Bengals Booth Podcast: Feels Like The First Time

postgame analysis, plus in this week's fun Facts conversation. It's one of the greatest and most popular Bengals of all time, wide receiver Chad Johnson. All of that is straight ahead, but first, here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or pod Bean. It's the greatest invention since blackout curtains. I have something in common with Dracula. I have a

hard time sleeping if there's light in the room. It could be a bright alarm clock or a street lamp position just so outside the window. But I like a room that's as dark as the bottom of a well. So when I get home really late from a road trip with the intention of sleeping in, only to be foiled by sunlight streaming into my bedroom. It's time to purchase blackout curtains. Now, let's get to football. The start of Thursday's game in Washington was like a three Stooges comedy.

There were seven penalties called on the first seven plays. It was uglier than my ninth grade class photo, which I will not be sharing on a throwback Thursday. But it looked like the flagfest was going to help the Bengals. Two fifteen yard penalties on the man who jumps over bulls Josh Norman look it up, gave the Bengal the ball in the red zone. But it was the Red Skins that scored. From the eleven. Dalton's back to throw his pass batted at the line of scrimmage and intercepted

at the five yard line. Running it back down the near sideline and headed toward the house is Monte Nicholson. He's going to score a pick six that goes ninety six yards. Wow. Dustin Hopkins missed the extra point and later missed a fifty yard field goal. At the end of the first quarter, it was six nothing Washington. After Andy Dalton was in for the first three drives, rookie Ryan Finley took over at quarterback and promptly drove the Bengals right down the field. He went eight for eight

on a twelve play ninety three yard touchdown drive. Audent Tate and Drew Sample out to the left. Wouldn't be surprised to see the Bengals trying to get it to Auden Tate in the red zone from the five yard line. Cuddly throws for Sample, makes the catch and takes it into the end zone for his first NFL touched out. Beat Craig Reynolds a little bunch formation and the Washington Redskins. As the bunch formation unfolded, they forgot all about Sample.

Drew Sample struggled in his preseason debut last week, but found the end zone in week two. You know, it was just surreal. You know, it's kind of just a you know, they called the playing a huddle, and you know, I know there was a chance that was coming to me. So you know, just ran my rout Ryan through a perfect ball and in the end zone and it was just everything you know that I hoped it would be. And then you know it was over just like that back on the sideline back in the game. So, um, no,

it was. It was. It was awesome. Um it was exciting to kind of get the first one. Um, but no, it was. It was really fun. We're talking to Drew Sample, a couple of tight ends we're out tonight and concussion protocol. Tyler Reifer was out there for one snap, So you were one of the tight ends that got a ton of reps tonight. In your position as a rookie trying to adjust to the NFL, is that a good thing? Definitely?

You know, you know, being able to I mean play every special team's play on offense as much as they can. You know, it's definitely just you know, getting used to it, getting used to, you know, different plays, just the rhythm of the game. I think it was. I think it's definitely in viable and I was glad I was able to do it because you know, I need as many you know, reps I can get, So I think it was good. Brandy Bullocks extra point was wide right and

the game was tied at six. In the second quarter, the Redskins turned to their rookie quarterback to Wayne Haskins who threw fifty touchdown passes last year at Ohio State. Wayne Haskins, the fifteenth pick in the draft, waits for a shotgun snap. He has the ball looking left cos the arm throws it deep. It is caught at the Bengals fifteen yard line. It's going to be a fifty five yard touchdown to Robert Davis. He had a forty five yard touchdown catch last week against the Cleveland Browns.

He's got a fifty five yarder against the Cincinnati Bengal. Haskins long TD pass Gabe Washington a thirteen SA halftime lead, but in the second half, the Bengals sacked him three times third down and eight for the red Skins. They're at their own twenty two yard line, leading by seven. High shotgun snap caught by Hasket. He gets hit front behind by Willis. The ball rolls forward. The Bengals scoop it up As we wait to find out if it's

a fumble or an incompletion. The Bengals are celebrating. Carrie Wins sprinting towards the sideline to scoop it up at the twenty five yard line. Cincinnati capitalized on the takeaway. Ryan Finley catches a shotgun, snap fires a slant, It is caught for a touchdown by Auden Tate that tied the game at thirteen. Here's Auden Tate on his touchdown.

