Bengals Booth Podcast: Crazy Train

and the latest Bengals news. This week's one on one player interview is actually a one on two conversation as I speak to close pals Giovanni Bernard and c J Uzama. It's CJ's first interview since tearing his achilles, so we will discuss that. But we'll also talk about a fun contest they're involved with and provide details for how you can sign up to win, and in our Know the Faux segment, we'll get the latest news of Cleveland from our pal Zack Jackson, who covers the team for the Athletic.

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 write to your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or pod Bean. It's the greatest thing since not being harassed by political campaigns. As if the NonStop attack ads on TV weren't bad enough, now I'm getting several text messages a day asking for my vote.

I don't know how they got my phone number, but I am extremely annoyed by it, and I tweeted the following response on Wednesday. Dear political candidates, I can promise you that there is not a single voter who wants a text message from a strange number asking for our vote. Please stop sending them. Sincerely, everybody. Based on your responses,

I was right when I said everybody. Now time to bring in my broadcast partner, Dave Lapham lap As you know, I started my broadcasting career as a minor league baseball announcer after graduating from Syracuse back in the late nineteen eighties. This was pre internet, and when I would travel on the road with my minor league baseball team, had a lot of time to kill on the road during the day so I'd do my homework, I'd go for a run, i might read part of a book. And every day

I watched The Young and the Restless. I am not proud to admit that now that is the only soap opera I have ever watched. Susan Lucci, now that's I think she was on All My Children Children different soap. So that's the only soap opera I have ever watched. Until now, I feel like I am watching one all of a sudden. With the Bengals, We've got Carlos Dunlab doing live Instagram feeds to complain about his role. We have people trying to read aj Green's lips when he's

on the bench. We have John Ross's agent asking to be traded. It seems like the feel good portion of the Joe Burrow era did not last very long. Yeah, I just think. I mean earlier in the week, I asked both Zach and Lou and Rumo if social media was opinioned, because we never had to deal with that, and I think social media it's players don't even have to go through the media like Carlos did when he basically connived his press conference to announce that he wasn't

starting anymore, did you go right to social media? So as a head coach, it's a different ball game, it is a different arena and guys right now, you know, bottom line is and I know I'm old school, because I'm old I understand. But instead of wasting your energy going on social media and trying to do whatever you're doing, just play, play hard, Just play, Go to the coach and say where am I deficient? What do I need

to do better? How come I can't get snaps or you know, try to get on the same page with the guy and find and just improve on things you need to improve on. Go out and play. And it drives me nuts right now that Gino Atkins isn't in the same sentence with Carlos Dunlap. I think that's irresponsible. Gino Atkins is not Gino Atkins wants to play. Gino Atkins had a hell of a training camp. Gino Atkins was primed and ready to go, and unfortunately he got hurt and he didn't want to talk about it, and

the coaches don't want to talk about it. So all these assumptions and all these it's a bigger, bigger deal than it is Why didn't he get surgery? Why didn't he go on ir? Why don't he do this? Why don't you do that? Well, maybe he wanted to try to play, that's why he didn't have surgery. Maybe he's you know, it's gone longer than he wanted it to go because he didn't have surgery and he's trying to rehab it. But I know one thing after watching him

in training camp, he wanted to play. And the problem flat out with Carlos Dunlap, the reason they don't want you in on defensive run snaps is you're taking the easy way out. Instead of squeezing the tackle into a gap, you're running up the football field and making the whole naturally taking the easy way out doing things of that nature. Coaches would not have a guy take a guy off a football field if he's their best option. Bledsoe it doesn't have one iota of the athletic ability that Carlos

Dunlap has. And you don't have to be a great athlete to give good effort. And so that's why they're playing other guys and the line of scrimmage to stop run snaps and to put Geno Atkins situation in the same sentence as Carlos Dunlap. Situation is ludicrous, in my humble apo, ludicrous. They're totally different. So people that are saying Geno Is doesn't want to play, he's you know, milking it, or whatever accusations are being made, you flat

out say that's nonsense. The only reason he has not done well so far is that he's just slow coming back from a legitimate shoulder injury. Exactly exactly, he's not able to go. If you I mean, I know, I've had a shoulder problem and tried to play. It's a bitch. I mean, there's nothing tougher. And for him to try to do what he does as a defensive tackle with

