Bengals Booth Podcast: Done, Done, On To The Next One

on Sunday. My one on one player interview is with t Higgins as we discussed the Cincinnati three way of Higgins, Boyd and Chase. And finally, it's my midweek conversation with Dave Lapham. Have we reached the point where the Bengals offensive line isn't even a point of concern anymore? Lapp will weigh in. The Bengals Booth Podcast is presented by Ultimate Bengals. The free to play Next Level to See Football game downloaded now from the App Store and Google Play.

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 wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing since raucous crowds. I called a UC basketball game at Miami University on Wednesday, and the atmosphere at Mollette Hall was electric, largely due to the student section. Sure, they did a frequent chant that was similar to FUC that wasn't exactly classy, but by and large, their energy

made for a great environment. And that's what I'm hoping to see and here this Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. Bengals fans have been awesome this year, and I hope you bring the noise against the Chargers. If you can't be there on Sunday and watch the game on TV instead, you'll be listening to one of the best play by play announcers in the business. I An Eagle from CBS. I've known I for more than thirty years after we both graduated from Syracuse, and I caught up with him

this week. Buddy Ian Eagle is in the booth for CBS this week, and hopefully that makes the prep a little bit easier. Since you had the Bengals and Raiders a couple of weeks ago in Las Vegas. I and what stood out to you from seeing the Bengals in person for the first time this year. I think the word that comes to mind is dynamic. The fact that they can do it through the air, We've seen it time and time again, and now the way the ground game is going with Mixon, they can beat you in

so many different ways. Defensively, they've gotten back to where they were early in the season. And I think this is how it is in the NFL if you're a fanbase and you feel like you have a legitimate, standout quarterback on your team that carries you through for potentially ten years in this league. So Bengals fans are in a really good place right now because they believe they've got their guy and the team is building around on Burrow. It's a very likable group and you could tell they've

got the makings of something special here. Chargers fans feel the same way, and I'm sure CBS was thrilled that this game did not get flexed to primetime. You get the Joe Burrow justin Herbert matchup on Sunday. Do you think these two guys who are only in their second NFL seasons, are already among the top ten quarterbacks in the NFL. And we are not known to overhype in

the media. That's not something that we ever do. But if you do look at this with a real, honest lens, it's hard not to get excited about what these two guys bring to the field. In addition to their physical skills, which have been very obvious. Early on, you could tell that both guys belonged. The learning curve was not that steep. When you sit down with them and you talk with them,

you can understand why players want to follow them. There are natural leadership abilities there and characteristics, and I can understand why both teams feel very confident moving forward that they've got the right personalities, the right skill sets, and two guys that want to be great. And I know that sounds like it should be the obvious and that should be the norm, but it requires the work and

it requires a full dedication. And what I've seen with both of these guys is that just that they're not in it for the stardom, for the different advertisements that might come their way. They're in it to be great football players, and that's their first priority. I in Eagle. This our guest. Your broadcast partner, Charles Davis joined us a few weeks ago, and he talked about how it's his feeling that Cincinnati is one of the most fun teams to watch in the NFL. Do you think that

that has become the national perception of the Bengals. I think it has. And it's amazing how things can transform so quickly in this league. And it's a reminder what makes the NFL so great. You can make major improvements in one year, but it doesn't always necessarily translate for a five to seven year period. You can get lucky with a lighter schedule, easier schedule, a couple of good free agent signings and catch a few breaks and win ten games and make the playoffs and build some real

momentum in your market. But to sustain it is much more difficult. And I think the difference with Cincinnati they don't feel like a one hit wonder. It feels like they're really building something here. There is a fun factor with this team. Burrows presence and his swagger is a big reason why, but you can feel it with the rest of the skill position players and now defensively, sitting

down with Hendrickson a couple of weeks ago. I believe there's real chemistry on this defense, and the jump that we've seen has been real creating opportunities for the front. The sacked numbers are way up, the pressure numbers are way up. They are benefiting on the back end as well because we're seeing some real important turnovers and opportunistic moments, and it's three pronged. Now. They're young, they're fun, and they're figuring out how to win in this league. That's

