And here's Ben Baby saying it flat out - the play calling sucks:

https://www.espn.com/blog/cincinnati-bengals/post/_/id/33343/bengals-loss-to-bears-raises-questions-about-zac-taylor-as-a-playcaller

It would have been awesome to see zac call a bunch of deep balls off rip then watch Khalil Mack and co pin their ears back going after our QB coming off of major surgery in the off-season and getting banged up week one. Then everyone could have been giving zac hell for not calling run plays while Brandon Allen prepares to be the starter for week 3

(09-21-2021, 06:26 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: It would have been awesome to see zac call a bunch of deep balls off rip then watch Khalil Mack and co pin their ears back going after our QB coming off of major surgery in the off-season and getting banged up week one. Then everyone could have been giving zac hell for not calling run plays while Brandon Allen prepares to be the starter for week 3

You can attack the seams fast, it's just riskier because you have less time to watch the defensive coverage develop. 

(09-21-2021, 06:26 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: It would have been awesome to see zac call a bunch of deep balls off rip then watch Khalil Mack and co pin their ears back going after our QB coming off of major surgery in the off-season and getting banged up week one. Then everyone could have been giving zac hell for not calling run plays while Brandon Allen prepares to be the starter for week 3

(09-21-2021, 07:03 PM)treee Wrote: You can attack the seams fast, it's just riskier because you have less time to watch the defensive coverage develop. 

I think the point Nati was trying to make is that no matter what happens, people will be bitching about it.

Taylor had a chance to stop calling short routes but he just kept calling short routes in obvious passing downs. He does playcalling 101. There is nothing advanced to get the opposing team off balance. The Bears D were in command nearly the entire game. The times we did take deep shots they were there every time. Burrow threw one out of bounds to a wide open Chase. Later connected with Chase. Tee had the drop. There was no reason to not try it more through the game to keep the D honest.

Quote:In Taylor’s first two years in Cincinnati, the offense struggled to be effective. During that span, the Bengals ranked 29th in yards per play and 30th in points per drive, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

(09-21-2021, 07:10 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: I think the point Nati was trying to make is that no matter what happens, people will be bitching about it.

Win and it wouldn't be a problem.

Quote:In the first half, Burrow did not have a single pass attempt over 10 air yards, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

Yea, it was bad.


I think even with a better OL, Taylor's playcalling would still hold this offense back.

We just need to park empty sets until 2022. That should have been the plan all along. Or at least until December when Burrow was settled back in. Under center, two te sets.

They have the formula. It's not too late to get back to it. It's troubling they got away from it so quick after an "ideal" outing from the offense week 1. Hopefully they learned and Burrow is healthy enough to go back under center for the run game, give the fakes some "bite" right Callahan....

This playcalling angle is set to give ZT another year in MB's world if it grows. MB might just hear that as giving ZT another year, just stripping him of playcalling duties and firing Callahan (maybe ZT would object by quiting!). In MB's world, fire the coordinators is the next step (not the coach). I can't see ZT making a change mid season.

(09-21-2021, 07:32 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Win and it wouldn't be a problem.

Yea, it was bad.


I think even with a better OL, Taylor's playcalling would still hold this offense back.

Sadly Ocho, there would still be a few posters that would complain we didn't win the right way or by enough or... 

I honestly think the team could win the Super Bowl and there would be a few people complaining or saying it was lucky.

(09-21-2021, 07:23 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote:

Yup... if only they had a way to know what his offense would have looked like prior to letting him call plays.

Hell, could have made a non-long distance call (Mike would approve) to the University of Cincinnati and would have gotten some insight about him as a play caller and O.C.

The guy has brought in some good players and created a good culture but certainly needs someone else to be calling the plays.

(09-21-2021, 06:26 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: It would have been awesome to see zac call a bunch of deep balls off rip then watch Khalil Mack and co pin their ears back going after our QB coming off of major surgery in the off-season and getting banged up week one. Then everyone could have been giving zac hell for not calling run plays while Brandon Allen prepares to be the starter for week 3

The two deep shots we took seemed to be fine for Burrow. Also that article said in the 1st half we didn't attempt a pass longer than 10 yds. I mean 10yds that's ridiculous forget about a deep shot can we throw 15-20 yds.

This team since Taylor has gotten here has taken way too long to adjust for they're weaknesses. The Bears were so bad week 1 against the deep ball that they let a WR fall down and get back up and score they let Kupp get 10yds behind everyone for an easy score along with more miscues. To go into that game with the previous weeks miscues and not attempt a pass over 10 yds in the 1st half is ridiculous.
Now part of me wants to say don't panic the best offenses have bad games but Taylor has shown absolutely nothing to make you think he's capable of running a good offense consistently. The talent we have on this team should be there with the Steelers right now. If we go into this game and get embarrassed by them atleast as far as our offense not being able to do much and we don't clean up some of our protection communication issues then we need to take drastic action. I'm not suggesting firing Taylor but taking away his playcalling duties has to happen.

