Bleav in Cincy

Jason and Alex are back to discuss the Bengals' last two losses to the Bills and Ravens. They talk about being eliminated from the playoffs for the third consecutive year, and the fact there will likely be no coaching changes. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Darkness.  As I examined the rest of the Bengals schedule after their most recent loss, I realized that they might now win another game.  There are the Dolphins, who they have a history of blowing it against, the Cardinals, who have tight end Trey McBride who is likely to put up insane numbers against these safeties.and the Browns, who just seem to have the Bengals number inexplicably.  Honestly, then I listened to some other podcasts and heard what the downers have to say and said to myself “snap out of it! Stop being such a quitter and figure out how they can get better.” So that is where I am at now.  The next few weeks will be rough, but I see progress. Zac Taylor will be the coach next year. Al Golden will be the defensive coordinator. Duke Tobin will be the general manager. We are fooling ourselves if we say any different.  Some of us love to claim that Taylor has lost the locker room every time they lose a game, but it isn’t true. They love him.  Golden’s development of players has been slower than we would have wanted, but guys are starting to come along. Lou Anarumo’s defense wasn’t any good when he didn’t have the dudes either.  Duke is Duke. We don’t need to rehash it. He has had some success in the draft, but the big difference from other teams is that when the Bengals flub up the draft, they don’t buy their way out with free agents. They are disciplined to a fault. That’s not Duke. That’s ownership. They are who they are too. On this week’s episode of Matt and Willie Know Ball, Willie and I reexamine the life choices that led tom us hosting a Bengals podcast, then we say FIDO and get back to work. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jason and Alex are back for another episode, brought to you by FanDuel. This time they react to the awesome win over the Ravens on the road on Thanksgiving, and their upcoming game against the Bills, as well as...... a possible path to the playoffs? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s almost Thanksgiving and Mattt and Willie have a cornucopia of thoughts on the state of the Bengals. Join us and follow on Bleav for all the latest Bengals news and takes.  Matt and Willie are thankful for a defense that is finally showing life. In this episode of Matt and Willie Know Ball, the ball-knowers tackle the defense.  Are the linebacker deep-fried turkey or a delicious turducken of talent with all the fixins? Just like when the parade is ending and pregame has begun, things seem to be trending in the right direction. Barrett Carter shook off his missed-tackle woes and had 16 total tackles this week. Carter has been calling the defensive shots and taking every single defensive snap since usurping Logan Wilson. Not unlike cranberry sauce in the shape of a can, he may be criminally underrated for what he has done as a rookie and the career trajectory he is currently projecting. Like a forgotten side dish, it’s better late than never for Myles Murphy. Over the last two weeks he has really flashed. With both Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart out, Murphy has seen a lot more action. He has taken advantage of this, looking good against both the run and the pass and producing a sack. I’ll take seconds of that. McKinnley Jackson has finally been promoted from the kiddie table and is making me wonder why he spent so much time on the inactive list. You can pass the masked potatoes, but you aren’t getting anything past Jackson in the run game. He anchors down like Uncle Ricky on the lazy boy and he isn’t going anywhere. Deep in the back of the refrigerator, the Bengals found some leftovers that still have some flavor. No, not the scalloped potatoes, Jalen Davis. Moving Davis up from the practice squad and rounded out the Bengals secondary menu very nicely. He played a large role and for the defense last week and showed no signs of spoilage. Tryptophan aside, people are sleeping on this Bengals run game. Chase Brown and more importantly this offensive line have really caught their stride. New offensive line coach Scott Peters is looking like a great hire.  Now can they keep it up as Joe Burrow looks to make his return on Thursday night? Burrow will have his work cut out for him if he hopes to get the Bengals season back on track. Black Friday may be coming up, but the Bengals win/loss record is so deep into the red, that it will take them until New Years to get them out.  Oh well, the Rose Bowl is a better parade anyway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jason and Alex are back to discuss the fact Joe Burrow is practicing in full and all signs point to him making a return in 2025. They discuss whether or not he should. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode: Joe Burrow was a full participant at practice this week. Is he going to play sooner than expected? What are the expectations for Burrow and the Bengals upon his return at 3-7? What's the impetus behind Burrow's rushed return? The Bengals are in the headlines in the worst way after their loss to the Steelers. What challenges do the Patriots provide this Sunday? And more! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Bengals are like a super-manipulative party who convinces you they are going to change just as you are about to give up on the relationship. They lost the must win game a week ago, and yet a glimmer of hop appears in Cartier glasses. Joe Burrow was a full participant at practice this week, which as we all know in light of the Lamar Jackson saga means he is not just practice but taking starter reps. With Joe, anything is possible. It is not likely, but all of the sudden running the table doesn't seem crazy. Infeasible, sure, but not crazy. Of course, the Bengals will be without Ja'Marr Chase, who gave Jalen Ramsey a Romanowski hello last weekend. Still, where there is Joe Burrow, there is hope. But does it even matter? This defense isn't getting any better. Al Golden told us after Week 1 that he didn't want to play Trey Hendrickson that much because it wasn't good for him, but that they had to in order to win. He nailed that take and he hasn't made a good call since (bada tish!). Seriously, Hendrickson was overworked and now he's hurt. The defense without him is... I don't even have a word. Whatever the opposite of "scrumtrulescent*" is. The rookies who needed to step up defensively, have stepped left and right and do-si-doed, but definitely not stepped up. In fact, as the weeks go on and on, this unit is looking more and more like a complete overhaul. Yeah, the defense is bad, so let's all just sit in the corner rocking back and former muttering to ourselves "Joe is coming, Joe is coming," like Bart Simpson at Kamp Krusty, *"Scrumtrulescent" is a made-up word from an old Will Ferrell Saturday Night Live Sketch in which he played James Lipton from Inside the Actors Studio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jason and Alex are refreshed after the bye week, but they're not overly confident the Cincinnati Bengals used that week off to make any improvements that will matter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode: Joe Burrow returned to practice as of Monday, and the team has some big decisions ahead. What are the pros and cons with each quarterback, given where the schedule lands and how things have looked under Joe Flacco thus far. Between accrued injuries, affected mechanics and previous slow starts t Bengals seasons, what should we expect from a Burrow-led offense post-Thanksgiving? The AFC North appears wide open, but what are the expectations for the Bengals at 3-6? And more! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this week's all new installment of Matt and Willie Know Ball, the ball-knowers hit on the two biggest topics of the bye week. Joe Burrow returns to practice and eyes Thanksgiving return to the field. What can the defense do to get good enough that number one even matters? So what is the Burrow effect? True, the Bengals defense may have given 88 points in the last two weeks, but if the Bengals had 17 seconds and Joesph Lee Burrow after Colson Loveland scored his go ahead touchdown for the Bears, wouldn't you have felt better about the situation? Granted, you still wouldn't have felt good, but better. Joe Flacco has had this offense going on all cylinders. Under Joe Burrow, they really weren't. They won those first two games on the back of good defense. Does the Burrow effect extend to the defense through some kind of Tom Cruise witchcraft? And What about Al Golden's unit? Could the defense be revamped after the bye? Could they have sat down and put together a plan to make this thing functional for the next few weeks? Can they be good enough to win? I've got news for you. This division is still wide open. The Bengals play the Steelers, the Browns, and the Ravens twice. They are still very much in control of their own destiny. The Steelers are in the lead, but crumbling. The Ravens are looking better, but they have a touch road ahead. Check this. They play the Steelers twice, the Bengals twice, and the Patriots in a span of 5 weeks. That is an insane stretch. 10 games could be the division. 9 wins could even do it, if they were the right wins. Sweep the division and you have got a shot. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode: The Bengals had one of the most improbable comebacks against the Bears, followed by an inexplicable collapse...again. Zac Taylor said that no coaching changes are going to transpire, even after the past two weeks and with the team heading into the bye. Logan Wilson was traded to the Cowboys, Trey Hendrickson stays with the Bengals, while Cincinnati doesn't make any other additions. And more! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Darkness has fallen. The Bengals beat the Steelers two weeks ago and everything was looking hunky-dory. Then came the New York Jets. The Bengals had it and they lost it. There were defensive failings to be sure, but a lot of it was just losing the battle for those important inches. They should have won that game and they could have one that game with one defensive player stepping up and making a play. And yet, here we are. With Trey Hendrickson sideline, the defense generated no pass rush and in turn the secondary struggled. The run defense saw guys out of position and massive holes opened up just like they did in August. We were told this defense was less complicated, but is it? Jordan Battle doesn't seem to think so. Seriously, what is up with this defense? Is it a coaching issue or a scouting issue? It does make you feel differently about Lou Anarumo and even Teryl Austin. They didn't have the dudes and neither does Al Golden. Anarumo had them once, when Duke Tobin went on a hot streak drafting Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson and signing Trey Hendrickson, D.J. Reader, and Chidobe Awuzie. Players seem to be cutting bait and attempting to move on from this defense. That isn't really a surprise, particularly when you are talking about a benched veteran in Logan Wilson, who surely thinks that he can be a starter and young McKinnley Jackson who is eager for a shot but keeps seeing newcomers come in and surpass him on the depth chart. Matt and Willie discuss all of this and more, including an odd concusses about Joe Pesci.