a legitimate shoulder injury, not knowing the severity. I don't know what the severity of it is, but I remember I've tried to play with a separated shoulder, and man, it was. It's tough. It's tough. I mean, you're you're you know, you're gritting your teeth and fighting through it every single snap. And I did take a shot in the shoulder. I took a shot at halftime, you know, before the game and at halftime of the game. And

it's still. I mean that night, you know, and in bed, throbbing away, not able to sleep, you thinking, man, you know what do I do now? So, I mean it's tough and uh, you know Geno Atkins. In my mind, if Geno Atkins didn't want to play, did not want to have a season with the Cincinnati Band, he wouldn't have had the training camp he had. I mean, we talked about it a few times to winch you know, man, he's Gino's busting it. Gino's working. He was, he was

primed and ready. It's sad that he got hurt. But don't put him in the same sentence as the Carlos Dunlap situation. To me, that's not responsible. Gino's got two years left on his deal twelve point two million next year, thirteen point four five the following year. Carlos has one year left eleven point two five mill. Not a big dead cap situation. If they let Carlos go at the end of this year, it would be a big dead cap hit if they let Gino go at the end

of this year. Can Geno Atkins still be good enough? Maybe not as good as he once was was, but still good enough to be worth it at those prices. Geno Atkins at the end of last year when he made the Pro Bowls, that really Gino knew he didn't have a great year, and he worked as off in the off season and came back and had an unbelievable, really strong training camp. He was ready to get after it again. He made it on reputation and in his mind, he knows that when he made his eighth Pro Bowl,

but he was ready to have another year. So I do think. I mean I thought watching him in twenty nineteen, I thought, teez, you know, maybe it's the end. He just he didn't. There was no suddenness, no explosion. It looked like the gas in the tank was, you know, draining, And for whatever reason, he resurrected himself and and came back and was ready to roll this year. So it will, it will. It have to be diminished obviously for this

year for sure. If that shoulder is as big a problem as it appears to be that he's missing the number of games that he's missing or not able to participate at a higher level, If he were able to participate at a higher level, he'd be doing it. He would be doing it. The coaches would you know the coaches would say, I'll guarantee you that they're probably medical people, and coach are telling the coaches to not overdo it with them. He's not telling the coaches to not overdo

it with them. In my opinion, that's the way. That's the way it is. A couple of weeks ago, things didn't look good for AJ Green. He had a hamstring injury and spent the second half on the bench. He admittedly loafed after a pass thrown for him was intercepted, and according to the lip readers out there, he was on the bench asking for a trade. He denied it. We'll never know if that's what he was saying, but in any case, this past week AJ was terrific. He

was targeted eleven times. He had eight catches just under one hundred yards, and those catches came in huge situation second and long, third and long, fourth and long. AJ

was the go to guy for Joe Burrow. Here are a couple of his fellow wide receivers T Higgins and Tyler Boyd on AJ's first big game in a couple of years, seeing him get his confidence back, having him, you know, have a good game like that, is um really good for him and his confidence, you know, just to get him rolling, and you know the offense is gonna be rolling now. I knew his game was gonna come and and all it took was one game, you know, and I felt he played good at the beginning the

first game, second game. You know, his number just wasn't Aj Green numbers. You know, sometimes uh you won't have them big games like everybody used to see him do. That's why a lot of people criticize his performance, you know, but I felt that he always played great. You know, it stayed detailed and he did we had to do to keep the change rolling. Whenever his name is called, then you know he's gonna make that play. And then

now he's starting to rally up. And now the offense is it looked like it just looked like an overall great offense when you see all three of us out there dominant, and that's the offense everybody wanted to see. But I don't think uh Aj was held back or it was was anything wrong with him. I just felt like it's just just the game just had to come

to him. As great as Aj Green is having time pro bowler, certainly one of the top three wide receivers in Bengals history, along with Chad Johnson and Isaac Curtis. He's human. He needed a performance like that desperately he did. And actually to see him smile during the course of that game was huge because he kind of admitted he was in his own head and he got out of his own head and he just said, I got to

start having fun again. And if you play this game making quote business decisions where you're playing not to get hurt, you're gonna get hurt. You're gonna get hurt. And that's on that play, the interception where he said, you know, he loathed what he did. He saw the interception and he started looking around, like who's going to hit me?