a dangerous combination. Two weeks ago, in the Raiders game that you called, Joe Mixon had thirty carries for one hundred and twenty three yards. He followed it up last week with one hundred and sixty five yards in the Bengals dominant win over the Steelers. Do you think that this is the best version of Cincinnati with Joe Mixon leading the way? I do, Dan, What I saw in that Vegas game up close and personal is everything that coach Taylor laid out that they want to wear out

an opponent. Of course, we know in this league, what's the blueprint. Get a lead, hold on to the lead, don't feel the stress and pressure of a tight fourth quarter when you can rely on someone that can milk the clock and really begin to dominate upfront. That's exactly how it played out against Las Vegas. Fairly tight game, opportunities there for the Raiders, signs of life in the third quarter and then lights out late in the third

into the fourth. The Bengals did as they pleased. They controlled the line of scrimmage and Joe Mixon got better as the game went on. There is this lost art in the NFL, and that is running the football with regularity and doing it with a bell cow. Most teams tend to figure out a way to come up with alternative methods because they just don't have that physical running attack. Since Nattie has it. It's so obvious when they get it rolling and I don't see anything stopping that train.

Will there be teams that could go outscore the Bengals the rest of the way. Yeah, that might be a question. But the physical side of it what Cincinnati has shown me in the games I've watched on television and now the games I've seen in person Thursday Night Radio and the Vegas game. As you mentioned, it's their calling card. I an eagle is our guest he'll do the game on Sunday four CBS. The Bengals are seven and four right now that the number one wild card team in

the AFC. Baltimore is the only team in the AFC with fewer than four losses, they have three. Who is the team to beat in your opinion in the AFC? And where do the Bengals fit in in the playoff picture right now? This has been such a fluid situation, and I certainly have had shifting opinions based on what I've seen in person and what I've recognized around the league. The parody is real, maybe more so than any other year that I can remember, and I've been doing NFL

games in some form for twenty five years. With that said, Kansas City is still the most dangerous team. The fact that they've gotten their defense at least in order, at a point where it's more competitive and they can feel better about what they're doing as a collaborative group, that to me is still the standout. Their offense, as we know, is elite. And while Mahomes has experienced a little bit

of humility, he's never been overly cocky. He's never been one to walk into the meeting and pound his chest when we sit down with the Kansas City Chiefs, but his play has done the talking for his time as a starting quarterback. It's the first time we've seen him look mortal, and he's come out the other side looking very sharp. So to me, Kansas City is still the team. Are there some holes there? Defensively? Are their weaknesses the

teams can take advantage of and expose. Yes, they're not perfect, but they're probably the most complete group right now in the AFC, and the Bengals will see the Chiefs at Paul Brown Stadium right around Christmas. In the twenty five years that you've been doing the NFL, you've called some memorable Bengals games and moments. I think of the final game in twenty seventeen, the Tyler Boyd touchdown catch against

Baltimore that docked the Ravens out of the playoffs. What other Bengals games or moments come to mind for you. I've had a few of them. Corey Dillon had some huge games when I was doing a bunch of Bengals games during that stretch. I remember Chad Johnson putting up big numbers with incredible, remarkable catches that only he could really put his signature too. He had a knack for the dramatic and certainly brought a very interest, dynamic and

personality to our production meetings. The one that you laid out just based on what was at stake, and little did I know at that moment, and I'm sure for you as well. When you're calling the game, you're locked in on what's happening in the moment. But what was happening with the Buffalo Bills, we later found out, was such a genuine, authentic thing that you hoped for in the NFL when a team wrapped up early, that game

went a little bit longer Cincinnati and Baltimore. The Bills were done, they got the win, They're waiting to see what happens. They're huddled up in the locker room watching it. And to see that reaction the way that it happened was pretty incredible. So the domino effect of Dalton to Boyd, the Ravens out the Bills in Euphoria in Western New York, and the flair for the dramatic as we know with Cincinnati, and the way that the Buffalo community then supported Andy Dalton,

that was pretty special. It was just a confluence of these events all happening at once in real time that led to a pretty special moment. Final thing for Ian Eagle. We've got the Bengals and Chargers coming up on Sunday. The most memorable game ever played between these two franchises was the Freezer Bowl in Cincinnati, where the Bengals made it to the nineteen eighty one Super Bowl. Your partner on TV for many years was Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts.