Just getting this side of defending, you know, just playing your body between him and the ball and just making a kitch, you know, like I said, just trusted a quarterback, you know, giving me the opportunity and just making it. Is that a special moment getting it in the ends on here? Oh yeah, definitely. You know I ain't scores last year, preseason, first game, so you know, it's definitely

feel good to get back into. Definitely. Finley finished twenty for twenty six for one hundred and fifty yards, two touchdowns, no picks, and a passer rating of one fifteen point nine. I felt really good. I thought, um, we just moved the ball really well on some of the drives that I got to be in there, and I thought we were really balanced, and I thought Jordan ran the ball great, and guys just made Guys just made plays. I thought. I thought Drew Sample had some awesome catches. It was

fun to get him his first touchdown. And then Tate just a big body play in the ends on two, so um, it was fun. In two preseason games, Finley has completed seventy five percent of his throws, tossed three touchdown passes, and has a passer rating of one h two point four. Here's Alex ericson now. He's got a lot of poise. He's a gamer, and he's got that savvness about him. He's got that that calm, you know,

collective way about him. And it showed tonight and he went out there and he commanded the huddle, he commanded the drives, and we were able to drive it down the field and score some points with him at the helm. So it's always good to see that, just especially a young guy coming in and it's hard, man, it's hard. It's hard to do that. And he's done a heck of a job and it's been fun watch him grow and develop and it's you know, it's only gonna get better.

With a score tide at thirteen in the fourth quarter, the Bengals blew a chance to take the lead when rookie kicker Tristan Viscano missed a forty six yard field goal try, but he got a chance to redeem himself the next time, the Bengals got the ball, so Tristan Biscano attempting a fifty seven yard field goal in hopes of giving the Bengals a fourth quarter lead with eight minutes in fourteen seconds to go. Kevin Huber right me on the ground, waits for the snap, stands the right hand,

puts the ball down. Biscano's kick. It has the distance and it is good. Tristan Biscano from fifty seven yards away gives the Bengals a three point lead with eight minutes and nine seconds left. Did you know you would be given opportunity from that range? I hoped I would, you know, after I missed the one before. I wasn't sure if they were, you know, gonna have the confidence

in me to send me back out there. But I definitely wanted the opportunity, and you know, I'm thankful that they gave me a shot and let me, let me go swinging and put it up. So, yeah, Dritan Viscaino is our guest. According to your bio, your longest in college was forty four. Was that accurate? I don't know, maybe forty four somewhere around there. Yeah, what's the longest one you've made in practice and in practice here practice anywhere. Um,

it's hit a seventy yard or before. But I mean one time anywhere in that range sixty to seventy hit somewhere at some point in time. Well go back to the one you missed that forty six yard or you had plenty of distance but pushed it a little bit to the right. As you come off the field after that, are you thinking, man, I just hope I get another shot. Uh? Yeah, absolutely, Um just wanted a little redemption and I was hoping

that I get an opportunity and I did so. Yeah, I worked out, but yeah, I just just wanted another chance. Leading sixteen thirteen, the Bengals defense forced to three and out to get the ball right back and Alex Ericsson put the game away. Here comes the punt from tress Way. He's punted a lot, very very high. Ericson will try to return from the twenty five yard line, hearing towards the near sideline. At the thirty thirty five forty to

the fifty, the Redskins territory breaks it. Town goes no flags on the field as Alex Ericson goes seventy five yards for a punt return touchdown. Unbelievable. Describe what you saw after catching that ball. Well, he was booming him all night, so I knew I was gonna get a chance, and we had a good play called on and I was able to get around the corner and guys obviously set up a great wall. I was able to cut

back and get to the house. You had win in your first NFL preseason game, come close since, but have not taken one to the house since. Yeah, it's a good feeling, I'm sure. Yeah, it just just show us all hard at us, you know, UM, just never take for granted. I guess, no matter if it's in the first quarter of week whatever, the fourth quarter of preseason game two, I guess it's all it's all the same. If you're gonna be out there, you might as well

give it your all and uh make a play. And we're able to do that and it end up being a big play in the game. Obviously where we're at and um, I know it's just a preseason, but we're trying to win every single game. We're trying to we're trying to build a winning culture here, and UM, the only way to do that is by winning games, So it was good to get the w tonight, and um, you know, sometimes it's all the phases and social teams showed up big, big tonight, and um it helped us

