Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - BENGALS SQUAD SHOW: Burrow AND Chase DEMANDING OBVIOUS changes, can Bengals SHUT OUT Myles Garrett?

Episode Date: January 3, 2026

Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase were both adamant that changes need to be made within the Bengals' organization after three straight seasons of missing the Playoffs. Alex Frank, Mike Santagana, and Art ...Valero discuss how much weight these comments carry and if the Bengals front office will act upon their stars making their voices heard this week. The Bengals close the 2025 season against the Cleveland Browns Sunday, with Myles Garrett going for the NFL sack record. The guys discuss what makes Garrett so dangerous against Burrow and how the Bengals' offensive line can shut out Garrett and prevent him from breaking the sack record. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Rocket Money Take control of your finances and cancel your unwanted subscriptions with Rocket Money. Go to https://RocketMoney.com/LOCKEDON today. Aura Frames For a limited time, save on the perfect gift by visiting https://AuraFrames.com to get $35 off Aura’s best-selling Carver Mat frames - named #1 by Wirecutter - by using promo code LOCKEDON at checkout. FanDuel If you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, visit FanDuel.com and place your NFL live bets all season long. PrizePicks Download the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LO... Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Transcript
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Starting point is 00:00:02 Both Joe Burrow and Jemar Chase sounded off this week at their press conferences, hinting that obvious changes need to be made. I'm Alex Frank. Well, what exactly are those obvious changes, Mike Santagina that Burrow and Chase are referring to? Yeah, well, only one I see happening is the defense. So I'm thinking it's going to be defensive personnel. That is the obvious change. But the offseason coach is still a little ways away because the Bengals have the Battle of Ohio coming up. And you know what, a win over the Browns, that would be a good way to end the season, wouldn't you say?
Starting point is 00:00:36 Oh, great way to end. And great way to start. That's a good way to put it. And this is the Bengals Squad show on the Lockdown Bengals YouTube channel and Lockdown Podcast. Now, today, it's the Bengals squad. Everything Cincinnati Bengals every week. Breaking down all the big hits and game changing plays from the Queen City, the way only the Lockdown Podcast Network can.
Starting point is 00:01:01 From the jungle to the playoffs, the Bengals Squad show starts now. Happy New Year and welcome to the Bengals Squad show. We are live on the Lockdown Bengals YouTube channel and the Lockdown Podcast Network, the number one sports podcast network in America and the world, your team every day. Don't forget if you want to be a member of the Everydayer Club, visit lockdownpodcast.com slash everydayer to learn more. Today's episode of Bangal Squad is brought to you by Fandool. Right now, if you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, visit
Starting point is 00:01:33 the Fanduil.com and place your NFL live that's all season long. I'm Alex Frank alongside Mike Santagina and coach Art Valero as we look ahead to the Bengals and the Browns on Sunday. But we first begin with the comments that Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase both made at their weekly press conferences earlier this week hinting that changes need to be made. Jamar Chase saying they are obvious the changes that need to be made. The Bengals are going to miss the playoffs for a third consecutive season despite having the pro bowl quarterback and the all pro wide receiver and triple crowd winner at their disposal.
Starting point is 00:02:07 And I'll tell you, Joe Burrow has spoken out before about things like this. But Coach, I'll turn to you first. Jamar Chase is now speaking, like how Joe Burrow would talk. So when you hear Jamar Chase and what he says, do his comments carry just as much weight and significance, if not more, than Joe Burroughs? I believe they carried an equal amount of weight. And you know, when one guy's always driving the bus, you know, somebody else has to eventually move themselves up and be that leader that they need. And for Jamar to be able to step up and say, hey, you know what?
Starting point is 00:02:45 The prime of my career and some of my best play is going out on the field, and I'm giving it to you. How about the rest of us on this team that are fighting tooth and nail every, week to represent this organization. And they need to be sound. They need to be, you know, not just throw money at, you know, whomever is out there. But let's build ourselves a football team. And you know what?
Starting point is 00:03:16 I think all the other thing is really kind of funny is you look at the NIL in college football. There's a lot of teams you hadn't heard from before. And all of a sudden they threw some good NIL out there money. And all of a sudden they're in the finals, you know. And so, you know, these pro guys, they think the same way. Hey, we're this guy, this guy, and this guy away. Pay them.
Starting point is 00:03:40 Just roll out the checkbook and sign them. And we're going to talk about one of those guys, hopefully being re-signed sooner rather than later in Dalton Reisner. But, Mike, when you heard Burrow and Chase speak this week, was it different than what we've heard them say in the past? I feel like Burrow was saying similar things last year. so much about the changes, but just about he seems very in tune with the off season and how the team can get better. Not sure every quarterback is like that, but it does seem like at least the last
Starting point is 00:04:12 few years he has been in lockstep with his thoughts about how this team could get better. I think when they say changes need to be made, thinking more about it, it could be Jamar Chase talking about contracts because he just went through that. Him and T. Higgins just went through that contract issue and thinking change needs to be made from a higher level ownership front office to do their contracts differently so that we can get different type of talent in here so that we can keep Trey Hendrickson so that they can extend DJ Turner a year early instead of making him wait maybe throw a franchise tag on him and then getting a deal done later because I think a lot of people have been saying me too that's more
Starting point is 00:04:51 expensive it's always more expensive to do it that way to because the longer you wait the only thing you're doing if you know you're going to keep a guy the longer you wait you're just driving up the price tag because the prices never go down. You never see a corner sign the record deal and then nobody's doing that. So I would say, I think, yes, defensively, they're probably frustrated, I think, in terms of how some of those games went with how the defense let them down towards in the middle of the year. But then also it could just be about the front office and the contracts and who they like to
Starting point is 00:05:24 bring in. You have a wider pool if you can guarantee money. here's how I look at this. And I, you know, it's the last week of the regular season, the Bengals have been having, you know, better success on the field the last two weeks, albeit against the dolphins and the Cardinals, but still wins are wins. And they've played really well offensively. But, you know, Burrow and Chase could have, you know, just not really said anything poignant
Starting point is 00:05:53 at their press conference this week, but they did. here's what makes Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase so great. Yes, they're talented, but they're influential. And I think that stands out to me more so than anything this week. We have never had in Cincinnati players with the talent and influence and the pull of which they can, and that's actually not how to word it, but they've never had the influence on the front office the way that Burrow and Chase have had. It's not just that they're a generationally great quarterback wide receiver combo.
Starting point is 00:06:31 They're influential. And it was all fun early in their careers. Chase's rookie season was the year they went to the Super Bowl, was Burrough's second season. Next season they're in the AFC championship. Darn near won that game. It was all fun early when the Bengals were this hot new team. You know, everybody's, you know, Cincinnati's going crazy.