Did he ever say anything to you about the Freezer Bowl? He did. It's not vernacular. I could repeat right now, Dan, but let's just say there were some choice words in there. Dan absolutely said more than once it was the coldest he ever was in his life, and no exaggeration. Of course, I would let him speak for himself on this topic, but I do know that there are moments where he can still feel it in his right hand. He was frost bitten. That is not hyperbole, that is not after

the fact, revisionist history. He felt that for many, many years, and he said to me that there are still days that he feels it. He has such admiration for Ken Anderson and for that group. I know for him, it was probably the most bitter pill he ever had to swallow. As a professional quarterback in the NFL, he had so many incredible moments. Hall of Fame player for people in our age group. Dan was a stud. It was a stud quarterback. But that's one that unfortunately for him, the

way the events unraveled that day. In any other setting, I think they believe they were the best team in the NFL, that they would have handled San Francisco and the Super Bowl, that it was their destiny. But they just happened to walk into literally a freezer in Ohio on that afternoon. For the record, the Bengals destroyed them in San Diego during the regular season that year, so Dan might be wrong with his percentI not think we're

played out, but they were more. Do you remember what happened the week before Dan were over time in Miami. It was like seventh, seven thousand degrees. Yeah, thanks, change question. Let's bring him in. Let's bring him in on the zoom, Dan, so you're there next time, it'll be a three way zoom. I and this has been great. I always appreciate your time. Look forward to seeing you on Sunday. Dan. You're the best.

Not only is I an Eagle one of the best broadcasters out there, but he's the father of one of the best young broadcasters in the business. You'll be enjoying

the work of Noah Eagle for the next twenty five years. Now, time for this week's one on one player interview as I talk football and eventually a little fashion with Bengals wide receiver t Higgins t six sketches for one hundred and fourteen yards last week, meaning that you, Jamar and Tyler have all had one hundred yard games now this season. Do you know based on your film study of the Steelers going into a game like that that you are likely to get a bunch of targets or doesn't it

work that way? I'm pretty sure like every every receiver you know in the league go into a game hoping and thinking that they're going to get a bunch of targets in you know, completing all those targets, you know, having a big game. So of course, yeah, I thought that no going into the game, that I was going to have a big game. The three of you guys are all averaging about four and a half catches per game. What does that say about Joe Burrow and what's it

say about the Bengals offense. You know, it says a lot about Joe. You know, he spreads the ball out and you know he doesn't have you know, one guy like you know what I'm saying that he doesn't have one guy. He has multiple guys that that can go out there and get the job done. And you know, for as for the offense, you can just shoot the ball. And we got a bunch of playmakers all over the field, whether it be in the backfield with the with the running backs or you know, the tight ends, or with

the receivers. We're chatting with te Higgins. I think most people consider the Cincinnati three way, a few three guys, to be one of the best receiving trios in the NFL. Here's my question, our t Higgins, Jamar Chase and Tyler Boyd the best trio of blocking receivers in the NFL

and turning the field. You got to turn the film and watch it, because I mean, if these paths these past few games, we've been blocking our ass off, you know, for our running backs, and you know, because once we get them, guys going is angle doing them but open it up for us. So you know, by us being a team player and and going out there and getting those blocks opened up those runs for Joe and samaj and Chris Man. It just opens us open us up

with the passing game. So it just, you know, it correlates. Jamar said last week he doesn't like to block, but he knows it's part of the gig. You said after the game on Sunday, you love it, not just like it. Love it. Why you know, It's always been a part of my games every since high school, you know, just because by me being a you know, a big receiver. Um, you know, I have to implement that into my game.