win the win the game. The final score Cincinnati twenty three, Washington thirteen. Dave Lapham spoke to Zach Taylor shortly after his first unofficial win as a head coach. Did you feel like there was stride? There was strides made from game one to game two. I know you wanted to see if guys could basically work through adjustments after week one and show those coaching adjustments in week two. Did you feel like that occurred for the most part, especially

on defense. You know, they held him to seven points. It was a big third down play where they got a big play on us, but otherwise they scored on the pick six, and so I thought a defense really stepped up and it was physical and they tended to details better. Special teams did a good job, you know, I think they affected the way a game in a positive way. We just got to start faster on offense, but I was proud of the way that the unit

responded in the second half. Were down, We're down seven points when we came back and shut him out and got a lot of points on the board. That's how we want to finish. Ryan Finley ten for ten to start the first nine for nine tonight before he had an incompletion. He seems to have that innate feel, you know, in the pocket, win to move and how to move, and some guys have it, some guys don't. It's just a knack, isn't it. Yeah. I think he's starting to

hit his groove a little bit. You know, he feels confidence in the offense and things are slowing down for him, and he's he was playing well in the games. That's for quarterback, that supported for any position. But you know he's played with all the conference right now. That's good to see. What about Michael Jordan. I know you obviously weren't watching Michael Jordan, but he seemed to have quit himself pretty well. I mean, it doesn't seem too big

for him out there, No, it doesn't. You know, he's played at a big school, playing some big games. It has not been too big for him yet. The consistencies improving from week to week, and so be in stod to watch the tape and see how those guys played as a whole true sample and Pratt both I thought, big jump from week one to week two shouldn't be surprising. You know, the first one, you're kind of getting the

jitters out a little bit. You get winded very quickly because you're nervous and things are coming fast at you. So they get a chance to rebound this week, and I thought both of them stepped up from what I saw. Here are some final numbers. The Bengals out gained the Redskins three thirty five to two twelve, had nineteen first downs to only eight for Washington, and controlled the clock

for thirty six and a half minutes. Time for some postgame analysis from lap and we begin with the two special teams plays in the fourth quarter that gave Cincinnati the win. Both of them are special special teams play as special teams wasn't very special last week. This week, they didn't start off well, miss some kicks as did the Redskins, but when the game was on the line,

a cameo drilled one fifty seven. I mean, anytime you hit fifty seven, I don't care what level of football, preseason, regular season, postseason, high school, peewee, I mean that's that's special. Then Alex Erickson is just a gamer. I mean he makes plays and need to be made to win football games. That's that's what he's all about. I thought special teams in defense really with the big story of the night. Going into the game, Alex Rickson was going to handle

some punt returns. Darius Phillips is originally set to handle the rest. Darius Phillips suffered an injury, so Alex Errickson handled them all and he did not play it safe lap He kept returning punt after punt he did. I mean, he's that's just the way. That's just the way he is. I mean, once he gets into game, those competitive juices start flowing and he wants to do everything he can to help his football team, you know, win a football game.

And I think Darren Simmons is probably in a way happy because he gets to evaluate a lot of young guys in their ability to block and understand the concepts of what he's trying to do with blocking patterns on special teams. But certainly didn't want to get alex Ericson nicked up, that's for sure. Alex Rickson said he thought it was important to win. That's why he kept returning

those points. He wanted to give Zach Taylor victory as an NFL head coach, and although it doesn't go in the record books, he does get a win in his second preseason game. Let's talk about the defense. They held the Redskins to eight first downs. They were strong. I mean, I thought that, you know, the defense or front even without some of the frontline players, put consistent pressure on

the quarterback. I thought linebackers stepped up. I thought Pratt played a lot better than he played in the first preseason game. I thought sample, did you know offensively as well? And I thought Finley, you know, put together back to back week so you know, the rookies and they're all stepping up and showing that they belong the league. Overall, Dan, I mean, the Bengals dominated the game. They had a more than thirteen minute time of possession advantage and more

than twenty two snap advantage. But again, you know, there were some issues with penalties and turnovers and things of that nature that need to be cleaned up. But I thought it was a step forward from week one to week two, but still miles to go before they rest. And I just wish the officials to keep their flags

