Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Bengals win first preseason game since 2022, but questions on defense remain unanswered

Episode Date: August 19, 2025

The Cincinnati Bengals won a preseason game for the first time since 2022! Jake Liscow and James Rapien break down how Joe Burrow fared in his 3 drives of preseason action that included a sensational touchdown pass to Charlie Jones to finish, but a bad sack that ended his second drive. Plus, Mitch Tinsley's breakout night, Dalton Risner's impending Tuesday visit that could solidify right guard, and lingering concerns as the starting defense looked like butter against a hot knife. Join the Locked On Bengals Insider Community! https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonbengalsFind and follow Locked On Bengals on your favorite podcast platforms:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-bengals-daily-podcast-on-the-cincinnati-bengals/id1159723162Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7AObc0lh0WmQl5fJVgtajsGoogle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vbG9ja2Vkb25iZW5nYWxz?sa=X&ved=0CAYQrrcFahcKEwio_sXtj8nuAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAgStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-bengalsSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Yahoo FantasyPresented by YahooFantasy #YahooPartner. Play Now at https://yahoofantasy.com/lockedonnfl.GametimeDownload 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.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Football season is around the corner, visit the FanDuel App today and start planning your futures bets now.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNFL at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnfl for 50% off your first year.BetterhelpThis episode is brought to you by Betterhelp. Talk it out, with BetterHelp. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at BetterHelp.com/lockedon. 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.

A few more hits for Joe Burrow in preseason game number two and no real reason for optimism with this defense. Let's break it down. You are locked on Bengals, your daily Cincinnati Bengals podcast. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. What up Bengals fans? And welcome to another episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast. Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. I'm Jake Liscoe.

He's James Rapine. and we've been covering the Cincinnati Bengals here on Lockdown Bengals since 2016 between the two of us. And if you're looking for that everyday stop for Bengals news, Bengals analysis, while you're in the right place, you can hit that subscribe button on YouTube or anywhere you get your podcast to join the many thousands of Bengals fans that make Lockedong Bengals part of their everyday routine. And shout out to all the everydayers out there and all of you who make Lockdown Bengals your first listen. James and Bengals have won a preseason game for the first time since 2022. Joe Burrow playing three drives instead of what was probably planned to be two had that second drive gone a little bit differently and took some hits that at times were a little bit ugly

and had the entire internet asking what the heck is Zach Taylor doing running Joe Burrow back out there especially without his primary weapons on the field. Yeah, there are people that are going to wonder about that. Joe wanted that. It's interesting. I totally forgot. that a veteran told me this in the locker room town on them, I guess, like four or five days ago. But I should have told you at least and tell anyone because I was basically told not to tell anyone, but like, oh, yeah, Joe wants reps with the second team skill guys. It's like, oh. And he mentioned it now, so it's easy to mention. But like, that was the plan. To your point, was it just supposed to be one drive. And if he wasn't doing the, uh, the twirly,

dwerly burrow tries to find someone downfield, but then gets hit for a 17 yard loss. Oh, it's funny though, you can hit quarterbacks in the preseason, by the way. More on that coming up in a bit. Wild idea that really shocked, uh, the internet when I mentioned that you can hit quarterbacks and not allow them to do whatever they want in the preseason. So, uh, Washington did that. And Burrow popped up. But in those, moments, I found myself, it's much like preseason or much like training camp in the preseason. Like when he rolls out at camp, you just kind of go, kind of make a face. You're kind of, and so when he starts to do that in preseason especially, it's much different

in season, I think, because of the, you know, they're trying to win the game and that matters. And I get it, preseasoner, competitive and all those things. But you're like, no, don't get hit, Joe. and so the hits were concerning. But overall, I thought he was solid tonight. I also thought, man, things look so much different without those top guys. Like this offense just feels different. And they were able to score a touchdown on that third drive.

And Joe's led four touchdowns and five drives in the preseason and completed, let me see if I can remember, 18 of 25 passes. I mean, he had a really good preseason. But I say that in past tense, because Zach, that should be it. I don't care what Joe says. You kind of mentioned it in post game. Like, I would like those reps.

