Bengals Booth Podcast: Feelin' Groovy

Hi, get everybody.

I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading The Bengals Booth Podcast. Ba Doo Doo doo doo.

Feeling groovy.

Addition, as the Bengals win their second in a row and pull within a game of five hundred by winning in Cleveland twenty one to fourteen, coming up radio replays, locker room comments and postgame analysis from Dave Lapham. Then in this week's fun Facts Conversation, you'll hear why rookie

He failed to do it.

Charlie Jones down the sideline twenty ten hot time for the path on touchdown.

Charlie Jones, who.

Had a putt return touchdown as a rookie last year against Baltimore, takes it one hundred yards for a game opening score. Eleven year vet Dustin Hopkins is the kicker for the Cleveland Browns. This will be a forty nine yard attempt. He made a fifty nine yarder during pregame warm ups. The Browns trying to get on the board midway through the first quarter. Now the forty nine yard field goal try. The snaff, the placement, the right footed kick.

It's a high.

Spinning mendover Ren kick and it goes wide. Loan, I'm third and four. He'll look to throw. Here comes Henrickson. He's got him first sack of the day for big play tray his sixth of the year, and the Browns.

Will puning away.

Thompson Robinson under center, lined up in the eye behind him. Fourth and goal from inside the one to toss to the left. Nick Chubb spins into the end zone for the Cleveland touchdown. Here's Dustin Hopkins looking to tie the game with fifty six seconds remaining in the first half.

The snap, the placement, and the kick.

No, it is no good about it.

So Hopkins, who missed a forty nine yard field goal try in the first quarter, misses the pat with fifty six seconds left in the second quarter, and the Bengals lead at seven to six, second down and five at the eighteen yard line of Cleveland yoc Boss checks in for sample. He goes in motion from left to right, Burrow back to throw passes toward the pole on caught Jamar Chase touchdown. Bengals Jamar Chase with a six touchdown

Third down and four.

Burrow catches the shotgun snap throws caught by Higgins running to the tams five touchdownwn Bengals t Higgins high stepping it into the end zone and now he tosses the ball high into the air as he looks into the dog pound. After that touchdown grab Third down and eight at the Cincinnati forty six, Thomson Robinson catches the protection is good. He fires deep downfield, intercepted at the twenty and the Bengals are running it back Gino Stone to

I am bam bam and that took a for two of us bounce.

That second bounce went airborne and it was an easy play for Kasiki to make.

Burrow takes the snap.

He takes a knee, he tosses the ball to the nearest fifth MI and the two teams begin heading toward the middle of the field. The Cincinnati Bengals have won two in a row and three out of the last four. They beat the Cleveland Browns here in Cleveland by the final score of twenty one to fourteen. Two Bengals left the game with leg injuries, Orlando Brown Junior and Geno Stone, and in Stone's case, he was taken off the field

The game began with a one hundred yard kickoff return touchdown by Charlie Jones. Describe that one, Charlie, because I noticed Drew Sample is then there with you.

I'm not sure we've seen him line up in that spot.

Yeah, I mean, first, first and foremost. God is good And yeah, you're right, if we put Drew back there for the first time, it couldn't have been a better block kick play. Like Drew made a great block. The hole is huge and really like I really didn't have to do much. Everybody did their job and it was awesome, a great call by Darren and and uh, just a good feeling to be back in the end zone.

Is that exactly how that return is drawn up?

Exactly exactly how Darren drew it up. You know, a middle return if I get through there, take it back right exactly how he told me it was gonna be, and everybody just did their job.

The Bengals did not score a toups down here in Cleveland last year. What kind of left do you think it gave the team to have a seven to nothing lead twelve seconds into the game.

Yeah, I think it's something that we talked about coming into the game, like we need a smart right away. We know there's gonna be loud here.

You know, the bands were gonna come out you know, with a lot of energy, and we talked about.

All week in special teams that we gotta be the smart. You know, we don't we have a few plays, but the players that we do.

Get, we got to capitalize on them.

And that's exactly what we did.

Visiting the Charlie Jones, I think you're at a thirty one years kick gens last week at gets to the Giants.

Do you feel like that role is suiting you because.

In the past we mostly seen he was a Yeah, I mean this is something that I did in college, uh, you know, from from even when I was back at Buffalo. So uh, it's something I like doing, something I'm comfortable with and uh, something I hope to continue to do here.

You've had several buff returns as well today, including one that went for a pretty sick empick in the game. It seems like this is the way that you can really contribute to this.

Feat right now.