And you know, um, I mean if you don't block, then you don't get you know what I'm saying, Uh, the running backs don't get enough love him and get out there and do what they do and get in space. So us receivers, you know, we have key blocks and you know, I just love doing it. So so after the thirty one point went over Pittsburgh, some of the guys said, hey, it's just another step on the journey. We've got bigger things that we're playing for, etc. You said, Man,

it feels good. Why you know, it always feels good to get a win. Like that. You know, that's a big win, um, and then a specially over arrival, you know. Not to me, we don't get that many opportunities to win like that, especially versus a team like Pittsburgh. You know, they've been good, you know for many years, and I mean that's off to them. You know, they're they're pretty good team that just had a rough day. Um, we was the better team that day and we got out

on them. So we're talking to T Higgins. I've been doing the Bengals games now for eleven years on the radio, and I'm not sure that I've ever seen a team that, at least to me, seems like it's enjoying the process as much as this one. You guys seem to be having fun at practice every day much less on game day.

Am I reading that right? Oh yeah, you definitely are. Um, you know, because you gotta have you gotta have fun when when you're putting the work in you know and practice, uh, whether it be whether it be you know, working out after practice, you know, working out in the weight room, you gotta have fun. And again, you gotta put join in the game. And because if you don't, if you're not having fund then what are you out here for?

You know what I'm saying. If you're having fun and you know you're playing for your teammates, playing for each other, and then the outcome will be good. As you can see. Um, we're we're turning this program around, this this organization and and hopefully and keep going. You got a home game this week against the Chargers. The Chargers secondary features Derwin James,

one of the best safeties in the NFL. What stands out when you watch him on tape, Man, he's a dog, you know, he's he's one of those one of those safety that's gonna come down and hit you. He don't care who you are. Actually, he's a he's a great player. Man. It's a long, good time, good friend of mine. Um, just about me knowing him, I just I just know that he's you know, with him, especially with him having that injury last year set back. I know he didn't

like that. So I'm just glad to see that he's out there on the field making plays. And but he's a he's a he's an outstanding player and and he's a playmaker all right. As you can probably tell, I'm not exactly a man of style. And fashion, but you had quite the luck after the game last week. You had north Face overalls on. Now, normally we think of that as like ski gear and hiking gear, but these were north Face Gucci overalls plus beautiful gold chains, matching hats.

How much energy do you put into your weekly Luk? It depends. You know. Sometimes I come in and I'll have a day where I just want to you know, just just casual and and and be comfortable. I wouldn't say that the overalls was a comfortable because it definitely was, But sometimes I want to come in and you know, have a you know, be styled, be styled, and um, come in looking looking good. You know, because you look good,

you play good. So uh, I think this week I'm gonna come in with some with something else that that that's pretty crazy, but we'll see. So it's a competitive among you guys for who looks the path. I told him at the beginning of the season that I got the best drip out of us receivers. So I mean, as for now, I think I'm winning, but I mean we'll let the we'll let the people tell big thumbs up for me. Last week, I thought that looked sharp

and the game obviously was awesome. Congratulations, best of luck this week, Thanks your time, Thank you. T told reporters before the season that he put a sign that says one K on his mirror this year, signifying his goal of having a one thousand yards season. His stats took a hit when he missed a couple of games with a shoulder injury early in the season, but he's up to five hundred sixty yards with six games to go, meaning he would have to average seventy three yards a

game over the final six to get there. That is exactly what T has averaged over the last five weeks. The Bengals Booth podcast is presented by Ultimate Bengals, the free to play next level fantasy football game. Ultimate Bengals will be awarding a weekly winner during the course of the season, with tickets, autograph merchandise, and money can't buy experiences all up for grabs. Find Ultimate Bengals in the

