Tag: zac taylor

Bengals fans aren’t alone suggesting Bill Belichick as team’s next coach

It’s not just fans suggesting the Bengals think about a change…knowing Bill Belichick is out there.

When it comes to spitballing names capable of replacing Zac Taylor as next head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, one can’t skip over Bill Belichick.

Hence, on our top candidates to replace Taylor project, Belichick, is near the top of the list.

Unlikely? Sure. The Bengals firing Taylor at all would be a big change in the franchise’s approach. But one doesn’t have to look far on social media to see fans speculating about the Belichick idea.

And it applies to NFL analysts too. Bill Simmons of The Ringer recently proposed the idea, citing the Bengals as a possible win-now spot.

“This could be another job that’s open, and I was thinking it’s a pretty interesting [Bill] Belichick job,” Simmons said. “If you’re going for wins if you’re Belichick, if one of the reasons you’re coming back is to break the record, then Burrow is the best quarterback available. Otherwise you’re looking at [Jacksonville Jaguars QB] Trevor Lawrence, you’re looking at whatever the Giants do, you’re looking at whoever the hell the Raiders QB is going to be.”

This is something the Bengals should probably be thinking about if the train really goes off the tracks the rest of the way. If they choose to move on from Taylor, they would get the very top candidates looking their way, not guys with little head coaching experience.

Would Belichick come to town? Would the Bengals even entertain firing Taylor if they lose out the rest of the way? Maybe not, but it depends on the temperature of a locker room led by Joe Burrow that, frankly, doesn’t seem all that hot right now.

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Trey Hendrickson details run-in with Zac Taylor on Bengals sideline

What happened with Trey Hendrickson and Bengals head coach Zac Taylor?

As the Cincinnati Bengals went down hard at the hands of the Los Angeles Chargers, Germaine Pratt wasn’t the only player involved in a sideline outburst.

At one point during the loss, star defensive end Trey Hendrickson ran off the field and exchanged words with Zac Taylor, even swatting away the head coach’s arm.

After the game, Hendrickson opened up about it.

“You play with an edge,” Hendrickson said, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. “Everybody should. I love Zac. He’s a great head coach. He’s done a lot for me as a person. I love him. He plays with the same intensity and fire as me.”

The altercation happened near a roughing-the-passer flag on Hendrickson that even the NBC broadcast agreed shouldn’t have been called.

Meaning, it was probably nothing more than typical adrenaline-filled sideline stuff that happens in the pros all the time.

But at the same time, it’s clear tensions are high in Cincinnati for obvious reasons.

Yet, Ja’Marr Chase bringing up Taylor’s name after the game speaks volumes about where things are at right now, too.

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Ja’Marr Chase comment on Zac Taylor says it all about 2024 Bengals

Ja’Marr Chase didn’t hold back after the Bengals lost to the Chargers.

Speaking after yet another heartbreaking loss as his Cincinnati Bengals fell to 4-7, Ja’Marr Chase brought up the name of head coach Zac Taylor.

And that sort of says it all, right?

Chase did this when asked after the loss to the Los Angeles Chargers about finishing games.

“How do I do it?” Chase said, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. “I don’t know. Ask Zac. Ask the coaches. Don’t ask me. It’s not my job. I play football on the field. I don’t call plays for us. So I can’t really do nothing.”

On one hand, this is what Chase tends to do when he’s frustrated after a loss, generally deferring to the head coach on broader matters.

But on the other, it’s those broader matters that are failing the Bengals. The roster construction over the last two years has been abysmal and it’s showing up on the field.

And at this point, nobody is safe from criticism…or accountability — which explained Germaine Pratt’s sideline meltdown during the game.

If the Bengals keep losing, Chase might be on to something here. There will obviously be roster turnover, but it’s safe to reason that an overhaul of the coaching staff might be on the way, too.

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Joe Burrow responds to Zac Taylor’s comments about fixing Bengals

An interesting exchange featuring Zac Taylor and Joe Burrow after the loss to the Chargers.

The Cincinnati Bengals need a fix.

