WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:05.799 Bengals, Vikings, backup quarterbacks, fringe playoff teams. Let's get into it. 2 00:00:06.200 --> 00:00:11.640 You are Locked On Bengals, your daily Cincinnati Bengals podcast, part of 3 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:33.439 the Locked On Podcast network, your team every day. What's going on football 4 00:00:33.479 --> 00:00:38.640 fans, It's time for another crossover here on the Locked On podcast. Ever, 5 00:00:38.759 --> 00:00:42.320 how Jake, let's go from Locked On Bengals. He's Luke Brown from 6 00:00:42.679 --> 00:00:48.240 Locked On Vikings for this week's Prize Picks crossover Vikings Bengals. Like I mentioned, 7 00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:52.039 backup quarterbacks, fringe playoff teams. We're gonna get into the biggest stories, 8 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:56.359 the biggest matchups, the keys to victory for these teams in This episode 9 00:00:56.399 --> 00:00:59.880 is sponsored by Prize Picks, the easiest and most exciting way to play d 10 00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:03.920 fantasy sports at prizepicks dot com. Slash Locked on NFL promo code Locked on 11 00:01:04.040 --> 00:01:07.840 NFL will get you a first deposit match up to one hundred dollars and you 12 00:01:07.879 --> 00:01:12.040 can find these shows Locked On Vikings, Locked On Bengals on YouTube or anyway 13 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:15.680 you get your podcast. And we appreciate every single one of you who make 14 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:19.000 us your first respective listens and all the every days out there. And Luke 15 00:01:19.760 --> 00:01:26.400 let's get into some big stories back up quarterbacks, changing quarterbacks and Minnesota. 16 00:01:26.560 --> 00:01:30.680 I'll let you start. What's a big story for the Minnesota Vikings. Yeah, 17 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:34.879 so, Hi, Cincinnati. Things are a lot different than when we 18 00:01:34.920 --> 00:01:40.879 looked at this matchup two months ago and since we met last year too. 19 00:01:42.599 --> 00:01:47.400 It's dark. The Vikings are starting Nick Mullins, and that's the fourth starting 20 00:01:47.480 --> 00:01:49.400 quarterback the Vikings have had this year. They had Kirk Cousins get hurt in 21 00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:53.680 Week eight, Jaren Hall started the next game, got concussed, immediately lost 22 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:57.840 his job to Joshua Dobbs, who just lost his job to Mullins last week. 23 00:01:57.879 --> 00:02:00.599 And now officially they're moving forward with Mullins. So we don't really know 24 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:04.079 a lot about Mullen. We haven't seen him play for the Vikings a lot. 25 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:06.239 I mean we've we've seen a lot of Mullins over over you know, 26 00:02:06.359 --> 00:02:10.240 in San Francisco and Vegas and stuff, but he's fairly new to us as 27 00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:14.479 Vikings fans. He's a little bit more stable. I think if you got 28 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:15.759 Dobbs, I'd be telling you a man like you can really get this guy 29 00:02:15.800 --> 00:02:20.280 to mess up and throw stupid interceptions, or he'll he'll you know, be 30 00:02:20.360 --> 00:02:23.080 in the grasp of a sack and we'll just wing the ball out andet. 31 00:02:23.159 --> 00:02:27.719 He's he threw two interceptions to nose tackles in his brief stint as a Viking, 32 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:31.759 Like he'll do that kind of stuff. Nick Mullens has some of that. 33 00:02:31.879 --> 00:02:36.319 Like he's not the safest guy. This is not like I've been saying. 34 00:02:36.360 --> 00:02:38.120 You know, we had Sean Mannion as a backup for a few years. 35 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:42.840 This isn't Sean Mannion where nothing will happen. Uh, He'll still get 36 00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:46.000 outside the pocket if he can, if he if there's an opportunity to and 37 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:53.039 and maybe scramble. He's fast ish, but not that fast. But what's 38 00:02:53.080 --> 00:02:57.439 important is that the rhythm is proper with him. He's on time, he's 39 00:02:57.439 --> 00:03:00.479 in, he's delivering the ball where it is supposed to be. Not a 40 00:03:00.520 --> 00:03:04.560 crazy arm, not a lot of talent as compared to guys that are on 41 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:07.639 purpose starters in this league. You know, he's not this dude just dripping 42 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:09.680 with these crazy deep balls or something like that. But like he can throw 43 00:03:09.719 --> 00:03:16.680 a corner route, like he can hit that throw And ideally we live in 44 00:03:16.719 --> 00:03:21.039 a world where this game came down to something else and he just played a 45 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:24.719 little bit of point guard. Are you expecting then this like heavy play action 46 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:29.840 screen game, running game kind of approach from the Vikings, because that's what 47 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:34.080 the Bengals have seen as a change of pace for their offense with Jake Browning. 48 00:03:35.159 --> 00:03:38.439 Interesting, No, I don't think so. Mullins has been trained in 49 00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:43.240 the kirk Cousins offense, so he'll do what kirk Cousins did, which there's 50 00:03:43.319 --> 00:03:50.680 some of the movement stuff and play action stuff, but like they are Kevin 51 00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:54.000 O'Connell as opposed to the Koubias who were here, or even like McVeigh and 52 00:03:54.000 --> 00:04:00.479 Shanahan themselves, Zach Taylor a lot more interested in the dropback game, just 53 00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:03.800 straight dropbacks, you know, five routes, five wide, attacking you know, 54 00:04:03.879 --> 00:04:11.039 middlefield safeties and attacking half safeties and trying to sort of whiteboard his way 55 00:04:11.080 --> 00:04:15.639 through those games with just drop back stuff rather than the rollouts. They're kind 56 00:04:15.639 --> 00:04:19.439 of our version of quick game where instead of running like slat flat, will 57 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:25.120 run a little keeper slide and check it down to the tight end for three 58 00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:28.519 yards. And that's kind of our like, you know, easy, get 59 00:04:28.519 --> 00:04:31.279 into rhythm kind of play. But it very much serves only that purpose. 