Bengals Booth Podcast: The Rising

My one on one player interview is with c j Uzama, who reveals who came up with the nickname Joey Franchise for Joe Burrow. Dave Lapham joins me to look at some of the key matchups on Saturday and did our know the faux segment, we'll hear from Charles Davis from CBS Sports, who called five Raiders games on TV this year,

including the Bengals Raiders game in Week eleven. The Bengals Booth Podcast is presented by Ultimate Bengals, the free to play Next Level Fantasy Football game downloaded now from the App Store and Google Play. And here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing

wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing since Peyton Manning breaking down video of Joe Burrow, the former Colton Broncos quarterback, host a show for ESPN Plus called Detail where he does a deep dive into quarterback play, and Manning recently did a twenty five minute segment looking at Joe Burrow's performance against San Francisco. It's tremendous, not only explaining many of the traits that make Burrow great, but also highlighting the play design and play calling expertise

of Zach Taylor and Brian Callahan. You need an ESPN Plus subscription to watch it, but between that show and NFL Turning Point and Tom Brady's Man in the Arena, I think the cost is well worth it. Now let's get to my guests, beginning with a TV host who has become very popular among Bengals fans. She is one of the hosts of my favorite football show on TV, and she made an exceptional ruler of the Jungle at

Paul Brown Stadium several weeks ago. The NFL networks k Adams k way back in July, you called it, you predicted that the Bengals would be a playoff team this year. What did you see that so many others missed? I think what I saw two album. I'm just gonna be completely honest with you. It was people not picking the Bengals, and for no reason. It was very strange that they

were getting Nola. They have the quarterback, they have the wide receiver, they're bringing chemistry in Trey Hendrickson was assigning that I loved because I've studied the Saints very closely last year and loved when he did there. And just about Joe Burrow just sort of won me over the fact that he is cool under pressure. I didn't follow his career at LSU college football. I don't have a room in my heart for it as much as most fans do. So really just through the draft process, we

handled himself. Post game, they had what it takes in the recipes. It was definitely the cj Uzama Why not them? And then I really loved the fan base because I think the fan base is smart. They're hungry, but they're not whiny, and I think this is a fan base that is really riveted and enthusiastic and enjoying the moment, and I hope it works out. So Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase are getting a lot of the credit, and

deservedly so. They've been fantastic. But what about this team do you think might be flying under the radar a little bit? I mean, I'm just gonna go back to Trey Hendrickson because this was someone who had double digit sacks with the Saints, and there is a lot the narrative nationally was, Oh, that's because he's with Cam Jordan, that's because he's you know, it's the Jajavian Clowney to TJ wat effect or whatever it is, or a one year one theer stack numbers can be misleading all of that,

and then you look at what he did. What a streak, what pressure, what disruption he's putting on the opposing offenses. It is so fun to watch and tremendous, and that's necessary, especially this battle this weekend. I'm you know, if I had to worry about the Bengals, it would of course be protecting Joe, which we'll get into. But I just think he's been such a force and he's been so great, and he needs to get more national love. We're visiting

with Kay Adams from Good Morning Football. So a few weeks ago you did a one on one interview with Jamar Chase whenever you're Q and K interviews. What stood out in that conversation, what really caught your ear? I appreciated, you know, I love interviewing rookies because they're still honest, right, they're not as they haven't gone through the media training as much as veteran players have, so they say a little bit more. And I really I thought he was

very genuine. I really they appreciated that he is honest about wanting things for himself and for his team, and that's okay. Players are usually I don't want the records. I just want team wins. That's the company line. But I think he wants it all and I could feel the confidence he has that he can have it. We talked a lot about his, of course development with his quarterback, that chemistry, how much they add lib out there, and

he said that Joe Burrow holds him accountable. If they're not communicating, he'll run to him and he'll say Joe, what am I doing? And Joe will let him have it and let him go and I liked it that he said that communication is still something that they're working on week in, week out. I thought that was impressive. They're not complacent. They're not you know, we've been here, we've done this, We've won a national championship where you know, we're just skating and getting paid here in the NFL.

It means something to him, which I love. And the craziest thing he told me, which I stopped the interview, he told me that I haven't seen a good catch. He basically said, I said, what have it? I've said, you're doing all this crazy stuff yards after catch, You're speedy're amazing. And this is before, of course his monster performance. But he said, he's like, I just I got to get to that like Tyler Boyd level. I need to get to these like you know Odell kind of catches.