Starting point is 00:06:51 And, you know, they're the talk of the NFL, Burrow and Chase. you know, how flashy and chips on their shoulder and they don't know what they don't know. Well, the last three years, I'm sick of viewing this team through the lens of what could have been, okay? Because we should be in this prosperous era of Bengals football where they are competing for championships year in and year round. Like I can remember after the Super Bowl season thinking about all the great quarterbacks throughout NFL history and how Joe Burrough's career would compare to them. Guys like Peyton Manning and guys like Brett Farb, Drew Breeze, Jim Kelly even. I hope it's not Jim Kelly for the sake of the fact that he never won a Super Bowl,
Starting point is 00:07:36 even though he was really, really good in a Hall of Famer. But unfortunately, the last three years, the Bengals front office was not prepared for when Joe Burrow was extended, for when Jamar, Jason, T. Higgins even were extended. I mean, they messed around with them for however long. And as you mentioned, Mike, the price tag went up. So instead of being reactive to certain things like they've been the last few seasons, this front office needs to be proactive.
Starting point is 00:08:06 Those two seasons when the Bengals were playing deep into the playoffs, those can't just be flashes in the pan. You have to do right by your superstars because you know they are generationally great. But if you don't get out in front of certain things, And I do believe this Bengals front office cares more about how they are viewed from the outside than they ever have. But the outside is saying, Joe Burrow, what could have been? Jamar Chase, what could have been? Wasted.
Starting point is 00:08:33 The fact that this team did not make the playoffs last year with Burrow and Chase playing at the peak of their powers is an abomination. Now, there were reasons why. Distractions early. If you're more proactive as a front office, that I don't know. only creates less distractions within the team, but it creates more alignment between players, head coach, and ownership. Now we're at a point where instead of, you know, talking about who the Bengals could play in the playoffs, who you wanted them to play in the playoffs, which we should be doing every single
Starting point is 00:09:06 season, we're talking about changes. It shouldn't be this way. Like, Joe Burroughs is going to be 30 in December. Jamar Chase is going to be 26 and less than two months. Your careers, their careers aren't going to last forever. Black is ticking, gentlemen, and not saying we know what they need to do. My gentleman, I mean Mike Brown, Duke Tobin. Like, you better get out in front of it earlier than later.
Starting point is 00:09:33 Because if you don't, a fourth straight season without making the playoffs and Joe Burroughs Prime, what would that say about this organization? Wouldn't be too different from the Drew Breeze after the Super Bowl. They just kept not making the playoffs because of a bad defense. and then they finally hit on a draft. So it's what I think of is like the Dan Marino type of, he went to the Super Bowl, his second year, never went back. Drew Breeze, similar deal.
Starting point is 00:10:03 Went to that Super Bowl. He won, but they didn't go back. They went to a couple NFC championship games. So it's hard to sustain success, but at the same time, you've got the hardest puzzle piece in there. You've got the quarterback. You've got an offense with just three players. I know you're the office.
Starting point is 00:10:21 the lines for the quarterback can stay upright, not go to the medical 10 or anything. But they've got the hard part to me figured out that easier part should be let's patch together a defense that can be, we always say average, average, a little below average. They're winning games when it's a below average defense, but you can't have one of the worst defenses in NFL history and it doesn't matter how good your offense is because you're not going to win games. So I think that feels like the obvious, re-sign riser, and the changes need to be made is just changes on the defense and how they do their contracts. And I know people probably also think, Zach Taylor, Duke, Tobin, I just don't see that happening at the moment. So that's why I'm not even talking about it.
Starting point is 00:11:06 Well, and that's fair. And coach, you coached in the NFC South. So you know the Saints as well as anybody. Now, the Saints and your son is a coach on the Saints. The Saints for an office has been in the news for, you know, not the greatest news in the world, unfortunately. But it's one thing for Bengals fans to say, well, at least the Bengals for an office isn't like the Saints. Yeah, fine, but they've got the Lombardi trophy. You don't. And you have a quarterback who should be competing for Super Bowls year after year. So the perception of how you are perceived as an organization, it kind of is on the line right now, wouldn't you say? Absolutely. You know what? I think you look at it from this standpoint, too, here's an organization that's been around for, you know, a good, long
Starting point is 00:11:51 while. And they have always cared about what other people think of them. But yet it took until this era of having influence or having players that are influencers to kind of get them to say, hey, you know what? For them to speak, I'm saying, you know what, we need some help. We need some help so we can achieve our potential, which is going to make everybody happy. And you know what? You're the value of the organization. Don't make Cincinnati, Ohio,
Starting point is 00:12:28 and the Cincinnati Bengals just another NFL stop. I mean, Kay, you can welcome to the jungle all you want. But you know what? Until you put back to back and you start tying those things together, you're going to get your loyal, your law of faithful. It's like going to the bar down the street, you're going to get your loyal,
Starting point is 00:12:53 logan people coming in and having a drink. But don't you want to pack that thing on a Friday and Saturday? Come on, man. Spend some money, bring some thing, get some new juice in there. And I think that's what they need to do. It's that old adage, you've got to spend money to make money. And that's what this Bengals front office needs to do. Have they done it a lot more recently?
Starting point is 00:13:11 Yes, maybe not last off season. but I was listening to sports talk in Cincinnati Christmas morning. And Austin Allmore, who does a terrific job, shout out to him if he's listening to this on ESPN 1530. The Bengals 60th anniversary is next year, next year. And as you mentioned, coach, 60 years, and this organization has not won a Super Bowl. Now, you can say, well, look at a team like the Buffalo Bills. They haven't won the Super Bowl either. Yes, but they went to four straight.
Starting point is 00:13:39 Yes, but they're really good right now. They've been to the playoffs six straight years. going to be seven this year because they're already in. And they also made the playoffs in 2017. They've spent money and they're also making money. And by the way, they're in Western New York. They're in a little, they're in a small town in Western New York and they sell out every game.
Starting point is 00:13:56 Okay. So if you're the Bengals, go back to your point, Mike, earlier. Yes, Joe Burrow has been injured the last two of the last three seasons. I'm sorry. In 2023, you couldn't have started, you maybe couldn't have started one and three. Like, we're just going to forget that. It's like, well, if Joe Barrow hadn't gotten hurt, they would have made the playoffs. He played the Tennessee game.
Starting point is 00:14:15 Did you come prepare for that game? No. Were you prepared for the Cleveland game at the rain? No. You started one in three. You also lost at home to Houston. That was a middling team. If we thought the Bengals were taking the next step on a four-game winning streak,
Starting point is 00:14:27 why didn't you beat them? And then even when Joe Barrow was out, you couldn't be Pittsburgh at least once. That Pittsburgh team wasn't even that good. They were starting Kenny Pickett the first time and Mason Rudolph the second time. And you couldn't put up more than 10 points in the first time and 11 points the second time. What? Like, yes, you can see.
