Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Looking for trends in 2 rocky weeks of Cincinnati Bengals offensive, and strong defensive performances

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Bengals are in a two-game winning streak, but during that time, the offense has had its share of rocky play. Let's try to figure out why it's happened with a thorough review of this week's film. 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. Let's go along with your host, James Rapine, today as always joined. On Tuesday or Monday, depending on when you're listening, by Mike Santagina, who you can find on Twitter at Bengals underscore Sands.

Starting point is 00:00:42 You can find his work at Bengals Talk, SI. You can find his podcast. It's always game day in Cincinnati as well. We are the Locked-on Bengals podcast on the Lockdown Podcast Network covering your team every day on YouTube and everywhere. You get your podcast. Shout out to the everydayers. Shout out to those of you who make us your first list. We appreciate those of you who make us part of your daily life so very much.

Starting point is 00:01:05 And welcome in to everyone who is new to this show. You can always hit that subscribe button to make sure you don't miss an episode. And we do appreciate that support as well. Today we are going to be diving into the film from the Bengals week seven. Seven. Win against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland. Losing track of which week it is already. Only seven weeks into the season.

Starting point is 00:01:28 This episode brought to you by Game Time where you can save $20 on your first purchase of tickets in the app by using promo code, locked on NFL. And guys, as we do, let's start with the offense, which was really fun to watch early in the season and has been a bit frustrating to watch in the last couple of games against Shane Bowen and Jim Schwartz coach defenses. And Mike, when you think about what we've seen over the last two weeks, are there themes from an offensive design perspective, from any particular players that stand out, or has it been different things from last week to this week? I think it's different. This one, to me, felt like the Bengals' entire game plan focused on the Browns.

Starting point is 00:02:09 And Jim's worst entire tenure have run about 70% man coverage, usually single high man coverage. We've got the horses to do that. We can lock down your wide receivers. And they've done that against the Bengals, too. That is how they've shut down the Bengals. It's mostly man coverage with these awesome corners, physical corners. They're able to play against them. And you get into this game, and I think they ran like 15% man coverage.

Starting point is 00:02:29 So just everything that you game plan goes out the window. Now you can argue it took them too long to realize what was happening or to believe what was happening. Like, oh, this isn't just a change up. But typically the Schwartz defense against the Bengals in general is like that single high man coverage. And then the change up off of that is rolling into the Tampa 2. And that guy just did reverse. We're like we're going to look like where man covers. It's not like they came out there and they just looked like they're in Tampa 2, two deep safeties,

Starting point is 00:02:56 corners rolled up and the overhangs back or whatever gives you the Tampa 2 indicator. they rolled up like they're in single high. Even on that fourth and two, I think this is the best example because that's your got to have it play. And I actually was okay with it. They got into a bunch. That's great against man. They had a switch release, good against man.

Starting point is 00:03:14 And they had a sit route and a guy that's running away from man coverage. Well, that goes out the window when they are playing, I said twice, but phrase twice, but they moved to play Tampa too. And they're really rolled up at the sticks. So instead of having something that could beat that, you've got a one-on-one beater on the back side to Jamar Chase, a deep route that's covered by

Starting point is 00:03:33 a safety on the other side, and then two routes that were supposed to be an easy answer against what the Browns always play. Because when you get in the short-yardage situations, that goes from, if the Browns were at 70% generally on man coverage, it's got to be like 90 to 95% in short-yardage. There's almost no time, especially fourth down, where you're going to play zone coverage and allow guys to catch the ball underneath. But then, of course, they didn't allow guys to catch the ball underneath. but that just felt like a good example of like what was happening,

Starting point is 00:04:00 especially early in that game, just the Bengals had a game plan to beat them, and they took too long to adapt to what the Browns were doing, but the Browns deserved some credit here because Jim Schwartz had a heck of a game plan himself and was able to, it's kind of like when you get back down to the post and they pull the chair. He pulled the chair on them. You thought you're getting this and then pull the chair, go steal the ball, and that's how they're able to stop this offense.

Starting point is 00:04:25 To me, that's what I saw. what triggered the offense to score and go two touchdowns in their first three possessions of the second half because we all know how ugly it was in the first half. And then they, it's not like they had a bunch of 10 play drives. It was a five play drive and a four play drive. And they get into the end zone twice. What changed there or what was different? Yeah, I felt like they took advantage of the opportunities when they finally were getting some one-on-ones

Starting point is 00:04:51 because it wasn't just too deep zone coverage. I could think of a couple of plays where, obviously, obviously the Jamar Chase, back shoulder. The thing about playing against the Browns was it feels like that was just never there. Just those corners were always able to break that pass up. And then you get the touchdown on it. So that to me is almost like kind of luck where it's not really like they designed something to beat their defense. They just, they got an opportunity and they took advantage of it.