There is no way in hell I'd play him in five days now, because it's Tuesday in five days against the Colts. Would you, would you play him? No, no way. Short week. And Joe acknowledged that. He said he'd be happy to play, but he acknowledged on a short week that he understood the reality of things here.

You're not running him out there in a short week. That's insane. No chance. No chance. It's not what he's doing the twit. Like, Joe plays like Joe plays, which is fine. I can deal with that in the regular season. I'm not dealing with that against the Colts.

Fourth stringers. Okay? Just not. Lou in a room over revenge game, man. Oh, exactly. That's it right there. That's it right there. But, no, I thought Joe was solid tonight.

I did. He wasn't the star of the show necessarily, but that's what's great about Joe is like a, A solid night for him is completing 64% of his pass as a touchdown in leading multiple scoring drives. Yeah, I thought he was okay. I thought the sack was a pretty bad play by him, obviously. Like the protection wasn't good on that play. By the time he hit his back foot, there was pressure on him already. Lucas Patrick and Amarius Mims did not handle what looked to me to be a stunt very well.

There's probably supposed to be a handoff there. The handoff didn't happen. The defensive tackle splits the guard in the tackle. and Joe as soon as he hits his back foot has to run up the pocket to escape pressure. There's also some pressure from the left tackle on that play from Orlando Brown's side. I don't really blame Orlando because Joe had an 11-yard drop on that play, and he was able to step up and evade the pressure from the tackle. But the, you know, what did you call it, the whirly-twerly-twerly bird game or whatever it is?

Yeah, early-twerly burlough. Yeah, trying to evade the pressure that we've seen him successfully managed in the past. For sure. Taking a 17-yard sack, which obviously is not what you're trying to do at any point in a football game. But as you noted, the backups on the field with him from a skill player perspective at that point. And some of those backups, Mitch Tensley, in particular, did make some plays in this game. Joe did find Charlie Jones with a ridiculous tight window touchdown pass as well. That's by far his best play of the game.

They had an explosive DPI between Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase. I thought Joe was okay tonight. He finished things certainly very strong, showed a lot of the things that he can do well. But I think that today was a good example of knocking the rust off. They needed some fourth down conversions, and Joe Burrow using that cadence. You talked about it on social media,

cadence being a weapon, got an off size to get them one first. And credit Chase Brown for lowering the pads and pushing two guys and getting across that goal line on that other fourth down. That was a really tough play for Chase Brown to make there, or for that touchdown on fourth down. But not as clean, not as efficient, not as in rhythm as we've seen Joe Burrow at times throughout his career as we saw him last week even, in my opinion. But finishing on a strong note, finishing with the kind of Joe Burrow.

Burrow accuracy, ball placement, timing that you would expect on that touchdown pass to Charlie Jones, a great way to finish it that leaves a good taste in your mouth after the previous drive ended with that sack was a really bad way that things could have ended if that would have been his last play. Yeah, I know Joe, one of the reps with the twos, he would have been done after a series from me. I was with Troy Aikman, the broadcast was talking about it. And during the Worley-Twerly Burrow play, get down, Joe, it's August. Like, yes, that's right. It is August.

It is August. Sirens are up, but look, they got out of it. It's, hopefully he's gotten everything out of the preseason that he hoped he would. And if that is what he needed, fine. It's great. Now it's time to hit the ground running. I do think that playing with the twos is important because, one, Charlie Jones, I mean, that that's a huge catch for him, I think. to get, I don't think he's caught a touchdown.

Has he caught a touchdown in a game as an NFL player? That's a great question. I do not know. Yeah, I just, he's obviously had the returns, but I don't necessarily remember, yeah, like in a regular season. He only has eight regular season catches, period. Maybe in the preseason. Now, I was trying to think in the preseason, though.