60 00:04:31.800 --> 00:04:35.399 They don't really use it so much as a shot play anymore because defenses are 61 00:04:35.399 --> 00:04:39.759 just too keyed into that. Instead, their shot plays are you know, 62 00:04:39.879 --> 00:04:45.639 drop back maybe play action, but not like rollout play action and you know, 63 00:04:45.680 --> 00:04:47.360 go balls down the sideline or deepost to Jordan Datison, that kind of 64 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:50.639 stuff. And of course we'll talk about the return of Justin Jefferson, but 65 00:04:50.680 --> 00:04:55.480 I do find that interesting and it is that's really interesting, Yeah, something 66 00:04:55.560 --> 00:04:58.720 that well, I mean, just leaning on a backup to just continue to 67 00:04:58.759 --> 00:05:02.519 live in the drop back world. To any watching what has happened when they 68 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:05.519 asked Jake Browning to do that in Cincinnati against Pittsburgh a few weeks ago and 69 00:05:05.560 --> 00:05:11.160 it was just a disaster. And then this total transformation against Givens schematically very 70 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:15.120 different teams and the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars on defense, the Bengals started 71 00:05:15.160 --> 00:05:19.439 to live in this under center play action, no more empty, We're going 72 00:05:19.480 --> 00:05:25.000 to run the ball arguably more, although if you look only at more neutral 73 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:28.680 gamescript situations, it's actually the same run pass split, which is on the 74 00:05:29.079 --> 00:05:34.399 interesting athletic pointed out, but a lot more play action screen stuff from the 75 00:05:34.439 --> 00:05:39.319 Bengals a lot less. We're going to ask to true past that kind of 76 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:43.720 pass protection, straight drop back game from them, less quick game that you 77 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:46.600 do a lot with Joe Burrow where they go empty five guys in the Burrow 78 00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:49.480 wants to live. It is a lot harder. So that's why I'm surprised 79 00:05:49.480 --> 00:05:53.439 to hear you say that that's how they want to live with Nick Mollins. 80 00:05:54.120 --> 00:05:57.680 Yeah, because that's what Nick Mullins said. I think that's more of an 81 00:05:57.720 --> 00:06:00.079 O'Connell thing. This is fascinating because these two coaches have the same dad. 82 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:04.639 They're both of the off of mcveighs staff. Yeah, and so when you 83 00:06:04.680 --> 00:06:08.199 get a different backup quarterback, But that might just be a difference. I 84 00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:10.800 mean, that's that's what Jake Browning did a lot at Washington too, right, 85 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:14.920 So like that's just his skill set. Mullins has been in these Shanahan 86 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:18.560 systems a lot, and he's so far shown an ability to like read these 87 00:06:18.600 --> 00:06:24.120 things out and get the ball moving. I don't think he throws that well 88 00:06:24.120 --> 00:06:27.439 on the run, So that might be the difference is you know, getting 89 00:06:27.519 --> 00:06:30.800 him out and moving him out into the flats and moving the pocket and stuff 90 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:32.600 might not be better for him. He might be better at hit the thing 91 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:34.639 at the top of your drop and you're just not going to see like a 92 00:06:34.680 --> 00:06:39.639 wow, Josh Allen kind of you know, layer it in over to like 93 00:06:39.639 --> 00:06:43.120 he'll be a little bit safer with it. But right now, because the 94 00:06:43.160 --> 00:06:47.040 other headline of the Vikings is that the defense is playing out of its skull, 95 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:50.279 we just kind of want like no turnovers, like just don't do anything 96 00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:55.759 crazy. We'll take our you know, go score eighteen points and we'll be 97 00:06:55.879 --> 00:06:59.240 fine, Like we'll kick a field goals. We'll try to win this like 98 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:01.759 back in the day when Mike Zimmer was winning games sixteen to ten. And 99 00:07:02.120 --> 00:07:05.079 that might be the way that this team kind of lives down the stretch here 100 00:07:05.879 --> 00:07:11.079 is by trying to really like collapse the game and lean on the defense more. 101 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:14.319 And I was talking to a mutual friend, a guy that we both 102 00:07:14.360 --> 00:07:16.279 know, Mike's Antagonta yesterday about this and saying like, hey, look, 103 00:07:16.360 --> 00:07:20.959 the Bengals can get to twenty in these games on the stretch against the Vikings 104 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:26.720 Steelers, not so much as Chiefs maybe, but Brown's like against these backup 105 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:29.480 quarterbacks with good defenses, getting to twenty. I think it's going to be 106 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:31.360 tough, and we'll talk about this defense because I think that's one of the 107 00:07:31.399 --> 00:07:38.079 matchups and stories is incredibly intriguing to me this week from a Bengals perspective, 108 00:07:38.120 --> 00:07:42.800 going from Gus Bradley to Brian Flores, you could not get more different in 109 00:07:42.920 --> 00:07:47.240 terms of the style of defenses that Jake Browning at quarterback and Zach Taylor on 110 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:50.160 the offensive side of the ball going to prepare for and see this week. 111 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:54.120 But you talk about taking care of the ball. It does not appear to 112 00:07:54.120 --> 00:07:58.120 be one of Nick Mullen's strengths. Just looking at the PFF day to hear 113 00:07:58.240 --> 00:08:01.680 Luke for what it's worth, they've got him. The last time he played 114 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:03.000 a lot was twenty twenty, so it's been a while. But he is 115 00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:09.319 a career turnover worthy play rate at four and a half percent thirty three turnover 116 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:13.319 worthy plays just two and a half percent for big time throws seven. That's 117 00:08:13.319 --> 00:08:18.439 nothing. That's where we four and a half for breakfast. I'm not kidding. 