Tag: zac taylor

Zac Taylor says he has no regrets on how he handled Patriots’ videotaping scandal

Zac Taylor (very) briefly addressed the Patriots’ videotaping scandal, involving the Bengals.

Zac Taylor was almost entirely unwilling to discuss the NFL’s investigation into the New England Patriots’ video team taping the Cincinnati Bengals’ sideline from the press box in Cleveland in Week 14. Taylor has been mum on the topic since news broke on Monday. He continued that trend on a conference call with New England media on Thursday.

But he provide one interesting tidbit. When asked if he had any regrets about the situation, Taylor said, “No.”

The Patriots explained in a statement that the scandal was a big misunderstanding. The Patriots.com video team was working on a feature on advance scouts, who travel to watch the team’s upcoming opponent. They interviewed the scout at the Bengals’ game last Sunday, and intended to detail his day-to-day life. But then when the game began, someone on the team began to tape the Cincinnati sideline, a clear violation of NFL rules. New England admitted to the wrongdoing, but said there was no ill intent with the footage. Such video could be used to steal the Bengals’ signs. Bill Belichick has made it clear the video was intended for the Patriots.com video series — and nothing else.

Taylor had little to share on Thursday. Here’s a transcript from questions about the videotaping scandal.

Q: What are your general thoughts on the videotaping situation with the Patriots?

ZT: I have no comment on that.

Q: Some reports have said that you are livid about the situation. Is that true?

ZT: I have no comment on that.

Q: How much do you and your coaching staff use hand signals during games?

ZT: I think, like any team, we communicate visually and verbally, depending on the environment we’re in.

Q: Do you believe the Patriots’ explanation for this situation?

ZT: I don’t have any comment on any of that stuff.

Q: Has anyone from the Patriots organization reached out to you to clear the air?

ZT: I don’t have any comment on any of that.

Q: Why do you believe it’s in your best interest not to have any comment at any point on this ongoing incident that’s affected your team?

ZT: Because this is a tough opponent right now, and we’re devoting all of our time to making sure we’re prepared. And so that’s where all of our focus has been on.

The Bengals will need all the help they can get on Sunday. They are 1-12 while the Patriots are 10-3. Maybe New England has suffered a few tough losses in recent weeks. But the Patriots seem poised for a bounce-back game, particularly after stewing over this scandal.

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The Bengals thinking the Patriots might have videotaped their play calls is too funny

LOL, Bengals.

For about three minutes on Monday it appeared as if maybe the New England Patriots might be facing another “Spygate” type of situation thanks to the, get this, the Cincinnati Bengals.

Their first-year head coach, Zac Taylor, got the ball rolling during his Monday press conference when he answered a question from a reporter about the Patriots (who the Bengals face next Sunday) having someone in the Cleveland press box filming their play calls in Sunday’s game against the Browns. Taylor said the league was aware of it and is looking into it so he wouldn’t comment.

Moments later it was reported that the Patriots did have someone shooting video in the press box on Sunday but that it was for a documentary they were doing on one of their scouts and that they got clearance from the Browns to shoot the video and that they gave all the video to the NFL for them to look at.

Which is all way too funny.

The Bengals actually think teams need to videotape their play calling to gain an advantage? The 1-12 Bengals?

ESPN’s Mina Kimes perfectly summed it up:

Yeah, nobody is sweating the Bengals for their play calls. Especially not Bill Belichick and the Patriots.

But here’s another thing – it’s 2019 and most plays are called into the QB’s speaker in his helmet while the coaches cover their mouths with their play sheets, so you’re not going to learn anything even if you did shoot some videos.

Twitter had thoughts on this quick “scandal”:

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Report: Patriots’ videotaping investigation stems from team’s documentary series

This seems to be a major misunderstanding.

The NFL is investigating the New England Patriots for what seems to be a miscommunication during Week 14 in the press box in Cleveland on Sunday, according to multiple reports. The league is looking into whether a scout illegally video taped the Cincinnati Bengals’ sideline.

The Patriots had a scout in the Browns’ facility to view New England’s upcoming opponent, the Bengals. That scout was featured on the Patriots’ digital documentary series, “Do Your Job,” which chronicles the day-to-day life and responsibilities of their many employees in the scouting department, video department or equipment managers. A Bengals scout noticed the Patriots scout video taping in the press box, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The NFL then obtained that video. However, they will likely find the scout was video taping himself — and not the Bengals, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Bengals coach Zac Taylor was asked about the incident on Monday during a press conference.

“I’m aware that there was an incident, but I know the league’s investigating it, so I’ve got no comment,” Taylor said. “I don’t have anything to say about it. … I’ve got no comment.”

