Bengals Booth Podcast: Let The Healing Begin

the playoffs if the Baltimore Ravens don't do it. First coming up, my broadcast partner Dave Lapham joins me to discuss several key topics, ranging from the murky future of linebacker Vantz Berfect to whether this season qualifies as the most disappointing that lap has experienced in forty three years as a Bengals player and or broadcaster. There have been some bright spots, including twenty three year old Sam Hubbard.

I'll talk to the molar High and Ohio State grad before the final game of his rookie season, and in this week's No The Faux segment, we'll get the Steelers scoop from the always entered hating Tim Ben's, a long time buddy of mine who is a columnist and radio host in Pittsburgh. 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, or pod Bean.

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half months ago. Heading into that game, the Bengals were four and one and the Steelers were two two and one, and with one minute and eighteen seconds to go, it looked like Cincinnati was about to have a two and a half game lead over Pittsburgh in mid October, second down and three at the Steelers four, the Bengals down by six, Dalton hands it off to Mix Churches into

the end zone, touchdown Bengals. Cincinnati has tied the game with one eighteen left, and the Bengals can take the lead when Randy Bullock lines up for the extra point. Bullock made the kick, but as you know, the lead didn't last. Ben Roethlisberger calmly drove the Steelers down the field, thanks in part to a third and ten defensive holding penalty against Drake Kirkpatrick. With fifteen seconds left, the Steelers were at the Bengals thirty one, and the Bengals defensive

coordinator at the time, Tarall Austin, elected the gamble. The Bengals have nobody back deep. They are crowding the line of scrimmage. Roethlisberger catches the shotgun snap quick throw of the mental cup. Antonio Brown sprinting down the middle of the field. He's into the end zone for as Steeler's touchdown with ten seconds left. Since that touchdown pass, the Bengals are two and seven and the following players have gone on injured reserve Andy Dalton, A J. Greene, Carl Lawson,

Tyler Croft, Preston Brown, Josh Tupo, and Adolphus Washington. There are others, but you get the point that when for the Steelers was the second of a six game winning streak that put them at seven two and one with a two and a half game lead over Baltimore in the AFC North, but it's been an epic fail in the Steel City since the Steelers have dropped four out of their last five games, despite having second half leads in all five. And in the Steelers case, it is

not injury related. Pittsburgh is only missing one starter from opening day, right tackle Marcus Gilbert, who went on injured reserve in mid December. Now time for this week's visit with my broadcast partner, Dave Lapham Lap. Between playing and broadcasting, you've been part of this franchise for forty three of its fifty one years, considering the four and one start this year, that was almost five and one before they got Roethlisberger. Does this go down as one of the

most disappointing seasons ever? I think when you look at it in that regard, because there was such high hopes. I know when we talked a bunch of times watching them during training camp, were like, man, this looks like could be pretty good. I think people, you know, they didn't have them under the radar. They had him off the radar. I mean, they were dismissed totally. People were saying four wins Max and we thought differently when we

saw how it was being put together. You have a chance to see it every day and how it's being assembled, and they get off to that great start, and offensively there was something to watch. And then the beginning of it was Tyler Eiffort. When Tyler Eiffort was lost for the season, that started the downslide, and the football god said, not so fast, my friend, it's not going to be the kind of year you think when Effort was in there.

When you have a tight end AJ Green, you can double team, but then Iffort's going to eat if you double Effort. You can't double AJ's easily because there's a run threat too. With Tyler Eiffort in the game. We talked about it many times. Every snap he played, they went nickel because they couldn't match up with him in

the passing game. They didn't want a linebacker on them, so they'd bring in a smaller body to, you know, be able to run with him with his excellence and route running, and then they could bunch it up and run in those smaller people. And the first two games of the season they scored thirty four points in each game, and they look dynamic offensively, Tyler Boyd, you know, was

showing some things as a third option. So you have Effort, you have Aj Green, you have Tyler Eiffort, Andy Andy Dalton is just you know, making Pittsburgh get out of their blitz. I mean, Baltimore Ravens get out of their blitz pattern. You know, It's like Wink Martindale wanted to blitz every single snap and he said no, Moss. I mean he went like a quarter and a half without blitzing at all. So it's like, Wow, these guys are looking pretty good and then the injury started and they