Yeah, I mean, you know, however you can, you can do it. You know, if it's if it's on special.

Teams, then let's go.

I'm ready for it.

I just want to help the team.

I know I can help the team, and I think.

We're doing a good job. There's definitely a lot more out there for me, especially as more return guys are blocking great.

You know, I need to be better than that end. But I think, uh, there's a lot of potential with the special teams. You know, you're three and four with the win, You've got a victory in the AFC North. Now what does this victory do for the team?

This is huge.

I mean we needed this.

I mean anytime we come coming especially here to Cleveland, uh and leave with a win, that's massive division game.

I think this.

You know, we're just gonna keep rolling, just keep stacking on stacking good weeks.

And you know, I think this is the turnaround that we needed final question.

What did your teammate say to you when you came to the sideline after that one hundred yard run back?

Oh there were punds.

I mean, it's it's special to have, you know, guys.

Every week, even when you know I'm struggling back.

There a little bit, they say, you know.

This is the week, this is the week.

Are they believe in me?

And you know, you know it happened this week and.

Everyone was excited.

I just got really good teammates and you know, I have a lot of goodoids on this team.

It was fun to watch. Congrats on the team.

Thank you appreciating.

Charlie skick return helped the Bengals win on another day where the offense was okay but not great. After only scoring two touchdowns on Sunday night against the Giants, the Bengals offense only scored two against the Browns on a pair of third quarter touchdown passes by Joe Burrow. The Bengals are actually averaging two and a half fewer points in their three wins than they are in their four losses. And that's fine by Burrow.

We played two really good defense defenses back to back weeks. Good front's good secondary, good coaching, and so we found ways to win. You know, I don't really everybody's talking about how good our offense was for the first four weeks whatever it was, and we were one in three, so that's obviously not ideal. I'd rather be everyone talking about how we didn't execute it on offense and win two games in a row, then the other way around.

Joe finished fifteen for twenty five for one hundred and eighty one yards, with two touchdowns, no picks, and a passer rating of one oh eight point nine. He's now second in the NFL in passer rating, behind Detroit's Jared Goff, who's had a rating of one forty or higher in three straight games. He's the fourth quarterback in history to do that. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you

So here with Bengals head coach Zach Taylor, and congratulations coach, Division win, conference win on the road, Sweet sugar.

Feels good. You know it's defense did a great job, man. I think that they really deserve a lot of credit for keeping us in there. And so they're in the second half. Offense was able to get those two scoring drives. Credits Charlie and the kickoff return team for the big spark at the beginning of the game. And as you know in this division, just find a way to win and get home, you know. And that's I think that's what our guys figured out how to do today.

You never want to see like what happened to Shaun Watson. They said that was an achilles injury, and those are never never good that you know. When you see the whole team come out in the foot ball field and gather around a guy, that's never a good sign.

It's so fun these guys that put in the work, man, and and you go into the you go into the stadium like this man, and and you got to lead a team, and so to go down with an injury like that. It's tough and it's hard to watch.

What about Cody Ford stepping up for Orlando Brown. I mean, you always you always know that you've got somebody and you always wonder how will it turn out when he has to step up?

He stepped up.

Yeah, he certainly happy for Cody. They went in there and took the most of the opportunity. That's a tough matchup, you know, you go in there and you got a block arguably the best rusher in football. And Miles Garrett so proud of Cody for for just the calmness that he had. And we tried to help him where we could, but there were some times he was one on one he held his own and I'll just get the playoff and that was good stuff.

Yeah, you guys, Miles Garrett stat sheet isn't isn't that overwhelming? I mean I thought you guys kind of neutralize and controls him pretty darn well.

We got our eyes on him on every single play. I don't know what his statue is, but it sure feels like you're you're staring at him, making sure he's on the side of lins. Where's the line up, what size he on? What did you do on the last play, and he takes a lot of time and energy as you're planning for him and as you're scheming for him. And great player.

That's a good defensive football team. I mean, their d line is more than solid. In the back end. Those guys are sticky, man, It's unbelievable. And it looked like in the first half they were run some combination coverages and doing some things changed and some things up.

Was it?

Did you have to talk it over at halftime and make some adjustments to look like you made some Oh?

We just I think we all just need to take a deep breath and find a way to create some momentum. Offense. Got that stop on fourth and two that gave us some momentum. And really that's all I said at halftime. Let's get the momentum, let's keep the momentum, let's keep it away from them. And that's how we started the second half. So it's proud of probably those guys in all three phases.