app stores. Now time to discuss the latest Bengals news and Sunday's matchup against the Chargers with my broadcast partner Dave Lapham Lap was last week's final score or forty one to ten, A bigger statement about how good the Bengals are or how bad the Steelers are. You know, I'm a believer in the in the axiom because I've been there in situations where it just kind of spirals out of control. Um, and I am a big believer. And you never as good as you think you are,

never as bad as you think you are. You're probably somewhere in between. And I think the two franchises aren't that far apart. It's not you know, every time they played, it wouldn't be a thirty point differential kind of thing. But you know, the key, the key is when you when you have an opportunity to put your foot on the gas and bury an opponent, you got to do it. And Bengals did it. They really did it. And uh So there is no doubt though that it's it's past

the crossing point where one's ascending one's declining. That the Pittsburgh Steelers are on the back back end of that curve. They're in a decline and the Bengals are on the positive side of their ascension, in my opinion. And it's all you have to do is look at the quarterbacks. I mean, look what Joe Burrow did. The rushing touchdown he had, and watching Ben was like watching a guy who needs Ben Gay. I mean, you know it's like he could he couldn't really move all that well, you know.

So it's his arm strength is not what it was, his athleticism is nowhere near what it was, and Joe Burrow's arm strength and everything's ascending, you know. I mean, he's still he's still on the on the come. As they say, I unintentionally aged Joe Burrow last week. By the way, on our most recent podcast, he is twenty four turning twenty five next week, not twenty five turning twenty six. So I apologize for that mistake. In the last two weeks, Joe Mixon his average twenty nine carries

for one hundred and forty four yards. Is that Joe Mixon driven offense what the Bengals need to be for the rest of this year? You know, I think that teams are going to have to account for that. It wouldn't surprise me if the Chargers come out eating the box and say you're not doing to us what you did to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and fine, Joe spread them out and slice them up and then if they you know, go small to try to adjust to that, you know, bunch them up and run at them. I mean, that's

the thing is they can they can do both. They're not a prisoner of either of their ways to attack a defense. So that versatility, I think it is big and to me, it was just it was amazing to watch the Pittsburgh steels. I thought when the Bengals had difficulty stopping the run in the past, they were catching blockers and looked at me, that's what Pittsburgh was doing. Instead of attacking people and getting off blocks, they were

catching them and just getting ridden out of there. I mean, they displaced that front seven the Bengals did over and over and over again, laterally knocking guys to the ground. Guys were on the ground. Can't make tackles when you're on the ground. Um, you know, driving linebackers bush get driven ten yards down the field by Quentin Spain. You know, it's like, wow, that's that's just that's that's mind boggling.

So I don't think you're going to see that happen on a you know, a regular basis, and that you're gonna have to be able to do both. Bottom line is where the Bengals want to go, You're gonna have to be able to do both. We felt like when we were good in nineteen eighty one that we could run the ball on Pete Johnson against anybody. But when they made adjustments that were too tempting, it's like, you know, let's shoot, we got tons of weapons, let's throw it.

Let's throw it, and then just we had had an answer for everything that they were trying to do, and if you executed it properly, you found yourself in pretty good shape. But I mean, Joe Joe mixing such a weapon. In my mind, I'm I'm a proponent of balance, you know. I mean, I think it don't force the ballets, but over a period of time, doesn't even if there be an entire season, over a period of five games, be pretty balanced and your play selection and hopefully the results

of that play selection. That's that's the perfect world right there. It seems like every few weeks I ask for your opinion about the offensive line. Here's my question this week. Have we reached the point where it's not even really a big concern anymore? I think I think we're getting there, you know, I mean I think that you know, when I when I watched them from the end zone, like an end zone shot. It reminds me of Jim McNally watching their techniques. They stepped with the exact same foot,

