Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Film Don't Lie! Day-after takeaways from Cincinnati Bengals ugly week 1 loss

Starting point is 00:00:00 The film doesn't lie, and we have watched it. Let's talk about what exactly happened in that disastrous Bengals Week 1 loss to the Patriots. 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 Lisco. He's your host, James Rupin. Today we are joined by Mike Santagena.

Starting point is 00:00:37 Mike Santagina of the Always Game Day in Cincinnati podcast and writing for bengalstok.com. You can find his full film breakdown sometime this week, a little bit later this week. We're early here on lockdown Bengals for the film takes on bengelstok.com with clips and a full fleshed out analysis of a lot of the things we're going to talk about in this episode. This episode on the Lockdown Podcast Network covering your team every day on YouTube, everywhere you get your podcast. Shout out to the everydayers. Thanks for coming back. Shout out to all of you who make us your first listening. If you're new, highly encouraged that subscribe button

Starting point is 00:01:13 as we'll keep you covered throughout the season here on Locked on Bengals. And it was a rough start to the season in multiple ways. Not only from a game result perspective, but from a start of the game on offense perspective for the play callers for Joe Burrow, I thought it was an up and down game for Burrow, Mike. I thought the beginning was bad. I thought the end was bad. I thought the play calling was rough in the beginning of the game too,

Starting point is 00:01:38 but let's focus in on Joe Burroughs performance. What were your big takeaways when you saw Burrow on tape? I mean, the big takeaways, yes, there was a roller coaster here. Some of it was good, especially in the middle there. But it wasn't up to snuff for what is a highly paid quarterback at this point. For a guy that I think everybody in this chat thinks is a top three, five, at least seven guy, I would think, but like top three, five probably in this room, top three probably in this room. So I, yeah, it's not up this enough to be able to just go like, oh, he was bad to start.

Starting point is 00:02:12 There was a little bit of good in there and then he was bad, real bad to finish it. I don't think that's, I don't think that's good enough quarterback play. And you kind of needed him to play better than that because you're missing T. Higgins. You think we paid this quarterback all this money. He should be able to elevate or at least be able to have a functioning offense. with the talent around him. And yes, there were play-calling issues, but when we're talking specifically about the quarterback,

Starting point is 00:02:42 I think I saw that he checked into the flat screen. It's like, why? It wasn't a cover zero look. Like, that's usually when you get to that play. So then you're throwing the ball a screen where you don't have a numbers advantage, all on a fourth and like two. It just didn't make any sense. A lot of the stuff didn't make any sense from both quarter.

Starting point is 00:03:03 quarterback play and play calling. So another slow start. It reminded me a little bit of the Pittsburgh game just in terms of he just didn't look right. He looked sped up. It got into a rhythm at some point, but overall just didn't look like the borough we're used to seeing. Let's start with the end. Because 1610, first down, three minutes to go, ball on the 10. Thank you, New England for punning. It's like, all right, well, go win the game. If you go win the game right now, Maybe not everything is forgiven, but some of it's forgiven and you get the heck out of there with a win. And he talked about it afterwards. He said it wasn't his best drive.

Starting point is 00:03:43 And I know he was putting it lightly. He took blame, broke down each play. But what did you see on that drive? I still think Zach should have went for it on fourth and five and I'm going to keep ripping him for it. But from a Joe Burroughs standpoint, those three plays, was it as bad on the film as it felt in real time? Worse to me. first play they rolled from too high to single high which what you're dreaming about it for the bengals they have an out route for jimar chase on he never looks at him he just he's watching the gisicki through route like the entire time made no sense to me that's not even the first reading the progression i don't think i guess i'm not in the room maybe he just loved that but the safety was coming down to cover that from depth so it made no like move on move on it's just like he couldn't see the safeties for some reason he had jr jr jas wide wide open on that play and never even looked his way and And then you got the second down.

