(05-31-2019, 10:27 AM)PV Bengal Wrote: My 8 & 8 vote comes down to what Marv did in his first year.

Remember that we had a DISMAL record the year before Marv. We weren't doing too badly during Marv's first year ... then we beat the 9-0 (I think) Chiefs in the 10th game.

That ONE GAME gave the fans HOPE, regardless of what happened in the remaining 6 games. We ended up that season at 8 & 8 but the fans had HOPE for the next season.

So for me ... and as a lot of posters before me have said ... as long as the team shows energy and improvement and the ability to "look good while losing", then the season will be a WIN for me, regardless of the record.

True, there is such a thing as how they go 8-8. Do you end the year on a high note or lose the last 3-4 games.

(05-30-2019, 04:46 PM)depthchart Wrote:    What is the worst 2019 record you would accept from Zac and still feel ok about the future ?
 

     (Assumes that the team is reasonably healthy)


      How low will you go ?    


      Take the POLL

I mean a lot goes on in a season to really judge but i think Taylor needs to win atleast 7 games with this team for me to be really confident in the future. Injuries would have to be factored in but Marv won 6 games with his team being decimated by injury. I think we win atleast 8 games though with this new entourage.

If we play the squeelers and are the stompers rather than the stompees I'll feel a lot better.. 

(05-31-2019, 08:58 AM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I am shocked at the acceptance of losing in this poll thus far. This is a veteran team decimated by injuries in 2018. Many say ML is a horrid coach. A healthy AJ and AD for 16 games we should be 8-8 minimum. If ZT coaches a healthy version of 2018 team and ML was trash, then why would anyone accept a losing first season?

For those who accept losing, does this mean you are willing to buy tickets? Does this mean you will not go nuts in game day threads when we lose? For those saying it is all in how they look, so if we win ugly will that upset you as it did some under ML?

It boggles me the low level of expectations being expected of ZT in year number 1, but I am happy some of you will be  thrilled if we look better (what does that mean) while losing?????

For me, give me the ugly wins ZT, no consolation prizes for losers.

Agreed. I honestly can't believe 16 people (so far) would be accepting of a losing record. With the talent on this team, there's no excuse to go 5-11 or 6-10.

If Zac is the real deal, we'll see results immediately. There's been plenty of first time coaches who won right away. If you got it, you got it. If you don't, you don't. We won't have to wait 5 years to figure out if Zac Taylor is a good Head Coach.

(05-31-2019, 04:21 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Agreed. I honestly can't believe 16 people (so far) would be accepting of a losing record. With the talent on this team, there's no excuse to go 5-11 or 6-10.

If Zac is the real deal, we'll see results immediately. There's been plenty of first time coaches who won right away. If you got it, you got it. If you don't, you don't. We won't have to wait 5 years to figure out if Zac Taylor is a good Head Coach.

This could signal that Mike Brown has successfully gotten the heat from fans off of the Bengals for a while by hiring Zac.

Many fans appear ready to give Zac a long rope or even a year one Mulligan due to his inexperience & his having a new rather inexperienced Staff.

If 2019 should implode, then Mike could limit any fan heat from that by going the rookie quarterback route in 2020. This would extend any rope given to Zac by fans & set up yet another Mulligan year for Zac & the Organization.

(05-31-2019, 04:21 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Agreed. I honestly can't believe 16 people (so far) would be accepting of a losing record. With the talent on this team, there's no excuse to go 5-11 or 6-10.

If Zac is the real deal, we'll see results immediately. There's been plenty of first time coaches who won right away. If you got it, you got it. If you don't, you don't. We won't have to wait 5 years to figure out if Zac Taylor is a good Head Coach.

That wasn't the question in the poll though, it is what is the worst record you would accept from Zac and feel "okay" about the future.

For me that is one more win then Marv had last year in his first season ever being an NFL HC.

I expect much more than this though, atleast 8 wins and the more i learn of how Taylor is doing things i am guessing more around 11 while beating the Steelers atleast once under a HC that is not a Steeler fan. Expect us to play with a lot more fire and the Offense to be much better then last year when they were not bad considering how bad the O-line was.

