Takeo Spikes played 14 seasons in the NFL and will go down as one of the greatest linebackers in NFL history. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals back in 1998, so you know he had a lot to say about the Bengals’ rocky season thus far. Before the Bengals took on the Cowboys on Monday Night Football 0n Dec. 9, rolling out caught up with the future NFL Hall Of Famer to talk some football.
What is your Super Bowl prediction?
I’m leaning towards the Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions. When I look at the makeup of both teams, both have gone through a season where they’ve had injuries to key contributors on the team, but they still find ways to win games. Both have gone through the season and find themselves in close games at the end but find a way to win the game. So, for me, when I look at that, the resilience of both teams understanding and knowing big-time games are won in critical situation — and they have seemed to master that on both sides.
Do you think the Chiefs have been lucky this season?
I was always told this: it’s better to be lucky than good. Now when you talk about the Chiefs, they are both — so, like, bottom line, man … you create your own luck, and a lot of that is just belief too as well. You gotta believe something good is going to happen and you play all the way until the end.
Who is the best quarterback in the league and why?
You know, I think of Joe Burrow; I think of Lamar Jackson — I love Lamar Jackson. But you know, at the end of the day, man, like, you gotta be able to defeat Patrick Mahomes. It ain’t by accident. This guy is a what? Three-time Super Bowl, two of them back-to-back. Two MVPs. So, you know, until he is dethroned, I’m not choosing anybody over him.
Are you disappointed in the Bengals season this year?
I am; I’m disappointed in the Bengals season. A lot of it is due to just on the defensive side. Offensively, I probably would say this is Joe Burrow’s best season. But who knows what may happen next year? You don’t take care of Ja’Marr Chase, which now you’re going to have to pay him more. We don’t consider that overpaying; you are paying me my worth. And then just defensively, I think when you look at the Achilles heel of the team; that’s where they have suffered. Not being able to get off the field in crucial situations; big time, third downs. And then, more importantly, you gotta get to the quarterback. And that’s one of the things that they haven’t been able to do: generate enough pressure on the quarterback — on the opposing quarterback — to where they can create more opportunities for Ja’Marr Chase and also Joe Burrow. So, that has been the disappointing thing on the defensive side.