The truth is that the days where videotaping can actually provide a competitive advantage are over. In the days of sideline signaling in the early 2000s, video of hand-signals could provide a huge advantage — like in the days of Spygate. Coordinators now relay their plays with headsets while covering their mouths with the play sheet. Video of a team’s sideline might only reveal a team’s signals for hurry-up offense.

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NFL investigating Patriots for potential video taping Bengals’ play calls

The Patriots’ provide an explanation.

The NFL is investigating the New England Patriots potentially video taping the Cincinnati Bengals play calls, according to Bengals coach Zac Taylor.

“I’m aware that there was an incident, but I know the league’s investigating it, so I’ve got no comment,” Taylor said Monday during a press conference. “I don’t have anything to say about it. … I’ve got no comment.”

The Patriots and the NFL could not be reached for comment at time of publication. However, New England seemed to be filming a scout for the team’s documentary series, “Do Your Job,” according to NFL Network. The series shows a day in the life of their different employees in the organization from scouting to equipment managers to food services. The Patriots scout seemed interested in filming himself — and not the Bengals’ sideline.

This wouldn’t be the first time the league looked into New England’s video department. The Patriots were punished for Spygate, when they were illegally taping opponents during the 2007 season. Of course, that isn’t the only scandal involving the team. They were also entrenched in Deflategate, a ball deflating scandal which followed the 2014 season.

For now, this situation, however, seems significantly different than that of Spygate.

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Comparing Adam Gase to other first-year head coaches

Jets Wire compares Adam Gase to other first-year head coaches around the league with a comprehensive breakdown.

Adam Gase’s first season with the Jets has featured a little bit of good and a lot of bad.

New York was supposed to be on its way back to contender status under Gase. Instead, due to injuries and incompetence across the board, the Jets have sputtered to a 4-8 record.

Gase isn’t the only first-year head coach that has experienced disappointment in 2019. Likewise, there are plenty of other first-year coaches that have achieved great success throughout the year.

So, how does Gase stack up compared to other first-year head coaches? Let’s take a look.

Zac Taylor

David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

What better way to kick things off than beginning with the coach who just defeated the Jets to pick up his first career win?

There’s not much sense in heaping praise upon Zac Taylor. It took him three months to win a game and considering who the victory came against, it’s really not all that impressive of a feat.

With that being said, Taylor inherited a roster seriously deprived of talent. His quarterbacks are over the hill Andy Dalton and Ryan Finley, who is clearly not up to the task of being an NFL quarterback despite putting together a solid career at NC State. He hasn’t had A.J. Green all year and Joe Mixon hasn’t been able to do much on the ground because of the atrocious offensive line he runs behind.

It would be unfair to paint Taylor as a bad coach considering what he’s working with. Until Cincinnati puts together an NFL-caliber roster, the verdict is still out on the former Sean McVay protege.

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Zac Taylor provides injury return updates on John Ross, Jonah Williams

Zac Taylor provided notable injury updates.

The Cincinnati Bengals provided some mixed injury news coming out of a recent presser from head coach Zac Taylor.

The good news? An Andy Dalton-led offense that just helped secure the team’s first win on the season could be close to getting John Ross back.

On that front, Taylor told the media the following: “He’s been practicing, really, the last two-and-a-half weeks. He’s healthy and ready to go. We’re starting to incorporate him into the game plan.”

Ross was in the middle of a breakout season before his injury, at one point even leading the NFL in receiving yardage. On paper, simply having him back out there could better space the field for Dalton’s other targets.

Unfortunately for Dalton and the offense, it doesn’t sound like first-round pick Jonah Williams will make it back this season.

“I don’t foresee him playing in a game this season, but we’ll see,” Taylor said. “We still have a little more time to sort that out.”

Over the summer, the Bengals had sounded hopeful Williams could make it back by December. At this point, risking his health again doesn’t make a ton of sense even if he’s ready. Practice might be the ceiling for the rookie.

With evaluation now the game of the game, the Bengals getting Ross back is better than nothing as the offseason looms.

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NFL hot seat rankings don’t paint Zac Taylor in a great light

How hot is Zac Taylor’s seat?

Now that Zac Taylor’s Cincinnati Bengals have solidified the worst start in franchise history, it was fair game to consider if the coaching staff would be one-and-done.

And that’s far from the only example of such a sentiment making the rounds.

Over at CBS Sports, Patrik Walker raises a really good point while ranking Taylor’s seat as the second hottest behind only Pat Shurmur of the New York Giants:

It’s uncertain what Taylor’s goal is with the reinsertion of Dalton, other than not going 0-16, but Dalton might find himself returning still without the services of A.J. Green to help him in what will likely be his final few games in Cincinnati. Meanwhile, the veteran QB can no longer be used as the scapegoat, because Taylor couldn’t coach Finley to a single win, and gave up on the former fourth-round pick in less than a month’s time.