in their pockets for a while. Let's follow up on Ryan Finley twenty for twenty six, one hundred and fifty yards, two touchdowns, no picks, a passer rating of one fifteen point nine, and when you talk to his teammates, the thing that everybody starts with is his composure is calm. Typically not what you expect out of a rookie in

his second preseason game. Yeah, I mean I thought we talked about, you know, during training camp, balanced between being too cool for school and being have a little sense or urgency. Let's pick the temple up. I think he's found that balance and I think that you know he is. He nothing flusters him. He doesn't get rattled. The thing I like about him too, he seems to have that sixth sense in the pocket, the eyes and the back of the head just just knows when to sidesteps, step up.

I mean, some guys have a knack, some guys don't. He seems to have a knack for that. And uh, you know, he's not a stiff getting out of pocket. I mean he showed at the end of the half when he spun out and lots some more time than zig zag back across the football field, and he's got a little dipsy due to him as well. So I thought he played well. I thought Drisco played well too. I mean, Driscoll showed his speed on that thirteen yard

run knife from between a couple of guys. He threw a great deep ball that didn't work out, but it wasn't because of his you know, his lack of effort. I mean, they're very fortunate. There's there's some competitions going on that are pretty stout a wide receiver position. Damian Willis had his best game out of two. He had a touchdown catch negated by offensive pass interference, and Autumn Tate got into the end zone for the first time

since his very first preseason game last year. Yeah, and these these young receivers, you know, it's been talked about all training camp with AJ Green and John Ross out. All these young guys are going to get a lot of opportunity. And the thing is they're all of the mentality that they love football, they want to get better, they want to be coached, and they're improving, you know, and the wide receiver room. I know Bob mcnell in conversation with him, he loves it. He loves everybody's attitude.

Everybody's pulling for each other, everybody's getting each other better, and there's going to be some decisions to be made there too. I mean, there's some good competitions going on. And then when Aj Green and John Ross come back, man, they're gonna be, you know, that much better for it. Up next, the first preseason home game coming up next

Thursday night against the New York Giants. Now time for this week's fun Facts segment, and we're dipping into the archives for a conversation with one of the bengals all time best and most popular players. Back when I was a sports anchor at Fox nineteen, I hosted a segment every Sunday night during the football season called Chad's Corner with the one and only Chad Johnson. We started doing it before his career really took off and didn't pay

him all that much. Once he became a superstar, his agent demanded a much higher fee that the station couldn't afford, but Chad said, nope, these guys were with me from the beginning and I'll keep doing it for the same amount. I loved watching him play and always enjoyed our conversations, including this one on the sideline of Paul Brown Stadium back in two fifteen. Time for some fun facts with an old friend. The Bengals all time leader in receptions,

receiving yards, and touchdown catches number eighty five, Chad Johnson. Chad, when you came back to town, the first thing you tweeted out was it's good to be home. Do you feel that way about Cincinnati? Yeah? Most definitely, always have. You know, anytime you when they mean they welcome with open arms, and that's really all I know. Cincinnati is all I knew besides my birthplace, so I considered it home. Do you think you made Cincinnati cool at the height

of your fame. I made it okay to be a fan. I made it okay to where your Bengal stuff outside of the city of Cincinnati, you know, at a time when it was really bad. You know, I would like to think I've read life back into the city. You know. I don't think I helped get us to where we are now, but I just made the game fun. I made it okay to pay your money and sit out here at one o'clock every Sunday and just make it

fun again. We're doing fun facts with Chad Johnson. This is the tenth anniversary of the two thousand and five team, one of the most entertaining teams, certainly in Bengals history, if not NFL history. And that was the year of the Checklist. It was the year of the end Zone celebrations. When I say, oh, five to eighty five, what comes to mind, Fun, consistency, entertainment. I was all of those

wrapped in one weekend and week out. One of the most fun things that I've ever had the opportunity to do us a broadcaster was host Chad's Corner back when I was working for Fox nineteen and you were playing with the Bengals, because I felt like I was on the ground floor just as it started to take off as your stardom started to grow. Back then, did you worry about other guys being jealous of it? No, there would be no reason too, because I was mean my

