Hig and everybody.
I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading The Bengals Booth Podcast. The With a little lock addition, as the preseason gets underway with a three point loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, coming up radio replays Zach Taylor's postgame comments and postgame analysis from Dave Lappham. Then, in this week's fun Facts Conversation, you'll get to know a rookie quarterback with the greatest
name in football history. The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps, proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by All to 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 provider of the Bengals. Now here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, or by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's the greatest thing since Greater's ice cream test batches when my friends and Greaters come out with a new flavor, as they did this year with banana pudding and Hawaiian wedding cake. They don't just make a batch and put it in a store. They tinker,
test and taste until they get it just right. Well, this week I got to taste a test batch of Coffee Oreo ice cream and it was absolutely sensational. That doesn't mean that it's going to be a Greater's flavor. It was just a test. But if it happens someday, my advice to you would be to run, not walk, to your nearest Greater scoop shop. Now, let's get to
the radio replays of Saturday's pre season opener. It's been nearly nine months since Joe Burrow tore a ligament in his right wrist and a gloomy Thursday night in Baltimore. But after surgery, rehab, a Paris fashion show, and a blond buzz cut, one of the NFL's biggest stars returns to action tonight as the Bengals open preseason play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And it is time for the
pig skin to fly. Here at pay Corpse Stadium, Third down and five at the forty two of Tampa Bay, the Bengals go empty three receivers left two out to the right. Burro waiting for the shotgun snap. Joe Catches at the forty eight, drops back to midfield. Fire downfield caught by yoc Bosh, and he streaks toward the far sideline for a first down. He's knocked on the bounds at the nineteen of Tampa Bay the nickel corner Tyke Smith, getting him to the ground. Second in goal from the
ten yard line. Tee Higgins motions from right to left and lines up wide to the left. Burrough throws for Higgins, catches at the five, makes a man miss and runs into the un zone.
Touchdown.
Bengals has t Higgins eluded Josh Hayes and scored the ten yard TD.
How about that your nash for a better drive for the number ones, Joe Burrow and company are done for the night clock.
Running one forty three left in the first quarter. Trask standing back at the ten as he waits for the shotgun snap. He has the ball, hands it off to Irving running right up the middle of the field, and he takes it into the end zone for a five yard Tampa Bay touchdown. Shotgun snap Trask with a deep drop he throws before getting.
Huh, and it is interceptingent fig Newton, the rookie out of TCU, with tremendous coverage, and he comes away with the interception at the thirty four yard line.
You darn touton love fig Newton.
Second down and two clock running three forty three left in the fourth court of the Bengals, down by three. They are in field goal range. Woodside throwing deep to left top line.
Has a man open, caught at the five Burton to the end zone. Touchdown. But there's a penalty flag down too before the.
Pass illegal contact defense number twenty one. That penalty has to climb touch side. So in the play stands and Burton obviously, I mean the guy. The guy has first round talent. How about woodside? How about the drive that this guy put together, mental toughness and he threw a beautiful ball right here. Safety couldn't get there in time.
Big throw, big.
Catch, thirty seven yards, dropped it right into the bucket at the five yard line to Jermaine Burton, and he took it across the goal line to give the Bengals the lead with three thirty three to go, sixty nine seconds left in the game. Fourth down, and twelve coming up for the Buccaneers, who break the huddle and head toward the seventeen yard line where the ball is waiting. Cincinnati leading fourteen to ten. The Buccaneers go empty. Three receivers right, two out to the left, four down linemen
for the Bengals. Shotgun snap Wolford with a short drop turns it into the end zone in complete, but a penalty fly down at the two yard line.
Defensive pass interppearance.
Wolford under center. It's a run to the left. Robinson does not get in, but he's close and he is in.
Uh. Never blew it dead. Never blew it dead. They just kept pushing and giving him a touchdown.
Fifty seconds to go, three timeouts remaining. Shotgun snap Woodside with a deep drop, fires deep for Burden.
