Zac Taylor Changed the Culture of Cincinnati Football

[C0de_M0nkey]

Yes , a lot of us want his head on a platter. But you have to admit that Zac Taylor has done a good job in his first three years. He took a team on life support and started 2-14. After a 1-14 start he almost lost our franchise quarterback by beating Miami, but he just fell short in overtime. As much as we wanted the Bengals to tank, it was clear that coach Taylor wanted the Bengals to win. However, it was clear that he didn’t have the talent nor the coaching experience to do so that year. Thankfully, he failed and we got our quarterback with the 5th pick of the draft.

2020 was a tough year, but for a lot of Bengals fans it was the most fun in a long time. Despite the weekly losses, there was no denying that it was fun to watch the young, Burrow led team grow.

That is, until Joe Burrow went down with multiple knee injuries against the Washington Football Team. It was at this lint that most of us, myself included, were once again calling for Zach Taylor’s head. How dare he make his franchise QB throw 50+ times in a losing season. We waited a generation for a chance like this and Zac threw it down the drain, literally!

Well that all changed when the 11-2 Steelers came to town in prime time. They were on an 0-2 streak, and this was the game they circled on the calendar to get back in track. This was the rivalry that wasn’t really a rivalry anymore, due to the Steelers’ dominance over the last five years. Most fans forgot that the Bengals ever made the playoffs, so obviously this was an easy win for Pittsburgh, right?

“Hop in a jet like that
Like that
They was like, "Popp, why you walk like that?“

Juju heard, as he caught a pass in the endzone. Oh wait, that was the sound of Von Bell knocking the ball and the soul out of Juju’s hands. It was at that moment, that fans across the nation asked themselves: “wait, are these the Bengals?” Fans in Cincinnati asked themselves if this was a new day indeed, as the Bengals dominated the Steelers in a 27-17 victory.

Despite the dumpster fire of the 2020 season, Zac Taylor won the biggest game of his career in convincing fashion. And this was the start of a trend against the Steelers. Most of us still wanted him fired, but there was no denying that he may have saved his ass with that whooping of the Steelers.

The lesson to be learned is that we all gave up on Zach Taylor. I personally wanted him to be fired until he beat the Vikings in 2021. I then made a 180 and declared the Bengals a playoff threat. But there was never a doubt about Zac Taylor in the locker room. Even the most ardent in the “fire Zac” camp had to admit that the team stuck with him at through 2020. We still wanted him fired but there was no denying that he was a good player’s coach.

What was the point of this post? Well, most of us have seen his poor play calling over the course of the season. But few of us have seen his improved play calling compared to last year. It’s easy to call Zac out for taking the ball out of Burrow’s hands against the 49ers. But how many of us wanted him to be fired for putting the ball in Burrow’s hands too much last year?

Joe Burrow is a young quarterback, Zac Taylor is a young coach. There is no denying that the culture has changed after three straight blowout wins against the Steelers.

The question is will part 2 of this post be how Zac Taylor changed the franchise for better or for worse? At this point, my bet is for better. None of us expected this team to do anything, yet we’re in the thick of it in the AFC. Zac Taylor has done a good job. Especially due to Ja’marr Chase, possibly the best pick in franchise history.

[BengalChris]

First off, the Bengals were not on life support under Marvin. In 2018 they had a winning record until losing AJ and Dalton to season ending injuries. Who exactly was going to win with Driskel I ask?

Taylor turned it into a 2 win team and the worst record in the NFL and followed that up with a 4 win season.

Mike Brown has opened up the check book like never before, but Taylor is not winning like never before, and he's laid some serious eggs on the field.

Taylor has won a few games, but no where near as many as he should be given the talent the front office has provided him with. Taylor and the coaches do help with the draft, but it is the front office that does the selections.

Taylor has also lost a lot of games to bad teams, which is a marked sign of a bad team itself. Sure a bad team can get lucky sometimes, but to lose to bad teams so often is a fatal flaw. My God, losing to the Jets, losing to the Bears [and to Andy Dalton two years in a row].

