Hi, get everybody.
I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading The Bengals Booth Podcast. The Don't be Surprisedhized addition, as Jake Browning looks to lead the Bengals to their fourth straight win as they face the dreaded, hated, but grudgingly respected Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday at Akrashuer Stadium, coming up, Boomer Asiasin shares his thoughts on The Jake Show. Bj Hill discusses his fly paper hands, and in this week's No The Foux Conversation, we'll look at the Steelers with former Pittsburgh O lineman
Max Starts. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps, proud to be the Bengals 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 is the official healthcare provide of the Bengals. Now here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered write to your phone, tablet,
or computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing since the medicine ball. As you can probably hear, I've been battling a nasty cold and a scratchy throat for several days, and my friends Marty Grunder and Kelsey Conway, who covers the Bengals for The Inquirer,
both recommended a Starbucks drink called the Medicine Ball. It's officially named Honey Citrus Mint Tea, and it's made with half hot water and half steamed lemonade, adding both a bag of peach Tranquility tea and jade citrus mint tea, and then finishing it off with a touch of honey. It isn't a miracle cure, but it is very soothing and does relieve some of the symptoms. It tastes good too, so if and when you catch a cold this winter, try a Medicine Ball from Starbucks. It's like curling up
in front of the fireplace in a cup. Now, let's get to football. Jake Browning is the first quarterback in history to throw for more than a thousand yards and complete at least seventy five percent of his passes in his first four starts. Offensive coordinator Brian Callahan admits that Jake has exceeded expectations.
I mean, he's played historically well, so I think that that's that would be that would have been a surprise. I thought Jake could was capable of playing well, to play as well as he has, again, not surprised, but certainly was better than anticipated.
I thought we could win games with Jake.
We had confidence in him, and then he's kind of shot past whatever I thought he was he was capable of, He's obviously capable of whole lot more. But it's been it's been a cool journey for him and then hopefully it continues. We need it to, you know, we're fighting for our playoff lives here in the next three weeks. Hopefully he continues to play as good as he's played, and I'll put us in good position for.
More on the Bengals quarterback. I caught up with a former Bengals quarterback this week, the NFL MVP in nineteen eighty eight, who is inducted into the Bengals Ring of Honor back in September, Boomer Asia Sin Boomer. In his four starts, Jake Browning is completing seventy six percent of his passes. He's averaging two hundred and ninety five passing yards a game. His passer rating is one ZHO nine plus. Are you in fact amazed by what he's done?
Look how easy this is, Dan, It's unbelievable. Anybody could do it. Of course I'm amazed. I'm as amazed as anybody else is. And I don't think he's that amazed. I think he seems to be a pretty competent guy, and he also seems to be a pretty humble guy, unless he's yelling into the camera, this is what you get for cutting me. But then again, I can totally understand that emotion. That's exactly what you want out of your quarterback. I would say he's a very likable guy.
Seems like his teammates really respect him. It seems like Joe Burrow and he have a great relationship, and I think he's mimicking.
A lot of the stuff that Joe did.
I will say, going into this week's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, if you think back four weeks ago, you were there, you did the game, he struggled against that Steeler three four defense, and what coaches don't understand sometimes, And I'll never forget this because David Klingler made his first start against Bill Kaher and that thirty four defense in Riverfront Stadium in nineteen ninety two, I believe it was, and he was sacked eleven times. And he was sacked
eleven times because he wasn't prepared properly. He had too many things going on in his brain and our coaching staff did not prepare him. I sat on the sidelines praying to God that he didn't get hurt, that he was going to have to go through it. And I think four weeks ago, if you asked Jake, and I've seen Jake talk about this, he would tell you that his head was spinning because he was worried about the
pass protections. And I don't want to get into the weeds with too many people, but a three to four defense much more difficult to pass block against, especially when you have a number of pass protections in the game.
Plan than a four to three defense.
So he'll be back where he came from, you know, four weeks ago, and I'm sure he's gonna be a lot better, and I'm sure the coaches are going to have a much better game plan for him on Saturday than they did four weeks ago.
I'm glad you referenced his tossing of his helmet and screaming at the camera after beating his former team, because you were famously fiery in your playing days. Was that moment revealing to you in any way?
Yeah.
I mean he's had a chip on his shoulder and it's been there probably for about three and a half four years, and this was a moment for him to let it go. I mean, any of us who have been through the car wash, if you will, can all appreciate that emotion. And I think that's exactly what is needed in the NFL. I remember doing Tom Brady games on radio and television talking about why is tom Brady getting so mad on the sideline? Why is he slamming the Microsoft Surfa tablet down? Why is he yelling at
a teammate? You know, that was the mental aspect of tom Brady's game. If he felt like he had a lull in a game, the way for him to get back into it was to create an angor and a.
