Bengals Booth Podcast: Ain't It Fun

Brown Stadium. Coming up, I'll talk to the host of Football Night in America every Sunday night on NBC not to mention the Olympics, Triple Crown horse races and well you name it, He's done it, the great Mike Tarico. My one on one player interview this week is with a member of the Bengals who spent seven years playing with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, Mike Daniels. Dave Lapham joins me to discuss the latest Bengals news and share

some keys to Sunday's game. And finally, it's our no the Faux segment, as we find out just how serious all of the Packers injuries are as we visit with Pete Doherty from the Green Bay Press Gazette. The Bengals Booth Podcast is presented by Bud light Seltzer refreshed the game. And 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, Google Play, Spotify,

or pod Bean. It's the greatest thing since my incredibly good fortune last week. Beginning on the last Sunday in September, I called a Bengals road win over the dreaded, hated but grudgingly respected Pittsburgh Steelers. Four nights later, it was the dramatic come from behind Thursday night victory over Jacksonville, ending on a game winning field goal at the gun. And two days after that, it was you see's huge winted Notre Dame, ending a twenty six game home winning

streak for the Fighting Irish. To make that even better, my fifteen year old son Sam was with me in the booth at Notre Dame, making it a great father son memory. To paraphrase Lou Garrig, last week I considered myself so the luckiest man man man on the face of the earth. Earth. Now let's get to this week's guests, Beginning with perhaps the most versatile broadcaster in the business. He is the host of Football Night in America on NBC and one of the most accomplished broadcasters of all time.

He's also my college buddy from Syracuse University, Mike Tarico. Mike, here's my first question. When you and the crew are watching a Bengals game on Sunday getting ready for Football Night in America and you're observing Joe Burrow, what are you and Tony Dungee and Rodney Harrison and Drew Brees saying about the Bengals quarterback. Well, first off, it's great to be with one of the best. It's great to be back with my buddy and talk to you here, Dan.

So we watched the games, and the Bengals have, as you all well know, been in the one o'clock Eastern Sunday time slot a lot over the last several years. So in that mix, the Bengals game usually isn't the most important game, so it has not been in the most prominent spot. But that's changing now. So that alone tells you what's going on the first month of the season. What they say about Burrow is a wow, it really is.

And I think Drew Brees really kind of caught my attention last week and just pointing out that there's just something about Burrow. As a matter of fact, we're in South Bend on Friday after the Thursday night game and talking just about what Joe Burrow brings to the table that a guy who's proven himself to get to this point plays with that kind of moxie, that kind of poise, and we both remarked, and Tony Dungee has said this as well, just the way he handles being QB one.

And that's not just on the field, that's everything. And I think you saw it in the postgame Thursday night on an NFL network. All the fans are there, Joe's there, three and one, the world is great. It's like, hey, let's relax. We haven't done anything just yet. And that kind of along with the physical talents, are going to be what gives Cincinnati another good quarterback for quite some time. I think the Bengals had a good one when Andy

Dalton was there. There was a success. I know people don't look back at that the way that they should. In my opinion, I think you're set up for another run that may even be better with Joe being there. Well, Joe, I'll love hearing that compliment from Drew Brees since Drew was his favorite NFL quarterback growing up. Aside from Joe, what's caught your eye in this three and one start? You know, the pieces are there, Zach's done a really

good job with working the pieces of this offense. You know you have run ability that mixed new Zamba coming in the game. Obviously Jamar Chase and Boyd the receivers. Now you look at the field and you go, there are four guys here to get the ball too. So it's that and then it's playing with the confidence. You know, Dan,

I live in the Detroit area. I grew up a Jets fan, so I've seen firsthand for generations that the inevitability that the anvil hanging over the team is going to fall at some point late third quarter, the inability to handle prosperity, and I feel this Bengals team has a different feel about it, that comfort with being in those spots, the ability to take that moment, seize it

and control the game. There wasn't a panic down fourteen nothing at Jacksonville at halftime, and the team methodically came back like we're the better team. We're gonna get there. When I'm playing our best. That to me is a maturity and a growth level and a team, and that's what I'm seeing. What I've seen from the Bengals the first month of the season. Three and one is great, but it's only roughly one quarter into the season. What would a successful season looked like in your opinion for

the Bengals. Yeah, that's the most screwed up thing of having seventeen games. We don't know what the quarter pole is. We don't know at the halfway pole. Nobody can be a five hundred team anymore. You know, what do we say? The league is set up for nine and eight or eight and nine. I think in this division that's a good record because Pittsburgh obviously is on an arc that's going down at this point. But certainly Cleveland and Baltimore

are two elite teams. And when you look at those six games in your division, can you scratch four and two out of that? If so, that's a good year. And I think Cincinnati's relevance and quality makes it just that as well. So can you be in the playoff mix when we hit December? Because those games being played by Joe Burrow by Chase By everybody who's young in this organization who has not been through that playoff run.

