Bengals Booth Podcast - Bye Bye Bye

It's the Bengals Bye week, and on this episode of the podcast, I'll talk to my broadcast partner Dave Lapham about a wide variety of topics, including the possibility of Hugh Jackson returning to the Bengals in some capacity this year after being fired in Cleveland. I'll also go one on one with first round draft pick Billy Price, who could be back from his foot injury when the Bengals return to action a week from Sunday against the Saints. And we'll visit with the back who had the highest

passer rating ever in a Super Bowl. No, it's not Joe Montana, Tom Brady or Terry Bradshaw. Stick around to find out who it is. All of that is straight ahead. But first, here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing on iTunes, Stitcher, or pod Bean. It's the greatest invention since the NFL by week. I love my job and can honestly say that I feel like I have never worked a day in my life.

But this Sunday, after hopefully calling a Bearcat's win over Navy on Saturday, I am looking forward to watching football in the family room with my son, eating a ton of unhealthy food, and enjoying a frosty beverage. I also hope it's the last weekend without a Bengals football game until mid February, unless, of course, they earned a first round playoff. All right, enough rambling, time to talk football

with Dave Lapple. The Cleveland Browns fired Hugh Jackson on Monday with a three thirty six and one record in two and a half years. Yikes. We know he was close to Marvin Lewis and well liked by Mike Brown. What are the odds that Hugh Jackson returns to Cincinnati in some role this year? I think they're decent. You know, I think Marvin and Hure like brothers really, And when you look at it, the Bengals still have to play

the Cleveland Browns twice in a five week span. And what better source of information for the Cleveland Browns than the former head coach that was coaching them this year. I mean, he can get up and give a dissertation to any one of the three phases and give valuable information. Plus the fact that when he game planned against the Steelers, they tied, you know, and he knows Baltimore intimately, he

knows Cleveland intimately, he knows the Pittsburgh Steelers intimately. Haven't been a head coach as well as an assistant in this division, but coach now as well the last two games of the season on the road, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. What's wrong with having another good football coach with a very bright mind game planning making suggestions. I could see special consultant to the head coach. I'm not saying assistant head coach, but special consultant to the head coach, whatever

it may be. And uh and just you know, use him in that regard. Just another guy in the meeting rooms with suggestions. Guys, you know, what really worked when we played Pittsburgh. This, This really worked. Maybe we can think of this concept. We have the personnel to think of this concept. Those kind of things are invaluable. And why not do it with a guy that you know, I think would come in and not cause a bunch

of waves. Joe Mixon had a career high one hundred twenty three yards against Tampa Bay on twenty one carries. For the year lap he's averaging four point eight yards per carry. That is better than Todd Gurley, as Zekiel Elliott, and Kareem Hunt, among others. What's Joe doing well? Where can he be better? You know, Joe has proven that he's a cleep back. I mean his size speed ratio. He's a freak two hundred and twenty five pounds plus to be able to run the way he runs. He

can catch the football. He heard him though, when he tried to one hand catch that screen pass. That's a habit that he has. He doesn't have to use just one hand. He has to break that habit. He's done it so much, you know, it's like muscle memory. Now he can't be doing that anymore. He will block and blitz pick up the one flying. The ointment in my mind is that, particularly when it's third and short, fourth and short, hit it, don't hit it, stop, think, and

even retreat. And three instances in the last game when he had set his career high, he was a yard passed the line of scrimmage, retreated and tried to bounce lower those pads. You're two hundred and twenty five plus pounds, hammere it. Get the two or three yards, move the chains. You don't have to hit a grand Slam every every carry, and you know, keep working on your vision. I don't think he has the greatest natural vision of any running back in the league. And that's something that you either

have or don't. There's instincts there that are natural, but it can be improved, and I think Joe needs to, you know, work, work on that part of it. You know. That would be the other thing that as I watch him run the football, because he's a he's a naturally gifted cutback runner, all those kinds of things, but sometimes you know, you wonder why he does it when he does it, he picks and chooses at odd times. Sometimes. The Bengals have as many significant injuries as any team