Starting point is 00:04:34 They call Dragon Lion, which is like the staple, quick game concept for the Bengals. It's two slants on one side, slant flat on the other. The Patriots played Tampa 2 on that one. Your options here are to go to the double slant side. He looks, doesn't love it because the corner's kind of cheating to Jamar Chase. It's the outside slant, which is usually where you go on that. If he throws it inside, he could probably hit Irwin, but Irwin's also probably taking a nice shot from the Mike linebacker. So I got checking it down.

Starting point is 00:04:59 Didn't understand the jump pass that hit Zach Moss. in the feet that he kind of like threw up into a Patriots linebacker's face. Then the third play was the worst. They called a shot play. Like the most exciting. And the Patriots rolled a single high. It was crazy. This is like what you dream about if you're the quarterback.

Starting point is 00:05:17 Like, oh my God, we have a shot play. Jamar Chase one on one. If you watch the play, the corner's falling over trying to keep up with Chase on the double move. And he just doesn't throw it. Instead, he doesn't even give a time to develop. It's a real frustrating part where I don't know if he just saw two high pre-step is well, we can't run this.

Starting point is 00:05:35 I'm going to go try to make something happen because once he hits the bottom of his drop, I think it was a five step, once he hits the bottom of his drop, he basically puts the ball in his arm like he's going to go run somewhere, never sets himself to throw the ball down the field. There's no opportunity. I thought both Yosivas and Chase were open on that. It could have been not just an explosive. That could have been a 90-yard game leading touchdown with minutes to go.

Starting point is 00:06:02 And instead he doesn't give it a chance to develop. He lowers his eyes. There's no pressure and then throws another weird jump pass to the running back. I just felt like he was so sped up. And on that one specifically, it's like even if you are sped up, hang in there and find a way to throw that ball down the field. Because by the time that ball gets up in the air, I think Jemar Chazman had two, three yards of separation working down the field

Starting point is 00:06:26 where even if it's underthrown, he's still able to stop and catch it. So that was by far the most frustrating play to watch. And then, yeah, like you said, Zach Taylor, not going front and forth. They're like, what are we doing here? The tackling's been so bad. You're not seeing that ball again. Yeah, and we'll get to the tackling, unfortunately.

Starting point is 00:06:44 The defensive issues are pretty cut and dried. But that last drive is so interesting to me because it comes off a series where Burroughs playing pretty well in the middle of the game. And they're finding the answers. He looks comfortable. he's not sped up he is in control he understands what the patriots are trying to do and he's getting the Bengals into the right plays and then he finishes a game one for four for five yards on that checkdown when he should be throwing it up deep to one of his two outside receivers against a look where it's inviting that throw and he also takes a sack which isn't entirely his fault they had some issues on the right side of the offensive line with Trent Brown and Alice Capa a couple times especially Trent Brown and pass protection

Starting point is 00:07:28 but also has a scramble there and it's just passing up opportunities for throws that are hard given that they're not your easy five-yard the receiver is going to take it underneath the cover two and get seven yards out of it kind of plays where they're finding those answers to cover two in the middle of the game.

Starting point is 00:07:47 But it is concerning that he doesn't see Jamar Chase on that out route that you talked about on the first down in that last drive. And he said that after the game. He said he missed Jamar. Okay. So you missed Jamar. Which is funny because there are some other plays in the game where he's looking at Jamar,

Starting point is 00:08:02 and there's easier options elsewhere, as is the game you play when you have a star receiver like that. But the last play is also an interesting one because I think he sees pressure flash. I think Keon White is over Cordell-Voson there. There's a one-on-one to start before Ted Harris comes over and cleans it up. I think he sees that flash in his face a little bit, the flash of pressure there. And that's where you see the eyes come down. and the throwing position kind of vanish, and he tries to react to that,

Starting point is 00:08:33 ends up checking it out. Because as soon as you come out of that throwing posture there, he's not, when we talked about this somewhere, he's not like Anthony Richardson on that incredible touchdown pass he threw yesterday on Sunday, where he can just take a step and then rip it 60 yards. And so as soon as his throwing position breaks down, he has to check it down.