The Defense i think will be much better then last year too but Lou's resume doesn't give me crazy optimism. The LB coach does though and the LB's were the biggest weakness on the team last season. Expecting the LB's to be much better under Tem. The D-line and Secondary are both more then decent. Just need to tackle better and play more aggressive.

(05-31-2019, 05:30 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: That wasn't the question in the poll though, it is what is the worst record you would accept from Zac and feel "okay" about the future.

For me that is one more win then Marv had last year in his first season ever being an NFL HC.

I expect much more than this though, atleast 8 wins and the more i learn of how Taylor is doing things i am guessing more around 11 while beating the Steelers atleast once under a HC that is not a Steeler fan. Expect us to play with a lot more fire and the Offense to be much better then last year when they were not bad considering how bad the O-line was.

I agree.

Although I understand the optics of low expectations; however, the intent of the question was the worst record at which one could rationalize that the Team is headed towards future success.

And qualifying factors with the record, such competitiveness, player/squad improvements, etc. are important because they would have implications on the future.

I think every fan is hoping for playoffs and a win.

i am expecting 7-9 but hoping 10-6. I am not going to set my expectations until I see them play.

Record is irrelevant im only satisfied with a playoff victory .

My vote was for 9-7. The Bengals have too much talent to finish any lower than this.

(05-30-2019, 04:55 PM)fredtoast Wrote: We won 6 games last year with a ton of major injuries.

We lost zero significant players.

I don't see how anyone could be satisfied with less than 9 wins.


BTW I meant to vote 9-7, but accidently hit 8-8.

This. Except I didn't accidentally vote 8-8. Not sure how anyone could be excited about a non winning record. 

(05-30-2019, 04:55 PM)fredtoast Wrote: We won 6 games last year with a ton of major injuries.

We lost zero significant players.

I don't see how anyone could be satisfied with less than 9 wins.


BTW I meant to vote 9-7, but accidently hit 8-8.

This...

There's too much talent on this team to accept anything less than a winning season

I voted 9-7 a couple of days ago. But you know if they sweep the Steelers, I could be okay with 2 and 14.

The amount of wins you need to feel good about ZT's performance will be a lot different if AJ's knee explodes during training camp or if Andy's arm falls off during the preseason. Might be good to bump this again in a couple of months.

(06-01-2019, 10:41 AM)Bengalfan4life27c Wrote: Record is irrelevant im only satisfied with a playoff victory .

Why do fans like you accept mediocrity?  I am only satisfied with a Super Bowl win.

Everything else is irrelevant.  To me there is no diffrence between the '08 Lions and the '07 Patriots because neither one won the Super Bowl.

(06-01-2019, 10:54 AM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: My vote was for 9-7. The Bengals have too much talent to finish any lower than this.

A healthy Bengals squad got completely embarrassed by the Chiefs. Let’s not kid ourselves, thinking injuries held us back.

(06-02-2019, 01:21 PM)Socal Bengals fan Wrote: A healthy Bengals squad got completely embarrassed by the Chiefs. Let’s not kid ourselves, thinking injuries held us back.

Coaching held the talented Bengals back.

In my head (a deeply dangerous place) I assumed the exact injuries as last year as much as possible. With that caveat, I voted 7-9. That would indicate that Zac and the staff are at least an improvement over the previous regime to me. Of course more would always be better and if the wins include a division sweep I'd be ecstatic! #WhoDeyNewDay

This question is tough. IF we were a really young team, that won 3 games last year...6 wins this year...then 8 the next...then 10 the year after would be the path.

But, progress in the NFL doesn't seem to be linear for most teams. ie We could win 12 games next year and 5 the year after.

We do have several Pro Bowl caliber guys in Green, Dunlap, and Atkins that are around 31 years old. For those guys, there is some urgency to win soon as their play at an elite level won't last many more years.

(06-02-2019, 01:21 PM)Socal Bengals fan Wrote: A healthy Bengals squad got completely embarrassed by the Chiefs.   Let’s not kid ourselves, thinking injuries held us back.

Our defense really missed Dennard and Vigil that game.  Plus I believe Brown was still slowed by injury.  He had just returned 2 weeks earlier.

Offense was missing Eifert, Price, and Bernard.

Would we have beaten the Cjiefs with all those players?  I doubt it.  But It is silly to look at the number of injuries we had over the cuyrse of the season and try to claim they had no effect.