And then just went, you know, north and stous instead of Easton was to put a hit on the guy and went north and south to make sure that he cleared all the all the potential damage of the play. And that that's uncharacteristic and totally foreign to what aj Green's all about. The guys on the Mount rushmore of great players in franchise history and deserves to be there. And I'm just glad that at two things, I was impressed that he called himself out and then after doing that,

he went out and played and played great. So I think I think there was a Catharsis moment there when it happened during the game and when his reaction was silent obviously on the on the bench, and I'm sure his wife, his dad is, you know, his mom's dad. Everybody's like, what are you doing? It's not you, And he thought about it and it's not me. And then he had the Wednesday press pressor on zoom where that's not me, and I got to start doing things differently

and play the way I can play. And he went out and did it. So hats off to AJ Green on characteristic mistake made restitution for it. I wish other guys. I wish Employee ninety six would have a Catharsis pressor and say, you know what I have been, Uh, I can give better effort than I've given. I'm going to go out and do it. And then he's had some Catharsis. He just hasn't said that. No, not that type of not the right Catharsis that I'm looking for. But yeah,

I mean, um, it was. It was really good to see to see AJ involved in like you has said on your question when we were talking to Zach that his catchers were you know, are Joe. His catchers were second, third, and long fourth down. Had to have had keep a game, you know, a possibility of winning a football game alive. And he stepped up and made big plays in big moments. That's AJ, I'll tell you something outside liked. So he comes on the zoom after the game to talk to reporters.

Eight catches, ninety six yards, kind of a feel good moment despite the loss. His response to the first question, I should have played the deep ball better. Could have been a forty four yard touchdown pass. He tried to show late hands. That's become the big topic this year, instead of going up trying to go over the guy, maybe draw pass interference. So that's the AJ that we're

accustomed to. That is and that's interesting because on bengalstein Way had Bob mcnell on as a guest, and Bob mcnell on that play said, you know, he did try to do the late hands thing instead of going up to to you know, to aggressively attacked the football. He said, the reason I thought when I saw it, and it was confirmed on tape that he decided not to do that. He was really close to the sideline, So if you go airborne, now you've lost control where you are on

the field and staying on the ground. He felt like he had better control being so tight to the sideline, and he said, I really I'm not going to grade him down from not going airborne because of where he was real estate wives on the football field. So I thought that was pretty interesting. But again AJ's first reaction, okay, I was okay, but I'm still gonna be self deprecating. I'm still gonna say, hey, I can be better. I love that. Love it. With Odd and Tate out last

week with a sore's shoulder, John Ross was active. He was in for one snap on offense. It was a running play, so for the season his contribution remains minimal. Two catches for seventeen yards. They both came in the season opener against the LA Chargers, and now word comes that his agent has requested a trade. John is in the final year of his contract after being ninth pick in the draft. Here is his friend and teammate, Tyler

Boyd and what John Ross is going through. I mean, it's tough, you know, I've been in that situation before, and I know how it is. You know. What I told him is just just just to be him, you know, don't let nobody uh categorize you and tell you what

you are and what you are not. So I mean for for for him, you know, just just just just to stay ready, you know, no matter what, you know, if you feel like we're not going to use you or whatever the case may be, at the end of the day, you see a football player, you know, that's never that's not going to change regardless, you know. And and and one of these weeks, I feel like it's gonna be a week for John, just like I've said for for AJ. You know, you never know what can

happen in the receiver room, you know. So I just feel like he's been doing pretty good, you know. I don't. I just just don't want him to start putting his head down. But I haven't seen it, so I think he's he's good so far. So his agent has requested the trade. Should the Bengals trade John Ross, I don't know what the market would be. Honestly, it's like he was the ninth pick the draft. I don't know what

they could get. If they try to trade him, and I think teams are gonna they're gonna they're not gonna re up them. I mean, they know they're gonna let them go. So I'm not sure anybody would offer anything. I don't know what kind of trade value there would be right at this point in time for John Ross. That's that's a big, big issue. It's not going to

be high. I mean, people would be silly to think they would get a high draft pick, but I personally think that somebody would give up a late pick just to roll the dice on that speed, particularly if you're not one of the first five or six to have a shot at him. Well, actually he'll be a free agent, so everybody can bid. But if you want to say, okay, let me try to get him and see if I

can get him signed for less market value. Then if he goes out there and if there is if there's more than one person that wants him, his market value is a little bit better if you can get him in a trade and say to him, look, you know, we'll only do this to his agent. We'll only do this if we can extend the contract. We'll make the trade, but we don't want to have him be a free agent as soon as you know, he finishes the season with us, let's get let's get a deal done. Now