What did you think, other than obviously the kickoff return to start the football game, you wanted to get off to a good start because you know that crowd was going to be empty. They've been on the road for three straight games, you know, and chubbs back and all those kind of things. For you guys to take the wind out of their sales with that kickoff returned. That was just what the doctor ordered, wouldn't it.

There's no better way to start, you know, really to create that opportunity for your defense to go out there with the lead right out the gate. I thought it was big time. So that was a great momentum by Charlie and the kickoff return team and Darren and that was good to see.

What'd you think about the running game today?

There was a couple one offs there where we were just maybe one block away at different positions for more opportunity, but tried our best to stick with it to give ourselves some and we got a couple of big chunks there ten yard games that created spark on some of those scoring drives. And so it's not always going to be super pretty, but defense gave us anough opportunity to stick with it and try to grind it out and get some good field position.

Joe Burrow now is fourteen touchdown passes, six of them to Jamar, three of them to Tea. I mean that trio continued to play at a super high level for you, don't they Yeah.

I wouldn't trade them for anybody that says it all. That's all I need to say.

Coach, appreciate it, Thanks as always for visiting. Big win for the Bengals. Anytime you could come to Cleveland and win a football game, it's a good thing. Believe me, I.

Didn't know that until now.

I'll take it up.

Next for the Bengals a home game against the Philadelphia Eagles, who are four and two after beating the New York Giants on Sunday twenty eight to three. Saquon Barkley ran for one hundred and seventy six yards on seventeen carries against his former team, and the Eagles defense had eight sacks in that game. Now time for the radio guys recap.

Lap.

As you said after the game, it was gritty more than pretty, but they came to Cleveland and they got a win for the first time in seven tries.

Yeah, it was gritty, grimy, whatever you want to call it. But you know they found a way to get it done. And really, if not for special teams, I mean, score a touchdown, twenty yard return, give some good field position. I thought that was a big factor, you know, in the football game, in a game like this, to control field position to the level that they did. I mean it was like thirteen possessions. It's like one hundred and

I think a lot of people, myself included, tend to think of a kick return as just a great play by the return man as opposed to.

A real play with a scheme and a plan.

And this was very much executed exactly the way they drew it up and practiced it absolutely.

I talked to Darren in the postgame and I said, this was a little bit different, a little bit new with drew sample leading up in there. He goes, yeah, you know, we put that in and it just worked, worked a perfection. I can't complain about it. And I mean he's got a friendly rivalry going with the special teams coach up here in Cleveland. They're pretty good friends as well, as you know, both are assistant head coaches and special teams coaches, and they have a heavy dose

The offense the opportunity to make adjustments and figure out a way to get something done against the Browns. They didn't score offensively in the first half, but after tweaking some things, they got a couple of big touchdown passes.

In the second they did I mean, neither team ran the ball you know, really worth to lick. Bengals had two and a two point four yards per carry on twenty five chances at it. And you take away Robinson's run Thompson Robinson, which you can't do. I mean, he got it, but that one was kind of a little trickeration as such. And the rest of the carries twenty

That was it.

Both teams had three plays of twenty yards more and in the National Football League. In today's National Football League, that's kind of rare to have a defensive Slobrinarco likely w here.

The Browns are one and six they haven't scored more than eighteen points in a game this season. I think they'll probably score more with Jamis Winston at quarterback going forward. I still think that's the best defense in the league.

I can't argue with you, Dan. I mean, man, you know, they did a pretty good job neutralizing Miles Garrett. But everybody just does their job, you know, and Miles Garrett will flash and make like a huge play. But even if he doesn't, everybody's where they're supposed to be when they're supposed to be. They're doing exactly what they're supposed to do. That defensive front is hard to move around. I think the back end that's as good as secondary as you going to see. I mean, it's like they

We know how good Denzel Ward is, Martin Emerson's almost as good. He's great on the other side as well he is, And.

You know there's safe play. Well, yeah, it's well put together and Schwartz is creative. I mean in the first half, you know, talking to Zach, they did run some combination coverages, mix things up that had the Bengals a little bit but fuddled. But they did make some adjustments at halftime and come out and make some plays and get some things done. But I mean, that's a well put together, well coached defensive football team at every level you can

As a former O lineman, how much do you appreciate Cody Ford's performance playing on the left side, which he mostly hasn't done in the NFL. He did in college, but he's mostly been right guard right tackle in the NFL, and then coming in at left tackle against Miles Garrett in Cleveland.