Starting point is 00:14:43 say, well, if Joe Borough hadn't gotten hurt, that Bengals would have made the playoffs. You could have made the playoffs even with Jake Browning. He was good enough that year to make the playoffs. And then this season, yes, Joe Barrow got hurt again. Yes, Jake Browning fell off a cliff. The front office gave you Joe Flacko, who put up, ready for this, in a three-game stretch, the three-game home sandwich, we all said could save this season. 33, 38, 42.
Starting point is 00:15:06 He was increasing his point total every week, and they went after the Steelers game, which they could have lost that game. L and L, because their defense. wasn't good enough to get one stop. It's, it's maddening. You've had help. You just have not used it. But I want this front office to understand that Burrow and Chase should not be missing the playoffs three straight seasons. They were healthy last year. You couldn't be New England who went on to win just four games and fired their head coach. This is why Bengals fans are frustrated. They are wasting primers. This was supposed to be the prime and you've wasted three seasons.
Starting point is 00:15:45 Can you take what you haven't done or have done that wasn't good from the last three seasons and do something different? Because I don't want to keep looking through this franchise, at this franchise, through the lens of what could have been. And it's a sickening feeling knowing how great Joe Burrow is. Now, there's one more game to go this season. And there's a, Pretty good defensive player the Bengals are going to face on the other side. Coach, I'm sure you would have to have a guy like Miles Garrett and your embarrassment of riches already on your bucket ears defenses. We'll talk about how the Bengals can contain the so-called freak mutant
Starting point is 00:16:22 when we get back right here on the Bengals Squad Show. This edition of the Bengals Squad Show is brought to you by Fan Duel. So Friday's already feel different during basketball season, and Fan Duel is making them even better. Every Friday night before the games tip off, Fanduel gives fans a new way to kick off the weekend with NBA Happy Hour. NBA Happy Hour is your official pregame. It's a limited time window where special offers drop right inside the Fandual app just before the action starts.
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Starting point is 00:18:06 Visit lockdownpodcast.com slash Everydayer. alongside Mike's antagona and Art Valero, Alex Frank, with you on this edition of the Bengals Squad show. It's the Bengals and the Browns Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern on CBS from Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. We will have the Bengals Squad post game show immediately following the game. Mike, we understand that you have a prior commitment, so you unfortunately will not be on the show, which is totally okay. Coach, it'll be the two of us slinging yang and hopefully talking about a third straight victory to end the Bengals season. Coach, I'm going to turn to you first. When you watch Miles Garrett, your first words about him are what?
Starting point is 00:18:44 Dynamic. It takes more than one. I mean, if you're Orlando Brown Jr. right now, you're spending extra time studying the film. You're probably doing this thing you should have been doing on a long. But you're trying to dissect this guy. and you're looking at the offensive staff saying, okay, how are you going to put a tight end over here? Are you going to put a back over here to at least chip him on the way out, to at least slow him down so I can get myself set?
Starting point is 00:19:21 You're talking to Joe Burrow all week long about, hey, change the snap count. Let's keep doing it. And you're on your cues because you know what? Even though it's great as Miles Garrett, and I hope he gets it. Because it's great for football that Miles Garrett is up there with it. And it's not, when you're that high, I can remember when Strahan got it. And they said, well, no, really. It was a play action.
Starting point is 00:19:49 And then I remember when JJ got tied it. And this right here, he's done it very, very quietly, not a very good football team. So I'm kind of rude and form to, I mean, it's good for football that he does this because he is phenomenal. And I hear some crowd clips or clips from him, where he's miced up and he's talking to other guys. And I'm sure he does. I'm sure he talks a lot of crap. But hey, you know, he sounds like a decent guy.
Starting point is 00:20:23 Not that I know him, but he sounds like it. So I'm kind of cheering for him. And I'm hoping Orlando goes out and plays. You got to remember, if you're going to throw it 50 times, Bengals, he's got 50 opportunities. If you run the football and you throw it 30 times, you just erase probably about 18 more opportunities. So game plan, Orlando being ready,
Starting point is 00:20:53 Joe not being conscious of him, but keeping his eyes focused down the field and be able to move when he does, because he's coming and he will be there and he's going to show up. So I tell you what, that in itself is going to make the game exciting for me. 18 more chances for a guy like Miles Garrett. He's bound to get home at least once or twice or at least very near the quarterback. And you look at a player like him.
Starting point is 00:21:17 You have to admit, as a Bengals fan, we are watching one of the old-time great defense events, edge rushers, in NFL history. I mean, when you're seeing what he's doing, it reminds you of a guy like Michael Strayhan, like Bruce Smith, like Reggie White even. I mean, that's how good this guy is, number one overall pick in 2017 and has more than lived up to it, even with playing for an organization like the Cleveland Browns, where he's only been a part of two teams that have had winning records and have made the postseason. But Mike, as we know, this Brown's defense is much more than just Miles Garrett. It's Mason Graham.
Starting point is 00:21:51 It's Carson Schwessinger, their rookie linebacker. So when you watch this Browns defense and also Denzel Ward, who Jamar Chase has literally said, is his toughest. assignment to go up against. So that's a, that's saying something. So when you watch the Cleveland Brown's mic on tape and going into this game, what else about them are you going to be watching for on Sunday and how this Bengals offense, which has played a lot better the last two weeks, can continue to make strides against, but what else are they going to have to worry, are they going to have to focus on with the Cleveland Brown's defense? It's one of the few defenses that over the past few years has played a lot of man against,
Starting point is 00:22:31 the Bengals and gotten away with it. I will be interested to see if Tyson Campbell plays well because I think week one, Greg Newsom for as bad as he plays in other games, apparently, he always gets up for the Bengals game. He's always playing a pretty good game against them, fairly not playing that well other times. Tyson Campbell, he got smoked in week two for the Jaguars against the Bengals. So it'll be interesting to see if they, if it's like a coaching thing that has or a culture or something that has these corners up and ready to play press,
Starting point is 00:23:01 man coverage against the two, the best wide receiver duo in the entire NFL. I'm interested to see that. I'm interested to see it feels like these games always go a certain way, where the Brown's defense is just physically stronger up front. And then from there, everything else falls where Jim Swartz, as a defensive coordinator, does a good job of making changes in the secondary. He plays a lot of man. He's not scared to, but he also switches into like these invert two type.
Starting point is 00:23:31 of coverages just to get two deep safeties, two deep defenders and play everything in front of him. I think he's always done a good job against the Bengals. So I want to see the Bengals offense do well. As cool as the sack record story is, I like it. I don't know if I'm rooting forward against. I don't want to see Burrow get sacked. But at the same time, I don't mind, you know, Miles Garrett of all guys. This guy's awesome.