And I'm like, there's more, there's more to the show. Sign me up. I can't wait. He is setting the bar really, really high, that's for sure. Was there a point this year where the Bengals went from fun, exciting, entertaining team to being a legitimate contender In your opinion, that went over the Chiefs absolutely sealed the deal. You know, I always take the temperature on before games. What is this game going to do to change how I feel? That was a big whopping win that said, hey, we're

not here, We're not a one hit wonder. The problem with sports media in the NFL and covering it, it's a lazy take that the narrative can't change. The narrative changes. The Rams get rid of Fisher, they bring in Sean McVay, they get their quarterback in Jared Goff now Matthew Stafford, and the entire complexion of the franchise changes. There's ups and there's down downs, and the Bengals are just they're on their way up. So the Bengals are AFC North champs.

The next hurdle is to win a playoff game. What are a couple of keys in your opinion, to knocking off the Raiders on Saturday. So the way I look at this is that they're both inexperienced teams, both quarterbacks, Both teams have equal pressure to deliver wins to their respective fan bases who are expecting them, excited for them, riveted by them. I'm sure it's what you guys have been talking about week in, week out. Me, these two teams faced each other, Joe mix in the huge part

of that game plan. Max Crosby is terrifying. And I know if you look at the staff numbers, they weren't there against Joe Burrowing company. But he was everywhere. I went back when we were watching the game a couple of days ago, because I'm a sick pup who's watching the game time and he but his pressure was everywhere. He's incredible. I mean eight sacks this season, Yannick and Goquay. He was a monster and a problem for Burrow because

of Max Crosby's presence. I've spoken to Yannik and Gokway about how they work in tandem and how they're one of the past best pass rushing duo. So it's it's trite and it's the usual Bromoken record, but can you protect your quarterback? I don't want to see that nameplate flying if it flies where I think that, I just don't want to see that. So you know, disruption is production and those are two of the better ones to do it. But and remember and Goqua has been to

this dance. Twenty seventeen, Jags went to the AFC Championship game had a tremendous season down there with Jacksonville, so he's been there and bring some experience to it too, So can you protect him? And I'll say the other thing, crowd noise. You heard your coach talk about it. I was there, I had the time of my life. And since I think everyone in the world knows I had the time of my life in Cincinnati, it has to

be that same energy. I can't tell you how many NFL players I've talked to over the years and I say, talk to it like I don't believe in home field, like tell like why should I care? And a lot of them say that they can feel nervousness, they can feel every pension they can, if not just decibel levels that people are that you know, players are picking up on. I thought that was so interesting, and a lot of guys have said this. So I need the Bengals fan

base to show up. Don't give your tickets to the Raiders because they travel and they will come in there and try to invade and make it not cute, and I don't want to see that. But I think that there's a level of when things cross out like inexperience and you know, across the board, firepower or whatever momentum. They both have it on both sides. Things like that really matter. It's going from playing indoors in Vegas to playing outside in Cincinnati where I have to like have

electric can ormers and forty degree weather. I don't even know if the conditions will be I notall be cold, crowd noise is going to be huge, but also maintaining just the support the supportive vibe I would say to put out there. It sounds kind of cheesy, but I think there's something to it. All right, Bengals fans, you heard it from K. Bring the noise, be supportive for

all sixteen minutes. That's important in a playoff game final follow up for k Adams from Good Morning Football, you mentioned you had the time of your life you came here. What were the highlights of your ruler of the jungle visit and how can we persuade you to come back? Oh? I'll come back, And I mean I bother Seth Tanner like every other day, like I miss Blackburn, I would

gladly come back and hang out with you. Elizabeth Is, She'll have her time on Good Morning Football where I explain from my vantage point, what she has meant to that organization and what she has done to improve the fan experience and just to open things up a little bit. I loved meeting her. One of the people I probably loved meeting in the past year the most. Meeting Marissa was incredible as well, and for just very passionate fans.

Greater's ice cream was delicious. I tried at the Blackburn's tailgate. I tried some chili. I thought I ate it all. I thought it was great. I think it's just the enter. It's just excitement. But it's not like entitled excitement. It's it's not shoved in your face. We have this. It's not me. It's just excited. And I just felt at home there and I was so welcome. You fit right in. It was great having you in town. We look forward to your return and we appreciate your time today. Thank you, Kay,

Thank you so much. Good luck Up next this week's one on one player conversation. There are only four current players who were on the team the last time the Bengals were in the playoffs in twenty fifteen. Kevin Hubert, Clark, Harris Trey Hopkins, who was on the practice squad at bad time and tight end c J Uzama, who was a fifth round draft pick that year. I spoke to CJ this week. CJ and your rookie year. The Bengals started eight no and went to the playoffs, and it's

taken you six years to get back. What does this playoff trip mean to you? Personally means everything? You know. After the game against Kansas City, I got briefly got pretty emotional just thinking about how tough it's been. You know, that's what you fight for, that's why you play, That's why you go through what you go through during seasons, and you know, just for an opportunity. You know, you want to get into the playoffs. You want to have an opportunity um in January and February to win a

