Navigated to Tony Pike's Cincy 360 Hour 3 -- 10/23/25 - Transcript

Tony Pike's Cincy 360 Hour 3 -- 10/23/25

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1

This is Tony Pike Cincy three sixty About Cincinnati from Cincinnati, sponsored in hard by Penn Station East Coast Subs Handcraft it I grilled subs, fresh cut fries and lemonade.

It's all about good taste.

Penn Station East Coast Subs orderum line Today.

This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 2

Here we go.

Speaker 3

It is the third and final hour of today's show.

Thank you for listening, thank you for being a part of it.

We'll get to your phone calls in just a few moments.

We'll check in with mo Ager as we go at the end of our number three and quick kits.

But for now, we do this each and every Thursday.

It's called Read and React.

Austin, what do we have for this week?

As it pertains to Jets the Bengals.

Speaker 4

We got four of them, Jets, insights from our friends at NFL Pro and next Jin stats.

Speaker 2

Are you prepared?

Let's go?

All right?

Speaker 4

Let's start with Jamar Chase and T Higgins.

Jama, Jamar and T have each averaged over twice as many receptions per game and receiving yards per game with Joe Flacco as the starter.

Then with Jake Browning as the starter, Chase has averaged one hundred and one hundred and twenty seven point five receiving yards per game.

He had sixty one with Browning.

Higgins has averaged seventy nine receiving yards per game with Flacco as the starter.

He had twenty three with Browning.

Speaker 3

Man your reaction, I go back immediately to what we heard from Joe Flacco today talking about he's still learning, he's still working on the calls, but his goal is to play fast and simplify things at the very simplest form, Austin, what gives you, as a quarterback on the Bengals the most chance to succeed.

Get the ball out of your hands, Get the ball out of your hands and throw it to those two guys.

And as lucrative as it's been for Jamar Chase, and you could argue it's helped Jamar more than anyone, how big has this been for T Higgins?

You said twenty three yards per game with Jake Browning, twenty three yards per game with Jake Browning to the guy you just gave that contract to.

Like that to me, this is I think a good spot for T Higgins.

Jamar AFC Offensive Player of the Week sixteen catches, twenty three targets.

Saus Gardner likely not going to play in this game.

You're down your starting corner.

You're not going to go man against Jamar Chase.

You're gonna send help to him.

I think Austin this is a big week for T Higgins.

Joe Flaccoll understands double teams.

He obviously understands brackets and what defense are trying to take away.

Speaker 2

I think this is.

Speaker 3

One of those vintage T Higgins game where a lot of the attention goes to Chase and Higgins thrives.

Speaker 2

Well.

Speaker 4

You mentioned man coverage.

That's the subject of our next insight.

The Jets have played man coverage at the seventh highest rate in the NFL oh thirty five point eight percent of the time, and they have allowed six point nine yards per play when they are in man coverage.

That's the seventh highest amount of yards per play.

Entering Week seven, Jamar Chase was targeted on just twenty one percent of his routes against man coverage, and he averaged less than a yard per route, the third lowest mark among receivers with at least fifty routes.

Run against man coverage this season.

However, in Week seven, Chase was targeted on half of his routes against man coverage, twelve targets on twenty four routes, totaling eight catches for seventy six yards and a touchdown against man coverage.

Speaker 3

I think so much of the the struggles of Chase.

I hate to do it because it's the easy target, but I put more on Jake Browning ball placement, timing, when the ball's coming out.

I look more at what Chase did last week.

And we've mentioned a lot.

Why did Pittsburgh stay in man to man?

Maybe because Pittsburgh was going off those insights as well.

Maybe that's what they were reading into and they obviously didn't react during the game.

Look, it doesn't matter manner zone.

Jamar is going to have success.

It's just how can you mitigate that success that he has.

What I think is interesting, Austin, you said the Jets play man at the seventh highest rate.

That's correct, but they allow the seventh most yards per play win in man.

Speaker 4

Correct And as you mentioned a moment ago, I'm I'm gonna have Sauce Gardner this week more than more than likely not gonna happen.

Speaker 3

Yeah, by all reasons, then that number has to go way down.

You would think there's no way, there's no way, seeing what the Bengals did against Man last week, knowing that you might be without so and you're giving up the seventh most yards per playing man, no chance you go against this Bengals team and Joe Flacco and play man.

Speaker 4

And after what we saw last week, especially towards the end of the game, if you go man, I mean, Flacco's just gonna tuck it and run.

Speaker 3

It's just gonna take off.

You turn your back to him, that's it.

Blink a couple times and he's gone.

Two more.

Let's go to the defensive side of the ball.

In Week seven, without Trey Hendrickson, the Bengals averaged a time to pressure of three point two seconds, their longest time to pressure of the season and nearly half a second longer than their average entering the week, which was two point seven to four.