Starting point is 00:23:58 He is a pretty awesome player. And it is cool to see history. Like coach said, four hands. Four hands. Every play is going to be four hands. You're going to have to earn that that sec title if you do it. You're going to do it through two guys. But, yeah, I'm interested to see, do the Bengals have any type of answer for what the
Starting point is 00:24:17 Browns have done to them for the past, like, four years since, three years since Jim Schwartz has been there. He's done a very good job against them, them specifically. He does a very good job. Even in years, the defense isn't performing well, even in years that the defense is performing well. It doesn't matter. These guys all show up for the game. They don't see the fireworks show for the Bengals offense, even if they're playing well. So I'd like to see the fireworks show. I want to see Zach Taylor has an answer for everything that Jim Swartz is throwing at him and
Starting point is 00:24:42 that's giving him trouble in the past. You go back to week one, and that's a great point, Mike, about how the Bengals offense and the fireworks that we normally see from them, it hasn't happened against the Cleveland Browns. And you mentioned the man that they can play against the Bengals, get away with it. Well, it helps when you have a generationally great pass rusher up front. And you combine that with a defensive front that really after the first possession in that week one game, they completely shut down the Bengals ability to run the football. And then you look at there was one possession in the fourth quarter where Joe Burrow was sacked on three straight plays.
Starting point is 00:25:15 I mean, if you thought the Super Bowl was bad when Burrow was under heavy pressure in the second half, that possession was worse than that. And Miles Garrett had back-to-back sacks. And I forget who had the other one. But at the end of the day, you have to have an answer. Like when you, when we talk about players that can wreck game plans, Miles Garrett is that. You can do whatever you want against,
Starting point is 00:25:35 try to do whatever you want against the Brown's corners or defensive backs, whatnot. If you don't keep Miles Garrett at bay or at least as far away from Joe Burrow as you can, good night, Irene. That is how great he is. But you look at that first game, the Bengals offense was moving the ball pretty decently in the first half. But as soon as the Browns made adjustments,
Starting point is 00:25:58 the Bengals could not, the Bengals could not move the ball. How they won that game is still somehow a little amazing to me. Now, let's go back to this matchup on Sunday. And again, you know, people can say, well, what game, you know, what meaning does this game have? Well, Miles Garrett's going for the NFL sack record. The Bengals are trying to finally solve their woes against the Browns. And to their credit, they have been a little bit better against them.
Starting point is 00:26:25 They haven't lost to them since week one of 23. They played two games against them last year. Joe Burrow did lead in that second game, a 99-yard touchdown drive that ended with him, you know, literally flying like Superman throwing a touchdown to T. Higgins. So they have been slightly better against the Browns in terms of wins and losses and also offensive production. But should fans like, I'm going to ask you about this and we've kind of talked about
Starting point is 00:26:50 what we want to see from the Bengals in this game, coach, I'll also ask you that question. I'll go to that first. What do you most want to see for? from the Bengals in this game. I want them to see to go out and execute the game plan and have 11 bodies. It takes 11 bodies to score.
Starting point is 00:27:07 And I want to see them execute on offense. And on defense, have fun and play. Loosun up, go out there and play a physical game. You have the entire offseason. And, hey, there are jobs of stake. and their lives of state. You have to show up and play this weekend. And if you do that,
Starting point is 00:27:34 then you'll be able to be evaluated correctly and go by not only the fan base and the coaching staff, but also by the front office. It's a great point because, Mike, I know you mentioned earlier on this show that it's kind of a lost cause and moot point to talk about Zach Taylor and Duke Tobin because they're likely not going anywhere. I will say this, and I agree with you that I don't think they're going anywhere. But at the same time, given what Burrow and Chase have said this week,
Starting point is 00:28:06 if the Browns come in and not just defensively, you know, do whatever they do to the Bengals' offense, I'm talking about coaches you mentioned defensively. It looked like in week one they're playing tight. Like the Browns were getting dinks and dunks all over the field, but there were so many missed tackles, you know, there were so many wide open guys Cedric Tillman, Jerry, Judy were open over the middle, Harold Fanon, Jr., heck, even on the perimeter at times, it looked like he was wide open every time. And then you were gift-wrapped, two picks and a missed field goal in the second half when your offense wasn't doing anything.
Starting point is 00:28:39 So that's kind of what I want to see from this defense. Go out there and fly around and make Shador Sanders uncomfortable for three hours. That's what I want to see. But Mike, to your point, given what Burland Chase said this week, Mike Brown does not like losing to Cleveland. if you lose at home to Cleveland, it would not shock me if we heard some news about Zach Taylor and Duke Tobin in the hours after the game and going into Monday. Do I think that's going to happen? Not necessarily. I would not be surprised.
Starting point is 00:29:12 So Bengals fans may be wondering what can be gained from a win on Sunday. Well, a lot of things can be gained from a win. You go four and two in the division in what's been a disappointing season. there is something to be said about that. I mean, the Bengals, the last two seasons, if they win Sunday, will be seven and five in the division. And considering they were one and five two years ago with two losses by 20 plus points, that does matter.
Starting point is 00:29:37 It should matter, especially to the young guys on this team. So I ask both of you, what can a win do for the Bengals on Sunday going into the off season? I think it builds your confidence, hopefully. I think the defense has played better. So if they play well and win, you hope that can bleed in the next season. It didn't work for them last year because I know they played well down the stretch defensively after a terrible start.
Starting point is 00:30:04 So I have a little bit of trepidation about saying, yeah, it'll bleed into the next season because I just watched it not happen, but it could happen. And they could, the young guys get confidence. Confidence is key for a lot of this. And maybe you get Daxville, DJ Turner is still proving themselves as a pretty good cornerback duo. Maybe it becomes more clear what you need to fix, but I think a win gives you the confidence going into next season, and you hope it bleeds into it. You hope that this run game works, that the defense works. I'm not even thinking about the passing offense. I have no problems.
Starting point is 00:30:38 I have no concern about that part of the Bengals team. So I'm hoping the parts that I do have concerns about the defense and the running game, which have been better. I hope those look good, and that can bleed in the next season. Because how you start fast sometimes is going to be your defense is going to play really well and your run game is going to play well. And then you can catch up with the passing office because their passing office doesn't usually start fast. So in the next year, can they win a couple of games by riding the confidence of a three-game winning streak where they ran the ball well and they played good defense?