I mean we've heard the excuse that the coaches needed they're players to run they're system. Lou has atleast shown that he's capable of putting a good defense with the right players. What has Taylor shown? I know Burrow is coming off injury and all that but we didn't need to do much at all to change the outcome of that game. This Bears game was very winnable we have 2 maybe 3 more of those on the schedule. If we didn't win that one I'm not sure what it means for the rest of the year.

(09-21-2021, 07:46 PM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: The two deep shots we took seemed to be fine for Burrow. Also that article said in the 1st half we didn't attempt a pass longer than 10 yds. I mean 10yds that's ridiculous forget about a deep shot can we throw 15-20 yds.

Yeah and they knew we needed to go deep by that time because we only had 3 points mdway through the 4th

(09-21-2021, 08:10 PM)NUGDUKWE Wrote: This team since Taylor has gotten here has taken way too long to adjust for they're weaknesses. The Bears were so bad week 1 against the deep ball that they let a WR fall down and get back up and score they let Kupp get 10yds behind everyone for an easy score along with more miscues. To go into that game with the previous weeks miscues and not attempt a pass over 10 yds in the 1st half is ridiculous.
Now part of me wants to say don't panic the best offenses have bad games but Taylor has shown absolutely nothing to make you think he's capable of running a good offense consistently. The talent we have on this team should be there with the Steelers right now. If we go into this game and get embarrassed by them atleast as far as our offense not being able to do much and we don't clean up some of our protection communication issues then we need to take drastic action. I'm not suggesting firing Taylor but taking away his playcalling duties has to happen.

I mean we've heard the excuse that the coaches needed they're players to run they're system. Lou has atleast shown that he's capable of putting a good defense with the right players. What has Taylor shown? I know Burrow is coming off injury and all that but we didn't need to do much at all to change the outcome of that game. This Bears game was very winnable we have 2 maybe 3 more of those on the schedule. If we didn't win that one I'm not sure what it means for the rest of the year.

Our QB had 3 picks in a row and we were this () close to leaving Chicago with a W.

(09-21-2021, 09:24 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: Our QB had 3 picks in a row and we were this () close to leaving Chicago with a W.

Yes that is true but we did nothing up to that point and that led to our QB throwing 3 picks. Also points to why we shouldn't have lost that game because how bad are the Bears that they get 3 picks in a row and still narrowly win. I'm being a little negative now.

(09-21-2021, 07:10 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: I think the point Nati was trying to make is that no matter what happens, people will be bitching about it.

This 100%. I get some of the frustration with play-calling, but it’s being completely overblown.

I have taken the approach of giving Zac this entire year to evaluate him as a coach. It’ll work itself out either way.

Just relax and enjoy the season.

The play calling issue is if anything understated not overblown. The play designs and selections felt like the Bears Defensive Coordinator was calling them.

(09-21-2021, 09:39 PM)Joelist Wrote: The play calling issue is if anything understated not overblown. The play designs and selections felt like the Bears Defensive Coordinator was calling them.

Yet right after the Vikings game there was a thread created that is now a sticky thread about "A little coaching props..."

One game and everyone is saying he was too aggressive (myself included) by going for it on 4th from the 30 but overall the gameplan was sound and the team won, too now is clueless and has lost the locker room. His track record from U.C., Miami, and previous seasons with the Bengals is not good but again week one people were saying perhaps he turned a corner. Now after playing a defense that only needed to rush 4 to get to Burrow, everyone is off the wagon. Chicago's defense is good, and really a bad match-up for the Bengals. The Bengals offense isn't the Los Angeles Rams, that team is well coached top to bottom and has a damn good line and a gun slinger veteran at QB with lots of weapons. 

(09-21-2021, 09:56 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Yet right after the Vikings game there was a thread created that is now a sticky thread about "A little coaching props..."

One game and everyone is saying he was too aggressive (myself included) by going for it on 4th from the 30 but overall the gameplan was sound and the team won, too now is clueless and has lost the locker room. His track record from U.C., Miami, and previous seasons with the Bengals is not good but again week one people were saying perhaps he turned a corner. Now after playing a defense that only needed to rush 4 to get to Burrow, everyone is off the wagon. Chicago's defense is good, and really a bad match-up for the Bengals. The Bengals offense isn't the Los Angeles Rams, that team is well coached top to bottom and has a damn good line and a gun slinger veteran at QB with lots of weapons. 

I have been calling out the dumb play calling ever since Zac arrived. And this week was if anything worse than the usual and went back on the progress we thought we saw. He went back to the stupid empty backfield, no max protect versus a strong front, no deep throws (and Burrow had time to make them), no movement, draws, screens or anything to burn a defense being too aggressive coming upfield. They were facing a secondary which was epically bad against long passes the previous week and waited until the fourth quarter was half gone to actually challenge it. 

They had an effective game plan week one, with the tighter formations, Burrow under center and running to the edges. Virtually no empty sets. They should have stayed with it. 

(09-21-2021, 09:39 PM)Joelist Wrote: The play calling issue is if anything understated not overblown. The play designs and selections felt like the Bears Defensive Coordinator was calling them.

Nah, I think it’s overblown and criticisms for specific play-calling is missing the mark.

My criticism is pace and not utilizing Burrow’s knowledge more. I’d run tons more no huddle and let Joe do his thing.