Those are the valuable things. And if you can get there, and with seven it may be a little bit easier to get there than it used to be, that's great. I think the AC West is strong, so that's gonna be a little bit of the problem. The depth of the ACY West, the depth of the AMCY North. A key injury one place or the other might see if three teams from one division can get in. But overall, I think let's get to Thanksgiving December still be very

much in the playoff mix. That's a successful season to me. Big test coming up on Sunday with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers rolling into Paul Brown Stadium. Any early thoughts on that match shot. You know, Green Bay was a mess after Week one, and then after a couple of weeks you start to see, okay, they're not going to be that bad, but they're not at the level where they were the last two years where they went to the NFC Championship Game. They're searching for that. On the

defensive side of the ball. With Joe Barry, their new defensive coordinator, I think they figured out who they want to be and what they can be over the last couple of weeks, and Aaron Rodgers and DeVante Adams are just ridiculous, along with Aaron Jones. Those three together are so hard to handle. And I really think of Rogers. You know, we have this category Breeze now retired, sitting with us. You've got Brady and Roethlisberger and the quarterbacks

who've been around for so long. You've got the guys in their prime like Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford. And then you got all this young, great talent on Joe Burrows at the head of that list. But Aaron Rodgers isn't in that veteran group yet that he's just kind of managed. He still does magical things. There are two or three throws a game where whether it's Dungee or Breeze sitting to them, where us as fans were like, gosh,

he's still unbelievable. And it's armed talent. It's the mental acuity. It's the ability to still scramble when you need to scramble. Aaron Rodgers will make four or five plays that the Bengals cannot be prepared to defend because nobody knows that's coming. Those are the plays that win games. Consincinnati get on them early, create an atmosphere where it's tough to communicate because they love to communicate. That would be, to me,

the seeds of getting a win. A win that would open up a lot of eyes around the NFL to how real the Bengals are. Our guest is Mike Dariko from NBC Sports. You've called a lot of Bengals games over the years. Do you have a moment or a game that immediately comes to mind? There are a bunch. There was actually a Thursday night where we shot saw Deshaun Watson as a visitor breakout of the fifty yard

touchdown right like whoa really? And we saw how good he was the last couple of years he played after that. But a Bengal centric moment has to be Monday Night Football Week one, two thousand and seven against the Ravens when Palmer to Johnson touchdown and chad Ocho Cinco Johnson of course goes for the Hall of Fame jacket with the back saying hof class two zero, question mark, question mark nothing better. That was the epic moment of celebrations for the Bengals and Chad taking to a high level.

My personal favorite wasn't a Monday Night was using the pylon as a putter and making the play. I thought that was the all time best for me. But to come over, have the jacket place ready wide enough to get over the shoulder pads, go to the back, show that what was on the back of the gold jacket. Think about all the planning that had to happen, and he still had to catch a touchdown for that to do it on Monday night football week one. Absurd, Yes, memorable.

Obviously it's fourteen years later and I feel like it was yesterday looking down at the field and saying, my gosh, what is he doing? That's pretty funny. So you don't have to think back very far for the next question. You called this Cincinnati Notre Dame game last week in South Band. Are the Bearcats worthy of legitimate consideration for a four team playoff if they keep this up? It was my honor to be the second best play by play guy on that game after you calling it for

the UC fans on the radio. But yeah, I think they are. I think they are. There are enough people on that defense at every level. What do you look at for a good defense? Every level of players right and from Sanders to Beavers just sauce. There are players at every level for you see on the defense and side, and a bunch of other guys to go with them too. It's not just one or two stars. And you got a quarterback who's got it? You know what is it?

It's it's that whole thing that I can't really describe it. When you see it, you know it. Ritter has it as a quarterback. You know, is he going to throw the ball through the through the door, you know, and just break through the plywood of the door because he has such a huge arm. No, is he going to outrun everybody on the field A lot of guys, but

maybe not everybody. But he's also got that intangible and I think when you see a team that knows what's at stake and on the road, they blow up big lead and now it's at got to have a drive and he leads you to a got to have a drive. That to me showed me these guys can do it on this stage. I think they can. Hopefully they can handle the prosperity. They'll move up to number four if they win. This week because of the matchups and the polls and all that. And now they're there. Now everybody's

gonna be watching them much closer. It's on their plate. Can they finish the meal? If so, I'd love to see them in the playoff. I took my usual shot at the college football Playoff, Dan. If five of us were investing in a company, would we say let's share the profits four ways? Of course? Not so. Right At the very core of it, the College Football Playoff was set up in the most stupid fashion possible. The conference stakeholders didn't give themselves a seat at the table. Guarantee.

That doesn't say anything for any of the group of five schools. Cincinnati, by their play last year, started out high enough this year to get a chance. Everything of that program, the way it's a run, the organization, the administration, the support, the fans at home, the coaching staff, the radio play by play guy, everything is worthy of national championship contender level. Let's see somebody take a swing, and

you see the perfect school to do that. So I think absolutely they're in it for the run here and I can't wait to watch. I'm pretty sure they don't consider the radio play by play guy, but I appreciate the thought. Last thing for Mike Tarico. How much fun was it last Sunday night to be in New England for Tom Brady's return. It was incredible playing and simple. Then you know, we do a lot of build up when you do pregame shows and you're just like, man, this is this is a little over the top. It

felt really different. We opened the show. I got to do the walk that Brady was going to do for the visitor's tunnel out and down onto the field and doing it at seven o'clock. It was really cool. I've got the chance of a bunch of cool things. That was one of the cooler things to take people behind the scenes, to see Robert Craft waiting to talk to Brady, to see the people as he walked in, the fist bumps,

the hugs. It was an emotional night for the greatest quarterback we've ever seen, going up against the greatest head coach we've ever seen, and the game came down to this much. I was on the field to watch the fifty six yard field goal. It had a thud to it in the wet conditions. It was hit hard. If that ball is this much further to the right, the Patriots win the game on a last minute drive led by the guy who's supposed to be the next big

quarterback in New England. Like you write the whole deal up and if you submit that one, you're like, nah, that that's not going to happen. It was one of

the special nights in the NFL. I'm so glad that the ratings showed that people were invested in it and care in it, and I think I care about it, and I think there'll be a halo effect too, because I think people are so into the emotional stories and the exciting stories of the NFL this year, not just in New England and Tampa with Brady and Belichick and

where they go, but around the league. Two that had one of those magnet moments that make you feel like you know on a campus what's going on in the NFL. It was a night I'll remember for a long time and an honor and a pleasure to be on the field as Brady kind of ran out for the first time as a visitor. Mike, you're the best. I appreciate your time and your friendship. Keep up the great work.

