LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: who dey

  • The Bengals Battle in the Windy City

    The Bengals Battle in the Windy City

    by Chris Ball

    Loveland, Ohio – Although the score might not have borne it out, the Cincinnati Bengals’ reserves played their tails off against the Chicago Bears starters on Saturday. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was riding high ready to make his first start in front of a raucous Soldier Field crowd of 59,829 fans. But the Bengals defense held him and the explosive Chicago offense to three straight three and outs.

    The Bengals backups on defense proved so effective that Williams remained in the game well into the second quarter. He eventually showed everyone just how much of a special athlete he is, throwing a dot after an amazing scramble and then running for a spectacular touchdown of his own.

    There’s no doubt that Williams has all of the potential in the world to be a superstar in this league, but Bengals fans should take a lot of pride in the way that their team contained the rookie and the rest of the Bears offense in the first half. Especially considering that after starting their backups, towards the middle/end of the game Cincinnati was putting players on the field that will likely have little chance of making the 53-man roster, which undoubtedly added to the lopsided 3 – 27  score.

    The Bengals offense, on the other hand, really felt the absence of its key players and struggled all day. Logan Woodside looked good at times but held on to the football a bit too long on two plays and took some massive hits, one of which led to a floating interception for the Bears. Woodside finished 17-25 with 132 yards and 2 interceptions. The running game also struggled to get going, finishing with 82 total yards at just 3.3 yards per carry. Perhaps the biggest worry for the Bengals was their 11 penalties for a staggering 123 yards, but there is still plenty of time to work those issues out before week 1 on September 8 at Paycor with the New England Patriots.

    In the end this was a game where the first half told the true tale of the depth and effectiveness of this team, especially on defense. The fact that our backups held an explosive offense like the Bears in check for so much of this game is something to be celebrated. Maema Njongmeta lead the defense once again with 8 total tackles as well as 1 tackle for loss. Bengals rookie Kris Jenkins had a great bull rush that led to a sack, in a great bounce-back game after he had a difficult time last week against Tampa Bay.

    Another bright spot was Evan McPherson, who hit a 54-yard field goal and made it look silky smooth. The Bengals reached an extension with their clutch kicker to the tune of 3 years and $16.5 million. McPherson made it look like he was worth every penny on Saturday and having such a clutch kicker will no doubt pay dividends this year.

    Some other interesting notes in this one: Jermaine Burton had 1 catch for 19 yards. Trayveon Williams did run hard and also had 2 catches out of the backfield for 19 yards of his own. Williams looks poised to lock up the third running back spot as well. And after numerous injuries and setbacks in college, rookie tight end Erick All had his first reception today, hopefully the first of many for a kid who has worked so hard to get back to football action.

    An important rule for preseason football games is not get too excited about wins, and just as important to not rush to the gloom and doom after a loss. There was plenty that did not go to plan on Saturday that the Bengals can fix. At the same time, it would be beyond foolish to draw any sort of condemnation of the team after their starters all took the day off, and their backups (at least on defense) looked up to the task. The key is to make it through with as few injuries as possible, learn from mistakes, and prepare for week 1 against the Patriots. And the Bengals checked all those boxes today.

    ———————-

    Hey readers… have an opinion about sports? How about a topic you’d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

    We would love to hear from our readers, and we thank you for your support and engagement.

    Also, don’t forget to follow us at The Loveland Sports Desk at the below links:

    For Facebook, click here.

    For X, click here.

    For Instagram, click here. 

    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coach’s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • Missing in Action: The Ja’Marr Chase Saga Continues

    Missing in Action: The Ja’Marr Chase Saga Continues

    by Chris Ball

    Loveland, Ohio – Just as soon as the Bengals thought they’d solved one issue at wide receiver by signing Tee Higgins, they found themselves staring down the next one in what to do about Ja’Marr Chase’s own contract concerns. As soon as Chase proved on the field that he was one of the top receivers in the National Football League, pundits and fans alike knew that this moment coming. The writing was on the wall that the Bengals were going to have to find a way to pay both him and Joe Burrow, and the price was going to be more than a king’s ransom.

    That’s why Chase’s “hold in” was not entirely surprising to anyone who’d been closely following the team in the years since he was drafted 5th overall in 2021. He is in the final year of his rookie contract (with a club option for 2025 to the tune of 21.8 million) and wants the security of a long-term deal. After seeing Justin Jefferson sign a 4 year, 140-million-dollar contract (with over 110 million potentially guaranteed) it is understandable that he wants to be paid around the same range, especially given that Jefferson was drafted a year before Chase. As of now, the talented Bengals receiver is set to make $1 million in base pay with a total of $4.8 million in guaranteed money this season.