Starting point is 00:08:56 And so that's a pocket issue. a pocket feel issue, which wasn't consistent for him. And this is kind of how the beginning of seasons has been for Joe Burrow in recent years. And maybe it's as simple as that. Like he needs time to develop the pocket feel as the season goes on. There's a little bit more to get to, though, on Joe Burrow. And I had some issues with the play calling this week. And I know that usually I'm the first to defend the play calling.

Starting point is 00:09:21 We'll get to some of those topics coming up next. Today's show is brought to you by Hems. Man, when we leave the house, it's phone wallet, keys, how's my hair look? But if you're experiencing hair loss, you may not be so confident when you step outside the door. It's time to get that confidence back and restore your hair with Hems. Hems provides access to a range of hair loss treatments that work all from the comfort of your couch. They make treating hair loss simple with doctor trusted treatment options and clinically proven ingredients. that regrow hair in as little as three to six months. Start your free online visit today at Hems.com slash locked on NFL. That's Hems.com slash locked on NFL for your personalized hair loss treatment options. Hems.com slash locked on NFL. Results vary based on studies of topical and oral monoxide. Prescription products require an online consultation with the health care provider who will determine if a prescription is appropriate. Restrictions apply.

Starting point is 00:10:23 restrictions apply. See website for full details and important safety information. All right. Final thoughts, at least on Burrow, and then we can get to the play calling. Mike, have you seen Burrow in the past just be so, it felt like the field was like seven yards. And he's throwing it within seven yards of the line of scrimmage always. Three throws of 20 plus yards according to next gen stats from an air yards perspective. It wasn't like the Patriots were having a bunch of mistackles by the.

Starting point is 00:10:55 the way. They were playing discipline. The short game wasn't working. Have we seen this from Burrow before where really throughout the game, he did not want to pull the trigger on any downfield options. Yeah, I think not taking an injury game, like the Cleveland one or something, but he threw go balls in that game. They just didn't connect. That's why I brought up the Pittsburgh 2022 game, and I think Dallas 2022. Maybe he pushed the ball down the field a little bit more in those games, but that's what it most felt like to me, where he was sped up. There were opportunities that he was turning down because he thought he didn't have time, hitting this checkdown, probably a little too quick. And there's a lot of quick game called. So that part of it,

Starting point is 00:11:38 who's that on? I don't know. They ran a lot of stick with Mike Gassicki, and they ran a lot of slant, slant flat stuff. It's a lot of, a little bit of Hank, too, of one of, I know J.T. Sullivan's least favorites, curl flat. So there's plenty of that in there. And at some point, why are you not calling plays to attack the intermediate middle of the field? Because Joanne Bentley is known for tackling. He's known for stopping the run. If he's guarding Jamar Chase 20 yards down the field, yeah, I'll take that matchup, even if it's a little contested for me. I mean, I just, that's fine. They ended up getting there with that one throw that Burrow made. But when you're going to play Tampa 2, it was one of those things that happened back

Starting point is 00:12:25 in the 2000s. Not everybody has a Mike linebacker that's Brian Erlacker. So why don't we just take advantage of that guy? And that gets to some of the play calling stuff. And like I said, usually play calling concerns, I think, are overblown in the initial reaction to games. And we don't always know where Joe Burroughs making a check. For example, if Joe Burrow checked into that screen on fourth and two. That's just one example of, is it play calling? Is it the quarterback's decision? But to me, it took the Bengals way too long to get the Patriots out of cover too early in the game.

Starting point is 00:13:04 And they didn't get to the answer as fast enough. There's too many instances on tape where you're watching the route combinations, and the middle of the field is wide open, and the Bengals just aren't challenging it. You've got middle of field open pre-snap, it's middle of the field post-snap. And they're not challenging the middle of the field. To me, that is a play-calling issue where you're calling, like you said, Mike, you're throwing paper into scissors and you're just doing it over and over and over and not getting to those answers fast enough.

Starting point is 00:13:34 They did adjust. They did get there. And they had that streak of success in the middle of the game where they were moving the ball and then they had some turnovers that were issues. But to me, that is a play-calling issue. We can talk about personnel as well here. What were your thoughts, though, Mike, when it comes to the way that this game was called on the offensive side of the ball.