Same here. It's great to see a pal's great death, Breakfast with you and your awesome sun, and to look forward to a lot of Bengals and Bearcats wins the rest of the fall. So be good, budd. I got to know Mike when he was a freshman and I was an upperclassman at Syracuse, and I knew right away that he was going to be a star. He certainly is, and yet he truly hasn't changed a bit. He's one of the most generous, thoughtful people I have ever met.

Up next, Bengals defensive tackle Mike Daniels, who is currently on the Bengals practice squad. He was a fourth round draft pick by the Green Bay Packers in twenty twelve and brings a unique perspective to this week's game. If anybody knows about Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers,

it's Bengals defensive lineman Mike Daniels. You spend seven grade eight years in Green Bay, were selected to the Pro Bowl three times, chosen by your peers as one of the top one hundred players in the league, made it to two NFC Championship games. When you look back at those great years in Green Bay, what do you cherish the most what I really cherish is just my development, you know what I mean, as a player and as

a man. Anybody can tell you that the time he's been in NFL is definitely gonna help you grow and mature. And I definitely left a much better pro than I did when I walked in. And I definitely have like the similar feeling while I'm here. You know, just that development, constant growth, continue to be a better pro, better leader. You know, that's a just thankful you know what I mean, from my development there. I'm sure there were more number twelve jerseys in the stands, but there was a love

affair between Packers fans and yourself. There were a lot of number seventy six jerseys at Lambeau. Most of us will never know what that's like. What is that relationship when you have a fan base that really admires you like that. Well, I've been going for years now. This will be the third and the last two season they've been asking me for me to come back, So I

mean that tells you everything. Even now I post something I get at least you know, five or six different um Packers fans saying bring him back, Aaron GM, Aaron bring him back, you know. I mean, so that's definitely a wonderful feeling. And to have that type of love and appreciation and acceptance from the fans, that's that's everything. And once again, it's it's I feel the same stuff that I feel with Judae nation Man, the way I've

been embraced, the way I've been accepted. Once again, there's arrows like we can't wait to see you back out there playing. We're looking forward to see you rolling again. So like it's really cool to have that type of really great relationship with your fan based who supports you so much. We're chatting with Mike Daniels. Aaron Rodgers or as your teammate the entire time you were there, you were there for one of his MVP seasons in twenty fourteen.

What did you respect most about Aaron Rodgers? Just as the way he carried himself. He's a great teammate. He treats everybody the same, doesn't matter if you're Davanta Adams Is go to Target or you're a you know, rookie practice squad guy who they just sign. He's going to treat you the exact same way. And it's just that respect that he walks around the building with that I greatly appreciate. When he was contemplating his future in the off season, did you think there was a chance he

would retire. I know there was no chance that he's retired. He ain't retire no time soon. He's too much of a competitor. He's very smart. He knows what he's doing. Man, Aaron, he loves the game. He didn't return no time soon. Earlier this year on NFL Network, he said that Joe Burrow is a lot like Aaron Rodgers. You said that Joe is baby Aaron. Those are the words that you used.

What similarities do you see? Joe definitely. Once again, it's just the respect he has for everybody in the locker room, right And I've been around long enough and a lot of rookies aren't like that. And for or you have a number one overall pick to come in and you know understand what he has to do the importance of his job. That's ah. He definitely takes everything seriously. Aaron the same way. He knows when the he knows when the lightning to move. Aaron the same way. And he's

a leader. Aaron's the same way he definitely will make sure he brings the best out of the guys who are blocking for him, who he's throwing too, and who's who's running the ball. And likewise, the defense, you know, our job is to get the ball back for him, and he makes you want to do that. We're talking to Mike Daniels. Aaron Rodgers is obviously not the only former teammate that's still in Green Bay. Aaron Jones, Defante Adams, Randall Cobb, the list goes on and on. Is your

knowledge of those guys helpful it all this week? Absolutely? Absolutely. I don't think David is playing, you know, and haven't going to be against him. That definitely would have helped. But the other guy absolutely. I know how those guys run, catch the guys playing on defense, so you you always want to help be able to give you guys an edge. That's just how it goes in the NFL. And just I've been inside those walls, so I know the guys.

I know the player and the person and that that that definitely definitely helps being able to help my teammates. Oll here, you haven't been on the active roster yet this year, but it's football. Injuries happen. You're gonna be needed at some point. How are you staying sharp and how are you contributing right now? Well, so staying sharps,

just being a professional. I'm training, definitely putting a lot of working on the off days, putting extra working while I'm here and practicing heart preparing for when my number is called because we'll be called, and really being attentive in the meetings right staying on top of the game, playing, preparing every week like as if I'm going to play, I guess if I'm going to start. And I've been

traveling every week. You know, I've been on the silent every game, you know the guys and they've they've really been wanting me to give the pregame speech every week. And that's one of the biggest that's the biggest comment I've ever received as a player ten years and for my teammates is still you know, view me as a leader, put me in a leadership role. And I really take that seriously and I appreciate all my brothers here in