118 00:08:18.480 --> 00:08:20.439 Like the other two guys are so much more. Jaren Hall, who 119 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:24.519 did this a ton at BYU and Josh Dobbs who just threw four in a 120 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:28.240 game a couple of weeks. Agobout that number. Great, that's that's the 121 00:08:28.279 --> 00:08:33.080 best we got, is what I'll say about that number. But turnovers have 122 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:35.559 been the story of the Vikings this whole year. They've fumbled, they've thrown 123 00:08:35.559 --> 00:08:39.639 interceptions. They've had games where they turn it over three times in the first 124 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:41.279 half and have to dig themselves out of a hole. And sometimes they do, 125 00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:43.799 sometimes they don't, and that's kind of where it is. But if 126 00:08:43.799 --> 00:08:48.559 they can get through a game without turning the ball over, then they stand 127 00:08:48.600 --> 00:08:50.720 a much better chance at success. The Bengals one of the top teams in 128 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:56.879 the NFL at turning over opposing offenses, and we'll see how that comes up 129 00:08:56.919 --> 00:09:00.159 as a factor this week, because I really want to focus on these defenses. 130 00:09:00.279 --> 00:09:03.679 I think that it could be a bit of a defensive struggle. Although 131 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:07.799 Bengals fans are coming in thinking, man, they've scored thirty and two straight 132 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:09.559 games, I think that that is going to be tougher this week. So 133 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:13.399 we'll talk about that Vikings defense and what I think is one of the biggest 134 00:09:13.399 --> 00:09:16.360 matchups of the game, which is Flores against Taylor. Hopefully staying on the 135 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:22.679 sidelines unlike when Flores was in Miami, and we'll get into those matchups coming 136 00:09:22.759 --> 00:09:28.799 up next. This crossover episode is sponsored by Better Help. It's a holiday 137 00:09:28.840 --> 00:09:33.600 season and maybe you don't like getting gifts. Getting gifts is hard, it's 138 00:09:33.639 --> 00:09:39.039 stressful. Well, get a gift for yourself with Better Help, it's a 139 00:09:39.080 --> 00:09:43.120 great time to do that at the holidays. 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Schultz Strolers does too, because when it 165 00:11:37.799 --> 00:11:41.559 has to be perfect, it has to be Schultz Strolers. Week. One 166 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:46.360 of the most fascinating matchups to me in this game is Brian Flores and that 167 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:50.559 I think you've called it's arranged, at least I've referenced to you calling it's 168 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:54.559 arranged. Probably that sounds like something I would say. I do believe that 169 00:11:54.600 --> 00:11:58.720 it is deranged, yes, And the style of defense that is blitz heavy 170 00:11:58.759 --> 00:12:03.360 that his disguise have where last week the Bengals picked apart August Bradley defense is 171 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:11.960 sending four and playing single high almost the entire game. That disparate approach, 172 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:18.279 that juxtaposition. I'm fascinated to see how the Bengals deal with it, because 173 00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:20.240 they've been very good this year. Attacking teams would like to send their defensive 174 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:24.279 ends flying upfield in the screen game with Designer Runs talked about that a lot 175 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:31.200 on yesterday's episode of Lockdown Bengals, but we also saw Jake Browning look like 176 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:35.080 a deer in headlights against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a better defense like the Vikings, 177 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:39.279 but also stylistically very different, super different. Yeah, so, okay, 178 00:12:39.320 --> 00:12:43.000 the Flores. You haven't seen anything like the Flora's defense, and you 179 00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:46.360 won't for the rest of the year either. It's about sixty percent Belichick and 180 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:52.360 Pat and Ardozy Pittsburgh Panthers, which Flores got from his year with the Steelers 181 00:12:52.440 --> 00:12:54.720 last year. They share a practice field, so we like watched some tape 182 00:12:54.720 --> 00:13:00.399 and like took some ideas from them. But basically the question of it is, 183 00:13:00.600 --> 00:13:03.080 and this is a question I always have for people in these crossovers, 184 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:07.039 what is your favorite blitz counter? What's Zach Taylor's favorite blitz counter? When 185 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:09.799 when he's got when you when you see eight guys on the line of scrimmage, 186 00:13:09.879 --> 00:13:15.799 everybody's coming quarterback, do they check into something? Is there a hot 187 00:13:15.879 --> 00:13:18.799 read? Is it just we're gonna call a lot of screens and hope that 188 