never did recover. And you know it's like I'm telling people, uh, you know, over the weekend here going into the Pits, this Pittsburgh game, how would the Pittsburgh Steels look without Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Juju Smith Schuster. I don't know, but I'd like to see it. I know that'd be that'd be a lot easier for Marvin Lewis to defend. I mean, this foot this Bengals football team isn't is nowhere near the team that started out the season, not

even close, not even close. And you know, fifteen guys on injury reserve that's not to count guys that missed two or more games. I think it would be easier to say the number of guys on the roster that played sixteen games. Not many of them. I mean, they might go on one hand they've missed guys for two or more games, a bunch in some for half a dozen games or more. And you know you're not gonna

have Vontes Berfett playing this game against Pittsburgh. You're not gonna have dray Ker Patrick played against in this game against Pittsburgh. You're gonna be depleted offensively, defensively. It's a it's a shame when you look at the way the season started, what could have been, and the way it ended up. Man, the football gods, Oh you won the

big time lab. Vontes Berfeckt began the year on suspension, he never played that well once he was active, and last week in Cleveland he suffered his seventh known concussion in seven NFL seasons. He's twenty eight, he's got two years left on his contract. What does Vontes Berfick's NFL future hold, Well, that's a that's a great question. It doesn't look promising for him. Honestly, that many concussions and

that short of time frame is a concern. You know, if you're Vontes berfect, you're probably thinking about getting hurt and you're thinking you're gonna get fined every time you play. You think you're a marked man, and your style of play is conducive to the concussions that he's had. So to me, it doesn't look promising. He didn't play as well as he's played in years past. There was an injury.

He's had a history of injury and suspension. The amount of money he's given back the league could support small communities in the country. It's amazing. You know. You just don't no matter how much money you make, you don't want to give a big chunk of it back. That's for darn sure. So it's interesting. The Bengals have a big decision to make there. That's one of their bigger

decisions I think in the offseason. If the Bengals allow twenty two or more points this week, they will break the franchise record from most points allowed in a season. Let's take a look at each level of the defense defensive line, linebackers, in secondary. Where must they improve in each of those areas well. I think in the defensive line, i'd maybe try to get another big interior guy, you know Glasgow and two Power. I mean they're they're on injuriserve.

Glasgow is playing very well. I think i'd try to get another one, though not real high in the draft. It might be my you know, third priority in the draft. My first priority's offensive line tackle. With what's happened, I mean, Certico Bay, he's catching his chips. Fisher, you don't know if you can play because of the physical aspect of it, So they're going to find a tackle. It's a good one down an old mess. Wouldn't mind to see him

up there in the first round. But and then second round, I'd probably go linebacker because we've seen how they've been attacked, they've been put in space. The only linebacker win healthy that you know, shows that he can do what needs to be done is Nick vigil. You know, they need to they need to get a little bit better in that area. So I draft I draft a linebacker that is a linebacker that fits day's NFL almost like a hybrid safety linebacker type guy, guy that can stay on

the field and defend the run. But if you put them in space, it's not an embarrassment because we've seen how teams have attacked the Bengals linebacker level at tight ends with running backs with shallow crosses from every position group, receiver, tight end or running back. Those crossers. I mean, I think every Bengal fan when they close their eyes in the offseason going to see crossing routes up on the ceiling and instead of with the back of their eyelids.

But so that's that's where I'd really make a move is at the linebacker position. But I would like to see them if there's a good interior defensive lineman in that in that third round kind of area, you know, go go that route as well. Secondary. Yeah, I mean, you can never have enough, you know, corners obviously, and they've had a history of drafting corners in the first round. I don't think they go that route, you know, this year. I do think they've got a budding star in Jesse

Bates at the safety position. I think he's he's going to be here for a long time barring injury. Knock on wood for everybody in that regard. But you know, you can always there's no harm in bringing bodies in to compete at the safety or cornerback position for sure. The Bengals wrap up the season at Pittsburgh. The Steelers are seven two and one after ten games, but after losing four out of their last five, they are currently out of the playoffs unless they beat the Bengals on Sunday,

and it's a big end. The Cleveland Browns go to Baltimore and beat the Ravens, who are red hot. Are you surprised the Steelers are where they are? Some but not totally. I maintain that when Bell decided he was done with Pittsburgh, that's when it started. They thought seven two and one, Bell still could return for the final six games of the season. Man, we get a boost, man like Bell comes back. Are you kidding me? We're go now we're a super Bowl favorite. Nope, not coming back.