Entering Week seven, Hendrickson accounted for twenty four point seven percent of the Bengals pressures, generating twenty total.

Joseph Osai now leads the team with twenty one pressures entering Week eight.

The next closest Bengals defender is bj Hill, who has generated ten pressures.

I think that encapsulates every single thing we've talked about this week about the Bengals defense and where they struggle.

Speaker 2

For what it's worth.

Speaker 3

The average time to pressure in the NFL is about two point eight seconds.

A quick pressure is defined in the NFL is two point five seconds.

To put that into perspective, the average time to throw in a clean pocket for quarterbacks about one point four seconds.

So three point two zero not good enough.

What was more demoralizing about the three point two zero Austin is it came against Aaron Rodgers, forty one years old, not nearly as mobile as he used to, and he was able to stand in the pocket and dance around as long as he wanted.

That is a staggering, staggering statistic, and it's an indictment on everyone on this defensive line not named Trey Hendrickson.

And we did talk Joseph Osias twelfth in the NFL in pressures.

He's not getting home nearly enough.

They're just not putting multiple pressures together.

On any given play.

You might get one guy to win, you might not.

They rushed three a lot last week.

Also, Austin, does you you watch a lot of football?

I watch a lot of football.

Do you see as any other teams dropping defensive ends and linemen into coverage as much as we see from the Bengals.

Speaker 4

I don't know if i'd say I see it as much.

Speaker 3

I do see it, You'll see it, but not I mean that much is incredible.

Speaker 4

I know Joe Berry, who was one of my biggest fears on Planet Earth last year at the Bengals hiring Joe Berry.

Yeah, I think he's with the Dolphins now that he used to do that a lot with the Packers.

Speaker 2

But no, I don't.

Speaker 4

I don't see it as much maybe as I do with the Bengals.

And again, I think that is a reflection of the personnel.

Speaker 3

Yeah, there's I think Al Golden is trying to figure something out.

Yeah, you can tell that by personnel.

You could tell by scheme.

You can tell by who they're starting and who they're benching.

They're they're just I like that they're operating with urgency, but there's not a lot of rhyme or reason to back it up.

Speaker 4

Right now, And going back to the conversation with John Sheer, and I asked if he thinks the Bengals should blitz more just because of how much they have struggled to get home.

And I think it's difficult when you don't have a ton of faith in Geno Stone to be in the right position and Jordan Battle to be in the right position, Cam Taylor Britt and Josh Newton and Marco Wilson and that disaster on that side of the field.

You really have confidence in Dax Hill and DJ Turner.

That's like the only people you feel confident and especially if you're gonna be playing two rookie linebackers, and so that makes it more difficult to blitz.

One of your best blitzers is Dax Hill, and do you really want to take him out of coverage.

So it is again looking at the personnel that the Bengals have.

This is beating a dead horse over and over and over again.

But it's a fact of the matter.

They don't have good enough players to be able to do exactly what al Golden wants to do or maybe what would be best for the defense.

Yeah, final one, and to your previous point about a potential get right game for this defense, the Jets starting offensive line of Fashanu, Simpson, Myers and Tipman and membu Oh has played a league high ninety seven point four percent of plays together.

Wow, this season some continuity on that line.

However, they have allowed of pressure on nearly half of the Jets dropbacks forty nine point eight percent of dropbacks.

That's the second highest mark among offensive line combinations who have played at least one hundred snaps together.

Speaker 3

Well, if not this week, then win because you know we've said a lot of the year Austin Shamar Stewart Legacy game.

Well, we've set a lot of the season just bad matchups, bad matchups.

This isn't a bad matchup.

This is a matchup where you should be able to win more often than not.

And if you go up against an offensive line who is giving up pressures on nearly half of their dropbacks and you can't find a way to get home consistently on Sunday, I don't know how you figure it out.

If you're out Golden with the current roster makeup, you would have to go get help because there's nothing that can overcome a like that.

And I think the reason they highlight the continuity, there's a a lot of offensive lines where you're just rotating guys and you're trying to figure out the five, you're dealing with injuries.

These guys have been together and they still stink like you gotta win.

You got to win matchups this weekend, Let's read and react Bengals Jets.

Let's react to what a.

Speaker 2

Phone call has to say.

John is calling in.

What's up?

Speaker 5

John?

Speaker 2

Good afternoon, how are you.

Speaker 6

We're hanging in there.

That clip that you retweeted yesterday with Flacco was awesome.

He is such a likable feels like just a normal guy that goes through things like any forty year old with kids and the wife and the career and kind of juggling at all.

And I think he's a breath the fresh air.

And I really hope that he stays on as a backup going forward, even in the next year, because I think it'd be great for Joe Burrow to have a veteran quarterback like that who in a pinch can come in for a game.

Speaker 2

Or half and do such a great job.