They're hand placement exactly the same. It's like watching three hundred pound june tailor dancers, you know. I mean, they're totally choreographed in total sync. It's it's it's amazing to watch them and that that is repetition, repetition, repetition that formulates that and builds that. And man, they're your executing

at a really high level now. And when you are balanced, you know, pass protection is so much easier, it's so much less difficult when you know a defensive player has to consider that you're going to be able to run the football some and getting in down and distances where you know you're able to run or pass the football, and being in a game where the score dictates you're

able to run or past the football. You know, that's the big thing is when they're operating like they're operating and they get the big leads that they get, the defense really doesn't have to stop think is heavily about stopping the run. They know they're gonna have to throw to catch up, and the Bengals have been in that situation. That's a bad situation to be in if you're an

offensive lineman. Terrible. It can't be any worse because these guys are really skilled athletically, and then they can rush the past or all of them. So the game itself, the you know, each game takes on its different complexion ebbs and flows. Who has a command and this one it was easy, It was easy to stay with the running game. They just you know, the thirty one points at halftime, and in building up to that thirty one point halftime lead, a lot of it was just pounding

them in the running game. It's not always going to be that way. It's not like you can say, okay, well we'll take that and we'll just apply it to

the next week. Because these coordinators are too good, the coaches are too good, and you have to you always have to be able to adjust and deal with the ebb and flow and the chess matches perpetual, you know, always uh, it never ends in checkmate, you know, it always always ends up you know, check and somebody gets out of checkmate and you move on and then you go to another week. So it's crazy. Except for Super Bowl Sunday. That's the only time you get a checkmate.

That's right, when when when that game ends, when the final snap of that football game ends, the final whistle blows checkmate for somebody. So for the first seven weeks of the season, the defense is great. Then for two weeks against the Jets and Browns, it wasn't very good. Now for the last two weeks it's been terrific. Again, anything jump out in the last couple of weeks. You know, I think the fact that the complimentary football we're talking about was so good, you know, I think that's a

I think that's a big factor. I really do. I mean I think I think when you're when you have a football team that has the potential be as good as this football team, they feed off each other offensively and defensively. And I think that, you know, offensively, I think that because I can remember this when when you know we had a good team and when offenses started, you know, spanking our defense, I was in shock as a team and I'm on the stydeline like what, man,

I didn't expect this. I didn't I didn't think this team was going to be able to do this to us. And you can't do that because now it's starting to affect how you play a little bit. Now you might feel, you know, like a tremendous sense of urgency. You don't want to panic by any stretch, but it's like, oh, man, I didn't expect this. We better, we better step it up, we gotta you know, we gotta go double time here. Well, that's the worst thing in the world you can do.

That's that's that's the worst reaction. So, um, yeah, it it's such a such a team sport. I mean, everything's so codependent on the other, you know, it's it's it's crazy. I'm very interested, very interested to see how this football team,

how quickly they can continue to make adjustments. I think that's the biggest thing that they've grown into, the coaching staff making good adjustments, getting feedback from players coming off the field, and making them immediately, you know, immediate adjustments,

both offensively and defensively. I think that the that the rapport and the chemistry between player to player, coach to coach, coach to player, player to coach, all of it is getting better and better and better, and I think as a result, they're gonna be able to play at a higher level. The Chargers are coming to town this week, the first ever matchup between the first pick and last year's draft, Joe Burrow and the sixth pick in last

year's draft, Justin Herbert. They're only in their second seasons. Are these guys already top ten NFL quarterbacks in your opinion? I mean, I think I think they're They're knocking on the door. If they're not, I mean, I think they can be. Um Man Herbert has such immense athletic ability.

I've said this before a couple of times. You know, when I hear Drew Brees marvel at the guy's arm talent and that the ball, when he throws the football at such a tight spiral with such velocity, it picks up speed as it's like ten yards down the field. He said, I can actually see the ball start to accelerate. He goes, that's that explosiveness is rare, and he does have that kind of arm talent. Honestly, stuff I've seen

here lately. Um I don't think he's trying to throw the ball through their chest, but he throws it so hard they lead the league and drop passes. I mean, he throws a hot potato man. You know, when the ball bounces, it gets into the pads and bounces around.