Competitive edge that you need to be that.
You know, competing quarterback for four quarters, it's not easy, especially when you're going through a seventeen game season.
So I love the emotion. I mean, that's that's what really truly is great.
It's it's emotion, but it's not reckless, it's not over the top, it's not across the line. It's just a competitive outburst that every quarterback should you know, have within them.
And I'm glad I saw that out of Jake.
So Zach Taylor, Brian Callahan, and Dan Pitcher have been getting a lot of credit for their leadership since Joe Burrow went down, and deservedly so do you think people are looking at Zach Taylor a little bit differently for keeping the Bengals in the hunt?
You know, you know, everything locally is always different with these thirty two NFL teams. You know, I work here in New York, and if you look at the Jets and the Giants, it maybe we may have a different take on things because we see them, we talk about them every single day.
From a national perspective.
For me, I mean, Zach Taylor is the perfect coach for the Cincinnati Bengals, with Joe Burrow or without Joe Burrow, whether they were going to win or they were going to lose. All I can tell you is that the success that the two of them have had Why would you ever want to break that up? And I don't think the Brown family would ever even remotely think about that, given.
The nature of Joe's injury. But now what we see is we see, Wow.
They can do it, and they can do it with a backup quarterback, which is not the easiest thing to do. I think there's probably seventeen or eighteen other teams kind of going through what they're going through.
Some teams are up to.
Their fourth quarterback that they have to play with, including the Browns with Joe Flacco. So I think it always is a telltale sign about a coach and how good and how great they can be when they don't have everything perfect around them. And when you have one of the top three quarterbacks in the league go out for the rest of the year, and now you're in this three game winning streak and you're right in the middle of the playoffs. That speaks volumes of that coaching staff.
And that also speaks volumes of the defense, because the defense has stepped up as well in big spots, especially when Jake has made a mistake. So right now they're flying high, and you know, I would hope that they would think they'd be thinking in the back of their mind, exacting a little bit of a revenge.
Come this Saturday, Boomer.
You were great at play action in your playing days, and during this four week period, Jake Browning has been under center more than Joe Burrow was. They've run more play action than they had been earlier this season. Would you like to see them do more of that when Joe is healthy next year?
I want to see more of that all over the league. You know, I consider the forty nine ers the true essence of great offensive play calling, play design, and the way that they execute their plays. They're players that are around rock party. And you know, Brock Purty is a magician. He is accurate, he's poised, He's under the center a lot. There's a lot of misdirection, there's bootlegs, there's a lot of eye candy when it comes to formations, all of that kind of stuff. And that's the stuff that Sam
Weish was known for. That was the stuff that Bill Walsh was known for. That's what the West Coast offense is all about. That's what Mike Shanahan was all about when he was in Denver and in Washington and Kyle's kind of mimicking, you know that in San Francisco, And I think the Bengals just to take some of the pressure off an untested young player who has not had
a lot of live action. The best thing you can do is go back and say, we're going to run the ball, we're gonna play action, we're gonna have six and seven man protections. We're not gonna do a lot of five man protections because that all of a sudden, that's where the kid starts thinking too much, and we're going to try to keep it simple for him.
So that's great game planning, but.
It's also the way that you win football games late in the NFL season when the weather turns cold.
In your MVP season, Boomer, you had a tremendous thunder and lightning backfield. Dicky Woods ran for more than a thousand yards. James Brooks ran for nine thirty one. Now the Bengals have added the lightning element with rookie Chase Brown. Do you think he's given this offense something it didn't have.
Well the last three weeks he saw four weeks he certainly has. You know, he wasn't really used that much earlier in the season. I can't say enough about Joe Mixon. You know, he took less money to come back. And we always are screaming and yelling about how much money guys are making. I mean, I think about the sacrifices that some of these guys have made, especially on the offensive side, and now all of a sudden, they've become front and center and they're the guys that are making
these incredible plays. And there's no question that Brown is a nice add on to Mixon. But don't think for one moment that this isn't Joe Mixon's team. And he reflects the toughness of that running game. And that's the thing that I can appreciate, and I'm sure that coach Callahan appreciates it as well.
Because that's like a page right out of his dad's book.
So it looks like Jamar Chase is out this week. When you're the starting quarterback and your number one target is out, is it next man up? Business as usual? Or do you do something differently leading up to the game.
Well, you know what happened to me. It happened with Carl Pickens and me in nineteen ninety seven. He missed the last four games. He tore a growing muscle against Jacksonville, and you know, I walked into that meeting room with those wide receivers said, okay, guys, you know our main guy is not here. You know, the shaking Blake and all that other stuff is no longer going right now.