Starting point is 00:05:13 The T. Higgins slant route, they're playing a weird red zone type of coverage with some corner who is not one of their big three on T. Higgins. That was an easy one. But then you also get, they run into Invert 2, which is Jim Schwartz, likes to. doing that and went from being one of the most hated coverage to now I think people like it, but they just get a deep out against that, and that's a free 15 yards. And that's why people used to hate that coverage was that you could run deep outs and stuff that were just free 15 yards and guys out of position, like corners trying to play deep halves when they're not used to play in that. So I don't know if there was really some type of sustained success that they figured out to go along

Starting point is 00:05:50 with their offense, but it felt more like the playmakers showed up and they made plays. That's how they scored. They beat man a couple times they got it on those touchdowns was one of my takeaways, but they could have targeted some of these corners. And man, I thought, a little bit more often instead of just, you know, throwing balls up to Denzel Ward's coverage and made a good play against Andre Yosovash, had a pretty badly underthrown ball to T. Higgins that could have been a big play with Denzel Ward in coverage there.

Starting point is 00:06:19 Denzel Ward, again, making a play to break up that pass. What did you think of Joe Burrough, though, in this? game, do you think that it's a offensive game plan issue where they just get out coached too often and maybe they're a little bit too slow to adjust from a schematic perspective from what they're getting versus what they expected? Or was Burrough not executing at a level where maybe there were some opportunities early on that would have made this thing look different? I don't think there were a ton of opportunities for them. And that's different from last week because last week I thought there were opportunities he was missing them.

Starting point is 00:06:58 This week, I didn't think there were a ton of opportunities that were like, oh, Burrow just didn't see it. He didn't see it well. I mean, maybe you could point to a couple of things. But when I was looking at the plays and trying to think of the progression of where he would be looking on this play, not trying to see some backside thing that happened after the ball was thrown, I didn't really see a lot of opportunities for him to go make plays. I thought the protection was good. That was what was interesting. It wasn't great.

Starting point is 00:07:17 But I thought it was good. It was the best has probably been against the Browns picking up stunts and everything. But it just felt to me in this game, they got out coached. at least for the first half or so of this game. And then really, I mean, in third quarter, they're just, the playmakers are winning. So it wasn't like they drew up the adjustment and were able to overcome it. Biggest issue, too, is just we didn't even mention this yet, but the run game. I mean, you could talk about a couple, they had the big play off the right side with the end crashes in,

Starting point is 00:07:44 and Chase Brown's able to scoot around it. And you could talk about the play that got called back. But a majority of the run game was terrible. The blocking was just getting decimated. Dalvin Tom was in Miles Garrett. Like, it wasn't just. the stars, but you're Maurice Hursts and Zadarii Smith just Okoronkwa, I think was his whatever's name is, 54, I think.

Starting point is 00:08:02 They just all penetrating, dominating. You got the linebackers crashing in. They just get out physical in the run game against the Browns. And it doesn't matter how hard the Browns have been playing before this. And the defense has, you know, the team's been bad, but the defense for them has been pretty good. They always step it up another level against the Bengals, it feels like. And this was no different in the run game where they didn't, they couldn't get to the run

Starting point is 00:08:24 game if they wanted to throughout this game. Yeah, we can talk more about the run game. We certainly have to hit on the offensive line, plenty more on the offense. We will get to the defense as well, but let's stick with the offense coming up next. Today's show is brought to you by Fandall. Fandall is America's number one sports book in the Bengals. Well, they're back home this week against the Philadelphia Eagles. The game moved, by the way.

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Starting point is 00:10:55 Let's stick with the run game. And let's go to a play in the first half, that holding call. It's back to back weeks now, 67 holding calls. I think he's kind of got his arms up in the air. Like, what do you want me to do? How similar was this one to last week against the Giants? Cost them a touchdown last week. This week cost them a big run and certainly points in the first half.

Starting point is 00:11:19 Are they similar? Are they different? Take us through those. those calls whether you agree or not as well. Don't agree. I mean, it's similar. You don't agree? Let them know.

Starting point is 00:11:30 Let them know. Don't agree. It feels like it's almost like you understood in the sentence. Go get me sandwich. So, yeah, it's, I don't agree. It's just the defenders falling down trying to make the tackle. And I didn't even see like a jersey pool. And the last one I heard maybe the hand was too far outside.

Starting point is 00:11:49 And I got the back copy on this from M. help her. I did not get the front. So maybe, maybe there's something with the hand there, but from everything I've seen, nothing, nothing that I saw was like, that should be holding. Let's bring it back. I feel like the biggest thing we keep missing on these holding calls is, to me, is it holding supposed to be restricting movement? Not like you saw something, a tiny jersey pool away from the play and, you know, he lets go right after. That's not a hold to me. And this isn't a hold either. The guy's going down trying to make a tackle. He lands on top of them and finishes him. How is that a hold? That's ridiculous to me.

Starting point is 00:12:22 So, no, I did not think it was old. And I didn't even think Cordell Wilson played a particularly good game, but that was just the cherry on top of him playing not a great game. It was just like even his good play is called back for a hold. And now you probably view that in a negative light. Yeah, it was a really great play for Chase Brown on the other side of things. Like the cut back in the explosion, very visible. The difference between Chase Brown and Zach Moss at this point grows starker and starker as runners every week, I think.

Starting point is 00:12:50 The contrast is just growing because Chase Brown is a much above average explosive player, good athlete, great speed, great acceleration, gets downhill quickly. Zach Moss, by comparison, looks like a plotter. I think slightly below average as an athlete at running back at this point in his NFL career. And so the difference between those guys as runners seems to be growing. The difference in their workload as runners seems to be growing as well. both guys had pass protection issues this week, but they still seem to trust Moss significantly more in that role, getting triple Chase Brown's pass blocking snaps this week

Starting point is 00:13:30 and more passing play snaps overall. That split does continue to be interesting, though. Chase Brown out snapping Zach Moss again this week will be interesting to watch how that continues. Overall, were they as diverse as we've seen them in the run game? did they try a whole bunch of things and just nothing was working because of that out physical issue in the trenches you were talking about earlier? Or was it that they didn't get to the right concepts at times? I think it's hard to make a declaration on that because they ran the ball so little in the first half.

Starting point is 00:14:01 I kind of agree with the idea of like, hey, it's not working. But at the same time, I think I was looking up around halftime. I was like, I think they've got four carries between the two running backs. That's hard to have a diverse run game when it's four runs. And then most of the runs came in that four-minute situation where they did some different stuff, not a lot. It was a little bit of the same type of runs that, you know, they're staple stuff in there.

Starting point is 00:14:27 They can't do it. They can't run in four-minute draw, it seems like, especially not against these defenses that are very physical up front. So I don't know if I would put it as they weren't very diverse. I thought they were a little diverse. I love the formation, that pistol diamond thing. that is something that is huge in college. And that gets you some good one-on-ones.

Starting point is 00:14:45 If you go look up Justin Blackman's highlight reel, you'll see a bunch of pistol diamond from Mike Gundy and that Cam Newton ran it, but that's for quarterback run game stuff at Auburn. It's just something that was huge in college. And it could make sense for the Bengals because they were getting some single high looks out of that and they weren't rolling to Tampa because you have to defend

Starting point is 00:15:00 against the run in this. And they never ran a play out of it. They always motion somebody out and whatever. That actually kind of messes with linebackers too, though. They got some good play action out of that. I will say the run game out of that. I don't know what was going on. It was only tosses.

Starting point is 00:15:11 They were just tosses. just tossing the ball out of pistol. And that was their play fake too. So maybe that's why they're like, if we're going to fake the toss, we have to actually run a couple of these, but they're bad. The tosses did not work out of that look. And I mean, you don't have a soft edge. You don't have a guy over there to try to crack down and run around him. So it also doesn't make that much sense angle-wise for a toss to work from this formation. But then you figure out, I think the one thing I have a complaint about when it comes to the design part of this, you need to figure out a way to run out of this diamond formation as well.

Starting point is 00:15:41 Like the passes and the play action stuff was cool, but you have to be able to also run the ball downhill and threaten defenses because eventually they're going to stop loading the box against that look, even if you have three guys back there that are four guys in the back field, including the quarterback. Mike, you mentioned it earlier that you thought overall this offensive line held up against the stunts and the different past protection issues that the Browns have caused in the past as well as they've done.

Starting point is 00:16:09 especially in Cleveland, which I think everyone saw, especially early on. Orlando Brown Jr. goes down late in the second quarter, doesn't come back. What did you see out of Cody Ford? Because I think a lot of people on Monday are like, oh, my God, is Cody Ford going to be the starting left tackle? And if so, for how long? We don't know the latest on Brown outside of what I said on Sunday night. Caff issue could miss some time, may not. We'll see Zach Taylor will have talked by the time we post the show.

Starting point is 00:16:38 but as far as Cody Ford, what did you see? It's me. I'm one of those people that's worried about Cody Ford and left tackle. Mike, go ahead. Two minds here. But my expectations were very low, and he exceeded them. Now, don't hear what I'm not saying. That doesn't mean I want Cody Ford or I think Cody Ford's going to do well or really,

Starting point is 00:16:59 I'm praying Orlando comes back too. But for his assignment, now you could argue about the assignment being pretty easy with it being a lot of quick game. a lot of help for him, but for his assignment, he was able to do his job in past protection and not lose within one second. Now, if... One and a half a second. Look, I've watched Jackson Carmen.

Starting point is 00:17:20 I've watched a lot of guys on top line. Bobby Hart. Isaiah Prince. Fred Johnson, who's going to be there next week? Left tackle. I thought it was, you know, it was on par with the Fred Johnson type performances, which I don't know if I was expecting. Maybe my expectations were too low going in.

Starting point is 00:17:38 So, like, the offense kind of, they knew it was a liability up front. So they were working around it. And when they wanted to throw the ball, they would give them some, they'd give them quite a bit of help. I mean, I remember a triple team against Miles Garrett one time that he got the rep, where the running back hit him. Cody Ford's there. And then Cordell also comes running over too.

Starting point is 00:17:57 He's like, let me pass off this defensive tackle to carrots. This isn't a stunt, but I need to go help my guy, make sure that he has a zero-way go, not a one-way go or a two-way go. He's got nowhere to go. So, yeah, I think it was a situation where the offense really did a good job of masking the issue. But also, he wasn't getting beat on the snap. It would take one and a half seconds. And you can technically function that way.

Starting point is 00:18:24 And they were able to score two touchdowns that way. So it's not an abject disaster. They were able to get there. They were able to change the offense pretty entirely after Orlando Brown left the game as well. I thought that the unit as a whole played worse after Brown left. I don't think there's much argument to be had there. They immediately gave up two sacks as soon as he left the game. There were issues to be sure they managed to overcome those enough to score a couple of touchdowns.

Starting point is 00:18:55 But on the whole, they do need to figure things out against these defenses that have had their number. They need to be able to adapt more quickly. they need to have, I don't know how to say it other than a game plan that works. And next week they're challenged again with the Vic Fangio unit that they, again, haven't seen a Vic Fangio coach defense outside of Denver since 2021. That again will be a challenge for them next week. And you need the offense to come out a little bit better and find more success, run more plays.

Starting point is 00:19:27 You can't have the defense playing 20 more plays per game than the offense because the offense can't sustain drives, that'll need to change. And so despite some of the things that you can point to and say, well, some of these things were okay, some of these things come down to getting out-schemed, out-coached, those things do need to improve. And that's my bottom line personally on the offensive side of the ball. But there was some good stuff to talk about on the defensive side of the ball,

Starting point is 00:19:54 and they've stacked a couple of performances as well. Let's transition and talk defense to finish the show coming up next. Today's show is brought to you by Game Time. Game Time is the app you need to download right now. Whether it's Sunday's game, Bengals, Eagles, and you want to go to it? Well, you got to get Game Time. Game Time is the app you need. And right now they have Game Time Picks.

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Starting point is 00:21:20 otherwise, let's get to the defense. Two weeks ago, we would have taken three and four however they got there. And I keep defaulting to that. And it's ugly, but do you trust Joe Burrow and in company to figure it out. I trust Joe Burrow more than anyone on the team or in the organization. So, yeah, ugly. At least they got a couple dubs and now they put themselves in this position. But yeah, let's get into the defense. Because I think the defense, again, two weeks ago, if you would have said,

Starting point is 00:21:51 all right, Daniel Jones, Deshaun Watson, you got to go on the road. It's like, all right, well, can they do enough? and Sands, they were able to make plays. They were able to get some pressure. Not just Trey Hendrickson either. Let's start there with this pass rush. B.J. Hill, Sheldon Rankins, notice Sam Hubbard, but obviously they're led by Trey Hendrickson.

Starting point is 00:22:11 What did you think of the defensive line? I thought the defensive line was really good. Both rushing the past and defending the run. It was, yes, Trey Hendrickson is like a superstar. And, you know, he had another performance that was like a superstar level game. But the other guys were showing up. And a guy that's been like the secret superstar is BJ Hill. I mean, he was awesome in this game.

Starting point is 00:22:33 I went back and watched it. I was like, man, BJ Hill, look at him. He's protecting his linebackers on this double team. There was a double team. It was like the second play. And we're in a wide zone at him. He not only holds that double. He ends up tossing both guys on the ground at some point during that play.

Starting point is 00:22:48 And Logan Wilson goes and makes a tackle. And he just, you know, in the statute, that's just one tackle for Logan Wilson for one yard or whatever. But BJ Hill makes it happen. It's one of those situations of, you know, Ray Lewis, one of the best linebackers of all time. But he got some of his production was helped because he always had like Tony Siragusa and Holodinata in front of him. It will do that. No, I'm not saying that, you know, he's one of those guys and I'm not saying that Logan Lillisons, but what I am saying is that it's, you know, it's a correlated effect between what your defensive tackles were able to do for you as a linebacker. If they're playing well, you're playing well.

Starting point is 00:23:22 And we saw that a lot last year when, you know, sack Carter's no longer. or on the team and J2File would get in there. We saw it this year when those guys would get in there. The linebacker was suddenly playing a little poor. What's going on? Now you're getting BJ Hill. You get Sheldon Rankins back. And I thought Sheldon Rangins up and down the run game.

Starting point is 00:23:35 Chris Jenkins had a decent game in the run game. McKinley Jackson got some penetration. So everybody on that defensive tackle room, I think has played at or above expectations. And to me, led by B.J. Hill, who's playing well above what my expectations were coming into that game. And this, really, this year, I think he's really stepped up for this season. Crazy when you get all those guys back healthy, how much of a difference that's made going from three guys playing a lion's share of the snaps who are no longer playing on Sundays to the rotation they have a defensive tackle. Hard to overstate how much of a difference that has made. But another part of the difference you could argue is that they've played two of the worst offenses in the NFL, at least without Malik neighbors in New York.

Starting point is 00:24:19 I know they had a decent game against Seattle the week prior, but a couple of teams that don't inspire a ton of confidence with their quarterback play this year. The Brown's using three different quarterbacks in this game. How do you think things are looking overall? You take a big picture view. You consider the quality of competition. You consider that the health of guys are turning, losing Dax Hill to an injury, of course, and that change at corner to DJ Turner. Luana Rumo in terms of getting guys into positions to make plays and getting guys into positions

Starting point is 00:24:48 to be able to execute at a high level. How does that look from a big picture perspective to you over the last two weeks? And what are your takeaways there as far as how sustainable that bit of success has been? They've done a great job defending the run against these teams that don't really have a quarterback that's worth attacking. But I do think, so I would give the defensive performance overall the past two weeks, great. But I think you just see a little bit of the cracks in the armor, just like guys running wide open to Sean Watson checking it down on 3 and 14. DTR, not able to hit anything throwing the ball, the overthrows. They made good on that overthrow.

Starting point is 00:25:24 they made good on the tip balls. They got two interceptions that way. But, you know, it just feels like if they faced a good quarterback, would they still have these level of performances? And that I don't know. And I almost actually think you started to see that with James. Where when he came in there, he was willing to attack those windows, willing to throw the ball to the open guys that are down the field.

Starting point is 00:25:43 And even hitting guys that were open, they dropped the ball. So it could have been even better when you look at Jerry Judy. So I think it was good the past two weeks. But I don't think you could rest on that. Be like, oh, the defense is good. Okay. So once the offense gets good, it'll be just both good units going forward. To me, I see the cracks in the armor on this defense where this offense still might have to score a lot of points if they're onto a quarterback that's willing to take these shots and throw into these windows, where I think guys are sometimes running open. Now I always give benefit for the down. The ball's not thrown, so we don't know if the corner could have recovered. But at the same time, it looks open to me.

Starting point is 00:26:17 And I'm not a quarterback, but it looks like there's opportunities for them. Yeah, I think my expectation. really hasn't changed over the past couple of weeks. It's like, all right, now they're healthy. Just be competent on defense. Make a couple of plays. Now, when you're facing a bad quarterback, it needs to be more than a couple of plays. But make some plays, force a couple of turnovers.

Starting point is 00:26:38 That's great. That's what this offense needs. And I think most weeks, the offense is still going to be what the straw that stirs the drink, even though the past couple of weeks it's been unique. And there's always good pass rushers, but the past two weeks, it's been pretty unique. road, the Browns, we know the Thorne and the side that they've been on this offense, continue to be still, quite frankly. So I think that's kind of where I'm at.