That's going to be a big key in my mind, the Bengals handling tips, handling you know, balls that are dropped when interceptions are there an opportunity they have to capitalize on that um And that's that's I guess, probably a good problem to have, but it's still a problem.

You know, you maybe learned to take a little bit off of it, but that's that's a that's an interesting dynamic a little bit with with a quarterback and receivers, uh, you know, getting into and make him pay for those kind of things, make him pay for tips, make him pay for overthrows. Because his arms so powerful, sometimes he gets in a situation where his release point, if it's off a little bit, he'll get an overthrow because his arm is so strong. And you've got to take advantage

of those those kind of things. But I think, I think he can hurt you with his feet. I mean he's six five two forty two thirty five two forty runs four six or better. I mean he's got some freakish ability and Joe's sneaky sneaky with his movement skills. That touchdown run shows that making Fitzpatrick tough guy to do that too in space, and Joe did it to him frozeen pretty good. Um and and I do think both of them are very very intelligent guys. But I do think Joe's football IQ is he just seems in

such total control all the time. And I think that Herbert is maybe still where you can get him not panicked, but you can get him to be in too much of a hurry, I guess, Whereas Joe always seems so composed and total control, I think Herbert is still fluster's maybe too strong a word, but maybe get him concerned a little bit, you know, give him uncomfortable. That's that's that's a big key. It's it looks to me so difficult for defenses to get Joe Burrow to look uncomfortable.

It's got the same face all the time. Whereas Herbert, I think, you know, shows a little bit more of I wasn't expecting this, I haven't seen this. I think that's the maybe the final difference between those two guys, and a lot of it's just pure makeup and personnelity, and that sort of thing. The Chargers are dead last in the NFL. It's stopping the run. They're given up one hundred and forty five rushing yards per game. That's basically what Joe Mix and his the last two weeks.

Is that the biggest key on Sunday. I think it's a huge factor. Um And like I said, I just I'm not sure that the that the Chargers want to play the slow death, you know, and just let the Cincinnati Bengals offensive line and Joe Mixon just grind them, put him in a meat grinder and score and take time off the clock and build a lead. And Herbert's doesn't He's not getting anywhere near the number of possessions and he has to force the football and all of

those kind of things. But then you look at it and say, boy, if you if you don't load the box up, you know they're gonna pound you. If you do load the box up, they can make big plays against you. Yeah, it's I do think that is that's going to be in my I'm very interested to see how they come out to start the game because people are gonna be oh, man, I can't believe they're not running. Joe Mix alos they get, you know, seven and dropping a nap into the box late, which they do do

they do try to to Sky's things. It's going to be interesting to see at the snap of the football how many people the Chargers actually having the box at the snap of the football to try to handle Joe Mixon in the running game, because it might look a little different pre snap and then post snap after the snap of the football. It could it could look the opposite to what you might have seen in some situations there. But that's obviously a major concern. The thing is with Herbert.

Herbert leads the National Football League. They they've got six wins, five fourth quarter comebacks. His five fourth quarter comebacks lead the NFL. So no lead is safe with this guy, unless it's a ridiculous lead like the Bengals have had. But if you're up seven to ten points, even fourteen, you know, a couple of scores, that's not necessarily safe with the guy of his skill set. So that's going to be an interesting dynamic to take and follow a

little bit too. I think most people listening to this know that you were the starting left guard on the Bengals first Super Bowl team in nineteen eighty one. You were the starting right guard on the team that had the best winning percentage in team history. In nineteen seventy five when the Bengals went eleven and three. Do you see any similarities to those two great teams, two of the all time best in Bengals history? And what is

developing right now? Yeah? You know, I can, Dan, I can see in both of those seasons when Kenny Anderson a quarterback, and I see a lot of similarities with what Kenny Anderson brought to the table and with Joe Burrow brings to Let's see a lot of similarities both physical makeup, mental composition, of all of those kinds of things. And I also see a we really like I talked about before, the relationship between the players were very close.