It's me and you guys.
And Darnay Scott was one of those guys. And that's who T Higgins is in this offense. You know, he's the Darnay Scott in this offense from my perspective. And if Jake is as good as I think he is, and the way that he talks and the things that he says, and I would think that while it is going to be a huge missing piece, I don't think it's going to inhibit anything that he does on the field. Let's put it that way. So, and that's the way a team should work. One guy goes down, another guy
got to step up. Quarterbacks got to raise his game, and everybody else has got to raise their game around him. And I think thus far, at least in this winning streak, that's what the Bengals are doing exactly.
To face the Steelers on Saturday, a team with a three game losing streak, a team that's turning to its number three quarterback this week. Should we remind ourselves these are still the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Oh hell yes, I mean it is Steeler a week and I'm sure that Zach Taylor walked into that locker room said, great win, boys, turn your attentions to the Black and Gold, because we're going, you know, up to Acasure Stadium and we need to beat them there. We need to you know, exact our I guess pound a flash if you will. The revenge factor is all there. They'll have a much better quarterback playing in this game. They'll have a much better game plan going for their
offense in this game. But you know, all these teams have lost significant players to injury, including the Bengals, and you look all over the field, there's going to be a lot of untested players on the defense for the Steelers, and especially in the secondary, especially at the safety position. So that means to me, you know, that's a place you got to go after. And also what that tells me is that they're going to be very careful of what they're doing on defense. You know, they don't have
Minka Fitzpatrick run around back there telling everybody where to go. So, if you know, I would imagine they're going to be pretty basic and they're not going to want to put anybody on an island that you know that can't stand on that island with t Higgins, So I would think we're going to see a lot of his own defense and we're going to see your basic thirty four fronts. I don't necessarily know, you'll see a lot of this buyer's own stuff that they would do if they were totally healthy.
But they have.
Problems that their safety positions, which is a very very important position in that defense specifically.
Last thing, the Bengals have climbed to the number six playoff seed with three games to go at Pittsburgh at Kansas City Home against the Cleveland Browns. What do you think of their chances of getting in?
I mean, now, I don't know what to think, honestly. I mean, you know, when Jake Browning took over, who would have thought that they would be where.
They are right now. I thought that the Broncos were going to go in there and smoke the Lions, and the Lions came out just absolutely drilling the Broncos. I mean, this is one of the most unpredictable seasons that I could ever remember, except maybe for the top four teams in the league. I think we all felt like San Francisco was going to be there. We all felt like, you know, Philadelphia and Baltimore were going to be there.
We all thought Cincinnati and Buffalo would be here too, but they've all dealt with certain issues along the way.
I think Buffalo is going to make it. This is going to be a tough run for the Bengals.
If they get this one this week, they need one of the next two, I think to get in. Let's put it that way, so that last home game could be really, really interesting against the Browns.
That would be something.
Boomer, you are the best. Can't thank you enough for your time. Happy Holidays to you and your kids and your grandkids, and look forward to talking to you again sometime soon.
Thanks Dan, I have a great weekend. I'll talk to you soon.
Bengals are currently a two point favorite for Saturday's game in Pittsburgh. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps, proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider by Alta Fiber future Proof fiber Internet designed elevate your home, business, and community to a new level, and by Kettering Health the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. Unless you are an NFL historian, the following three names
probably don't mean anything to you. Jason Wilts, Scott Mercerow, and Billy Newsome. Until last week, they were the only three defensive tackles in NFL history to have interceptions in back to back games. Well, now BJ Hill is on that list, and who knows, maybe he'll pick off Mason Rudolph on Saturday and become the first defensive tackle to do it three weeks in a row. I caught up with Hill this week. Bj. The franchise record for interceptions
is sixty five by Hall of Famer Ken Riley. So you were gaining on him one game at a time. But all kidding aside, you've displayed incredible hands on those interceptions the last couple of weeks. Let's start two weeks ago. Describe the diving interception against Gardner Minshew.
Oh cha may big player on the quarterback helped knock the ball up off the guy and I just came around the corner. I've seen it in there. I just I knew I had to dive and catch it. And you know, I got some ath ability to me, I got some good hands just from you know, play a different sports and playing you know, different positions in football growing up. So I'm a good ath week.
And then last week you're in the process of sacking Nick Mullins. He decides he's just going to get rid of the ball. It looked like it hits you in the face mask. Was that the case, Yeah, it did.
I was surprised that he was throwing it, and when I see him throwing it, hit me, Oh shoot, I can catch this And it was just right there in front of me. I was there to make a big play.
