Dialed In with Thom Brennaman

Look, it wasn’t pretty…in any form or fashion.

The offense could never get it going against a very good giants defense.

The offensive line looked like it turned back the clock to 2022, allowing joe burrow to be sacked five times.

In fact, on one hot, Burrow had to go to the medival tent to be evaluated for a concussion….thankfully he was okay and returned to finish the game.

But at the end of the day, the bengals get a season-saving 17-7 win.

The defense, much maligned allseason, finally had it’s full cimpliment of healthy players along the dsefensive front, and they played like it…..

The defense, like during the run of afc championship games, won this game for the bengals.

Yes, you can say big deal, the giants offense stinks and they had two of their best players out….and you’d be right about that.

BUT , the defense got it done when the big moments called for it to show up.

The Bengals are now 2-4 with a trip to cleveland coming up next.

Do you feel any better about the team?

Around the nfc north, 

The Browns are simply awful…i mean awful.

Cleveland gets 240 yards of offense in a 20-16 loss at philly.

The ravens knock off the commanders…that team is going to runaway and hide in this division.

I know, i know, the steelers are 4-2 and Justin Fields just keeps on rollin.

He only threw for 150 yards but he ran it for 60 and two touchdowns…didn’t turn it over as the men of aluminum beat the raiders 32-13.

How do you think Jerry Jones is feeling this morning? 

His cowboys get annihilated by detroit 47-9.

Bad news for the lions though, as they lose star defensive end aiden hutchinson for the season with a broken leg.

College football…..UC gets another win, 19-13 at ucf…… they are 4-2 and get arizona state this week at nippert for homecoming.

ASU beat number 16 Utah friday night som that’s no layup.

Ohio State lost at oregon and shouldve won by ten or more.

They turn it over twice, leading to ten oregon points off those turnovers.

The defense was brutal.

The Buckeyes onlly drop to number 5 in the polls but their margin of error gets slimmer with the loss.

They still have to play at unbeaten penn state, against unbeaten indiana, and close the year against michigan.

In baseball, the dodgers clobber the mets i game one of the nlcs 9-0.

Game two this afternoon at 4.

The american league championship series begins tonight in the bronx as the yankees host the guardians.

That one starts at 7:38!

Following this story from ESPN Staff Writer Ben Baby

CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow sat at his locker for several minutes, arms folded, one leg crossed over the other, assessing the aftermath of Sunday's 41-38 overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

For most of the day, the Bengals led and seemed poised to open play in the AFC North with a victory -- their second straight. But on multiple occasions, Cincinnati saw that lead slip away before the Ravens eventually sealed the deal with Justin Tucker's 24-yard field goal.

As Burrow reflected on the outcome, one thing was evident: After the fourth loss in five games to start the season, Burrow said it was frustrating that a team that started the year with title aspirations is nowhere close.

"We're not a championship-level team right now," Burrow said. "We're not. I like to think that we'll come back and improve throughout the season to get to that point, but right now we are not and we have to get better."

It seemed like there was little more the offense could do after another productive outing. Cincinnati scored 30 points for the third straight game. Burrow threw for a career-high five touchdowns on 30-of-39 passing for five touchdowns, though he did also throw a costly interception in the fourth quarter. Wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had 10 catches for 193 yards and two touchdowns.

But it was not enough. The defense allowed more than 38 points for the second straight game. After Cincinnati led 38-28 with 8:54 left in regulation, the Ravens scored 13 unanswered points.

For Chase, that amplified the disappointment felt after Sunday's loss.

"I think that's what's causing us to be mad, for the most part," Chase said at his locker after the game. "Just putting up 30 points and losing right there.

"That's what we want to do as an offense -- put up 30 points and take over the game. Put the ball in our hands last drive and take over. That's what we want, and we didn't do it."

