FULL REACTION 🏈 Bengals win THRILLER vs. the Steelers on TNF 🐯 | SC with SVP

FULL REACTION 🏈 Bengals win THRILLER vs. the Steelers on TNF 🐯 | SC with SVP

And for the third consecutive Thursday, this is this is my kind of this is my kind of graphic. The underdog has come away with a victory. Niners with M. Jones remarkably went into LA and beat the Rams. Last week it was Cam Scataboo and his quarterback Dart lifting the gents over the Eagles. And tonight, Joe Flacco, who I’m just told, ladies and gentlemen, will join the program, which means at least once we’ll for old school, we’re giving a little bit of extra punch on the Joe Flacco. Damen Woody’s here. Let’s just start with this, man. We were having so much fun watching this. I was just going to tell I was just going to tell the audience, watching football with this man every Thursday, it’s always a blast. But man, we were laughing and cutting up and having a ball just watching these guys play the game. And we were also laughing about all you youngsters out there. If you’re still in the C or bro lane, that unk exit off the highway, it sneaks up. It sneaks up on you. So just just I would save the jokes, especially when you see guys play at this level. Let’s just start with that before we dig into the nuts and bolts of the game in Rogers Hall of Fame. No doubt. And in Flacco, what are we looking at just in terms of sheer ability to throw the football? Yeah. Listen, I think you when we were watching the game, you were talking about he’s like a like a shooter, like a all-time great shooter. They don’t forget how to shoot the ball, right? This man does not forget how to throw the rock. Like, we can say whatever you want about Joe Flacco. He’s a statue in the pocket and all that, but the one thing Joe Flackle is going to do, he’s going to throw the ball. And now with the Cincinnati Bengals, he’s going to get the ball to Jamal Chase and T. Higgins, okay? When you have have elite weapons like that, you’re going to be in every single game. And the running game came alive for the Cincinnati Bengals. That was a hell of a per performance for a guy who’s basically been there a week. Well, and if if you go back to the second half of their game at Green Bay, Cincinnati went on this mon monstrous like 18 play 10minute drive to get back in that game, but Green Bay had too much and they hold him off. Now, on a short week for, as you say, a guy who’s been here basically like 10 minutes to have this kind of a performance against this vaunted Pittsburgh Steeler defense. Is this the type of thing and you try not to be prisoners of the moment and all of that, but is this the kind of thing for this Bengal team that gets its third victory now with Flacco and this upcoming schedule ahead of the buy Jets and Bears? Does this does this open your eyes to now? Wait a minute. Maybe maybe there’s a path for the Spangled team cuz I’ll admit I was I was done. I thought they were finished. This this changes my opinion. What about you? Well, isn’t that the perception of the league right now? everyone is kind of jumbled and and muddled together and and we know that Pittsburgh obviously has had a lot of success early, but when you get a big win against the the top dogill division right now and then you take a take a little sneak peek at the schedule, you’re starting to think, man, if we can come away and win these next two games and go into the buy at at five and four, like we’re we’re in a we’re exactly where we want to be. So, this was a huge win by the Cincinnati Bengals. You know what I loved, and we talked about this as we watched it. I think that these coaches and coordinators spend so much time drawing up ball plays and scheme and this and that. You know what Flaco’s smart enough to do? Say, “Where’s one?” And just he had over 20 targets tonight. I mean, sometimes you don’t have to be more clever than just giving your best player the chance to catch the football. It’s not plays, it’s players. Like you you see that mutant out there that that wears number one. Yeah. Throw him the damn ball and just let him go to work. And and you’re right, Scott, a lot of times these coaches, you know, they they really start to outthink themselves instead of getting the ball to your best player. And that’s why Joe Flackle was brought in, which traded uh to the Cincinnati Bengals because you have two elite wide receivers on the outside and they didn’t have a quarterback to get them get them the ball. Joe Flackle can do that. And I gave as much credit as I could on the highlight. I want to say it again to T. Higgins just understanding situational IQ. If I go down here, we can bleed the clock and essentially leave Rogers without much time. ball was still in the air with a chance for Pittsburgh. It gets knocked down for the Steelers that came into this 4 and one with a really comfortable cushion. How sort of how much