Bengals Booth Podcast: Your House

Hi, get everybody. I'm Dan Hoard and thanks for downloading the Bengals Booth Podcast. The I'm Going to your House tonight addition, as the Bengals look to knock off the Ravens in Baltimore on Thursday night football coming up, I'll go one on one with the AFC Defensive Player of

Here comes a blitz hand. Rudder gets sacked for a loss of five. Trey Hendrickson adds to his sack total. Ridder ready he catches the shotgun snap, whoa Trey Hendrickson Berry's Desmond Ridder big play. Trey Man does it again.

I'll tell you what he just threw. Mumford aside like he was little kid.

First and ten Raiders at their own thirty Desmond back to throw.

It's a deep drop. Hendrickson sacks them, knocks the ball free. It's still loose and the Bengals fall on it as Logan Wilson recovers at the thirteen yard line. AH four sack day for big play tray tray.

When you record a sack, you point toward the sky. You're very open about your faith, so I've always assumed that that is a tribute to God.

But tell us if that's the case.

Absolutely, you know, my foundation, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is instilled to me at a young age, a long time ago. My parents they raised us great. My older sister, younger brother also strong in their faith. And obviously my wife, you know, she's my rock and the day to day, keeps me humble, keeps me going, and you know, so, yeah, it's a It reminds me that you know, there's a verse James four six. God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble, So you know, to give God

You certainly helped your team win last week. You had four sacks in the game. You had seven quarterback hits that is Lawrence Taylor, Bruce Smith type stuff. On one of those sacks, you sent a three hundred and fifteen pound tackle tumbling like he was a bowling pin. Can you describe the adrenaline rush of having a game like that?

You know, it's one of those things that you you know, as a as a competitor, want every game, and you know that sacks are a team sport, so are a team statistic and it's a team sport. So that being said, it's one of those things that it's rush and coverage together. So it was great opportunity for individual achievement this week. Getting the quarterback as fast as I could and obviously trying to help this team win.

You're one of the best pass rushers in the league. Another one was on the opposite side of the field last week, Max Crosby. He did not have any sacks during the course of the game. When you go into a matchup like that, do you create a little bit of a personal one on one thing in your head?

Uh?

The only one on one on concerned about is whatever offensive tackle is out there. And you know, through these next couple of weeks, we have a pretty great amount of quality opponents coming up, so my focus is always going to be on my opponent across the ball, not across the field. So that's for Joe and the O line to handle, you know, and they've done a great job this season. Credit to them. It's been fun to watch.

We're visiting the Trey Hendrickson. You face the Ravens on Thursday Night football. It's the second game in almost exactly a month against Baltimore. Could have won, maybe should have won the first one, if not for a missed field goal in ot Does that give everybody in this locker room the knowledge that if we play well, we can beat this team in Baltimore.

I think we've known that we have the capabilities to do it since OTAs. I mean, the talent level it's there, the coaches are there. You know, we're being put in the right spots. So it's execution at a high level, and that comes down to the guys under the field and doing what we're coached to do. Fundamentals and technique that lead to winning, you know. So there are no

Now let's just do it.

Baltimore's been one of the best rushing teams in the league for years and now they've added Derrek Henry. He's already rushed for more than a thousand yards this season. What has he done for that Ravens rushing attack.

Well, he's done a lot for Alabama when he was there. He did a lot for the Titans when he was there, and he's doing a lot for the Ravens. So talented football player. I think in any scheme let alone, the Ravens type offense and AFC North you know style play. I think he fits the mold and he's being very productive. But it's our job, a special upfront in the defensive line, to make that as hard as possible for him.

Do you have to rush Lamar Jackson differently than you rush anybody else?

I think the league in general is kind of trending that way to rushing in a different style, meaning we have more mobile quarterbacks, guys that can throw and run. But I don't think anybody does it better than Lamar. I mean, he's a quality dual threat quarterback and he can do both. So there is a heightened emphasis when you play a league MVP like that special talent. He's been doing it for a long time, so you know it's going to take all of us, you know, rush and coverage to get this.

Guy to the ground.

Your younger teammates have so much respect for you and your work ethic. Joseph i Osia immediately comes to mind as somebody who's just effusive in praising what he's learned from watching you and talking to you. What does it mean when a younger guy comes up to you and wants to pick your brain about your craft?

Well, you know, that's a that's a humbling reality because I think I was that young kid with Cam Jordan one point.

So you know, I'm blessed to do this.

I'm blessed to have the knowledge of football in some way that I can give something to these younger players, because that's what it's all about, is, you know, loving the guy next to you and bringing him up.

So Justin was a great, great guy.

Uh, hell of a football player too, and you know, I'm blessed that he has that opinion of me.

Your thirtieth birthdays about a month away. You're playing as well as you've ever played in your life. How much longer do you think you can do this at the level that you're playing.

You know, as long as it takes, you know, then I think it's something that I love football. I love his team, I love playing here in Cincinnati.

Two.

It's it's been such a blessing to me and my family. So you know, as long as that I have wining the sales, and I give credit to the Lord for doing that for me.