Like, I didn't think there was one in the regular season. But that's huge because you might be relying on Charlie Jones at some point. and we're going to get in we have to get into Mitch Tinsley for sure you talk about making plays but that happened I thought Taj Brooks settled in I thought he's a little skittish early and then settled in and started to to feel his way through the game and be more confident so there are guys like that that need these reps and so to get some reps with number nine I do think is important and even if he wasn't as sharp or even if who knows maybe that rome right guard spot, the guy that started tonight might not necessarily start every night in every

game in Lucas Patrick. Yeah, Lucas Patrick exited the game early. Jalen Rivers was playing right guard with Joe Burrough still in the game at quarterback. There was no injury announced during the game. We know Lucas Patrick has been dealing with some minor stuff throughout training camp. Zach Taylor saying in his postgame presser that he's dinged up and maybe was injured in this game as well. That's unclear at this point, whether he was pulled for injury or whether he was pulled for performance. Out of the starting offensive lineman, he certainly had the worst night. So there is some good news there, Dylan Fairchild, once again, looking the part at left guard, Marius Mims outside of that one stunt that I mentioned earlier, looking the part.

And I do have some thoughts as well on Joe Burrow being out there with the second skill group before we get to what might be a solution for that right guard spot and what to make of this defense that was only out there for seven plays, but not for any reason that could be construed as good. We'll continue the conversation with those topics here coming up next. Today's show is brought to you by Fandul. August 26th is officially Fandle Futures Day. It's a bright new holiday for football fans who live for bold predictions and preseason hunches. For just 24 hours, Fandle is giving you deals on NFL season predictions. Whether you're calling your MVP, eyeing a long shot division winner, or ready to earn your Super Bowl.

bowl champ or crown your Super Bowl champ before week one even kicks off this is your moment maybe you think it's Joey B for MVP after the preseason I wouldn't I wouldn't argue with you that's for sure they're going to put a lot on Joe's plate visit the Fandall app today and start planning your futures bets now because futures day is one day and one day only Fandle play your game you mentioned Joe with the twos what what stood out the most Joe with the twos before we get to to Mitch Chinsley day because he's the reason they won this game. Yeah, Mitch Chins was awesome. And we will get to that, like you said. It's mostly a very amusing note to me. Like Joe's like, yeah, I really want to get reps with the twos. And then like almost exclusively

targets Andre at first. And then there's some checkdowns to Tage Brooks mix in. And then he starts throwing the ball to Charlie a little bit as well. It was just kind of funny. Like, there's no, no, did he target Mitch? I think all of Mitch's catches were from Jake Browning, if I'm recalling from actually. I think you're right. But yeah, it was it was like Andre and then I think Tanner a little bit, but it's Tanner, right? Yeah.

And then it got the Charlie and you're like, okay. Well, part of it is Jermaine Burton was out, just to be clear. Yeah. Like he was out with an injury. So he wasn't playing. We knew that ahead of time. And so yeah, it's the twos, but it's like twos that we're going to see some of. Maybe there's one target for Mitch.

I don't, I don't know. He got five of all. Yeah, five, five catches, six targets, 73 yards, two touchdowns. The Marvin Jones Jr., like joke is like a fact now. Like, just go get that Marvin Jones jersey. Like, that's the Mitch Tinsley throwback. Just put Tinsley on the back of it. I mean, he was so damn good tonight.

And I've seen him make plays in practice, Jake, but not like that. Yeah. And I do think that that. Go ahead. I was just going to say a couple of outrageous touchdown catches, but it was more than that. But I cut you off. Finish your thought, please. Yeah.

Well, it's just, it's so unique. Not so unique, but it is unique. Like lights are on in the guy who was already good in practice and already standing out and already earned Joe's trust and already earned the coach's trust. And then it's like he leveled up two degrees. Because like I, I mean, that second touchdown catch, getting both feet down is insane. the first touchdown catch he's twisting back he makes it look so easy on how he does that like that that literally did remind me of like Marvin Jones the four touchdown game against the Jets like one of his catches on the sideline in the corner of the end zone like I uh and that's not even talking

about the mentioning the one that he tipped to himself I mean Mitch Tinsley making plays uh would certainly be the player of the game if locked on Bengals had a player of the game and Joe Burrow saying, I sure hope so. Yeah. When asked if he secured a spot like Joe Burrow talking on national TV, like I hope Mitch is on the team. Spoiler, I think you got to put Mitch on the team because Joe wants him on the team. And if it's close, he wins the tiebreaker.