Big time respect for Cody Ford, big time respect. They helped him some, you know, they would chip with the back or do it, but he had a lot of one on ones man and he more than held his own. I thought that they overall did a very very good job of controlling Miles Garrett throughout the entire football game. He didn't put up, you know, any huge numbers, and I can't think of, oh my gosh, you know Miles Garrett, player that you see from time to time. They they kept him in a harness pretty well.

They've won two straight, they've won three out of four. The only loss is when they botched the hold of a field goal attempt, or they would have a four game winning streak and a good record at this point. Can we safely say they are back in the hunt?

Yeah, I mean i'd say that there's a lot of meat left on the bone. I think they can play a lot better than they did today. But defensively, I mean the last two weeks, twenty one points and eight quarters. You know, you can't sneeze at that's that's pretty good effort right there. And then special teams contributed today. So when offense had, you know, not its best day, defense stepped up. Special team stepped up. Like we always talked about it. You have two of the three phases playing

Time to get their first home win.

You got that right.

Maybe two in a row, get two wins back at old pay Corps. How about putting two together. That'd be sweet shug.

The Bengals are three and one on the road and would be four and oh if not for that fourth and sixteen penalty at Kansas City. But they're zero to three at home. It's time to get a w in the jungle, as the Bengals will wear their white Bengal helmet and uniform combo on Sunday against Philly. Cincinnati is an early one and a half point favorite. Here's an invitation to join us for the Bengals Game Plan show

Is that true?

And what did you dream of growing up?

I guess that is true. I mean, I just love playing a game. And I think at the time when he said that, I don't think we were big yet, Like we hadn't made it to the playoffs yet. You know, I just told the team a lot that we were going to, you know, win it all and you know, and you know, beat Ohio State, wind Natti, beat Michigan State and everything else.

So so yeah, I think that's where that came from.

Here's another quote from another coach, your former high school coach, Jason Krauss at Fairfield. He called you the hardest worker he's had in his twenty eight years as a coach. Do you enjoy hard work?

Oh?

Yeah, I mean It's definitely not easy, but I feel like it makes her breaks like a lot of a lot of players, and you know, I feel like just the best part of the game is overcoming like the hard parts of the game, which is you know, you know, conditioning, you know, hitting things like that, making plays in the you know, in the toughest situations, or like the biggest part of the game.

So, yeah, we're visiting with Eric Hall. You're fortunate to be alive. We discussed this before. When you were an infant, you were rescued from the second floor of a burning home by Indiana firefighters. Do you remember when you learned about that?

No idea.

My parents has always you know, told me, and I would hear them tell other people the story when they ask about my wrists things like that, But I don't remember exactly when I first found out.

I've seen footage of the rescue. I imagine you have as well. The firefighter at the top of the ladder breaks open the window and this thick, black smoke comes pouring out. I don't think you would have lasted much longer. How has that impacted the way you view life?

Just, you know, not taking anything for granted, and you know, just doing everything to the best of my ability. And you know, not only that, I feel like my parents have a big thing on you know, finishing what you start, and you know, word is bond, being a man of your word and.

Things like that.

So I just I feel like just just coming from you know, great great people, great parents, great family.

You know, it's just been a part of me.

I know, you've met the firefighter who pulled you out of the home, Tom Broyles, and the emt that perform mouth to mouth Sean Phoinis. Were those meetings emotional for you and your family?

Yes, of course. You know.

The first time I met Sean Phoenis was I think it was my twelfth or thirteenth birthday.

You know, I quite didn't really understand yet.

But you know when I got when I got older and met Tom Broyles and you know Sean Phoenis, you know, it definitely hit hit me differently, differently. And you know when I first met Tom, you know, it was on camera and everything else. I didn't like kind of show my emotions, but they were definitely there.

We're visiting with Eric Hall. Let's turn to football. When did you start to stand out as an athlete among your peers.

I feel like I've always just been athletic and you know, just enjoying the games that I played. I played baseball, football, basketball growing up, so you know, I felt like I just just went out and played and had fun and just did whatever I needed to do to win, and and I just ended up just being good.

And yeah, that's the.

When did football become the sport for you?

I feel like that was the first sport I fell in love with. I mean, I'm probably definitely the first and and like my favorite sport. But I started when I was four, and you know, ever since then, you know, it's always been, you know, just the love of my life.

Really, you had a bunch of college options. You chose to attend Michigan. What was it about being a Wolverine that appealed to you? Uh?

Me being from Ohio, you know, I hated Ohio State. And really when I went to Michigan, I just I went in already liking them. I love, I loved the colors. They were you know, Jordan, and but not only that, Like when I when I got there, it was just filled with like the facility was filled with just great people and you know, the atmosphere at the games were very welcoming. The fans are welcoming, you know, the community

Why did you hate Ohio State?