Starting point is 00:13:53 Yeah, I still think it's probably a tiny, tiny bit overblown, but I do think it was bad. Like, I don't, I think both things here can be true. I don't think it was the worst thing you could ever imagine. I don't think he draws his place up in the state. Like, every time I see a play, I know the concept. So he's not drawing these things up on the sideline where it doesn't make any sense. But I don't know if they're the right concepts.

Starting point is 00:14:13 And you don't exactly know. Maybe Burrow tapped the helmet, killed into that play. Maybe he didn't. But yeah, it took a while to finally get to that 12 personnel, Eric All drew sample combo, and they ran the heck out of the football on that one drive. And that was their best looking drive. They were in that personnel grouping because they're able to get bodies on bodies. Eric All was good at the second level.

Starting point is 00:14:37 He had some whiffs at the first level. But he had a couple plays at the second level that were like, that is nice. And even on his whiffs, like obviously that's bad. but on the touchdown he whiffs but he got in the way yeah he got in the way the guy had to go outside of him and underneath and the play hit by them so like he did his job in a way and then drew sample and that play oh my goodness he took out the end and pancake the linebacker six yards in the end zone that was a man's play but yeah i i thought the biggest issues for me were let's not attack their

Starting point is 00:15:12 refrigerator on wheels linebacker that's playing 20 yards down the field i mean john betley's probably the closest you get to a neck roll at this day and age. And I mean that in a good way. I love watching him, but he is an old school. He is an old school lineback. That is what you're hoping MoMA might be able to be with his 4-9 speed. Or it's like, yeah, he hopefully has a little bit of feel in space, but we want this guy going downhill. Patriots, I didn't play in 20 yards down the field. Let's attack that, but they didn't. And then the other part of this is the personnel grouping, which I just talked a little bit about, like, we, the Bengals should have been using that Eric Al drew sample combination earlier because the run game looks so much better.

Starting point is 00:15:52 Yeah. And honestly, I'm going to go ahead and say it. He out snapped Tanner Hudson anyways. And I know Hudson has Burroughs trust. We'll see after a couple of bad plays, the fumble and what I think was a drop that led to the Yoshi fourth and two decision. But even with that, I think Eric all one is going to get more snaps. two in Jake and I were talking about it before we started. He's reliable. He's a reliable route runner. Joe Burrow raved about him when we asked about him last week. Wouldn't shock me at

Starting point is 00:16:23 off. We see Eric All catch a few passes in Kansas City because he's just, he seems like one, he loves blocking. I'm sure you can tell that. Like he's eager to do it. He's eight yards down the field still driving his feet. He loves it. Yeah. He literally told me he likes it better than catching passes, which how many guys that can do both like that better? Like that's, it's kind of a rare trait, which I know the Bengals love. But two, he can be on the field and you could do that blocking stuff, or you can have him run routes. He isn't sample where you don't really want him running routes and catching balls.

Starting point is 00:16:55 Like, he can do that. So I think Eric All is just going to continue to have an increased role as the season goes on, probably starting this week. The other thing that that could go hand in hand with is, does that get them into pistol and under center more? Does it vary them in pistol and under center a little bit more? They had three snaps in pistol. they were all runs.

Starting point is 00:17:14 One of them early in the game, two of them in the red zone and very successful runs leading to that Zach Moss touchdown. Both of them with the Eric Hall motion into a block across the formation. One of them was like tight end power where both tight ends come across the formation. And the other one, you mentioned Drew Sample, starts on the right side and is just Eric All coming across. Both of those pretty cool plays. But can they get to more stuff if they get to pistol,

Starting point is 00:17:43 more with that 12 personnel look? Can they get to more variety under center than just three play action passes in a quarterback sneak if they go to 12 personnel a little bit more? And I don't even know if they're under center stuff as all 12 personnel, but those things could go hand in hand a little bit. And not only that, the under center play action stuff was not respected. There was very little hesitation from the second level of that Patriot defense on a couple of those plays where the Bengals go under center play action.