of a hold does this pop in the balloon of them from where they were before this night started to where things sit now in the North? Well, I mean, listen, you’re playing against a division rival and actually it goes back to Mike Tomlin the the you know, when he was talking about why in the world would the Cleveland Browns trade Joe Flacco within the division and here we are. Joe Flacco comes back to bite bite them in the butt with a huge divisional win. And and this is one last thing. This is a team that’s off this week. But I asked you, I said, I haven’t quit on Baltimore. I said here the other night, I said, they’re going to be fine after the buy. It’s a lot of institutional buyin there. But a a loss like this maybe has them sit up on the corner of their chair and go, “Huh, maybe there’s a path for us.” Right, Scotty? I I literally said like I thought Baltimore was dead and then just looking at how the landscape is, they’re sitting at one and five coming out your buy. You get Lamar Jackson back. You get some guys healthy. This thing is far from over. They better play some defense out of because they they they’ve been a mess. But my gosh, what a football game this was. This might eat into some of the other games we were going to talk about later this week, but those other games have a long way to go to be able to top what this one was. What a treat. We won’t need much time for this cuz Scott’s a dunce. Incredible action back and forth between Rogers and Flaco. Joe Flacco 342 yards, zero picks and three count, three touchdowns, one to Chase, one to Higgins, and then one to Fant. And then the big toss to Higgins late. Higgins takes the knee. The field goal up and good. The Hail Mary does not go for Pittsburgh. That means Zack Taylor and the Bengals ride the 40-year-old quarterbacks back to victory. Outstanding. Outstanding. Outstanding. Yeah, Joe. I mean, it was outstanding really. I mean, we’re we’re I mean, we we how many drive? We scored on what, like six of the last seven drives, maybe? Seven of the last eight. What? Seven of eight. Okay. So, um and really early on we had some some drops and some quirky stuff happen uh that prevented a score there. So, uh just thought his performance was outstanding. Very, very calm, collected. You know, the first half uh we allowed them to run the ball too much. Um, I think they had about 100 yards rushing at the half and then we turned the ball over a couple times and so that just kind of set a negative trajectory and we’re fighting uphill the rest of the way. I certainly appreciate the fight. Um, but man, we got to be cleaner. We got to be better and we weren’t tonight and that’s that’s life in this business. U, we certainly got to learn from it, man, and keep pushing. Uh, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t compliment them, man. They fought their tails off, man. and they won the game and they’re certainly deserving. It was a hell of a football game by two. The Bengals Joe Flacco will join our program in just a bit, which means that we’re all winners. And Joe Flacco kind enough to throw in a headset. Hey Joe, it’s Scott Van Pal. Man, it’s been a while since we’ve talked, but I I hope you have a sense. What’s up, man? Man, I hope you have a sense of of the fact that you literally had America spellbound, you and Aaron, just doing what you both did. I I’m asking as simply as I can, how much fun was it to be starring in the role that you played in this incredible football game? Man, it was a lot of fun to go against Aaron today and and the Steelers again. I mean, I’ve played them so much. They’re such a familiar foe. Um I told Aaron after the game, I don’t think I’ve ever beat him uh head-to-head. So, uh, that was also a lot of fun for me to actually be able to get that done today. As we’re watching the game, me and Damen Woody, who’s here every Thursday to do the Thursday night football conversation, we were just talking about how I have an appreciation for, you know, Zack and all the guys in the room and the plays you can draw up. But Joe, is it sometimes as simple as saying, “I have one and I have five. Let’s throw it to them.” I’m not I’m not kidding. Like, how isn’t that what you should do? Yeah. No, for sure. you you you can’t over complicate things when you have really good players. You have to be able to just let them go and uh we were able to do that tonight. Last week when you went up to Green Bay, you you went on this this monumental drive to start the second half. Am I nuts to say that that drive, even though it didn’t end up in a win in your first game there, is sort of the beginning of what we saw tonight? I see a nod in your head. Maybe a little. Yeah, I I think there’s something to that just because I I you know, when when you get some confidence going and it’s your first time with the team, um you know, that that makes a difference and not only with