Speaker 6

But also maybe to be kind of like a big brother to him and maybe talk some sense into him in terms of, you know, look, it's better that you get under center somewhat.

This offense is very quarterback friendly and this is to keep you upright and look at what we can do with you on hundred center rather than just being in the gun.

And I know compared Burrow a lot to Brady.

He's got a little Aaron Rodgerson too, in terms of he's extremely smart, maybe a little stubborn, and do we know smart people could be tough to move off of the way they feel.

So maybe this could be a breath the fresh year and get him to be a little bit more simplified in the offense.

He talked about that with flack of simple and quick.

Well, I would like to see more of that when number nine comes back, because I think at times not that he complicates things, but he's so bright.

If he's playing chess and everybody else is playing checkers, what good does it do?

You know?

It would help that they were all on the same page.

So I think Flaco could be a guy going forward to be kind of like a conduit of assistant coach who's won a Super Bowl, and you know, the quarterbacks respect each other more so than say the coaches or anyone else.

I think he'd be a valuable, valuable weapon going forward.

And one final thing Tony is obviously you guys comment on this.

The whole idea of you have to turn your back when you're under center.

I mean, I'm ancient.

You go back and look at some of the old quarterbacks.

They would be under center and then they would take the snap and then they would go back parallel to the offensive mind they would still be surveying the entire field while looking at it rather than turning your back off.

So, I mean it's something that we don't see a lot now with quarterbacks, but it is an option.

I get that when you're going to run play action, you do at some point I have to turn to fake to the handoff.

But even if you're in the center and you don't have a run play action, that is also an option.

You go back to look at old Terry Bradshaw stuff and then they did it then and you know, a five step drop.

I think that that's something that could also work.

Speaker 3

Yeah, I'm I'm one hundred percent with you, and I do agree.

The mentorship John, thank you for the call.

I I want to dive into that here.

The mentorship Austin I think is so valuable for Burrow because we've heard in the last couple of years Burrow talking about, you know, taking on more role as a leader, you know, kind of getting out of his comfort zone.

It's not like Flacco is this like uber, out going guy, but he's just got this sense about him that, you know, I think there's.

Speaker 2

A little bit of resemblment like that.

Speaker 3

They call Burrow Joe cool for a reason as well, you know, just never never able to affect them and pressure always keeping the same mentality.

But I think there is a lot and I'm not just talking about what's on the field, and that could be vital as well, but I think there's a lot that Joe Burrow could take in and learn from a guy like Joe Flacco as his backup.

Speaker 2

Yeah.

Speaker 4

I mean what I think about, and you would know much better than me, is what are those meetings like, Oh yeah, you know, the meetings in the quarterback room with you know, having him to lean on if you're Joe Burrow or Jake Browning or whoever, is critical because you got Zach Taylor in there, and he's just a smidge older than Joe Flacco.

Speaker 2

Right.

Speaker 4

Brad Cragthorpe's the quarterbacks coach.

He's thirty three years old, Dan Pitcher's thirty eight years Joe Burrow is twenty seven or twenty eight or whatever it is, and obviously the other guy.

Speaker 2

So like, there's not.

Speaker 4

That you know, being an older person automatically makes you better at the at the job or gives you a leg up, because age oftentimes doesn't matter, but agent experience do.

Though experience does.

And having been there, done that, and gone throughout your career in so many different ways and stops and places and offenses and people, just that as a resource in and of itself is helpful now and will be helpful in the future.

With Joe Burrow's the quarterback, or if Joe Flacco.

Speaker 3

Is the quest I think the point that John brought up, like, hey, you know, I never like to go under center either, but this has really opened some things up for me.

Speaker 2

You should try it.

Speaker 3

Or man, we ran this, We ran this concept eight years ago, and I ran this twelve years ago.

We ran this in the Super Bowl.

Like they don't have anyone on this staff that can have that conversation with Burrow.

Speaker 4

Or even if Joe Burrow is like, hey, I don't I've never loved turning my back to the defense.

How do you deal with that?

Those are the questions Joe should be asking Flacco, yep.

And it's like, why do you feel more comfortable turning your back to the defense and how do you like what do you base that off of?

Or where do your eyes go or how do you approach this?

And again this is not saying Joe Flacco is a better quarterback, but it's like, oh, there's a different way of doing things.

Speaker 3

I think there's something to be said Austin along the same lines of Andy Dalton with Bryce Young.

Different stages, sure, but you know, Bryce Young sang the praises of Andy Dalton of the role that he played in the leadership, and when asked, Dalton went in and did the job.

But you know, with a guy like Flacco, if your burl like, you're not looking over your shoulder, you're not worried about him taking your job.

But and again I don't want to make this take a shot at Jake Browning.

How much can Joe really lean on Jake and say, hey, Jake, what do you think here?

What do you see?

Have you seen this before?

Like you just can't do that with Joe Flacco you can, and I think that just makes so much sense for this organization.

