Stone Shields takes a deep dive into the Bengals’ loss to the Buffalo Bills — and specifically why Cincinnati’s defense couldn’t deliver in the biggest moments. While Joe Burrow’s two late interceptions will dominate the box score, Stone explains why the game truly swung on a handful of defensive breakdowns that occurred long before the fourth quarter.

Stone walks through five critical plays — including multiple 4th-down conversions and Josh Allen’s back-breaking 40-yard touchdown run — that flipped momentum, extended Buffalo drives, and ultimately cost the Bengals control of a game they once led 14–3. He breaks down how issues like inconsistent pass rush, soft coverage, poor rush-lane discipline, and continued struggles against tight ends resurfaced at the worst possible time.

But it's not all doom and gloom. Stone highlights the flashes of speed, physicality, and effort this defense showed — and why the bar for this unit isn’t “elite,” but simply average given the firepower on offense. On Sunday, they fell short of that.

Stone also reacts to the third-and-15 scramble that sealed the game, why the onside-kick debate misses the bigger picture, and how key coaching decisions factored into Cincinnati’s collapse.

Later in the episode, Stone shifts to Tee Higgins’ situation, praising the wide receiver’s toughness while discussing his latest concussion evaluation, the team’s long-term investment in him, and the realistic possibility he could sit if the Bengals fall out of playoff contention.

It’s a detailed, no-nonsense breakdown of what went wrong, where the Bengals showed progress, and what it means moving forward — especially with a massive matchup against Baltimore looming.

OTHER CHATTERBOX PROGRAMING:

Chatterbox Reds: https://linktr.ee/chatterboxreds

Chatterbox Bearcats: https://chatterboxbearcats.podbean.com/

The Stone Shields Show: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/west-4th-and-long/id1828384424

Off The Bench: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/off-the-bench-by-chatterbox-sports/id1643010062

The Flyin Lion (FC Cincinnati): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flyin-lion-fc-cincinnati-podcast/id1701368522

513 Golf: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjPJjEFaBD7VUSfdVvGjbr1_CmCepLWpr