The coaches are way underachieving with the talent this team has.

Taylor needs to win A LOT more and he needs the playoffs to keep his job.

[Frank Booth]

This is what people thought in the middle of the 2005 season about Marvin Lewis

Just saying

[leonardfan40]

(12-18-2021, 01:10 AM)BengalChris Wrote: First off, the Bengals were not on life support under Marvin. In 2018 they had a winning record until losing AJ and Dalton to season ending injuries. Who exactly was going to win with Driskel I ask?

Taylor turned it into a 2 win team and the worst record in the NFL and followed that up with a 4 win season.

Mike Brown has opened up the check book like never before, but Taylor is not winning like never before, and he's laid some serious eggs on the field.

Taylor has won a few games, but no where near as many as he should be given the talent the front office has provided him with. Taylor and the coaches do help with the draft, but it is the front office that does the selections.

Taylor has also lost a lot of games to bad teams, which is a marked sign of a bad team itself. Sure a bad team can get lucky sometimes, but to lose to bad teams so often is a fatal flaw. My God, losing to the Jets, losing to the Bears [and to Andy Dalton two years in a row].

The coaches are way underachieving with the talent this team has.

Taylor needs to win A LOT more and he needs the playoffs to keep his job.

Fighting for a playoff spot with a young team and mediocre at best OL is way underachieving?

So you think we’ve got 53 pro bowlers on this roster or what?

This is a solid team with some nice talent and room for improvement, but it’s far from the most talented team in the league. Is it even the most talented team in the division?

Taylor cleaned house when he came in. It was needed as the team hadn’t made the playoffs in years and was aging. Even when they had made the playoffs they never won. A change of culture was needed and there’s no denying Taylor has done that. Is he going to finish the job and take this team to playoff winner and serious contender? Maybe, maybe not, but he certainly changed the culture for the better.

[HarleyDog]

(12-18-2021, 01:34 AM)leonardfan40 Wrote: Fighting for a playoff spot with a young team and mediocre at best OL is way underachieving?

So you think we’ve got 53 pro bowlers on this roster or what?

This is a solid team with some nice talent and room for improvement, but it’s far from the most talented team in the league. Is it even the most talented team in the division?

Taylor cleaned house when he came in. It was needed as the team hadn’t made the playoffs in years and was aging. Even when they had made the playoffs they never won. A change of culture was needed and there’s no denying Taylor has done that. Is he going to finish the job and take this team to playoff winner and serious contender? Maybe, maybe not, but he certainly changed the culture for the better.

Yep. Clean house and change the culture should have been the first thing he addressed and he did. Now we’re 7-6. Who would have expected? I doubt anyone will argue that he’s made some mistakes, but the train is running on the right track. Plus, we are actually getting a little respect.

[C0de_M0nkey]

(12-18-2021, 01:21 AM)Frank Booth Wrote: This is what people thought in the middle of the 2005 season about Marvin Lewis

Just saying

That was my first year watching football. I have to imagine that the culture of 2005 was different from the culture of 1995. Im glad you made this point, since I haven’t been this excited about the franchise since that year.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(12-18-2021, 02:49 AM)C0de_M0nkey Wrote: That was my first year watching football. I have to imagine that the culture of 2005 was different from the culture of 1995. Im glad you made this point, since I haven’t been this excited about the franchise since that year.

By that same gap, is the culture of the 2021 team better than the culture of the 2011 team? Because that 2011 team was REAL young and won some games, went to the playoffs, and started a 5 season playoff streak.

If you weren't excited about the franchise in '13-'15, I don't think you were watching Bengals football then. A better HC and '13-'15 was the Bengals SB window. Tons of talent on those teams.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(12-18-2021, 01:10 AM)BengalChris Wrote: First off, the Bengals were not on life support under Marvin. In 2018 they had a winning record until losing AJ and Dalton to season ending injuries. Who exactly was going to win with Driskel I ask?

