Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Breaking down new Cincinnati Bengals Offensive Line Coach Scott Peters

Episode Date: January 20, 2025

The Cincinnati Bengals hired Scott Peters to be their new offensive line coach on Monday. Jake Liscow and James Rapien break down why the Bengals landed on the former Patriots OL coach and Bill Callah...an disciple to take the job in Cincinnati. Plus, we dive into Peters' deep connections to both Zac Taylor via Callahan, and the Bengals via former OL coach Jim McNally, and what to make of a tough year for the Patriots' OL in 2024. 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!TalkspaceAs a listener of this podcast, you’ll get $80 off your first month with Talkspace when you go to Talkspace.com/LOCKEDONNFL and enter promo code SPACE80.LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFL. Terms and conditions apply.PrizePicksDownload the app and use code lockedonnfl to win $50 instantly when you play $5. You don't even need to win to receive your $50 bonus, it's guaranteed! Prizepicks. Run Your Game.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFLGametimeDownload 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.FanDuelFrom the first whistle to the final drive, FanDuel makes the NFL Playoffs even more exciting! Right now, new customers can bet FIVE DOLLARS and get THREE HUNDRED BUCKS in BONUS BETS – if you win your first bet! Visit FANDUEL.COM to get started. 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.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 The Cincinnati Bengals have dipped back into the Bill Callahan coaching tree for their new offensive line coach. 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 Locked on Bengals podcast. I'm your host, Jake Liscoe. He's your host, James Rapine, and we are locked on Bengals on the Locked On Podcast Network. We're covering your team every day on YouTube and everywhere you get your podcast.
Starting point is 00:00:40 Of course, the everydayers already know that. Welcome back to the everydayers here on lockdown Bengals. And those of you who make us your first list, and we appreciate all of you who make us your habit. So very much. And welcome into everyone new looking to learn about the Cincinnati Bengals' new offensive line coach, Scott Peters, formerly with the New England Patriots. And we'll dive into the history and all the connections as we break down.
Starting point is 00:01:04 this hire in an episode brought to you by game time where you can save $20 on your first purchase of tickets using promo code locked on NFL. And James Scott Peters, like I mentioned, the new Cincinnati Bengals offensive line coach, a former NFL offensive lineman himself, a backup journeyman type career throughout the NFL has been coaching in the NFL in some capacity for a while. and all of that time in the NFL tied to Bill Callahan before his most recent year when he was the headman coaching the Patriots offensive line in a rough year for the Patriots in 2024. Yeah, it's one of those things where it's like, all right, well, let's see. And we can dive into what happened last year or this year in New England. And boy, oh, boy, it's just, you're just reminded of week one again and again and again, just in some form or fashion, right?
Starting point is 00:01:58 But look, I think the thing that stood out to me, one, is clearly when this announcement was made. Clearly, it's been in the works. And the reason I say that is because it didn't leak. It wasn't reports over the weekend. There was nothing like that. And the Bengals just announced it. Like, I got a text like, oh, announcement coming. Boom, announcement here.
Starting point is 00:02:22 And that's it. And it's not like there was a bunch of discussion about who it was going to be with the offensive line coach because everything was cut or tight to the vest. The thing that stands out to me most, though, Jake, is the most obvious thing that will, for a lot of people feel like coach speak. But the moment I looked at the Bengals press release and I saw and they put, they sent out the press release to my email and it's all black text, but the Zach Taylor quote is in blue. And that's normal.
Starting point is 00:02:57 you want it to pop, it's like italicizing it basically. And the first eight words are exactly why Frank Pollack is no longer here, exactly what they needed to find. And we'll see if they do find it and did find it with Scott Peters. But Zach Taylor saying, quote, Scott is a great fit for our offense. They needed the right fit. Fit was the issue as much as anything with Frank Pollock.
Starting point is 00:03:24 And I think you and I both agree that fit, whether it's run game, whether it's past game, whether it's a mindset, whether it's mentality, whether it's approach, all of those things, it needs to fit better. And the Bengals have never really had that with all the success that they had in 21 and 22, I've never really had that from offensive line coach, offensive coordinator, head coach. Obviously, Zach Taylor is handling out of the offense in play calling duties. Hopefully this gets them there. So it's a big, big hire for a bunch of reasons.