Uh, let's take Mike is calling in as well.

What's up, Mike, Hey, what's going on?

Speaker 7

Guys?

I was just sitting here thinking, what a whirlwind for for Joe Flecko.

I mean, he gets bingch for Dylan Gabriel.

He's the man here, an eyes on podcast.

Everywhere I turned on social media he is talking on when in fit story he's got clipped from his uh from his uh interviews going on.

His media days are posted all over the place.

I mean, his kids are probably, you know, just soaking it all up.

But just so much going on with him right now, just right back in the limelight.

Just amazing what just happened in a couple of weeks for this guy.

Speaker 3

Yeah, and again, I just think he I think the reason it's coming across that way is he is just one relatable, but two he's just he just seems like a guy who's genuinely grateful and living in the moment and very appreciative of where he's at.

And nothing's too big for him.

He's not big time in anyone.

He it's he's just kind of savoring the moment.

That he's in and I think for a lot of people it just make him It makes them so relatable.

Speaker 7

Yeah, he's really enjoying himself for sure.

All Right, y'all have a good afternoon.

Speaker 3

Mike, appreciate it, man, Thank you.

All right, a break, come back.

Let's switch gears just a little bit.

Speaker 2

Austin.

Speaker 3

Yesterday it was Big twelve media day.

We talked to Kegan Nicholson.

We did not hear any of Wes Miller from yesterday.

We have about five minutes of that.

We'll get to that next on the Home of the Bengals, ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 2

Now your chance.

Speaker 8

To win up theton Cincy three sixty is back on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 3

Welcome back since e three sixty ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Misspoke, Austin Moe is not in today.

That's correct, right, Chad Brendle, who's in today?

Speaker 2

Correct?

I just saw Chad a moment ago, So Chad is in for quick hits today.

Speaker 3

Chad Brendle quick hits more talking about the Bearcats coming up this afternoon.

By the way, Brendan Soorsby leads the Big twelve in total QBR and PFF reigning.

He also leads the country in total touchdowns.

Just throwing that out there, Brendan Sowersby doing big things for the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Obviously, it's a Bearcat team Bowl eligible for the fifteenth time in twenty years.

You see right now in conference games, leads the Big Twelve in scoring thirty six per game.

Baylor is number two in that as well.

Baylor is a team though, that has scored two defensive touchdowns and can throw it around.

They lead the nation in passing.

Brendan Sowersby is tied nationally with Baylor's ear I'm sorry, leads now because they moved one of the rushing touchdowns to a passing touchdown.

Swersby's twenty four touchdowns one behind Baylor and their quarterback Robertson, who's got twenty three touchdowns.

That's number one and number two in the nation.

So it's going to be a good one on Saturday between the Baylor Bears and the UC Bearcats.

It's also going to be good to be able to see more of the Cincinnati Bearcats coming up.

Their season just ready to get underway.

I believe November three is the first official game of the season.

But before that, the Bearcats are in Arkansas.

They take on John jan John Calipari's Arkansas Razorbacks.

That is an exhibition that's going to take place tomorrow night as well.

And for the UC basketball program, I believe much different than the vibes that we have discussed with Xavier yesterday.

Doesn't feel like a get in the tournament and it's a success.

It feels like get in the tournament and figure out a way to win a game in the tournament for Wes Miller.

This year, for the UC Bearcats, they have already lost Big Slime.

They're projected one of their projected big man's no timetable on his return.

But this is a talented roster.

They need to win and they need to win now.

Wes Miller caught up with folks at Big twelve media day yesterday.

Here's a couple of minutes of what Wes had to say.

Speaker 9

The depth of the league.

Speaker 10

It's not just great at the top, which it is, it's great all the way through.

There's unbelievable coaching, there's unbelievable players.

Speaker 9

There's a lot of older players in this league.

I mean, you get.

Speaker 10

Guys in their fourth and fifth year that are old, tough, talented and smart.

And then this year we're going to have so many great young players as a part of that.

It's awesome though, Like there's challenges every single night, but it's an awesome opportunity every night.

Speaker 9

I think more than anything, after.

Speaker 10

Two years, there's just a better perspective of how to prepare for it, and I think that's what we've been excited as we attack our preseason at Cincinnati.

Speaker 11

I just happened to be at Cincinnati last week for two days and spend time with this gentleman and was very impressed with the team depth.

You lost a player in Jalen Haynes, but you have so much depth this year.

How will that impact how you play?

Trying to play with the unbelievable pace.

We've always wanted to try to push the pace as a program.

This should be the fastest we've ever played.

I mean that we've done that throughout our summer and our preseason, and some of its depth, some of it is our personnel.

You don't bring kerk Crisha to your team if you don't want to play fast.

I mean, he wants to play fast every possession, but He also makes people want to play fast with him because he advances the ball so well.

Speaker 9

So I think pace will be big.