Yeah, I think that vote of confidence from the quarterback goes a long way, the trust that he's earned from Joe Burrow. And we talked about this earlier. Like we started talking about Mitch Tinsley after that last game. Because prior to the preseason, prior to the games, it was Isaiah Williams who was making all the plays in camp. And Mitch was making plays. Don't get me wrong, but Isaiah Williams looked like he was a good bet to make a push for the roster,

let's say at one point, as wide receiver six early in camp. I thought he was the favorite. With his return ability as well in the plays he was making in camp. And then Mitch Tinsley showed up in not only done it in practices, but has done it now in games. And the one that I think goes a little bit undernoticed. noticed. Great throw from Jake Browning because the left tackle Jackson Kirkland at this point gave up immediate pressure. And it's just an out route to Mitch. The first catch Mitch had tonight absolutely undressed as a corner. Corners face in the wrong way. Like off the release,

corners facing middle of the field. It's an outbreaking route. Really good route there to go along with the body control on the back shoulder you talked about, the body control to get that back foot down the high point on that deep. I mean, that's just sensational stuff. To have not only the mundane and the bailing out your quarterback on the tip drill play, but also the sensational catch is like, I don't care that it's choosing coverage.

Like, sure, you can say he undressed the corner on the out route because it's not an NFL cornerback, maybe. I don't know who it was in coverage on that play. Maybe that guy's not going to make a team. But the back shoulder and the go ball on the end line, are both plays that I don't care who's in coverage there. He shows off hands, concentration, body control, awareness of his position on the field.

And those are great plays no matter who's in coverage. Yeah. It's, it translates. And I think it's going to translate to our roster spot. I think he's beat out my guy Isaiah Williams for that sixth spot. It's funny how the camp narratives change. I mean, Charlie Jones is wide receiver four to me. And honestly, what I think is interesting,

and it's a larger conversation, but like the Germain Isaiah, or Jeremy, excuse me, the Germain Burton versus Mitch Tinsley. Like, that's like a thing. That is a thing.

When you have Joe say, oh, he can play all three spots. He can move all around and he's super smart. And he, like, not that Germain isn't those things, but it's a thing because if this guy's going to be making plays

and make plays downfield and you can move him into the slot and then you can move him outside, then it's interesting. I think they're giving up on a second year, third round pick. I don't think that's what you're implying either. I think that the return ability for Jermaine Burton is part of that conversation as well, but he didn't get to play this week, and Mitch Tensley made a huge impression. And clearly, as Joe Burrow said, numerous times on Monday night, has the starting quarterback's trust.

And that stuff does matter when you're a wide receiver. going to be interesting to visit the special team snap counts for Mitch on this Monday night game. See if he is getting out there for some coverage units. I think he was out there a little bit in the first preseason game. But no matter how much you perform on offense, if you're not cracking the starting job, and he's not, I think still firmly behind the top four guys on this roster. But you got to play some special teams, you know? Jamar who?

Yeah, that's the Stephen A. Smith topic that you'll be hearing on Tuesday morning. Ray T. Higgins for defensive help. That's right. There won't be any changes to the top of the wide receiver depth chart, obviously. But I did want to throw out one other interesting tidbit as far as tight end usage with the first team. Didn't see Cam Grady out there with the first team on the initial watch. Looks like Noah Fant is the second tight end in that role. Full back, second tight end on the line.

set of Cam Grandi where he would have been used last week. Maybe that's a one-week trial. Maybe it's reading into it too much. For Cam Grandy, as Tanner Hudson made plays in the first quarter and the fourth quarter again, also had a drop, also had a pass narrowly deflected and a ball that he maybe could have caught in the end zone. So while he did make some plays a night, did Tanner Hudson, had some conversions, wasn't a gleaming night for Tanner Hudson, as was in the first week of the preseason.