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:22.360 we can punish that. What's the move? We've seen that answer change, 189 00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:28.159 of course without Joe Burrow, But I think it isn't one thing. They 190 00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:31.639 will be hot at times. They will try to call screens at the right 191 00:13:31.679 --> 00:13:33.759 time at times and try to push the right button. But the other thing 192 00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:37.039 that they've always got in their pocket, and this is something that I think 193 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:41.480 is fascinating hearing you ask that question. Is I'm just gonna throw it up 194 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:46.120 to Jamar Chaser T Higgins on a go ball if there's nobody back help, 195 00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:50.799 that's three step drop and just peeve it. Okay, there are a few 196 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:54.080 options, I think, And the other one is that occasionally they'll go max 197 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:58.840 protect and try to pick it up, but with a backup quarterback. Or 198 00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:01.519 I've been scolded for a guy who was a backup quarterback and is now starting 199 00:14:01.559 --> 00:14:07.639 his third game. Uh, semantics, he's a backup. Yeah, well 200 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:13.279 he didn't. See's not on purpose, you know. Uh those answers a 201 00:14:13.320 --> 00:14:18.360 little bit from when Joe Burrow is a quarterback, got it. So the 202 00:14:18.360 --> 00:14:20.279 the go routes really interesting. We haven't seen that. We've seen a lot 203 00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:24.360 of people trying for the screens and the quick stuff. You know, let's 204 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:28.559 just hit like a dart rpo or let's hit like you know something that's one 205 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:33.000 step in throw or three steps in throw. Slants and stuff like that. 206 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:35.840 The slants don't work as well because they changed a lot of the stuff they 207 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:41.600 were doing on the back end into like some some zone looks that would pick 208 00:14:41.639 --> 00:14:48.879 off a slant right like they're dropping Yeah, windows, Yeah exactly. So 209 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:52.840 part of like a really key thing is when they are in they call their 210 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:58.799 uh max pressure formation. That look that usually only see on third downs is 211 00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:05.039 their Bengal package, and the blitz rules out of that are based on how 212 00:15:05.080 --> 00:15:09.759 the offensive line slides their protection. Someone drops out, someone will come, 213 00:15:09.799 --> 00:15:15.039 and so you'll have kind of depending on what the offense does, determines how 214 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:18.240 many people come and blitz, and the idea is that you always have one 215 00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:20.600 more than is protecting. So if you do want to do max protect, 216 00:15:20.600 --> 00:15:24.879 we're sending eight people if you have seven blockers, right, or if you 217 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:26.679 have eight blockers, we're sending nine for that. Like that's going to be 218 00:15:26.799 --> 00:15:33.039 how those things work. And then people will drop out based on the protection 219 00:15:33.159 --> 00:15:37.159 slide so that those like quick windows are still taken. And then you'll have 220 00:15:37.320 --> 00:15:43.240 corners playing really far off eyes on the quarterback one two, I snapped to 221 00:15:43.240 --> 00:15:46.320 the receiver and then you're probably breaking on something because usually guys will throw like 222 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:50.639 little hitches against that, so it's one two break or one two eyes to 223 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:54.159 the receiver and then you play Manda Man from there. But what could be 224 00:15:54.240 --> 00:15:58.879 interesting is if Jake Browning wants to just take that under center three steps, 225 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:04.080 row something up to Jamar Chase, and you're attacking a matchup that is really 226 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:08.919 interesting and probably one of the biggest ones, which is Jamar Chase versus I 227 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:12.720 would guess Byron Murphy, but they might play sides and let Jamar Chase go 228 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:18.080 up against a Caleb Evans who's a bigger corner and has been playing lights out 229 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:23.840 by the way, That would be an interesting matchup to test, but it's 230 00:16:23.960 --> 00:16:29.360 dangerous because if you check into that, if Jake Browning says, oh, 231 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:33.840 they're coming, I'm throwing this go ball pre snap, it might be a 232 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:37.240 max cover look where we only rush three and now you've got safeties lurking over 233 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:41.200 the top that are gonna pick the heck out of that thing. So you 234 00:16:41.320 --> 00:16:45.759 have to be really really careful about how you do that. Nobody has really 235 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:48.000 figured out a good consistent answer to the Flores defense yet now that it has 236 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:52.320 really hit its stride and they've kind of worked out the kinks over the first 237 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:56.600 half of the season. But I kind of said on my show yesterday, 238 00:16:57.120 --> 00:17:00.720 Zach Taylor's turned to try to figure this out. Now he's a pretty good 239 00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:03.720 offensive mind. And then Ben Johnson gets a couple of cracks and Matt Lafleur 240 00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:07.319 gets a crack. So somebody, somebody's going to figure something out here and 241 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:12.039 we'll see what can consistently work. I do think that it is a challenge 242 00:17:12.119 --> 00:17:15.920 just because the answers they've had the last couple of weeks, maybe they aren't 243 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:21.160 there the same way. How are they the vikings against you know, those 244 00:17:21.160 --> 00:17:25.359 designer runs like crack, toss, wam trap, those sorts of things. 