Starting point is 00:31:13 That's a great point. And coach, when you beat a team, particularly in your division, heck, in your own state to end the regular. season. I don't care what your record is. That does matter. And can a team feel that when they do, when they do beat a team in their division and the regular season? Oh, absolutely. You know what? You can go. There's a double-edged sword there with them being in the division and in, you know, just north of them. You know, you're fight for the same fan base. You've got the old Browns fan base and you got the old Bengals fan base, but there's a whole lot of bunch of other ones
Starting point is 00:31:51 that are out there in the middle that are not quite certain where to go. And so there's a lot of eyes going to be on this game from a public persona where, you know what, you want to go out there and you want to perform and you want to perform well, so you get new people to come in and watch you as you go through the off-season
Starting point is 00:32:13 and restructure your team. This Sunday's game, that Bengal team will never be the same. It's not going to be the same ever again. So whether you're buying to stay or you're auditioning for a new position somewhere else, you need to put your best foot forward. And they have nothing like winning. That's why we do this. It's like your dad working all week,
Starting point is 00:32:43 not getting paid on Friday. You know, come on. That's not what it's all about. And that's what the Bengals are playing for. Yeah. And I think what's so great about the way they've played the last two weeks is, look at the teams they have played. And they're in similar situations to the Bengals, right?
Starting point is 00:33:02 Not going to the playoffs. Arizona last week looked checked out. Like they were ready to get to the offseason. And I heard a lot of people talk about that. The Bengals didn't look like that. They were scratching, they were clawing, they were trying to put points on the board. Heck, they were throwing a Cody Ford for crying out loud. You think they're ready to go?
Starting point is 00:33:20 No, they're not. And then you look at the dolphins, they practically quit. Their fans were wearing bags on their heads. So these games do matter. And also this, also this. Ohio State just lost this week to Miami and the Cotton Bowl. Disappointing end of their season. And a lot of Ohio State fans are either Browns fans or Bengals fans.
Starting point is 00:33:42 So look at it from both perspectives, as you just mentioned, Coach. If you're the Bengals, you want to beat your rivals, you want to go on a three-game winning streak into the off-season, you want to see your defense continue to play better, you want to see the running game continue to excel. You want to show Burrow and Jamar Chase to have a good end of the regular season. And then if you're a Browns fan, you want to know, is Miles Garrett going to get the sack record? Is Shador Sanders, your guy going forward, like the 41st quarterback you've tried since the Clinton administration? So there's a lot of at stake for both teams. Now, Mike, you mentioned something very interesting and it's going to transition into our next segment,
Starting point is 00:34:17 which is you want to see what the defense can do because the offense you feel fine about. Like, going into this off season, you feel fine about the offense, especially if one guy gets extended. And you all know who that is. We're going to talk about him coming up next right here on the Bengals Squad Show.
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Starting point is 00:35:16 managed by a team of experts. You expect more from yourself. Expect more from your money. Get started today at robin hood.com slash your money. Again, that's Robin Hood, R-O-B-I-N-H-O-O-D dot com slash your money. Your money, your move. All right, so before we get to Dalton Reisner and why he absolutely needs to be signed, just how much he's meant to this Bengals offensive line and organization. Coach Valer, I'm going to put the spotlight on you because, as you and now, we're talking yesterday. Today is the 15-year anniversary of when your Seattle Seahawks,
Starting point is 00:35:57 led by the great most interesting man in the world, Charlie Whitehurst, beat the St. Louis Rams 16 to 6 Sunday night football to win the NFC West at 7 and 9. Real quick, your favorite memories from that night. Oh, I'm telling you. playing against the Rams, which I had just left a year prior. And playing it, it was nice and cold and damp in Seattle at that time. And, you know, the week prior, Matt Hasselbeck had pulled his, basically pulled his butt muscle in Tampa on the coldest day I've ever spent in Tampa. And I've lived there forever.
Starting point is 00:36:39 And for Charlie to come out there and just lead us to a win that, we had to have and put us in a situation where, hey, we won the NFC West. We got to play at home the next week against the defending champs in the New Orleans Saints. Your former Ryan. And Quake and, you know, it was beast mode night. Boy, it just led to an awful lot of different things that it allowed us to say, hey, you know what? We're still fighting. We're still going.
Starting point is 00:37:11 And regardless of the season, how it went, how it went. how it ends is how it's going to be remembered. Look, go ahead. And that's what everybody felt like when we came out to field. Wasn't that, okay, so you mentioned the game before in Tampa Bay. Wasn't that the game where the Garrett Blood had like this unbelievable hurdle where he like leaped about five yards? And then two weeks later, your guy, Marshawn Lynch, caused an earthquake in Seattle.
Starting point is 00:37:39 Again, to your point, it's so crazy how quick a season can change from two weeks. to the next two weeks. Oh, absolutely. Man, what great times those were. By the way, six days from now was the anniversary of that Beesquake game. Well, you know, it's crazy. We had 27 power called,
Starting point is 00:37:56 and as an O-line and tight end group, we didn't block a soul. That was all Marsha on the whole deal. Yeah, you can go back and listen to Mike Mayock on the call for that game. Mike, what do you remember about that Beast, quake game? That was 15 years ago,
Starting point is 00:38:11 but it feels like it was just yesterday. Yeah, I always think of Marshawn talking about the stiff arm he gave that looks so violent. I think it's like in the middle or towards the end of the run. To Tracy Porter. To Tracy Porter. And he's talked about it. He said, I didn't even give him much of a stiff arm. Yeah, it's momentum.
Starting point is 00:38:29 He's just kind of slowed down and pushed him forward. And the momentum and reaction of that made it look like he was Hulk strength shoving Tracy Porter. But it was really kind of judo. It was Tracy Porter's momentum carrying him that way. So I always think about that. And whenever I rewatch him, like, yeah, he didn't really do a crazy amount to Tracy. Tracy went and flew off by himself. Insane run.
Starting point is 00:38:51 And you can tell, I think that the O-line did a bad job block that. Got bounced. Power got bounced. That didn't hit up the middle. You had offensive linemen going downfield. Yeah. That's how they got to the third level. We were downfield because we didn't do anything at the line of scrimmage.
Starting point is 00:39:10 They're at the third level. They went straight to the third level. Let's skip the first and second. Yeah, because you know, Marshawn Lynch was that good enough to get there. You know, it's interesting. You're talking about timing, okay, or are you talking about how two weeks from two weeks to two weeks? So Tracy Porter, and this is obviously a much bigger timeline.
Starting point is 00:39:26 Less than one year ago, Tracy Porter was running back the pick six that won the Saints Super Bowl 44. And then not even a year later, he's getting stiff armed out into oblivion by Marshawn Lynch. The Saints defensive backs coach at the time was Dennis Allen. I can only imagine the chewing he got on the side. sideline after that, but you probably couldn't hear it because there was an earthquake and the 12th man was literally about to explode, which it did. Okay, offensive line. It's a good transition to Dalton Reisner, who said earlier this week that he feels like he has found a home in Cincinnati, and that's great to hear. And here's a guy that came in in a very unique situation before the start of the
Starting point is 00:40:01 season was thrust it into duty in the middle of the season opener at Cleveland. Lucas Patrick, I remember Lucas Patrick? Feels like a long time ago. Dawn Reisner comes in. plays great. And he has played great ever since he came back from injury. And now all of a sudden, it feels like he could be here, you know, at least for the next few seasons. Mike, when you watch Dalton Reisner and his progression this season, what stands out to you the most? He got better, I think, is the first thing. It was a rough start for him, to be honest. I know there was a little bit of an injury thing. I think getting in there late was a big issue because he didn't start fast. but weeks one, Lucas Patrick played over him for a half and played better in that game.