He has been and he makes the catch about at the twenty five yard line of Tampa Bay, over the top of Andrew Hayes.
The Bengals will call a time out. With forty seconds to go, Bengals need to get to the fourteen yard line to extend the drive. Burton goes out to the lef left lassiter and prior out to the right Woodside waits for the shotgun snap. He has the ball, he drops back. It's a five step drop. He begins scrambling left. Logan wood Side running down the left sideline, grabbed from behind and tackled at the seventeen yard line. He's three yards short. Man Buccaneers in the victory formation with nineteen
seconds left. Wolford takes the snap and takes a knee and the Bengals will not use one of their two remaining timeouts. Final score the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seventeen and the Cincinnati Bengals fourteen. Here are some postgame stats. Joe Burrow is five for seven for fifty one yards in a touchdown in what could be his only preseason action since the Bengals have joint practices coming up before their
final two preseason games. Third string quarterback Logan Woodside did a nice job, going eight for twelve for one hundred and forty nine yards in a touchdown, and Jermaine Burton certainly had an impressive debut with three catches for eighty two yards, including a thirty seven yard score. On defense, undrafted rookie linebacker Muma john Meta led the team with ten tackles Dax Hill broke up three passes, and defensive tackle Travis Bell was a menace late in the game
with three tackles and a sack. Now, let's hear from head coach Zach Taylor. We spent a few minutes with Lap after the game.
Logan Woodside put together a pretty nice performance heat for twelve hundred and forty nine yards in a touchdown.
Yeah, I thought he did a great job. You know, he energized the offense, moved the ball, gave us some opportunities. They had the touchdown pass obviously, and then took us down there right on the brink again. So it was pleased from that extending some plays. Found the backs did a really nice show.
First first drive, you go twelve plays over seventy yards for a touchdown, and then defense goes three and out. So, I mean, when you had your number ones and there was a pretty good night for you, that's good.
You know, that was a good start to the game, and you just want to build on that momentum with the rest of the guys. And you have to remember everyone's going in there. Knew some guys haven't played games in a long time, and so again we just need to be cleaner. I think operationally offense and defense with the twos we entered the game.
Yeah, I think the I mean, let me take a look. I had a note on that penalties for the game. It wasn't it wasn't in the bengals favor whatsoever. There. I think it was eight penalties for over eighty yards for the Bengals. And I know that was a a big thing you were looking for. It was playing cleanly in terms of assignments and penalties.
Yeah, I mean, quite frankly, they killed us. You know, we had a fourth down pass interference that gave them the ball on the three yard line. We had some offensive penalties when we're backed up, you know, with a false start made us more backed up. We had a third and three, we had a false start put us in third and eight, we don't convert, had some holding penalties on some things where we got big conversions, and so you talk about not being able to sing drives
and get more runs off and get more production. These penalties killed those drives and something we got.
A correct running game, couldn't really get much out of that, couldn't manufacture much in the running game, and they were able to rush for over one hundred and thirty yards. I think big difference there.
Yeah, we've got to be better there if that's but again, that goes with just getting a first down and getting someone minium there, and we couldn't get that done. And so we quite frankly weren't good enough in the run game. More of the pass game.
How about taking care of the football. We were satisfied with.
That zero turnovers right one. We threw the one pick, so no, I mean you want to walk away with zero and we took a shot there into one on one and they made the play and you know, stole a position there from us, so we can be clear there.
It was. It was great to watch Joe and T Higgins in the first drive and Joe throws themto double coverage knowing that if he's not going to come up with the football, they sure as heck aren't. I mean, that's unbelievable trust and you're wide receive It almost wasn't unbelievable play.
Yeah, I mean they've they made a great play. There was two guys around it. I love the decision to give it to them because T makes that play for us. They just did a good job knocking it out, But you got an advantage there. You run a double move and so there's dvs. They got the back to the quarterback and Tino's where the ball's going, and we'll throw that ball every time.