I'm gonna keep pushing. Appreciate your time very much. Best of luck against Ravens, all right.

Thanks so much.

Tray was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for last week's four sad Day and now leads the league with eleven That's two more than the guy in second place, Dexter Lawrence of the New York Giants. For sake of comparison, Miles Garrett has seven and TJ. Watt has six and a half in one fewer game. Thursday Night's game in

I think everything I mean, and really you can loop into two weeks follow too. When you look at Baltimore and the Chargers and the Steelers, you're talking about the teams that are in front of you in your division and one or two of the teams that are in front of you in terms of your wild card hunt. So you know, this is the Bengals have, unfortunately, with the way they played the first nine games, kind of

You know, the Steelers are an opportunity. I think.

You know they've started off very well, but you know, what's their quarterback situation and are they going to be beatable over the second half as we've seen sometimes in recent years.

So it's all there for them.

But yes, they have to draw on all the really I wish there's a great deal all the really good stuff they did in that first Baltimore game and get the bad stuff that cost them the game at the end out of their heads because they have an opportunity to beat them.

There's no doubt about it. It's just it's at this point, you know, there's no more moral victories.

Dan, You've been in Cincinnati on a few occasions this year, going back to training camp, and you were here a couple of weeks ago for the Bengals Eagles game. What do you think they must do better to get the job done over the final eight games?

Well, I mean, look, the Eagle game was a tough one, obviously defensively, especially like someone's got to help Trey Hendrickson. I mean, I like, right now on defense, there's they're just not enough people contributing, and he is, He's playing at an incredibly high level, and you would, I don't know, look at this chatter out there that they could do something,

Someone's gonna have to perform to a higher level.

On defense than they have so far the Eagle game, Orlando Brown went out, there were protection issues obviously, and in general, I feel like, you know, Chase Brown is a fun story. But they haven't consistently run the ball well. So there's plenty they can do to play better than they have so far. But to me, most of it is on the defensive side of the ball that has

Dan back in twenty twenty one, during the Bengal Super Bowl run, you wrote that Joe Burrow makes anything possible. What is it about Joe that makes you feel that way?

Well, look, I mean he's obviously a winner, came into the league as a winner coming off that incredible year at LSU. He's got you know, he's got the leadership qualities. He was instantly the leader in that locker room when he walked in there the first day as a rookie. I remember interviewing him before the second seat before the

I go back to the first Baltimore game.

I you know, I know there was the interception late, but I mean like that looks like for almost the entire game, that looked like a man who was determined not to lose, Like like, we whatever happened that many points they score, we're gonna get one more and uh and, and you see him operate like that more often than not. Again, I just feel like right now he's in a position where there needs to.

Be some more help on the opposite side of the ball.

You mentioned Trey Hendrickson earlier. He had a career high four sacks last week. He leads the league now with eleven this season. Trey's been to the last three Pro Bowls, so he's obviously respected. But does he belong in the conversation for the upper echelon of pass rushers in the NFL?

Sure?

I mean, if you're leading the league in sacks after week nine, how can you not be right?

I mean, that's not a fluke.

So look like that that signing is has been an absolute, you know, bullseye, Like there's no question about it. I remember at the time, right, like it was Carl lawst and they tried to keep him, goes to the Jets, end up with Hendrickson, and I mean perfect fit is delivered at an insanely high level.

I don't know what That's the other thing, right.

Like, like what's the future hold with this group? Like is this is the is this the last half season of t Higgins? There is this the last half season of Trey Hendrickson. They're like, what, like there's a window they're trying to hit here. Uh, And I think That's another reason why you might see them sort of break character and go out and get some help. But yeah, I mean, Hendrickson is a guy that I think people around the league definitely.

I mean, when you play the.

Bengals and you're an offensive coordinator, that's the first guy you're showing your team.

In the Wednesday morning meeting.

The Bengals had Ravens met almost exactly one month ago, and Cincinnati would have won the game if not for a botched field goal in overtime. What must the Bengals do to knock off the Ravens on their home field on Thursday night?

Not batched the field goal attempt?

I think is a good start, right, I mean, like, look, that's what it came down to.

These division games are.

Like you throw the records at like it's an old cliche, right, but you see it all the time. You see like the Houston Texans have a hard time with the Colts, Like like, you know, Washington had a hard time putting the Giants away. Like these teams that are that familiar with each other and know how to play each other and aren't scared of each other. I think the Bengals have to find a way to slow down Derrick Henry. They did, right, He had thirty rushing yards in regulation

For the first sixty minutes a month ago, repeat.

That and then find a way to when you get near Lamar Jackson to actually knock him over or push him out of bounce.

The Bengals currently one game out of the final playoff spot in the AFC with eight games to go. They probably need to go six and two to make that happen. Do you see a team that's capable of doing that?

I do, because I see a team that has the quarterback to do it and who's done it before. I really believe in coaching staffs that have managed a team through the ups and downs of a season successfully.

Right and seen it come out okay.