245 00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:30.200 All of that stuff gets so much easier because of the fronts that they use 246 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:36.279 that they will do, Like I wonder what front they'll live in, because 247 00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:40.599 usually they'll base out of either four three or three four and then they'll kind 248 00:17:40.599 --> 00:17:42.720 of adjust from there and it depends. It's a game plan thing. So 249 00:17:42.839 --> 00:17:47.680 against those I'm going to guess that they would want even spacing, but that's 250 00:17:47.720 --> 00:17:53.920 super a guess. And then they'll usually either shift into like tilt fronts that 251 00:17:53.960 --> 00:17:56.599 are like six' one six guys on the line of scrimmage, or they'll 252 00:17:56.599 --> 00:18:00.359 have a five man front and then bring down another person is like an overhang 253 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:03.119 defender that's a six person, So they want six on the line of scrimmage. 254 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:10.160 Which makes it a lot much we've seen against the McVeigh tree running attacks. 255 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:12.599 So going back to like the Patriots a few years ago, right right, 256 00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:15.880 that's the Belichick part. That's the stuff that Flora still has from his 257 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:21.039 days in New England, and it breaks up all those double teams in like 258 00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:23.920 zone and stuff like that, but against those kind of designed tricky trapwham kind 259 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:29.279 of family of things. It also puts guys in every gap, and it 260 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:33.400 means it makes it really hard to protect the puller. Like if your guard 261 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:37.559 pulls to either do trap or power or whatever it is, it's really hard 262 00:18:37.559 --> 00:18:41.039 for that tackle to or that center whoever it is, to collapse that gap 263 00:18:41.119 --> 00:18:45.680 because there is somebody in every single gap. So like he's got his own 264 00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:48.880 thing to do and now he's pinned down by somebody else. Just having that 265 00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:52.960 those extra guys on the line of scrimmage helps quite a bit. And the 266 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:55.720 disadvantage is that you throw over the top of it a ton, but it's 267 00:18:55.720 --> 00:18:57.920 really hard to do that if we're also sending seven all the time. Yeah, 268 00:18:57.920 --> 00:19:02.640 I think that that is is the chess game, and what the Bengals 269 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:07.359 will have to figure out is the pre snap postnap diagnosis or just putting Jake 270 00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:11.680 Browning in a position where he has answers something with Joe Burrow that I feel 271 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:15.519 more confident about, right because he's so good at processing post snap and so 272 00:19:15.559 --> 00:19:18.279 good at seeing the entire field and figuring out where he needs to go and 273 00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:22.839 win at a very very high rate of efficiency and accuracy. And then with 274 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:27.359 Jake Browning, we haven't seen him have to make those diagnoses nearly as often. 275 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:36.359 So that's why we just spent eight minutes talking about that particular schematic chess 276 00:19:36.359 --> 00:19:38.640 match, because I think that that is such a crux of this game. 277 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:42.799 I also do want to talk about justin Jefferson's return and some of the players 278 00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:45.440 in this game as well. I've in Paid Junior, maybe one that you 279 00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:48.519 didn't expect me to want to bring up, but a guy that a lot 280 00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:52.119 of Bengals fans know in are oh yes, sure because of this tea if 281 00:19:52.119 --> 00:19:55.279 it's a player of the week pa or is that the game of his life? 282 00:19:55.519 --> 00:19:59.359 Well, and two weeks removed from Jake Browning being the AFC Offensive Player 283 00:19:59.400 --> 00:20:03.400 of the Week, so we got some undrafted oh yeah, award winners in 284 00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:07.720 this Tommy DeVito was NFC Offensive Player of the Week this week too. Really, 285 00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:12.680 yeah, we need to enjoy this NFL season. Oh, we'll continue 286 00:20:12.759 --> 00:20:17.359 with a couple more comments on some of the key players and matchups in this 287 00:20:17.400 --> 00:20:22.200 game before we wrap up this week's crossover coming up next. Today's episode of 288 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:27.000 Locked On Vikings The Lockdow Bengals is brought to you by FanDuel, America's number 289 00:20:27.079 --> 00:20:30.000 one sports book. And it's America's number one sportsbook for a reason. That's 290 00:20:30.039 --> 00:20:34.079 because if you are new to Fan Duel, you can sign up right now 291 00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:38.119 at fandle dot com slash locked on. Make one five dollars money line bet 292 