Starting point is 00:40:47 Week two, he struggled. That was actually the week. He was probably the most at fault among the offensive line for Joe Burroughs injury. Week three, it didn't get better. And then I think, believe it was that Vikings game, he goes out towards the end. They bring in Jailen Rivers, and Jailen Rivers had his job for a while, even when Reisner was healthy. But when Risner came back into the lineup, I'm thinking. before Fairchild came back.
Starting point is 00:41:13 He played a lot better. And that was at left guard at first. And then Fairchild comes back. He moves to right guard. He's playing the best football maybe of his career. So I think of the progression and how much better he got throughout the season. I think he's a good schematic fit for how he plays in terms of being able to pass protect on an island when needed, being able to pass set 45 times in a single game without any type of play action.
Starting point is 00:41:40 I think that stuff is hard on offensive linemen. So what I see is a scheme fit that got better throughout the year, works really well with both Ted Karras and Amarius Mims. And it's just, yeah, to start the year, he was probably the worst of the five offensive linemen. But I don't know if it was just the injury, the late start, whatever it was. He got a lot better. And now he's one of the better offensive linemen,
Starting point is 00:42:06 not just on the team, but in the league with how he's currently playing. So I think extending him would make sense. The only issue is you get above the age of 30, and the Bengals treat that like a horse with a broken leg. They don't want to devote resources into these players that get over that hill. But to me, yeah, I think he's played a lot better throughout the year, and I think he's a good schematic fit. Maybe that's an obvious change this team needs, this organization needs to make. Forget if the guys over 30. If he can still play, can still play.
Starting point is 00:42:33 Coach, when you watch Dalton Reisner, what stands out to you? Because it looks like to me, he is really helping. stabilize the past blocking of the Spangos offensive line. Is that what you're seeing? Exactly. You know what? Since he has come back healthy and he still, you know, it took him a couple of games just to really settle in and feel comfortable. He's taking leadership. He's shown his veteran abilities in terms of that. He's kind of solidified that right side a little bit where it's now pretty good. And the best thing for me is he's done a great job
Starting point is 00:43:09 with those Interior Three. Because now I think they have a really working functional group that's responsible for the depth of the pocket for Joe, and he doesn't have to worry about it. And his eyes and his feelers can go on the outside and they don't have to worry about people coming up the middle, Scott free.
Starting point is 00:43:30 And I think that he has, like Mike said, He's a very good system fit. He's gotten comfortable. And I tell you, there's no better motivator than that bench over on the sidelines. When you're seeing somebody else play and you know you're capable, especially when you're only under a, you know, one or two year deal, you kind of like it and your family likes it. And you want to stick around as long as you can.
Starting point is 00:43:57 Yeah. And I think most importantly, forget the age year, Mike, as you mentioned. it's the fact that he says how much he loves being here. I've been around Dalton Reisner, okay? I can tell you for a fact, he absolutely loves being here. He has a tremendous amount of pride playing with Joe Burrow, locking for Joe Burrow, playing for the Bengals. You know, he comes from the Midwest.
Starting point is 00:44:19 He understands what it's like. He loves the fans. If you're Mike Brown in this organization, this is where coaches you mentioned, that back-to-back metaphor that you talked about, there has to be an understanding of what this is. fan base once. And I think they've gotten better at that over the years. The game day experience has gotten a lot better. But now it's about managing your team. It's managing your personnel,
Starting point is 00:44:42 your players. Understand if you have a great guy in a position, sign him. Because what that also will mean is you go from two years ago having your guards being Cordell Vulsin and Alex Kappa to Dylan Fairchild, who looks like a hit in the draft. And then you get Dalton Reisner's your other guard, you're good. You're good at the guards. And the other thing, too, is, and this is what I'm seeing. And maybe just what I'm thinking, when Joe Burrow is, you know, running around trying to extend plays, if you're getting pressured up the middle, you can't step up and, you know,
Starting point is 00:45:22 step up in the pocket. You got to run outside the pocket, which just takes longer to do. but if you, excuse me, if you can step up in the middle, that makes a big difference. Coach, am I right on that? Does that make a big difference for a quarterback? Even if the like protection on the outside breaks down, you still have the middle of the field where you already are. And then if you have to run, you can get into a running form and take off.
Starting point is 00:45:49 Right. You know what? The one thing that the quarterback always understands because the quarterback is an extension of the center. and so are the runoffbacks in terms of protection. So you want to keep everything inside and you want to keep it stout. That's where your studs are because the quarterback knows on any down, there's always going to be a double tape.
Starting point is 00:46:13 And whether it's between a center and a guard, and there are two of them, where is it? Okay, hey, I've got Ted sliding to the left. I know that if something happens to Risenor on this side, I can step up slightly to my left and I still have ample throwing room. If it's going to the right, hey, I can step up behind the double and work it. Now, the other one,
Starting point is 00:46:39 the one thing is the tackles, they're self-sufficient. They're on their, they're basically on their own because very few times the guards are uncovered to be able to get out there and help them. And the ends are so fast, you're two different levels to be able to help. And so you have to have somewhere to go. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:47:00 If you can just, the one thing about Joe Burrow that we hear a lot is, and Dan Rolavsky has talked about this on ESPN, when Joe Burroughs running outside of the pocket, his eyes are still downfield. He's looking to throw the ball. He waits, and because you and I have talked about this, he waits until the last second,
Starting point is 00:47:15 but because he believes he can do it. Imagine if he can do that in the middle of the pocket and knowing that, A, If I'm about to get hit or B, the coverage is really good, take off and run. You know, he says he wants to use his legs more. I feel like that this offensive line, particularly in the interior, even a guy like Ted Karris, who coach you gave your game ball to after the Miami game, he's been good this season. He's been that stabilizing force on the interior.
Starting point is 00:47:42 Mike, talk to me, though, about Donne Reisner in the running game, because the running game has played a lot better recently. Talk to me about what you're seeing from Donne Reisner in the running game. I see him work really well in terms of his double teams setting up Amaris Mims to be able to drive, being the postman on the double, getting some displacement on those, while also getting a positional advantage in terms of where he is able to position himself. I don't think when he's soloed up, he's taking a guy and driving him 10 yards downfield. Not a lot of guys do that, though.