Super Bowl. So man, it it means the world. It means the world to me. It means the world to this team to be able to m have that opportunity to go out there, put our best foot forward and you know, achieve everything that we wanted to achieve since the side of the season. Back in August, at the beginning of training camp, you famously said why not us A Senate could have responded with because you guys only

won four games last year. But what did you see at that early stage that made you think this team was legit? I mean, just the talent we have. And and like you said, when when I say that, a senate can look and say, Okay, well yeah, but you guys are young, you have this, you have this, but

but and just say a bunch of different things. But you know, the way that I saw it, the way that I saw the pieces that we added, the way that I saw you know, the new guys come in, the way that I saw us just vibing and clicking as a team. Um, and the potential that we had. I was like, I mean everyone's gonna say there's gonna be daughters for sure. Um, there's gonna be hiccups, there's gonna be bumps in the road. But why can't we

go out there and prove all these people wrong? You know, we know what we have in this locker room and outside noises just that. So um yeah, that's kind of uh what when what my thought process was? And um, it's kind of holding true. Right now we're chatting with c j Uzama. You've become the guy who leads the hood date chat in the locker room after wins. How did that happen? And do you consider it a position of honor? Oh? For sure, I think it's awesome. Um,

I think it's amazing. You know, after after a win, I get to go out there and lead the team. And man, uh after the first win, UM coach just said, I see j come on lead us in there. I was like, okay, I'll been. Uh yeah. I think to me, it's it's awesome to be able to to you know, if I have a few words to say to the boys, I can Sam and Um break it down and UM see the boys kind of hype me up when I get up there. It's it's also I think, yeah, I think it's a position of bonafa shure. I'm elated that

I get to do that this year. So you faced the Raiders on Saturday, a team with great edge rushers and Max Crosby who leads the NFL with one hundred quarterback pressures that's fourteen more than anybody else and unique in gok Way who has ten sacks. Do you go into the game thinking we can't let those guys wreck the game. As as you go into a game like this, you you know who they're who their key guys are.

You know what they're trying to do to get those guys freed up and put in favorable positions and um, and then you got someone like Denzel Perriman in the back, you know as a linebacker, who you're like, Okay, well we have to account for this guy too, and and you know they have they have secondary of guys that

just fly around the ball. So yeah, obviously you're you're going into it thinking okay, nice, like we we know what the what they present and we're gonna have to handle and adjust are lee or um, you know, try to try to be able to attack certain areas. Um. But yeah, you you definitely don't want those those guys on the edge getting getting going early, getting there, you know, hearing their energy going and and thinking they're just kind

of a field day out there. So um, we got to get after them and the defense very very early and very quickly. I know, you respect guys that excel at your position. What makes Darren Waller one of the best man. Uh, the respect I have to for him has grown exponentially. Um, you know, especially after hearing his story at tight end, you and um getting just spent some time with him and talking football with him and then just talking life with him. I have the utmost

respect for him. Um, but him as a player, he's a I mean, he's a dinosaur, you know, he's he's one of those guys where it's like they don't they don't really they don't make him like that too alt and um, and it's just i mean just his speed, the way that he sees the game, the way that he can he can dissect defenses and and you know, picking his brain about how he runs routes against certain coverages.

It's it's it's unique. You know, he's able to attack leverages and and find openings and if there's not really that big of an opening, he's he's a dinosaur, so he can go make a play. So, um yeah, as a player, he's he's he's pretty unique. We're chatting with cjus when you're in the huddle with Joe Burrow on Saturday, Well you be able to tell by his demeanor that it's a playoff game. No, No, I don't think so.

I don't think. I think that's something that's Um, that's kind of unique about the team is we don't really let the moment get too big. We know what's at stake, we know what we have to get done. I mean, we knew what happened, and for the Kansas City game, we knew it was on the line for that right, and we just go out there and when we're in the huddle, we're just I mean, we're the boys out there just having a good time and um making place.