in the NFL. Who do you think will be back immediately after the buy and what guys are likely to be out for a little while longer. Well, I think the guy that probably has the best chance of coming back immediately after the buy physically is Billy Price. I think he's he already practiced limited even before the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so he's tracking in the right direction. But I would make sure that he's back and ready. Not just back, I mean physically ready and

ready to play. I mean he hasn't played football in a couple of months. And you know the thing is, Trey Hopkins is playing good football. I thought the interior of the offensive line, including Westerman, acquitted themselves well against Tampa Bay. I thought Redman had his best game. He didn't give up a pressure the whole game. So I

would be smart with Billy Price. Giovanni Bernard might be my next available candidate, but I'm not sure he'll be ready for New Orleans, but it'll be it'll be shortly thereafter. Everybody else kind of a week to week basis, And the guys that are really missing to help their third down situation is Nick Vigil in my mind, in today's football is as good as nickel linebacker as there is long guy that can run, can run with running backs and tight ends. They're getting killed at the linebacker level.

I mean, they have the most targets against them in the NFL according to Pro Football focused at the linebacker level, and the most completions against them. And then dark ques Den Art. You know, you have a luxury of a former first round cornerback. It's slot corner communicating everything that was big. Not having him there in that slot corner and that nickel and I'm package is hurting them big time. So those guys, man, there's a you know, apb to

get them back as quickly as possible. But you can't rush these things. Everybody heals at a different rate, you know, so you just have to be patient. Lap. The Bengals are ound of pace to give up the most yards of any team in NFL history. Back in two thousand, Marvin Lewis was the coordinator of a Baltimore defense that gave up the fewest points of any team in NFL history,

at least in a sixteen game season. Should Marvin take a more hands on approach with the Bengals defense, you know, you'd almost think with his defensive background that he is. You know, I think he's in a good percentage of defensive meetings. If my defense is struggling like it is, and I'm the head coach and I have the expertise I have on that side of the football, I have my thumb on the pulse of that bad boy. But in terms of calling defensive plays, tried it Leslie Frasier,

defensive coordinator. The defense was struggling, Marvin took over play calling they know what to Cleveland and got smoked. It was like thirty four to three or something. Didn't go well. So maybe with that past history in mind, he may think twice about it. I think that they just have to they have to work their way through it. In conversation with coach Austin earlier in the week, you know, he talked about twenty and fifteen Lions that he was a coordinator four and they went one and seven to

start the season. They'd given up over three thousand yards in the first half of the season. They were tracking dismally two and they tweaked some things, made some adjustments, and you know, he said, everything's gonna play scheme the way we're approaching it. Personnel calls were making. The whole

thing is going to be examined. And in Detroit shortly thereafter, they went to Green Bay and one on the road for the first time in thirty years, and they went six and two and the loss was to Green Bay on the hail. Mary was one of the losses, so they could have gone seven and one after starting one and seven. So his point is, if we can find that type of magic, be five and two and go six and two on the back end, now you're looking at eleven and five record, or you know, if you

can go seven to one, even better. So obviously it can't get worse. It has to improve. And you've got a lot of young guys I think that are making a lot of mental errors. It's that seems to be the case. And with that, you almost when you're given when you because of injury, you have to give the guys on the job training. You have to be patient because with every rep they're getting, they're going to improve.