Well, you know, I grew up Abama fan, so and they beat us in one of the games with Zeke and all them guys, and and I could I couldn't hear the end of it. And the fans at school, all my friends were Ohio State fans. They all that's all they talked about. So I just really like them. I didn't like the fans. I just didn't like the coaches when I wouldn't visited, so a lot of stuff.

You had a couple of significant injuries in your college football career. A back injury at Michigan a couple of years ago, and had torn acl last year after you transferred to Iowa. What was the toughest part about rehabbing from those injuries.

I'd say just.

Keeping confident or keeping that confident, that confidence in yourself and and and that you'll be okay or well that I will be okay after after. You know, it's just the it's not the like the how you feel. It's just it's like the just not knowing how everything's going

We're chatting with Erek Hall. You were drafted by your hometown team and the fourth round this year. Just gribe your draft weekend.

Yeah, it was it was long third day, but I mean it could have been longer. You know, some guys, you know, don't don't end up getting drafted. But you know, before that, we didn't know if we were gonna where we were gonna have the draft party, and and honestly, I didn't really know if I wanted to have a lot of people there, you know, because.

I didn't know if I was gonna be drafted or not.

And but I ended up just saying, you know, you know, if if you're gonna get drafted, you'd rather be around the people that you love. So I invited a bunch of people and we ended up having it at my high school's fieldhouse.

Where it all started.

And and you know, day three, fourth round, I got drafted, and while I was doing a workout with my with one of my best.

Friends out that I grew up with here in Hamilton. But yeah, it was pretty cool.

You've proven to be a very good blocker as a rookie, and a very aggressive one as well. Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher recently said you're not only willing to be violent, but eager to be violent. Describe the satisfaction you get when you make a crunching block.

Oh yeah, I mean ever since I started playing, you know, my dad was my coach, and you know, throughout my entire life playing the game, you know, hitting hard and making loud pops with your pads like was like part of the Like that's just what you did, and that was just what everybody you know, looked for was you know, crackback blocks back then it was legal, but crackback blots

Is just the reason why I play, honestly.

All Right, a few wild card topics now with Eric All to wrap things up, who is your all time favorite athlete in any space and why?

I'm gonna just say you saying Bolt just because how fast he is and and you know how long he was just the best at what he did and you know, the fastest times in the world and things like that, So say you say Boat.

He told me during training camp that you enjoy playing chess. When did you pick up chess? And have you competed against any of your current teammates yet?

Uh?

Yeah, So I started playing. I think it was my going into my junior year of fall camp.

At Michigan.

You know, there was not really much to do during camp, you know, given that you were you were spending majority of the time in the facility. If you were in a facility, you were in a hotel. So I forget who taught me. I'm pretty sure it was Carter Selzer. I would play a lot with him and I would just learn different things from him and watching videos on the.

Game and getting better like that.

But you know, we would play with with a lot of the guys played on the team. But you know, I played a lot of games with Coach Harball and you know, different titands and it was just everyone played so that and then now I play Tanner a lot.

Tanner McLachlan, McLaughlin. Muma.

He's trying to I feel like he just started because he does a lot of you know, suspect moves.

But I'm looking to play more guys.

I look for guys to play, So all right now I know the scouting report. If I'm going to play, take on Muma, jog meta before he gets good. You have a two year old son named Houston. What do you enjoy most about being a dad?

You know, just watching just watching him grow and take all these like these little steps like this little mild sone. Like I take him to the the varsity games of Fairfield games and you know he's on the sideline with me watching the games and he'll you know, imitate the players out there.

He'll get said and then.

Start running when they all start running. And you know, when a guy gets tackled, he falls down to the ground. So just things like that, do you know, just watching him grow and you know he's he's always he's always smiling and laughing. So it's just fun being around him, and you know, just a different type of love.

There's nothing better. Final fun fact for Eric All. This one's kind of deep. If you could meet anyone in history, living or deceased, who would that person be.

I'm gonna say King Tut because I always wanted to, you know, I always wanted to go back in time and see like the how they built the pyramids and everything else.

So to say King Tut.

You were the first person to say King Tut, so you get extra points for creativity. This has been fun. Appreciate your time, best of like the rest of the year.

Cool. Thank you.

That's going to do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast, brought to you by pay Corps, Proud to be the Bengal official HR software provider by Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business and community to a new level and by Kettering Health the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health