his locker room for doing so. I'm on the sidelines definitely coaching guys up, helping out and all the ways I possibly can those brothers you referred to have been playing great. The defense is off to a tremendous start. When did you start to think it might be this good? Well, I knew that from the beginning, and I was saying that on all season, where I could look at the guys we brought it, and the guys who were coming back,

and the guys who were healthy. So I'm just looking forward for the opportunity to be able to get out there and physically contribute, you know, to that process. Because the guys are playing really well right now. They're doing awesome and it's very fun to watch. Zach Taylor keeps mentioning your leadership. I know that's real. I appreciate you'd spending some time with us today and look forward to

seeing you back out in the field. Absolutely. Thanks. I haven't mean I'm looking forward get me back out there as well. At the age of thirty two, I think Mike Daniel still has some good football left in him. But when he decides he's finished, he'll make a great broadcaster if that interests him. The Bengals Booth podcast is presented by Bud light Seltzer. It's light and refreshing with a hint of fruit flavor. Now, time to discuss some of the key storylines heading into Sunday's game with my

broadcast partner Dave lapham So Lap. On Wednesday, while talking to Cincinnati reporters, offensive line coach Frank Pollock said that Joe Burrow has an aura that reminds him of a quarterback he played with in San Francisco, four time Super Bowl champion, Joe Montana. What was your reaction when you heard that? That was like high cotton right there, man, I mean, that's about as higher praise as you can get. And you know the original Joe Cool, you know Joe Montana.

I can see it. I can see it in a lot of things. Body type, demeanor, not a Howitzer, but extremely accurate, just intelligent, saw the whole field, diagnosed things great pre snap, great post snap. I can I can see the I can see the comparisons big time. And when you he just threw it out there that you know, the or the the presence kind of thing um self confidence and exuding all of that. It's it's very interesting. And Frank Pollock, I trust him as an evaluator of talent,

as an evaluator of human beings. I mean, he played with them, so he knows him intimately. And now he's been around Joe Burrow enough to get a pretty good handle on him. If Frank Pollock says there are similarities there, who that's stronger than new Rope because that's a that's a great thing to have a guy of that caliber around here for who knows how much longer, hopefully the move a decade or more. That's the thing that was striking to me because we're not talking about an ESPN

talk show. This isn't a hot take from Stephen A.

Smith or Max Kellerman or Skip Bayliss on Fox. This is Frank Pollock, who isn't generally effusive with his praise, talking about a guy that he spent nearly a decade with as a teammate in the NFL, in the locker room, in the in the meeting room, on the football field, in the huddle, you know, everywhere, and to be able to draw, to draw that that type of comparison, that that's the name that you that you pull out of your head when you're trying to find somebody to compare

Joe Burrow's demeanor. Two Extremely high praise, Extremely high praise coming from, like you said, a very trustworthy source. You know it's not it's not anybody looking for shock value, looking for ratings, looking for whatever. Just telling it like it is, you know, right from his right, from his heart in his head. Let's stick with Frank Pollock. He was asked a bunch of questions about Jackson Carmen and

had positive things to say about Jackson. In the first two games, he started a right guard, but he saved his highest praise for the guy starting at left guard, Quentin Spain. For what it's worth, Pro Football Focus has him graded higher than Kevin Zeitler so far this year. Does Quentin Spain deserve more praise than he typically gets? Yeah, he loves being under the radar. But I'll tell you he is one big, strong individual. I mean he's everywhere you can be, big, broad, thick, wide, I mean he

is just he's a massive man. And when you you know, pat him on the shoulder, pat him on the back, shake his hand. Everything solid as a rock. I mean there's nothing loose there. You know, he's not fleshy. He is just thick and he is. Frank Pollock described it perfectly. I mean he's got some meat hook hands. He gets his hands on people. He's got so much strength in his hands. When he locks on boy, you're done. I mean, you're you're grabbed, you're you're You're basically in control of

Quentin Spain at that point in time. And he doesn't get bull rushed. You know, you don't see him, you know, getting walked back to the quarterback immediately. He is one big human being that can anchor himself. And and uh and yet people, you know when when teammates and opponents, even more specifically opponents, when they say, oh, I mean when you hit that guy, you've been hit. And when

he locks on you, you can't get away. He's strong, he's this he's at when when you keep getting all the people with the same evaluation, it's a it's a it's a real deal. At that point in time, this guy is definitely a beast. There's no question about it. Now, you know, is he the most graceful athlete in the world. Not necessarily, but is he athletic enough? Hell? Yeah, you know.

And and he's a big, strong, powerful human being. What I liked about what Frank mentioned about him as well, was in the classroom, he'll ask questions he knows the answer to, but he thought maybe Frank didn't quite get as deep into his explanation as he thought the younger guys might need. So he asked a follow up question, and he knows what the subject matter is going to be, what the answer is, And Frank said, I love that about him. You know, he's he's like he's helping me coach.