I mean, repetition breeds comfort level. And right now, in the first half of the season, a lot of their heads were spinning, some of these young guys, I mean their roles expanded to a point that they had no concept, no idea when they broke training camp that they were going to be in these positions. But they are. And that's that's life in the National Football League, and everybody has to adjust. It's it's adjustments and adjustments to adjustments, and you just have to do it and uh and

build and continue to grow. Laugh. The Bengals have obviously had problems at the linebacker position this year. The last time they drafted a linebacker in the two rounds of the draft was two thousand and nine, that's ten drafts ago, and they took Raymlea Logan the second round. The year before that, they took Keith Rivers in the first round. Do they need to address that position earlier in the draft. I think in this era, the NFL tight ends are

so good that linebackers are involved with that coverage. I think you have to maybe modify your approach. The Bengals. The way they've they've built their defenses in today's NFL is pass rushers and cover guys because it's a throwing league, and you know, then you worry about linebackers third and it's work for him. I mean, they have Pro Bowl pass rushers and Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap. They've got

multiple first round picks. They still have three, even though dark Weis has heard three first round picks one of first rounders in the back end. So in today's NFL, if you have two Pro Bowl pass rushers in three first round cover guys in the back end, it should be the makings of a decent defensive football team. But

they're getting pounded at the linebacker level. Pro Football Focus says they've been targeted more than any team at that level of the field, that position group, that intermediate range, and more completions against them. Now you know injuries. You know, in the last game, Vantes perfect Nick Vigil, they're the nickel linebackers. Both were down. And I think Nick Vigil is as good at nickel linebackers or is in the game.

He can really run long, can run with those tight ends, run with the running backs, and he was drafting the third round. So if there's a guy that is worthy of it, I don't think you reach for it necessarily. But if you're doing your evaluations, and Duke Tobin and his crew do as good as anybody in that aspect of it, and your board sorts out that way, and you have one you know, even if it's early second round or hopefully late first round, but early second round

because of a trade, pull the trigger. If he's the guy, you know, because in today's NFL, it's it's a must. Hugh Jackson was not the only former Bengals coach who got fired this week. Paul Alexander, his first year, is the offensive line coach of the Dallas Cowboys, only lasted half a season. Does the Bengals offensive line looks significantly different under Frank Pollock already than it dead under Polo Alexander. Yes, they have an attitude. I mean they will fight you.

They'll they'll do everything they possibly can. Their whole posture is aggressiveness. Whereas before it was passiveness, it was retreat

and catch. This group makes a stand and punches. And as a former lineman, I much prefer that, much prefer seeing that, and I know the quarterback much prefer seeing that because even if you give up, you know, you can't be so consumed with a personal stat of old quarterback sacks that you're giving up consistent pressure and the pass rush is getting into the quarterback's face every snap.

But because he's a smart team player, he's the ball out of his hands in less than two and a half seconds, but he has no space to throw the football. You're not helping the football team. You're hurting the football team. I don't give a damn if you only give up eighteen sacks. If you give ninety eight pressures, terrible. I'd rather give up fifty pressures and thirty of them end up being sacks because those other forty eight snaps the

quarterbacks seeing the field and picking him apart. So I'm not as concern with sack numbers as I am with overall pressure numbers. What does the pocket look like for the quarterback? Andy Dalton's not the biggest quarterback in the world. I get so sick and tired of him throwing out of a hole where he couldn't even see. I mean, he's throwing with so much anticipation and has to be accurate with it. He's not even seeing where it's going to end up. And receivers as well. You'll talk to receivers.

When Doug Flutie was a teammate in New Jersey five to nine and he dropped down to throw the ball by his shoulder. He's throwing the ball about five foot level and he threw between rushers. He didn't throw over the top of anybody. Our receivers would complain about when he's in pocket, the ball would come out like a jugs on between bodies and it was on top of them before they could react. They never saw the ball

out of the quarterback's hand. Every receiver will tell you when they can see the quarterback the ball out of the quarterback's hands, they can make much better adjustments. So if you're if the quarterbacks thrown out of a hole and the receivers can't see the ball coming out of his hand, that's a double dip tragedy right there. So I like the fact that they're jumping people, they're taking people on. They're giving the quarterback clean their pocket, more

vision space he can climb the pocket easier. Long story short, I like what I'm seeing, and they're much more aggressive they're coming off the football. And honestly, are they an upper crusted talent wise offensive line? No? But Frank Pollock, is he doing it with smoking mirrors? Probably to an extent, But you know what, sometimes the some of the parts equal is a lot better than each individual piece of it.