the players, but the coaches, you know, I think that makes Zach feel comfortable and how he’s going to call the game and he he can kind of get an idea for what we’re going to be good at. Um so, I do think that was a big drive. I mean, for it was like 20 or 21 plays and that’s not how you want to do it all the time, but um hopefully we can look back here in a few weeks and and point to that for sure. No, but you got a touchdown on fourth down and all of a sudden it was a three-point game and it was like, wow. Are you going to do what you did with Cleveland? No. In the end, but then you win this game. I’m going to get to this game in a minute. But I have to ask you this. What’s the play call that comes into your ear that tells you you’re keeping it and running? Can you tell me the name of the play? [Laughter] Uh, that was uh you know, we we didn’t listen there. I I just talked to the uh Amazon guys and there was plenty of plays that I wasn’t quite right on and was wondering what Zach was saying. That one was right, but our receivers kind of lined up wrong in terms of who was on the ball and who was off the ball. So, I wasn’t supposed to do that, but you can see how hard the guy’s crashing. We were supposed to have a receiver there to bluff that guy and just hand the ball off, but when we didn’t have that, it just kind of naturally happened. All right. As a guy, Joe, that got to the enh lane on the highway many years ago, I’m screaming out loud, praying for the hamstring, the Achilles. What goes through your mind as you’re galloping through that wide open space, trying to get down on the ground? Yeah. Just trying to find enough space to trying to get enough yards and find enough space to get down without getting my head taken off. I got Look, everybody’s going to laugh. Hey, man. You’re out there playing at an elite level. I’m not going to make fun of anything. You got a first down. Move the chains. um winning this game, Joe, with a couple of games ahead of the buy. H how does this change the calculus in the minds of of your group? I mean, it feels like it really lights a fuse from the outside looking in. You’ve only been there a little while, but give me a sense of that. Well, listen. I mean, you can only take it one game at a time, but just like we talked about earlier, just gaining some of that confidence and and like, you know, you hope that these guys are excited to, you know, kind of have me come in and and hopefully I can come in here and, you know, instill some confidence and get the ball to guys, but then to actually go out there and be able to do it, um, you know, that’s a whole another level and that’s what you want to see. So hopefully we can we can really start to rally around what we’ve been able to do the last you know six quarters of football and you know and come together as a team and and be who we want to. I appreciate you taking the time. I know you were talking to the folks on Prime which I get. So thanks for throwing on the headset on the way out. I have to do this just as a hat tip to you and me doing this for a long long time. Tim Kirken and there’s an NBA coach out there who it’s his favorite thing. I just want to say thanks so much Joe Flacco for doing what you did tonight. What a show you put on for America. Thank you for taking the time, Joe. Thank you. Yeah, I know Tim’s laughing somewhere. I appreciate it. So, if he’s It’s 1201. Tim’s been a No, Tim was watching the baseball, so maybe he saw this. Seriously, Joe, continue to do what you’re doing, man. It’s a blast to watch. Thank you. Well, I think you got to realize, listen, we want to win every game. Uh there there needs to be an expectation of winning, but uh this is a short week, division opponent. Anything can happen. Uh obviously Joe played really well for them and uh and Chase and T got going for him. Um but this is the NFL. You know, we had a chance to really open up some space, but we’re 4-2. Still first in the division. Got a couple uh you know, home games coming up back to back. Another Sunday night opportunity against my former team. So um I’m not going to ride the roller coaster and I know Mike isn’t. And hopefully you guys follow suit. What a start to week seven. Damen Woody back. How about the smile on Joe Flacco’s face when we talk to him, man? That’s a good dude, man. Like, like he’s really like the unk just he’s just out there just having a good time, man. I think he he he has it’s a second, third, fourth bite of the apple. And I think the the older you get, the more you appreciate. Appreciate. There you go. Without question. All right, with our eyes on some games here, week seven. All politics are local. We’ll start with a game which I think used to be the best rivalry in the league back when it was Skins and Cowboys. Commanders Cowboys Washington 3 and three. The next month for them is really rugged in terms of the