    Although it was understandable that Chase might excuse himself from participating in Bengals preseason games and practices, fans could at least take comfort in the fact that he was present and with his teammates as they worked. That all changed on Tuesday as he was completely absent from the team’s activities. For their part, Zac Taylor and the Bengals tried to downplay the situation as much as possible. Taylor said that “we’ll take it one day at a time, I don’t have any comment beyond that” and that the situation was “day to day.” Neither side has publicly weighed in beyond one or two sentences at a time, but the tension underlying the situation is plain for all to see.

    Ja’Marr Chase is a superstar that the Bengals cannot afford to let walk, and they know it. Although these contractual issues are something of a distraction, the situation with Tee Higgins demonstrates that when push comes to shove, players want to be on the field rather than at home bickering about money. Chase is likely no different, and though he may be making a statement now, it’s almost a certainty that he will be in the orange and black week 1 against the Patriots.

    Make no mistake, it is unfortunate that Chase is missing important reps in camp and a chance to get in sync with a healthy Joe Burrow. Honestly, there may be some lag in that connection to start the season, though I hope that is not the case. But other key pass catchers are healthy and progressing well, including Tee Higgins. Ja’Marr Chase is such an elite athlete that he’ll be in game shape in the blink of an eye, and if it takes him a second to get back to where he was, Higgins and company will be right there. And never forget the ability of Joe Burrow to make any receiver a star at any given moment given his arm strength and accuracy.

    As of right now there is no need to sound the alarm. But still, it’s a drama that fans can’t help but keep at the front of their minds and computer screens. And the sooner it’s finished the better it will be for all parties.

    ———————-

    Hey readers… have an opinion about sports? How about a topic you’d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

    We would love to hear from our readers, and we thank you for your support and engagement.

    Also, don’t forget to follow us at The Loveland Sports Desk at the below links:

    For Facebook, click here.

    For X, click here.

    For Instagram, click here. 

    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coach’s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • Going Camping! Four Captivating Storylines to Watch as the Bengals Start Camp

    Going Camping! Four Captivating Storylines to Watch as the Bengals Start Camp

    Photo of Rookie Jermaine Burton running a route at Bengals’ Minicamp, Courtesy of the Bengals on X.

    by Chris Ball

    Loveland, Ohio – As fall approaches the inevitable excitement for the return of Bengals football grows to a fever pitch. The start of that excitement usually begins with the commencement of training camp, which begins this week. There are plenty of interesting storylines to track as the Bengals ramp up for their season opener on September 8th against the New England Patriots. Here are just a few:

    Joe Burrow’s Health

    Any conversation about the Bengals understandably begins and ends with Joe Burrow. His preseason injury disrupted the beginning of the team’s 2023 campaign and his injury against Baltimore in week 11 nearly spelled the end of it.

    All of that is thankfully in the past and the Bengals franchise quarterback has looked smooth and focused in the limited preseason action that we’ve seen so far. Physically his hand appears strong and Burrow’s throwing motion is solid. Keeping him in good health is a top priority not only during the season but also throughout camp and during Cincinnati’s preseason games. The trick is that those concerns are also balanced against the need to get Burrow on the field as much as necessary to build the cohesion of the offense.

    No, he does not have to, nor should he, play large chunks of the preseason. But this camp will be important because the more he can connect with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and sharpen their timing and communication now, the faster the Bengals can hopefully find success once the season starts. Early injuries have hurt this team in the past and that’s been evident in their record over the early part of the season. Last year they started 1-3, in 2022 it was 2-2. But with both Burrow and Higgins completely healthy, watching them get in sync during camp will be a great thing to watch for.

    Dax Hill’s Position Switch

    When the Bengals drafted Dax Hill with the 31st overall pick in 2022 it was as a safety. There was a lot of hope that the promising young man out of the University of Michigan could eventually step into the shoes of Jessie Bates. However, the plan hasn’t necessarily come to fruition in the way that we all thought.

    Part of the need to switch Hill from safety to corner has been his struggles there, but also because of the emergence of Jordan Battle and the signing of Geno Stone from the Baltimore Ravens. With two solid players in the back of their secondary it allows more flexibility to get Dax Hill meaningful reps on the field, albeit at a different position. Moving positions doesn’t come without risks, though.