Starting point is 00:18:15 And Burrow is it like totally turning its back? So maybe they need to work on the execution of the fake. Or maybe there's just not respect for it because they haven't run the ball out of under center in the game yet or put that on tape. And they're expecting that wrinkle of under center to be play action. So, you know, they had some shot plays from under center play action. And then the deep stuff wasn't available for some reason or another because the Patriots weren't fighting or whatever the reason was.

Starting point is 00:18:43 some opportunities there from a personnel perspective and to get a little bit more diverse or commit to some of these non-shock gun formations a little bit as well. And we'll see how they adjust against the chiefs because they can certainly not repeat that slow start and poor finish to have any hope of winning in Kansas City next week.

Starting point is 00:19:05 They also need to fix some things on the defensive side of the ball. We'll discuss those glaring issues. And what actually wasn't as bad we feared it would be to finish a show coming up next. Today's show is brought to you by Fandul. You've heard us talk a lot about Fandul. And, well, for good reason. It's America's number one sports book.

Starting point is 00:19:26 Well, Fandul has something a little different for you this month. Now through September 22nd. So you have under two weeks. You've got to do it now. All Fandle customers can bet $5 and get a three-week free trial of NFL Sunday ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV. That's right. A three-week free trial of NFL Sunday.

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Starting point is 00:20:08 It doesn't matter. Go to fandul.com today. Wager five bucks on anything. and get a three-week free trial of NFL Sunday ticket. Visit fandle.com. Again, that's fandall.com to download America's number one sportsbook. Cincinnati Bengals had some tackling issues, and that is pretty straightforward.

Starting point is 00:20:29 I think we also need to talk about the interior defensive line, Mike. But when you were watching this defense, did it seem as straightforward as one team tackled, one team didn't? Honestly, yeah. I felt like every run play they had a guy that could have made the stop. It's not like they were getting truly dominated, wide open holes. I'm trying to find the tweet. So we put out, I think, 116 or something of Remandre Stevenson's yards came after contact

Starting point is 00:21:00 and he had 120 yards, something like that. It was like all but four yards came after contact. It was insane. You make contact with him in the backfield. You're able to get a hand on him. but we saw multiple times Daxhill flying off of him or missing completely, just the defensive backs in general. I thought Pratt overran a couple of those or wasn't too hesitant.

Starting point is 00:21:21 Like they ran power the one time. It's a spill overlap from the linebackers. Wilson spills it and then Pratt's overlapping. And then he just kind of like sits there and Stevenson runs past them. I was like, well, yeah, you did your job in a way. We still need to make the play. Like you did everything going up to there. Why did you just stop?

Starting point is 00:21:39 It didn't make any sense to me. So there was quite a bit of that. And it just felt like they were in general, kind of slow to the ball. It felt like at times kind of soft. They love, and I enjoy it when forces a fumble, tackling the running back high and trying to rip the ball out. But it looked like Cant Taylor Britt was doing that on the second down when they picked up the first down to end the game.

Starting point is 00:22:03 It's like, just bring them down, dude. Like there's no point in giving up these extra yards to make it more difficult. He got contacted, I think, either in the backfield or at the line of scrimmage, and he just drags Cam Taylor Britt for like eight yards. So I thought they did better against Gibson. I also just think Gibson's not as good of a running back. So Stevenson, give him some credit.

Starting point is 00:22:23 He's a good running back. But at the same time, they missed as many tackles as I can remember. And every time they missed a tackle, it was a huge gain. When they didn't miss a tackle, they made the stop. It was as simple as that. And then the passing, I think more issues in the past game, was just Jacoby percent not having anybody able to contain him after a pressure. The stuff down the field, it didn't even matter in this game.

