Hi, get everybody.

I'm Dan Horden.

Thanks for downloading The Bengals Booth Podcast.

The One at a Time addition as the Bengals look for their second straight win as they head to Buffalo to face the Bills.

Coming up, we'll discuss Joe Burrow's successful return from toe surgery with another quarterback who overcame numerous injuries, University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer Tony Pike.

My one on one player interview is with b J Hill, who explains why the Bengals defense is getting better.

And I'll talk to two broadcasters, Joe Davis, who will call this week's game on Fox and former Pro Bowl center Eric Wood, who is now the radio analyst for the Buffalo Bills.

The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps, Proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by Alta Fiber future proof Fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business, and community to a new level, and by Kettering Health the best care for the best fans.

Cattering Health is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals.

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It's the greatest thing since Scrub Mommy sponges.

I am the primary dishwasher in the Horde household, and I have become a big fan of scrub Mommy sponges.

It's an offshoot of the scrub Daddy, which was one of the most successful products ever to launch on Shark Tank because of its innovative flex texture foam which changes stiffness and scrubbing power based on water temperature, firm in cold water and soft in hot.

It also has a smiley face cut into it that is helpful for cleaning both sides of knives, forks, and other utensils.

The Scrub Mommy is a little different because it's double sided, with a scrubber on one side and a softer sponge on the other.

You probably didn't expect to get a sponge breakdown on a football podcast, but I suspect the most innovative coach in pro sports history, Paul Brown, would have appreciated the technology behind the Scrub Mommy, not to mention having very clean dishes.

Now, let's get to football quarterback Tony Pike led the University of Cincinnati to back to back appearances in the Orange and Sugar Bowls despite serious injuries to his left forearm.

In both seasons.

He was able to keep playing after having a plate inserted into his arm that was held in place with six screws.

So if anybody can identify with what Joe Burrow did on Thanksgiving night, it's Tony and he joined Dave Lapham and me to discuss it this week.

Scale of one to ten, all things considered, the rust coming back with a plate in his shoe.

How impressed were you by what Joe Burrow did in Baltimore twelve?

I mean the.

Scale of that's good, Like every professional has been blown away that he came back as early as he did.

Yep, And to not only come back, he goes under center on the first nap play action and rolls out to his left.

It's the hardest thing your quarterback can do, right, going across your body.

And then he drops back forty six times in the game.

So are you thinking, like, all right, game plan, you got to kind of work around maybe some deficiencies.

Is his mobility limited?

He was fantastic.

He do the ball thirty two times in the first half.

That's crazy.

Now there's credit where credits do He was only sacked once.

So o.

Line play has been so much better as the season has gone on.

Chase Brown's been a monster.

Another one hundred yard game from scrimmage, but he spreads the ball out to nine different targets.

Coming back from this long of arrest after a major surgery for a quarterback, I was concerned about him pushing away from the pocket, getting out under center.

He checked that box, he threw on the run.

He showed no limitations.

I'm still shocked, Like looking back watching the tape, I'm still shocked that he operated physically and what I was even more impressed with mentally, the checks he got on the right call, the touchdown to Yoshibash He brings in a tight end, he brings in a running back like Max protect the mental and the physical match and it looked like a guy that played all.

Year, no doubt, no question.

I mean, he played a phenomenal football game.

But you know he proved beyond a shadow of doubt that he is the straw that stirs the drink.

I mean the football team.

It's a different animal with Joe Borrow at the quarterback position.

I mean, he elevates everybody.

Everybody just feels like, Okay, we got it, our boys back, we got our guy.

We're in high cotton right now.

All we have to do is is play, play hard, make plays, you know, go out there with some some emotions, some energy, some enthusiasm, because we got our we got our leader, we got our guy back.

And he is He's a he's a football savant.

He understands the game of football like not many.

There's no question.

He just he gets every single little nuance about the game of football.

And uh and and nobody does better than the belief.

Like you know, you've been in the locker room before he walks in.

It doesn't matter if it's a long snapper, if it's a dB, a linebacker.

Everyone says, all right, like there's a calmness about Joe Burrow, And now your preparation changes.

Now I'm more locked in because I saw that guy come back in the locker room and I know what he expects of me and what he expects of himself.

It does it it.

I think confidence is one of the most important things in football, and that whole team is confident when number nine is in the locker room.