Basically he's a fun guy to coach. And that's that's a big plus. So it's it's an unique room and that you've got some young guys, but you've got some you know, Wiley kg veteran intelligent guys like Quentin Spain, Trey Hopkins, Riley Reef. I mean it's a it's a good mix. It's a good blend both, you know, mentally, experienced, wise, physically, all kinds of ways. You see's offensive line coach Ron Crook coach Quintin Spain at West Virginia says, strongest human

being I have ever met. I think he can bench push the stadium. That would be impressive. So Jenna Williams also spoke to reporters on Wednesday. He said something that made me think of you. He said, the offensive line is like an opera or a dance where everybody has to be in sync. And he felt that was much better in the second half of the Jacksonville game than it had been previously. How much progress do you see

along those lines? I see quite a bit. And you know, I remember just back in the day when Jim McNally was coaching us and he wanted everybody stepping with the same foot, and you don't have to do that to be a great offensive line. When you looked at end zone tape of the Oakland Raiders, Art Shell, gene Up Shell, they were doing stuff a lot differently. I mean, they were just they were just big brutes to beat up. And they weren't a whole lot of technique there. They

just mauled you. And footwork and all that wasn't you know, it wasn't It wasn't synchronized. You know, like uh, you know I said earlier, three hundred pound June tailor dances. You know, you look, everybody stepped on the same foot initially, and then the hand placed it with the left hand in the same spot. You know, unless there are different shades of the defensive line and all that, that will

alter some things. But when they do their a wide zone or their stretch play, it looks like everybody's you know, went to dance class, and they're taking the same steps and doing the same type of things and trying to get the same aiming point the target to widen the defensive line. And um, so so every everybody's on the

on the same page in that regard. And uh, like you said, you know, my big thing is when an offensive line is playing like a fist, you know, you don't have to think about wrapping the four fingers and curling the thumb around it. You just you just do it. And and they're mastering the mundane as Frank Pollock talks about and and Jonah talked about, you know, you don't when the when the play is called, you don't go to line of stagram and you have to think about

the first step. It's just they do it so much, it just happens, you know, you just that you're just going right to that you can you can get to something else during the course of the play that you might get your mind advanced to instead of having to worry about that first step or making an adjustment on that first step. So all that is is really good um and he I remember this with with Bill Johnson,

with Tiger Johnson. When I first started trying to do some of the techniques, he was teaching me that you had to unlearn and relearn techniques. In the heat of battle, you go back to the old technique that you did in college and it'd be like you didn't even know you did it. You'd watch the tape the next day you go, oh, my gosh, I can't believe I did that footwork. But in the heat of battle, that's what

you go back to. Until you've gone through mastering the mundane and doing all the reps, you know, day after day after day after day with the new techniques, and then they become, you know, the thing that you automatically go to in your in your muscle memory. So it's

it's very interesting to watch the development of that. And as every day goes by, it's another you know, a bunch of reps added to the mix of mastering the mundane, and they become more and more more cohesive and more and more like a fist, you know, instead of like you know, two or three fingers being wrapped or up from four closer to five, having pretty four and then pretty soon that thumb's going to wrap over the other

powerful fifth. Let's move to the Bengals defense. Eighth and points allowed, eighth and yards per running play tied for fifth, and yards per passing play tied for eighth. And sacks with eleven. They had seventeen all of last year. I can't believe I'm about to ask this question. Do the Bengals have a glaring weakness on defense? Boy? You know, I when all hands are on deck, they're pretty darn good.

And you know, you like the fact that last week they were down a starting corner and starting safety and they had enough depth in the roster to, you know, to make necessary adjustments and hang in there and win a football game on a nationally televised broadcast of the NFL. So, you know, I think I think that they've got they've addressed a lot of their last week. Excuse me. Last year, I think there were more glaring weaknesses than there were things that you could count on. Now it's now, it's

like everything's been addressed, everything's been taken care of. You know, they've they've got they've got quality depth at just about every position group. And that's that's a that's a real tribute to the organization. Um, you know, the scouting department, the organization for for drafting them, and now the coaches for developing it and uh and the players for you know,

becoming cohesive and are very timely fashion. I think not only did they get players that that can play, but they get players that know what it's supposed to look like, and players that came from winning cultures, winning traditions, and players that are you know, from a personality standpoint, leaders rather than followers. They had too many players that didn't know what it was supposed to look like, and you know, uh didn't know who to follow, never mind where to go.

Last year it was it was a real problem. All right, Let's move on to the Green Bay Pack several years ago. The Bengals are getting ready to play a team that had one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. I don't remember if it was Drew Brees or Russell Wilson or Brady or who exactly it was, but I distinctly remember being in the locker room. Were gathered around Adam Jones locker. Somebody asks him if this great quarterback was

the best quarterback in the NFL. And like this disgusted look on his face happens and he goes, bro it's Aaron Rodgers. It ain't even close. What is it about Aaron Rodgers of all these great guys that it seems like people in the know, the people in the game point to that guy as the guy. You know, you look at all the attributes and all the boxes that Joe Burrow checks, Aaron Rodgers checks them, and a lot of them are check plus. You know, it's like checks

them like at the highest level. You can check him at I just you know, with him, his intelligence, his raw intelligence is on question is unquestioned. I mean, he's doing things like, you know, as he's getting a call from his sideline, he's looking at their sideline. If they're trying to sub lady, he's gonna quick snap and you know, pick up a penalty. Um, little things like the hard count.

He's the he might be the best hard count by that, I mean, you know, um, a non rhythmic cadence where he tries to draw the defensive lineman off side and instead of a hut hud hut. He's good, you know, he's and he's so good at it. And I mean to me. It's it's repetition again, mastering the mundane. If I'm an offensive lineman, that's hard to hold your water

when he's doing that. And you've got a defensive lineman who's got always waiting on his hand and he's trying to, you know, sprint off the football, and it's like, man, you know you want to make sure that you get a good jump too, but you can't. You don't want to blow the hard count opportunity. You may get a

free five yards. I don't know how many first downs he's generated by penalty on a third and five or less with that hardcount stuff, or making it you know, third and eight, a third and three, which is taking the free shot or taking the free shot. No question, how many touchdowns he's thrown, touchdown bombs he's thrown on the free shot, because he knows, no matter what happens, i've got five yards. You know, a worst case scenario, I'm getting a replay of the Donald. I'm picking up

