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T.J. Houshmandzadeh remains cautiously optimistic about 2024 Bengals
In a recent sit-down with John Sheeran and Anthony Cosenza, the former Bengals Pro Bowl wide receiver talked about the team’s current direction.
The Cincinnati Bengals put a beatdown on the Las Vegas Raiders at home, this past weekend, which was a relief of a first home win of 2024. Paycor was packed to witness the victory, which moved Cincinnati closer to .500 and primed them for a big Thursday night game versus the Ravens.
In attendance for the game was former Bengals Pro Bowl wide receiver, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who hung out with fans and then caught up with many on-field folks with which he has ties. Whether it was his mentee in Jermaine Burton, or his former head coach, Marvin Lewis, “Housh” made the rounds, on behalf of Tide.
He caught up with us this week, not only to recount his experiences over the weekend, but also to give his thoughts about the game and the Bengals’ direction. They’re 4-5 and moving in the right direction, but the four opponents they’ve beaten have just two wins apiece.
“You’d say you feel good, but we need to start beating teams that are good and that will make you feel better (about things),” Houshmandzadeh said emphatically. “Now, as optimistic as people are, ‘Okay, we beat the Raiders, we’re 4-5’, you lose Thursday (versus the Ravens), you don’t have that same optimism. And, so this game is big—you know you can play with them, you know you probably should have beat them that first time, so that gives you that confidence.”
The conversation shifted to the Zac Taylor/Joe Burrow era Bengals and their notoriously slow starts. Since the Bengals have been hyper-competitive starting with the 2021 Super Bowl season, they were at 5-4 at this point in the season from 2021-2023 and then 4-5 this year. We asked Houshmandzadeh why he thought that was the case
“It’s kind of crazy that happens now—let’s hope that that’s the case this year…and they go on a roll,” Houshmandzadeh said. “I don’t know why that’s the case, I do know this: from all of y years playing, when you talk training camp…you can never do anything against the defense in training camp. They dominate us early, all the time and as soon as the first game starts.”
Houshmandzadeh expanded his thoughts by noting a lack of summer physicality and how teams now sometimes have to use the first month or so gear up that physicality.
“Offenses are behind, guys are rushing the passer with the same kind of enthusiasm and violence that you’d get in a game, so it’s just different. That’s all I can think of—I don’t know why…I know everybody would like to be 9-0, 7-2, but if you can go on a roll at 4-5, I’d rather go on a roll than never have an opportunity to go on a roll.”
As mentioned before, Houshmandzadeh joined in all of the pregame festivities of the afternoon who not only took in the game, but also many pregame activities, like hanging with fans at Bengal Jim and Friends’ famous tailgate.
He played cornhole with fans, partook in some Skyline and then watched the Bengals get their win over the Raiders. In our interview, he mentioned he got some Skyline on his bright white shirt, but his trusty tide pen took care of things!