Yeah, I mean I think confidence is probably you know, I don't want to get overly philosophically.

Confidence.

Confidence is the biggest thing in life, you know.

I mean, you don't think you can do it, and I got no shot, you know.

I mean, if you think you can do it, you always have a shot, always have a chance.

And that's what he does.

He gives the team hope.

That's what it boils down to keep hope alive.

And Joe Burrow keeps hope alive, and everybody responds to her.

Everybody ups their level of play.

And when this next game, when they when they go to battle against Buffalo, when he's got both Higgins and Jamar Chase back, he should be even in higher cotton than he was against the Baltimore Ravens because the trio is back.

You know, It's not just a duo here and a duo there.

It's all three of those guys, and all three of them are amongst the best in the NFL at their respective positions.

All Right, that's a perfect segue.

Let's hear from head coach Zach Taylor on Joe Burrow's impact on everybody in the building when he came back last week.

I mean, he's one of the greatest players in the world, you know, and so I think anytime you get player like that back on the field, absolutely it was there.

It's subconsciously or consciously.

I mean it's you're excited to watch that and you're excited to rally behind that and see where he can take you.

It was funny because when Joe was out and people started to speculate, well, when could he possibly come back, one thing that you heard a lot of skeptics say was, well, he doesn't play defense.

Yeah, I mean there's still scoring plenty of points.

He doesn't play defense.

Well, that's true, but when he comes back, the defense gets five takeaways.

So there was an impact on the defense for the exact reasons that you guys are talking about.

He lifts all boats.

Yeah he does.

I mean, you know, defense really the thing you're thinking, Oh, I'm not going to be out in the field as many snaps as we've been because Joe's going to keep the offense out in the football field.

They're going to convert first downs, they're going to move the chains, they're gonna be on the football field running a bunch of snaps and then like you said, you know, forcing the turnovers, taking possessions away from the opponent, and giving extras to Joe Burrow.

That's a good formula to win a lot of football games, with no doubt about it.

It goes to I think it credits what the defense has been building to because they've put the work in as well.

Al Golden has put the work in.

But again, nine walks back in and you feel like, you know what, we gave up a touchdown there, but we're gonna get it back, so let's work on the next possession.

Let's look ahead.

I thought it was remarkable just the scene after the game with not only Joe Burrow, but so many of his teammates.

You don't see that much, see a couple guys out there.

Zach Taylor's probably in the locker room, like where's my team?

But like I thought, I thought, for a private guy like Joe is, you got for the first time to kind of see the raw emotion of how much it meant to him and the work it took to get back on the field, the mental strain of what an injury does to you.

Because you're alone, you're away from the guys and to see that just general excitement and I thought at times emotion from Joe Burrow when he's doing that post game of man, it's just I'm happy to be here.

I'm grateful to be here.

And I think it gives validation of the hard work it took mentally and physically for him to get back, and then to celebrate that moment with his teammates out on the field is an awesome, awesome moment.

And their mindset's the right one.

Like right when Joe came back, what he said, we know we gotta do.

We know what we got to do, right, We got to go win every game.

Yep, you know the mindset's there.

You know, no one's working harder to get there than Joe Burrow.

And each win that happens.

Man, these guys they believe more and more they do.

And you know the other people you have to give credit to is the trainers and medical staff.

I mean they were instrumental.

I mean he obviously gave them.

He was effusive in his praise to those guys, how much they meant to him coming back in a short period of time, and he came back, you know, days and days early, not just a little bit of time, but a significant period of time earlier than people had thought and anticipated.

And you know, the.

Brace, the foot brace that they constructed, they designed and put together for him so he couldn't bend that toe and move that that turf tow which it was a Grade three, which is significant.

Man, that's painful.

Joe's tough, dude.

Man.

He sucked it up.

He sucked it up and played.

He played in some pain.

And I just think that, you know, there's a lot of people that need to take a bow and take some credit.

And uh, the medical staff, the training staff, his parents, I mean, his dad, his dad, jamians mother, I mean they're they're all over it too.

And and total support.

Joe Burrow definitely has, you know, a support system, there's no question about it.

A big, a big support system.

But he has to do the work and and he he's a grinder and he grounded out.

Man, he did the work.

It's lonely.

Oh yeah, that rehab process, Yeah, it's hard, and you played through injuries before.