five yards. So that's a good starting point. I'll take whatever shot I can take. So he is he's masterful with that stuff. And then his physical attributes are I've said it before, he is a guy that Usually when you watching most quarterbacks, they're feet and legs and arm and everything has to follow through in a perfect rhythm and a perfect sequence. This guy can be running towards the sideline and be facing the sideline with his legs

and upper torso and look down the football field. I saw him do it the first year we played up in Green Bay, and he just he's running to the left to the Green Bay sideline, sprinting, and he looks and he sees the see he breaking. It's put like thirty five forty yards down the field, out toward their towards their bench, and he snaps his shoulders around and squares him up and doesn't even do anything with his legs, continues to run towards the stiglite and throws his seed

in a very tight hole. They make the catch and tap tapping out of bounds. I was like, what did I just see? What I just saw? I mean that I've never seen anybody make a throw like that. I don't care who the guy was, how strong his arm was, the arm strength, the accuracy, all of it. And then he can he can change the velocity and feathery touch it. He's just so gifted. And the thing is he's not a stiff either. He can run around back there, he

extends creates. I mean he is the goat. I mean Tom Brady's the goat because of the number of years on all. But I'm talking about from a physical standpoint. If the Good Lord said I'm creating this the specimen here to show people how a quarterback should be able to throw a football, oh, Aaron Rodgers would be the guy. I thought it was amusing when I asked Zach Taylor today during that time period where it was unclear whether he's going to come back to Green Bay or not,

did you allow yourself to hope? And he was like, yeah, he was honest, he was hoping that a week five, Aaron Rodgers was no longer Remember the Green Bay Packers. Yeah, and Dan, I think the only thing I can attribute green Bay losing thirty eight to three to New Orleans is because of all that stuff that went on with Aaron Rodgers. I mean it was it was all too disheveled. Still, you know, there were too many uneven feelings about things, and you know, amongst even teammates, you know, Aaron in

the front office. I'm not sure about the coaching stuff. I'm not sure about how the players all, but the whole atmosphere was, you know, there was there was too much poison that needed to be spit out. It too, it was too toxic. But they got through it, and he knew it. I mean, La Fleur obviously was disgusted. You know, I'm disgusted, and Aaron Rodgers, I'm not gonna throw everybody under the bus. We had a bad game.

I'm not I'm not giving up in this group. I think he knew, based on everything that he was observing body language and interaction between teammates and stuff, that they weren't quite ready yet to take anybody on. But boy, they've they've gotten there quickly, and he certainly has, having lost since they've been averaging thirty points a game since.

So they're thirteen and three each of the last two years, made it to the NFC Championship Game and lost each of the last two years, once at home, once on the road. It's not just Aaron Rodgers, obviously. What are the other key strengths of this Green Bay team? Well, in my mind, Dan, they have two two tremendous workhorses. As such, Davante Adams leads the NFL and catches with thirty one and he's fifth in yards generated. And he is he's special. I mean, he's a he's a gifted receiver.

And the way he beats press coverage, the way he breaks routes at the top of the route, he's just he's a phenomenal route runner, just an extremely gifted player. And the other guy is Aaron Jones, not only running the football, but Aaron Jones. It goes in terms of overall targets, the wide receiver group is first running backs or second tight ends or third, and the running back that gets targeted the most and is the most productive is Jones. I mean he's second to Adams with thirteen

catches and he's got three touchdown catches. And Jones is also rushed for two touchdowns, so he's a touchdown maker for him. And I think that's going to be a big factor in this football game. Is the yak and rack, you know, yards after catch, run after catch. If Aaron Rodgers, if he can get Jones on a linebacker, and we've seen Joe Burrow hit people in stride and not make him have to work for the football, you know, stop reach back or whatever, and they have to start up again.

Just hit him in full stride. Aaron Rodgers can do that in spades. He hits Aaron Jones on the go in space. I think who's going to be the best tacklers? Which linebacker group? We have a young core of linebackers that have upgraded that position. When they get matched up on Aaron Jones, it's gonna be big. It's an extension of the running game. You're getting the ball out, it's like a long lateral to a great back in space. And who's going to be able to tackle and make place?

I think that's going to be a big factor in the football game. And on the flip side too, I think that you know, Bengals running backs can do the same thing on linebackers. Who's gonna who's gonna win that particular matchup Aaron Aaron Jones is He's very, very talented though. He's about as good at it as as you can as you can get really so I think that's going

to be a massive factor in the football game. And yeah, who's going to make Who's going to minimize the explosive and part And that's a big part of the explosive because you know, a fifty yard play doesn't always have to be forty eight yards in the air. It could be a you know, seven yard checkdown, make a guy missing off to the races for another forty So those

are those are equally explosive. I think tackling in space when you get matchups that the offense feels are favorable, you know, a fleet, elusive running back in space on a linebacker, how much damage will be done? I am really excited about this game. If the Bengals can go to go toe to toe with the Packers, even if they don't win, I think they can show that they're a team that can remain in the hunt until the

latter portion of the season. Yeah. And it's interesting, you know this is these numbers don't mean anything because none of the very few of these players were involved in any of these. But the last three matchups here in Cincinnati when Green Bay has come to Cincinnati has been a multiple years between each one of them, but it's been, you know, a touchdown or less scenario, and Rodgers was the quarterback the last time, and then Terence Newman something

like that. An unscripted score, a defensive score off fumble recovery. I mean, that's what you have to have to beat the Green Bay Packers, you know, and you know, I think turnovers are going to be massive in this football game. You can't give Aaron Rodgers extra possessions. You have to take possessions away from him if you possibly can, and

give more to Joe Burrow. You don't want to go out in that game saying Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense only had eight opportunities and Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense had ten. No can do And maybe it's fourth down again, I mean the Bengals. To me, it's it's it's equivalent if the drive that doesn't end with the kick click. We keep talking about a drive that doesn't end with an extra point field goal, U punt. That's that's big. That's almost equivalent to a turnover. It is.