Starting point is 00:22:45 It was all just the running game. And that's how it ended up, where you missed enough tackles that they moved the ball down the field and scored. That's my issue is they got pressure on Berset. And this morning, on Monday morning, Gerard Mayo goes on WEEI, the most popular radio station in Boston. He literally, and I'm paraphrasing, but he's like the slowest black quarterback in the NFL, F.L. used his legs. And his legs were something the Bengals just didn't account for, I guess. I don't know. But he had a 16-yard scramble. He ran for multiple runs where they should have been negative plays, and instead, they're positive plays. And against a team like the Patriots, that's huge,

Starting point is 00:23:25 because they're offense stinks. And so it was like 32 yards total. But those were a big 32 yards, not being able to get him down and only bringing him down for a second. I think it was just once. and it was Daxhill for like a one-yard loss. It was Brissette sliding, I think, in front of Daxhill. So it wasn't even. Yeah. Brissette ran for three first downs on his seven attempts. Seven attempts, 32 yards, three first downs.

Starting point is 00:23:51 And some of those were just like get off the field kind of plays where the Bengals should have had a sack, but instead it leads to a first down. Three of their 17 first downs, just to give you an idea. That's brutal. Mike, you quoted a Remandre Stevenson's stat there. 118 out of 120 is that what you said? I think it's 116, but yeah. Yeah, so 118 out of Vermont distribution is 120 yards according to PFF charting

Starting point is 00:24:14 where after contact. That means he averaged 4.8 yards per carry, 4.72 yards per carry after contact, which doesn't even count the play where I think it was Gino Stone, or was it Daxhill and either Gino Stone or Logan Wilson on the last drive? had a shot out of him in the backfield, and he just had that little stutter step and ran right around both of whoever. I think it was Wilson.

Starting point is 00:24:44 Can't remember anyway. But Dax Hill didn't, nobody made contact with him in the backfield when two guys had a chance at him in the backfield. And he hits that little juke and goes for like 18 yards or something. I guess his long was 17, so it couldn't have been 18. But, yeah, I mean, to me it was just run defense issues in terms of tackling and second level guys.

Starting point is 00:25:05 I think Sam Hubbard had issues with tight ends, had issues getting off blocks, had issues holding the edge. But in all of this, the thing that we were concerned about was defensive tackle depth. And some of the better games had run defense in this game came for defensive tackle depth. And it's not like the Patriots have a great interior offensive line. David Andrews is a good center. Michael Jordan was starting for them at left guard. This is going to be much harder next week against the Chief's interior offensive line. It has much better.

Starting point is 00:25:34 It's a nightmare. It's a nightmare. Yeah. But pass-hush aside, where Zach Carter and J-Tfelae didn't contribute in the pass-rush at all, Sam Hubbard had a 0% pass-rush win rate according to PFF. I thought Zach Carter actually had a good game in the run. J-2-FELA had a number of run stuffs and was generally pretty good against the run. The interior defensive line wasn't the issue to me in the run game.

Starting point is 00:25:59 They needed to do more in terms of helping to clean up some of those Trey Hendrickson pressures and turn them into sacks. But in the run game, that could have been a lot worse. I thought it was actually pretty good. Yeah, I did too. I was surprised, especially going back,

Starting point is 00:26:13 because at first I just assumed, like, man, there must have been some big holes. I don't know. When you're watching live, you don't get everything. And I was assuming that the Patriots Interior Offensive Line just won that battle.

Starting point is 00:26:26 I don't, I wouldn't put it that way. I thought it was more of like a, like a nice stale made of the defensive tackles held up. I was impressed. I was impressed with Zach Carter, J.2Fellet. I thought BJ Hill was other than the very last play

Starting point is 00:26:39 where he just gets caved in by a tight end. He played so many snaps, 52, I think, out of 63 snaps or something like that. And they had him at end, they had him inside. He was doing everything. And up until that play, I thought he was good against the run. So, yeah, I was impressed. It was kind of like they stepped up and then everybody else let them down. Where that could have been the story was just,

Starting point is 00:27:03 how cool was it that the run depth was stepping up and keeping the linebackers clean and making plays. J-2-Fell, they had a couple TFLs, and Zach Carter, they put Zach Carter at nose tackle, and he survived. I was like, okay. He put some jolts into David Andrews, not just survived, but he moved guys a couple of times. It was impressive, there was some very impressive reps for Zach Carter. Yeah, under 300-pound nose tackle. He's out there able to give it to the other. other way. I just, I was really impressed with that. I think that's one of the things you can look at