The training staff, to me is the most vital YEP.

Coaches they're gonna say everything.

Coaches want you back.

Yeah, hey, when you're coming back, we need you, we need players.

Hey, when you we need you out here, you got friends, you got family.

Like when I went through my injuries, I knew that I could trust the training staff that they were gonna be honest with you, right right right.

And as much as everyone says, you got Joe Burrow in the locker room, people want you back as quick as possible.

But I knew, and I know Joe like Joe knows if he asked the training staff, can I do it, and they say, yes, that's all you need.

It's not your buddies, it's not your teammates, it's not everyone else that that needs you back, right, It's that trust in a training staff.

You tell me I'm good, and I'm good to go right right.

And I think trust is a big word.

And respect, I mean there has to be a level of respect there both ways.

And I know the training staff respects the hell out of Joe Burrow.

I mean they think he's, you know, one of one.

He's a unique cat, and no question about that.

He definitely respects.

Joey Bose and everybody else know that was involved in his his rehab and coming back as quickly as he did.

So it was It was good to see and they did a hell of a job from top to bottom.

And Joe, Joe worked.

Man.

One thing about Joe, he works his ass off.

He's a worker Bee he's not He's not shy to roll up sleeves and get after it.

Man.

All right, speaking of comebacks, you reference t Higgins earlier.

Let's get to the Kettering health injury report.

It came out earlier today.

T was limited at practice today as he comes back from a concussion.

Todz Brooks, same thing.

That is the normal process now for Wednesday.

If you're coming back from a concussion, typically if you're limited, you'll ramp up the activity a little bit more the next day, and hopefully that is a good sign that he's going to be able to play on Sunday in Buffalo.

I would expect him to.

I agree with you one hundred thousand percent, Dan.

I think I'd be shocked if he doesn't.

Honestly, I think he's gonna play.

It's an important football game.

It's a good football team, multimo.

I mean, the Buffalo Bills are definitely a team that's got weapons.

They got plenty of weapons.

Gotta win this game.

They got to run the table.

They know they have to run the table.

There's very little margin for her.

There's no margin for her.

So I do think that those guys will be back and playing in Buffalo.

So we agree on that.

We know that Trey Hendrick is going to be out.

He did not practice today.

As for Buffalo, their starting tackles did not play last week against Pittsburgh.

Both of those guys were limited today.

The left tackle Dion Dawkins, he's coming back from a concussion.

The right tackle Spencer Brown, he's coming back from his shoulder injury.

Joey Bosa, the great pass rusher, did not practice today.

He's dealing with a hamstring wrist Combo.

Dalton Kinka, the tight end, missed the last several games.

He was limited today.

He's coming back from a hamstring knee issue.

Where do you guys stand.

If you could pick somebody that you don't want to come back for Buffalo this week, who would it be?

If Dean Dawkins is listening, I wouldn't push the concussion, take another week off, relaxed.

Yeah, very important to me.

It's Joey bos He leaves the team in sacks.

He's their sock leader and He's a guy that's dealt with injuries a lot of his career.

Hamstrings are always a tricky thing.

It's it's going to be cold.

I that's that's a tricky injury.

And he was labeled as week to week by Sean McDermott.

That that changes a lot, right, if you're talking about getting T.

Higgins back and then possibly not having Joey Bosa on that side.

Chase Brown not only the running game, he was seven for seven targets and receptions another hundred yard day.

We know what Jamar Chase is.

T Higgins gets pair back up with number nine, and they lose a piece of that pass rush.

It's it's all systems go for this Bengals offense.

I think losing that piece of pass rush you just mentioned is huge because what it does is it diminishes the entire thing.

You know, Now all of a sudden, other guys are gonna have to step up and do things.

Are they capable of it?

Are they are they being asked to do things outside of their limitation, outside of what they can do?

You know?

Now, do we have to scheme differently?

Do we have to think about blitzing more because we don't have our best pass.

Rush and you got to blitz Joe.

Yeah, good luck, right, Joe'll pick you apart.

So uh, he gets a pre snap read and it's over man that balls out and it's and it's it's completed.

So yeah, I mean, I I do think.

I think, honestly, the Buffalo Bill's injury are more of a concern I would think to Buffalo than the Bengals injuries are of the Cincinnati Bengals done.

I like it that.

Way, and I want Dalton Kincaid out.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Josh Allen has thrown ten picks this year.