Whether that fix can come over the team’s bye week or is something much bigger for the offseason remains to be seen. Either way, the team fell to 4-7 with Sunday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, and the comments in the aftermath are certainly interesting.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, for example, said that “significant changes” aren’t necessary as they would represent the team panicking. He added that “something special can still be here” as the playoffs aren’t out of reach just yet.

When asked about these comments at his own presser and whether Taylor is right, Burrow merely said “hope so.”

It was about as dejected as anyone will ever see Burrow, who admitted this is by far the toughest season of his career at any level.

In some respects, Taylor is right — the Bengals remain in close games against great teams, yet stumble into new ways to lose each time. Sunday night was two missed kicks, a dropped interception that would have gone back for a touchdown and other mistakes.

At this rate, though, the playoffs are a near-impossibility, and Bengals fans calling for Taylor’s job won’t exactly go away. The Bengals are talented enough to stay in games, but it’s clear something is just missing this year.

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Bengals fans wanted Zac Taylor’s staff fired after loss to Chargers

Bengals fans are fed up after Week 11.

The Cincinnati Bengals fought back to avoid an ugly blowout loss, but falling in a 27-6 hole and losing 34-27 to the Los Angeles Chargers had fans furious.

Now 4-7 and with the season seemingly lost, Bengals fans are perhaps ready to try something new.

Here’s how Bengals fans reacted after the Week 11 loss.

 

 

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Key things to know about Chargers’ Week 11 opponent: Bengals

Here are some important things to know about the Bengals ahead of the Week 11 matchup with the Chargers.

The Chargers are at home to face the Bengals in primetime on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 5:20 p.m. PT.

To get you prepped for the Week 11 bout, here are five key things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the matchup.

How things are going…

The Bengals are 4-6 on the season. Cincinnati has one-point losses to the Chiefs and Ravens.

Prolific passing attack

Jesse Minter will have his work cut out against Joe Burrow and company. The Bengals rank fourth in passing offense, averaging 254.8 yards per game. Burrow leads in the NFL with 2,672 yards and 24 touchdowns. He’s only thrown four interceptions.

Brace for Chase

Burrow’s top target, Ja’Marr Chase, has been a terror to opposing defenses. Chase leads the league in receptions (66), receiving yards (981) and touchdowns (10).

Rough rushing offense

The Bengals have had success through the air, but the same can’t be said about their ground game. Cincinnati is 29th in rushing yards per game (89.7). Chase Brown is the team’s lead back. They acquired Khalil Herbert last week from the Bears after Zack Moss sustained a season-ending neck injury.

Dreadful defense

The Bengals have been able to score points, but they’ve struggled to prevent them, as they’ve allowed 26.2 PPG (26th). Cincinnati ranks 23rd and 17th in pass and rush defense, respectively. However, their issues have been in critical situations. The team ranks 31st in red zone percentage (71.88%) and 29th in third-down conversion percentage (45.80%).

Look out for…

Chase. This will be the biggest test for the Chargers’ cornerbacks this season. He’s capable of taking over a game with his big-play ability.

Bengals’ free-agency risks could mean seats are getting hot in Cincy

Is it time to watch hot seats in Cincinnati?

The Cincinnati Bengals made more rare acts of desperation to start Week 11 by going after Xavien Howard at cornerback and Leonard Fournette at running back in free agency.

Don’t scoff at the word rare either — the recent trade for Khalil Herbert was rare too, as just the third player acquired via trade at the deadline in 50-plus years for the franchise.

And it’s probably not as cut and dry as simple need, either. Sure, the Bengals need more help at running back after Herbert and Chase Brown fumbled last week. And yes, Cam Taylor-Britt has been a big disappointment at corner and the loss of Dax Hill weighs heavy on the depth chart.

But something else might be amiss, too.

The hot seat might just be that hot in Cincinnati.

One doesn’t have to watch a Joe Burrow press conference long to know the franchise quarterback isn’t happy. One doesn’t have to watch a game long to know the team hasn’t been constructed and/or coached up properly. It’s failing the MVP-level quarterback outing, Ja’Marr Chase’s OPOTY outing, and, frankly, Trey Hendrickson’s DPOTY outing.

