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Reacting to Reds Firing David Bell and the Bengals Monday Night Game.

Discussing Article Written by Ben Baby ESPN Writer - https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/41332441/joe-burrow-says-bengals-fine-spot-0-2-start There are two ways to view the Cincinnati Bengals' first two weeks of the season. On one side, players and coaches have expressed the disappointment that comes with starting 0-2 for the third straight season and the fifth time in the past six years. On the other -- as quarterback Joe Burrow pointed out Thursday -- is that the familiarity that comes with the slow start means Cincinnati knows what it will take to snap the skid and beat the Washington Commanders on Monday night. "We're in a fine spot," Burrow said in his weekly news conference. "We've been here before. We're not panicking. We're focused on getting a win and getting better every day." Burrow said he's not sharing the same feeling of frustration that he had following Sunday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals led in the fourth quarter and were a defensive stop away from beating their AFC rivals. However, a defensive pass interference penalty on fourth-and-16 set up the winning field goal in Kansas City's 26-25 victory. In four of Burrow's five NFL seasons, Cincinnati has lost its first two games of the season. The exception was in 2021, when the Bengals beat the Minnesota Vikings in overtime of Week 1. Since then, the star quarterback has battled various injuries at the start of the year -- a ruptured appendix (2022), a calf injury (2023) and recovery from wrist surgery (2024). "We've treated every practice like it's the same," he said. "We pride ourselves on us not being able to tell if we win or lose. At practice, we're going to go out and have fun and get our work in and get better." Bengals coach Zac Taylor said despite the rough start to the year, which included a Week 1 loss to the New England Patriots although Cincinnati was favored by more than a touchdown, it doesn't feel as if the team is pressing unnecessarily as it prepares to face Washington (1-1) or is carrying any undue tension. Taylor said he has never felt that from the players, which is why the team has handled these situations well before. "I feel this is a very comfortable team that understands how to work," Taylor said. "How to have that preparedness about them that can lead to confidence and can lead to being at ease." Cincinnati did get a boost Thursday, as wide receiver Tee Higgins practiced for the first time since he suffered a hamstring injury Sept. 5. Higgins, who sat out the first two games, was a limited participant. Taylor said the team will see how Higgins continues to progress throughout the week. If he can play, Burrow and the rest of the team are well aware of the impact the fifth-year receiver can make on Cincinnati's offense.

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Discussing Article Written by Ben Baby ESPN Writer - https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/41332441/joe-burrow-says-bengals-fine-spot-0-2-start

There are two ways to view the Cincinnati Bengals' first two weeks of the season. On one side, players and coaches have expressed the disappointment that comes with starting 0-2 for the third straight season and the fifth time in the past six years. On the other -- as quarterback Joe Burrow pointed out Thursday -- is that the familiarity that comes with the slow start means Cincinnati knows what it will take to snap the skid and beat the Washington Commanders on Monday night. "We're in a fine spot," Burrow said in his weekly news conference. "We've been here before. We're not panicking. We're focused on getting a win and getting better every day." Burrow said he's not sharing the same feeling of frustration that he had following Sunday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals led in the fourth quarter and were a defensive stop away from beating their AFC rivals. However, a defensive pass interference penalty on fourth-and-16 set up the winning field goal in Kansas City's 26-25 victory. In four of Burrow's five NFL seasons, Cincinnati has lost its first two games of the season. The exception was in 2021, when the Bengals beat the Minnesota Vikings in overtime of Week 1. Since then, the star quarterback has battled various injuries at the start of the year -- a ruptured appendix (2022), a calf injury (2023) and recovery from wrist surgery (2024). "We've treated every practice like it's the same," he said. "We pride ourselves on us not being able to tell if we win or lose. At practice, we're going to go out and have fun and get our work in and get better." Bengals coach Zac Taylor said despite the rough start to the year, which included a Week 1 loss to the New England Patriots although Cincinnati was favored by more than a touchdown, it doesn't feel as if the team is pressing unnecessarily as it prepares to face Washington (1-1) or is carrying any undue tension. Taylor said he has never felt that from the players, which is why the team has handled these situations well before. "I feel this is a very comfortable team that understands how to work," Taylor said. "How to have that preparedness about them that can lead to confidence and can lead to being at ease." Cincinnati did get a boost Thursday, as wide receiver Tee Higgins practiced for the first time since he suffered a hamstring injury Sept. 5. Higgins, who sat out the first two games, was a limited participant. Taylor said the team will see how Higgins continues to progress throughout the week. If he can play, Burrow and the rest of the team are well aware of the impact the fifth-year receiver can make on Cincinnati's offense.