Starting point is 00:48:17 So I think in the run game, you see him be able to. to turn and position himself so that he's giving a clear read to the running back. It's pretty technically sound. I don't think he is a dominant run blocker, but I do think he is a technically sound run blocker that does a good job in terms of working his doubles, his fits with his center and his tackle next to him. And I think he does a good job. And I think he's a part of the reason that Mims looks so good in the run game is because
Starting point is 00:48:44 Riser is able to kind of tee up some of those big shots MIMS is able to deliver out. move guys in the run game. So I see that. I don't think it is his calling card, but I see a guy that gives effort, plays technically sound, and does a good job with his double team fits. So it's some way that I'd be happy to have on my team run blocking for me.
Starting point is 00:49:05 Yeah, he's been with multiple teams prior to the Bengals. He's been in Denver. So you block obviously for a guy like Javonte Williams. And then in Minnesota, you block for a guy like Aaron Jones. So he's blocked for different running backs and now blocking for Chase Brown. So I think he knows Mike, to your point, he's not going to do anything egregiously bad in the running game. And also now, if teams know the Bengals can run the football and they can be physical up front, that is an advantage for the Spangles offense that they have not had in several years.
Starting point is 00:49:36 And that's going to bode well for a guy like Chase Brown who is really come on strong. He's only 53 yards away. I don't know if you guys realize this. he is 53 yards away with three different quarterbacks playing this season and an offensive line that was not very good at the start. He's 53 yards away from 1,000 rushing yards. That's impressive. And he has 65 receptions this season.
Starting point is 00:50:03 65 receptions. That is unbelievable, considering the Bengals and what they have been through this season. So again, excuse me, overall disappointing season. but there are a lot of positives going into the offseason. And I just pray, this thing goes organization does right by Dalton Reisner. They waited until two weeks before the season started to bring him in. Okay, fine, they did.
Starting point is 00:50:28 You could have had him in a lot earlier. And then you also think about you don't want Don Reisner and how much he loves being here. We kind of heard the same things from Trey Henderson, and we all know what that's turned into. So you don't want it to turn into that on the offensive side of the football with an offensive lineman, a position that you've tried to fix for years. Here's your solution. Take it.
Starting point is 00:50:50 It literally is like on a, it's like they're serving it to you on a silver platter. Just take it. They're handing it to you. Again, coach, as you said, hey, spend money to make money. Trust me, it'll work. Now, the other positive is this. And I feel this. And Mike, you've talked about this on this show and coach, I think you're kind of echoing the same sentiment.
Starting point is 00:51:13 excuse me the Beckles offensive line like for the first time truly at the end of a season in Joe Burroughs career I feel good about it I feel good and it makes me think okay you don't have to aggressively address it to fix it and that means you can focus all your energy on the defensive side where you know you need to so I'm going to ask both of you if you feel that way do you feel good about this offensive line right now yeah I've been saying it I think this is is the best offensive line Joe Burroughs ever played with. And it started in the Joe Flacco era there, the Joe Flacco mini little run that he had. Because it wasn't very good with Jake Browning, and I don't think it's very good to start the season.
Starting point is 00:51:56 But ever since Joe Flacco came in, it's been a good offensive line. And it didn't change when Joe Burrow got in there since Joe Burroughs been in there. It's been a good offensive line. So I think this is credit to Scott Peters, the offensive line coach, credit to the offensive linemen up front themselves, and to the health and continuity as well, because they've been able to. play with each other so much. So yeah, I would say it's a good offensive line right now. Coach, how would you rate this offensive line going into the off season? Oh, they have gotten since we've been on the air. They have continually gotten better each and every
Starting point is 00:52:27 game where now you're almost, you know, no line guys don't do very well with praise, but they're praiseworthy. You know what? They're doing a good job. They're keeping Joe clean for the most part. They've almost got themselves a thousand-yard rusher. They've done a lot of good things. And very, very quietly, they've gone about their business. So, you know what? I really like their future as those five. Now, the key thing is finding some guys that can back them up, a good swing tackle,
Starting point is 00:53:05 a good swing guy inside that you can dress every day that's ready to play. And I think that they're on their way. They are on their way. It certainly feels that way. And it's kind of refreshing to have that feeling as a Bengals fan about this offensive line. We'll get into one more question that I have about the offensive line. And then what can the Bengals gain with a win on Sunday against Shador Sanders, Miles Garrett, and the Cleveland Browns.
Starting point is 00:53:31 We'll do that next right here on the Bengals Squad Show. Bengals and Browns on Sunday at 1 o'clock from Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. where they will look to end the regular season with a third straight win. Again, not going to the playoffs for a third straight year. I get that. And I've been vocal about it. Mike's been vocal about it. Coach, you've been about it.
Starting point is 00:53:57 Jake has been. James has been. We know. Everybody knows. Everybody's been vocal about it in this city. But, again, you have to look at the positives that have come out of this season. Last year, it was wasted. Even the five-game waste week didn't feel that great because they wasted
Starting point is 00:54:15 so many great performances. This year it got so bad, but the ending has been positive. They're three and two since Joe Burroughs come back from injury. Like that stuff does matter. Coach, I ask you, what can the Bengals gain with a win on Sunday against the Browns? Ultimately,
Starting point is 00:54:31 what can they gain besides winning against their in-state rivals? Well, you know what? I think confidence. They can gain themselves as players and as coaches, confidence. And you're leaving the building on Monday, feeling good about yourself and what you personally as a player needs to do to prepare
Starting point is 00:54:54 themselves for the offseason and then in particular next season. And I think by watching the playoffs as they unfold, every team they play. So they're going to have a chance to see some of their opponents and they're going to say, you know what, why not us? Why not us? And it's always better to leave the building on Monday, not a Black Monday, but to leave the building on Monday with a smile on your face with your big trash bag, cleaning out your locker than it is the other way around.
Starting point is 00:55:26 And you know what? I think they have, this is the first part of a new foundation. And I think that they have to lay it smooth and go about it because, like I said, that team is not going to ever be the same. So everything's out in front of you. Hey, it's not what happened to you. It's what are you going to do about it. But laying the foundation is key because you want to be able to recruit other guys from other teams to come play for you.
Starting point is 00:55:57 Hey, we are building something. We know we haven't been great the last three years. But Zach Taylor has kept these guys mostly together these last three weeks since they've been eliminated. They've won both games. That matters. And again, Zach Taylor was. I don't think he's ever going to be a great ex as a nose guy. Fine.
Starting point is 00:56:15 Leader, culture builder, that stuff he's great at. Okay? That stuff does matter. And you can rebuild it. You can rebuild it. If you get the right guys in the room and the front office helps you, you can get back to where you were just three years ago. Mike, last question I have for you about the offensive line.