Speaker 10

We're going to be trying to be very connected on both sides of the floor, and it's intentional, like we're not just saying be a connected group.

We're trying to be intentional about it from day one.

And then there's an aggressive We're at Cincinnati, there's an aggressive approach to our community when it comes to sports.

Speaker 9

We're going to be an aggressive team.

Speaker 10

So whether that's being aggressive offensively, being aggressive on the offensive glass, making sure we do some things to make our defense more aggressive, and I think we have the versatility defensively to do that as well.

Speaker 12

You talked about pace at times last year your offense got stuck.

How is this year's roster difference just besides pace?

What are the pieces look like that make you believe that when the game does get slowed down or gets tightened up in conference play, your guys are going to execute in those moments.

Speaker 10

We had our first exhibition and it's just an exhibition, and you guys know the stuff that don't count in October, but we scored one hundred.

I don't know if we could have scored a hundred against anybody last year.

Speaker 9

So I think we have much more skill across the board.

Speaker 10

I think we have more decision making just with some of the pieces that were added.

So I think we can generate offense in different ways.

We can play through the post with Mustapha Cha.

I mean, he can score down there and that's been exciting because he's evolving as this young player.

But you can throw it to him and he can do things over both shoulders.

Jalen Haynes was a guy we were going to do that with a lot.

But we can score in the front court Baba Miller, through the post, we can generate through pick and roll, or through space.

We can generate with cutting, and then we have a lot more shooting as well.

And you know, listen, I want to get easy ones early in the clock and we're going to really try to push the pace.

I think that's where we can be different in all those areas.

Speaker 13

And then you've got a good returner in Dana Thomas returning with some big twelve experience fifty games that he's played there with.

Cincinnati gets the extra year with the JUCO grandfathered in a clause, What does he bring back and how important is it to have him?

Speaker 10

And Fran knows this, But every question about Dada Thomas makes me smile and makes.

Speaker 9

Me appreciate the question what he means.

Speaker 10

Like somebody said, you don't have many returners, We have three, but Dada's worth three himself.

I mean, he's been in our program now for two years, he's played two years in the Big Twelve.

He represents everything that we value in Cincinnati basketball, and he's learned now how to lead and project those things onto his teammates.

So he is so important to us.

I will say this as a player.

He's playing his best basketball of his college careers healthy again, so I'm really excited.

And then Fran knows this.

In our league, you're just gonna have possessions that get stalled, and we don't want to have as many as we had a year ago, but it's sometimes the chips are down and you have to have guys that can go make a play without an advantage.

Data can do that and he's doing it better now than he ever has.

And then we have a young player and shann Abaya that can do that as well.

Speaker 9

So we have a.

Speaker 10

Couple guys for the first time that the chips will be down and it's going to be fun to watch them go create offense when offense isn't there.

Speaker 11

Sean had fifteen I think in the first half against Michigan.

What did you see from him, both good and bad that you're excited about, and then you're looking for improvement as he becomes more experienced.

Speaker 10

I saw a confidence he has a and I want to say this first, the most impressive thing about SHAWNA.

Speaker 9

Bay of today is.

Speaker 10

The way he's walked through the door, humble, head down.

He's challenged our locker room to be the hardest worker on the team as an incoming freshman, and he's earned the respect of his teammates Keishan Tillery or other freshmen to fit into that same category as well.

I've been so impressed with the way they've walked in the door as highly touted recruits.

They've earned the other players respect.

But in the game, you see the shot making, you see his confidence in the moment's not too big, even this early, but the little things have to get better.

Friends, the stuff he can control, how hard he runs the floor, the way that he defends, which by the way, is improving all these things at a rapid rate.

But I think he'll have some really good moments here early, wait till January and February.

If he keeps his approach the same way, I think he could be very good.

Speaker 2

All right.

Speaker 3

So that's some stuff from Wes Miller at Big twelve Media Day.

Two things that stand out to me, Austin.

One, how many times last year did we talk about the pace at which they played and just not finding easy shots.

I think moving and pushing the pace should help them a lot.

Second, and I think the biggest question I want to know, Austin, if the shot clock's winding down, do they have a dude that you can throw the ball to then go get his own bucket?

Speaker 6

Right?

Speaker 3

Like I remember Jared Cumberland.

I knew that if things were breaking down, you could get Cumberland the ball with eight to ten on the clock and he could go find a way to get a bucket.

Speaker 2

You could create a shot.

Speaker 3

Do they have that on this roster?

Because if not, regardless of how good of a team you are, regardless of how much you do push the pace, you have got to be able to have someone that can go get his own basket.

Speaker 4

Yeah, I mean thinking back to last year's team.

Some of those possessions were like pulling teeth.

Oh, just you can tell what's coming.

Yeah, And I thought they played way too slow.