The coaching staff was very close, But then the relationship between coaching staff and players was very close as well. And does that happen by winning or does that house the winning to happen? That's the you know, chicken or the egg, big question. But no matter how it occurred, it did take place those seasons, and it built as

the season went on. And I can vividly remember on Wednesday morning, we'd come in and Lindy and Fani was our offensive coordinator in nineteen eighty one, and Bill Walsh was the guy that was shaping the offense in nineteen seventy five, and I can remember we'd come in and like what we got? Now? What are they put together? I mean, these guys were brilliant, and it was like, Oh, who's going to be the featured deal today this week? What what personnel grouping? Oh, this one looks like it's

Titan orient. Oh, man, this one we're going to crush people with Pete. I mean, it was it was like we couldn't wait. It was like, man, we didn't even want to day off. We just wanted to get right back to it. And I can see that with this

group a little bit like that. I think they're starting to feel, you know, that type of that type of a bond and chemistry theirs with Lou and all of the defensive coaches, and then you know, offensively the same way with all the coaches that are putting together game plans. I mean, it's it's that I can remember that part of it. Sometimes when the preparation for a game feels like it's not a grind, it's not like, oh man, we either do. It's like, oh man, I can't wait

to get back to it. Then you know you've got something cooking. And I kind of sense that that's that's where this team is. They can't wait for not only the next game, they can't wait for the next week to prepare for that next game because they have so much confidence and what the coaches are presenting to them, and they know that if they fine tune it during the week and go out and execute, they're gonna be in good shape. There were a lot of great moments

last week. The most amusing moment was seeing the choreographed end zone celebration featuring Joe Mixon and his offensive lineman. My final question for this week's podcast. Would a young Dave Lapham have enjoyed doing an end zone dance with his fellow offensive lineman after a Pete Johnson touchdown? Oh? Absolutely, absolutely, I would have liked. You know, big boys always feel like they got a little rhythm, you know, So yeah,

I would have. I would have enjoyed that. I mean, the celebrations have gotten to be almost like an additional show. You know. It's it's like it's a it's a side act. To what's going on during the course of the football game. And man, you have to you have to start to be real creative. Now it's it's taken on a almost a life of its own. But yeah, I think, like Jonah Williams said, you know, it's like, yeah, you feel

like you want to be part of that, and it is. It's. Uh, you might, it might take you well beyond your comfort level, but you're doing it because you're part of something bigger than just you know, your concern uh for your self embarrassment. You know, you're just you're out there just having fun with a bunch of guys. And that's that's what when I looked at it, I'm like, well, you know, some of them have a little rhythms about but yeah, you feel like, uh, go out in that dance floor, cut

a little rug, that's what that's what. Uh, that's what those guys were doing. And that was that was that was fun to see. And I'll tell you what, Joe Mixon, say what you want, but that guy is a lightning rod for the energy, enthusiasm, all the sort of things that the team feeds off of. He's the energy source, man, I mean, he's the he's the son of the solar system. You know, he's the epicenter for that energy. Man, he

really is. He's something else. I'm an excellent dancer at a wedding the minimum of three drinks in me emphasis on minimum. I'm telling you, yeah, I um, I used to I used to like to, uh like to cut the rug a little bit. Um. Lynda accused me or liking to cut it too much, I guess over the years. But uh yeah, it's uh, it's fun to watch guys who have such great footwork on a football field. Sometimes it carries it over the dance floor. Other times it looks like two left feet and ten big toes. That's

going to do it. For This episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast brought to you by Ultimate Bengals, the free to play Next Level Fantasy Football game downloaded now from the App Store and Google Play. And if you haven't done so already, please subscribe to this podcast and if you have a minute, give it a rating or share a comment that helps more Bengals fans find us. I'm Dan Horde, and thanks for listening to The Bengals Booth Podcast.