And that's what you want. You don't want someone. You don't want to look around and see someone who's kind of like, oh, dear in the headlights are oh this is this is a huge moment. You don't want the moment to be to be too big for someone. And um, I don't think we have that in our in our huddle, we just have a bunch of guys who are like nice, Like when my numbers called, if Joe throws me the ball, if Joe hands off the ball, if we have to

make this block, we're gonna make the block. That's just that's how it is, um, And that's that's it makes it fun, you know, it makes being him a huddle and playing that much more fun. So yeah, I don't think, uh, I don't think there's gonna be like a nerve factor going on. You're the first person that I remember that referred to him as Joey Franchise. Did you coin the nickname? I would be honest, Uh, it was. It was James Casey but said it the first time, and I was like, franchise,

that's such a that money. So I'd say the Tide Ending Room coin that because I hadn't heard anybody say it until then. Um, and then we just started saying it. It was just something that the tidden't started saying, and then it started picking up. So I'm gonna I'm gonna give the credit where credits to do with Coach Casey, even though he's gonna be like I don't want the credit. Um,

but the tight ends. The tight ends for sure, and probably me in particular afterwards, because I was just like Joey Franchise, joe in his in in my phone, his name is Joey Franchise and it's it's bad because I tried to text him. I try to type in Burrow and I was like, where is his name? I can't fund it And I had to text him and be like, dude, I got to change your name in my phone because it's under franchise and I'm gonna forget that every time.

So um but yeah, that's that's where that came about. That is the greatest nugget of all time. He is Joey franchise in your phone. That's great, all right, the last thing we know at this time of the year that your body probably doesn't feel great. Was it like an unexpected bonus to be able to get the final game of the regular season off to prepare for this. I mean, how great was that? Though? Kind of right

like that was you know, it's it's uh. I had mixed emotions kind of as well, to be completely honest, because I really wanted to play against the Browns, and you know that that was, Um, it was funny to me and kind of um ironic that the hotel room that I had was the same hotel room that I

had last year. The you know, I went over to the spot where I told my achilles last year, and I was like, dang, like it would be it would be kind of nice to be able to play and um, kind of like self fulfilling to to be able to play on this field again. But I'm not going to complain, like I feel like I feel so much better taking you know, getting some time off, getting getting a chance to rest and not go through a full game. Um, you know, talking to the other time and talking talking

to Mitch. Mitch was like, man, I'm feeling this right now, Like that was his first time and since preseason where he was banging the entire game. So um yeah, definitely was. It was a nice Uh, it was a nice treat for sure to get that one off. I hope you are leading a who Day chant Saturday night after a playoff victory over the Raiders. Congrats, had a great season to date, best of luck in round one. Thank you

very much, appreciate it. How great is it that CJ has Joe Burrows phone number stored under Joey franchise on his cell phone. The Bengals Booth podcast is presented by Ultimate Bengals, the free to play fantasy football game. This year, Ultimate Bengals awarded a weekly winner during the course of the season with tickets, autograph merchandise, and money can't buy experiences all up for grabs. Find Ultimate Bengals in the

App Store and Google Play. The Bengals won at Baltimore this year by twenty four points, then won the rematch at home by twenty they wanted Pittsburgh by fourteen, then won the rematch at Paul Brown Stadium by thirty one. Now they faced the Raiders, a team they beat in Las Vegas thirty two to thirteen. In late November. I discussed the upcoming rematch with my broadcast partner Dave Lapham Lap.

I want to start with something that I don't think is getting enough attention, and that is the fact that Quentin Spain has been a full participant at practice this week. He's a gigantic man who was taken to the locker

room on a cart less than two weeks ago. What does his now it appears likely return mean to the team Huge presence, you know literally in figuratively, I mean he is a massive human being, big broad shoulders and just very strong, strong hands and risks and quems vice gript kind of guy and very high football IQ, real, real smart. Nothing fools him out in the football field.

He's seen every defensive configuration, every blitz package. I think he's a calming influence out there for the young players as well as a physical presence that I know. I know, for example, Joe Mixon's happy that he's gonna be playing in this football game, and uh, it's QUSA. He's a tough guy and not surprised that he's he's going to

give it a go. And the thing is, though, with those ankle injuries, you just never know, I mean, you just turn wrong, you're in a pile the wrong way, and sometimes they can they can exascerbate themselves pretty quickly. So Jackson Carman still better be ready. And the fact that he's gotten the snaps that he's gotten and performed well for the most part with a lot of those snaps,