The offensive lineman kept saying, oh yeah, he keeps communicating with us he's coming back, coming, And then all of a sudden, you know, they're all mad because he's not doing what he says he's going to do. So not only is he causing a wedge, you know, in that communication aspect of it, then when he doesn't return at all, I really think that was the straw that that loaded up the camel's back. I really do, because the guy is so dynamic in the running game, in the pass game.

I mean, he's as big a weapon for Ben as he is, you know, on the ground. And Connor, you know, made the Pro Bowl, I mean a good year, but a Belle is a different breed of cat. And then Connor has gotten nicked up. So and then you look at their turnover ratio. What team has made the playoffs going minus ten? That's that's very, very difficult. They're they're a good football team. Many of the games that they've lost in this little stretch you think many they're a

better team, they played better. How do they lose that game? How did that happen? I think part of it is, you know, Leveon Bell helps you close games. Not having him is a big, big deal. There's there's no doubt about it. I mean, that would be like having you know, the best back in Bengals franchise history decide ten games of the season. I'm going somewhere else. I mean that that would be crippling mentally to a football team. And

I think that's where it started. Thanks Lap, the Steelers have won the last seven meetings between the two rivals, including the infamous melt down at Paul Brown in the twenty fifteen wild Card game. Pittsburgh's longest ever winning streak against Cincinnati was eight straight from nineteen ninety one to ninety four. The Bengals longest winning streak against the Steelers was sixth straight from eighty eight to ninety when Ben

Roethlisberger was in elementary school. Ben is thirty six now, meaning that when he started his NFL career, Sam Hubbard was an elementary school. I spoke to Sam this week. We are in the locker room with rookie Sam Hubbard, one of the bright spots this season. I would say, evaluate what you've done well your rookie year and where you still need to think you need to get better. I think I did a good job coming in. You know, you got a lot of coaches trust and teammates trust

to earn. I think I came in worked hard and I did what I was asked to do, and you know earned the coaches trusting my trusting my teammates to get on the field more and throughout the year played more and more. I had a bigger role, and you know, got really comfortable as the season went on. I think just everything comes down to enhancing what I've done this year for next year, because I'll have a leg a

big role in a varied role. Four or seventy snaps on defense, two eighteen on special teams, twelve on offense. Has that all been a bit of a surprise? I mean that's what I set out to do. You know, I'm not a surprise. You know, I accomplished a goal that I playing a lot and having a big all on this team this year. But um, you know, it's it's a blessing that I've been on the field that

much and contributed that much. One of the highlights last week was Clayton Federlem's block punt in Cleveland, and he gave you all the credit after the game. Can you describe what you did on that play? Yeah, it's just a two man, two man game. I don't want to talk too much. Scheme between me and Clayton and the PP and the snapper of the punt team, and my

job was to beat the snapper across the face. I did that and PP had no choice to pick me up and double tee me and that like Clayton go free and you know, that's just what teammates do and I'm happy to do it pp being personal protector. After the game, Joe Mixon said, I've never been part of a losing program, and I can promise you it's not going to be that way for long. And Cincinnati you saw that and tweeted you couldn't have said it better yourself.

What gives you that confidence? I just think we got uh you know, guys didn't hear that want to win? You know they're they're frustrated. You know, we got people out of practice that are put in the work and we really just want to change the culture to a winning attitude around here. And that's easier said to do than to do. But it all just comes down and putting in the work and backing up what we're saying with our actions. And that's personally what I'm gonna do.

We're visiting with Sam Hubbard. In your college football career, you don't get summers off after your final college season, you're preparing for the draft. That's a full time job. When you complete your rookie year, you finally get the opportunity if you choose to to take a little time off. Have you given that any thought? Oh? Yeah, you know, I haven't had more than a week off or a week and a half, two weeks off in about five

or six years. But you know, it's gonna be nice to get a few weeks off and just you know, let my body rest and recover, my mind recover, and you know, then I'm excited to get back in the weight room and getting ready for next year. A couple more questions for Sam Hubbard. You finished the season against the Steelers on October fourteenth. Was it strange to look across the line of scrimmage and see and hear Ben Roethlisberger. Yeah,

it was crazy. I think you're you know, you watch watch those games for years growing up, and you got you got big Ben across from you, and Steelers offensive line trying to protect them, and you know, I was still still young early in the season trying to survive. I feel like I'm a lot more comfortable this this uh time around, and hopefully get some pressure on the quarterback. That old line is widely regarded as one of the best in the NFL. Did you feel that way facing