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jason and Alex are back to discuss the Bengals' embarrassing defensive collapse and loss to the Jets in Week 8, their upcoming game against the Bears, and Alex shares some memories of his time at OSU with the recently passed Nick Mangold. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode: Cincinnati suffered its worst loss in the Zac Taylor era, and one of the biggest collapses in recent memory. The Bengals' defense is somehow worse than last year, with failures occurring at each level of the unit. Is a rebound possible? Will the Bengals be buyers, sellers, or holders at the trade deadline? The sequence of events that reportedly (or even rumored) to have unfolded Saturday-Monday surrounding the Bengals was downright staggering. And more! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode: Logan Wilson has formally requested a trade from the Bengals. When and will Wilson be dealt, and for what? The latest on the Cincinnati injury front. Even though the Bengals are just 3-4, can this game against the Jets be considered a "trap game"? If they want to get to .500, the Bengals can't afford to let little mistakes become problems on Sunday. Some thoughts on Lemar Parrish, Dave Lapham and other Ring of Honor Inductees. And more! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Logan Wilson, longtime Bengal/first time captain, has requested a trade. What does this mean for the team going forward? Is it likely to happen? What could the possible return be? We have one name in mind. Matt and Willie discuss this as well as the underrated legacy of linebackers Wilson and Germaine Pratt. The there is Cam Taylor-Britt. What is going on with that guy? The former second round pick was benched a few weeks ago, then made inactive on Thursday Night Football due to a coach's decision. That's never good. Like Andre Benjamin, I'm just being honest. No one likes getting benched. We are all prideful people, particularly professional athletes, but by all accounts, Taylor-Britt has been a professional throughout his struggles. Could he have been inactive because they were discussing a trade sending him out of Cincinnati? There is one particularly name that would make a lot of sense for both the Bengals and this individual's current team if they wanted to swap their former highly touted players. Matt and Willie discuss this scenario and Taylor-Britt's future in Cincinnati and the league. The Bengals are coming off of a huge win last week. What does that mean for the season. Matt and Willie discuss the road to Joe Burrow's return and what the Bengals need to do to get there in one piece. The path is narrow and unforgiving, but it is clear. What about the Steelers though. They currently have the lead in the division, but they have a difficult run in front of them too. The haven't seen the top of the NFC North year. The Bengals may still be back a game and a half, but that gap could shrink very quickly with the opponents that Pittsburgh has in front of them. How about the Ravens? They are way back, but are they too far back? If they can get healthy, could they make a run at the division championship. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode: Joe Flacco looked every bit the part of "Elite" on Thursday night. The Bengals found a running game and the offensive line has improved the past two weeks! Ja'Marr Chase remains the best wide receiver in the NFL, despite three starting Bengals QBs in seven games this year. The Bengals defense MUST improve, should the Bengals make a playoff push this year. And more! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jason and Alex are back to discuss the Bengals' Week 6 loss to the Packers, why they're more optimistic, despite the loss, than you'd think, and what the Bengals need to do to beat the Steelers on TNF. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jason is joined by a new co-host, Alex, a former Ohio State defensive end. After his introduction, the two discuss the Bengals' acquisition of Joe Flacco, the fact he was driven to Cincinnati, and what they think he could possibly bring to the 2025 Bengals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Matt and Willie Know Ball, but even we did not see this one coming. The Bengals made a big splash adding a veteran quarterback who knows the AFC North as well as anyone. Why did the Bengals decide to add Flacco? What will the offense look like with Flacco under center? Should this rest our expectations for this season? Flacco was once a Super Bowl MVP, but has become a journeyman bridge quarterback who produces for teams just to be replace. Now he has crossed over into full-on mercenary mode, as he comes in to save the Bengals season. The Bengals have a herculean task ahead of them as the head to Green Bay, but hey, Flacco has already beat the Packers this season. After that the Bengals have some winnable games on the horizon. They have two matchups with the Steelers coming up, which could determine their fate. (Who would have guessed that the AFC Championship would go through Pittsburg of all places?) Then, what was once considered the most challenging part of the Bengals schedule comes as they play the Ravens twice in 18 days with the Buffalo Bills sandwiched in the middle. Oh, and by the way, the first of those matchups with Baltimore happens to be on the road on a short week. No biggy. Well, the Ravens aren't looking so tough all of the sudden, as their injury report grows like it just made a wish on a Zoltar machine. Could Flacco take care of business against the team he took to the Super Bowl all those years ago? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.