So did you in fact go into the defensive back room recently to tell them that you have better hands than any of them?
No comment on that.
I'm gonna leave that one like that. They know who got the best hands. I don't need to say no more.
So we're chatting with bj Hill. Interceptions are great, but the biggest play last week was stopping the Vikings on fourth and inches in overtime. And you were right at the point of attack on that play. How do you stop a team from gaining a couple of inches?
Takes a lot, man. I mean Zach was what it was in the middle and just got out the ball really good get off and got some knock back on the center and he kind of fumbled the ball a little bit out of times that had a hard time trying to get control of the ball, so had knock back of hit in the center had the effect on them.
Man.
I think we just did a great job as a unit, really, because it took more than just two people would take it the whole eleven to gets off the field right there.
When you're at the bottom of the pile on a play like that, when do you know they didn't get it?
You don't know. You just keep on moving your no matter what. If you watch a film or something you see me just keep on moving my feet on the night the guy back, So you just never know.
So unfortunately last week you lost DJ Reader for the rest of the season. Can you describe what he means to your group, both on the field and in the locker room.
He means a lot. It sucks not having him here, but we got some guys who's gonna end up stepping up. And he's the type of guy who when he gets done, you know, feeling better from surgery or whatever, he'll come back and help us out. He's he's that type of leader who who's not selfish at all, who's who's here for the team, who loves the team, his teammates and wants to win and make big plays.
Does your role change at all when he's out?
I wouldn't say it changed, because I mean, like I said, we got other guys that's still good enough to feel that position. It's hard to field that position from DJ because he's a really great player. But I think those guys don't come in and fit very well. I just got to be to may be more of a leader that I have been, you know what I'm saying, to step in in that way and just push my guys inside to make sure that were on point with everything this week and the rest of the season.
BJ, you faced the Steelers this week. They've dropped three straight, they're turning to their third string quarterback. Do you guys have to remind yourselves you are still facing the Pittsburgh Steelers for sure.
They're still a good team, man, no matter what, No matter the last three games they went through. They're still a good team. They got some playmakers on this side offense and defensive side of the balls. So we got to come and do our job.
You just faced them four weeks ago. In that game they ran for one hundred and fifty three yards, and now you don't have DJ Reider. Are you expecting them to try to run it down your throat this week?
I believe so. I mean, especially give another milli yards the first time. Why wouldn't they right? But I think we got a different kind of mindset this game, and just not to hurt usselves at the end of the day, you just had to fix the little things that come in this game and help us win.
Final thing for bj Hill. You were micd for sound for the Colts game, and at the end of the game we heard you singing the Bengals growl song. Do you want to give us a little rendition?
No, I'm good on Delwa.
I'll pass on.
Hear them Bengals growl it?
Yeah, I'll pass on Delwy.
All right, We'll let you out of singing. Just keep making interceptions, all right?
For sure?
I get my son the same for you next time.
All right? We'll take you up on that. That's bj Hill. In the last three weeks, the Steelers have lost to a team that was two in ten at the time in Arizona, lost to another team that was too intent at the time, New England, and then after taking a thirteen to nothing lead at Indianapolis last week, gave up thirty straight in a loss to the Colts. There's nothing to worry about for the Bengals this week, right, Luann Arumo says, get those thoughts out of your head.
We're playing one of the storied franchises in the NFL. It's a playoff game. They need it, We needed.
The sense.
We just had one of our best walk throughs you had all year in terms of guys locked in, communication, everything, And that was my message this morning.
Very firmly.
I think there's a person in this building that would ever take the Pittsburgh stealing slightly.
In addition to their three game losing streak, the Steelers have had some drama lately, involving wide receivers Deontay Johnson and George Pickens. Former Steelers offensive lineman Max Starks, who is part of the radio broadcast team, now join Dave Lapham and Me on the Bengals Game Plan Show this week to share his thoughts on the current state of the Steelers.
This is kind of some of the issues that I think you have to deal with when you're trying to turn over a roster and you have a lot of youth on one side of the ball and not a lot of leadership and experience on it, and that's the offensive side of the ball. I think you kind of get into these moments where you kind of get stuck in second gear and you forget how to shift and how to use you know, that left foot, and you know, when you're trying to drive a manual car.
And I think right now with.
The Steelers, they've kind of got stuck in second gear, and you know, the defense has kind of held and staved off and covered up you know, boo boos earlier in the year, but you know, it just has been too much for them and they're trying to learn how to win again, and so it's it's frustrating from a perspective, but I also, you know, look at we've also gone almost two decades without really you know, having to go
through these types of struggles. So I think, you know, some of it is necessary for growth, right, you have to be able to shed some of the bad stuff and go through it to understand what it takes to push through adversity in the future. So it's a frustrating thing, but it's a necessity. I feel like in every football organization life cycle.