The Bengals are signing a veteran defensive tackle to help with shredded depth at that position. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Lawrence Guy is inking a deal with Cincinnati. The 34-year-old had 38 tackles for New England last season in 17 games played. It amounted to a 45.5 PFF grade across 502 snaps. He has been durable, playing 500-plus snaps each of the past seven seasons. Cincinnati is hoping to get any of Kris Jenkins (thumb), B.J. Hill (hamstring), or Sheldon Rankins (hamstring) back soon. Bookmark Bengals Talk for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more! For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

The Bengals are signing a veteran defensive tackle to help with shredded depth at that position. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Lawrence Guy is inking a deal with Cincinnati. The 34-year-old had 38 tackles for New England last season in 17 games played. It amounted to a 45.5 PFF grade across 502 snaps. He has been durable, playing 500-plus snaps each of the past seven seasons. Cincinnati is hoping to get any of Kris Jenkins (thumb), B.J. Hill (hamstring), or Sheldon Rankins (hamstring) back soon. Bookmark Bengals Talk for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more! For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Watch Off the Bench Presented by UDF with Chatterbox Sports Monday-Friday 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. LIVE on the Chatterbox Sports YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE to the channel to ensure you never miss a thing. Four major projects headline this work: a new field which is expected to be finished this summer, new club seats set to be installed by early June, expansion to the plaza entrance at Gate D tying the building to downtown is envisioned for late July's Cincinnati Music Fest, and an enhanced TV system earmarked for the preseason. Tradition is also getting a ticket in the new club seats. In a nod to the stadium being the first footprint on The Banks, the Bengals are using forest green for the color. It's the closest shade to the original color of the seats, when the plans for the parks and green space were merely on paper. Now that reality sprouts around the building, the Bengals decided the color scheme fits not only "The Jungle" theme, but also the kaleidoscopic view of the cityscape rolling on the Ohio River. Plus, Pope says orange seats would have faded into pink in about two years and black seats would have been too hot to the touch for much of the season. About 95% of the club seats have been installed on the east side with all that really needs to be done is attaching the new end-plate logos. Power washing is being completed on the west side while work continues on the concrete and drain repairs. "We're taking advantage of the seats being out of there," Pope says. Meanwhile, the tripling of the size of the plaza entrance at Gate D has begun. Pope figures fans see evidence of the work with the rise of a thickened concrete deck as the entrance widens from 60 feet and 200 feet. Two steel staircases are being added, one at the corner of Second and Elm streets and one along Elm Street near the Andrew J Brady Music Center, to help fans traverse from the tailgates to The Jungle and the rest of the Banks this fall. Once in the stadium, fans are going to be treated to twice as many TVs in a massive technology upgrade switching to a faster internet fiber optic system. The project scatters about 1,600 TVs around the building on gameday with many of the sets going in on the general admission concourses and the canopy level. Plus, they can now be controlled in one spot and personnel doesn't have to rely on remotes being used on-site. "That's fantastic because it allows for a better use of resources on gamedays," Pope says. "The added TVs really keep the fans connected as they move around the stadium." As the season looms closer, everyone will be working quickly to complete these projects ahead of the late-summer concerts. Another offseason filled with stadium improvements shows that both the Bengals and Hamilton County are committed to investing in the future of the stadium and delivering a best-in-class fan experience.

We discuss this Sports Illustrated article written by James Rapien about Ja'Marr Chases Contract Negotiation - https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/sources-bengals-extension-talks-jamarr-chase-broke-down-over-one-key-detail-01j7efw7kkqx The Bengals had intense contract talks with star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, but the two sides didn't agree to a long-term deal before Sunday's regular season opener against the Patriots. Chase didn't participate in practice during training camp in hopes of landing a long-term extension with the team. The two sides were close to an agreement, league sources say. In fact, the Bengals offered Chase a four-year, $140 million contract with $90 million guaranteed. That guaranteed money included a $30 million signing bonus. Those raw numbers worked for Chase's camp, sources tell Bengals On SI. The lone snag in the agreement had to do with when guarantees would kick in. Chase was willing to sign a four-year extension that would've put him under contract through the 2029 season, sources say. His camp wanted the guaranteed money and injury protections to kick in earlier in the deal. That's when talks broke down. Essentially, the two sides couldn't agree on when Chase's guarantees would vest (become fully guaranteed). The Bengals' offer pushed it down the line (2027), which would protect the franchise over the next few seasons. Meanwhile, Chase didn't have the assurance of guarantees early in the contract, which puts him at risk if he were to suffer a serious injury. The Bengals and Chase were in the red zone. Heck, they might've been inside the 10-yard line, but a deal didn't get done before the season opener. They still can negotiate. And that's what's interesting about this process. There is no real deadline. Chase decided to play on Sunday, despite not getting a new contract. He could've sat out—especially with both sides close to a deal. Traditionally, the Bengals don't negotiate in season. Would they make an exception for Chase? If it's as simple as moving some of his guaranteed money up by a year or two—why not get it done? Only time will tell if they can come to an agreement. In reality, Chase and the Bengals weren't far apart in their contract talks even though they never agreed to a long-term extension.

Headlines: 

The Reds lose the series finale in St Louis. 6-1 the final score as the Reds only mustered up 4 hits.

• Sonny gray had a perfect game through 5 innings before jake fraley finally broke it up in the top of the 6th

Around the league

• The brewers shutout the giants 3-0.  Frankie Montas pitched 6 scoreless innings 

TNF

• The bills obliterated the Dolphins 31-10. Tua was 17-25 with a touchdown and 3 interceptions.  But the story of the game is a concussion that occurred in the second half.  Tua was pulled from the game after a collision with Damar Hamlin.  Its his 3rd official head injury suffered in the NFL. 