Starting point is 00:03:57 Yeah, and we'll get into all of those reasons. Like I said, from the Bengals connection to the bits that we know about schematic background for Peters, which I think is somewhat limited, but we know that he came up under Bill Callahan, so that tells us something. And the fit is the most important thing. And we just don't know what that looks like yet from a cultural perspective, from a philosophy perspective, how that will work. with the Bengals going forward. We'll see.
Starting point is 00:04:27 The Zach Taylor quote in the press release on the whole, I found pretty interesting, though, James. The rest of it, I think, is worth reading as well. Scott is a great fit for our offense is how it begins. And obviously is something that we've emphasized when discussing this coaching search. But it continues, he being Peters, is passionate about the position. It's done a great job of developing both young players and helping veteran players continue to grow. He's familiar with the AFC North and knows what it takes. to win in our division.
Starting point is 00:04:56 So a couple of other things that we've been talking about with any hires that the Bengals are making. We've been very focused on the defensive coordinator job because there's been news there. But this idea of developing players helping veterans continue to grow familiarity with the AFC North and the task that the Bengals have to deal with year in and year out with Miles Garrett, where Peters was coaching on the other side of the ball and with T.J. Watt, both of those guys, for now at least, still in the division, and you kind of have to assume they will be. The Brown's in position to pick another edge rusher with their second overall pick in the draft. The Steelers are a defensive line factory year in and year out.
Starting point is 00:05:36 So that AFC North familiarity and Baltimore, notwithstanding, their defensive line, one of the big reasons they got back in that game against the bills in the divisional round, those things are all important. And yes, it is a press release quote and it's hard to look too much into it. But all of the things that we've been talking about come up in this quote. And it's very much in line with what you would expect the Bengals to do from a hiring perspective. Now, we'll get into the recent performance like the New England year. How much of that is his fault?
Starting point is 00:06:15 Is there a historical scheme fit? I think those are interesting topics. I think the Bengals connections are fascinating, James. But from this Taylor quote, these are the boxes that you would expect the Bengals to be checking with any offensive line coach higher. Yeah. There's no doubt that the development part of that quote as well really stands out. Like the AFC North, I get it. I get the logic.
Starting point is 00:06:42 I really do. Regardless of where you come from, it's going to be really tough to block him. him Hayward and both deal with TJ Watt, Miles Garrett, and all of those guys. Now, Scott Peters obviously has a inside look at it because he coached here in the AFC North for four years. And so he's seen it from both sides, whether it's in practice or going up against different guys. But the development part, that's something that has to happen, right?
Starting point is 00:07:08 Like if we're painting the ideal picture of the Bengals offense, well, Marius Mims continues to develop and becomes an all pro. and Orlando Brown Jr. plays like he did, stays healthy and plays like he did at the beginning of the 2024 season. And Matt Lee develops and becomes a piece. And whoever they drafted on day one or day two of their draft, and they probably should take an offensive lineman in the first three rounds,
Starting point is 00:07:31 develops. And so that's such a huge part of it as well. It's not just the fit offensively, which I obviously focused on early in this podcast and in this show. but it's the all right maximize what they have get the most out of these guys and it's easier to do that when the fit when the vision is the same right and so i hope that that happens because it wasn't all bad for frank there were draft prospects frank wanted that he didn't get and they gave him someone else and they said all right go ahead and make it work i hope that now that it is an ideal fit
Starting point is 00:08:11 that everything just comes together, even though sometimes one side can be wrong and one side can be right and other way, sometimes it flips. Like Frank Pollock's right about Creed Humphrey, right? Right about some of those guys that he really liked. At the same time, it doesn't matter. That's the past.
Starting point is 00:08:30 We can't go back. How do you fix it moving forward? Well, you find a guy that can develop and get the most out of these guys. And they, I don't know about you, but to me, you look at, their offensive line, whether it's day two or day three, at some point, and maybe it is Matt Lee, but they're going to have to hit on one of these day two, day three guys, offensive line wise,
Starting point is 00:08:53 probably more than one, if they're going to keep burrow upright and develop the offensive line and have the offensive line that everybody hopes that they end up having. Yeah, for sure. I think development is one piece of it, hitting on draft picks, certainly another that you're alluding to there. and the vision sharing, for lack of a better way to phrase that, between front office and coach here, is necessary. Because like you just alluded to, there are certain guys that were pretty sure Frank Pollock wanted and didn't get, certain guys that he didn't want that he did get.