    Playing cornerback requires physicality at the line of scrimmage and with less space to operate it really puts a player’s speed and flexibility to the test. It’s a tough transition but if there is anyone who has the versatility to pull it off it is Dax Hill. But training camp is the place where fans and coaches will be able to see his progress at his new position and evaluate what he might bring either as a nickel or slot corner or to backup Cam Taylor-Britt or DJ Turner. In today’s NFL a team cannot have enough experienced defensive backs and however the Bengals can get their former first round pick on the field they should absolutely embrace those options.

    A Major Offensive Line Battle

    As discussed above, Joe Burrow’s health is the team’s paramount priority. Burrow has played behind patchwork offensive lines since he entered this league, and the world has seen the results. Bengals fans have suffered through the lowlight reels time and again, of their only hope for a Super Bowl running for his life or being crushed by pass rushers so gargantuan that it seems almost criminal to witness. Burrow has been sacked 148 times in his first 52 games played, which simply cannot be allowed to continue.

    This year 4 out of the 5 starting positions are likely set, but this week revealed some interesting news. On Tuesday the Bengals placed OT Trent Brown on the Active/Non-Football Injury list. Brown signed a one-year, $4.75 million contract with the Bengals in March of 2024 after his tenure with the New England Patriots and many had him pegged as the starter at right tackle given his prior experience. However, the future at the position almost surely rests with Amarius Mims, who the Bengals drafted with the 18th overall pick this season out of Georgia.

    With Brown’s absence, Mims will receive critical first-team reps during training camp. Fans and coaches alike will be able to see and evaluate his ability to play right away at a position that is critical for this team and to protect its most valuable asset in Joe Burrow. There was always a chance the right tackle position would turn into a heated battle between the veteran and the up-and-coming young rookie, but it looks like that battle will happen much earlier than we all expected, adding yet another layer of excitement in this year’s camp.

    The reason for Brown’s placement on the non-injury list hasn’t been made clear yet. Though Brown has his own significant injury history, this list is for issues that arise while players are away from their teams. Brown will not be able to practice until he’s activated from the list, but that activation can happen at any point this summer. So as of now, it’s a waiting game for Brown’s return, but until then, many eyes will be watching the progress of Amarius Mims.

    There were more than a few analysis that believed that Mims was a “project” when he was selected, given the lower amount of snaps that he played while at Georgia. Though Mims’ size and talent have the potential to make him into an all-pro type player, there are questions as to just how much time it would take to get there. Now, he has the chance to prove that he is ready now to start in this league, and show that the “project” is well ahead of schedule.

    A New Era At Running Back

    Joe Mixon had over 6,400 yards and 62 touchdowns during his 97 games with the Bengals in a career that included many great moments for the Orange and Black. He’s now with the Houston Texans and the man signed to replace him is Zach Moss. He played last year for the Indianapolis Colts and had 794 yards on 183 carries and reached the end zone 7 times. He will also be sharing at least some measure of his carries with Chase Brown, the Bengals’ 5th round draft pick in 2023. Brown had just 179 yards on the ground but showed an electric ability to catch the ball out of the backfield where he had 15 catches for 156 yards (an 11.1 average).

    Moss and Brown might not have the carry volume of Joe Mixon, but for his part Moss graded better in a key area that the Bengals need (just as they need with the offensive line): pass protection. Brown is also a much more significant threat to catch the ball out of the backfield and that aspect of his game will only get better as his time on the field increases. Their workload and fit into the Bengals offense will also be very interesting to watch as camp, and the preseason, get ramped up.

    ———————-

    Hey readers… have an opinion about sports? How about a topic you’d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

    We would love to hear from our readers, and we thank you for your support and engagement.

    Also, don’t forget to follow us at The Loveland Sports Desk at the below links:

    For Facebook, click here.

    For X, click here.

    For Instagram, click here. 

    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coach’s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • Super PBS Crowd Rallies Bengals For L.A. Trip

    Super PBS Crowd Rallies Bengals For L.A. Trip

    Bengaldom in full throttle Monday night.

    Hobson_Geoff

    Geoff Hobson

    Bengals.com Senior Writer

    If Joe Burrow is the soul of the Bengals then here came the heart of the Bengals Monday night as Joe Mixon headed into the Paul Brown Stadium locker room filming the fans chanting “Who Dey” through their 28-degree breath.

    “A great sendoff,” Mixon said as the fireworks ending a roaring Super Bowl pep rally smoked like one of his Drew Estate victory cigars. “I’ve never seen anything like that before or experienced anything like that in my life. I thank them for my teammates. I love them, too. It was a huge moment, a historic moment and we’re looking to have many more.”

    The Bengals took the field in their Super Bowl LVI white sweat suits as an estimated crowd of about 30,000 offered a thunderous sendoff to Tuesday morning’s flight to Los Angeles and Sunday’s appointment with the Rams to decide the NFL championship.