personality I was. I was a loving person mode and was there to be jealous of. You know, I'm approachable. I'm one who can communicate with everybody, someone can relate to everybody to regardless of what leve are you on wherever you come from, there's really nothing to hate, and that lovable side continues to this day. You've got three point five million followers on Twitter. You typically tell all of them you love them on a daily basis. What

do you get out of Twitter? It's a voice, So my own voice, my own platform, say whateverbody feel is on my mind. I said, you know, so, it's just fun. It's fun chat. I had to look it up to remember that your first two years or the Bengals were pre Marvin Lewis. I almost forgot that you were with Cleobo for two years before Marvin arrived. Yeah, that was fun. Lebo was cool. Man Vow was really cool. How are

you and Marvin these days? Really good? I still bother them all the time, still text him all the time. Sure he gets aggravating because when I text, I text four or five in the morning, same way I did when I was playing. Nothing change you and I relationship, Nothing change same way. After ten years and six Pro Bowls with the Bengals, you went to New England for that one season you got to the Super Bowl. Didn't have the statistics we were accustomed to seeing in Cincinnati.

Do you look back at that year fondly. It was cool. I enjoyed it, you know, being there, seeing how that that entity itself is run. You know why they're successful every year. You know, it was fun as far the production, understanding that if you think about it, the type of was, you know, an outside receiver like myself, a dominant outside receiver. I mean, his office didn't really fit me well, you know,

even with it being Tom Brady as a quarterback. If you think about their offense is run from the inside out. It's for the slot guys, for the tight ends, you know, and their third option to me, if if you pay attention to that offense and really dissected, the third option is or tailback out of the backfield, then the receiver. Unless your last name is Mark Moss, which I'm not Randy Moss, you know, you're expendable. So you know, I really wasn't needed, and but I did enjoy it. I

enjoyed my time there. I enjoyed Tom, I enjoyed build, I enjoyed the entire organization, and I enjoyed it. Chat. A lot of people that care about you, myself included, wondered how you would be when football was over. You seem very happy, to me, Yeah, I played a long time. Not only did I play a long time, I played a long time, and I did it my way. You know. I didn't conform to the way society or the NFL

gods felt I should have been. You know, it's funny that I got to this point in life and all of a sudden I supposed to change everything about myself, you know. And I always thought to myself, where were you guys when I was in high school? Where were you when I was in junior high or playing a little league, you know, And all of a sudden, I get to this point. Now you're telling me how I

suppol to play football because of the money. And the funny thing about it, I never played for the money, which is why I was always giving it away, you know. And so I played long and I did it my way. So there's really nothing to miss except maybe I didn't get a ring. But there's a lot of people that played them to get a ring. But enough is enough. I'm at peace big time. You're getting involved in the

cigar business. Now, I love cigars, but this is interesting to me because you're not putting your name on something for somebody else with money you're getting into this, You've been to the Dominican Republic. You want to do it right right. I want to those that have been the cigar game for years, those that have entities that have passed down from generation to generation. I want them to take me seriously to see the see the growth and how serious I am about making an a quality of cigar.

And that was the whole point of me going to the dr and learning how cigars are made instead of me just buying the finished product, which I've always done all these years. So now that I got my understanding together, I did my homework. I'm coming out with my own line, eighty five cigars. Eighty five cigars. You and my nine year old son Sam have something income and you are both obsessed with FIFA on EA Sports, and you've actually been showing up at people's houses randomly to take them on. Yeah.

I've been doing that for a while for a couple of years now now that I've been free, it's fun. It's fun. It's fun beating someone in their house and also rating their refrigerator. But just the fact that being able to do to walk in someone's house, go in their refrigerator and beat them at their game that they felt they were good out crisis. It's really good to see you. Thanks for the memories always. I hope you

feel welcome when you come back to Cincinnati. Oh ways, oh ways, du man, it's been love man everywhere I win like love, like literally the jersey. They're still fan the jersey Like that's dope. That's really dope. If you like cigars, you should check out eighty five cigars dot com and or follow eighty five Cigars on Twitter. Last week they gave out some free tickets to the Bengals Redskins game, so you never know what you might be able to win. That's going to do it for this

edition of the podcast. If you haven't done so already, don't forget to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or pod Bean. And if you have a minute, please give it a rating or leave a comment. Your feedback is always helpful and those five star ratings help more Bengals fans find this podcast. I'm Dan Horde. Thank you for listening to the Bengals Booth Podcast