None With Dalton Kincaid on the field.

They're like a different passing attack when he's out there.

Kincaid has missed the Bill's last three games and was listed as limited at Thursday's practice.

The Bills enter Sunday's game with a number one rushing attack in the NFL.

They averaged one hundred and fifty six rushing yards per game, and that's basically what the Bengals defense has been giving up.

The average is one fifty three, but the Bengals have held their last three opponents to well below that average as the defense has drastically improved.

I discussed that and more with defensive tackle BJ Hill.

Bj.

You've been Joe burrows teammate for five years.

When a guy comes back ahead of schedule from an injury, what statement does that make to it teammates?

It means a lot, man, even guys who fight through injuries each and every day, seeing them out there, practicing, seeing them out on the games, meaning that they care for the guys.

Some instance like you can't be out there, but guys that you know try to be out there, try to do everything's possible to get out there.

It means a lot to the teammates.

So I was watching the postgame celebration after the victory in Baltimore.

The big tur ducan spread out there on the field.

You were right in the middle of the celebration, and then it looked like you bailed before getting a bite.

What happened.

I was just ready to go go home.

Man.

It was a long two days for us, and I was like, you know what, let me get in the locker room, take a shower, and I'm ready to go home to get to my family.

You got the feast the next night.

I did got up early, even though we got back of late, got up early, and I smoked a turkey.

All right, good to know.

We're visiting with bj Hill.

Over the last three weeks, the defense has given up an average of seventeen point six points.

That would be number three in the NFL if it was for the entire season.

What are the biggest reasons for the defensive improvement.

You gotta do the little things right.

This was really was killing us at the beginning of the year or halfway through year whatever.

That was a little stretch.

We just want to do in the little things right.

And we came back and just skip on work and keep on tipping at the things that we had to get better.

And we have a point that we turned around.

We just gotta keep the moment and going, keep on playing defense, communicating and just playing as a team.

If we keep on doing that, man, I think a lot of things to take care of itself.

Are you seeing the light come on for some of your younger teammates.

Oh, for sure, especially the two regular linebackers, sitting them fly around and having fun, being more confident, just being.

There in their role.

It's a lot when you come in have to play a lot for NFL team and you can see how they matured and take advantage of each and every rep even in practice, the way they communicate, way they come back to work.

Actually just actually older got even asking me questions like I'm like, all right, I think you're gonna You're gonna be special in this league.

Just just keep on working, just doing the right things of whole things over and over and never get tired of it.

Do you think linebacker is especially tough for a rookie.

I mean Barrett Carter for examples, wearing the green dot.

He's the guy communicating without golden.

I think so.

I think it's tough that in safety too, playing playing those positions, especially mentally, you got a lot on your plate.

They're playing de tackle is a rookie, I think it's very hard too.

But playing a lot, but you got a lot on your play.

You gotta get the calls, you gotta make sure you know what you're doing other people are doing, make you in the right spot, give me the right calls, the checks, and just everything you got.

You definitely got a lot on the play, and you can see the way they just improved over the last couple of weeks.

Man's is very exciting to see.

We're chatting with b J.

Hill.

Joseph Osai might have had the best game of his career in Baltimore.

Two sacks, four quarterback hits, and a forced fumble.

I remember you raved about his effort when I asked you about him during training camp.

How excited were you to see him have a game like that on Thanksgiving Night.

I'd love to see my guys ball, no matter what room they I love seeing Joseph just knowing the hard work that he put in over the shoot the last couple of years, even this off seasons, The way he just attacked each and every day.

It shoot me.

I'm excited for him, man.

It's it's really great to see you love to see guys have success on the field.

You were voted one of three captains, win of three defensive captains prior to the season, but you're kind of the last man standing.

Logan Wilson was traded.

Trey's been hurt, He's been rehabbing.

He really really hasn't been in the mix of late.

How has that impacted you?

Just I just want to come out here and be the best leader I can be.

Push your guys, communicate to him, just you know, make sure we all on the same on the same road.

Make sure we all go in the same direction.

I think that's the most important part.

And make sure that we're prexing practicing right now, just going through the motions, if the if that's a walk through, full speed period, no matter what it is, make sure we're always doing to the things right because it's always going to show up on the field how we practice, no matter like I said, it was four s feed or not.

So I I embraced it.

