Zac Taylor Changed the Culture of Cincinnati Football

[Daddy-O]

(12-18-2021, 12:49 AM)C0de_M0nkey Wrote: 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.

Either he is going to be the head coach or the play caller.  It's obvious he can't do both well.

I have no problem with him as the HC but if he is unwilling to let go of his ego and delegate the play calling responsibilities he can be shown the door.  

I am totally against meddling owners, but this might be the case where upper management needs to tell him "we hired you as the head coach and that's what we expect you to be.  Oversee the entire football team during the game and use your assistants.  If you don't want to do that we'll find someone who will".

[Fan_in_Kettering]

(12-18-2021, 12:21 PM)Daddy-O Wrote: I am totally against meddling owners, but this might be the case where upper management needs to tell him "we hired you as the head coach and that's what we expect you to be.  Oversee the entire football team during the game and use your assistants.  If you don't want to do that we'll find someone who will".

I find it ironic the ultimate micromanager — Mike Brown — hired another one in Zac Taylor.

[Tiger Teeth]

(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.

Very much this X10!  Wish I could rep you triple, excellent point bro!  

[Tiger Teeth]

(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.

The people comparing Marvin and Taylor are really reaching.  Marvin Lewis was a fairly well respected coach when he got the job.  Zac Taylor is an experiment.

[CardCounterChris]

(12-18-2021, 11:46 AM)Sled21 Wrote: 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.

My point is that neither ways manage a 4 quarter football game.  Saying "well at least they finish" feels like another one of those moral victories we've preached in years past.  If they played with the same intensity at the beginning that they do at the end, I'd be 100% on board.  We call them tough and gritty for finishing.  But what about starting a game?  Why can't they come in prepared and focused?  Why is there no energy until we've blown half a game?  To me, stringing together 4 solid quarters is a change of culture.  Blowing the first half as opposed to the second half doesn't matter too much.

[Nicomo Cosca]

(12-18-2021, 12:38 PM)Tiger Teeth Wrote: The people comparing Marvin and Taylor are really reaching.  Marvin Lewis was a fairly well respected coach when he got the job.  Zac Taylor is an experiment.

Marvin was way more than just fairly well respected. He was the DC of one of the best defense’s of all time. He got a HC job based off what he himself accomplished (although yes having HoF players certainly helped). Taylor only became a hot name because of Sean McVay.

[TecmoBengals]

(12-18-2021, 01:06 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Marvin was way more than just fairly well respected. He was the DC of one of the best defense’s of all time. He got a HC job based off what he himself accomplished (although yes having HoF players certainly helped). Taylor only became a hot name because of Sean McVay.

Was Taylor even a hot name outside of the Bengals interest in him?

[Nicomo Cosca]

(12-18-2021, 02:07 PM)TecmoBengals Wrote: Was Taylor even a hot name outside of the Bengals interest in him?

Yes. I know he had at least a couple other interviews (Broncos & Cardinals). And both him and his brother were starting to get some buzz even before that.

[fredtoast]

(12-18-2021, 03:07 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote:  A better HC and '13-'15 was the Bengals SB window. Tons of talent on those teams.

You mean a front office willing to sign some help in free agency.

What Marvin accomplished was very impressive when you consider the massive handicap he had compared to the rest of the league.

[Tiger Teeth]

(12-18-2021, 01:06 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Marvin was way more than just fairly well respected. He was the DC of one of the best defense’s of all time. He got a HC job based off what he himself accomplished (although yes having HoF players certainly helped). Taylor only became a hot name because of Sean McVay.

Well, I didn't want to be too harsh.  But you are absolutely right man.

[fredtoast]

(12-18-2021, 11:46 AM)Sled21 Wrote: 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 is 100% BS.

The "old Bengals" not only won more games, but they had a lot more come-from-behind wins than the current Bengals.  That is an undeniable fact.  If they won those games by "folding and turning on each other" then I prefer that tpye of "culture" over what we have now.

Zac has not changed a thing.  Despite being one of the healthiest teams in the league Zac's Bengals are choking away home games to average teams.  14 teams make the playoffs and the Bengals are still on the outside looking in right now.  

Zac has had 3 drafts and a hundred million more in free agents in 3 years than Marvin got in 16.  If he can't make the playoff this year he has to go.

 

[Tiger Teeth]

(12-18-2021, 03:22 PM)fredtoast Wrote: You mean a front office willing to sign some help in free agency.

What Marvin accomplished was very impressive when you consider the massive handicap he had compared to the rest of the league.

I would love to actually see Merv with this team.  I wasn't a huge fan, like most, but he was absolutely a better HC here than Mr. Play Calling Genius.  This team is as loaded with talent as any we've had in a LONG time, IMO.  Shula could've won the division with these guys.  Taylor is NOT the answer.  

We're going to end up wasting excellent young talent, again.  I feel sorry for Burrow, Mixon, Chase, Higgins...these guys are gonna leave, or rot here while we wait for Zac Taylor to develop.  

Sorry for the rant fred.  It just came out, I'm agreeing with you.

[Tiger Teeth]

(12-18-2021, 03:29 PM)fredtoast Wrote: This is 100% BS.

The "old Bengals" not only won more games, but they had a lot more come-from-behind wins that the current Bengals.

Zac has not changed a thing.  Despite being one of the healthiest teams in the league Zac's Bengals are  choking away home games to average teams.  14 teams make the playoffs and the Bengals are still on the outside looking in right now.  

Zac has had 3 drafts and a hundred million more in free agents in 3 years than Marvin got in 16.  If he can't make the playoff this year he has to go.

 

[TecmoBengals]

(12-18-2021, 02:16 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Yes. I know he had at least a couple other interviews (Broncos & Cardinals). And both him and his brother were starting to get some buzz even before that.

I somehow wasn't following things closely so when he got hired. I recall being surprised.

[*rfaulk34*]

(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.

Yep. This team should be 9-4, leading the north and no worse than the 2nd seed. 

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(12-18-2021, 03:22 PM)fredtoast Wrote: You mean a front office willing to sign some help in free agency.

What Marvin accomplished was very impressive when you consider the massive handicap he had compared to the rest of the league.

Yes, certainly that too.

I don't think it was all on lack of FA, though. Between prime time and playoffs, there was 100% some Marvin problems in there too. 7 times in the playoffs is too much to not even luck into 1 without some deeper issues preventing it.

[NUGDUKWE]

(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.

I don't think he changed the culture. Yeah the players play hard for him but they always did for Marvin Lewis. The team has given way more in free agency than they did for Lewis as well. The teams stars were aging and we replaced them all but that was gonna have to happen regardless.

[grampahol]

I'm not a huge Taylor fan and wasn't a huge Marvin fan, but Marv was what he was and Zac is who he is. I know! I'll call up Mikey and throw down the gauntlet.. You either hand me over your personal fortune OR make Zac do exactly what this board says or I'm not gonna accept your billions.. Put that in your pipe and smoke it Mikey! 

[NUGDUKWE]

(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.

The way this defense has been playing we are underachieving. 

[Tony]

Zac is as young as this team. We all forget , he is learning  on the fly too.