That creates heat. The direct blame should probably go all the way to the top and hit director of player personnel Duke Tobin (i.e., the GM they won’t call a GM) the most. Whether it’s the fault of the brass above him for limiting what he can do or not, he’s failing to replace talent like Jessie Bates that they let walk out the door.

And the coaching staff isn’t much better. If Lou Anarumo can’t craft a league-average defense with what he’s got, his seat should be scorching. If defensive assistants can’t get a first-rounder like Myles Murphy on the field, heat. If offensive assistants can’t get wideouts not named Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins up to speed, heat. If Zac Taylor can’t find a way to motivate his guys and win games with an MVP passer, heat.

We’ve seen a steady drip-feed of modernization from the franchise since the Burrow era started. Maybe this is just a continuation of that (although they failed to sign Howard and went with a different running back).

But even this is the latest small sign that the heat is on in Cincinnati. The logical conclusion to a failed season in the middle of an elite quarterback’s prime is change. How high up the ladder remains to be seen, but it’s not unreasonable to think hot-seat watch should be underway.

If things continue this poorly and Burrow isn’t happy, maybe the next modernization is a massive coaching staff shakeup earlier than anyone would dare predict.

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Zac Taylor gets roasted for his 2-point conversion play call that didn’t involve Ja’Marr Chase

Why not go to Ja’Marr Chase here?!

Zac Taylor could have been roasted if he went for the tie against the Baltimore Ravens like Todd Bowles was earlier in the week, but no. The Cincinnati Bengals coach knew that his gassed defense would probably lose against that amazing Ravens offense, so he went for two after a touchdown Thursday night.

But the play call? Fans weren’t pleased (never mind that there were two penalties on the Ravens that went uncalled during said play).

Ja’Marr Chase had 11 catches for 264 yards and three touchdowns on the night, but his number wasn’t called. Instead, it was Tanner Hudson who was thrown to, and he couldn’t grab the football for the conversion.

Fans were mad:

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AFC North rival strengthens run game with RB trade at deadline

The Cincinnati Bengals have made a trade with the Chicago Bears to acquire RB Khalil Herbert in an attempt to solve their running game woes.

The trade deadline is finally here, and it appears the Cincinnati Bengals, AFC North rivals of Pittsburgh, couldn’t wait any longer for today’s festivities, as the team has made a trade with the Chicago Bears to acquire RB Khalil Herbert in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick, per insider Tom Pelissero.

The trade came just one day after Cincinnati’s Head Coach Zac Taylor announced that the team’s RB Zack Moss would be out indefinitely with a neck injury. This move boosts not only their run game but also the depth behind newly announced starting RB Chase Brown.

Considered by many to be dark horse candidates to challenge the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North divisional title race, the 4-5 Bengals have bolstered what was once one of their weakest areas on offense, creating a two-headed RB monster with the addition of Herbert.

Will Pittsburgh make a blockbuster trade at the deadline to keep up with the rest of the AFC, or will the team see the deadline as an opportunity to acquire solid depth?

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Bengals’ Zac Taylor comments on Jermaine Burton punishment, future

The latest on the drama surrounding Bengals rookie Jermaine Burton.

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor kept it short and sweet when talking about the punishment for rookie receiver Jermaine Burton after the team’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Taylor confirmed prior reports that Burton had been a big part of Sunday’s game plan before the rookie didn’t handle things near the end of the week well.

In doing so, Taylor stressed that no further punishment for Burton is expected and that they still anticipate him getting right and having a big role in the future: “We have to handle all our business in the right way.”

Taylor noted that Burton wants to help the team win and that they intend to do everything possible to make sure he succeeds. But he also stressed that it was “absolutely the right decision” to make Burton inactive, too.

Prior reporting said that Burton missed Saturday’s pregame walkthrough despite being a big part of the gameplan with Tee Higgins out. It was a stunning revelation, considering the size of the occasion for a rookie in Joe Burrow’s offense, never mind the long-term outlook if Higgins leaves in free agency next summer.

For now, it’s likely all fans will get from the team as Burton continues to attempt to overcome the red flags from the pre-draft process.

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