Man.

At one point, it was kind of hard.

I felt like a lot was throwing on me, but I embracing out.

I love.

I love coming to work and pushing them.

So they're pushing me to the that lived to that standard, to play good ball, to be the best meEach in every week.

You face the Bills in Buffalo this Sunday, you have faced Josh Allen three times before in your career, you have sacked him once.

What stands out to you about the Bill's QB.

Man, He's everything you want as a quarterback.

He's one of the best in the league.

He's big, he's strong, he's fast, got a good arm.

He's one of the guys that's like I said, he's one of the best to do it in the league.

Right now, we got a hands full, but I believe we got the defense the in in our room, the dude need to do to win the game.

What do you remember about that sack?

I think I second more than you.

Don't really count playoffs, but you know saying we might go out the playoffs.

Think I got them?

Think I got them twice?

I think so my apology.

Now, remember I believe he's miss Samue run a text game.

I got vertical.

Sam rapped around on a sacking.

All right.

Buffalo ran for two hundred and forty nine yards last week and their win over Pittsburgh.

James Cook has seven one hundred yard games this year.

What must do you do to slow down that Buffalo rushing attack on Sunday?

He can do it all.

Catch out of the backfield, run it make you miss, hard to tackle strong, Like I said, we just got to swim to the ball.

Get all hats to the ball.

Tackle somebody missed the tackle, Max, sure somebody right there hitting them right after.

I'll be play technically sound.

Make sure we're standing our guess and playing good football together.

Build a wall so you know it's hard for him to to you know, cutting them gaps and stuff like that.

So we played good football for what we can do we need to do.

There's still a path to win the AFC North, but it's narrow.

If you win this week, does it really feel possible?

Does it take a couple of wins Buffalo and Baltimore.

Where do you stand on the realistic chances of still pulling this off?

Uh?

My mind right now, just one game at the time, I look ahead.

I'll just come on and play our bis ball.

Whatever happens happens.

And I feel like if we put our bits for Ford on defensive sideyball, I no offense is gonna take do their part.

I who do our side on the defenses I'll take care of.

So appreciate your time.

Best to luck against the Bills.

Oh thank you.

The Bengals Booth Podcast is brought to you by pay Corps, Proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider, by Alta Fiber future proof fiber Internet designed to elevate your home, business and community to a new level, and by Kettering Health the best care for the best fans.

Kettering Health is the official healthcare provider of the Bengals.

If you watch the game on TV this week, you'll hear an announcing crew that has not been assigned to a Bengals game this year.

The analyst will be Greg Oles, who was number one on the totem pole at Fox before Tom Brady decided to get into broadcasting, and the play by play announcer on Sunday made this memorable call on November one in Toronto, bounces.

To back that chap, you gotta come out the Dodger Standta Bedwin back to back titles.

Joe Davis called one of the greatest world series of all time earlier this year, and he will be in the booth this Sunday when the Bengals take on the Buffalo Bills.

Joe, it's Joe Burrow versus Josh Allen.

What was your initial reaction when Joe Burrow came back from his injury way ahead of schedule And how did you think he played on Thanksgiving Night?

Yeah, the first thing was, Okay, this changes the Bengals, even before we saw how the game went.

First half shook the rust off.

I think he was the first one to even say that.

But second half, it's like, my goodness, you talk about a guy completely changing the mood, changing the tone around a team, and for us selfishly going into this game, you know, we got the assignment the week before that, crossing our fingers that he looked good in his return, and he did obviously, and we are extra fired up after seeing it.

So, Joe, it's the first time this year that you and Greg Olsen will call a Bengals game.

What about Cincinnati?

Are you eager to see whether it's an individual or something about the team in general?

Yeah, I think it's just a continuation of Burrow, And you know, I know the playoff hopes are baint and they got to be perfect and they got to get some help.

But if there's anybody that injects enough hope to further that storyline, it is Burrow and going there and facing Josh Allen.

That being head to head, it's hard to beat that in terms of big stars going head to head on an NFL Sunday.

The Bengals defense has had its ups and downs this year.

We acknowledge that, but they've been pretty good the last few weeks.

They've given up seventeen point six points over their last three games, got five takeaways in the win over Baltimore on Thanksgiving Night?

What must this defense do to have success against Buffalo.