the agent has to decide, what the hell do I do? Now, you know, I don't see that happening. I mean, it's to me, I don't know why I would trade for a guy, though, with ten games left in the season, who has shown that you know, he's he's spotty at best with hands. But you said many times and I can agree with you reverses Ali screens. There's got to

be a package. Somebody is probably sitting out there saying, I'll take him and put together this little package and compliment what I've got from my receiver group, particularly a team that's struggling at the receiver position and has an offense like the Baltimore Riggans. And now they never trade him in the division obviously, But the New England Patriots,

you know, are a team that they're saying. The Green Bay Packers supposedly have an interest in John Ross, and you know, I could see them creating a package with with Aaron Rodgers for John potentially. So I guess it's you know, it's not out of the realm of possibility, although I would deem it highly unlikely. I'm not sure that Mike Brown would pull the trigger on a trade. And then people will say, well, why wouldn't you if he's not part of your future, why not get anything?

Assuming that somebody would flip you a late pick just because they're seduced by the speed, I guess the argument against would be, well, so then what happens when Aj Green pulls Hampshire? Yeah, Aj gets hurt or God forbid, another of your top receivers gets hurt. You want to have that guy available. I guess that's the argument against that. That's the obvious argument against, no question about it. And you know the way they get hit by injury at positions,

and it spreads like a virus. You know, allowed defensive tackle this year or left tackle last year. Man you just never know. I would say that that is certainly a case where you should be talking to every team just to find out what the market would bear. I agree, there's no sense, there's no harm. I should say in doing research, there's no harm whatsoever and seeing what the

market will give. Let's face it, if you look back at the Bengals one four and one start, they could have been perhaps should have been four and two, could have have the Chargers game in Week one, shouldn't have lost or shouldn't have tied against the Eagles in their first road game of the year, and then last week up by twenty one early in the second quarter. That's a game you can't let get away. Unfortunately they did. Here's veteran Josh Bines on that one four and one start.

We definitely should be, definitely, for sure be a four and two team right now. You'll take the bow whip in the Ravens and the Cleveland of course as a learning lesson, But we just gotta learn how to finish these games, and then the conversation is different that we're having right now, and right now it just it just sucks, you know, because I feel like we're a better team than that. It just didn't make them one play or

two players. We've needed important to come down to stretch to win the game, and that's what we haven't done this season. I haven't learned how to finish in all phases, and I just, you know, it just sucks to know that we're that close, really to be in such a great team and just to fall short and the record says otherwise, and actually, you know, than what we know

we capable of. I don't know that the Bengals are that close to being a great team, as Josh Bunes just said, but they are that close to being a middle of the pack team as opposed to a one, four and one team. I agree. And if those had gone that way, the entire AFC North would be four and two were better, and the Bengals and Browns would be planned to be five and two potentially. I mean,

think about that. I mean, the AFC North could have potentially been the most top to bottom, the strongest division in football by far, say four four plays, and it's not just you know, like the press conference this morning, it was asked to Zach, what are the four plays? It's not a specific play in any game, there's a myriad. There's maybe fifteen plays. If any one of fifteen plays goes differently, the ultimate score is totally different. And you

know it is. It's it's ten to fifteen plays in every one of those games that we're talking about, you know, the tie in overtime, the loss to the Chargers at the conclusion, I mean the obvious one. You know, we hit the field goal from thirty one yards, interferences interference or it should have been um, you know, offsetting penalties and replay the down, you know, I mean, there's and and that's just the two the two biggest at the end of the football game, during the course of the game.

That's why when I would lose close football games as part of a team, man, I think, you know, okay, sixty five snaps, how many had how many? How many of them if I did something differently? How many times did I influence a play that could have gone much better that didn't, that might have determined the game? And you can come up with a ton of them, a ton of them if you're honest with yourself. And that's what you have to do as a you know, as a member of a team that's struggling, What can I

do to make it better? How do I change the outcome of these football games? If everybody takes that approach, it's not selfish. It's like, now, all of a sudden, you have the entire team elevating a level of play to be better, to be better and going to win more football games. That's the bottom line. The Bengals Booth podcast is presented by Bud Light Seltzer. It's light and

refreshing with a hint of fruit flavor. We've got a rematch coming up on Sunday as the Bengals host the Browns, a team they lost to on Thursday Night Football in Week two, thirty five to thirty. It was an eventful night for c j Uzama. In the second quarter, he was on the receiving end of Joe burrows first NFL touchdown pass, but in the fourth quarter he suffered a