Chase and fellow wide receiver Tee Higgins lamented the lack of aggressiveness during a wacky overtime period. Baltimore won the toss to start the extra period and was driving down the field for a potential game-winning touchdown. However, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson fumbled a snap while in the shotgun, and Cincinnati linebacker Germaine Pratt recovered the ball and took it to Baltimore's 38-yard line.

Cincinnati ran the ball on three straight plays to set up a field goal attempt for kicker Evan McPherson. Since he was drafted in 2021, McPherson has hit nine game-tying or go-ahead field goals in the last two minutes of regulation or in overtime, according to ESPN Research. But a poor hold by rookie punter Ryan Rehkow played a role in the 53-yarder that missed wide left.

When asked about the conservative approach on that drive, Bengals coach Zac Taylor said he didn't want to risk a sack or holding penalty in that situation. He said that there was a pass called on that series of plays but that Burrow did a good job of checking into a run play that was more favorable given the defensive look.

"When you're in field goal range and you believe in your kicker, it really is as simple as that," Taylor said.

But instead of back-to-back victories, the Bengals are now trying to overcome the odds to reach the postseason. According to ESPN Research, only 5.6% of teams that have started the year with a 1-4 record in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) have reached the postseason. The 2020 Washington Commanders were the most recent team to accomplish the feat.

Burrow said there were no illusions about where the Bengals find themselves after their fourth loss of the year by just a combined 15 points.

"I know exactly how we are 1-4," Burrow said. "We're not making plays at the end of the game to go and win it. Definitely not in disbelief. I know exactly what's happening."

Despite what Burrow said postgame about the team not being a championship-level squad, Taylor said he still believes in that. Cincinnati went to the Super Bowl in the 2021 season, losing to the Los Angeles Rams, and reached the AFC Championship Game the following year before losing in a rematch to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Taylor said there is still a lot of belief that the team can rebound despite what happened on Sunday against Baltimore.

"People can write us off if they really want to," Taylor said. "I'm not dumb enough to do that."

Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders stole the show in their 38-33 upset victory over Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals on "Monday Night Football." Daniels, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft, led the Commanders down the field for touchdowns on each of their first four full drives to build a 28-13 lead midway through the third quarter and held off the Bengals from there. The former Heisman winner from LSU showed off his dual-threat ability in the win. He tossed two TDs and ran for one, finishing the night 21-of-23 for 254 yards while running for another 39 on 12 carries. For the second time in three games, the Bengals were big home favorites over a team that had a rough 2023 season. And yet again, Cincinnati suffered a stunning upset. Led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders topped the Bengals 38-33 to send Cincinnati to an 0-3 start. Daniels produced a masterful performance. Washington scored touchdowns on five of its first six drives, including a 27-yard pass from Daniels to wide receiver Terry McLaurin to salt away the win with 2:10 left. Before the season started, the Bengals were in the conversation to challenge Kansas City for the AFC title. But a third AFC title meeting in four seasons between the teams seems very distant right now. According to ESPN Research, only six teams have reached the playoffs in the Super Bowl era after an 0-3 start to the season. Troubling trend: Failing to convert possessions into touchdowns was an issue last week against the Kansas City Chiefs and persisted against Washington. In the second quarter, Cincinnati had three drives inside Washington's 30-yard line. The Bengals settled for field goal tries on all three of them. Kicker Evan McPherson made 2 of 3 attempts. Biggest hole in the game plan: Containing Daniels. The rookie quarterback made running the offense look effortless in his third career start. Daniels completed 14 of his first 16 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown. He also scrambled for one touchdown to help the Commanders torch Cincinnati's defense. Washington scored touchdowns on its first four drives