So it's good to hear Wes say we want to play fast and we want good shots early in the shot clock, not being afraid to doesn't matter.

If there's twenty five seconds left, I got an open shot, I'm gonna take it.

I'm gonna hit it like that sort of pace, that sort of get it moving quickly, get those open shots, good shots early in the in the shot clock.

Speaker 2

I think that's going to bode well for you.

Speaker 3

Chad Brenda will join us for quick hits in a bit before that, will grab a phone call or two.

Next on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station, with.

Speaker 14

Dve Lapham's entriment into the Bengals Ring of Honor, we pay tribute to the Life of Lap presented by Skyline Feeling good gets Skyline Time.

Speaker 2

Now Here's Dan.

Speaker 15

Indeed, Lap, you are known for your boisterous enthusiasm in the booth, but there's no better X's and O's analyst in the NFL describe your approach as a broadcaster.

Speaker 2

It's probably a lot like yours, Dan.

Speaker 16

I mean, we both went to the new House School of Communications at Syracuse University.

The best there is preparing for people to enter the broadcast world knowing everything there is to know about what you're doing, what you're broadcasting.

I don't care if it's tittley winks or you know, the Super Bowl, having an understanding of who the competitors are, what makes them great and honestly, I mean it's just energying enthusiasm for the game.

Just comes from love with the game and do it in a way that you know the audience appreciates that.

Speaker 2

Oh man, he really likes the game.

Speaker 14

For more on the life of Lap keep it here on ESPN fifteen thirty, The official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 8

Cincy three sixty continues on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 3

Welcome back, we are rolling.

It's already Thursday, already nearing the end of our three The hell of a week, hell of a week, hell of a couple of weeks.

Chad Brendle's standing by next.

Got to talk to Chad Brenda last night on his UH on his podcas Cats with barcat Jordan dot Com.

Speaker 2

Awston.

Speaker 3

They had their five hundredth episode the BCJ five hundred episodes the congrats in order to celebrate he's in here today.

Every once in a while, I don't know if I've ever told Chad this, but every once in a while, I'll be on YouTube looking for something and I'll see the BCJ is live, and so I'll just flip over check out.

I'll watch for a few minutes.

Yeah, you know, just peruse the comments, see what people are saying, and.

Speaker 2

Uh, yeah, I listen.

I get once in a while, I know what's going to get the Cats.

We listen.

We listen to callers as well.

What's happened in.

Speaker 5

Mike Hey, guys, thank you appreciate it.

Talking about the Bearcats, I think this prediction that Patino's going to finish eighth in the Big East is grossly wrong.

I think he'll surprise a lot of people.

I'm not saying they'll win the league the Big East, but he's going to surprise some people.

You know why, because he is one hell of a coach and he had the best teacher you could ever have.

So watch out their catch because his team.

You might beat him this year, But I don't know about next year.

So I'm just calling it like I see it.

I think the Xavier gets the short end of the stick sometimes here, but I don't know why.

That's what That's what I root for both teams.

Speaker 3

But that's what shocked me yesterday is I opened it up because I'm genuinely curious, and to hear a couple of Xavier fans call in and say, you know, somewhere around the five hundred mark, that surprised me.

Speaker 2

A little bit.

Speaker 5

Yeah, and maybe it's true stance it's his first year, but uh, once he gets settled in, this guy is as good as it gets with the x's and o's, and he's also a very good recruiter.

Very good.

I mean, if you can recruit recruit kids to New Mexico, for crying out loud, if you can, you know, get him to the Big East or wherever.

The other comment I wanted to make that kind of shocked me.

That was Scott who I'm not a fan of anyone with the Cowboys, but this guy is having a hell of a year.

And when they run play action, he's sixty one for seventy pass completions with seven touchdowns and zero interception.

Is that impressive and not ever hear anybody talk about it, and.

Speaker 3

Not exactly dominant in the running game as well, that you would think that teams are just having to bite up on the run.

Speaker 5

Fake Yeah, so uh, And Pickens has made a different form and ceedee lamback of course is a big deal.

Speaker 3

They're a good offense.

They're an elite offense.

Their defense not so much, but that's a good offense.

Speaker 5

Yeah.

Their defense probably around like the Bengals defense, I guess maybe probably somewhat comparable.

I have to look at up and tomorrow's O the World Series.

Hallelujah.

I can't wait.

I'm so excited.

I just wish Vin Scully was still around to be able to do play by play because he's the greatest I ever heard.

Marty was good, but even Marty will tell you Ben Scully's the best ever.

So go Big Blue and all you people have hate the Dodgers.

You know why you hate him.

Speaker 2

Because you're envious.

Speaker 5

That's why you hate him.

You're envy.

You the Greek with envy.

You don't even like yourself.

That's why you don't like the Dodgers.

Speaker 2

They used to say, don't hate us because you ate us.

Speaker 5

That's a good one.

I like it.

