It wasn’t supposed to be this bad.
The Cincinnati Bengals were never going to contend in 2019. There were too many holes on the roster, summer injuries and pending coaching growing pains.
But nobody thought it would be the worst start in Bengals history.
That’s what Zac Taylor secured with Sunday’s 16-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Those Steelers had a bevy of notables inactive and switched to a third-string passer in the middle of the game.
Yet, Taylor’s Andy Dalton replacement, Ryan Finley, completed just 12 passes and fumbled late. The defense coughed up 190 yards on the ground.
After the game, Taylor brushed aside the history his team made.
“It’s just defeating to lose. Period. I don’t really care about the stats or the records. When you’re competitive, and you’ve put everything you’ve got into it, to lose is the worst feeling there is.”
He also shared a brief message for fans:
“Trust me, I understand the frustration. We have to win games and have a good product on the field. I continue to believe in the guys we’ve got and that we’re going to get things turned around and get things headed in a positive direction.”
That’s 10 losses in a row to Pittsburgh, two this season. The Steelers were exploitable but the Bengals remain seemingly rudderless. The defense still has big lapses and the offense can hardly move the ball.
After setting this bit of history and even surpassing Dave Shula’s 0-10 mark, Taylor has an even bigger problem to worry about — 0-16. It’s a legitimate concern and one that isn’t going to just go away.
Over the final five games, the Bengals have to deal with two games against Cleveland, one against the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, and a notable against New England.
The magnitude of an 0-16 season is such that this 0-11, worst-ever Bengals start feels tiny by comparison.
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