Normally, Dan, you'd go, you'd say, okay, yeah, they've been better lately, but let's see what happens when they go in and face Josh Allen and the Bills.

But Bills offense has not been the same.

They're running the ball really well, ran all over the Steelers, but the passing game just has not been there at all.

You know, top running game in the NFL, but the passing game recent years, Josh Allen has been able, even though they haven't had a number one target necessarily has been able to overcome that paper over it.

It's just not quite been the same this year.

So in years past, you'd say, hey, the Bills, if they could just stop the right teams, they're going to break through.

Now the Bills are asking the question can they find offense?

So to your question about that Bengals defense, I think it's a chance for them to continue the momentum we saw them build against obviously slouch in Baltimore, what they did against Lamar in that group.

Well, let me follow up on that.

Because the Bills are eight and four.

If the season ended today, they would be a playoff team, but they're not quite as dominant as they've been.

Josh Allen got sacked eight times a couple of weeks ago.

What do you think are the Bills' biggest issues on the overall team?

I look at the offense in the passing game.

They just haven't been able to throw the ball down field, and normally that's a huge strength of Josh Allen's.

There's just not much around him in terms of targets.

Part of that's been injuries, but massive disappointments.

Josh Palmer coming over in his first season of a new contract, injured and not very good when he has been on the field.

Keon Coleman, who they drafted last year hope would turn into a big play threat.

He was a healthy scratch for a couple of games for off the field stuff, showed up late to meetings, and when he's been in the field he's been a disappointment.

So these guys that are counting on at receiver have either been injured or disappointing.

Dalton kincaid his favorite time end has been hurt the last few weeks.

So that passing game, which is it's crazy to think about Josh Allen the Bills passing game.

They have issues with that, but that right now, for me, is the biggest question.

It's been a few years, but Joe Burrow is two and oh against the Buffalo Bills.

He's two and oh head to head against Josh Allen.

One of those two wins was a playoff victory in Buffalo on a snowy day, which very few teams have been able to pull off against the Bills.

Do you think it's a motivating factor for Buffalo this week?

The Joe Burrow and the Bengals have that history against Josh Allen and the Bills.

I'm sure that it'll be on their minds.

But a lot like the Bengals, the Bills are sitting there with not much room for air, So I think they have plenty of motivations just when it comes to the playoff picture, without needing any extra stimulation from who they're facing.

They you know, they've won five consecutive division titles.

They're two and a half games behind the Patriots, so they've got to be perfect when it comes to the division.

They've got to get a little help.

Patriots got to lose an extra game, so.

It's kind of similar.

Not as desperate as the Bengals are, but there's plenty of motivation just simply looking at the standings without needing to look across and see the guy that's heard him before.

The AFC North is usually one of the NFL's top divisions at the moment, this year, nobody's over five hundred, So the Bengals are technically still alive.

What do you think of the division?

Do you think that there's an obvious favorite, and in your mind, do the Bengals still have a fighting chance?

Yeah?

This kind of brings full circle our conversation here.

I think when you combine Joe Burrow's return with that division, who the heck wants it?

Nobody has taken command of it.

If there's ever a chance for a team that's sitting in the position that the Bengals are, yeah, I think you know, if you get a mathematical chance and then you factor in those two things, sure, and I know we're going to ride that.

That adds meaning to our broadcast and adds meaning to a game that's already going to be exciting just because of the stars.

You broadcast Dodgers games during the summer you've got bright sunshine behind you in California.

Are you prepared for wintry conditions this Sunday in Orchard Park, New York.

No, I am so soft.

Dan grew up in Michigan, and after about a week of living out here, I was as soft as they come.

So we've had some good training in the last couple of weeks.

We're in Green Bay two weeks ago.

We were in Seattle last week where it was only low forties.

This is another level of cold, though, So now I'm gonna have about fourteen layers on.

I got no pride, I don't care.

I don't like being cold and distracted, so I'll be so bundled up.

I won't even bring a tie.

That would be our little secret because nobody's gonna know.

I'm gonna have a scarf, a couple stars, giant coat.

Yeah, but I'll be warm.

The George Gastanza puffy jacket.

I'm sure that will look good.

That will look good.

I mentioned off the top, Joe that you had the opportunity to call a historically good world series this year and you match them, which I think is about the ultimate compliment that one broadcaster can pay to another.

What was that moment like for you?