Speaker 2

Thanks guys, Thanks Mike, I have a good one.

Speaker 8

Umm.

Speaker 3

Chad Brendle hanging by.

We'll join us next quick kits to finish off today's edition to Sincy three sixty.

You're listening on the Home of the Bengals, ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 8

Thanks to Penn Station, Sincy three sixty continues on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati's sports station.

It's time for Cincy three sixty Quick Hits on ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2

I was looking for Mo.

Mo's not here.

Do we know where MO is today?

Speaker 3

Probably golfing?

Oh the company golf outing, I think so, I don't know if that's where Mo.

What are we doing here working?

Oh no, they didn't know you were a golfer.

They probably didn't know I was going to be with the company.

That's right, you didn't so you were out in the invite days.

Yeah, that got changed around a little bit.

Chad Breundle is in for Mowegar today celebrating.

But last night was number five hundred, five hundred shows.

Wow, it's a lot of It's like ten years worth of me and Dave Simone Dunkin, Bearcats Crazy and now to celebrate you're here today.

Speaker 2

You want to hear a funny story.

Yes.

Speaker 17

So when they originally asked me to do this show, it was right before everything happened.

So they had asked me because Austin was going to be going to Green Bay.

They were like, can you do Thursday?

Speaker 2

Right?

Speaker 17

And then also can you do October twenty third?

When everything happened, I forgot about October twenty third.

Yeah, completely was out of my mind.

My dad calls me last night and he's like, hey, do you need me to pick Kelsey up from school tomorrow?

And I was like no, why.

He's like, you're on radio.

I was like no, He's like, well, both things you do.

Speaker 2

Yeah.

Speaker 17

I was like what do you mean.

He's like, he's said on the radio, Chad Brendle is in tomorrow.

And I was like, I guess you got a radio show to plan.

Oh yeah, if you could pick her up that in planning said show, what do you got on the show today?

We're going to talk about the transition.

There's a transition, right, we are going from Joe Cool to Uncle Joe yea and the dynamic of like, look, you know your cool cousin, like that everybody wants to be like your cool cousin.

But there's also that cool uncle that, like you know, you're looking forward to as you get older.

Like with with the cool uncle, it's a different dynamic, but both everybody loves the cool uncle and you look forward to learning from that guy and being around that guy.

And I think we're starting to see that in the Bengals locker room, people being impacted by having a different voice.

Not that it's better or worse.

Sometimes different is okay.

Speaker 3

And it's it's interesting too because like when you win, it helps make this even sure if you lose, it's like, all right, man, whatever, Yeah we didn't win anyway, it's awesome.

Yeah, and it just adds to it.

Speaker 17

And it's a big one this week because the vibes will remain high.

Yeah, with they win, you lose to the Jets, especially if Sauce isn't playing.

Yeah, you all just to the Jets.

Uh ohh.

So it's it's an interesting week.

Yeah, and again it opens up things to maybe do it the deadline, if you can win another one and get yourself back to five hundred.

I'm not I'm done trying to talk myself into the Bengals are going to make it trade at the deadline.

Yeah, that's fair.

If you're not going to use them, trade them, Yeah the Bearcats.

Yes, is this real?

Because last year we were in a similar spot right now, five and two.

They had just beaten Arizona State.

We knew that the back half of the schedule was the tougher portion of the schedule.

But hey, there's some optimism.

Maybe Scott Sanderfield is getting some things figured out.

What's different?

Why is it different?

And again, the back half of the schedule is by far the tougher portion of the schedule.

Yes, but what's different about this team that's going to allow this team to navigate this better than they did last year?

Because look, I don't think anybody's really expecting this team to go eleven and one, ten and two.

Speaker 2

Would it be great if they did?

Speaker 3

Sure, and track record in the Big twelve two years ago, TCU came out of nowhere one last year, comes out of nowhere wins it.

There is a track record there that's that somebody's going to do it.

And your toughest game on your schedule remaining his home.

Yeah, so there's there's a path.

But what what makes this team different?

What makes this team able to sustain that?

I think it comes down to two things.

Special teams and taking care of the football.

Yeah, I mean they've been great at both.

Speaker 17

This team has been historically good.

Imagine making it seven games, Tony with only one interception.

Speaker 3

No, No, I can imagine playing some yardage, but no, like they've been so good in that.

But at the same time, like they've they've just found rhythm at the right times.

And I think the biggest thing they've played from ahead, that's been like we talked about that the last few years, Right, that's key.

Speaker 17

But but turnovers and special teams, why you get to play from ahead?

Speaker 5

Right?

Speaker 3

And I'm interested with an elite passing attack coming in on Saturday, can they still play from ahead?

Speaker 17

I'm interested to see what what mother nature does to that.

Yeah, because did you see that the temperature in Waco yesterday?

Speaker 3

No eighty eight degrees.