And that's when you have a good offensive line. You have five guys believing in each other playing a concert, the some of the parts can be better than any individual Pro Bowl stud or whatever. If you have a Pro Bowl stud in four schmucks, ain't gonna get you much. Ain't gonna get you very far. Be a good band name, all right. Last thing. Last week, the Bengals were nearly toppled by thirty five year old Ryan Fitzpatrick, who, as we all know, is a hobvid man. Yes, here's this

week's question. Between ten years playing in the NFL and two years in the USFL, who is the smartest guy you ever played with? Another habvid man, Pat mcinelly. That guy was had perfect score on the one relick, only one fifty out of fifty, And I said, you know, how quickly did you finish it? I was bored, man,

I was sitting around for five minutes. He Pat mcinaley is a kind of guy that if you're sitting in a room with him and you have a conversation, every single sentence you say, he can make a joke out of it. He can come up with some kind of humor. He is the most quick witted dude. And his humor can go all the way from wow sophistication of sarcasm to the end degree to you know, down and dirty with the best of them, and everything in between. Pat

mcinelly is, he's a brilliant dude. And I remember many times, you know, I loved being around him, and he dogged me all the time because I get accepted to Harvard and didn't go. And he said, well, you know, I hesitate to be in your company, being that stupid, but at any rate, um I would go. I'd go into his room a lot at night, you know, after practices, and he'd he'd play a guitar, you know, strung along, and he'd write songs, you know, and write his own music. Right.

So the guy he could do anything. There's nothing that Pat mcinelli couldn't do. So he made a pact basically said, you know, my goal lap him is to not work a day in my life and be a gazillionaire. And he hasn't had a real job in his life, and he's a gazillionaire. You know. At starting lineup he invented that Kenner toys. He went, you know, to all of his Harvard alum in all the leagues and got the rights.

Went to Kenner Toys right here in Cincinnati. They jumped on and bought into it, simple deal, figuring with an autograph card and made a fortune. He was getting seven figure commission checks twice a year. Crazy. Then he started collecting first edition comic books in mint condition, made a fortune. He wrote his column you Know just for Kids, syndicated newspaper column while he was playing. All his Harvard connections

around the cities got him into these newspapers. And the dude has been printing cash from the day he was able to print cash and will the rest of his life. He is. He is a very very unique, brilliant, bright minded guy, smartest guy I've ever been around. Glad you worked with somebody smart your lifetime. Thanks Lap. According to the website Pro Football Focus, none of the Bengals offensive linemen have a particularly high grade so far this year.

Clint Bowling ranks highest at twenty eighth among the seventy four guards with enough snaps to qualify. But the old line could get a boost right after the bye as center Billy Price, the Bengals first round draft pick out of Ohio State could be back from his foot injury. I talked to Billy about that possibility on Tuesday inside the locker room with center Billy Price. By weekend this weekend and the Saints at home after that, do you expect to be back out there? Just following what protocol

is right now with the docs. Got into practice last week, felt pretty good, so we're gonna take it into the rest of this week and then followed what they want minted next week. If it's not the Saints game. I think we're all pretty confident it's going to be soon and imagine you're eager to get back out there. Absolutely, Yeah, there's no pain right now. It feels good. And again we're just kind of falling falling with Paul Sparring and the guys inside the training room are asking me to do.