I think he's an encouraging thing. They've already got two inexperienced guys in the starting line up the offensive line in Isaiah Prince and acam Identagy. Not having three to me, it seems like a pretty big deal. I agree. And I'll tell you another guy that I thought looked pretty darn good out there at left tackling. I'm wondering if you can play right tackle. Deante Smith played well. I mean that guy, he's got really good feat he's got length,

he's got good hands. I mean he got hurt at the wrong time, unfortunately for him, because he was making a move he was. He was the guy. I think that Frank Pollock, he was on a fast track to get some snaps and get some playing time. But injuries can curtail those kind of things, and it did unfortunately for Deante. But I think he's he's back physically and now can he catch up with everything. You know, you missed so many reps. You missed the mental part of

it as well as the physical part of it. You can keep up with the mental part of it obviously easier, but there's nothing like being out in the field from a mental standpoint. You know, you think you have it figured out. When you're out there and it's full, full tilt and live bullets, sometimes it looks a lot different. All right, Let's stick with Bengals offensive line versus Raiders defensive line. In this playoff game, Max Crosby has eight

sacks and more than one hundred quarterback pressures. He leads the NFL unique and Ghakway has ten sacks. They are going to be missing an excellent defensive tackle. Darius Filon suffered an injury in that finale against the Chargers, so he is definitely out. Do you look at Bengals offensive line versus Raiders defensive line as the biggest matchup question in this game. I look at it as a huge one, There's no question about it. I think honestly both lines

of scrimmage. I think that the Raiders, in my opinion, have one really good player in Colton Miller. Everybody else just guys. And I'm sure that's what the Raiders think about the Cincinnati Bengals offensive line, just guys. So will there respective defensive fronts to be able to take advantage? And I'm looking at the matchup of the interior pass rushers that the Bengals have, the Ogan Jovies, J Hill, DJ Reader too getting pushed. I'm looking at them against

those guards. I think the guards of the weak links of the offensive line, and I would think Lou and Rumo and company would have some pressure packages that would test and put those guards in conflict a little bit, walking linebackers up in gaps and twisting and studying and things of that nature. So I'm looking at that, and I'm also looking at, like you said, Dan, the flip side of it, the Bengals offensive line. Will they be able to handle those bookends, I mean Crosby and Gookway.

That's a duel. I mean, that's a very very that's eighteen sacks combined from the two of those guys. In my mind, there's a million things you can do. You know, you can keep a tight end in, you can chip, you can slide the line. But quarterbacks has got to get the ball out of his hand quickly. I think that's another thing that you incorporate in the game plan and don't forget about draws and screens. That's that It's forever tested. Paul Brown, he would he would patrol the

sideline and he'd be like, time for the draw. He'd say, he'd say to the play called time for the draw, because he could tell the pass rushers are just team and the draw would break bust for big yards. You know, he invented it. He invented the draw play with Marion Motley up there with the Cleveland Browns by accident. So I think draws and screens are gonna be a big, big factor. The Kansas City Chiefs hurt him badly with the screen game, throwing that screen game behind the pass rush.

So there's a myriad of ways that you can slow that pass rush down, and the other way to do it get Joe Mixon going. I mean they finished that game. Grind and Joe Mixon in the second half nineteen carries for over one hundred yards in a touch. Get big twenty eight running inside outside, Get him just hammering that defensive football team and anchor them a little bit. Following up on that, thirty carries for one hundred and twenty three yards total in the first meeting, and Joe Burrow

only threw for one hundred and forty eight yards. That's the fewest he's ever had in his twenty six NFL starts. So do you expect a similar formula on Saturday. I do, because you know, I think Gus Bradley is going to do the same thing. Gus Bradley, he does not load the box. He plays coverage. He has four guys and he can rely on to rush the passer in his mind.

Now with injury, he might not have all four of those guys with the interior injury at defensive tackle, but I think he's still he's gonna he's gonna make sure that Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase don't throw it over their heads. You know that te Higgins doesn't throw it over the heads with Joe Burrow. I think they're gonna do play a lot of that cover three. And you know what he does. I think his biggest act is he gets guys to just really play hard for him,

high energy, high enthusiasm, you know. I mean, they're they're just effort guys defensively, and he doesn't overload their minds. I mean, he keeps it real simple and they can play fast and they know his system cold. I think now though, at this stage in the playoffs, another thing another Paul Brown is that applies and I remember he said it when we were in the playoffs for the

first time in nineteen thirty five. I can vividly see him up there in the front of the classroom saying, gentlemen, sometimes we have to make the same things look different and different things look the same. And that's exactly what you do. Now. You don't overhaul your systems. You tweak them. And it might be it's the same throw to the quarterback, but it might be instead of a slot receiver on a safety a by formation and window dressing him, might

be a running back on a linebacker. Because you're, you know, you're you're putting your base people in there and you don't want sub packages in there. So the offense you can control it with personnel, with formations, with motion, with window dressing. So Paul Brown would be like, if we've got some concepts that have worked for us, worked for us in the first matchup. Sometimes you have to make the same things look different and different things look the same.