Starting point is 00:27:37 and be impressed by. It also makes sense, I think, when you look at the success rate for the Patriots, it was 34% on the ground. So they got there and they made the play more often than not. That's not a good success rate. The Bengals were over, I think, 50% running the ball. When they didn't make that play, it was pretty much a guaranteed explosive every time they missed the tackle because they'd funnel it to a defensive back. They'd miss the tackle or a linebacker. They'd miss the tackle. And then he's running free out of free safety or post safety deep down the field. So that was the big issue. And also with barely any time left, I wanted to bring up, I thought Lou kind of cooked. Like when I was watching, there was some cool slants, some cool stunts, just some stuff in the

Starting point is 00:28:19 run game that he kind of protected his guys. Like I think he knew going into the game like, yeah, we don't have DJ Reader anymore, which we all said that. But I was half expecting him to just come out and play it like they used to. And they didn't. I thought they were running. some very interesting run game stuff to try to stop the Patriots and most of it actually worked. Some cool run blitzes as well. Yeah. Yeah. It's such a bummer that they didn't do the basic thing.

Starting point is 00:28:44 Right? Like you said, like it handled the basics because this week they could do the basics and still get their butt kicked on the ground. And that's, again, that's what's rough. That's what's so bad about this loss in general is they could do a lot of the things we just discussed, the negative things, much better. in six days when they're in Kansas City and they could be looking at their third straight O and two start. And so it's a bummer, fellas.

Starting point is 00:29:09 I'm not going to lie to you. It's a bummer. But the run game stuff that was easily the biggest concern on defense and at least the defensive line held up. They'll be tested. But David Andrews is still a good player to your point. It's not like he's some third stringer. Michael Jordan example

Starting point is 00:29:27 is a little worse. The right guard, real strong. He's a fun player. He's a rookie fourth rounder. I think the Patriots say he's the strongest guy on the team. He had a couple of pancakes and some fun plays in terms of that. And he gave up like no pressure so that interior defensive lines. So I was kind of impressed by him too, which that might be speaking to how this defensive

Starting point is 00:29:46 line is going to play next week. But you're really strong player. So able to hold up on some of those. A lot to correct is putting it lightly. But this is a game where in the middle part of this game, when I've watched it again, I thought the Bengals should have gotten right back in the driver's seat. Even after setting their first three drives on fire, the Tanner Hudson fumble into the Charlie Jones fumble

Starting point is 00:30:08 is just a brutal sequence of back-to-back possessions where instead of getting the game tied and then who knows what happens on the Patriots and ensuing drive going into the half, and instead of getting a three-and-out and starting the second half with momentum, that was just on top of setting the first three drives to the game on fire too much for them to overcome. And when you give up 16 points, you would expect the Bengals to win those games.

Starting point is 00:30:34 And the offense didn't get their part of the bargain done. The defense wasn't perfect, but they only gave up four long drives. They had six drives where they got off the field in six plays or less. Some three and outs in there, too. Some disappointing mistakes between the ball security and the tackling. And that largely is part of the difference in the game that I think leads to the way the game finishes on offense, where the quarterback and the offense just did not finish the game well. Obviously, those things need to be better next week.

Starting point is 00:31:04 I think everybody knows that. I think Joe Burrow knows that more than anyone else. He was immediately aware, like James mentioned, after the game in his presser, that he missed to Mar Chase on that first play in that last drive. And so we'll see how they correct things, how they move on, how they bounce back. It's a big game to get up for in week two in Kansas City, and we will shift our attention there in our next episode here on lockdown Bengals and put week one behind us.

Starting point is 00:31:32 Until then, you can find Mike at Bengals underscore Sands on Twitter. Thanks for listening. Ho-Day and have a good one.

Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Film Don't Lie! Day-after takeaways from Cincinnati Bengals ugly week 1 loss

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