How have you stayed on top of things mentally while you haven't been able to play? For me, it's making sure I'm sitting there with Coach Pollocks so during practice if I'm not participating, so in the previous weeks, sitting back there with the script and kind of going over the looks with Coach Pollock and I had a pen in my pocket or on my hat the entire time in writing down notes. Um, just to make sure that you're still sharp, manly with what the what the defensive

pictures are going to be. You know, we haven't really played a lot of divisional guys, so M Pittsburgh was the only only team and then the rest of the Baltimore game. So I'm gonna be able to see these guys again. So making sure that I recognize some of the tendencies that these guys are presenting to us, just so when it comes down to the second time we play them that I'm it's not new information to me. You were an iron man at Ohio State. He never

came out. How difficult has that been? Just having a leatch from the sideline, it's a different perspective. Um, I don't enjoy it. I can tell you that. Um, you know, it's just it's a it was a freaky injury. Especially I just got on top of a guy and you know, I told Coach Pollock, you know, got to improve my technique to make sure I don't put myself in that position. So, UM, it's just it's it's it's not a good feeling, especially

when you know it's out of your control. So we're gonna make sure we do everything in our potential to make sure that we stay on the field. Were visiting Billy Price. Coach Lewis said early this week that the offensive line has steadily improved during the course of this season. How do you feel about the way the entire group has performed? You know, you know, I first informost got

to tip my half to Trey Hopkins. That again, a guy somebody who's you know, when his number is called, he stepped into it and he's dominated every every single game from you know, we joke around my my one in a quarter game that I played and uh, you know with Indian in Baltimore, and then from him taking on those three quarters to Baltimore, uh and just really dominating. I think it's steady improvement. Um. You know, you see guys like you know, I mean the left side with

the veterans are are performing you know, exceptional right now. Um, you know, Alex Redman continues to grow, Bobby continues to grow. I mean, I think it's as a whole as a group. To your point, guys are growing, Guys are continuing to develop that continuity, building that chemistry to that offensive lines need when it comes on a stretch sign All right, I'm gonna give you like the best case scenario. The injuries unfortunate. Stinks that you've missed much of the first

half of your rookie season. But are you gonna be fresh for the second half and hopefully playoff games after That's that's the goal. That's the goal. So if you know, again we get cleared to play in the SAME's game, if we get cleared to play in the science game, you know those legs won't have that additional seven weeks that I have been sitting out on. So I'll be ready to bring a little pop and bring a little energy back into the run game, into the past game.

Whenever my time is called to be back on the field, enjoy the buye. Look forward to seeing you back out there soon. Thank you can't wait either. Billy Price has been out of action since September thirteenth due to a partially torn ligament in his foot. After redshirting his first year at Ohio State, he started all fifty five possible games over the next four seasons to set the Buckeyes record for starts and consecutive games. Now time to hear

from a special guest. You see him every week on CBS, on the NFL Today and on showtime on Inside the NFL. Or you can go to YouTube and watch the greatest performance by a quarterback in Super Bowl history twenty two for twenty five with three touchdown passes and a Super Bowl record passer rating of one fifty point nine. I am speaking of former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms. He and Dave Lapham have been buddies for years, and

Phil joined us this week the Bengals Game Plan show. Phil, thanks so much for joining us, and it's it's no shock that you're a legend in New York and a Hall of Fame player. My man, well you know I'm a legend because I'm not playing anymore. Phil Parcels would always say, Simms, just trust me, they're gonna love you once you quit playing. That's okay. And I didn't know I was on YouTube like that. Might just watch it

today to boost my eagle all go. I need some help getting a little tired of watching these games, so getting myself going again. But look, always a pleasure to talk to you guys, and big Dave, I heard you a couple of weeks ago, you know, you were all over everything TV the throw against the Atlanta Falcons. Yeah, man, I thought, oh my god, I hope he didn't jump out of the booth because he's gonna splatter about ten

people belowing. But it's really fun. You know. I love the calls of stuff like that by the home team announcers. It's just great because I know, I just looked to Call Banks, who does radio for the New York Giants, and I said, Carl, do you just are you still living and din with a team like you playing? He goes, it's not as bad, Bill, but it's close, and I said, oh my gosh, I can imagine. So good. Good for you for some good moments. And hey, you're five and three.