And I think the game, the team that game plans that way, and then most importantly, the players that go out and execute best going to win the football game. By the way, as I mentioned, Burrow through four hundred and forty eight yards in Game one, the fewest he's ever thrown four in an NFL game. His three lowest yardage figures ever all wins at Vegas, at Denver, at Pittsburgh this year. Let's talk about the other quarterback, Derek Carr. He was decent in Game one, two and fifteen yards,

one touchdown, one pick. For the season fourteenth in the NFL and passer rating fifth in passing yards, one spot ahead of Joe Burrow. What do you consider to be his strengths and his weaknesses. I think he has immense arm talent. I think he can make every throw there is to make. It's interesting, though, I heard Jack del Rio come out and say that he does not play well in cold weather, and that's his former head coach,

so he has experience with it. So that would that kind of pert my ears a little bit when I when I heard that, But I think, I think what he does is sometimes tries to force the issue. We have so much confidence in that arm talent. I mean, he'll take a chance here and there so that he'll he'll put it up there for the defensive backs to intercept. And when he does, you have to take full advantage

of it. You can't let one slip through your hands. Literally, you have to catch the football when he gives you that kind of an opportunity. The other thing with him is if you hit him, he gets deeply affected. Every quarterback is affected by pressure and by his but his is significant. I mean you can see him, you know, reacting in a much different way as a quarter back after he's been smacked a couple of times. So that's

going to be a big factor. If they can get him off his spot and get hit him some and make him think about you have him see ghosts a little bit. Ghosts in the pocket, goes down the football field, have him see some of that stuff. I do think that in this football game here lately he has done a great job of creating an extending plays and throwing up fifty fifty balls and they've either caught him or get pass interference penalties. So he's made some big plays

that way. Joe Burrow can do the same thing. I think this game a big factor might hinge on which quarterback is the most intelligent when they're creating and extending and not forcing but making, you know, making big plays down the football field and avoiding big mistakes down the football field. Let me follow up on the weather. The forecast for four to thirty on Saturday is in the high twenties. The current temperature in Las Vegas is in the mid sixties. So how big of an advantage do

you think that is? I think it's I think it is. I think it's signific can um, I'm not sure that in the twenties for for linemen, that's not you know, that's not cruel and unusual punishment. I mean, you can handle that, um, But but I think for skill guys that that aren't used to that, that ball gets harder,

it gets slicker. Like everybody talks about Um. You know, your hands or you know, can can get cold and get numb a little bit, and you have a hard ball hitting those those cold hands, it's a it's a totally different feeling. And then in the in the ball, it feels like it's coated with resin, you know, when it's when it's cold like that. It's weird how how the resin And I don't know why it migrates, but the resident seems to migrate to the surface of the football.

It's crazy, Um, but I do think I think that's

going to be a factor. And when you look at it, that influences ball security, you know, I mean, and you got to go high and tight big time when it's cold like that, because if you get hit in cold weather sometimes, you know, if you're hitting sixty degree weather, you're gonna be able to grip that football a little bit better than you will when it's in the twenties and get hit like that, Like we talked about, the ball's harder, it's slicker, Your hands are cold, your arms

are cold. It's a it's a much different dynamic that you've got to get used to that and you have to get a get a feel for that, and if you practice in it all week, you have a little bit better feeling then if you haven't. So I think all those things are going to be a factor. The one thing when I was researching the Raiders that stunned me six interceptions was dead last in the NFL six

interceptions in seventeen games. And they have a really good front four you know, it's like, you know, they're getting more than a couple of sacks a game. Why isn't that transferring into more interceptions? They just haven't taken the football away very much. And it's because they haven't, you intercepted the ball very much. So Joe Burrows on a stretch where he hasn't thrown an interception for a long time, one hundred and forty six passes. I think it is

something like that. So hopefully that continues. And so far they haven't shown much for a pensity to pick quarterbacks off. So a big storyline this week has obviously been the playoff drought, and I think people have kind of looked at it and said, these guys have nothing to do with that long stretch of futility and shouldn't be affected by it. But when the Bengals take the field on Saturday and every Bengals fan in attendance is yearning to end that streak. Do you think they'll feel it? Then

that's a great question. I hope the fan base. I hope they have a sense of virgin urgency to get as loud as they possibly can. Because let's go back to the opener Dan the Minnesota game that the Bengals won an overtime. Minnesota had multiple false starts because of crowd noise playing a simple it was just flat out crowd noise. And we remember how loud it was we were in Vegas playing the Raiders. That place was that was off the hook. It was loud, man in that dome.