That said, he still seemed to be the primary back. backup for Mike Gassicki in this game, and Noah Fant got into that Cam Grandi role that we saw in previous week. So that might tell you something about what their plan is for the tight end room. And that might just be Noah Fant with Drew Sample, Mike Gassiki, and Tanner Hudson. Yeah. And if Tanner can secure that, great one, that's the first thing. Two, stashing Grandi, not making sure that he can be your backup to that is part of it. But yeah, Noah Phant, he's going to play. He's going to play a lot. They're going to use him in a bunch of different ways. He's going to be a big part of the offense, which when Gisicki comes back means

Tanner's going to take a step back and be that fourth guy. And not surprising at all, it was good to see Noah get out there, get his feet wet a little bit for the first time in a Bengals uniform. Yeah, it'll be interesting to see how his role continues to evolve. We didn't see him get a target tonight. The offense was a little bit weird. I don't think he played a ton. I think he He went out with the other starting skill guys from whatever call. I think that it was the Tanner Hudson show at that point on the third drive at least. Maybe on the second drive as well. I don't recall now that I'm talking about it, but the usage still interesting, especially

as it pertains to do they keep five tight ends or you now looking at a four tight end room? Yeah. Yeah, maybe that's it. Maybe it's four tight ends and then, ooh, now you have that wide receiver spot. now we can have a conversation about receiver, which is the thing I want to do. Or maybe it's an offensive line or an offensive line battle that could get really, really interesting.

At some point, all right, we have a lot to discuss Jake. We have to get to this offensive line thing and this big dog that is in Cincinnati, probably right now as people are watching and listening. And then also the defense, which is the giant elephant in the room that everyone is not ignoring. anymore, even though we hoped it would be better.

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All right, James. We want to talk about the seven disastrous defensive snaps for the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night, or do we want to talk about the potential promise of a right guard visit for our next conversation topic? Yeah, let's go with defense. Seven plays, 118 yards. You're allowed to hit the quarterback. when he's running, didn't hit him. And that's the drive to me, the first drive.

So the Bengals go for it a couple times. They have the Chase Brown run. They're up 7-0, and it's like, man, they're feeling good. And you look up in four plays, 74 yards. Washington has a 40-yard run. And then the drive is capped off with Jaden Daniels getting not even love-tapped. Like this would be like in thudely. this would be like almost not aggressive enough,

but Jordan Battle just kind of like half love tapping, Jane Daniels on his way to the end zone, hated it, pick him up and like politely put him down on the ground if you're worried about that, but don't let him score. And he let him score. Yeah, I mean, that play emblematic of a lot of things gone wrong, gap discipline issues, overaggression issues, guys not getting off blocks, guys running into each other on both drives.

Second drive, short field. sure, but it's three plays, 44 yards, including Josh Johnson throwing for 12 yards on you, and a running back who's been impressive in Bill, Bill Kroski-Mirrit, 27-yard touchdown, where Logomolson runs into Demetrius Knight. Those guys have to play better, both linebackers. Demetrius Knight and Logan Wilson have to play better together. The defensive line has to get off blocks from our Stewart firing way too far out field, for example, on one run play in particular.

I assume firing too far up. field. I don't know. Maybe that's what he's coached to do. I'm not in the room, but wasn't part of the fit at that point. And it just was way too easy to the point where you're talking about one pass in seven plays that go for all those yards, whatever number of yards it was that you just said. One pass, two dropbacks. And one of them was a first down pass from Josh Johnson. The other one was a touchdown scramble. Zach Taylor, after the game, James waving it off, is saying, you know, I'm really excited about the defense this preseason. We're trying not to show a whole lot. We're trying to play it close to the

vest. The defense has given us issues in practice. I'm excited about them. The implication being if they're giving us issues, we expect them to give other teams issues, but boy, is that asking you to ignore what your eyes are telling you after two preseason games? And I get it. It's preseason. This thing could look totally different when we get to that first game of the regular season in Cleveland. And Trey, Trey Hendrickson for all the the talk about Trey tonight and they could have used them. Don't get me wrong. He's not fixing the kind of issues I saw from this defense on those first two drives tonight, not by himself.