Are those seven games like for you because it's the type of thing that every broadcaster dreams of doing.

Yeah, it was, to be honest with you, I'll see that the first six games, it was incredible time in my life.

I felt really good about the broadcast.

We were having Game six as good as I've ever felt.

Game seven is kind of this blur that I don't really know how to feel about.

So much happened there in the final few winnings of that game, right down to know, we're putting things in perspective about about Toronto ending their World series drought, and then bang, Miguel Rojas happens, and a million other things happened in the hour that follows that.

So it went from six games of this is great and I feel like we're on it, to what the heck just happened and we were kind of holding on for dear life.

I'm sure you've had games like that too in your career where you're like, I don't know what just happened.

I don't know what I said.

I hope that I said.

Something that was ascertainable and that made sense and that helped match the moment but man, it was kind of kind of two series within one the first six games and then that seventh game seems to stand alone in my mind.

Well, I can promise you that you nailed it.

You added to my enjoyment of the World Series.

Congratulations on that.

Look forward to hearing your call on Sunday in Buffalo.

Thanks for your time.

Thanks Stan, It'll be good to see you.

Finally, it's time for this week's Know the Faux segment.

The radio analyst for the Buffalo Bills played for the team for nine years, but he's a Cincinnati guy through and through, having graduated from Elder High School.

It's former Pro Bowl center Eric Wood who talked about the Bills up and down season when he joined Dave Lapham and me on the Bengals Game Plan Show.

He started off four to zero and the expectations were high heading in and it was going to be a Josh Allen MB repeat.

It's a Super Bowl favorites heading into the season, and it's been a roller coaster rode.

The biggest issues that they've faced defensively has been the run defense.

It played well that we could go against the Steelers, but it's been an up and down season.

As far as defending the run, that's been the biggest issue with the defense, and a big issue there is just simply tackling.

Now.

I give them somewhat of a pass for some of their struggles based upon the amount of injuries on the defensive side of the ball, but the run defense has struggled very bad at times this year.

And then offensively, turnovers is probably our biggest issue.

The passing game hasn't come alive like maybe you'd hoped, But there's guys in the receiving corps that have been injured throughout the season, and they've leaned so heavily into the run game that at times they haven't needed to get the pass game going.

But the common denominator and all four of their losses have been three turnovers by the offense.

And it's really hurt us.

Wow, three turnovers in every single loss.

That's that's that's pretty amazing.

That's a that's something new, and.

Dave, you know this like that that third turnover at times has come at the end of a game where you know you have to press because you're coming back.

So not all turnovers are created equal, but that has been the theme in all of their losses this year.

So it's it's been an up and down season obviously for for a Buffalo, the season start off gangbusters and then have had some difficulties.

Is it that been the case for Josh Allen as well?

Has the season basically gone as Josh Allen has played?

I would say it's it's more of a team effort.

You know, they're trying to rely less and less on Josh doing it all himself.

Now this is December football.

If need be, they'll dial up the red zone runs with him, and there's gonna be times where you're gonna see the old Josh Allen improv improvational improvisational skills.

There you go, there's education coming out, but you'll see him improvise out on the field and do some of the heroics that we've seen over time.

But you know this is you know, Sean mcdermoy came from Carolina, so did Brandon bean our GM.

They saw how Cam Newton deteriorated towards the end based upon the amount of hits that he took, and so it's been a concerted effort over these last few years to get him to take less and less hits and so Yeah, I think there's been games where Josh hasn't played his best and the turnovers have been his fault.

And then there's other times where you know, it's either been the run defense or you have guys not him, turning the football over with fumbles, and so you know, ultimately Josh is the heart and soul of the team and it's going to, you know, fall on his shoulders.

But in those four losses, it hasn't all been on him.

Bill's radio analyst and former Pro Bowl center Eric Wood is our guest.

The Bills have had their share of injuries there.

Offensive tackles did not play last week against Pittsburgh.

They still ran the ball for nearly two hundred and fifty yards ere there excellent tight end Dalton Kincaid has been out for a few weeks with a tender hamstring.

Who is it most important for Buffalo to get back?

Yeah, I mean, if Dalton Kinkaid can come back, that would be huge.

Our passing numbers are dramatically better when he's been on the field this season.

I believe Josh Allen's quarterback rating goes up about fifteen with him on the field, which seems extreme for a tight end, but we drafted him in the first round out of Utah three years ago, three seasons ago.