It's like fumbling at the line of scrimmage and the other team recovers it. It's just like a turnover. So the Bengals have done a pretty good job in that area too, obviously, that was a huge factor in their last victory. But fourth down the opponent they've had four possessions that have ended without a kick. The opponents three for seven on fourth down. So the Bengals don't have a ton of takeaways. I mean, they've only taken it away four times, but they have four additional stops of

possessions end of possessions without a kick. So in my mind, you know, that's closer to you're talking about eight times. You know you've put your offense in better position and with the momentum, I think I think it's a big factor. Final thing, we did a show the day after the Jacksonville game and we discussed urban Meyer's decision to go for it on fourth and one or fourth and goal from the one obviously didn't work late in the second quarter of that game. You came down on the side

of bad decision by urban Meyer. I said, I still think it was a good decision, even though the result was bad. Here's my question. You thought it was a bad decision. Was that urban Meyer's worst decision that weekend? I think one might have led to the other. I think it was Oh my gosh, I blew that. I'm gonna have to go. I'm gonna have to go chill a little bit. I'm gonna let my hair down and let everything down. My yeah, I mean I can see I can see why he did it because the defense

is pitching a shout out. You know, It's like, okay, you know, my defense is playing so well. You know, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna put them. I can see why he went for it. But the defense is playing so well, I'd go up by three scores, you know, I don't know. The bottom line is what he did after that decision, the decision, after the decision, that's they should do. ESPN should do a documentary on that decision,

not the Lebron James decision. Should do a documentary on the urban Meyer decision that led to the decision that led to dead man walking, that led to when is he going to get fired? There's odds on where he's going to have his next coaching job, odds on who's going to be the next head coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars. What a mess down there. And I do know that Bengals defensive coach Mark Duffner had an opportunity. He lives in Jacksonville, head coached in Jacksonville prior could have been

the linebacker coach at Jacksonville. Thank goodness, Mark Dufter came to Cincinnati. It is not part of that knifemare down there, because that's exactly what it is right now. It is a nightmare down there. It is a cess pool. Right now, things appear to be trending up for the Bengals where injuries are concerned. Three guys that miss the Jacksonville game, Jesse Bates, Te Higgins and chitabe O Wooje all practiced on Wednesday, and Ricardo Allen was also cleared to practice

after missing three games with a hand injury. Joe Mixon didn't practice after twisting his ankle versus the Jags, but he's considered day to day and hasn't been ruled out for Sunday. The picture is not as rosie for the Packers who have significant injury problems. That's where we begin our know the faux segment. But Pete Doherty from the Green Bay Press Gazette, he joined lapping Me this week on the Bengals Game Plan show. Yeah, there's they've been

hit really hard the last two years. They have had great injury luck. I mean that's one of the things that has helped them get to these two championship games. Was and put up those thirteen and three records. Was they were really healthy. And they did lose Box Try right at the end of last year. And he's still on pupie, so they don't have him, but they hit they Darius Smith missed, you know, he's our best rusher by fire, and he missed all but one day at camp.

He played like eighteen snaps or so in the first game, and then the headback surgery last week. He's probably done for the year. He's a really important player. M basically

the guy that can't afford to loses Rodgers. After that, it's Zadarius Smith and Alexander And I just can't imagine Alexander is going to play this week and they're still the side and what to do when they're trying to avoid surgery, which tells you because he's a shoulder injury, which tells you that this isn't just going to be a couple of weeks thing. He's probably gonna be out for a little while even if he doesn't have the surgery.

So um, they're gonna have to learn to play without their two most important and win without their two most important defensive players for a while here. Yeah, that's a that's a significant blow offensively. I guess my first question is, you know the effect the Aaron Rodgers effect when you know all that went on, Willy come to camp? Will he not? Willy? Is he going to retire? Well? And that certainly's not going to happen. But the whole thing is that the reason a thirty eight to three football

game against the New Orleans Saints took place. I mean, were the guy's heads just in bad spots and Aaron Rodgers, you know, he basically coached. Laflor said that was embarrassing, and Aaron Rodgers like, not embarrassing. We just didn't play well. We're gonna be fine, you know, just like the R. E. L. A X deal. And he comes out and they went

three football games, averaging over thirty points a game. Was it the Aaron Rodgers hangover the reason for the New Orleans debacle or what do you think the reason was? You know, I wouldn't be surprised if that were part of it. I personally think the bigger thing was, you know,

he had a really good camp. They brought back, they did all these contract restructures to bring everybody back, you know, They came into this feeling like they've got as good a shout at the Super Bowl as anybody, And I think they went into that New Orleans game thinking they're just going to show up and do what they do, and you know, New Orleans is just you know, New Orleans was playing in Jacksonville, they were training in Houston.