Starting point is 00:09:27 And so a big factor in whatever's going on here is that you need to be on the same page with your front office. And this is obviously a theme with the coaches that are replacing right now. front office when they announced Zach Taylor as a hire was like, do can Zach see the game the same way? Okay, great. Make sure you also see the same way as your defensive coordinator, your offensive line coach who are picking and helping to guide the process for key positions. Zach maybe is not as involved with, although he should be involved, obviously, in the
Starting point is 00:09:58 offensive line selections as well. Coming up next, James, I would love to dive into some of the connections and why when you look at this hire in retrospect, it makes a ton of. sense and shouldn't be surprising even if the name wasn't on anyone's radar before today. And retrospect gives us that benefit. We'll talk about those connections and dive into why it makes sense for the Bengals from that perspective coming up next. Today's show is brought to by GameTime.
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Starting point is 00:11:14 Terms apply. Again, create an account and redeem code L-O-C-E-D-O-N-N-FL-L-N-FLocked for $20 off. Download game time today. What time is it? Game time. Another note here, James, is I would love to dive into these connections is the assistant offensive line coach is also changing in Cincinnati. I forgot to mention that at the top.
Starting point is 00:11:34 Derek Frazier no longer on the Bengals team site. And in his place is Michael McCarthy, not Mike McCarthy. Easy mistake to make for the Dallas and Green Bay former head coach. But Michael McCarthy, who has recently, most recently spent time as the assistant offensive line coach for New England. But before that was working at Brown University at Rutgers and has various college experience. And some NFL experiences are quality control coach. And that is the assistant offensive line coach for the Bengals.
Starting point is 00:12:06 So essentially importing the New England unit. And we'll have to talk about how New England played in 2024 at some point. But the Bengals connections here and the Taylor connections, because those both exist and their separate categories are fascinating to me, James. When you look at Bill Callahan and obviously the impact that Callahan and the connection between Callahan and Taylor and the Jim McNally, former Bengals offensive line coach from 1980 to 1994, and has been consulted, had been consulting with the Bengals when Zach Taylor is a head coach as well.
Starting point is 00:12:38 Those couple of connections, very interesting. You're talking about the best offensive line coach in Bengals history by like a wide margin. You know, you're talking about arguably the best offensive line coach of all time and Jim McNally. And so to have that, and you're the one who found that, I didn't find that nugget. So you get all the credit there. I think that that's, it's pretty noteworthy. It is. And having those connections up until last year, I mean, you think about it, Bill Callahan clearly believes in Scott Peters, clearly wanted Scott Peters around. And he goes to Tennessee. And by the way,
Starting point is 00:13:21 I don't think initially the plan was for him to go. Like I was talking to some Cleveland people. And obviously, we know Brian and all of those things. I don't think it was, oh, Brian has a job. well, I'm going to go there. I think there's some things behind the scenes in Cleveland, and so he leaves, and then Scott leaves and gets an offensive line coach job. But it's a tough job, tough gig. I would much rather have this one, right?
Starting point is 00:13:43 And so to get another guy from that Callahan tree, knowing that Bill is the best offensive line coach in the league, and some will say, all right, he's second behind Philly, whatever. You know, he's a top offensive line coach. That's huge. And I do think it helps the McNally connection. as well, but I think it's believable that the Zach Taylor eight word fit coach speak that a lot of people are going to dismiss. A big reason why I buy it, because it's not like I've talked to Scott Peters
Starting point is 00:14:14 and I've studied it. But a big reason why I buy it is because of the connections. Zach can easily say, oh, hey, Coach Callahan, how you doing? How you been? How's Tennessee? How's working with Brian? Huh, hi, hi. Oh, what do you think about this guy? Tell me about him. And I'm sure that's a big reason why he interviewed and was probably on the short list and obviously got the job. Yeah, I think the Callahan connection comes first, like you're talking about. I mean, the fingerprints of Callahan's influence on Zach Taylor all over the place. He was Taylor's coach when he was quarterback Nebraska, right? So that tie goes deep.