00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:41.599 on any team. You can make a bet on Vikings or Bengals. If 293 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:45.359 you don't want to do that to yourself emotionally, I get it. Why 294 00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:48.480 don't you just throw it down on, say the San Francisco forty nine Ers, 295 00:20:48.519 --> 00:20:52.160 who are minus eight hundred against the Arizona Cardinals. Five bucks on that, 296 00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:56.759 and assuming the forty nine Ers beat the Cardinals, which we all expect, 297 00:20:57.319 --> 00:21:00.839 you will get one hundred and fifty bucks back in bone. That's thirty 298 00:21:00.839 --> 00:21:03.799 to one odds on a minus eight hundred bet that you can find at FanDuel 299 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:07.559 Sportsbook or you can bet right now. The Vikings are two and a half 300 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:14.079 point underdogs to the Cincinnati Bengals, So if you want to catch that right 301 00:21:14.119 --> 00:21:15.559 now, that would be it'd be a good time to bet the Bengals because 302 00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:18.519 you get that hook point on the field goal. If you wanted to go 303 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:22.279 do that, you can find that once again at FanDuel dot com slash locked 304 00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:26.880 on one hundred and fifty bucks in bonus bets for hitting on any five dollars 305 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:30.440 money line bet. If you're new and sign up at FanDuel dot com slash 306 00:21:30.599 --> 00:21:37.400 locked on FanDuel official sports betting partner of the Locked On podcast network. Look, 307 00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:41.480 before we get into one needs to go right for when and if you 308 00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:45.160 like the two predictions, we can get your predictions. We got to talk 309 00:21:45.160 --> 00:21:48.319 about my biggest matchup for an entire segment, so I just wanted to open 310 00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:52.759 the floor up to you to sharing up any other matchups or players that you're 311 00:21:52.839 --> 00:21:57.240 highlighting are interested in talking about this week. So I'm really excited to see 312 00:21:57.279 --> 00:22:00.519 what the Vikings can do with Jefferson. Haven't really seen Jefferson since he got 313 00:22:00.599 --> 00:22:03.440 hurt in Week five against the Chiefs. We saw him for less than a 314 00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:08.599 quarter against the Raiders and then he got hurt again. That did knock him 315 00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:11.839 out of the game, but he's already announced that it's not going to knock 316 00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:14.440 him out for anymore. He's going to play through it. He got an 317 00:22:14.519 --> 00:22:18.240 internal bruise in that game and had to go to the hospital to get that 318 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:19.799 checked out, so kind of gnarly, but I guess it heals up pretty 319 00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:23.799 quick, so he's good to go. But then my question is what is 320 00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:30.400 the Bengals move for superstar got to know where he is at all times kind 321 00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:33.839 of receivers. Yeah, that will be the question this week. The Bengals 322 00:22:33.880 --> 00:22:37.240 once again without Cam Taylor Brett who's on injured reserve, so it'll be a 323 00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:41.240 mix of Genobe Aboose of DJ Turner there. I don't think there will be 324 00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:51.119 a shadow necessarily for those situations when they're not bracketing or clouding justin Jefferson something. 325 00:22:51.200 --> 00:22:53.440 We do that a lot, though I imagine there will be a lot 326 00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:57.759 of that they haven't. I'm trying to make sure I'm not going to put 327 00:22:57.759 --> 00:23:02.240 my foot in my mouth that they have haven't played a ton of star receivers 328 00:23:02.279 --> 00:23:08.000 this year they did see Stefan Diggs and the Buffalo Bills, but I feel 329 00:23:08.039 --> 00:23:14.880 like they haven't seen that superstar wide receiver a ton this year. And the 330 00:23:14.920 --> 00:23:19.039 defense has been very prone to explosive place And so that's where Justin Jefferson and 331 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:22.720 even Jordan Addison, even TJ. Howkinson, where they've had issues with tight 332 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:27.720 ends. For sure, at times like those guys are a little bit intimidating. 333 00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:32.400 But then I look at the Vikings offensive line and outside of Christian Derisa, 334 00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:37.279 especially if O'Neil doesn't play, I think that there's some things there that 335 00:23:37.559 --> 00:23:41.640 should just get Nick Mullen's uncomfortable office spot. That's how you want to try 336 00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:45.680 to neutralize these weapons that are a little bit scarier that you have to scheme 337 00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:48.440 up a solution for. If you're doing a rumo, who's gonna throw a 338 00:23:48.440 --> 00:23:52.119 lot at you? He's not gonna be yeah, yeah, he likes his 339 00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:56.559 his like exotic six man rushes. Right. You'll see well, I mean 340 00:23:56.599 --> 00:24:02.160 when you're describing the yeah, five often corner slot corner stuff with Mike Hilton, 341 00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:04.759 often some safety stuff with Jordan Battle and Dax Hill from time to time. 342 00:24:06.279 --> 00:24:08.799 Occasionally you'll you'll see some. Yeah, I mean, when you're describing 343 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:11.519 the way Flora's likes to sound pressure, there's some of that in the Bengal 344 00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:15.960 