New Bengals' Run-Stopper Lawrence Guy Signs Up For Division Of Labor: 'I Love The AFC North' After watching their starting defensive tackles limp off the field in Kansas City last Sunday and their two prized rookie defensive tackles looking for their first NFL snaps while nursing injuries, the Bengals went out and got a guy.\ Bengals Joe Burrow Puts Reason Behind 0-2 Starts As Cincinnati Turns Page To Week 3 "I think there's a different factors every year," Burrow said on Wednesday's show. "0-2 for the third straight year, we're not panicking by any means. There's a lot of football to be played, but lots of room to improve at the same time, just like any game, every year. So we're just looking to improve every day. Go out on Monday, and have our best game yet, hopefully get a win, and then move on." Joe Burrow Explains Short Postgame Hug Patrick Mahomes After Bengals' Loss to Chiefs "Well, we had talked to each other before the game," Burrow said. "After a game like that, not much to say. I got a lot of respect for him, I think he has a lot of respect for me. Sometimes you talk to guys, sometimes you don't. We had seen each other before the game so no big deal." Ranking NFL's 0-2 teams: Bengals, Ravens still dangerous, Broncos, Panthers in dire straits Few contenders start slow like the Bengals, so this is, in some ways, par for the course in Cincinnati. Don't get us wrong: The lingering Ja'Marr Chase drama and Tee Higgins availability questions are red flags. Discipline has been an issue. But if Joe Burrow is on the field, slinging it as he does, then this team is one of the toughest outs in the NFL, as evidenced by them taking the Kansas City Chiefs to the wire. Bengals Roster Breakdown: Andrei Iosivas has much higher expectations to exceed in second year Today, we give the spotlight to wide receiver Andrei Iosivas, or "Yoshi" to some. His rookie campaign last year was a welcomed surprise, and because of that, the bar has been raised entering 2024. It's why he's one of Cincinnati's prime breakout candidates for this highly-anticipated season.

Story we are following from the AP: Butker hits a 51-yard winner for KC after penalty on Bengals safety keeps Chiefs alive By Dave Skretta KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Harrison Butker kept making a lonely walk to midfield after each quarter Sunday to check on the direction of the wind, which tends to swirl inside Arrowhead Stadium. He did it one last time during the 2-minute warning, when his Chiefs were trailing the Bengals by two and trying to give him a winning field-goal attempt. When Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the offense did exactly that, helped along by a pass interference call on Cincinnati safety Daijahn Anthony on fourth down in the final minute, Butker once again headed onto the field as Chiefs fans began to roar. Rarely does he miss. And they didn’t expect him to this time. With preternatural calm, Butker drilled the 51-yarder as time expired, giving Kansas City the 26-25 victory. Patrick Mahomes threw for 151 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, but it was his incomplete pass intended for Rashee Rice on fourth-and-16 from the Kansas City 35 that turned out to be decisive. Related Stories Bengals visit Chiefs in matchup of perennial playoff contenders meeting in rare Week 2 showdown Burrow and the Bengals are bumming again after another last-second loss to Chiefs in Kansas City Taylor Swift back at Arrowhead to watch Travis Kelce and the Chiefs The penalty came just after Kansas City had a long gain on fourth down wiped out by a penalty of its own. Joe Burrow threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns, both to Andrei Iosivas, as the Bengals (0-2) came up empty against one of their biggest nemeses for the third straight time. That includes a loss to Kansas City in the AFC championship game. Evan McPherson’s fourth field goal gave the Bengals a 25-23 lead with 5:12 to go, and their defense gave them the ball back. But the Chiefs forced a punt with 2:59 remaining, giving Mahomes and Co. the opportunity to decide the game. Unsportsmanlike conduct Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct in the fourth quarter. Chase was stopped short of the first-down marker on second-and-11, and he appeared to be upset that a flag was not throw for a hip-drop tackle. He got right into the face of referee Alex Kemp, who threw the flag. It forced a third-and-22 at the Chiefs 45, and after a completion to Gesicki got 10 yards back, McPherson kicked the field goal that gave the Bengals a 25-23 lead. “It’s pretty clear cut. It’s just simply abusive language toward a game official,” Kemp said. “I’m not going to repeat to you what he said, but there was no interpretation with the language that he used. Just abusive language.”