They have a lot to get right. That is more than just them trying to play it close to the best, in my opinion, from what I can tell. And hopefully time proves me wrong on this one. He said, Taylor said, I know what I see every day in practice and I'm excited about that direction. The funny thing is, is outside of a few practices, I think the defense has. been pretty solid, but it's practice and it's outgoing against guys that you go against every

day. So you learn tendencies, you learn habits, you can rethink. Like, it's just, you have an edge there. Fine, but it better be fixed because we now know that Joe Flacco is going to be starting week one for the Browns. I don't care who was starting a quarterback on that roster. The Bengals should go to Cleveland in win. That's it. It's that simple. Everyone should expect it. I'm expecting it now, that's the standard, that's the expectation. Don't care. I don't care, oh, well, if this or that or that, I don't even care about the trade contract, go to Cleveland and win. Now, in the grand scheme, of course, I want trade done. But for week one, you should be able to go to Cleveland and win. And so we'll see. Obviously, the defense has a major role in that, and they're going to have to

be better. Because the way teams will beat the Bengals, if they can't stop the run, is by keeping the ball away, playing keep away from Joe. And that is not where you want to be. You have to be able to get off the field. Did they even force a third down tonight in the first two jobs that didn't feel like it? Four plays and three plays. So probably not. They force two second deaths.

Wow. What is this? NFL Blitz? Yeah. You have to be better. And they know that. That's the good news. And the good news is in practice, they've looked better.

It's got to translate. And I'm not going to be able to put much stock in this indie game. So all eyes on September 7th. There's just nothing that you've really seen from the guys out there with the starting units as individual players in terms of what they're doing that should make you feel very confident at this point. I didn't get to see anything from the corners tonight. So maybe they're somewhat off the hook.

They were probably part of some of the run fits that didn't go well or part of the run defense that wasn't good when they were out there. But it's not like they got to defend a whole lot of passes. There's one pass thrown while the starting corners were out there, and Dax Hill got his feet wet. Didn't notice him at all because there's one pass thrown, and a lot of the issues were on the inside. Mostly to me, it's a linebacker issue tonight

and a guy's getting off blocks issue from an entire front-subm perspective. All those guys need to be better. Shout out Barrett Carter. Shout out Tyson Anderson, Tyson Anderson, collecting a very, very easy interception. Josh Johnson really staring. Wasn't Josh Johnson at that point? I think it was.

Yeah, Josh Johnson staring down a corner route that Tyson had a good read on. Barrett Carter, awesome, awesome interception. Don't really care who is a quarterback. Wasn't a great throw. That's fine. But really good drop in what looks like Tampa 2. Really good read to break on that ball. Awesome play for Barrett Carter.

Outside of that, the backup defensive tackles flashed. They didn't finish any pressures with sacks, but on a night that I don't think we saw Taven Brian play defensive tackle. I think he was only at end. 95 and 94, Howard Cross and Eric Gregory, both flashed at times. And I think that that does get interesting when you talk about defensive tackle number two, or number five, sorry, the last defensive tackle on the depth chart. And the last note that I've got on the backhouse before we talk about Dalton Reisner here,

and hopefully we're talking about a signed contract tomorrow in our episode. is Jake Browning, I thought, much better tonight, still showed the pocket presence issue at times, but much, much sharper when he wasn't throwing a couple of weird floaters, one to Tanner Hudson on the sideline, that Mitch Tinsley, when he's getting hit as he throws it, the near fumble looked in general, much sharper in this game, and the stats kind of bear that out as well.

Yep, I thought Braylin Lux looked good, too. Side note, 21, for those are hungering. I just I think he's had a good camp not sure there's a path for him to make the team but I think he he played well tonight as well and have we mentioned money Mac yet I don't think we have Evan McPherson two for two on 50 yard field goal attempts this preseason he made the 54 yarder cow atomitis was the long snapper so huge one noteworthy there but two huge that he's two for two from 50 plus because that's a weapon that is a weapon when you have it in this offense especially if they get this Dalton risiner deal done this offense is going to feel really darn complete it really is and and that's the significance of getting that deal done to be clear even with Jalen rivers playing pretty

well on first glance at right guard it would be huge to bring in a guy like risner to help balance your offensive line to stabilize it with a guy that has experience and uh yeah then they They should be able to go anywhere and score 30 plus, put it that way. It's been a really solid pass protector throughout his career as Dalton Riser. That's what the Bengals care most about. He's never been a world beater as a run blocker. Don't really care all that much. They haven't had a real beater as a run blocking right guard since like Kevin Zaitler, Bobby Williams days.