Starting point is 00:14:55 And then Brian Callahan's offensive line coach in Cincinnati, that tie has endured. through the years for Zach Taylor. So when it is, the second former Bill Callahan coach of the Bengals have hired in a row because, of course, Frank Pollock was a Bill Callahan assistant in Dallas before he coached the Cincinnati Bengals in two separate stents. The connection there is obvious. The other one that I find fascinating, and that's a Taylor connection, the other one that I find fascinating that's both a Taylor connection and a Bengals connection
Starting point is 00:15:27 is the Jim McNally thing. And McNally, for those of you that don't know, been posting on Twitter a ton about offensive line technique in recent years. But how Scott Peters first got connected to Bill Callahan was a Jim McNally recommendation. And that's how Scott Peters got his first NFL job was, hey, Bill, Jim McNally here, you know who, you know what? You should look at the Scott Peters kid who was, you know, relatively young, had started his independent offensive line training academy, tip of the spear at that point in time was apparently training Brock Lesner doing some MMA training, believes in mixed martial arts training and cross training for
Starting point is 00:16:06 his offensive line. But McNally raves about Scott Peters. You go search Jim McNally's timeline for Peters, just a word Peters. And you'll see one post about Jason Peters pop up, but mostly it's about Scott Peters and work they've done together. And one of the interesting, one of the, a couple of interesting posts that I found in quick research before we started a record. recording the show, James, is one from McNally on December 20th, where he credits Scott Peters and Bill Callahan and John Strollo as the only other living coaches
Starting point is 00:16:42 who have invented updated techniques that McNally points out. Find that to be fascinating. Another one, he is highlighting McNally is, Patriots left guard. And in that tweet, Scott Peters is a great coach He took a rejected left guard and made him good. Now, whether or not he was good is probably up for some debate,
Starting point is 00:17:08 but on a play that McNally was highlighting from a technique perspective, McNally really likes something there. And his affection and opinion of Scott Peters is littered throughout that timeline where he thinks Peters is a great coach. So that is certainly one opinion. And the praise that is obvious from McNally on Peters, I have to imagine that was an influence. maybe not. Maybe they didn't talk about it at all. But McNally and Taylor did work together.
Starting point is 00:17:34 It would be a little bit to my thing to me if that wasn't discussed at all. I do think it was discussed. Of course. If why wouldn't it be? I think that's part of it is when you're having these discussions and why I think it was so tight to the best as you're dealing with friends and colleagues, not, you know, you're not calling agents necessarily. You can go direct to the source. And so it makes, it makes that process. interesting. I love the Brock Lesnar nugget. I just do. I think that that's a really unique thing. I think people are really going to love that. Just, I mean, how many offensive line coaches can say that? I don't know if he's a good offensive line coach, but that's interesting. Having Jim McNally's
Starting point is 00:18:14 endorsement certainly helps. And obviously, Bill Callahan's as well. And Jake, we're going to talk about the results in New England for sure. Like, if you look at those, that offensive line last year, be like, oh, are you sure that they're good or the, weren't the Browns known for having a really good offensive line? Right? Bill Callahan's going to get all the credit. But this is why the McCarthy hire is so important. Your assistant offensive line coach has a huge role in developing,
Starting point is 00:18:46 a huge role in getting the most out of guys and teaching technique and working with young guys and working with second stringers and working with undrafted free agents trying to make the team or practice squad guys in developing them. So he helped that line, I would say, in a big way. And so can that translate? We'll see. We could get into the New England stuff, but I do think it is worth pointing out four years in Cleveland.
Starting point is 00:19:11 And for most of that time, I would say most people thought that the Browns offensive line was one of the best in the NFL. Yeah, and certainly had results in the running game. I do think that the recent results are interesting. I think the scheme fit is interesting. I think those are the remaining topics to discuss with Peters. And the kind of coach he is, this is a young up-and-comer type hire. This isn't the veteran with a lot of skins on the wall. This is the potential type of hire, I think, in a lot of ways,
Starting point is 00:19:40 who does have a year of NFL experience under his belt. Coaching one of the worst offensive lines in football. And that's part of it. That is a confounding factor in this hire. That's something that definitely rubs a lot of fans the wrong way in the initial reaction that I've seen so far on social media, James. So let's dive into those topics to finish up the show coming up next. Today's show is brought to you by PrizePix. Prize Picks is the app that is going to make the NFL
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Starting point is 00:21:06 You'll get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup. Download the Price Picks app today. And use Co. Locked on NFL to get $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup. Price Picks run your game. The recent experience for Scott Peters did not yield the best results. It was not a good year for the Patriots offensive line. in really any measure, I would say, with a number of injuries that really derailed things. And from a talent perspective, I mean, you got waiver claims out there.