I mean almost every team in the league would take five and three, except maybe team like the Rams. There's very few they can say the record is better than the Bengals right now. You know, that's that's what's going to be my first question, phil Um, because you know you're you've got your thumb on the pulse of the national opinions. And early on before the season started training camp, the Bengals weren't just under the radar. They were off the radar. I mean, nobody was even talking about the

Cincinnati Bengals. And then they get off to a fast start four and one, but then they go to Kansas City and they lay an egg on on you know, Sunday night football, and it was same old Bengals, and they you know, basically blow an eighteen point lead, but do win the game at the gun against Tampa Bay. And they go into the bye week five and three as opposed to four and four, which is big. What do you think the national perspective on this football team

is right now? Oh? I think there's just tons of question marks because of that, you know the fact that the way they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, to lose a big lead to the to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and I just think, you know, you look and you know we talk about it all the time and show you look like ahead. You know, the pingles are five and three, And of course I work with two AFC North guys, Bill Kaward and Boomers Size who constantly talk about the division, so we keep up with it that way.

But um, I think it's still you're still under the radar, and you know it's gonna take a big victory or something that separates yourself before people really get serious. I guess it's the best thing to say. And you know, and I got to be honest talking to you, and you and I talk occasionally that I look at the Bingals roster and I just go wow, okay, wow man. You know, even before the season, I went, gosh, dang they on paper it just looks like a not dead

playoff team. And then they show moments I go, boy, I think here it goes. They're gonna roll and something derails it. And they don't a lot of that have to do. Now in the NFL, it is so much about matchups like I've never seen before. Ye and they're certain.

It's like M says it all the time. Well the Bengals beat this team, and this team beats this team, and then the other team beats the Bengals, and I go, yeah, that reminds me of the NFC East, when we were all pretty good teams and it was we couldn't beat Philadelphia, Washington could beat Philadelphia, we could beat Washington, and you know that kind of thing. So and Washington couldn't beat us. So it's it is about matchups more than ever in style, and I've never seen anything like it in the NFL.

On the offensive side, what's going on? So the games who played. I wasn't shocked that Tampa Bay came back because look at their offense. Yeah, I mean, look at the players. The system is designed to hammer the ball down the field. And you know, Fitzpatrick came in, took advantage to some things, and I think that's what catches me again. I finished the answer with this, I just expect more from the Bengals defense that I've seen. Yeah, yeah,

that's that's definitely been the Achilles heel. Before we get to the Bengals defense, let me ask you about quarterback play in the National Football League. And you know, the rules obviously favor of the offense. They want points in fantasy football is a five billion dollars industry. You know, they want points. They don't want nine to six, they want forty one thirty eight, you know, and and uh but here's here's a number. Interestingly enough, the Bengals next

opponent is Drew Brees. After the bye, New Orleans Saints leads an all time leader in passing yards. He's he's thrown for forty two hundred yards or more twelve straight years. John Elway, Hall of Famer, never did it once in sixteen years that he was playing. So that tells you the difference in the era because the talent levels not the you know, the talent level is pretty pretty darn good. I mean, it's a different game, isn't it. It's a

different game. I people say things to me, and I go, look, First off, if I was playing in the league now, I would change who I was as an athlete. You know, we were told hold that ball and stand in there, and if you flinch or don't throw it down the field, we'll take your big butt out. And that was that was the thing. I would throw a five yard pass and come to the the sideline and you know, third and eight and throw a five yard pass in the flat.