So I guess, coach, what's your thought. You're gonna take a look at the tape and assess things and go back to work. What do you think are some of the things that the biggest things that need to be worked on? Penalties?
First of all, we just got to be more more efficient operationally on offense. I didn't think we were clean enough with all the details of the routes. Defensively, I thought we got it together really after that second drive, and those guys played with a ton of energy. Pressure the quarterback. We're tighter in coverage, got their hands on a lot of balls. So we'll watch the tape and see what we can improve on. Appreciate your time, coach, yep, thank you.
Here are a couple of the biggest negatives from Saturday night. The Bucks had one hundred and thirty six rushing yards compared to only thirty six for the Bengals, and Cincinnati committed eight penalties for sixty one yards while the Bucks had just three for thirty two. Now time for the radio guys recap. All right, lap, The obvious storyline on the Bengals preseason opener is Joe Burrow on the opening drive, taking the Bengals right down the field and tossing a
touchdown pass to t Higgins. He's got to be a great feeling for him to play for the first time in nearly nine months and take the team seventy three yards on twelve plays for a score.
Yeah, I agree. I mean he was efficient. You know, he read the field flawlessly, which is no shock. He threw the ball with accuracy, with power. I mean, he put it every place he wanted to put it. The Bengals took advantage of a penalty on third and seventeen. I think it was that extended a drive on that touchdown for them, and they only I mean Tampa Bentley had three penalties on the night, and it was kind of foreshadowing of the reverse the Bengals. You know, eight penalties,
two on fourth down, one on fourth and thirteen. So, I mean, penalties are always a big deal in the first preseason game, and the Bengals suffered more by it than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But that doesn't diminish what Joe was doing, you know on that drive. I mean he obviously, I think felt pretty good. He got in a pretty good rhythm pretty quickly. He goes five for seven to fifty one yards and a touchdown. You know that dog will hunt right there. That's getting it done at a very high level.
Andre Yosi Vash has had a great camp, and he had a twenty three yard catch on that touchdown drive. Charlie Jones has had an excellent camp. He obviously didn't play after colliding knees with a teammate the other day. Jermaine Burden, on the other hand, he's been solid in camp. He certainly made his share of catches. But the lights go on and he has a thirty seven yard touchdown catch and a thirty eight yard catch on the next
offensive snap. Could he be one of these guys that practice is fine, but when the game is on the line, he cranks it up a notch.
He's a big play waiting to happen. There's no question about it. I think you know he's got first round talent in skill set. I mean you check every trait often the boxes to check off traits. Everyone is checked off. You know, you have to evaluate who's he doing it against and all those things. I mean, you know, there's there's a big difference between playing in the fourth quarter in a preseason game against backups then you know, an NFL regular season game when the fortunes of the entire
football team are on the line. So it but it is a very positive sign. There's there's no question about about it. I mean, three catches for eighty two yards, that's not too shabby. And uh, you know, back to the like you mentioned during the game, Dan two straight completions one for thirty eight, one for thirty seven, seventy five yards and a touchdown on two straight completions, and you know, I mean it's an it's an NFL caliber corner he's working against, you know, guys in camp for
a reason. So yeah, I mean, I think I think he has he has the physical gifts to play. Can he on a snap by snap basis b where he's supposed to be doing what he's supposed to do and do it consistently. That's going to be the big question is you go on further and further into training camp.
Let's talk about a couple of offensive linemen, Amrius Mims, who was in for a series with the first team and a series for the series with the second team, and Jackson Carmen, who had a rough night. Let's start with Mims. How do you look?
I thought he looked confident. I thought he looked solid. I didn't really see any problems over there whatsoever. I don't think. I mean, the running game obviously was not very good the entire night. I thought that was one of the big differences as well. They rushed the ball for over one hundred and thirty yards and the Bengals had no consistency to their running game as well and put a lot of pressure on the passing game as
a result of that. Where was Tampa. You know, they have the benefit of a strong running game and play action, pass, naked bootlegs, all that sort of thing were really causing the Bengals to have major issues in that regard. So but I do think I think that he has shown himself in the early stages of a training camp to be a very very adept pass protector. Running game was like, well, I'm gotta wait and see, and the running game tonight as a whole, I think needs a lot of work.