them the first time? Yeah, you know, they get a lot of credit for a reason. Um, they work very well with the quarterback and you know, extending plays and keeping guys away from Big Ben, so you can sling it. But um, yeah, I mean across the board, I think one of the three all Pro guys and uh, we got a big challenge, but I think we got enough on our side too to have a big impact on the game. Last thing for Sam Hubbard, you potentially could knock the Steelers out of the playoffs on Sunday as

a Cincinnati area kid. Does that add anything to this final game? Oh? Of course, you know you wanna, wanna, you want to win this game. We've lost quite a funeral, and you know we're, like I said earlier, we're focusing on ourselves and seeing what we can do to be better as a team and an organization. But obviously we got a little something something extra this week. Let's play

for Congrats on a great rookie here, thank you. Sam Hubbard has six sacks this season to rank third on the team, behind Geno Atkins, who has ten, and Carlos Dunlap who has eight. Now time for this week's No the Faux segment. As we take a closer look at the upcoming opponent, and this week our expert is Tim Bens,

a columnist and radio host in Pittsburgh. He joined Dave Lapham and me on the Bengals Game Plan Show this week, and I started our conversation by asking Tim about a column he wrote after Pittsburgh's heartbreaking loss to the Saints last Sunday. The headline of the column read, Steelers deserved the coal they got in their stockings. Well, you know, that loss against New Orleans was a tough break. They had some bad calls against them, they had some misfortune.

Tomlin rolled the dice and went for a fake hunt when I don't think you should have, but you know, all in the name of being aggressive and so forth. I think I walked away from that Saints game saying, if you go on the road and you have a lead in the fourth quarter against New Orleans, a team that's lost only twice all year, if you play that game in Week nine, you could walk away saying, hey, we gave it a great effort. We kind of got

screwed over by some Carls. Live to fight another day, and let's go forward the rest of the season and maybe we can pull some positives off of this. But you can't do that when you put yourself in the position that they did by losing two Oakland, by blowing a lead against DLA Chargers, by losing at the Denver Broncos, by tying the Browns the Fort Baker Mayfield was the quarterback back in Week one when they had multiple opportunities

to win that game. You know, they're not going to miss the playoffs because they lost the game in New Orleans. They deserve a better faith. That team that played against New Orleans deserved a better faith. The overall team of twenty plants does not because of those performances. And it's something we have seen on numerous occasions under Mike Tomlins.

Good Steeler teams left out of the playoffs five hundred and above Steeler teams left out of the playoffs because they lose to lesser competition and tim it seems like, you know the thing that the barometer that holds true, it's a football axiom turnovers. You know, you're minus ten. You don't have many playoff teams that are minus ten. You know, after fifteen football games only fifteen takeaways. I mean, they're not doing either well. They're only take The Bengals

have more takeaways in the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have two more takeaways and they have eight fewer giveaways. I mean, Pittsburgh's given it away twenty five times. The Bengals are even seventeen takeaways, seventeen gives. If the Steelers were even instead of minus ten, shoot, they maybe be like, you know, eleven three and one. Yeah, Steelers are even versus minus ten and that probably means that they haven't turned it over what was it three times in Denver and win

that game. And ye, maybe it's because the fumbles against dew Orleans. They win that one. At least they're keeping pace and where a game ahead of Baltimore where Baltimore would they need help to get in as a wild card. You're right about that. I think if you continue to look at those notes you got in the turnover column, I'm pretty sure when you look at differential not wrong, and that the only four teams that are worse than them in differential or non playoff teams that have been

eliminated already. Yeah, that's the case. You're right. They're twenty eighth in the NFL and the only four are are not playoff contention exactly right, you know that, yeah, killer. In fact, In fact, I think even when they were in good playoff position, like seven three and one something like that, they were still in the bottom five in differential.

If they'd managed to mask the turnover problem with other victories against teams that sort of fell off, like you know, Carolina in Atlanta, those kinds of clubs, they'd managed to mask that for a while, but a problem all year. It's really manifested in losses though in recent weeks. Tim The other thing that's mind boggling to me, I look at these ratios. At the sack ratio, they're plus twenty five. They've accumulated forty eight, you know, tied for the amongst

the top in the NFL. They've only allowed twenty three fourth viewers, so they're plus twenty five, second best in the league. Interception ratio, they're minus eight, twenty ninth in the league. They've thrown sixteen, only got an eight. Usually, if you're putting that much pressure on usually you have more interceptions, and if you're protecting your quarterback, usually you have fewer interceptions thrown. It's just the reverse in both of their scenarios, it's kind of odd, really it is.