Starting point is 00:21:44 You've got rookies out there. You've got street free agents out there, practice squad poaches, that sort of thing. It wasn't a good situation from a talent perspective in New England. And as we've said, part of the job is getting the most out of limited talent situation. but it was uniquely difficult, let's say, in New England. I think in many ways, it wasn't good,
Starting point is 00:22:10 but what's your take there where we knew it was a bad situation in New England? How much of that do we put directly on the offensive line coach? What would, what's the barometer for good with that group? I mean, Michael Jordan was playing for them like that Michael Jordan, the Bengals former draft pick Michael Jordan early in the season.
Starting point is 00:22:34 You know, I think that they were playing a guard that we thought, oh, well, maybe the Bengals go after him and play him at right tackle, but they were playing a guard at tackle for most of the year, forgetting his name. Mike and Winne. Yeah, Michael Inwenu. And I think deep down he is a guard. Maybe you could get by with him at, I think they played him on left tackle for a bit, but certainly at tackle.
Starting point is 00:22:58 And it's just, that's tough. It's a tough situation. I just know going into that year and going into that season, everyone in New England was like, ah, you don't need to play Drake May. The offensive line sucks. Like that was like a real topic in New England and on national shows. And so if that's the topic and people in Boston are saying, yeah, don't put our rookie quarterback behind this line.
Starting point is 00:23:25 How much can I blame the coach? Now, at the same time, unproven as a true offensive line coach and as the number one, no doubt. Also, that doesn't mean that he's a bad coach. And it goes twofold. We were talking about it yesterday, right, with Al Golden. And like, sometimes the results happen as the results happen regardless. And who knows, maybe Notre Dame crushes Ohio State by the time people hear this. But if it doesn't happen that way and it goes the other way, I don't think that's necessarily an indictment on Al
Starting point is 00:23:58 Golden. Well, I'm not sure that this year was an indictment on Scott Peters. And hopefully he learns from it and has grown a lot from what is probably the most, I would say the most trying year of his coaching career because he is that offensive line coach, because they had all that drama, because the head coach gets fired after one year and you're already looking for a new job and all the things that come with it. So who knows? But hopefully he was able to learn from it. Yeah, you have to learn from difficulty. and trials and tribulations and the tough years. And unfortunately, he's had a lot of them.
Starting point is 00:24:36 I mean, it wasn't all bad in Cleveland, obviously. And the offensive line certainly had success there as a unit, but the Browns are not the model organization that anyone is pointing to. And I don't think there was a ton of success in Washington when he was there as a consultant and certainly not in New England. So from that perspective, he's coming into a situation. where there are, I think, higher expectations for the most part than he's had in his career so far. The good thing for the Bengals is that this won't be his first year in charge of an offensive line room.
Starting point is 00:25:14 He's not a rookie offensive line coach, as it were. He got that year out of the way in a very difficult situation in New England. So there will be a transition. Certainly he will still be learning, presumably, but he has. And he talked about this in his discussion with Jeff Hodgson. and on bengals.com learned a lot from working with Bill Callahan for all of those years. And we'll incorporate a lot of those tenants, obviously, with the Cincinnati Bengals as well as he transitions and meshes his style with what they're doing in Cincinnati.