    Go HERE to see the full photo gallery of the event.

    They serenaded Burrow with an “MVP, MVP,” chant. They went nuts when tight end C.J. Uzomah ripped off his brace from the knee he injured in Kansas City. They screamed when hometown punter Kevin Huber told them, “Hopefully we’ll be back next week for the after party.”

    “I’ve got goose bumps,” said Jim Foster, better known as Bengal Jim, who MCed the hour-long production with comedian Gary Owen. “And the great thing is that for about a half or two-thirds of them, they’ve never experienced something like this before. They weren’t here or weren’t old enough for ’88. I’m so happy for this city. And another great thing about it is how many kids were there.”

    Heck, the players on the first two Super Bowl teams had never experienced anything like it. Max Montoya, the right guard on both teams, Ken Anderson, who quarterbacked the first one and safety David Fulcher, who helped lead them to the second one, found themselves in a holding room as guests of the club for the rally and couldn’t remember anything like this back in the day.

  • Join us in Celebrating the Cincinnati Bengals by Showing us Your Stripes!

    Join us in Celebrating the Cincinnati Bengals by Showing us Your Stripes!

    by Cassie Mattia

    Loveland, Ohio – Are you ready to see the Cincinnati Bengals make Superbowl history? Our beloved city sure knows how to celebrate a Bengals victory, so we thought what better way to prepare for the Superbowl than for YOU to “Show Us Your Stripes!”

    The Bengals will challenge the Los Angeles Rams for the Superbowl LVI title at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California on Sunday, February 13th at 6:30 p.m. 

    The Cincinnati Bengals have their eyes set on the Superbowl title for the first time since 1988 when they took on the San Francisco 49ers and lost 20-16. The Bengals have still yet to win a Superbowl but are confident that this year will be a great opportunity to win it for the first time in franchise history. 

    After the Bengals legendary AFC Championship win last Sunday, we knew that we wanted to celebrate and show our support for Cincinnati with the community leading up to the Superbowl. What better way to get our readers excited for the game than to showcase the city in their finest Bengals attire! We want YOU to “Show Us Your Stripes!” 

    From now until the day after the Superbowl we will be accepting photos of Bengals fans everywhere dressed in their Bengals gear! Photo entries can display where you have celebrated Bengals victories this year including decorations or can be as simple as a photo of you, your friends, and family cheering the Bengals on to victory. We especially want to see your black and orange decor if you have hosted a Bengals party or went somewhere to watch the game that had great decorations. You may also send in any “dressed for Bengals success” pet photos! The sky is the limit with any photos you decide to send in as we want to see some creativity and some Tiger style! If you are a business owner and you decorated your storefront or had your employees dress up in Bengals gear, we would love to see those photos as well! 

    Once we start receiving photo entries we will publish a couple of photos per day on our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for all of the community to enjoy! The following week after the Superbowl we will publish a photo album that will include all of the photo entries we received including photos taken on Superbowl Sunday. All photo entries should be emailed to Cassie Mattia and should include the following details:

    • The names of everyone in the photo including where they are from.
    • Where and when the photo was taken.
    • How long you have been a Bengals fan.
    • Any favorite local spots that you enjoy watching Bengals games…even if it is at home!

    We will be taking photo entries until Monday, February 14th.

    • Loveland Magazine Co-Owner and local Katie Moertle celebrating the Bengals at Eli Sports Bar & Grill!
    • Loveland Magazine Co-Owner Cassie Mattia’s dog Dean dressed up as a Tiger for the Bengals game!
    • Brody Bussa, an 8-year-old 3rd gen. Bengals fan from Milford, Ohio! Brody is dressed for “Joe BRRRRR-ow Day!””
    • Parker Mayhall, an 8-year-old Boyd E Smith Elementary School student ready for “Joe Burrow Day!” Parker is sporting his faux JB9 Chain but hopes to own a real one someday!
    • Archie Ungerbuehler, an 8-year-old die hard Joe Burrow fan from Milford, Ohio sporting his Bengals gear on “Joe Burrow Day” at McCormick Elementary!

    We are so excited to feature the Bengals’ support throughout the community and can’t wait to see some incredible WHO DEY photos! Stay tuned to our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to see the first round of “Show Us Your Stripes” photos!

    Curious as to where you can watch Superbowl LVI? The game will be broadcasted on NBC as well as streamed on Peacock, the NBC Sports app, and NBC Sports.com.

    For your latest local sports updates stay tuned to the Loveland Salad With ME, Cassie Mattia!