season ending achilles injury. Recently, I had the opportunity to talk to cj his first interviews and suffering the injury, and the conversation also included his close pal Giovanni Bernard, because the two of them are getting together for a fun sweepstakes that you could win. They have been teammates for six years in Cincinnati. They have become great friends

during that time period. Two guys who are better together running back Giovanni Bernard and tight end cj Uzama, and they are involved in a really fun idea in association with Fifth Third Bank that we will get to in just a moment. But CJ, we obviously have to start with you and your injury. You were off to a great start when you tour your achilles in week two. How are you doing physically and emotionally? I'm doing well. I've had a great support system with me, and my

parents have come and helped me out. My friends, my teammates have been lifting me up, checking up, checking in with me, just making sure I'm fine. So yeah, obviously I'm upset because I want to help him as much as I can. But yeah, you know, I'm looking forward to coming back stronger next year, and right now just kind of being a leader and a voice in the locker room still and then going into meetings and helping out where I can. Jil, I assume you are one

of the guys who has been checking in. How is he missed? On and off the field? Overall, he's a demeanor. Just having him around the locker room, having him from the huddle always brings a you know, a character, a happy guy. No matter what's going on in the field, he's gonna, you know, have that smile on his face and just be out there and just you know, trying

to support his teammates. And um, he's continuing to do that. Yeah, not that many people, you know, not that many guys, you know, if they get hurt for the entire or they're out for the entire year, or showing up the meeting. So that's one way that CJ's definitely stayed in it. UM. I know for me when I tore my IC, I was not in any type of meeting. UM. I know I was just going, you know, to the rehab room and that was about it. UM. So big ups to CJ for that, just being in the meetings and obviously

keeping that role, keeping that that figure there all the time. Well, Geo, you referenced the ACL. You tore your ACL twice once in college, once in the NFL. What advice do you have for CJ about attacking rehab. Well, I think it's one advice they can give to me, was I should have been in the meetings. But I think the biggest thing is really is just staying in it. And he's done a really good job of that obviously, just by obviously going to the meetings, by coming into the building.

And I just continue to be himself no matter what, whether you know football is there or not, He's going to be that same guy each and every single day. Before your injury, CJ you were on the receiving end of Joe Burrow's first NFL touchdown pass. I want to ask you about the celebration. Was that inspired by Gladiator? Was that a soccer celebration? What exactly was that arms upraised maneuver of yours? Yeah, I'm not gonna lie to you. I have absolutely no idea. And then the crowds are booing.

So then I kept my hands up obviously, and I was like, yeah, yeah, I'm just gonna keep doing this. It seems appropriate. Yeah. I don't know, honestly, I don't know where that came from. I was just spur of the moment. Yeah, are you not entertained? That's what it was. Yeah, I'll say that. I'll say that for now. I mean I'll say that for sure now because it does make sense. Let's talk about the Fifth third Bank Family Game Night Sweepstakes.

I wish I was eligible, because one lucky family is going to win the opportunity to spend an evening playing family friendly games from the comfort of their home with the two of you guys through a video hook up, and Fifth Third Bank is also going to deliver a delicious dinner to the lucky family. What types of games. Are you guys up for CJ. Let's start with you. I'm up for anything. Um. You know, I'm you know, right now, I'm a little uh, you know, impaired, so

I will have a little more time to prepare for this. Um. And I'm looking forward to beating Geo again at everything. You know, there's only one person that does well in his family and games, and it's his wife. Um, She's the real winner in that family. So I'm ready to beat Geo and anything. Um. No, I'm looking forward to it. I do enjoy games. I've grown up playing games with my family, card game, board games doesn't really matter. M pretty competitive, so it's another thing I can beat Gero

and how about Jo. Yeah, I think it's just gonna be a competitive night. Um. I don't think everything is gonna be about beating CJ. In my opinion, I think that's kind of where my mind's gonna be at. Um. But obviously it's gonna be a fun time. Obviously, a way for us to interact with our fans. I think that's the biggest thing with kind of uh, kind of

what's going on in the world right now. It's an opportunity for us to really engage with our fans and just to have a good night, especially with you know, just all the things that are going on. Um, it just gives us a chance to you know, meet new people and just to really take their minds off of you know what, you know, what the world is going through right now. So it'll be fun. I'm excited about it.

I'm obviously excited to you know, play games. It's kind of been a thing for me, uh, me and CJ obviously, just to be able to play games. I know where they call of duty people, Um, but I don't know if that's a family, family type of game. But um, I think we'll just have fun with whatever they put in front of us. You should you should ask you should ask you who won the last game that we played? Hey, geo, who won the last game that you two guys played? And so we had to stop the game. But who won?