The thing that has been surprising to me is is losing to Arizona and New England in Pittsburgh. I mean that that just that, just that blows my mind a little bit. And then lose through the Colts in Indianapolis. But now the Bengals come to Pittsburgh. When's the last time that Mike Tomlin has lost foreigner row? And three of them at home? I mean three straight home games to lose, and then lose four football games in a row, and then you got to go to Seattle and go
to Baltimore. Is this been talked about as you know, backs against the wall kind of thing? In my mind, this is going to be one of those sloby knockers.
Man.
I think this is going to be probably the most physical game the Bengals have been in all season long.
Yeah.
So even and you know this as a former offensive lineman, right, you know it's you're you're frustrated. And for Mike Tomlin, you know, this hasn't happened for him under these type of circumstances. I mean, we looked last year, but not in back to back fashion like this. I mean, you know when they started a season pretty terribly one and six starts right. But you know, I look at this and I say, it's not to be a physical bank. It has to mean something to you, and especially when it's.
A divisional game.
Yeah, you know, you know, when it's the divisional ga, it just brings a little something extra out of you. Even if you're newer, you owe to you go to it. When you see that familiar team, a team that you have to see for a second time a year, it brings out a little.
Something in you.
And I think for them it has to be physical. I mean, you think about both the Bengals and the Steelers. You know, onto backup quarterbacks leading the way, that's that's the easiest way to help that quarterback out is to be able to run the ball effectively, yep, and to try and impose your will on the other on the other side first.
And it comes like that.
Actually, whoever gets to one hundred yards first.
Should win this game.
Throw technique out the window. Get the guy in front of you blocked.
However you're gonna do it, get the guy blocked, because.
I think that's really what the essence of December Football Division rival football is. It's about a mentality and the want to versus the x'es and the o's.
It comes down to the jimmies and the joe's.
We're visiting with former Steelers, oh lineman Max Starks. You only have a few minutes left with you. Max. What are the Steelers home four out of Mason Rudolph this week? And is there any chance that Kenny Pikett plays.
I don't know if it's necessarily feasible to put Kenny in this soon coming off of ankle surgery, but I am, you know, and you know, happy about the fact that he is at least getting practice in some form. I don't think we can expect him. I think it'd be probably a week too soon. I believe next week would probably be a better time to really test that ankle out.
But you know, I think for Mason, it's a guy who's been in the system the longest, Like he's the most ten year quarterback on this roster, and he's he's been in the system the entire time he's he's had to perform in it, and sparing roles over the in the last year and a half only once.
But he knows football.
He's started in this league, He's played games. He's also played the Visional Game. So I think he understands the power of the moment. But I don't expect him to be the guy that they're gonna ask. Last time out, he threw the ball fifty times. That's not feasible.
Both teams have a dominant pass rusher, I mean TJ Watt sixteen sacks, Trey Hendrickson fifteen sacks. But I agree with you, the team that runs the football and maybe anchors, you know, those two guys, it's gonna be you know, protection, pressure, who can protect you know, who can pressure the quarterback. It's going to be based on how strong is the running game.
Yeah. Absolutely, the best way to take out a great pass rusher.
Don't pass right, o man.
And so you know, like you said, if you can establish that run and force that guy to have to hold the point, run at run at both of those premier pass rushers and see who does better in the run defense, you know, is what you're gonna try and do you know you're not gonna run away from either one of them because that's what they love. They love when things run away from them. You know, they are the apex predators when it comes to that of hunting
down guys trying to get away from them. So the best thing to do is to run straight at them and force them with double teams, chip blocks and really try and take something off of those pass rushes. And that's one of the keys. You know, how do I eliminate a guy from continuing to try and push for the sack crown this season, Well, don't give him opportunities to where he can get sacked, or at least don't give him an easy route to it. Make him earn
it every single step of the way. So the run game is key in that fundamental.
Don't forget the Bengals pep Rally show on Friday. I can't be there because of a UC basketball game and lap We'll be traveling with the Bengals to Pittsburgh. Wayne box Miller will host and will be joined by former Bengals Eric Thomas and Doug Pelfrey. They'll be at the Wings and Rings in Union, Kentucky on Friday from three to six. That's going to do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast, brought to you by pay Corps.
Proud to be the Bengals Official HR software provider by Alta Fiber, future proof fiber Internet designed elevate your home, business and community to a new level, and by Kettering Health the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals. 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.