I would say that the defensive part of that equation is harder to explain because the Roethlisberger interceptions, as you guys will know so often are born from them keeping plays alive, using to take an open check down and trying to go something deeper down the field and trying to so he might have protection, look away from a guy who's open for five yards and try to get twelve. And that's where some of those interceptions are born from.

So you can kind of explain the pressure versus interception disparity on offense easier than you can on defense. That's been a major threw line for all this turnover talking Pittsburgh. You're right about that, Davi. Is that there's a lack, there's a gap there as to why the pressure isn't resulting in at least more bad throws, hurry throws, tipped passes, things of that nature. But then the flip side of it is of his thirty three touchdown passes, maybe ten

or come from extending it like you're talking about. So you have to take the bad with the good with the guy, right, I mean, he'll he'll he'll make a play and you know by you know, shucking people off of him and extending it and all that, and then he'll, like you said, he'll turn it over. I mean, that's

just Big Ben, that's him. Yeah, you know, And there was like that Denver game kind of drove me crazy in that regard, where you know, he makes some great throws and then he just decided he's going to make the throw come hell or high water in situations where he shouldn't. I don't think he's lost anything in his game. As I was writing notes during the Saints game, I can't tell you how many times to put a star next to seven hyphen eighty four or seven nineteen. I mean,

he made so many great throws to those guys. They but jus you fumbled at the end, and you know Ridley fumbled earlier in the game. I think his worst season when he came to interceptions was two thousand and six after they won the Super Bowl, and a lot of that had to do with the concussion that he got during the season and the motorcycle accident in the offseason. You know that that was kind of easy to explain away.

But I guess my point is, it's not like he's lost his fastball and that's why the interceptions are high. I think it's more than anything else, But then it's decision making. Pittsburgh radio host and columnist Tim Benz is our guest. The Steelers were seven two and one with a two and a half game lead in the division. Now they are six and one and at least at the moment, on the outside looking in when it comes

to the playoffs. Pittsburgh's had three head coaches since nineteen sixty nine, so they are not going to just fire Mike Tomlin on a whim. But is somebody feeling the heat, assistant coach, a player in particular, Has anybody kind of become the focus of the this guy's gotta go crowd? Danny Smith and Keith Butler. There have been so many penalties on special teams that have cost them and errors

on special teams that have cost them. Now the counter two that is boy, they've been really good blocking kicks this year. Their kick block schemes have been fantastic. So I don't know if they're gonna swing the hatchet on Danny Smith. Keith Butler. I think people view him as just an extension of what was the Dick Lebau defense, and Mike Tomlin has kind of put his thumb prints on the defense as well here and maybe minimized or

marginalized with Butler is doing. And I think some folks are saying, we'll put a new true to defensive coordinator in there to install his own stuff and get away from what the Steelers are doing right now. But it's not the old lebou three four. It has definitely changed in a lot of ways, particularly relying on pressure from Hayward and two as opposed to what the old three four defensive ends used to do. And they do drop the outside linebackers quite a bit now. I think those

two are getting it. But honestly, your question, Dan, it's it's far more just fans angry at Tomlin, like he's probably not feeling any in the building. But this is

the loudest I've ever heard the fire Tomlin crowd. And it's been loud in the past at times, especially during that stretch of seasons where they didn't have a playoff win prior to the you know Vantes perfect game in Cincinnati that you know, they've gone four straight years out of playoff victory prior to that and looked like it was going to be five up until the last minute of that game. So I've heard it loud. This is as dense as it's been, and you made the points.

In nineteen sixty nine three coaches, right, there have been fewer popes than there have been Steeler coaches. I'm pretty sure. So release at least the tie you crazy, I think. But that being said, I think that you know, like Bill Cower would still be the head coach to Pittsburgh Steelers to say if he hadn't wanted to retire. I think we all know that Bill Caller would still be coaching. So it's not like and then they never would have

hired Tomlin. So my point is just because you don't have to hold on the coach just because you feel obligated, like I'm sure there's another there's a Sean McVay out there, there's a Frank greyk waiting to be promoted. So you know, if the Steelers do feel the urge, and I don't think that they do to fire the coach, I don't think it would be as galling as maybe they feel in their gut because in Pittsburgh you just quote unquote don't do that, but you know what if you get