They tackling and parcels going what are you doing? And I, you know, what do you? What do you mean that? There was nobody opening goes, oh, you're worried about your completion percentage? Is that what we're dealing with? That? And I but but the offenses, what would Dan Marino and John Elway doing today's game? Oh my gosh, they would be setting records like these other guys are. But it's the style of play. And Dave, we've never seen the time, Guys,

we've never seen the time. We're running backs and wide receivers and tight ends. There's so many good ones. That really the advantage that the defense used to have, it's all gone. And I don't know where the advantage is for the defense anymore. Don't hit them here, don't hit them there. So that's one thing. So that makes people. I see guys pull off. You've seen it. That's a

big thing. But I really give the rules and the coaches, the creativity, the deception they're given to defenses at all time high and that's why we're seeing so many great numbers. And trust me, these numbers start to fade a little bit as the year goes along. And we finished the year, the NFL will just go. You know, we did another rule. They helped us office a little more. And that's the life we live in. The fans love it. And you know what we all can say in the business that

the fans keep loving it. I hear that, coach. So you mentioned the Bengals defense. Their last three games, Phil, they gave up four hundred and eighty one yards and twenty eight points to Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers. They gave up five fifty one yards and forty five points to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. And they just gave up five hundred and seventy six yards and thirty four points to both Winston and then Ryan Fitzpatrick sixteen hundred

and eight yards. And you know, I mean, you're talking about over hundred points, well over one hundred points obviously, you know. Allowed what what do you guys see when you when you see the Bengals defense. Well, you know, I'll say this generally about the NFL. You know, I judge defense is a little different. Now I'm starting to like, Okay, I'm not looking at stats as much. I'm looking at you know, like I'll give you an example, like the

Kansas City Chiefs. I look at them their defense, the ranks, the numbers, they're off the charts awful, right, and but but there's also the point of them. They have guys that make plays at the right time. D Ford justin Houston stopped back. Now, big guys in front, and they play, they play all out. In other words, they're not afraid of giving up a big play or that kind of thing. And I almost think that's what the league has got

to turn into. You just gotta you just gotta realize you're gonna give up some points, but let's be more aggressive and see if we can get some turnovers and sacks and fumbles and stuff like that. That's what it's turned into. And you know, let's look at the LA Rams. They're giving up big yards the last couple of weeks. Just think of their game against Minnesota high scoring game. It was one of the best games that wat sall year on TV and I was like, wow, this is awesome.

The game was on the line and what happened, Oh and Dominican sue but the sac Oh, Aaron Donald comes in sack strip full game over. And that's kind of what it is for the defense. You got to have a couple guys that can make a play and a crucial time to win games because the games are coming down. They're always close now because of the rules, and it's who can make the play at the end. And if you give most of these quarterbacks, I bet you there's

fifteen quarterbacks in the NFL. If you said to me they get four turns from the twenty they got one time out and there's two minutes twenty seconds ago. You know what, I'd say, they're gonna wine and so you better have somebody on the defensive side that's going to really help you win the game. Now, I look at you guys, and I'm amazed. Geno Atkins, Carlos Dunlap, Hell

do they ever age? And you know they're doing it, But I just don't understand the back end of it where I know there's so many good players high draft picks of course, that that's got to be maybe I don't want to say more aggressive. You know, I'm gonna watch the Bengals game that you just played this weekend here later today, and it's just it's it's a league.

Like I say, I think you've really got to take more chances on defense than we have in the past, or most teams having a pass and I t I see some teams like the Kansas City Chiefs that are doing that knowing that their offense can cover them if they give up these big plays. I'll tell you, Phil, the Bengals defense falls into that category you're talking about. They're they're tied for fourth in the NFL with ten interceptions. They had eleven all year last year. They're tracking for

twenty this year. They got thirteen take ways, tied for ninth in the league. They only had fourteen all year last year. They're tracking for twenty six this year. So and they've they've got four defensive touchdowns. Four different guys have scored for the defense that leads the NFL. And that's that's twelve point seven percent of the points that they've scored. I mean, the defense has been scoring for him. So like you say, you know, they may be given