Now to be a receiver.

I mean, he's essentially a bigger slot receiver for us out there and maybe our best pure separator that we bring on the field each week.

And so if he's able to play against the Vengels, I'd say that would be probably the one that I would take.

Now, if Hendrickson was going to play, I might say one of the two tackles are spect Deon Dawkins are left tackle.

But with him likely ruled out, which is a very interesting situation.

I followed along with it.

But with him ruled out, a gimme kincaid if we can get one of them back.

So, looking at the Buffalo Bills offensive line, you played that position so well, Pro Bowl player, nine year veteran player, almost played a decade.

What the offensive line has been inconsistent as well?

With their with their play, with their level of play.

What is the biggest reason for it?

Do you think?

Yeah, I mean they've had a good year.

They got exploited against the Houston Texans on Thursday night.

Football Spencer Brown was playing with the herd shoulder and Dion Dawkins got got a concussion.

In the game.

I'll just say that he got examined on the sideline.

They put him back in obviously wasn't playing like himself, and then he was out the Pittsburghers game because of the concussion suffered in that game.

We also used a lot of five man protections in that game and throughout the season.

Joe Brady, our offensive coordinator, has a lot of confidence in this offensive line to carry the unit, to run the football behind them consistently, and then we have not used a lot of chips or running back help in the passing game because he's got a lot of faith in them.

That came to a head on against the Texans when we gave up eight sacks.

And that's where I said, you know that I wouldn't put the entire blame of the Texans game on Josh Allen, being that he was under dress most of the game.

And so I feel like this unit has performed exceptionally well throughout the season, minus I would say that Texans game.

So what do you think Eric is the big key to the to the game?

I mean, Buffalo needs to win, the Bengals need to win it's a musk game for both football teams.

What do you think is the is the biggest key for the Buffalo Bills to sustain their season and to give them victory in Cincinnati.

Yeah, I would say can painting Joe Burrow and especially Jamar Chase.

And that doesn't mean you shut those guys completely down.

They're too good of a connection to completely shut them down.

But Jamar Chase got the most yards after catch in the NFL when he does catch the football, be able to tackle him limit those yards after the catch.

And then Chase Brown, whether it's you know, receiving or rushing, he's what is he got over one hundred yards from scrimmage the last three games.

Sorry sorry, Yeah, six in a row.

Extremely impressive.

You got to be able to tackle him as well.

He's he's low to the ground, he's he's a great football player.

And then on the offensive side of the ball, I think this Bills team should be able to establish the run against the Bengals, and then it's the play action off of that, and can you connect down the field to make them pay if they're going to bring their safeties down And that's been a lot of the Bills recipe for success this year.

Offensively, it's established the run and then takes your take your shots off of those plays.

How's the new stadium looking, going up right next to high Mark?

It's it's actually incredible.

I got to do a tour of it about two weeks ago.

With the two main architects and the attention to detail, and you know, the amenities that you're going to now have in the new high Mark Stadium is going to be really special Old high Mark Stadium these last three games, if we don't host a home playoff game, if these are the last three, I'm going to cherish them.

So much history there and I love that building.

And uh, you guys know we get we get one of the better radio setups in the league.

As far as size of the booth and our location.

Yah'll be terrible.

It won't be terrible.

We'll just feel a little bit higher up in the new stadium.

They still gave us some respect in that regard.

But you know, I appreciate the nostalgia of old high Mark Stadium.

And I've never gone to a game truly as a spectator, but I've heard some of the amenities are pretty rough over there.

The new stadium features a one point seven billion dollar price tag, and despite Buffalo's notoriously bad weather, will not have a roof.

It will feature a large canopy covering about two thirds of the seats designed to protect fans from the elements, but the Bills wanted to keep the field exposed to the weather, which fits the traditional Buffalo football experience.

Here's a quick invitation to join lapp In Wayne box Miller for the Bengals pep Rally show on Friday.

They'll be at the on the Rhine Eatery, the food hall on the second floor above the downtown Kroger on Friday from two thirty to five thirty, and their scheduled guest in the final hour will be rookie linebacker Barrett Carter.

That's going to do it for this episode of the Bengals Booth podcast, brought to you by pay Corps.

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I'm Dan Horde and thanks for listening to the Bengals Booth podcast