a better one. My question, tim is does Boswell have pictures that are compromising into somebody? How does with twelve misses, you know, missing five extra points and seven field goals that you know they've been costly in some of these tight losses. I mean, what's the deal? How much heat is he feeling? Yeah, a lot, a lot of well many people myself included, thought they should have reade to

move there. If it's the Pirates, then you're just saying, well, they're trying to honor a contract and they're trying to you know, not eat the rest of the money. You know, that would be the narrative around here if it was a baseball situation. I don't think they want to be stuck with that cap hit. I think they think he's good and he's going to swamp the boys. This's been in Long Swamp and it's the same thing, or every cake has missed the same way. Everything is being pushed

right again, kind of like the turnover thing earlier. They danced through the ranger ups there where a lot of his missus weren't affecting the outcomes of games. They either

came back and overcame them more. There were losses that were going to be losses anyway, So he didn't materially affect a lot of games until the Charger game, where that kind of swung how the Chargers approached their offense, and then of course the Raider game when he slipped and that was his second miss kick of the afternoon. That one was definitely directly on him. That was why I was so confused about the fake punt against the Saints.

You know, part of Thomlin's rationale was, well, if they come down and score, we at least have time to come back and score to tie it. What with him

with Boswell they won't you kidding me? You know, just just maybe get a field goal off to tie it, so then you kick it off to Drew Brees to get an overtime perhaps, Like you know, I thought that was It was to me, that was aggressiveness masking cowardice, or aggressiveness masking and lack of faith in your own defense, because um, you know, it dealt to me like a self defeating truism that at some point true was going to beat us anyway, and let's rely on the boss

to maybe extend the game. Which you know turns my summer to think about. But wait a second, Tim, that fake punt worked. I saw Roosevelt Nick celebrate he got the first down. How about that? How did that play in Pittsburgh? There was a meme going around in Pittsburgh. The probably still find it on Twitter somewhere where it was like some guys said, this is my Tomlin eront da Vinci and it's you know, going first down, believe the bruce down the other way. It was the key

to that Green based Seattle game. Remember the failed merry game where the one rap is putting his hands up to incomplete. Yes, they got this duality on the photo. And it's just called the Tomlin Years. I thought. I thought that summed it up pretty well. Final question and thanks so much for your time, Tim. What are the Pittsburgh stealers or what's the locker room the feeling about the Bengals. The Bengals obviously struggling. Uh, they probably don't

recognize the offense. The guys that are playing in the skill positions, I mean, the four most important players offensively, they couldn't afford to lose. I've lost all of them. It is Pittsburgh just thinking they got to roll their helmets out there and uh, it'll take care of itself. Well, today is the first state that the guys talk um. You know, as far as the interaction with them, it's been minimal from a media point of view, so I

haven't been able to glean what they're thinking. The concerning thing is for any game where the stealers are heavy favorite, it's not what they say, it's what they think. They were really good telling us that this is going to be different against the You know, they were really good telling us already they were for the Browns. They knew it was a new hell for the Browns, and then they tied. They're really good telling us, hey, there are some good things about this Denver team. Don't just look

at their record. And then they went out there and got beaten by them. So I don't put a lot of stock in what they say about an opponent coming up. I bet you to say all the white things all week long, iss the Bengals, and then I think they look in their hearts and they look at that wine and say, seventeen point favorites. That's about we should do that to these guys. And I'm certain this is going to be a game in the fourth quarter. I'm not certain that Baker's going to keep the Browns in it

that long, and honestly, that's every bit. It's much important, if not more important, for the Steelers right now than anything else and what happens in Baltimore. We should explain that there is a way for the Steelers to make the playoffs even if Baltimore wins the AFC North by beating Cleveland on Sunday. If Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati, the Steelers could grab the AFC's final wildcard spot if the Sunday night game between the Colts and Titans ends in a tie.

Keep in mind that the NFL did shorten the regular season overtime period from fifteen minutes to ten minutes last year in the interest of player safety, but that hasn't led to a slew of ties. There have been two in four hundred and eighty six games since that rule change. Our thanks to Tim Benz, and that's going to do it for this episode of the podcast. If you haven't done so already, don't forget to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or pod Bean, and if you have a minute, give

it a rating or leave a comment. Your feedback is very much appreciated, and five star ratings help more Bengals fans find this podcast. I'm Dan Horde, Happy New Year and thanks for listening to The Bengals Booth podcast