And there’s a good point to consider — it isn’t all on Dalton anymore.

Taylor went to his rookie quarterback he traded up to get in the fourth round and things were just as bad. Now he’s going back to Dalton in an effort to salvage things.

Maybe it works. But if it doesn’t, the well of excuses continues to dry. Injuries smack around every team and there isn’t another one-win team in the NFL, let alone another winless team. Even the newest of coaching staffs and most injured rosters have found ways to win.

If the Bengals can’t grab the first win of the year in the next week or two, it might be hard to keep Taylor out of the No. 1 slot when it comes to hot seats. The Bengals operate differently than everyone else, yes, but one has to wonder if there is a breaking point and where it might be.

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Everything Zac Taylor said about A.J. Green after WR missed Wednesday’s practice

Zac Taylor talked about A.J. Green’s latest missed practice and the future.

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Wednesday, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green missed another practice, which seems to make it highly unlikely he’ll be able to play this weekend against the New York Jets.

Head coach Zac Taylor addressed the media the same day, with Green serving as one of the biggest talking points.

“I think he wants to play. I don’t think. I know he wants to play,” Taylor said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “Right now we continue to carry him (on the roster) and just hopeful each and every week that it will be different and we’ll take it from there.”

Green continues to work on the rehab portion of his comeback after a swelling setback a few weeks ago. Taylor said there are simply things Green is uncomfortable with when it comes to running and cutting.

With Wednesday a no-go, Green seems likely out against the Jets because Taylor wants him to have a solid stretch of live practice:

“At least a week. It depends how long the injury has been, what is the position is. Certainly you want more days of practice. It’s going on a couple of months now. You’d like to get him a couple of practices under his belt.”

Considering Green has yet to partake in a Wednesday practice at all this season, even a Thursday and Friday participation mark might leave Taylor and Green wanting to wait another week.

Given Green’s focus on the long term as he gets ready for free agency this offseason, all signs point to his missing at least another week.

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How the Archbishop Moeller football coach became the secret ingredient in the Bengals coaching staff

After just one year as Archbishop Moeller head coach, Doug Rosfeld took a position with the Cincinnati Bengals. He’s making a difference in an 0-10 season.

Archbishop Moeller High School (Cincinnati, Ohio) is one of the legendary programs in the Midwest. It’s no small honor to take on the mantle as the Moeller head football coach, particularly among alums.

RELATED: Rosfeld heads to Cincinnati Bengals football staff; Moeller taps Naumann as interim

So, when Doug Rosfeld became the Moeller head coach, he thought he had made it. That’s what made his decision to leave a year later all the more disorienting. Yet Rosfeld knew when new Bengals coach Zac Taylor came calling, Rosfeld’s calling was changing, too.

Now, Rosfeld stands out as one of the few brights spots in an otherwise dismal season in Cincinnati. As reported by ESPN, Rosfeld has emerged as the catch all problem solver for Taylor in the first year with the Bengals for both.

Rosfeld, the Bengals’ director of coaching operations, has been called “a rock star,” and someone who is good at, “talking to guys, trying to get them to be better men, better people.”

And while the Bengals are out to a 0-10 start, there’s little question that Rosfeld is the human embodiment of the positive culture Taylor and the staff are trying to implement. That comes directly from his time at Moeller.

“They’re giving their all — their physical health, everything they’ve got — for a team,” Rosfeld told ESPN. “When you see that in a guy, you like working and being around it.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a young guy or a college player or a professional athlete. When you see somebody giving everything they’ve got for the benefit of the team and the guy next to him, it doesn’t matter. You want to be around it. You want to help them in any way you can.”

Bengals will return to Andy Dalton vs. Jets

To avoid going 0-16, the Bengals will start Andy Dalton at quarterback again and sit rookie QB Ryan Finley against the Jets.

The Bengals made their second quarterback change of the season on Monday.

Cincinnati will go back to veteran Andy Dalton after benching him in favor of rookie Ryan Finley earlier this season. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor decided that three games were all he needed to see from Finley to know that his team needs to take a quarterback in next year’s draft.

Finely started the previous three games after Dalton was benched following Week 8. Now Week 13, the veteran quarterback’s first game back will be on Sunday against the New York Jets.

In three starts, Finley completed 47.1 percent of his passes for 474 yards, two touchdowns and five total turnovers.

Up until he was benched this year, Dalton had been Cincinnati’s starting quarterback since the Bengals drafted him in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft.

In eight starts this year, Dalton completed 60.4 percent of his passes for 2,252 yards, nine touchdowns and eight interceptions.

In his career against New York, Dalton is 2-0. In those two games, Dalton has completed 70 percent of his passes for 691 yards while throwing six touchdowns and two interceptions.