That's a whole other story. But who you didn't win? Bro, what are you talking about? No, no, no no, no, it doesn't count. We there was something that happened outside that we had to take care of the dog. And no, we're not going into this story. See game two guys are obviously going to be very competitive with each other. But let's say the winning family has a couple of

young kids and you're playing family games with them. Will you be humble in victory and gracious in defeat or are you going to go at it with these families regardless of how young and innocent the children are. There's no such thing as being okay with losing. So I don't think there would be happy moments whatsoever or if we lose. So who's ever going to be in this contest with us? We're definitely gonna hopefully not be as sort of losers, but we'll have a good time. It'll

be fun. I'm excited about it. I think I think it depends on the age. You know, if they're if they're super young, I'm just gonna be like, hey, good job man. You know, if they're if they're fifth grade and above, maybe second grade, because I don't know, it just depends. It depends. I'll feel I'll fill off the crowd um. But yeah, no, Mercy exactly exactly going to lose this one. This fifth Third Bank Virtual Family Game Night is obviously going to be a thrill for the

Lucky family. But you touched on this GEO. It will be fun for you guys to interact with fans again. How much have you missed having big crowds at your games? For sure? Um, well, we obviously had a little bit of the crowd. Our second game was Yeah, it was the second game. Yeah, the second game here and obviously in the state of Ohio, just passing another one where we will allow a little bit more fans. So um, obviously it's it's instant advantage to have fans, especially right now.

But you know, the biggest thing is, you know, we want to be able to to just accommodate and just have fun and let those fans see, you know, kind

of what we've been working out. Obviously, this hasn't really been the season now we wanted, but we can obviously turn it around and having the fans there, having the fans be able to experience that with us is obviously something that we miss and uh, this is obviously just an opportunity for the fans to get to see us, you know, off the field and just to be able to be with us. Um. So yeah, it'll be exciting.

I think the main thing is I keep even now, I keep getting tweets and mentions of Man, I just wish we could go to the to the games and things of that nature. So I think especially with our fans, and you know what, you know, they believe in what we believe in. You know, we believe that. Um, we're we're on the up and up right now, and they believe in us in that. So you know, like Joe said,

it's it's a huge factor, you know, having our fans there. Um, having people you know, hit me up saying, hey, man, I'll sneak into your bag and you know, go into the stands just to heck with the other team type stuff. It's it's awesome. So, um, you know, I'm with Geo. It's, um, it's a huge blow to not have fans, and it's it's tough to to not see our our our orangine black up there just cheering for us. All right. It

is the fifth Third Bank Family Game Night Sweepstakes. To enter, go to the fifth Third Bank website five three dot com slash bangals. Be sure to enter by November fifth for your chance to win. And you guys are going to promote this on social media as well. Correct, Yeah, we'll be blasting out some stuff just let you know, both both my fans and CJ's fans to know, you know, really where they can go to enter and just you

be a part of this. I think it's just an opportunity for us to just really engage, and it's obviously a relief for us to to kind of get away from all the football stuff and to just really have a good time. I'm going to try to get included into the video hookup so I can witness this. I don't know if that'll be allowed or not, but it should be a great night for the Lucky family. GEO, best of luck the rest of the year. Cej On

behalf of all Bengals fans. We wish you a full and speedy recovery and enjoy the camaraderie even though you won't be able to participate for the rest of this year. I appreciate the Thank you, Dan appreciate it. Man once again to sign up for your chance to spend an evening playing family friendly games with GEO and CJ from the comfort of your home, go to five three dot com slash Bengals and be sure to enter by November fifth.

Now time for our know the Faux segment. The Cleveland Browns are four and two under new head coach Kevin Stefanski. Their wins are against Cincinnati, Washington, Dallas, and Indianapolis. Their two losses are the AFC North foes Baltimore and Pittsburgh. They lost to the Ravens thirty eight to six. The Pittsburgh game was closer, that was thirty eight to seven. Zach Jackson covers the Browns for The Athletic and he

joined lapping me on the Bengals Game Plan show. Zach, we have seen this Baker Mayfield guy now five times in person, and for the most part, he's been really impressive. But then I read your stories and I listen to your podcast and there's this other Baker Mayfield guy who isn't good. Tell me about that guy. Yeah, the Bengals have boosted Baker Mayfield stats. You know, guys. The one I remember would be late in the two thy eighteen season down in Cincinnati when the Browns just looked like