Headlines: 

• The reds fall to the cardinals 2-1 last night.  2 runs is the most reds pitching has given up in their last 4 games.  

The reds and the cardinals are back at it TODAY at 115 for the rubber match where Jakob Junis takes on former red Sonny Gray.  Junis is 4-0 with a 2.82 era with a 0.92 whip.  Sonny is 12-9 with a 3.84 era with a 1.09 whip

Around the league

• The Dodgers hang on to beat the cubs last night by a score of 10-8.  Shohei Ohtani steals another base and hits another home run. He has 48 stolen bases and 47 home runs

The pac 12 is back! Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State, and Fresno state will join the pac 12 in the 2026-2027 academic year.  Oregon st and washington state will remain.  

Watch Off the Bench Presented by UDF with Chatterbox Sports Monday-Friday 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. LIVE on the Chatterbox Sports YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE to the channel to ensure you never miss a thing. We discuss this Sports Illustrated article written by James Rapien about Ja'Marr Chases Contract Negotiation - https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/news/sources-bengals-extension-talks-jamarr-chase-broke-down-over-one-key-detail-01j7efw7kkqx The Bengals had intense contract talks with star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, but the two sides didn't agree to a long-term deal before Sunday's regular season opener against the Patriots. Chase didn't participate in practice during training camp in hopes of landing a long-term extension with the team. The two sides were close to an agreement, league sources say. In fact, the Bengals offered Chase a four-year, $140 million contract with $90 million guaranteed. That guaranteed money included a $30 million signing bonus. Those raw numbers worked for Chase's camp, sources tell Bengals On SI. The lone snag in the agreement had to do with when guarantees would kick in. Chase was willing to sign a four-year extension that would've put him under contract through the 2029 season, sources say. His camp wanted the guaranteed money and injury protections to kick in earlier in the deal. That's when talks broke down. Essentially, the two sides couldn't agree on when Chase's guarantees would vest (become fully guaranteed). The Bengals' offer pushed it down the line (2027), which would protect the franchise over the next few seasons. Meanwhile, Chase didn't have the assurance of guarantees early in the contract, which puts him at risk if he were to suffer a serious injury. The Bengals and Chase were in the red zone. Heck, they might've been inside the 10-yard line, but a deal didn't get done before the season opener. They still can negotiate. And that's what's interesting about this process. There is no real deadline. Chase decided to play on Sunday, despite not getting a new contract. He could've sat out—especially with both sides close to a deal. Traditionally, the Bengals don't negotiate in season. Would they make an exception for Chase? If it's as simple as moving some of his guaranteed money up by a year or two—why not get it done? Only time will tell if they can come to an agreement. In reality, Chase and the Bengals weren't far apart in their contract talks even though they never agreed to a long-term extension.

Watch Off the Bench Presented by UDF with Chatterbox Sports Monday-Friday 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. LIVE on the Chatterbox Sports YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE to the channel to ensure you never miss a thing. Article Written by Jason Williams Cincinnati Enquirer Everyone came happily wearing orange to Paycor Stadium. They left with red faces. They had every right to be spitting angry after the Bengals’ 16-10 loss to the lowly New England Patriots, especially at Bengals coach Zac Taylor. Players say Taylor ran a tougher training camp to try to reverse the Bengals' history of slow starts during his tenure. But it's the same ol', same ol' season-opening narrative: The Bengals flat out weren’t prepared to play. They were hardly competitive. They were uninspired and stunk in every facet of the game. There’s no excuse for this one, and certainly plenty of things to be alarmed about as the Bengals prepare to head to Kansas City to face the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs. The Bengals opened at home in front of a sold-out crowd, which answered the call to blanket the stadium in orange clothing. The weather was picture-perfect, unlike last year’s season-opening debacle in rainy Cleveland. And the Bengals didn’t have to open against an AFC North rival like they did the past two seasons. They were given the gift of playing what’s widely projected to be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season – and they missed the layup. Remember this one come December, when the playoff race is in full go mode. Will it come back to cost the Bengals a playoff spot? Or will it ultimately hurt their playoff seeding? Cincinnati faces the likelihood of starting 0-2 for the third consecutive year, and for fifth time in Taylor’s six seasons. Suddenly, an opening-month schedule that looked mostly easy – except the trip to Arrowhead – doesn't look so soft anymore. You could argue that last season’s 0-2 start came back to cost the Bengals a playoff spot. Had they won at least one of the first two games, they likely would’ve made the postseason – even with quarterback Joe Burrow sidelined for the final 1½ months of the 2023 season. Burrow says he's healthy now, but his injury history is a big reason not to simply blow off this season-opening loss. The margin for error is razor thin for a franchise that’s built everything around the man who wears jersey No. 9. The downfield passing attack that Burrow and the offense is known for was nonexistent. Even still, Burrow & Co. had a chance to drive the field for a winning touchdown when the Bengals got the ball back with 3:04 left in the fourth quarter. But they gained all of five yards on the possession and had to punt. Receiver Ja'Marr Chase called it the most frustrating possession of the game.