They were going crazy. The Bengals handled it pretty well. It's Tessa Raiders and everybody come to that game full throat, loud and proud, and see when you can affect them a little bit. That's that's that's going to be a big factor in this football game. So if the fans are wondering how they can help make sure to end that streak that they're there, they've suffered through, do it

by vocal cords. So I'm feeling pretty confident going into this game, and much of my confidence is rooted in Joe Burrow, his track record in big games at his personality in general. Do you think that his teammates have that same feeling because of Joe, Yeah, I think he I think they follow his lead. I think he just rises to the occasion. I think he's one of those kind of guys that big stage time to go out and do your best. You know, don't shrink, shrink up

like a shrinking violet. You know, go out there and be a star. Go out there and play. And that's the big thing too. Joe did a great job of that. The numbers you talked about his three career low yardage games, they won the football game. You don't have to play hero ball. Joe Burrow knows he doesn't have to play hero ball. He understands that totally. Jamara has to understand enough to play hero ball. Joe Mixon has to understand. Everybody has to understand. Do your job to the best

that you possibly can. Don't try to do anything more than what you're supposed to do, but do what you're supposed to do at the highest level you possibly can do it, and then you're gonna win the football game, and that's in the playoffs. That's that's as big a factor as anything. Joe Burrow will be one of five quarterbacks making his first playoffs start this weekend. The Bengals will be facing another one in Derek Carr. Finally, it's

time for this week's No The Faux Segment. Charles Davis, who calls NFL games on CBS with Ian Eagle, was in the booth for five Raiders games this year. He joined Lap in Wayne box Miller and the Bengals Game Plan Show and started by sharing what he likes about the twenty twenty one Bengals. I like that this team has the air to it of we're just gonna do what we do the past. Okay, you guys can talk about it, but it's not going to define us. We're

gonna take care of our own business. And when they had opportunities, you know, one of their breakthroughs was winning three in a row? Right when was the last time? Twenty fifteen? And that became a thing, didn't it. In fact, we had it. We had the Chargers game, one of the times they were going for three in a row and didn't get there. And Zach Taylor really emphasized, hey, let's get a breakthrough here, and it didn't happen. A lot of teams would just go away on that, a

lot of teams would have more issues. They came back, battled their way and when they finally broke through and got three in a row Kansas City, that's a pretty strong one to make it make your move on. So I just like where this team is. And look, a second year quarterback in the old days didn't really take over a team. This young man took over the amenity he got drafted and now they really reflect to who he is. This is Joe Burrow kid. There's something really

special about him. And when we sit in production meetings and all, he's not getting that. He doesn't have his feed up on and telling us tales and all that. He answers the question just fine, but you can tell he's all about business. You're right, Charles Manne, dude is laser focus, there's no question. And in today's National Football League,

you have to have a quarterback. And they've got the youngest duo in the history of the National Football League to have a thousand yards receiving in the same year and his man, Jamar Chase who he worked with at LSU, set a franchise record single season record fourteen hundred and fifty five yards. It's only fourth best in the league this year, even though it's a Bengals franchise record. That

tells you what the league's like. But you, as a former defensive back and a good one, when you've got guys like Chase Higgins, Boyd, what kind of conflict does that cause you in the back end? Zama Mix? Yeah, I mean, just going right, It causes all kinds of conflict because if you want to kick coverage as a certain direction, if you're doing things you're guessing, you know, you're you're playing odds in a sense certain third downs.

If you think that they'd like to go to a certain place on a third down, maybe you want to double one of those guys. But they all, every one of those guys can make you pay. That's the thing is. It's not like you take away certain people and guess what, the other guys aren't going to really sting you. You take away Chase, Okay, we send all of our coverage there. You really think Boyd and Higgins are going to light you up? They are. They've proven it time and time again.

So with all those weapons, the plethora of things going on, and an offensive line, it's probably playing a little bit better than what you would you know, you would think in terms of how they might have been rated coming out where the talent level is all of that, you're

putting together a pretty powerful group. And I can't wait to see them go at it on Saturday with the Raiders because both of them have been through their stuff this year and battled their way through the Bengals with a division titled the Raiders with a really unlikely playoff birth. Considering everything that's going on in Las Vegas this year, no doubt, you know, Charles Davis is I guess Charles, you watched a lot of football and talk about just

how impressive it is. You bring in Trey Hendrickson, you bring in Von Bell, you know, you bring in a lot of new guys chitabey E Woozier, and these guys just seem to mess with the existing players. It's not that easy. Although people may think that, right, Yeah, you're exactly right. And I think what helps is that when these guys come in, they weren't coming into a place that it either had a ton of success or wasn't

ready to ascend to it. They came in because, like Trey Henderson told us, he had a feeling about this place, you know, spent the time he bought into Zach Taylor was the last time you heard anyone around the league say, you know what I wanted to send. I really bought into their vision. Yeah, just don't hear that. So so so when Trey Henderson is saying that, and as focus as he is, it means something. And then you have guys who have had success both in the lead to

in the pro level who have come over. Larry Ogan job's out of Charlotte. Okay, so no one's thought about his college success, but boys, he carved out a nice niche in the NFL being a starter in Cleveland and on a team that found its way into playoffs last year, and he helped, you know, make successful. I think one of the most underrated people on the staff is Marion Hobby.