they had turned the corner. Remember that game was over in about two possessions and they just did everything that they wanted to. It's been inconsistent, you know, and organizationally, they haven't done him any favors without with all the change, and you know, we know how last year turned out, because really this is what three times in seven games these teams have played, because they played the season finale last year. But he has struggled. Accuracy was his calling

cards and again he's kind of lost it. The simple throws has not been easy, and as you guys know that that makes everything more complicated. And as I look at this week, you know, the Browns just really ran it all over. They did throw it early, but they really ran it all over the Bengals in the first meeting, and Nick chubbs on the shelf and Wyatt tell her the right guard who had been a revelation is on the shelf. So they're gonna need Baker Mayfield. Maybe seeing

those helmets will bring out the best in him. But you know, the Browns had a bunch of momentum and it all came crashing down last week. So we're going to see how they pick up the pieces. And I certainly think anybody who's watching with any interest at all

in the Browns is watching the quarterback first. Yeah, watching the quarterback first, and then a guy that's going to catch everybody's attention, as Miles Garrett because it doesn't matter who he's playing against, he seems to be, you know, affected in the game in some way, shape or form.

And when I look at that relationship, it's an interesting one because he had the obviously the meltdown issue against the Steelers, and the organization stayed right behind him and they said, you know, he's our guy, We're going to give him a big contract. I think that if I'm if I'm Miles Garrett, it's like, you know what, this Cleveland Brown organization, now I'm gonna play. I'm gonna play my tail off for these guys. They stood behind me, they give me a ton of money. It seems to

be a two way street relationship. What's it like? Do you think? Yeah, it's it's full trust in Miles. You know last year lap On that Thursday night, it was not only stunning that it happened, it was super stunning that it was Miles because there's just nothing in his background, temperament, anything to indicate that. But what you guys saw from him four or five weeks ago set him on his hair where he did that four games in a row, he made at least one game changing play, and I

think it's just consistency. You know, what was the next step for him, just getting comfortable being healthy, playing a full season. You know, without that last year, he's going to get to sixteen eighteen twenty sacks. Well he has to sit this year. He's getting there, and you know, they're playing him on both sides. He's really coming in and he's intentionally going for the ball, and especially against a young quarterback, and he's done it to some other guys,

not just what he did to Joe Burrow. You know, he's getting the ball and he's changing the game that way. So yeah, he is a super super talented guy who the Browns have faith in and will continue to have faith in, and right now with the holes on their defense, it's not just faith, it's trust that he will make that kind of play every single week. Zach, Let's talk about those holes. Because they gave up thirty to Cincinnati, they gave up thirty eight to Baltimore, thirty eight to Dallas,

thirty eight to Pittsburgh. Some of those points came on the defensive scores by the opposition. But where are they weak on defense? You know, the back seven personnel wise, isn't isn't what you want, um, You know, they they they had some corners, their third corner, fourth corner, guys like that in and out of the lineup, and the linebacking corps has just it hasn't been there. Mac Wilson played a lot last year and he was injured. This year has not been the same guy. They had another

second year linebacker, Sioni Taki Taki. They're cutting on him a third round pick. He has not really been a starting quality player. So, um, Denzel Ward is a Pro Bowl player and as long as he stays healthy, he's going to get a big contract and he's going to continue to rise in this league. But other than that, through injuries, through performance, through you know, multiple coaching changes.

Last year they were they played five safeties last year, guys, only one of them is even still on the roster. It's just been a whole bunch of change, and you know, the results have been not really catching on. They have played better the last couple of weeks defensively, but they have not been outstanding. So let's talk about that. That offensive line you mentioned briefly. Teller obviously with the injury, like you mentioned, Treder was kind of banged up with

the knee when the Bengals played the first time. But you know, he played and played fine. And Willis, I mean Will's honestly that offensive line when I saw it against the Bengals, I'm thinking, man, pretty good group. I really think when when all hands on deck, when it's intact, it's kind of like close to the top five in the league. Am I crazy? I don't think you're crazy at all out and I think they invested with that intent. You know, through all the change here, this is a

third different group that has entrusted JC Treder. Patonio has been around since twenty fourteen. I mean he's been in the last two Pro Bowls and easily could have been in the last four or five. Wills Is the number ten pick in the draft, called them thirty million dollars guaranteed. So yeah, it's a good group and they did. They have missed Wyatteller. I don't think he's going to play