And Bobby, I think, a little bit better at that than Kevin was. But in this offense, with Joe Burrow quarterback, you care about how you hold up in true past that situation, angles do a lot of that. They ask a lot of offensive linemen that come into this system and have to pass block him. Rizner would probably be asked to pass block in those settings in difficult one-on-one situations where you're dropping back and everyone knows you're dropping back more than he has in previous career stops, but he's been good at it in previous career stops, better in his career at it than Alex Kappa before the injuries started to take a toll. So plenty of reason to be optimistic that Dalton Reisner and I think that if there are no medical questions,

that deal should get done. Plenty of reason to think that he comes in there and upgrades their past protection of right guard, assuming he can get caught up to speed quickly after what we saw tonight could very well win that job very, very quickly. And hopefully that comes together. That visit, like we said, didn't get to it here until the very end, James, but expected to happen on Tuesday and hopefully comes together quick. and that's what we're talking about tomorrow.

Yeah, exactly right. We'll have plenty of time to talk about it if it gets done, but it would be huge. Like you just look at the offensive line, the room, however you feel about it, you add him, and it just feels more balanced. It feels like the ceiling is certainly higher, but the floor of that line is higher, most importantly, and their quest to protect nine. It would be big. It would be big if they would have done it three months ago, two months ago, one month

ago. But if they do it Tuesday, that would be great. Another thing they could do Tuesday is get Tray done. Trey Day Tuesday. I don't think that's happening necessarily. I don't think that's imminent, but maybe Doughton Reisner can help shore up this offensive line.

Joe Burrow and I are in lockstep on our expectations for Tray getting done. Joe was asked one question about Trey Hendrickson tonight, and he recalled his own experience and Jamar Chase's experience in negotiating with the Bengals and essentially said the way we, the Bengals, do business, is that these things tend to happen as week one approaches. So I think that's kind of been my expectation for a while is that it would take up until preparations for week one for it to get done would be great to talk about it much sooner than that.

I agree with you there. Wish we would have had a little bit of a chance to hear more of Joe's thoughts on the trace situation with the reports we've seen lately that honestly I'm skeptical about even now, but it is something that continues to be stagnant until there's movement and there's no movement for us to talk about after this preseason game, at least as far as I know. If the front office is really like, oh, yeah, we'll wait until week one to negotiate,

given what we've seen the past couple of years and the slow starts, like if that's how their mindset is, that's the way they do business. And just quoting Joe, if that really is it in their plan, that's worse than Jordan battle's tackle attempt on Jaden Daniels. Like, that's like, and by the way, that's like the worst tackle attempt. ever to be clear. Like, it's a really bad attempt. Like, like, anybody could tackle Jane Daniels in that. I would, like, put a better hit on him at least. Maybe you get run over, but you get my point. I, uh, I couldn't, I would really struggle to wrap my head around them doing that if they want to, like, put the full court press on him then.

Like, come on, man. Just get it done. Anyway, we've talked about Trey for a million years. So let's get out of it. Yeah. It's one of those things that just the longer it goes, the worse it gets. They're, they're, they're, all these things that we can point to along the way that have been avoidable. We don't need to repeat them all now. Last thing I wanted to mention, James, for the everydayers who stick with us to the end of every episode, the captains for this game were Mitch Tinsley, who used to play for Washington. But in addition to Mitch Tensley, who got all those shoutouts from Joe Burrow, from Zach Taylor. It was Joe Giles Harris, who was named a captain because of his performance in training camp,

according to Zach Taylor after the game. Don't know if there's another reason. Don't know if there's a connection with the commanders there. Zach does like to run out captains for games that previously played for the team that is a Bengals current opponent, which I thought was the case from Mitch Tinsley tonight. Maybe it wasn't the whole story. But as you are thinking about that linebacker spot when we're thinking about 53-man cutdowns, just worth bearing that nugget in mind,

so it might be a clue as to what they're thinking about that linebacker battle. That's going to do it for this episode of the lockdown Bengals podcast. Hopefully, like I said, by the next time we'll be. talk to you. We're talking about a Dalton Reisner contract to play guard for the Cincinnati Bengals at visit expected on Tuesday. We'll have you covered when and if that news breaks. Until then, thanks for listening to this episode of the Locktown Bengals podcast. Hoodeh and have a good.