[jwplayer H1GrZT6a]
The Cincinnati Bengals and head coach Zac Taylor stand at 2-6-1 as they enter the final stretch of the 2020 season.
Were the Bengals a less conservative franchise, Taylor would blatantly be on the hot seat. He’s 4-20-1 over his first 25 games and while plenty of excuses have validity and explain some of the issues, even coaches in bad situations would appear to win more.
But Taylor has an opening to prove his vision for the franchise is still worth keeping around — the Bengals finish with an easy schedule, facing seven teams in what largely has the appearance of a cakewalk:
- Washington (2-7)
- New York Giants (3-7)
- Miami (6-3)
- Dallas (2-7)
- Pittsburgh (9-0)
- Houston (2-7)
- Baltimore (6-3)
That’s three games against a laughably bad NFC East, one against an overachieving Miami club and one against an underperforming Houston team with an elite quarterback — just to balance things out.
It would seem the Bengals need to at least win three games in seven tries down the stretch to avoid talk of coaches losing their jobs (how many coaches can even say that?). That would imply beating teams they’re supposed to beat or showing signs of a pulse against AFC North rivals.
Because the division is a major black eye for these Bengals. They’re 0-4 against the AFC North this year, including a 27-3 beatdown at the hands of Baltimore and that 36-10 stinker against Pittsburgh.
Taylor went 1-5 against the division last year too. And if there’s one thing the organization clearly cared about under Marvin Lewis, it was at least keeping its head above water in the AFC North.
There are plenty of excuses for this 4-20-1 mark. Taylor got hired late, didn’t hire an experienced staff, didn’t majorly overhaul the roster last year, has had repeated injury bugs, etc.
But for all the goodwill Taylor has earned via the flashes Joe Burrow has shown under center, it figures to go away if he can’t start winning some close games against terrible opposition down the stretch. If he starts getting shoved around by and can’t out-coach an NFC East where the winner will probably sport a losing record, it’s time to go back to the drawing board.
Winning, of course, hurts draft position. But the Bengals need to see that their coach with a .180 winning percentage over 25 showings can actually…win. If that comes at the cost of a draft pick, so be it.
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