Quote:Zac Taylor was adamant when he said the Cincinnati Bengals would not make drastic changes during their Week 12 bye week. And while he was true to his word, the Bengals head coach did make one notable change, one he hopes can help turn his 4-7 team's season around.

When Bengals players returned from their bye week, they were welcomed back into the locker room by ping pong tables, a staple of Cincinnati's locker room for years until this past summer, when they were not part of the team's new locker room.

"Yeah, just creating energy in the locker room," Taylor said when asked about the decision to bring ping pong tables back to the locker room. "You know, it's December football now, and we need everyone to be at their best. Need everyone to have energy when they walk into the locker room. That creates some competitiveness."

Taylor is also hoping that the ping pong tables strengthen team camaraderie. It appears that the ping pong tables are already making an impact, as about a dozen players continued to use the ping pong tables on Monday after the team had been excused for the day.

"I just want guys to interact, and that's one way to do it," Taylor said. "It's one way to create some energy and get guys up and active."

While the ping pong tables may build camaraderie, they unfortunately can't fix a Bengals defense that struggled through the season's first 11 games. While its offense (led by quarterback Joe Burrow and wideout Ja'Marr Chase) has been among the NFL's best this season, Cincinnati's defense is currently 28th in the NFL in points allowed and 31st in red zone efficiency.

Despite their record and their defense's shortcomings, the Bengals did open as 2.5-point favorites for Sunday's home game against the 8-3 Steelers, who are looking to make amends for last Thursday night's upset loss in Cleveland.

(Yesterday, 10:44 AM)Wyche Wrote: Why they remove them in the first place?

(Yesterday, 09:03 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: ..by bringing Ping Pong tables back to the locker room.

I guess nothing fixes a porous defense like a little hand-eye coordination and reflex therapy!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/bengals-make-significant-change-to-locker-room-during-bye-week-with-hopes-of-turning-season-around/ar-AA1uKtEf?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=0ef3146e78d34109b22b6bd3b1489934&ei=36

(Yesterday, 10:55 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: It's funny...after melting down to the Ravens blowing...what a 2 TD lead after a fumble led to a collapse...and the Chargers dismal performance in the 1st half...I thought maybe a coordinator would be fired.

Instead...they bring back ping ping tables...

You think if the Steelers defense played terrible for 2 games that their fix would be adding ping pong tables?

(Yesterday, 10:52 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: As I understand, they were removed during the renovations.

(Yesterday, 10:55 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: It's funny...after melting down to the Ravens blowing...what a 2 TD lead after a fumble led to a collapse...and the Chargers dismal performance in the 1st half...I thought maybe a coordinator would be fired.

Instead...they bring back ping ping tables...

You think if the Steelers defense played terrible for 2 games that their fix would be adding ping pong tables?

(Yesterday, 10:55 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: It's funny...after melting down to the Ravens blowing...what a 2 TD lead after a fumble led to a collapse...and the Chargers dismal performance in the 1st half...I thought maybe a coordinator would be fired.

Instead...they bring back ping ping tables...

You think if the Steelers defense played terrible for 2 games that their fix would be adding ping pong tables?

(Yesterday, 10:55 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: It's funny...after melting down to the Ravens blowing...what a 2 TD lead after a fumble led to a collapse...and the Chargers dismal performance in the 1st half...I thought maybe a coordinator would be fired.

Instead...they bring back ping ping tables...

You think if the Steelers defense played terrible for 2 games that their fix would be adding ping pong tables?

(Yesterday, 12:12 PM)Nately120 Wrote: I'm pretty sure the Steelers were on a losing streak years ago and Mike Tomlin said no more ping pong. Not kidding for once, here. 

(Yesterday, 10:54 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Where's the media cart? Is it still employed by the org?

(Yesterday, 11:33 AM)Mickeypoo Wrote: But the Steelers have competent coaching and a real FO.

(Yesterday, 12:48 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Who haven't won a Playoff game since the 2016 Divisional Round

(Yesterday, 12:17 PM)George Cantstandya Wrote: You are correct he did.  When they got off to an 0-4 start in 2013 he banned ping pong as well as other games in the locker room:

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/10/mike-tomlin-bans-games-steelers-nfl-week6

(Yesterday, 01:24 PM)BengalsBong Wrote: The difference is they made their change 4-6 weeks into the season when the change could affect the outcome of the season. 

We make the change with 6 games left in the season a record of 4-7 and holding onto playoff hopes with our fingernails and will be the rest of the season if we are lucky enough to go on a winning streak.

(Yesterday, 10:44 AM)Wyche Wrote: Why they remove them in the first place?

(Yesterday, 12:51 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Sadly, I fear our golden age of bad Steelers football is likely to end