live at on the Ryan Eery one hundred ees Court Street. Let's get one big HOODI before we get out of here world two three hoo waitby smelling Dave Lap I'm glad to have you bored. It's been the Bengals Rally so presented by Just Bear Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network.

Presented by Just Beared Chicken on the Bengals Radio Network.

Paycorp.

Paycorp is proud to be the official HR software provider of the Cincinnati Bengals. Ulti Viper Ulti Viper the official WiFi and Ternet provider of the Cincinnati Bengals. This is ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals,