Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - The 2025 Cincinnati Bengals might have the WORST DEFENSE EVER | Bengals lose despite 42 points scored

Episode Date: November 3, 2025

The Cincinnati Bengals defense is somehow still trending in the wrong direction and could finish the year as the worst defense in NFL history. Jake Liscow and James Rapien break down another embarrass...ing effort from the defense, and a loss that felt all too similar to 2024 despite an onside kick recovery, a kickoff return TD, and a blocked FG. Joe Flacco gutted through an AC joint sprain for another huge game highlighted by more Tee Higgins dominance, but it's all a footnote to a pathetic defense that couldn't stop anything the Bears wanted to do, from Kyle Monongai running the ball to Caleb Williams catching multiple successful passes.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!BILTTurn your rent into rewards and start earning points around your neighborhood by going to https://joinbilt.com/lockedonnfl.Supply HouseJoin the free TradeMaster program today and score serious perks like priority shipping, lower prices, and a dedicated support line. Visit https://SupplyHouse.com to sign up for free and use promo code SHNFL5 for 5% off your first order.PelotonLet yourself run, lift, flex, and push forward. Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ today at https://www.onepeloton.com.PrizePicksDownload the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/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.FanDuelRight now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app.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 2025 Cincinnati Bengals defense legitimately has a good shot to go down as the worst defense in NFL history. Let's break it down. You are locked on Bengals, your daily Cincinnati Bengals podcast. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. What up Bengals fans and welcome to another episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast. I'm Jake Liscoe. He is James Rapine and we are part of the Lockdown Podcast Network here on Lockdown Bengals. your team every day covering the Cincinnati Bengals going back to 2016
Starting point is 00:00:40 through the lows and the high as the Super Bowl run and whatever it is, we're seeing this year from a defense that is truly the worst that I have ever seen the Cincinnati Bengals field and could go down as the worst all time, if not one of the worst all time, as things are still trending in the wrong direction, getting much worse after we thought they might have found something approximating the bottom against a terrible Jets offense. The Bengals lose.
Starting point is 00:01:06 They drop to 3 and 6 heading into their by week. They lose 47 to 42. And Joe Flacco goes for 470 yards passing. Doesn't matter. Seven different receivers catch a ball for 20 plus yards. Doesn't matter. The Cincinnati Bengals defense, when they did get stops,
Starting point is 00:01:24 had penalties that erase those stops. Just terrible. I am out of words, James, for how bad this defense is. I have stats that we can. reference and I'll get to those, but I have no words for how truly repugnant this Bengals defenses. Yeah, pathetic joke. I think I joked, I think I joked last week. Like, oh, yeah, they couldn't tackle me. No, they can't tackle me. They can't tackle anyone. They, it's an
Starting point is 00:01:52 embarrassment is what it is. And we can talk about blame and all the high level stuff and how the roster's built and all of those things. But like, fine. They're not the best run defense in the world. and they're not going to get after the passer. Can you tackle a backup running back? Can you not let a rookie tight end who I was super high on pre-draft score not just his first, but his second touchdown in his NFL career and do it when you just bring him down to the ground? Like that's what's wild to me is like the basic, the most basic thing that is so simple. That isn't X as and O's based.
Starting point is 00:02:36 It has nothing to do with like scheme or like it's it's just as simple as and sometimes it comes down to the person, but it's simple as I'm going to get you down because it's my job to get you down and that's it. And I can't believe that they can't even do that. Like that's such a basic thing. All right, you're within arm's reach. I'm going to make sure that you don't get past me. Like that's such a simple thing.
Starting point is 00:03:06 Of course there are times when you have mistackles. But for it to be this thing that's over and over and over. And obviously I'm referencing the game winning touchdown. Like that should have been impossible for Jordan Battle to let that happen. Like impossible. Because of the situation, because of what they've been through, because of all those things, he should have been willing to scratch claw, face mask, horse collar, like anything. Like anything possible to not let Colston Lovelland score.
Starting point is 00:03:36 that's what he should have done because that's an issue that they've had. And so that's one of many. Look, I cannot believe that they, I mean, if they could just be competent, competent tackling team that does a few things okay on defense, they'd be five and four right now. And they would have won three straight. And the offense would have scored 80 points in two weeks. And Joe Flacko would have put up 42 in a career.
Starting point is 00:04:07 rear high with AC joint sprint and everyone would be tough they would be one of the the toasts of the league right now where they're right there with Pittsburgh even with Lamar coming back for Bolt right there with Pittsburgh in the AFC North and instead it's like all right well you you have the the one side of it where I think the offense they're like well what what the heck can we do and you have Chase Brown saying we'll finish the bleep and game and he's right finish the bleeping game after you score 15 points on like a minute of real time, minute of game time, excuse me. To basically it felt like the football gods were going to give the Bengals a gift after they
Starting point is 00:04:46 blew it last week and give them a chance. And the defense said, no, we're that bad, Jake. They said, no, sorry football gods, we're so bad that you're not going to be able to give us this win because we're that bad. That's how it felt in a few hours after the conclusion of that game. I think you're right. They had a point in this game. What's crazy to me?
Starting point is 00:05:12 Out of many things. We're going to be saying that a lot today. Crazy. Crazy. Unbelievable. There's a point in this game where they could have had stops on three out of four Bears' drives to start the game. But they get an illegal contact penalty on a third and ten sack.
Starting point is 00:05:28 Yep. Would have gotten the Bengals off the field. Pretty bad call. Whatever. You put yourself in a position where they can throw the flag because you contact the receiver. down to get a miss field goal attempt from Cairo Santos. Toucher off sides.
Starting point is 00:05:44 Chicago goes forward off fourth down, scores a touchdown. It's supposed to touchdown on both of those strads after you could have had punts. And then the bears miss a field goal, graciously. So that could have been three stops for the Cincinnati Bengals defense early in this game. After that, nothing. They forced one punt. Is that right? One punt, which Charlie Jones caught.
Starting point is 00:06:07 on the three yard line running toward his own pylon, where there are two punts, getting one? There was two punts because there was one on the Bears after the interception on their goal line that they put. That's right, two puns. One of them I thought was a garbage time punt. I'd already recorded our post game short,
Starting point is 00:06:22 like, man, this defense is the worst. And then they have that miracle. They score a quick touchdown. They recover an odd side kick because a Bears player couldn't get out of the way and kick the ball. And the Bears fans watching the game. I think, man, here we go again. this team, but no, the Bengals are this team.
Starting point is 00:06:42 Here's why the Bengals are this team. In the last 25 years, we've talked about this, out of over 800 defense, Cincinnati Bengals are now the worst defense in the last 25 years in point for game allowed. They're the second worst defense in the last 25 years in yards for game allowed. They're the second worst defense in the last 25 years in EPA per play. They are the fourth worst defense in the last 25 years in the last 25 years in yards per play allowed and the fourth worst defense in the last 25 years
Starting point is 00:07:11 in yards per carryout. And the crazy thing about that, as we continue to use that phrase, is that it keeps getting worse and will continue to get worse until substantial changes occur. Because like you said, they can't tackle, they don't know where they're supposed to be, they're getting blown off the line of scrimmage, there's no pass brush to speak of, they're too slow,
Starting point is 00:07:33 they're too slow to process, they're not physical enough, they're laughing and leaving the locker room. What can you say about this defense that would be any reason to believe it won't continue in the trajectory it is heading, which is in a year of the 25 Dallas Cowboys defense exists, this 25 Bengals defense very much on track to be the worst in the last 25 years, if not NFL history. I haven't even looked at the Cowboys stats.
Starting point is 00:08:04 I would take their defense over the Bengals defense. don't even need to look this year's whatever you know i maybe i'm crazy and maybe it's all well they didn't have trey hendricks hendricks and shmendricks i don't care i don't care who you have i'll go to st-zavier high school down the street we go to mason high school ed hill winn woods guess what they'll tackle they'll hit they'll be physical they'll say all right caleb williams is in front of me guess what i'm going to do not let him pass me like sometimes it really is that simple. And he's not Michael Vick.
Starting point is 00:08:40 He's not Lamar Jackson. He's athletic, but go hit him. Go run through him. And you mentioned the laughing element. And I wasn't there for this. I wasn't there. I wasn't the one asking, hey, Jordan, do you want to talk? Or, hey, T.J.
Starting point is 00:08:54 Or, do you want to talk? But I was there for Jamar Chase, who it's the worst. I hate having to interview Jamar after a game like this when he quietly has over 100 yards. He quietly has a really good game. You don't realize it doesn't feel impactful like that. And yet they score 42 points, 35 with the, and then the Charlie Jones return.
Starting point is 00:09:20 And it should be enough. And Jamar Chase has had his heart ripped out. And he wants to say, man, bleep these stupid bleepers that won't just tackle. Just do basic stuff. I'm down here blocking like crazy for T. Higgins in the first half, just trying to get every inch and scratch and claw and everything we can get. And these guys won't do basic things. I guarantee you he wants to say that.
Starting point is 00:09:43 I don't know that. That's me saying something that Jamar, I don't think, has ever said in front of a camera or to a media member on or off record. And guess what? I think that's what he wants to say. And guess what he still does? He talks to the media. These other guys that aren't doing their job that are failing. And everybody on defense has failed.
Starting point is 00:10:00 Every single guy. Every single one of them. they're laughing? That's unacceptable. I think there's more there. I think there's a ton more on this defense on this offense. And man, really, really frustrating after the Bengals appeared to pull off a magical comeback and win. The Bengals defense blew it.
Starting point is 00:10:21 We'll continue the conversation coming up next. Today's show was brought to you by friends over there at Peloton. Look, folks, it's time to break through the busiest time of the year with a brand new Peloton cross-training, Tread Plus that's powered by Peloton IQ. It's Peloton's most elevated technology and equipment yet that gives you real-time guidance and it gives you endless ways to move, whether you want to work out by yourself or if you want to work out with your favorite instructor, like my personal favorite, Alex Toussaint. He always gets me fired up to tackle the day. And the thing I like about Peloton, it helps me achieve more in less times. They have features that help you plan, stay motivated, track your progress. And Peloton IQ also provides personalized workout plans and recommendations. That's something that I use right now during the busiest time of the year covering the NFL. They plan my workouts for me based on my mood, my vibe, and also my favorite instructors. So make sure you check it out and use it because it also helps you correct your form in real time. And it maximizes your reps.
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Starting point is 00:12:46 We've got to just keep ripping this defense. I don't know how you don't going into the bi-week. Here's another stat. There's so many stats. Give them. Give them to me. Because I haven't heard of yet. I haven't heard of yet.
Starting point is 00:12:59 Go ahead. Because I've been tracking, right? And I'm going to continue to track. like how they compared to the last 25 years. This is a next-gen stats stat. The Bengals missed 15 tackles, according to next-gen stats in this game, for an extra 133 yards against the Bears, including 35 yards on Colson-Levelins, game-winning 58-yard touchdown.
Starting point is 00:13:17 The Bengals entered Sunday with 94 missed tackles. For 645 yards, both of those numbers, the most in the NFL. The Bears had how many yards in this game? Was it 576? It sure was. even if you remove the yards that came after the Bengals miss tackles James the Bengals are giving up over 400 yards of offense 450 yards of offense nearly even without miss tackles
Starting point is 00:13:44 so it's everything man it's just beyond like Kyle Monong guy and the Bears fourth string running back who they signed off the practice squad this week all them making the Bengals look bad guys ended up on the ground on the other side of the formation on the defensive line and then laughing and leave it. All right, a couple things. Because I said part of that Jamar point, but we're up against the NAD break.
Starting point is 00:14:13 But Kyle Monon guy is just a guy. Let's put that out there, just a guy. So to give that up, to let that happen, can happen. It's unacceptable. And that's what I mean. I'm not trying to be mean to Kyle Minan guy. I'm sure he's a nice guy. I'll keep making the guy references.
Starting point is 00:14:27 But that defense should feel so bad. heard Dave Lapham say this a bunch. And I'm not going to pretend I know what it's like to be a player because I don't. But guess what? Dave Lapham does. And so for him, he's talked about during the really bad years, he hates taking out the trash because his neighbors can see him because it's so embarrassing. And it's so like, and I feel like I would be that way too. And so for them to laugh when their leader, when Jamar is like, wants to throw, pick up the stadium and throw it into the river, he's so mad. And then for them to laugh when they're the reason they lost, and we can say it,
Starting point is 00:15:09 they might not say it, but we could say it. The Bengals defense is costing them games right now when they have a 40-year-old quarterback playing on an AC joint throwing for career high 470 and T and Jammar doing their thing and Chase Brown trying to hurdle over guys, Chase Brown is my height, trying to jump over dudes. And like, you know what, he might be a little short of me. Like, that's crazy, right? Like, to do that.
Starting point is 00:15:29 And so all of these guys. The offensive line, I get it. They gave up some plays today. But guess what? They're busting their tail trying to keep Joe upright, trying to create holes in the run game, trying to do these things. And when they don't, they certainly don't laugh about it.
Starting point is 00:15:45 And they don't shy away from the cameras. They don't shy away from the questions. And I think that's something that they're clearly missing on that side of the ball. And I guess I was hoping it would be T.J. Slighton, I guess. Maybe BJ Hill. those guys should get scooped up by a teammate and been like, are you guys serious? And I'm like physically scooped up.
Starting point is 00:16:07 Like it should have been a thing. Are you guys, you're going to laugh now? You're going to pretend like, like they should be so distraught right now that all they're doing is going home in an embarrassed state. Because they're the reason they lost. And had they just played competent football, the Bengals would be minimum five and four.
Starting point is 00:16:25 We'd be talking about the playoffs and a lot of things would feel a lot different. And instead, they haven't held up on their end of the bargain at all. And whether it's Zach Taylor, Al Golden, obviously you can go higher with the personnel part of it. But I'm thinking like literally in season, you have a game today. It's Zach Taylor, Al Golden,
Starting point is 00:16:47 and that entire coaching staff's job to make sure that they're tackling and in the right spot and nowhere to go. And it's the player's job to make a tackle. Like when Zach Taylor says make a play, I'm not even asking for that anymore. Like once the catch happens or once you make contact with the ball carrier, just bring them down or hold him until someone can get to them. Like my expectations are so low now. And they can't even do that. That's the sad.
Starting point is 00:17:16 They can't even do that. Like Kyle Monagai runs, the second in 10 runs for 18 yards. A third and five, they run it. He gets eight yards, nine yards in the first half. Like it's just much like last week when it was like, oh, well, you're down two scores. Why don't you run it with Breece Hall with the Jets? This week it was third and medium. Third and clearly throwing down.
Starting point is 00:17:38 No, we don't need to. Second and long, second down runs work against the Bengals. It was just a joke. It was a joke. You have a quarterback catching two passes. Maybe that's why they were laughing because it was such a joke. Yeah, Caleb Williams catching a Philly special and then taking a throwback screen for a 20-yard explosive. Are you like, huh?
Starting point is 00:17:58 It's impossible. It should be impossible to do, yes. One of the many ways this defense just is a laughing stock at this point. Caleb Williams, who didn't look like he was having a particularly comfortable day in the pocket, was scrambling around in clean pockets at times, which I'm not crediting the Bengals defense here much. They did get some solid late pressures at times, but for the most part, I thought Caleb Williams was just having meltdowns in the pocket was a little bit erratic and still finish this for 8.2 yards for attempt.
Starting point is 00:18:29 And it just wastes an immense effort from the offense. Bears' defense isn't good. They're opportunistic. They had their two, three takeaways in this game. Joe Flacco throws an interception on the final play, Hail Mary, that he doesn't get anywhere close. But, you know, he had the lost fumble and the interception on the checkdown to chase around earlier in the game.
Starting point is 00:18:52 But even despite that, the offense and specialty, The special teams had a big bounce back this week outside of the DJ Avi off-size penalty on the field goal, which is its own back-breaking issue. But kickoff game, Bears starting deep in their own territory. Charlie Jones takes one back for a touchdown, good field position, many times to start drives for the Bengals offense, much better this week after I was critical of this issue last week. And we're about to talk about these efforts from a bunch of offensive players, led by Joe Flacco, playing through an injury that Zach Taylor described as him being. able to lift his arm during the week. And then he's getting treatments for it, playing through it, throwing 47 passes, taking three sacks with that injury. And none of it matters. Because your defense is laughing off, giving up 47 points. The Bengals dropped to, what, two and four
Starting point is 00:19:48 in games where they've scored 35 plus points in the last two years? One in four in games where they scored 38 plus points in the last two years. There's only one other, there's only four other teams to lose when scoring 38 points or more in the last two years. Zero teams have lost more than once in that time frame. I also want to talk about Al Golden's future. Do we expect any imminent changes? We'll get to that topic in addition to some of the standout performances on offense
Starting point is 00:20:16 that are going to inevitably be forgotten because of the game that they came in to finish the show coming up next. This show is brought to you by Fandall. The NBA is back. There's no better place to get in on that action and away from perhaps thinking about the Cincinnati Bengals than Fandle, the official sports betting partner of the NBA, the Bullskeep winning game somehow, my childhood team. And well, even if you miss the start of the game or you want to ride the hot hand, Fandle has live bets for you from anything for who's going to score next. Fourth quarter comebacks, fourth quarter comebacks with onside kicks. fourth quarter comebacks with onside kicks in a game where there's also a blocked kick and a kickoff return for touchdown.
Starting point is 00:21:00 Maybe you can't get quite that specific, but you can combine your live bets into a same game parlay for a shot at a bigger payout. It keeps every game exciting. And right now, if you're a new customer, you can get $300 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet win. So head to fandle.com to sign up and play your game with Fandul, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. All right. Before we get to the standouts, let's talk about. out let's talk about out i think that that's important to talk about i i think it's going to be a discussion that we have again tomorrow probably or at some point like it's not going to to end on i guess unless
Starting point is 00:21:38 he does get fired what's your gut tell you because they suck i really i'm stunned at how undisciplined they are and the timeliness of the penalties for example early in this game is a is a good example of it uh the the late sub on on fourth down it was fourth and six and then you have the penalty on DJ Ivy and it's fourth and one. Chamar Stewart's running onto the field super late. Like that's, coaching is a big factor there. And it's not just Al, it's the other coaches. But man, oh man, do they look scrambling at times coaching-wise to get players where they need to be and in the right spot?
Starting point is 00:22:16 So what's your gut tell you? My gut tells me that they just burn it down at the end of the season when it continues this way. But the results have been so bad. bad, that I would not be surprised if they were like, look, it's a bye week. It's really not working. We just did this terrible game against the Jets and we came back and got worse. Nothing you're doing is working. And I know you're Zach's neighbor.
Starting point is 00:22:44 Those jokes are not going to die. The coaching search, not getting out of the neighborhood. Like, you can't outrun that at this point. But if there was a time to make a move, the biweek sure does make sense to me, man. I don't know that it gets better, but I also don't think that it could be worse than what they're already doing. Like what they're doing is already continuing to snowball and get worse. And it's at the point where you have to question if they have anything left in terms of the locker room.
Starting point is 00:23:11 Is there anything in terms of respect from these players or the coaching staff at this point? You talk about players-only meetings, guys requesting trades, veterans getting benched, guys laughing after this loss. Like, how much of that is a reflection on? what's going on between the players and the coaching staff? Is that just fractured? Is that broken? I don't know. I'm asking questions on speculating, but what about your gut?
Starting point is 00:23:34 What do you think? Do you think this is like a Bengals patience thing? We're just going to deal with it in the offseason, or is there actually a Terrell Austin situation happening here? I think with the Terrell Austin situation, it was all Marvin's got it, right? It would be like if the offense was struggling. Who do you go to? And that's it.
Starting point is 00:23:53 Is who do you go to, one? Two, I do think. I think Al knows football, like talk to Al. Like I think Al knows. And I don't think that they're naive enough to think that he doesn't know football, that he just forgot how to coach. I also think that there's a reflection on Zach. And that's where you get to is,
Starting point is 00:24:13 I remember saying this a year ago when we're having these conversations about Lou. And it was like, well, fine. The head coach is the head coach. And people are going to get sick and be saying that. The head coach is the head. Zach has to fix the defense. Up to him. And he said, all right, part of that is bringing an owl.
Starting point is 00:24:30 Fine. And I get it, the Duke side and the personnel side. But a lot of what I've tried to focus on in this show isn't like, oh, well, Colston Loveland got open, right? I wasn't knocking them for that. I wasn't knocking that. I probably should. It is a problem.
Starting point is 00:24:48 Both Colston Loveland catches are problems in terms of execution. But to your point, it is more basic than that. Like, yeah, like, I've. tried to like, I can't believe you gave up a 23 yard at a Colston level. No, it's like, how the hell do you not tackle this guy? He's huge. Like, I'm not saying that we would go out there and tackle him, but my goodness, it didn't feel like they're like, like you, this defense should be playing like their lives are on the line because their football lives are on the line. From the coaching staff, which is why you brought up Al Golden to Jordan Battle. You think
Starting point is 00:25:21 Jordan Battle's tape right now in all the tackles, even with the interceptions this year. You think teams are going to just jump at him if he keeps playing like this? The sad thing is, who I thought played pretty well today, like it seemed to play with a little chip. Like you need to play with that. The sad thing is, I think they are. And they're just that bad. And the relationship with the defense and what they're trying to do as a team is just so fractured. They're not learning.
Starting point is 00:25:50 And that's the whole thing with Al Golden, right? Like he's going to come in and he's going to convey the message to the young guys. Yeah. And they're going to understand his teaching. He knows how to teach young guys. I would say that has not been the case pretty unequivocally. Yeah. It clearly hasn't been the case.
Starting point is 00:26:08 So I don't know which you, I mean, I can name a thousand different coaches in the area than how to teach tackling. And so I get it. Like you're not the most talented defense in the league. Do the simple stuff. When you don't do the simple stuff, it's a reflection on coaching. And I did ask Zach Taylor like, hey, Dese. think you could fix it. And I'm paraphrasing here, but he's like, we're going to try. Me now are going to try. I know Friday, Zach was asked about how and how, you know,
Starting point is 00:26:37 how's Al handled this week? He's just work, work, work. What he does is he works, works, works. Well, that work has not paid off. And so they have to figure that out. And however that is. And that it's such a high level conversation that this is just kind of barely even scratching the surface of what we're going to have to probably dive into this week and look into it and go down rabbit holes and discuss a bunch of stuff because you know what's crazy jake if you had told me that the offense would play the way the offense would play in much transition to that when they traded for joe flacco i would have probably bet you that they're five and four like they put themselves in position to get to five and four never thought they were winning at lamo had a nice
Starting point is 00:27:22 little flurry at the end could have stole it didn't because the defense can't stop on third and eight shocker that was little foreshadowing defense blows it against pittsburgh the offense comes back but these past two weeks like you're literally talking about like the most basic things if you do them you find a way to win and not that the offense was perfect their offensive line was perfect their skill guys were perfect like jimarchase had a drop chase had a drop jose brow was clearly bad like they weren't perfect but it doesn't matter no one's asking you to be perfect we're asking you go out there and ball they go out there and make and the offense did.
Starting point is 00:27:57 And that's why Chase Brown said, finish the bleeping game. And he's right. It's kind of at a point where you are asking the offense to be perfect, much like last year was asking Joe Burrow to be perfect. But you're asking Joe Flacco with a bulky shoulder to be perfect, which is wild and unreasonable. But despite that, he goes for 10 yards for attempted for touchdowns,
Starting point is 00:28:17 and he has one bad interception. Don't get me wrong. It's way too late on the checkdown to Chase Brown. The intentional grounding play looks, very disjointed before they miss a 54-yard kick with Evan McPherson, which is probably it's on topic. But they get 20-plus yard catches from every single receiver that caught a ball in this game. T. Higgins, Jemar Chase, Andre Yosevash, Tanner Hudson, Noah Fent, Mitch Tinsley, and Chase Brown,
Starting point is 00:28:42 all had catches for 20-plus yards in this game. Some of them multiple. Mitch Tinsley, doing the Mitch Tinsley thing, right? Tanner Hudson, one of the better balls that Joe Flacco threw in this game. Beautiful touch on that pass. Beautiful touch on the deep ball to Yoshi on the right sideline early in the game. Beautiful touch on the dropped fade ball to Jamar Chase that should have been a touchdown in the red zone. The Bengals ended up getting points there.
Starting point is 00:29:05 The offense isn't perfect like you're saying, but Joe Flacco with a shoulder that doesn't work. Throwing 47 passes getting a ton of production. T. Higgins having one of the most monstrous games you could imagine. Seven catches, 121, two touchdowns extending his home touchdown straight to nine games. And none of it matters. Like it's all just a footnote. That's so disappointing to have that kind of productive day chunking the Bears defense all game long. Yeah, they had a couple of bad plays.
Starting point is 00:29:35 Orlando Brown with a penalty and a bad rep on that strip sack. It wasn't good. Yeah, Joe Flacco threw one bad pick. There's a lot of good in this game too. And they get to 42 points. And they just get walked off on anyway. Just wildly disappointing stuff. I don't know how you survive if you're Al Golden.
Starting point is 00:29:56 Other than there's like no successor, maybe it would be Sean Desai. That's the only guy with defensive coordinator experience in the NFL on the defensive coaching staff as far as I know. Here's the thing. Man, like that. Zach isn't going to just be like, let's fire out. That's his ass too.
Starting point is 00:30:15 You know? Like it just is. Yeah. Like he said let's fire Lou. Because like the difference between this and Austin is like that was Marvin. Right? Like that's Marvin and Marvin's the defensive side of the ball. Right? This would have to be ownership saying like, hey, we need to do something different.
Starting point is 00:30:31 We're stepping. And to me, I just don't think they make that decision now. We'll see though. I think tomorrow we're going to have more. It's going to be so fluid. We'll hear from. We have the trade deadline coming up. We got reports that maybe Jay Glazer saying maybe the Bengals have softened their stance on
Starting point is 00:30:48 Trey Hendrickson a little bit and Schaefter kind of reporting the opposite. That stand should be softer than the defense. trying to guard us in space. Who wins? Jake, let's go, James Rapine, get out there, we line up. You think we get a first down? No. I think we get a couple first downs.
Starting point is 00:31:05 Might get a touchdown. I will break immediately. I don't know if you will. We will cover the trade deadline here. There are teams interesting, multiple Bengals defensive players, which is insane. But apparently there are people calling about Cam Taylor, Britt, Logan Wilson, and, of course, obviously, Drey Hendrickson,
Starting point is 00:31:26 I mean, we can talk about Duke Tobin, too. I'd be making a lot of moves. I'd be burning this thing down and resetting because this kind of team, even if Burroughs out there, like it's probably pretty different if Burroughs out there, you're probably in a different place on the defensive side of the ball, but it wasn't different last year. And so there's a very real possibility that this is exactly where the Bengals are,
Starting point is 00:31:47 even if Burroughs out there for some of these games, where the defense is doing. and what the defense did last year when Joe Burrow was out there. It's possible. We'll never know. But the fact that this is happening when you're actually getting production on offense, like inexcusable top to bottom, if I'm ownership, I'm very interested in burning it down. Maybe they wait until the offseason to do it.
Starting point is 00:32:08 Maybe they don't go far enough. That would be the fair bet judging from their history. But this is some unprecedented stuff now that's going on two years, especially defensively. I mean, I just made the joke that I think. think is at least 1% possible that the Lock-on Bengals guys would get first downs against this defense. So, yeah, it's pretty unprecedented. Trade deadline coming up. Bye week coming up. I'm going to get tackled in the locker room. I'm going to get tackled in the locker room
Starting point is 00:32:43 and it's going to be the first tackle that they actually wrap up on. Go ahead. We done yet? That's going to do it for this episode. You better get me out of here. Locked-on Bengals podcast. Until next time. Thanks for listening. And have a good one. You gotta get me out of here. You gotta get me out of here.

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