So I would say he'd probably say, yeah, I need to get my nose back to the grindstone in terms of low pad level, coming off the ball and getting things done in that area. And I'd have to watch the tape. You know, it's it's just a you know, you look at the overall result and you think, well, nobody really probably stood out in that phase of the game.
Jackson Carmen certainly hasn't developed the way they hoped as a second round draft pick. But he was really struggling tonight with four penalties. When I watch him, whether it's tonight or even at practice, it just seems like he's in his own head and not allowing the gifts that he has to at least allow him to play solidly.
I think it's confidence or lack thereof. I mean, I think when when something goes wrong, it's just snowballs on him. I mean, he just you know, it's like here we go again, out of like all right, I know exactly what I did wrong. That's not gonna happen again. I'm gonna make sure that I take care of business. I think that instead of taking that approach, it looks like you know, he just not lost, but he just man, it's his his body language and everything just just shows
to me, you know, a lack of confidence. So I think I think that's that's the biggest thing he's fighting right now. And you know, I don't know, I don't know what you do about that. I don't know if you, you know, send him to a professional to try to help him in that regard or what. Because he's got physical attributes. Man, there's no doubt. But it's you know, like you said, it wasn't just one penalty. You know, one led to multiples and you just you have to
you have to nip that in the bud. I mean, you can't, like if you if you blow an assignment, you can't come back and blow it again, you know, and again and again. So it's all, it's all in the same boat.
Was this a good debut for Dak's corner as an outside of Dax Hill rather has an outside corner?
Yeah, I mean I thought he got his hand on some footballs. You know, I think I think he did a pretty pretty solid job. You know, I can't I can't say that, you know, the entire group in the back end, where where Luin Roma wants him to be. But I thought it was a good start for him, I really did. I thought he I thought that he played with a level of confidence, you know, and you know, his big thing has sometimes been you know, instincts, you know,
seeing it and reacting to it. I thought that he saw things and reacted to things pretty darn well tonight. I thought he was aggressive with it. Yeah. I thought it was a good start for him, for sure.
Did the interception by Josh Newton add to the notion that the Bengals have a find in that fifth round draft pick?
Yeah, And you know, and for him to come back and do that after he got dinged, you know, I mean he was he was legitimately rung a little bit there. Obviously it wasn't a concussion type, but I've been in those situations where I don't know if it was concussions or not back in the day. But it's a weird feeling when you're wrong. You know, it's like the phone keeps ringing and nobody wants to answer, and it's like you're sometimes your balance is you know, you're just not there,
You're just not quite right. And for him to recover like he did, And to go back out there and make a play like he did shows me a lot of toughness. And you know, I think he and Anthony both are guys that play with that edge, you know. I think they play with a lot of physicality. I think they're kind of throwback kind of guys. I think they could play in any year, I really do.
Travis Bell joined the Bengals in December after DJ Reader got hurt. Didn't get into any games for Cincinnati, but it sounded like he earned a fan and Dave Lapham with his play tonight.
Yeah, I mean, I gave him the first Our Logistics in the Trenches Award tonight. So I thought that he I thought he, you know, disrupted the line of scrimmage. You know, he had knock backs like the defensive line coaches like to say, you know, not just controlling your opponent, but not talking him backwards, you know. And so he he inverted the line of scrimmage, caused some problems in the running game, and he got he got under ease people's pads and bull rushed him and tossed him around.
And yeah, I thought, you know, I think he had three three tackles and a sack and you know, not a ton of snaps. I thought he. I thought he played at a pretty high level.
Appreciate the time and the insight.
Thank you, sir, He's a man, Dan. Appreciate you.