schedule. In terms of this particular game, Damian, what what do you feel like has been their largest issue as they are now in a three and three start? Them falling behind early in games for their, you know, four of their six games they fallen behind double digits. You know, we know this offense can score, but it’s man, it’s tough sledding when you got to continuously climb, try to dig yourself out of the hole. That’s one issue. Another issue is they may turn the ball over a little bit more. Okay, so that’s why they lost Monday night. There you go. And so listen, the remedy is you’re playing against this Dallas Cowboys defense, which is like, you know, a homecoming game per cuz they just they’re very giving. But listen, you when you’re playing against Dak Prescott, who is playing as well as any quarterback in the National Football League, you don’t want to be playing with that fire, digging yourself another hole. And CD Lamb would appear won’t be on a pitch count and obviously he’s one of the top wide receivers in the National Football League. uh you know it’s a get right game maybe for for the offense but you got to tackle better. That’s Washington’s defense has really really struggled uh with that. Now the Colts at 5-1 have the best record in the AFC but as they take on the Chargers why is this a game where you think you can see something from India that you haven’t yet? I feel like people are still they’re like yeah the Colts are good but is that are you in that camp? I I’m in wait and see a little bit. I’m in a little bit wait and see mode and I think a lot of it has to do with Daniel Jones. Dan Jones is playing some really good football, but all anyone when when you throw up the name Daniel Jones, a lot of people just think about his time with the New York Giants, but this is a different cast of characters. He’s playing behind one of the best offensive lines in football. By the way, he has a lead rusher in the back field in Jonathan Taylor, and he has an array of weapons on the perimeter and a very good tight end in Tyler Warren. So, I think he’s going up against this Chargers defense, which is pretty good. Let’s see what he can do. What What if they take away Jonathan Taylor? Can he be the guy that can lead, you know, lead his team to a win? Let’s see. Let’s see what he can do with his Chargers team. They do live in the AFC South, which means that they have they have a schedule that isn’t as rugged as some others will face. But I’m with you. I think this is a huge opportunity for them to sort of demonstrate where they are, but their record, you and I believe, they are what they what their record says they are. Correct. And you can only play who’s on your on your schedule. The maybe the best game on the schedule before the week started is the Monday night or the first of the double header. It’s the five- one Buccaneers best record in the NFC against Detroit who’s 4-2 and has looked awfully good. They’ve lost the first game they played and they just lost in Kansas City. Now, this is sort of banged up on banged up. The wide receivers for the Buccaneers are depleted. The the corners for Detroit are a little bit banged up as well. Who do you think wins in that matchup? It’s hard to pick against Baker. like the you know and you look at almost every game this year he’s played his best ball in crunch time. That’s why they have the best record in the NFC because the quarterback is just been playing outstanding football. Doesn’t matter. He’s had moments where you know no Chris Godwin Mike no Mike Evans you know just no Ibuka just throwing the guys you’re like okay who was that again and he’s just finding ways to win games. Yeah, and it it appears Evans maybe is back, but I mean last week was what a lovely story it was. TZ Johnson catches that touchdown. He’s like, “Man, they’re chanting MVP. I really haven’t done much.” And Sterling Shepard is like, “No, dude. They’re they’re chanting for Baker, right? They not Yeah. We agree it’s way too early to talk MVP.” But just as a real quick thought, Baker’s certainly in the conversation of the playing the position as well as anyone, is he not? Absolutely. I mean, listen, I if we’re if we’re talking about Bakers right now is the is the league MVP right now. It’s way way early. way early. But if we’re handing stuff out, give Todd Bulls coach of the year while we’re out here. [Music]

On SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt, Damian Woody stops by to react to the Cincinnati Bengals’ 33-31 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night as well as to preview upcoming Week 7 matchups. Then, Joe Flacco stops by to detail his first 2 games with Cincy.

0:00 Steelers vs. Bengals reaction
5:46 Zac Taylor & Mike Tomlin at the podium
6:48 Joe Flacco interview
11:45 Aaron Rodgers news conference
12:27 Week 7 preview

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