Thom Brennaman and his son Luke Brennaman get you ready for the weekend ahead in sports with a preview of college football, and expectatioons for the Reds series with the NL Central leading Brewers.

Headlines The Reds will return to action tonight against the Royals. It is former Red Michael Lorenzen vs Nick Martinez. Lorenzen is 5-6 with a 3.79 era and a 1.30 whip. Nick Martinez has a 1.03 whip with a 3.16 Era. The Reds also said they are considering using facial recognition system for fans entering ballpark. It is one of 6 ballparks using this technology.To use the new system, fans can enroll on the MLB Ballpark app where it will take a picture of the user's face. The image is then converted into a code and the image is then deleted. Around the league Twins win it in the ninth against the rangers. They have won 9 of 14 Phillies blowout the nationals. Weston Wilson is now the ninth phillies player to hit for the cycle but the first rookie in the organization to accomplish it Gunnar Henderson ripped his 31’s home run of the season in the orioles 5-1 win over the red sox Giants shutout the Braves 6-0 which means the Reds gained a half game on their off day Brewers rallied in the eighth to beat the dodgers and tie up the series at 2 a piece. Yelich did elect to undergo season ending back surgery. Mariners lose to the tigers again this time 2-1. Javier baez hit a go ahead 2 run homer in the 8th. Detroit sweeps The Athletics trailed 5-0 to the Mets, but stormed all the way back. 7-6 the A’s win. The game took 3 hours and 45 minutes and took 425 pitches which is the longest game of any nine inning game in the pitch clock era WNBA The Sky get destroyed by the Mercury 85-65. Angel Reese went 4-14 from the field with 15 rebounds. NFL Harbaugh was asked about Kaepernick yesterday to which he responded he wont be on the roster this season or the coaching staff NCAA The Notre Dame mens swimming program has been suspended for at least one year after an external review found members of the team violated ncaa rules by wagering among themselves on results of their competitions and failed to treat one another with dignity and respect

We begin with football and game one of the pre-season for YOUR Cincinnati Bengals. Beautiful night, good crowd at paycor for the bengales and the buccaneers. Joe Burrow saw action in a pre-season game for the first time in 3 years and he looked pretty sharp…..not great, although he did lead the team on a touchdown drive before sitting the rest of the game. Burrow made some nice throws, forced a couple, was helped by a bogus pass interference penalty butr the bottom line is….HES HEALTHY! Finally! For the first time since the end of the 2022 season. I’ll tell you who else looked good……first round pick and starter at right tackle amarius mims. If Trent Brown can kick things into gear, Mims may be starting week one of the regular season. We will get into some of the things that caught our eyes….wjho played well, who didn’t and is it too late to worry about the dLine stopping the run? Baseball, another lost weekend for the Reds……meaning they lose three games off the schedule and dodn’t make a move. They’d be in last place if the wheels hadn’t fallen off for the pittsburgh pirates. Cincinnati was again embarrassed by division-leading Milwaukee, They lost ⅔ over the weekend scoring a total of seven runs in the series. Not even competing with Milwaukee is a joke. Reds are 4 ½ gms out of the final wildcardc spot, so they’re still alive. Problem is seven teams are ahead of them. One of those teams is st. louis. The cardinals start a three-game series tonight at gabp. Andrew abbott starts it for Cincinnati. Former Red Sonny Gray starts for the redbirds. The summer games in Paris wrapped up yesterday. The United States won the most medals with 126. China was second with 91 and great britain third with 65, one better than the french. The US and Communist Chinease tied for the most gold medals with 40. Congrats to all the athletes and their amazing commitment to excellence over so many years. One final note in sports….. You might not know the name Anson Dorrance, but you should. He retired yesterday as the womens head soccer coach at the university of north carolina. All he did was win more national championships than any other coach, men or womens in ncaa history with 21. He won 934 games, lost 88. He added another 172 wins as the tarheels mens head coach. He said he modeled his program from the very beginning after Dean Smith, the former legendary north carolina mens basketball coach.