Up next to joint practice with the Bears on Thursday before the two teams square off next Saturday afternoon in Chicago. The Bears opened the preseason with a thirty three to six win in Buffalo. The first pick in the draft, quarterback Caleb Williams, was in for two drives and they
both ended with field goals. 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 provider of the Bengals. Now it's time for our first fun Facts conversation of the new season, where you
get to know the person under the pads. Time for some fun facts with rookie quarterback Rocky Lombardi and yes, we will start with the greatest name in NFL history. Are you related to Vince?
I am not. I'm not as far as I know.
And is Rocky on your birth certificate?
Rocky is not on my birth certificate. Actually, Michael is my given name. My dad wanted to name me Rocky, and my mom basically was like, that's not a real.
Name, so she named me Michael.
My dad said, screw it, I'm gonna call him Rocky anyways, And I've been Rocky for as long as I can remember.
Did I hear correctly that it's not for the boxer Rocky Balboa, but for the legendary Steelers running back Rocky Blier.
That is correct. Yeah, that was my dad's favorite player growing up, was Rocky Bler. Obviously, he's got a great story. If you don't know it, I'd definitely recommend looking into it. But yeah, named after Rocky Blier.
We are visiting with rookie quarterback Rocky Lombardi. According to your bio, you were a four sport athlete in high school, and that in and of itself is not that unusual for an NFL player, but this is You're a quarterback who wrestled for a state championship, probably the only quarterback in the NFL that can say that, why did you do both?
Yeah, I've wrestled for I wrestled for a long time. I started wrestling when I was probably six years old or so, six or seven, you know, and I grew to love the sport. And I'm also a firm believer in being a multi sport athlete. I think that that teaches you things that you just can't get from doing one sport all year round. There's so many skills mentally and physically that I picked up from not only wrestling
but all the sports I did. But I just wouldn't have had the opportunity to come across if I would have just been a strictly football player.
We're doing fun facts with Rocky Lombardy. You had a fine college career and a long college career. Between COVID rules and a medical red shirt, you had seven seasons on college rosters. They say college years are the best years of your life. Were they for you?
Uh? Yeah?
I had a great time, too long, for sure, you know. I did have a great time. But this is the league I want to be in, and I wish it didn't take me seven years to get here. But this is the journey that I've taken, and I'm grateful for it, and I'm grateful to be here right now.
You might have had the greatest tweet of all time at the beginning of your senior year last year. This is the first day of nineteenth grade. Did your teammates give you a lot of you know what for being a seventh year senior.
Yeah, definitely they did. I had to do a little bit of math to figure out what great I was, first of all. But yeah, obviously I've gotten quite a bit of a crap for my teammates in college and even here in the NFL with the Bengals, I've taken some crap. Luckily, I think most of my teammates don't realize how old I actually am. But there's certainly the board's certainly floating around, and you're starting to get some questions about how old I am as a rookie.
I want to go back to your college football debut back in twenty eighteen. Michigan State's punter suffered an injury in the fourth quarter and they called on you to punt. It was probably the last thing that you were thinking about standing there on the sideline. What do you remember about that moment.
I remember it was super hot Arizona State in August or maybe September. You know, I had been standing around the entire game. I was the backup that year.
And backup quarterback, back up quarterback.
Yes, and.
Our punter went down with I think three minutes left or something like that, and they were like, hey, you gotta go out and punt. You know, they knew I could pun. I punted a little bit in high school and punned a little bit in college obviously here, but yeah, they're like, you gotta.
Warm up and go kick this ball.
So I remember taking about two leg swings going back there, and the last thing Coach d He said to me was just catch the ball.
So I remember concentrating catching the ball and booting it.
I mean, it wasn't that impressive of a punt, but we got him down and made him have a real long drive to come back and beat us.
So got the job done.
Does Darren Simmons know you are available in an emergency?
I think he does.