on Sunday, and that is a huge loss. And frankly, that's where the Bengals got blown up last time, right in the middle, and that is their ticket this Sunday. They have got to get the front, get to Kareem Hunt and get pressure on Baker Mayfield before they get going, because it was a close game last time, but we all know that the Browns pretty much scored it. Will I don't think they punted until the fourth coure. You're right about that. We are talking to Zach Jackson, who

covers the Browns for the Athletic. A great twitter follow at Akron Jackson following up on the offensive line. This might be hard to quantify, but how much of a difference has the hiring of Bill Callahan made a huge difference. It was just an organizational commitment. It was, hey, we have this wide zone coach, right and we have this core of power to guys, but we really struggled at tackle last year, so they upgraded talent wise. Bill Kellaghan

was one of the first tires. I don't know what they paid him, but it wasn't enough and they just said, let's let's get these guys better. I mean, Teller was a starter for the Bills, sell out of favor that the Browns got him for basically nothing. You know, Treder has a couple of freak injuries in Green Bay, but otherwise there has been a rock solid starter for a

long time. Tonio has been around a long time, as I previously mentioned, So you know, Kellaghan has kind of come in, gotten all those guys on the same page, gotten on the same page with the fancy, even though they had never previously worked together. And you just noticed it last week. Now, Pittsburgh's front seven does that to a lot of people, as we all know. But when the Browns offensive line is not playing well, they're really struggling. And when they are playing well, that's how they got

on that four game win streak. How about our buddy Alex van Pel former quarterback coach here with the Bengals offensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns. How is he being received up there? Yeah, you know pretty well. It's one of the disappointing things Lap is with this with COVID and not really getting around the guys. You know, I don't think we've seen Alex's personality to the full extent.

He's not calling the plays, but he's certainly involved, and specifically this week, because he knows the Bengals personnel so well. But you know, his task is to get Baker Mayfield on track. His task is to make sure that they're using all of these weapons. I mean, no other team in the league could lose a talent like Nick Chubb and plug in Kareem Hunt and keep going. Right. They paid Austin Hooper a bunch of money at tight end, and they've got another rookie who comes in, Harrison Bryant,

fourth rounder, who's also making plays. So you know, I think Alex has been well received. The offense is certainly the strength of the team, and it's just all about getting Baker on track so they don't have to go do this quarterback dance again at the end of the season. Final question, Let's talk about the all important third phase special teams. Statistically, the Cleveland Browns are struggling in a

lot of areas. They gave up the hundred and one yard offer turn touchdown there thirty first in the NFL, covering kickoffs, nineteenth returning them, twenty fifth returning punts, and twenty first I mean twenty fifth covering punts, twenty first returning them and special teams. Has that been problematic all year? Yeah, I think they've been a little bit better, but yeah, it was a surprise early lap. They brought back their

special teams coaches and almost all their core guys. And as you look at the Bengals, who have been really strong on special teams the last five or seven years, that's an area where they certainly have an advantage Sunday. So I do think the Browns have been better. They had some guys, They lost their return man for the season, one of their core guys, a backup receiver Cadero hodges out for a couple of weeks. So yeah, every time they kick or punt, the Bengals can be thinking about

taking it the other way. You know, based on what we've seen early in this season, will you be traveling to Cincinnati, and if so, are their road markers along the way that you associate with firing general managers and or head coaches. No six coaches have been fired after Steelers games, but after Bengal games it was just Freddie And I was still in the stadium last year when that happened. So I actually will not be making the trip.

With our regulations and protocols, I can't go two weeks in a row, and I went to Pittsburgh last week, So I will miss seeing you guys, both of you, but you know we'll be watching closely, and you know, I think from basically the new era of the Browns, right Browns Bengals is they haven't been good at the same time, but I think there's a chance over these next couple of years that could change. I really believe

that it's crazy in the division. I mean, you get three young quarterbacks, two of them are Heisman Trophy winners, and two of them are first picks of the draft. It's nuts. It is it is And I really liked the guy that you guys got down there. Yep, we do too. Yeah, keep up the great work. Love your podcast and what you crank out about the Browns on the Athletic Thanks Zach, Thanks guys for a final luck

ahead to Sunday's game. Join Lapping Me for the Bengals pep Rally Show on Friday from three to six on ESPN fifteen thirty. That's going to do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth podcast, brought to you by Bud Light Seltzer. Refresh 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.