[jwplayer km2AQ86P]
It feels like do-or-die time for Zac Taylor and the Cincinnati Bengals heading into Week 11 against the Washington Football Team.
Call it a massive culmination of factors, including the 2-6-1 record, Taylor’s 4-20-1 overall record and the blowout loss at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the bye last week.
It helps that Washington is the opponent, though. Ron Rivera’s club is the definition of a beatable opponent, a two-win team in the first year of a rebuild with no answers under center and coming out of an offseason with a complete organizational restructure.
Quietly, Washington does have a better defense than some might expect largely due to the pass-rushing trio of Ryan Kerrigan, Montez Sweat and Chase Young. The unit allows just 24.2 points per game.
But the offense — as had been the trend there for years — just hasn’t matched. Dwayne Haskins, a 2019 first-rounder, completed just 61 percent of his passes with four touchdowns and three interceptions before getting yanked. Alex Smith has thrown one touchdown and three interceptions, the ground game averages less than four yards per carry and nobody has stepped up to help elite wideout Terry McLaurin.
Despite all this, the outlook isn’t that rosy for the Bengals considering the 36-10 loss to Pittsburgh. Joe Mixon won’t play (and coaches won’t say if he’ll play again this season) and the line in front of Joe Burrow will again have a new look.
If there’s any silver lining, it’s that Burrow — owner of a 65.4 completion percentage with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions — has the ability to carry a team against a two-win club.
And these Bengals, if nothing else, have looked solid against non-AFC North opponents. That should be the case Sunday on the road, especially with the defense getting to feast on a poor passing attack.
Burrow should get the best of second-overall pick Young in this matchup, which is good for Taylor — he’s potentially coaching for his job down the stretch as this season ends.
Prediction: Bengals 30, Washington 24
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