On the other end, you know, this was the question I had going into the season about the Jets, right, like, like, Okay, they look good, but can that coaching staff do it? Buffalo's camp, we've seen it over and over and over again. Right, Kansas City, obviously we know they can. And we know that Cincinnati's can because we've seen it even last year. Right, held it together with the backup quarterback and nearly got in so but honestly, the answer to your question is yes,

Dan, we know you're busy. Thanks so much for the time, and keep up the great work.

Thank you, my pleasure.

As Dan mentioned, the Bengals made calls prior to the trade deadline in an attempt to improve the defense, and while that didn't pan out, they did swing a trade, landing running back Khalil Herbert from the Bears for a seventh round draft pick. Herbert is averaged a wopping four point nine yards of carry in his NFL career and ran for more than seven hundred yards two years ago. He takes the place of Zach Moss, who was placed

He picks it up. He's in trouble. Gabbs has him, but he gets away. Lamar looking throwing into the end zone. Cough, pol likely we're a touchdown. Wow, magic by Lamar Jackson has He dropped the snap, eventually picked it up, got away from Sam Hubbard and floated it into the end zone for a six yard touchdown.

Unbelievable. He's a great, great, great football player.

And you just look at the one, just the one play where he drops the snap fens off Sam Jermaine sit him as you throw it about throw and throws a touchdown pass. So like, tell me else, who show me somebody else.

That can do that. You know, he's just an amazing football player.

Lamar threw for three hundred and forty eight yards and four touchdowns with no picks for a passer rating of one nineteen. He ran for fifty five more. Here's lou.

I think he ran backwards, fake left, fake right against us in the last game. So we've kind of I don't want to say we've seen it all because who knows what will come out, But I don't think anything anybody's surprise from anything that he does, So I.

Don't think it's demoralized.

We just got to have a you know, next play mentality and whatever happens, and just be ready to go forward and make a play.

And then there's NFL rushing leader Derek Henry, who has already topped one thousand rushing yards this season. The Bengals held him to thirty in regulation, but his fifty one yard run in overtime led to the game winning field goal. The Jackson Henry combo is lethal.

You watch all the things you have to try to do to contain the Lamar who's.

The MVP of the league in the in their quarterback run game that also has an option to hand it off. Plus you know Derek running the ball the way he does. It's just it's it's not like your traditional way. Okay, we can load up for this particular one back run game when the quarterback is not an option. I'm not

One thing the Bengals must do better is tackle Lamar when they have the chance. Sam Hubbard had the Bengals only sack in Game one, as Lamar escaped on several other sack opportunities.

It's critical in any game, specifically in this game. And you know, just just being able to get Lamar on the ground is a task that very few people have done. So you know, we've got to make sure we do a great job of containing in the pocket.

Every every defensive team talks about that.

You got to do it against him and try to make him as uncomfortable as possible.

He's operating at a.

You know, as we all see, and you know, an MVP type level, so we got to try to get him as uncomfortable as possible.

Offensively, the Bengals can't be much better than they were in Game one when they scored thirty eight points. That's the most the Ravens have allowed in their last forty four games. Here's Dan Pitcher.

We had some success last time we played him, but that doesn't guarantee success this time. You know, it's a I have every bit of respect that I had for the scheme and for the players going to the first game. I got the same amount going into this game. So we're gonna have to come up with a great plan and it's going to be a challenge, but I think our guys would be.

Up for it.

Joe Burrow threw for a career high five touchdowns in that game, a number he matched last week against the Raiders. So why did Joe so ticked off on the sideline in the second half?

Yeah, I mean it's frustrated, you know, it's holds himself in the team to a really high standard.

He should.

It's about finding a balance, right, you know, and and expressing that when that needs to be expressed. And then also, you know, recognizing positives when positives present themselves. But you listen, he and all of us had high expectations for the season. We still do, and we're far short of where we expected to be at this point.

T Higgins had nine catches for eighty three yards and two touchdowns in Game one. If he can't play on Thursday due to injury, the Bengals will likely need to get more out of their running game after only averaging three point one yards of carry in the first meeting. Chase Brown is coming off the best game of his career with thirty two touches for a combined one hundred and fifty seven rushing and receiving yards last week.

He was a high volume ball carrier in college. He does all the right things to take care of his body. He's diligent pro He.

Catches as many balls as receivers, do you know? In practice he goes through the pre game pre pre warm ups with the receivers running routes and catching balls and so, like I said, I mean, he's just one of those guys that you trust because you know how Hardy works, and so I think that's showing up.

The game is a return to the scene of the crime where Joe Burrow injured his wrist on Thursday Night Football, almost exactly one year ago. In regular season primetime games, Burrow has sixteen touchdown passes and only three interceptions.

Pride yourself on being an elite competitor. I think you relish any situation where you know the attention of the football world is on you. So everything I know about him tells me that I think he likes these spots.

Thursday's game kicks off at eight fifteen and our coverage on the Bengals Radio network will get underway at six point thirty. That's going to do it for this episode of the Bengals Boothbay podcast, brought to you by pay Core. 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