Starting point is 00:25:45 I also found a couple of other perspectives. In addition to Jim McNally and the Bill Callahan connection, Nate Tice posted about this hire, about an hour before we started recording, he said that he thought that Peter's protections and run game were sound in New England, even if the offensive line was quite bad because of injuries and an overall lack of talent. He was curious at first that the Patriots were going to bring him back because he would have understood it despite the results. He thinks it's a solid hire, and Nate Tice is a guy who's a football opinion. I respect quite a bit. I also asked our locked on Patriots host, Mike, for some insight into Peters. And this is where it gets interesting,
Starting point is 00:26:26 James. And this is where I think we can finish the show is the scheme background, especially in the running game, where he's not technically the run game coordinator, but that's likely part of his job description. It just doesn't have the title. Mike said that he's at his best coaching outside zone, and that would make sense. That is the Bill Callahan's strength, but is adaptable to gap schemes depending on his strengths, loves versatile linemen. So be on the lookout for versatile tackles and guards, said Mike, and that sounds like Cody Ford, but also something the Bengals could use a little bit more of. was dealing with a makeshift line whose best players were injured and underperforming. Mike described it as a good hire for the Bengals. So a couple of notes there from some other sources. And I do find the wide zone scheme fit bit to be interesting. We don't know how that translates because that is still not something the Bengals are going to major in with Joe Burrow next year. No, probably not. And that's why the fit part of it, obviously when they met, they went through the interview process.
Starting point is 00:27:26 I'm sure Zach was like, all right, well, when we drop back 40 times, how do we maximize the 12 runs we're going to run? You know, and maybe there's a little more balance there, but we know what the Bengals are. And so it's about figuring out how to get the most out of this offense. And there needs to be more of a marriage between what they do on the ground and what they do in the air and making it look the same, keeping defenses guessing a bit more. I think would go a long way. And so hopefully he can help do that.
Starting point is 00:28:01 Now, the run game coordinator thing, I think that was a title given of Frank as he moved over. Like I think every offensive line coach should be involved in the run game and in making sure that that works, like you said. So I'm not sure that role is necessarily going to change even though the title isn't there. But you needed to work with Dan pitcher, Zach Taylor, and now Scott Peters. Like that has to happen. So we'll see if it does.
Starting point is 00:28:28 That's the ultimate thing here is obviously the developing and all of those things. But once he does that, Ken, what he wants to do, and he puts his guys in position to do fit perfectly or fit really well with Zach Taylor, with Dan pitcher. That's what needs to happen. And so that's why they made the move they did, I think a big reason, at least. And so we'll see if they can make that work. Yeah, we'll have to see what happens here.
Starting point is 00:28:52 I think that is operative. I don't think there's enough of a track record for Pete. where we can say explicitly that this is a good hire or a bad hire. The Patriots draft picks on the offensive line last year, certainly. We're not draft picks that are things that we should hope to recreate for the Bengals in Cincinnati. So if he had a heavy hand involved there, that is something that we may look back on as an alarm sign or whatever. But Andrew Russell with an interesting stat just to round things out here. From week six on, when Drake May took over for the Patriots, the Patriots produced a better pressure rate
Starting point is 00:29:25 and knockdown rate than the Bengals did. And obviously they're doing that with significantly less talent. He also notes that the Patriots were fifth an explosive run rate during this time. And 13th in QB hit rate, the Bengals were 31st. So when Drake May took over, things got better in terms of that offensive line performance. Overall, as Gridiron Grading, another great Bengals Twitter account points out, the Patriots ranked 31st and pass-protecting grade in 32nd and run-blocking. grade for the offensive line in
Starting point is 00:29:57 2024. So some ups and downs there. All I know is is Jacoby Brissette seemed to have plenty of running lanes against the Bengals on crucial third downs. I think he ran for three first downs in week one. So offensive line clearly did its job then. Of course. An interesting
Starting point is 00:30:13 hire for many reasons from familiarity to how this Bill Callahan disciple and another wide zone specialist coach will fit with what the Bengals are doing. And I I do find that fascinating is something that we're going to see play out, I think, pretty quickly, is how that fit comes together, something that I'm interested to hear. Another interesting thing that we didn't have a ton of time to dive into was what Peters told Jeff Hobson about the mindset of protectors and clearly a pass protection emphasis on the mind there.
Starting point is 00:30:46 And that is, of course, part of the job in Cincinnati. But a fascinating hire came out of nowhere, came together quickly for the Bengals and a lot of ties there that in retrospect, like I, said the hire makes a lot of sense and we'll see if we have a dc hire to talk about we're recording this of course before the national championship game but could be a big week for coaching hires for the bengals this week and when that happens we'll of course have you covered here on lockdown bengals until then thanks for listening to this episode of the locked on bengals podcast hoon and have a good one

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