The October 4th loss to Jacksonville wasn’t just another game for the Cincinnati Bengals, man, it was a flashing red light for head coach Zac Taylor. After eight seasons in Cincinnati, the pressure on Taylor to actually win something real has never been this insane. That Jax game? It screamed louder than ever that if Taylor doesn’t change things up, this team is gonna massively underachieve and he’ll be out of a job.
No More Scapegoats: Defense Isn’t the Problem Anymore
Look, for years we heard about the Bengals’ cheap ownership, right? But you can’t say that anymore, not after last offseason. The Brown family actually coughed up a wild $125 million on defense. They even traded a top-10 draft pick for the first time ever just to grab Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence, and brought in Super Bowl champions Bryan Cook and Boye Mafe. So, when they lost to Jacksonville, it wasn’t the defense’s fault. That unit was actually decent enough against the Jaguars. Quarterback Joe Burrow even chucked for 428 yards, more than any other QB in Week 4, which is usually a recipe for success!
The problem is, the Bengals’ offense hasn’t really changed since Burrow showed up in 2020. And now, with the defense finally upgraded, all eyes are squarely on Taylor. We thought a decent defense plus Burrow throwing it all over the place would mean tons of wins, but it turns out you actually need a balanced offense. And seriously, that’s where Taylor, who’s been calling the plays since Day 1, has completely failed.
The Run Game Is Non-Existent and Burrow’s Take Is Wild
Cincinnati ran for just 23 yards last weekend. Twenty-three! Are you kidding me? They’re next-to-last in the entire NFL in rushing. You’d think that’d be an easy fix, right? Just give Chase Brown more carries, maybe 15 touches a game. He only had 10 yards on nine attempts, but the dude is explosive, he adds versatility! But nope, it’s apparently “complicated.”
Here’s the kicker, and this is the major red flag, folks. When asked about the ridiculously low rushing total, Burrow’s response was straight-up dumbfounding. He told Enquirer reporter Kelsey Conway, “My response to that would be, ‘Let’s throw it more.’” Seriously, “Let’s throw it more”? That’s his answer to ranking next-to-last in rushing? This immediately raises massive questions: Is Burrow getting too much power? Is Taylor even willing to stand up to the best quarterback in franchise history? Are these two on a collision course? Taylor said he doesn’t want to run for 23 yards, but Burrow seems totally fine with it.
Both Taylor and Burrow need to show they can get on the same page, and fast. The season is still going, and we’ll be watching to see if they can fix this major disconnect and finally balance that offense. Otherwise, this whole setup is going to go sideways in a hurry.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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