Taylor turned it into a 2 win team and the worst record in the NFL and followed that up with a 4 win season.

Mike Brown has opened up the check book like never before, but Taylor is not winning like never before, and he's laid some serious eggs on the field.

Taylor has won a few games, but no where near as many as he should be given the talent the front office has provided him with. Taylor and the coaches do help with the draft, but it is the front office that does the selections.

Taylor has also lost a lot of games to bad teams, which is a marked sign of a bad team itself. Sure a bad team can get lucky sometimes, but to lose to bad teams so often is a fatal flaw. My God, losing to the Jets, losing to the Bears [and to Andy Dalton two years in a row].

The coaches are way underachieving with the talent this team has.

Taylor needs to win A LOT more and he needs the playoffs to keep his job.

Dude, we know you hate Zac, but you can't be serious. Marv had 3 straight losing seasons, the team was aging, the coaching staff was trash....so bad that Marvin had to take over DC. You forget the Ken Zampese fiasco? Fans quit showing up to games....this organization had one foot in the grave, and one on a nanner peel during 16, 17, and 18. For all intents and purposes, Marvin's career ended that January night in 2016. We opened the 2016 campaign allowing Andy Dalton to be sacked 7 times at NYJ. I think people forget how bad the team was....yet would win 6 games and screw up the draft. I mean we STARTED Ced Ole'! There was the horrible loss in Minnesota after the rumors Marvin was leaving...players quit that day. He didn't leave. The media was chastising ownership for keeping him around, it was becoming a total shit show!

2019 was roster evaluation with a new system, and that put most of Marvin's players outside of their comfort zone. Lewis constructed his roster differently (see slow, thumping LBs as exhibit A), and had different schemes.

Marvin was the better coach so far, no question, but I'm not gonna sugarcoat his last three seasons, they were trash.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(12-18-2021, 03:07 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: By that same gap, is the culture of the 2021 team better than the culture of the 2011 team? Because that 2011 team was REAL young and won some games, went to the playoffs, and started a 5 season playoff streak.

If you weren't excited about the franchise in '13-'15, I don't think you were watching Bengals football then. A better HC and '13-'15 was the Bengals SB window. Tons of talent on those teams.

Yep....TEN YEARS into the Marvin Lewis era....lol.

2011 we went 9-7....look familiar?

[CardCounterChris]

I can't say I've seen much of a culture change. When Cincinnati was winning, they'd play well and then blow the game at the end in some fashion only they could. Under Zac, we blow the game in the first half or first 3 quarters dig a huge hole and then *almost* rally back like its a big accomplishment. I just want a culture of a team that plays for 4 quarters.

[reuben.ahmed]

It's easy to look good when the Steelers suck.

[reuben.ahmed]

(12-18-2021, 04:16 AM)Wyche Wrote: Yep....TEN YEARS into the Marvin Lewis era....lol.

2011 we went 9-7....look familiar?

Marvin's first few years as Bengals HC record posted below. I wanted him gone too but he's way better than people remember and likely better back then than Zac is right now. 

8-8
8-8
11-5
8-8

If we won a playoff game with this team this year, it would be categorized as lucky.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(12-18-2021, 09:39 AM)reuben.ahmed Wrote: Marvin's first few years as Bengals HC record posted below. I wanted him gone too but he's way better than people remember and likely better back then than Zac is right now. 

8-8
8-8
11-5
8-8

If we won a playoff game with this team this year, it would be categorized as lucky.

Yes, but that wasn't the topic at hand. The OP mentioned the team was on life support (a bit of an exaggeration, but not far off). The guy I quoted said it wasn't. I was backing up the OPs claim in my first post. Then I quoted Leonard to make a point about how long it took Marvin to be *consistently* good.