Now there's a lot of buy ins here. Okay, Marion and I played together at Tennessee, but he has won heck of a good football coach, I mean, and what he's done with that front. And you spend time with Sam Hubbard, you spend time with Trey Hendrickson, you spend time with Ogan Job, you spend time with any of the guys there. They willingly talk about what he gives them. And then I'm gonna leave you with this. Sam Hubbard compared him to Larry Johnson, the quintessential defensive line coach

in college football Ohio State. And when an Ohio State Buckeye compares another d line coach with Larry Johnson, who is their godfather? Okay, the bosses go back in the offseason and spend time with Larry Johnson. Okay, And that if you want to know what it's all about. That's how I praise and that defensive front. They've done some work this year. Let me ask you a question about the Raiders. How do the Raiders have ten wins and seven losses when they were outscored by sixty five points.

They've they're the thirty first most penalized team in the league, thirty second most penalty yards in the league. They've only got six interceptions on the season, last in the National Football League. They give up a touchdown defensively in the red zone eighty one point four percent of the time, last in the National Football League. But how the hell had they won ten games? What do you think, Charles,

what's up with that? I don't know. Dave and our crew has had the Raiders five times this year, really, so we've seen them, and we've seen there's a toughness to them, there's a resilience to them. We saw them week two. Remember that Monday nighter that they had with Baltimore that was still two. Jo Car hit to Day Jones for a touchdown. They had to turn around short week and go to Pittsburgh the next week. Remember Pittsburgh could just beat Buffalo in the season opener, so they

were feeling pretty good about themselves. They went up there and beat them on the road and got off to that great start. Our crew was in town when the John Gruden news broke. In fact, I was at practice and John said, Hey, can I talk to you for a minute, because I've known John for thirty five years, and told me what was about to go down. And that was the weekend they played the Bears, and the Bears, who were not very good, went in there and beat

them because they were they were discombobulated. We were also there, I believe right after Henry Ruggs. Okay, we were there when Cincinnati took charge in the second half and ran them into submission, when Joe Mixon and crew beat them down because Zach Taylor said, if we just stayed with it, they will crack, and they did. How they've gotten ten wins. There's a lot of toughness. And Derek Carr is one of the most underrated guys going in terms of fortitude.

He's a good player, all right, He probably doesn't get his due that way, but that guy really helped keep that locker room together with everything that went on, and that team actually does believe in him, and they've hit the right plays at the right times. This is like the old Peanuts cartoon strip but Charles Schultz where Lucy

is getting all over Charlie Brown about his baseball team. Okay, and she's crushing him, and she's like, and you guys are lasting the league in this, and you're lasting the league and that blah blah blah, and your stats say this, and finally Charlie Brown says, Lucy, tell your statistics to shut up. That's kind of where the Raiders off. Just tell the statistic to shut up. We're just gonna show up and play. But I got a relentless pass rush. Now Crosby, you think a gock Way. They get after

it and they create a little havoc back there. But the numbers they don't make sense. That's why I can't believe they only have six interceptions with that pass rush to only have six picks because those guys, yeah, they've got when they've got on the back end. You know when Nathan Abram is right. Dathan Abram is a box safety who can't cover. He's not a cover guy, I

mean coming out of college. I love the fact that he, you know, like Burgess, Meredith said, Rocky, I'm knocking it tomorrow, rock Yeah, right, but but but but his coverage ability isn't very good. Trayvon Merrick is that high center field safety who's going to get better and better as time goes on. He's ranging Casey Hayward up there. But they are not super ballhawks, but they do a nice job keeping things and waiting for you to make a mistake.

Thanks to Charles Davis and for much more on Saturday's playoff game, Join lapping Me for the Bengals pep Rally Show this Friday afternoon from three to six on ESPN fifteen thirty or on the iHeartMedia app by searching for ESPN fifteen thirty. That's going to do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth Podcast, brought to you by Ultimate Bengals. The Freed to Play Next Level Fantasy Football game downloaded now from the App Store and Google Play.

And if you haven't done so already, please subscribe to this podcast and if you have a minute, give it a rating or share a comment that helps more Bengals fans find us. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for listening to The Bengals Booth Podcast