Here's what Renaldo Hill, Joe Lombardi, and Brandon Staley had to say ahead of the Bolts' Week 13 game vs. Cincinnati.
Brandon Staley on QB Joe Burrow
"Joe's having a fantastic season. He's doing a really good job for that team. I think that he plays the game far more experienced than just his two years in the league. I think that he's done a really good job moving the team. He's a really good decision-maker. He's really accurate with the football. He can make a lot of winning plays when the pocket is tight and there's not a lot of offense there — in that initial play, he can move and create. I think that he's really good in the clutch. I think that he really elevates the performance of the people around him. Since he's been the quarterback there in Cincinnati, their fortunes have changed. He's doing a really good job. He's off to a good start in his career. I think that they've done a really good job of supporting him with players out wide, skill position players, and up front on the offensive line, the tight end group. They're a very difficult offense to defend. They're a very challenging cover."
Renaldo Hill on RB Joe Mixon
"He's a strong runner. He's different than [Steelers RB] Najee [Harris], who was a little bit longer. He's really compact and he runs hard. He has good [run] tracks behind those guys at the front. He holds it, and once he sees the clear lane, he's hitting it. He's a strong guy. It's going to take all of us to get this guy corralled this week. He takes good care of the ball, that's one strong straight with him; he doesn't turn the ball over. We have to make sure we continue to take our swipes and try to get the ball, but we have to make sure that we secure him first."
Joe Lombardi on the Bengals defense
"They're really well-coached. They have a good scheme. They mix it up, it causes issues. They play really well together. I don't know if there are any superstar names on that defense, but I think that they're all really solid players that play well together. No real weakness that sticks out on film. A good group of players that are coached well and are playing well."
Staley on WR Ja'Marr Chase
"He has a lot of really elite traits for the receiver position. He's really physical for the position. He has a great body. He has deep speed. He's sudden. He can beat press [coverage]. He's good after the catch. He's having an outstanding season. He's averaging like 18 yards per catch. He has like eight touchdowns. He's been very productive. You can see that chemistry, Joe [Burrow] really trusts him. You can see that. H's a very complete receiver. He's still at the beginning, but he's off to a really good start. He's an exciting young player."
Lombardi on the Bengals edge rushers
"I know [Bengals DE] Trey [Hendrickson] a little bit. He was in New Orleans for a long time. He's a guy that is coming at you every single play. He is a guy that you know that you're getting his best play every single play. There's something about that consistency and that kind of effort that leads into the kind of production that you're seeing out of him. He's a talented guy, but also a guy that's never taken a play off, even in practice. 94 [Bengals DE Sam Hubbard] on the other side, there are some similar traits there. There are some really talented guys turn it on at times. Those guys are turning it on all the time. If you look at their tangible numbers, their 40-yard-dash times, all of those things, they may not be as high as other guys, but because of the consistency of their effort, you can see it in the results of their pass rush. They're pretty good players."
Staley on Bengals DEs Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard
"These guys play really hard. I did a lot of work on Trey coming out and Sam — that was my first year in the league, I want to say. I think Trey had a 30 visit to Chicago. He's from Apopka, down in Florida. I know his head coach, Rick Darlington, really well. I think both of those guys have earned their stripes in this league. I think they're both high-effort players, high-toughness, high-football IQ. Those guys, they're long. Their best trait is their motor. Those guys really play relentless football. I think that the Hendrickson signing was a really good signing for them. It's really upgraded their pass rush. Then, being able to keep Sam — you know, Sam was a third-round pick. To be able to keep one of your own, I thought that was a good signing for them to get him back because he's played quality football."
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