I was just reading right here.

We get these on our desk every morning.

Speaker 12

Uh.

Speaker 3

The nine first Warning weather presented by Jennifer Ketchmark.

You see game day Saturday, dry staying, chili high sixty one, low forty one.

Speaker 17

So four o'clock it's supposed to be a little cloudy, so that sun's not gonna be you know, out full perfect football weather as a fan, but a team coming from Waco.

Speaker 2

The low in Waco yesterday was sixty four.

Speaker 3

Yeah, so it look like the South Florida teams in the Big East would come up late in the year and with the years.

Speaker 17

It would be fifty eight degrees and they would have the jet engines blowing heat on the sideline.

So I'm interested in that because if it's if it's competitive and close, that's not a factor.

Sure the other team gets up a little bit and it's cold, I'm cold.

Those guys want to go home, yep.

So I think that's gonna be fun as well.

We're gonna talk to to Kean Nicholson, who was at Big twelve Basketball media days yesterday.

You guys talked to him yesterday.

I'm gonna talk to him today.

Why he's now on his way to Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Oh yes, scrimmage for the UC.

I don't want to do this today.

I don't want to get excited about the exhibitions.

It must be nice to be young again, because you know what he's doing.

Then after the exhibition come back, he's getting in his car and he's driving back to cincinnat and planning to be at homecoming.

Speaker 2

At four o'clock.

Good for him.

Speaker 17

In my twenties like this, this would have been the dream road trip.

Yeah, right days in Casey, then you see Arkansas on Friday, and then back home for homecoming against Baylor on Saturday, Like there would have been no doubt in my mind.

Speaker 3

Like, let's go the sports weekend, the exhibition Friday, Bearcat football Saturday, Bengals Sunday, hell Is Real Monday.

Speaker 17

Yeah, that's a nice little weekend.

It's a nice four day, nice four day stretch.

Four day we'll get to all that.

Like I said, Jeff Carr talking a little bit of Red's, a little bit of Reds.

Three hours, the three f's Jeff Refs, Jeff ff Car.

Uh, he's gonna talk some Reds with us.

The five o'clock hour.

Wow, we've got Lee Stirling wagering like it.

And then uh, Dan Klaskins.

Speaker 3

To talk some fantasy football as well with uh with this Bearcat game on on Saturday.

Yes, what do you view as the hurdles going forward?

Because I look like I'm almost more nerves about Saturday, and I hate putting this out there.

I'm almost more nervous about Saturday than I am against Utah because I've watched enough Utah that their quarterback play just isn't great.

Yeah, And so I go into a game like, I think UC's offense can score with anybody that way they're playing, it's good, But I'm more worried about a team that can come in and put up you know, forty or fifty on any given day.

That makes me a little bit nervous.

So from a from a stretch standpoint, because again, I think Arizona's an improved team.

Speaker 2

They're home.

Speaker 3

I think b YU is a good football team Knippert Stadium, and maybe, I mean, can we get a nip and night at any point Maybe, I don't know, maybe, but I will take four though.

Yeah, four is great, and then you finish at TCU.

But like, if you look at the Big twelve right now, Arizona State's in third Texas tex and fourth, Houston's and fifth, you miss all those, yeah, that you don't play them in the regular season.

So the schedule plays out perfectly.

Speaker 17

Really, even if hypothetically you win this week, you go to Utah and lose two losses.

Yeah, so well they have the two b y, you still got to go to Texas Tech next week.

Yeah, I've got Iowa State at Iowa State this week.

I just I think there's a lot of openings.

It's the window.

There's a window for this team Arizona State.

I don't know what they have coming up, but and look here's the thing.

There has always been a surprise, right Like Fickles first team was a surprise double digit win team.

Now that was right when UCF was rolling, so they didn't make the conference championship, but that was a surprise team.

The two thousand and eight team came from nowhere, like you were there, used why the season started the way the season started, and then kind of on the ropes a lot through that season, and you guys endured and found a way to get in.

Is this that year for Scott Sidderfield where they find a way to shock everybody and have the type of season that that nobody envisioned?

Speaker 2

Yeah?

I hope.

Speaker 3

So what I also hope is people will quit just gambling on sports that are playing sports or coaching sports.

Speaker 2

Well know, a lot of this like poker, illegal poker.

Speaker 3

Can you imagine like anytime like Rosier I think is rosier, I think is.

Speaker 2

A gambling problem.

Speaker 3

If you're Chauncey Billups and you're talking about ties to the mafia, run poker, good luck, man.

Speaker 2

I'm out splashing the pot.

Speaker 3

I'm out on that, and I'm also out now your next, Chad Brendle's next.

We're done, Dock got it again for the Friday Football Frenzy tomorrow on the Home of the Bengals, ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Have a great rest of your Thursday

Never lose your place, on any device

Create a free account to sync, back up, and get personal recommendations.