Starting point is 00:56:33 So we know it's good, considering what it has been, and you feel good about it going in the next season. Do you still think they should aggressively address at this offseason? Do you think they should still spend some capital and free agency and in the draft on it? Maybe just for his coach mentioned, depth and insurance policies? I think aggressively, maybe not, but I do think you should draft a guy, I think especially a swing tackle in my mind. Orlando Brown's got one year left on that deal.
Starting point is 00:57:02 I'm not sure they're going to want to bring him back or not. And then you need a swing tackle upgrade, in my opinion. And as fun as the Cody Ford story was last week, I think getting a guy in there that looks like he could be a true starting offensive tackle to be the third guy. I think that helps because one of the issues with Mims coming out of the draft was everybody's worried about his health. I don't know how many games he's going to play. He's a pretty good player, but he's been healthy.
Starting point is 00:57:28 But I just don't like playing with fire like that. And two, I think they could also upgrade at depth at the guard position where Jalen Rivers was not very good when he was. in there. He got a little better, I think, throughout his time in there. But that's, that could be the draft. That could be free agency. I think getting another guy in that position as well. So I don't know if I'd go to say aggressively pursue. Like I wouldn't go out in free agency, try to sign a $15 million year tackle to come play because I just don't know what are you going to do there or guard even going, let's go sign in a $15 million guard. I'm not sure that is going to help you too much. But I do think
Starting point is 00:58:06 spending some of those middle round picks on offensive line is never a bad move. I think you can go pretty early at offensive tackle, too, to be honest, just knowing the future with Orlando Brown over there. I should take this time to Mike with what you're saying, to let you all know, listen to this. Get ready for a lot of draft talk because when James Rapine joins this show, yeah, he may have a mock draft every week. And coach, I mean, we'll get your experience from the combine.
Starting point is 00:58:36 the draft room, the war room, the room where it happens. I mean, this is going to be a fun offseason, and hopefully it all leads to a much better 2026. It's interesting with the Bengals' offensive line and aggressively addressing it. I'm all for making sure a position has depth. But as you mentioned, don't play with fire. Like, don't play with fire, play with confidence. The Bengals play with fire by not really doing a lot last off season,
Starting point is 00:59:03 and it blew up on them early. And they never recovered. Try as they might. They didn't. Don't play with fire. Play with confidence. Play from ahead. It is such a difference maker.
Starting point is 00:59:14 All right. Mike, we know that you won't be on Sunday show and that's totally fine. So Raven Steelers, AFC North Championship Sunday night. Who do you like in that one? Ooh. Ah. I see it going either way. The Steelers, I think the Ravens are the better team.
Starting point is 00:59:33 They're playing hotter right now. But the Steelers have always played the Ravens well. I think they always, they, And so that is an issue in itself. They won't have Metcalf. If the offense looks as bad as it did, there's no way they win. I think that is the first part of this, where if it looks as bad as it did against the Browns without D.K. Metcalf, no shot. The Steelers have no shot to win a game like six to three or something like that.
Starting point is 00:59:59 I think I'll take the hot team. I think I'll go with the Ravens. That's tough. I don't know. I wonder, does Lamar play? I feel like... He's playing. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:00:11 The reports are out that he's playing. Okay, I saw it trending that way. With Lamar playing, this Ravens team's just been better the last few games. I wouldn't be surprised with the Steelers win, but if I had to pick one, I think I'd go with the Ravens in this matchup. The Steelers have just had issues. They're not a team that I watch and think this is a good NFL team. But then they win, they still win nine games. Now, they're 9 and 7 right now. Coach, who do you like on Sunday night?
Starting point is 01:00:39 I know you and I will be on the show Sunday, but what do you feel going into this game about the Ravens? Because Lamar Jackson in Pittsburgh has not played well. Right. You know what? I agree with what Mike's saying. There's something about Pittsburgh that's not real, you know, where you could just hang your hat on them. And I look at the other side and I'm going, hey, all you got to do is take the air out of it and give it to 22 and pick your choice, pick your times when you want Lamar to get out there and perform his magic. And I think he got a pretty good, you got a pretty good mixture. That's a great point there. So I've got to go with Baltimore.
Starting point is 01:01:32 So I guess I'm the eyeman out here. I'm going Pittsburgh. Now, I will say this coach. You're absolutely right. If Derek Henry gets going early, good night. Literally. If Derek Henry gets going early like he did in that playoff game last year against the Steelers, night.
Starting point is 01:01:47 It's as simple as that. So that's Sunday night after the Bengals squad show coach, you and I, it'll be just the two of us slinging yang. But that's totally okay. Hopefully talking about a Bengals win over the Browns to conclude the 2025 regular season. I am also going to conclude Sunday show with the most poignant comment I have ever made towards the Bengals front office. Stay tuned for that. And I will be referencing an 80s rock song in that statement, but it's not from my all-time favorite band. So it's not going to be a journey song. Stay tuned
Starting point is 01:02:20 for that. That's one of my favorite 80s rock songs of all time. Mike Santagin, I appreciate you joining us during this season. I'm sure we'll have you on a lot during the off season. Coach, you and I are back on Sundays. mention, don't forget to check out Jake Liscoe and James Rapine and their preview of Sunday's game available on the Lockdown Magnol's YouTube channel. And wherever you listen to podcast, Lockdown Magnals is part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. The number one sports podcast network in America and the world. And don't forget, if you want to become a member of the Everydare Club where you can get exclusive members-only benefits, including access to the members-only Discord, visit lockdownpodcast.com slash every dayer. We got two winner to the goal games. Tomorrow, coach, two of your former teams are playing tomorrow for division titles, potentially. You got Carolina and Carolina on Tampa Bay and Tampa, Florida. You got the Seahawks and the 49ers. That's going to be a fun game out in the Bay Area tomorrow night. And, of course, the Bengals hosting the Brown Sunday, 1 o'clock on CBS at Bay Corp Stadium.
Starting point is 01:03:21 Miles Garrett going for the NFL sack record. The Bengals going for their third straight win. It is the Battle of Ohio. The Bengals looking for a season sweep and a winning record in the Divorickick. vision, which does matter, as we have talked about it on this show. For Mike Sandtagan at Bengals underscore Sands for Coach Art Valera at Arthur Valera 54 on Twitter, I'm Alex Franke and Frankie underscore Natty. Thanks for spending part of your Friday afternoon with us.
Starting point is 01:03:45 Happy New Year. We are happy to have you with us. And we'll talk to you next time Sunday afternoon following the Bengals and Browns right here on the Bengals squad show, part of the lockdown podcast network, the number one sports podcast network in America and the world and locked down Bengals on the lockdown Bengals YouTube channel, your team and wherever you guys. at your podcast, your team every day.

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