system as well, where they will read rush and drop out if guys stay 345 00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:19.440 in, and that sort of thing with running backs and stuff. Yeah, 346 00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:22.880 yeah, stuff like that. You'll see where where linebackers will show blitz and 347 00:24:22.880 --> 00:24:30.720 then like bluff the blitz and back out that that sort of stuff. But 348 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:33.799 but I don't have a great answer for you as far as what they're doing 349 00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:37.119 this year on a consistent basis to deal with that kind of receiver, just 350 00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:42.519 because they have probably by design. Yeah. Yeah, Well, so the 351 00:24:42.599 --> 00:24:48.519 Vikings offensive line has been lights out this year, which is weird. We 352 00:24:48.599 --> 00:24:51.480 haven't had that in a decade. But they've been phenomenal. They're a little 353 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:56.559 banged up right now with Brian O'Neill, who's uh didn't practice on Tuesday or 354 00:24:56.599 --> 00:24:59.519 Wednesday or estimated not to practice on Tuesday, but also didn't practice for you 355 00:24:59.559 --> 00:25:02.119 all Wednesday, so I wouldn't expect him to go. He's got a sprained 356 00:25:02.119 --> 00:25:04.960 ankle that would put in David Questenberry, who is Yeah, I'm gonna need 357 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:10.200 some help over there with some chips and stuff. But otherwise with Ed Ingram 358 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:14.720 who's improved quite a bit, Garrett Bradbury improved quite a bit, and Dalton 359 00:25:14.759 --> 00:25:18.599 Reisner who they brought in in the middle of the season and Ezra Cleveland got 360 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:22.960 hurt. Riisner came in, the Vikings didn't skip a beat and they actually 361 00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:26.200 traded Cleveland away they were so happy with him. I kind of have disagreed 362 00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:30.839 with that move. But it's been a good unit in terms of just straight 363 00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:34.440 up one on one pass pro and a lot of the pressure that they've suffered 364 00:25:34.519 --> 00:25:42.000 in the last few weeks has been quarterbacks running into it, particularly Dobbs kind 365 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:45.920 of rushing into pressure, choosing the bad rush lanes, ruining his angles and 366 00:25:45.920 --> 00:25:51.640 stuff like that. Yeah, but I don't put it on them as much 367 00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:53.960 at least lately. But obviously, you know, you put in backups, 368 00:25:53.960 --> 00:25:56.960 it all changes. Yeah, And that's that's what I'm looking at with O'Neil 369 00:25:57.039 --> 00:26:00.599 potentially missing the game. Yah, yeah, look that. But then on 370 00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:03.640 the other side, like the Bengals by far most explosive and destructive pass rusher 371 00:26:03.720 --> 00:26:08.359 is Trey Hendrickson, who's going against a guy who's been fantastic and Christian Daris 372 00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:11.839 on Hendrickson, Will he be up? Will be he on the uh the 373 00:26:11.880 --> 00:26:17.359 whole time unless they make a dramatic change of plans to take advantage of a 374 00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:19.759 potential backup on the other side. Trey Hendrickson lines up at right end, 375 00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:25.359 and that's a sick matchup that will be must see TV. I think should 376 00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:29.000 be because Darrisaw has been he was He was better last year than he has 377 00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:32.319 been this year. I think, Uh, he's been a little less consistent 378 00:26:32.359 --> 00:26:37.480 this year, but like just in one on one spots, he's still as 379 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:42.720 good as it gets. He anchors like crazy, like anything that's speed to 380 00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:48.480 power on him, Like you can get into his chest and he's one hop 381 00:26:48.519 --> 00:26:52.119 and he is down. Like the athleticism and flexibility of it. He's so 382 00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:56.680 crazy. Uh. And he'll get in your head a little bit too on 383 00:26:56.720 --> 00:26:59.039 the runs and you know, a little extra shove here and there. He's 384 00:26:59.200 --> 00:27:04.720 kind of a mean, nasty the guy that plays so physically. I've been 385 00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:11.279 saying since I scouted him at Virginia, like Darisaw takes the fun out of 386 00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:15.559 football, Like it just looks miserable to play against him. Yeah, it'll 387 00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:18.920 be an endurance thing as much as anything. You know, Trey Henderson is 388 00:27:18.079 --> 00:27:22.559 going to be talking the entire game too. That's gonna be That's gonna be 389 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:26.359 so fun. Is known on the Bengals be one of the better trash because 390 00:27:26.359 --> 00:27:29.400 which like I feel like they're great. Well, don't think about Trey Hendrickson. 