You know, I think they just thought they were going to walk all over those guys and they ran into a really really good coach and just got crushed. And I think that was a real eye opener for him that they can't just show up and win games. So I think that was the bigger factor. But I don't doubt that some of the Rodgers stuff. Who knows what effects that has guys on guy's mentality. Like I said, Rogers looked really good in camp. I mean, he played well as well in this camp as he's had in

any camp. Not same with his best, but it was as good as any So, you know, I think the biggest part of it was they just got really really full of themselves. And they still haven't played great, but they've improved each week and they're winning without Zadarius Smith and now they have a real tough test against them against you know, a Cincinnati team with a good young quarterback that's put up a lot of points and yards early in the season. Pete Doherty is our guest from

the Green Bay Press Gazette. I feel like I've got a pretty good grasp, Pete on the strengths of the Green Bay Packers. Obviously Aaron Rodgers first and foremost, but Davante Adams and Aaron Jones, etc. What do you consider to be their biggest question mark right now? Well, there's a couple of them. Even you know, before all the injuries. Their d line is not real talented. Kenny Clark is a very good player, but after him, they just don't

have a lot of talent there. So I think that could be that was an issue early and they played really well against the forty nine ers and not bad last week. But I still think it's going to be an issue as the season goes on and they may need to go get help there. Their linebacker inside linebacker position to Andre Campbell's pretty good, but after that, if they go with two of the two inside guys like

in their nickel, it's not so hot. And then Alexander injury is just devastating for their defense because he's a really good corner and you know, those guys are just like it, just as important as pass rushers. And behind him, you know, they're not so great either. Their first round pick, Eric Stokes has really improved a lot and since the started camp, and he's their next best corner. And then there there's just not a ton of ability after that either.

So there's the domino effect of a losing Alexander is big two. So they they've got a lot of weak, weakish points on their on defense. What about the offensive line, Pete, You've got a couple of rookies, you know at center and right guard. Billy Turner, I think is you know, I mean, the Miami Dolphins waived him, but he's he's a battler and he's he's had a very good NFL career in terms of years service. Jenkins with the ankle injury,

how about Jenkins? Will he be able to go? And looking at initially looking at some tape, I thought Runyon looked like maybe he was playing at the best level. I don't know, maybe I didn't see enough tape. But what's the offensive line looking like? So Jenkins, he's missed the last two games with the ankle, and he did not practice today. He's a vet, so they'll give him all week, but the smart money says he won't play again this week either. Um, they're young line. They got

a rookiet center, Josh Meyers. They got a rookie at guard, right guard, Roy s Newman. Both of those guys have been fine. Their line has played fine. It's it's not an issue at all. I'm sure those guys are making mistakes as rookies that they won't make two years from now, but they both have ability and they're both doing just fine. So their their line has been okay. It hasn't been a big issue. It'll get better when Bak comes back

and Jenkins can move to left guard. And you know, if if Jenkins doesn't play, Yosh Niman will be their left tackle. And I'm sure you've never heard of them, and he's They got to help him some, but he's done okay the last two weeks. In Turner, you know, they paid him a lot of money. He's averaging seven million bucks a year. They signed him as a free agent a couple of years ago, and they hible were paid to get him. But you know, he's he's improved even in his time here, and he played a good game.

You know, he basically you know, Watt had two sacks, but they were both garbage sacks. One was where he tripped Rogers with his foot and the other one where Rodgers ran around and slid and Watt was the nearest guy, so he got he got the sack. But but you know, Turner went against him almost the entire game and did a really nice job against him. So their lines fine, it's probably not quite as good as last year, but maybe by the end of the year will be. They

got ability there, and it's fine. Um, it's you know, it's not the reason for any struggles they're having. That's not the reason. A couple more questions for Pete Doherty from the Green Bay Press Gazette. I'm amazed by Davante Adams. He's not that big, he's six one, not that fast rant of four or five six at the combine. But he might be the best wide receiver in the NFL. Why is he so incredibly good? Yeah, and all that stuff is true and made you wonder, But he's guess,

got ridiculous body control. He's really strong, he's really good at His cuts are so sharp and he can stop and cut just on a dime, like like nobody else in the league maybe except for the really small guys. So he's got a little bit of size and he plays like a little guy that way. He can sky,

he can jump, and he's um. He wants to be great, and he's really dedicated to his craft and his chemistry with with Rogers has is just you know, there was a couple of throws the other day last week against the Steelers where it was just like, you know, they're back shoulder throws and it's like there's no defending that. You know, I don't care who's out there on him. So that the timing playing with a great quarterback helps too.

But he's just he's just got a great mix of talent and want to and intelligence and all that stuff. Zach Taylor and Matt Lafleur were on the same coaching staff. Zach Taylor was effusive in his praise of Matt Lafleur.

Has Matt Lafleur had any comments about Zach Taylor during the course of the week at this stage, you know, I don't know that he was asked about him on Monday, and I did not see today's press conference, so I'm not sure if he was asked, but they do go back and I know there it sounds like I know I saw a quote from him somewhere, so that must have been today where you know he's still he considers Taylor a very good friend of his, and a lot of that in this league right now with Nick Bay

and Shanahan and him and the guy down at White down in Tennessee. So we're not Tennessee Atlanta, so there's a lot of guys off of that, you know, all that staffs that work together and they're all running the same system and it's spreading like wildfire that the league seems like every week they're playing somebody that La Floor used to coach with. Thanks to Pete Doherty. And here's a quick reminder to tune into the Bengals pep Rally Show this Friday from three to six on ESPN fifteen thirty.

I'll be broadcasting U see football game on Friday, so Lap We'll be joined by Wayne box Miller. That's going to do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth podcast, brought to you by bud Light Seltzer refreshed the game. If you haven't done so already, please subscribe and if you have a minute, give it a rating or share a comment that helps more Bengals fans find this podcast. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for listening to the Bengals Booth podcast