Starting point is 00:27:04 Like, do I expect them to shut down the Eagles? Like, no. I think the Eagles should be able to score points on Sunday. The three road wins for the Bengals this year are an interesting note. Overcoming a couple of good defensive lines on the road, Owen Ford at home. Oh, yeah, going forward home. Wow. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:27:25 Wow. And in a year where they only have eight home games to nine road games, they're halfway through their home schedule with five road games ago. Am I doing that math right? Yeah, I am. Mike, before we wrap up on the defense, thoughts on safety play the last couple of weeks. This has been a area of the defense. No, they're 0 and 3 at home.

Starting point is 00:27:50 Kansas City is on the road. Yes, very much. Oh, that's right. Yep. Names and numbers for Jake. It's names and numbers now. It's symbols this time. Reading at symbols on the schedule that I'm looking at on ESPN.

Starting point is 00:28:05 It sounds like reading's the issue. Reading while trying to talk. Yeah. Multitasking. Humans not good at it despite what you might believe. Wanted to get to the safeties while we are on the topic of the defense before we tangent entirely into my inability to multitask. while talking.

Starting point is 00:28:27 The level of safety played the last couple of weeks, Mike, after it was a high level of scrutiny for this defense this year, Geno Stone, of course, sustains an injury. Hopefully that's not as bad as it seems. It sounds like it's not as bad as it seemed. Von Bell, also a little bit dinged up in this game. Jordan Battle getting 19 snaps in this game, even on the field a little bit before those injuries toward the end of the game.

Starting point is 00:28:52 What were your thoughts on safety play the last couple of weeks? weeks. Yeah, I thought it was better, especially, especially this week. Last week, I thought it was good, like solid level play. I think Jordan Battle does a good job when he gets in there, doesn't get in there enough to really have a huge takeaway, but enough to be like, okay, I want to see more. And this game was, I thought Gina Stone's best game. Yeah, he came in with that interception. He was also the guy that sniffed out that reverse pass flea flicker thing and was able to get over the top on that, not allow that to happen. I felt like he actually came down. and made some plays and run support.

Starting point is 00:29:27 He came off the roof of the defense when he needed to. It just overall, it always feels weird judging safetys because they have such a small sample size of balls being thrown at them. But this is one of those games where it actually looked like Dino Stone was really improving in this defense, getting into it, coming into his own. So it's kind of sad to see him go down with an injury. Maybe it's not as serious as it looked, and it's what seems like in the locker room, whatever. Von Bell, you know, done his job.

Starting point is 00:29:52 I think he's not like a liability out there but he's also the lack of athleticism does show up at times and I would like to see a little bit more Jordan battle but I think you can't complain about the safety play the past two weeks and especially this week yeah they need

Starting point is 00:30:09 they need those guys especially Gino, Rankins like these guys that they came in that they paid to come in to make an impact they missed that early on and so it was nice to see Gino makes in place for sure. Hopefully it's not too bad. Yeah. I think getting healthy on the defensive line has made a big difference the last

Starting point is 00:30:28 couple of weeks. I think the quality of competition has made a big difference the last couple of weeks. The rotation on the defensive line has been nice to see with really just Trey Hendrickson and B.J. Hill playing slightly more snaps than you would ideally like to see them play, but they're also your best players creating the most disruption. So you understand why they're on the field. And they're doing a good job, honestly, of giving Trey as many pass rushing opportunities as possible. 44 pass rushing snaps to 12 run defense snaps according to PFF charting on Sunday. So you like to see that kind of split for a guy who, yes, he's okay as a run defender. Don't get me wrong, but the clear strength there is getting him on the field in situations where he can pin his ears back.

Starting point is 00:31:07 That's going to do it, though, for this episode. You can find Mike again at Bengals underscore Sands on Twitter where he's got a bunch of the clips, probably have a bunch of plays that we talked about. If you want to go get a visual aid, probably should have said that at the beginning of the show. and you can find his writing as well at Bengals Talk S-I podcast. It's always game day in Cincinnati for Mike, which you can find, what, a couple days a week, right?

Starting point is 00:31:29 As well. And that's going to do it, like I said, for this episode of the Locked-on Bengals podcast. Until next time, thanks for listening. Ho-Day. And have a good one.

Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Looking for trends in 2 rocky weeks of Cincinnati Bengals offensive, and strong defensive performances

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