391 00:27:29.599 --> 00:27:33.920 You got to get him on the interior because Bradbury's a hothead and Reisner 392 00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:37.799 talks a little bit too. Darisaw is pretty quiet, he's pretty like head 393 00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:41.440 down kind of terminator style. But the interior guys will will have a word 394 00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:44.319 with you, so you gotta stunt him on the inside. You know, 395 00:27:44.400 --> 00:27:47.359 see if you can't get guys to go a little bit too hard, draw 396 00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:51.160 fifteen yard flag, that kind of deal. And interestingly, where I think 397 00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:52.920 the stunts will come is going to be on the other side. Sam Hubbard 398 00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:57.680 b J. Hill of combined for a pretty nasty game and twist and power 399 00:27:57.720 --> 00:28:00.920 stuff. That'sruggle with it more right, So that would be the move, 400 00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:04.039 right, that'll be interesting to watch. I think that the whole game plan 401 00:28:04.079 --> 00:28:07.759 for the Bengals on defense is going to be trying to muddy the picture for 402 00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:11.279 Nick Mullins, make him think and make him put the offensive line in a 403 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:15.400 bad spot because I'm not. After the way the Bengals defense stepped up in 404 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:18.039 the run game last week, I have a little bit more confidence in them 405 00:28:18.119 --> 00:28:22.000 against a running game. This averaging like the Bengals three point nine yards per 406 00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:26.319 carry does not look to me from the outside to be the most efficient running 407 00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:29.480 game. To make Nick Mullens have to beat them, and yes, Justin 408 00:28:29.559 --> 00:28:34.440 Jefferson can certainly do that. But I think that if they can make it 409 00:28:34.480 --> 00:28:37.519 a Nick Mullins drop back and beat us kind of game, that's where the 410 00:28:37.559 --> 00:28:42.039 Bengals are going to want to live on. Defense makes sense. This game 411 00:28:42.200 --> 00:28:48.160 is on fan duel over under forty that feels high. Yeah, that's exactly 412 00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:49.720 what I was going to say. Ever, retaking the over there like first 413 00:28:49.720 --> 00:28:56.799 to twenty wins kind of game will be there for hours, maybe even seventeen. 414 00:28:56.240 --> 00:29:00.000 Yeah, yeah, first to seventeen. I mean it's going to be. 415 00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:02.079 Here's what I think this game comes down. Do you want to key 416 00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:03.559 to the game? I say it every time. I sound like a broken 417 00:29:03.599 --> 00:29:06.559 record. It's not an interesting answer, but it's the right one. It's 418 00:29:06.599 --> 00:29:11.119 turnovers. Whoever turns the ball over or whoever protects the ball better. I 419 00:29:11.160 --> 00:29:15.000 will say will win the game because you know, if the Bengals are going 420 00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:18.559 to play a lot of aggressive defense, try to generate turnovers. The Vikings 421 00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:21.519 have been turnover prone. If I'm walking away from the Vikings with the loss, 422 00:29:21.519 --> 00:29:25.480 I'm probably going to foresee that I'm blaming that. But on the other 423 00:29:25.559 --> 00:29:27.480 hand, if the Vikings can be safe, protect the ball and let their 424 00:29:27.519 --> 00:29:30.839 defense do what it does, they get it really hard to beat. Yeah, 425 00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:33.880 I think defensive struggle in this one. The defensive plays better wins. 426 00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:38.559 But the X factor I'm going to throw out there is special teams always can 427 00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:44.480 be boy a real wild card. The Bengals have not had great success punting 428 00:29:44.559 --> 00:29:48.759 the ball this year, and they've gotten away with some stuff. Their punt 429 00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:52.160 game has not been great. Let's say they've been pretty good in the kick 430 00:29:52.200 --> 00:29:56.839 return game, which I know they're talking about changing kick return rules again. 431 00:29:56.599 --> 00:30:00.440 But if they have opportunities there to get short fields like short feat olds and 432 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:04.200 turnovers are are things that you're looking at this week as far as points out 433 00:30:04.240 --> 00:30:10.519 and justin Jefferson jamar Cha is getting loose and getting explosive touchdowns here there like 434 00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:15.000 these are the ways that their points are I'm not imagining long, drawn out, 435 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:19.000 grindy drives. It's gonna come down to like specific moments rather than this 436 00:30:19.160 --> 00:30:25.839 sort of sustained like the like there's a really good chance that like the overall 437 00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:30.279 EPA or success rate of this game does not match the results of this game, 438 00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:33.400 you know, because it'll come down to youah, that explosive or that 439 00:30:33.480 --> 00:30:36.319 short field when it's it's hard to move the ball. Otherwise you need to 440 00:30:36.359 --> 00:30:41.440 just kind of snap one big one off on in any phase. Or this 441 00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:45.000 is a week but Brian Flora's defense gets figured out, I don't think, 442 00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:47.680 Hey, maybe, but maybe. I mean, it's it's tough with a 443 00:30:47.720 --> 00:30:49.079 backup, you know, you're just kind of trying to survive by that point. 444 00:30:49.160 --> 00:30:56.119 But well, and and they're feeling good about themselves right now. They're 445 00:30:56.119 --> 00:31:00.000 feeling great about their screen game. But I do think that the stylistic defenses, 446 00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:03.359 differences on defense are going to be very difficult and some people it's going 447 00:31:03.400 --> 00:31:07.359 to be fascinating to watch from more on this game, Locktown Vikings, Locktiwme, 448 00:31:07.359 --> 00:31:11.680 Bengals will have you covered both before and after the game. You've got 449 00:31:11.680 --> 00:31:15.200 one more shows this week, and then we've got postgame shows of course as 450 00:31:15.240 --> 00:31:18.480 well here on the Lockdown Podcast network. So until then, thanks for listening 451 00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:22.920 to this crossover and enjoy your weekend.