Bengals Safety Dax Hill Eyeing Improvement in 'Must-Win' Matchup With Cardinals
Bengals Safety Dax Hill Eyeing Improvement in 'Must-Win' Matchup With Cardinals
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00:00 In the Bengals locker room with Dax Hill.
00:01 Dax, obviously this is a big week.
00:03 Joe called it a must win earlier this week.
00:06 I feel like everybody in this locker room feels that way
00:09 and that's safe to say.
00:10 I'm not trying to speak for you,
00:11 but what is the mindset going into
00:13 Sunday's game against Arizona?
00:15 - Really, like you just said,
00:16 and what everyone else is saying,
00:18 like getting the win.
00:19 We're not coming off that plane without a win.
00:21 And so I feel like that's just what we want
00:24 and that's kind of how it has to be.
00:27 Just to get us ready for the weeks after.
00:30 So yeah, it is a must win.
00:33 - Coming into the season,
00:35 and certainly when the schedule came out,
00:36 I think a lot of people outside of this building,
00:39 I'm not saying you guys,
00:39 looked at Arizona and said,
00:40 "Ah, no Kyler."
00:42 People were talking about Caleb Williams
00:44 and what they could do in the draft a year from now.
00:46 And yet, I watch them and it looks like on defense,
00:51 they play hard, they fly around.
00:52 Certainly that offense led by Josh Jobs,
00:54 he can move a bit.
00:55 James Conner, the running back,
00:56 they have some weapons on the outside.
00:59 I think they're pretty talented.
01:00 What do you think?
01:00 - Yeah, I mean, really just looking at them the entire week,
01:04 I mean, they do have some ball players.
01:06 You know, they can move in space.
01:08 You know, has some quick receivers.
01:10 I mean, good running back, you know, Josh Jobs.
01:12 He's been in the NFL for quite some time now.
01:15 So his experience obviously hasn't played a lot,
01:17 but I mean, he's doing well
01:19 with the time that he has been playing.
01:20 So I really just can't sleep on these guys
01:23 because it's the same record, one and three.
01:24 So I feel like both teams are gonna have chips
01:26 on their shoulders and really just have to play
01:29 our brand of football.
01:31 - How challenging is it to face a team
01:34 that wants to establish the run
01:36 and then they go play action over the top
01:38 and they try to hit Hollywood Brown
01:40 or hit 14, the rookie Wilson or who do they have?
01:44 Rondell Moore as well.
01:45 Like they have weapons, they have speedsters.
01:48 So how challenging is that to knowing you,
01:50 you have to stop the run at the same time
01:52 you can't get beat over the top either?
01:54 - Oh yeah, I mean, it really kind of come down
01:56 to really just having good eyes,
01:59 really just looking at your work
02:01 and not making it bigger than that.
02:02 I mean, we all out there for a specific reason,
02:04 for a specific job.
02:06 And so they're gonna, you know,
02:08 give us everything they have just because of, you know,
02:11 who they are, what they can do, you know,
02:13 with all the weapons, like you said,
02:15 all the weapons that they have.
02:16 So really not really, you know,
02:20 really just being aware of every situation.
02:22 So.
02:23 - Their running game, what makes it go?
02:25 Because Connor seems like he's averaging five plus a clip
02:28 and they're able to get him in space
02:30 and obviously Dobbs can run too.
02:32 - I mean, yeah, I mean, Connor, I mean,
02:33 he has a pretty good back, you know,
02:36 as well as the other one, you know,
02:38 but they're, you know, they're known for, you know,
02:39 putting the ball on the ground.
02:40 So I feel like that's something we have to be aware of too
02:43 and really just getting that ball out.
02:45 And so, so yeah, I mean,
02:47 they have a pretty good running back room,
02:49 but you know, that's something, you know, we can stop.
02:51 I mean, you know, learning from last week, you know,
02:54 tackling a lot better this week is what we want to do.
02:56 And I feel like we will do it.
02:58 - Is that the focus, the tackling aspect on defense
03:00 after what happened last week?
03:02 - Oh yeah. I mean, every week, I mean,
03:04 I mean, there's so many things that can go wrong if you,
03:06 you know, if you don't tackle.
03:09 And so yeah, really just, you know,
03:10 tackling this week and, you know, getting, you know,
03:13 Connor down because once he goes, I mean, once he starts,
03:15 you know, he, he can catch a roll real quick. So.
03:18 - Starting fast.
03:19 I know the offense has talked about it,
03:21 but as a defense, how important is it on that first drive,
03:24 second drive, the first couple of drives of the game
03:26 to just go three and out and make that offense
03:28 get off the field?
03:29 - Yeah. I mean, really just having an away game too.
03:32 You kind of want to bring the momentum to ourselves and,
03:34 you know, to the sideline and, you know, as we go,
03:37 you know, everyone else goes and I feel like it's kind of
03:40 just, you know, important, you know,
03:41 it sets the tone for the entire game and, you know,
03:43 it's going to be ups and downs, but if you can start fast,
03:46 I mean, you have some hope throughout the game.
03:48 - You personally, obviously Lou uses you
03:51 in a bunch of different ways.
03:52 You're getting tackles, you're blitzing,
03:55 you're in the backfield some,
03:56 you obviously have some interceptions as well.
03:58 What are you hoping to work on and improve on this week?
04:01 Because you've obviously been productive
04:02 to anyone that's watched.
04:03 - Really just having better eyes. I mean, like you said,
04:06 I mean, they can run and then hit you with a deep ball.
04:08 So really just, you know, staying deep,
04:10 coming down whenever I need to feel the run and,
04:12 you know, tackling better.
04:13 I felt like that's something I got to improve every week
04:15 and really just not be, you know,
04:17 settled on what I've done and, you know,
04:19 just keep improving. So.
04:21 - Dax, appreciate the time. Good luck Sunday.
04:23 - Appreciate you.
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