I remember ALL of it. The rise from the ashes, the 4-12 circus with  TO and Chad. The good five year run, and the falling apart of that team. Point being, the team was circling the drain during his last few years. Anyone that says otherwise is using a bit of revisionist history IMO to make the current staff look even worse.

Also, we're no longer taking flyers on guys with checkered pasts. Have we had any off field issues since 2019?

Also, why would it be categorized as lucky? So if this team wins a playoff game it's lucky because folks don't like the HC, but are simultaneously defending a guy that couldn't get it done in SIXTEEN YEARS. Nuts I tell ya.....

[Bengalitis]

I think Burrow is more influential to the team than Zac.
Zac is a good person, somewhat well spoken and he gets respected.

Unfortunately, Zac cannot coach well. Kinda like a hot, velopcious woman,that can't sing worth a dime.

[Sled21]

(12-18-2021, 08:22 AM)CardCounterChris Wrote: I can't say I've seen much of a culture change.  When Cincinnati was winning, they'd play well and then blow the game at the end in some fashion only they could.  Under Zac, we blow the game in the first half or first 3 quarters dig a huge hole and then *almost* rally back like its a big accomplishment.  I just want a culture of a team that plays for 4 quarters.

If you can't see much of a culture change, you are not looking. The old Bengals teams would mostly fold and turn on each other at the first sign of adversity. This current incarnation can get blown up in the 1st quarter, then just put it's head down and claw their way back into a game. They have each other's back instead of yelling and pointing at each other as to who blew the play.

[Fan_in_Kettering]

Zac Taylor? A good job? Not even a little. 13-31-1 is an 0.300 win percentage. 0.300 is a good batting average but it’s a horrible coaching record.

This experiment needs to end; this was a bad hire.

[Sled21]

(12-18-2021, 11:54 AM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: Zac Taylor?  A good job?  Not even a little.  13-31-1 is an 0.300 win percentage.  0.300 is a good batting average but it’s a horrible coaching record.

This experiment needs to end; this was a bad hire.

So in your mind coaches can't improve? He's 7-6 and one game out of the division lead this year.

[Fan_in_Kettering]

(12-18-2021, 11:56 AM)Sled21 Wrote: So in your mind coaches can't improve? He's 7-6 and one game out of the division lead this year.

Zac Taylor improved every year, yes, but he’s underachieving big time. The Bengals should be 10-3 right now with wins over Chicago, Green Bay, and San Francisco; conservative play calling was at fault in all three losses. Besides, there’s no consistency. The Bengals looked like heroes against the Steelers and Ravens but like zeros against the Browns and Chargers.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(12-18-2021, 11:56 AM)Sled21 Wrote: So in your mind coaches can't improve? He's 7-6 and one game out of the division lead this year.

Coaches can improve. Zac has improved a little. He started so damn low, though, that a little isn't enough.

The biggest change between this year and previous years for Taylor is the talent level of the roster, not the talent level of the coaching. They added two top-5 picks the last two years and spent tons of money in FA to bring in quality players.

They're 7-6 right now, but they were 5-2. They're on a 2-4 skid and have 4 games left, all against teams with winning records. Very possible they finish the season on a 3-7 streak.

I never really feel that Zac Taylor is getting the most out of his players. Nor do I feel like he's ever going to win a game via outcoaching. For every 4th and 1 delayed QB run out of the shotgun he doesn't call anymore, he now has a 3-straight-runs-and-punt out of the half, or running on 1st and 2nd down to settle for a FG in OT. He's just never going to be the type of coach that helps you win more than he helps you lose.

[Fan_in_Kettering]

(12-18-2021, 11:37 AM)Bengalitis Wrote: I think Burrow is more influential to the team than Zac.

I wish that was true. Joe Burrow is indeed influential but he’s not calling his own plays — which I believe he should. Joe can audible into another play but it’s always a play Zac designed.

Here’s my thing: I’m much more knowledgeable about defense but with all the playmakers the Bengals have on offense they should be scoring at will against everyone.