up yards, it maybe attract me. They else and boom they make a play and h and all of a sudden they help win the football game. Yeah, you don't to this yard thing. How we judge defense is you know, I don't even look at a lot of stuff anymore. I do look at run defense, and then I look to points scored a game. Yep. And you know, I'll go to the master of all time, and that's Bill Belichick. You know, year in and year out, they their defense is not ranking high because they have a formula. They're

they're gonna play a lot of man to man. They're gonna make you throw good passes to beat them. But when you get down inside the closer, you get to the goal line, they're incredible. They always have a plan to go against you. And that's the other that's the other thing. There's a you know, I can't name them off the top of my head. That's sit and think about it. But I'd say there's about six teams in the league. They don't have a style of defense. Their

defense is okay, so will we play this week? This is who will be And I call them game plan defenses. And and it's really you know, Baltimore is one of them. You watch Baltimore every week. It's a new plan. What they're gonna do over on the other side, And and of course that's the Patriots, and you it makes you think, Okay, how are they going to play us? What are they gonna do? All these things? And and it works inside the red zone, which is so important. It really is that.

And I'm still a big believer in run defense. If you run defense is pretty good, then you're gonna get yourself in some situations where you know, Carlo Stunlab, Gino Atkins and other guys. You know, I got admit a little surprise as I looked at it. You know, last year you had the young guys on defense, Jordan Willis and Carl Lawson, and then and then you draft Sam Hubbard. That was this year, Sam Hubbard, Right, he's a rookie. Ye, well you dropped. I thought, Oh my gosh, say, are

going to destroy quarterbacks with this group? And the point hasn't turned out that way, even though the sacks are it's good, But you know, I don't know. I still I think again, mate, Andy Dalton, until he wins the Super Bowl, nobody's ever gonna like give him any love, that's for sure. And I hey, you know me, the business drives me crazy things that people say and and all that. Oh well, Untilie gets it done in the playoffs. Oh okay, yeah, I forgot. Football is a one man game,

that's right. Yes, so, but those are the way, that's what it is. And but the mingles in a great spot week off, fix a few things and we'll see where it goes in real quick. Did you like the bye week? What did you do on the byeway? What was that like for you? Well, she wasn't like the bad weeks they have now, right, Yeah, I mean you know, I played eight years with Bill Parcels and you know,

Bie weeks were brutal. Jeez, you know they were allowed to you know, there, you play the game, you think it all, this is gonna be a nice leisure week. Well we had three practices and they were hard. It was like training camp again. Right, what's that? It's like training camp again. Right. It might not have been that bad, but it was closed. I'm going damn, I'm exhausted. I was hoping to get a little time off here. All right, guys, I'm gonna give you three days off and if any

of you come back, you'll be hell to pay. And just you know, you're just like, oh my gosh, just but you know what it tells you something too. And I say this all the time. You know, winning and you know, as an ex player, winning can make you comfortable and and so you need a guy that always can create something to make you uncomfortable or see the bad. You know, Bill would give us a little love every once in a while, but that would only be and you know, I just I really believe this is a

big thing in pro football. When we would lose, he would almost be more sympathetic. Come on, it's okay, Just keep doing. You know, he would be a little but when we won, it was to bring us back down to earth, tell us that you know, you better do this and this and everybody, and it really kept you on edge. And I said, every day I walked into that locker room, and I'm not exaggerating this, I felt pressure, and that pressure was, man, I need a good day

of practice. Yeah, okay, I really got to practice well because oh my god, they've chewed my rear end out after practice is over yesterday and you know they were. It was. So the game is one. It's really hard, right, no doubt, it's really hard. So it's not human nature for it to go out and work that hard mentally and physically. And unless you have somebody driving that boat and doing that for you, I don't think you have

a chance of achieving the success that you want. Our thanks to Phil Sims, and that's going to do it for this episode of the podcast. If you haven't done so already, don't forget to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or pod Bean. And if you have a minute, please give us a rating or leave a comment. Your feedback is very much appreciated, and five star ratings help more Bengals fans find this podcast. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for listening to the Bengals Booth podcast