He told me that he got a text or call or something from my old special teams coach at Michigan State telling him that I could be the emergency punter if needed. Hopefully we wouldn't need that obviously, but in an emergency situation, I definitely feel like I could fill those roles.
Among Darren's attention to detail is legendary, so that does not surprise me. We're visiting with Rocky Lombardi. After playing for Michigan State and Northern Illinois, you signed to the Bengals as a college free agent after the draft. I'm guessing you had options. Why did you choose Cincinnati?
Yeah, I feel like this was the best fit for me. I really enjoyed my interview with coach Brad Kragthorpe. I thought that the room was a good fit, an opportunity to learn from guys like Joe Burrow and Jake Browning and Coach Taylor and his staff. You know, I think there's six or seven former quarterbacks in this coaching staff and administration. So it's just a great room to be
a part of. You know, these guys like to spin the rock, they like to throw it around, and I'm really happy and excited to be here.
So when friends and family ask, what's Joe Burrow like? How do you respond?
I have had that question a couple of times, but you know, at the end of the day, we're all human beings, right, so you know he's a He's a human being just like I am. He's just extremely talented, so you know, that's usually what I tell him.
All right.
Time for some wild card questions, Now for Ricky quarterback Rocky Lombardi. Has Rocky Lombardi seen all six Rocky movies? And I'm not including the Creed spinoffs?
I don't believe I have.
Actually, I know I've seen a couple, and I've seen a couple of the Creeds.
I don't know how many there are, but no, I definitely haven't.
All Right, So, if you've seen a few, who is your favorite Rocky opponent?
I would say.
Apollo Apollo Creed, just like that's the first one, right, Yeah, yeah, Well it might be Drago though, I must have break you one of those two, I think, I mean, Drago probably would be my favorite, although Apollo, you know, kind of ends up being.
A good guy, so there's that storyline too. But one of those two, for sure.
Clever Lang was good as well. All Right, You're all time favorite athlete in any sport is Oh, that's a good question.
I would say my favorite athlete growing up was ray Lewis.
I loved the way ray Lewis played the game.
Kind of an unusual answer, probably for my position, but just the energy, the passion.
The physicality that he played with. I would say, ray Lewis.
I also love golf though, and I was a huge Tiger fan growing up. Obviously, you know you gotta be. So I would say, one of those two guys.
You have short blonde hair, was Burrow copying your luck.
I don't even know if I'm allowed to answer this. I mean, I think Joe was just doing what he wanted. I've had long blonde hair, I've had short blonde hair. It's only been blonde, though. So I told him that he stole my thunder. You know this is my this is my trademark look, right, and now it's now it's Joe's.
Blonde here instead of mine. But no, I don't think.
I don't think he stole my look, certainly, not intentionally.
With the orange quarterback jersey on, has anybody yelled out hey Burrow toward you?
Uh, Not that I know of. I don't think. I guess it could possibly happen one day, but not as.
Far as I know, you've got the mustache to separate the two of you. All right, final question for Rocky Lombardy. This one's kind of deep. If you could meet anybody in history, living or deceased, so could be an athlete, a world leader, an entertainer. Who would that person be.
Wow, you are going deep on this one. I would say Teddy Roosevelt. Probably. I was a history major, so I do enjoy history. I'm not claiming to know everything in history, obviously, but I love studying history. I'm assuming Jesus is off the table here.
He can be out the table, but I will tell you this. You are the first person to answer Roosevelt.
Yeah, Well, he was an interesting guy. I think we would have had a lot of similar interests. I admire his leadership and kind of the way he went about things. And then obviously he had a huge impact on the National Park system if you.
Didn't know that.
So, yeah, interesting guy. I definitely would like to have a couple of conversations with him and see.
What he is all about.
A great answer and a fun time chatting with you. Best of luck this season, and thanks for the time.
Yeah, thank you.
Rocky did not get in on Saturday Night but Zach Taylor will almost certainly get him some snaps before the preseason comes to an end. 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 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 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.