01-07-2022, 11:05 PM
(01-07-2022, 10:11 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I have said all along that if this team stayed healthy we had playoff talent. My concern all along was the coaching.
Well Taylor and his crew did their jobs and have us in the playoffs at 10-6 (to me the game against the Browns doesn't even count). I give him credit for no screwing it up, but it is possible I could be giving him a lot more credit than that in the next few weeks.
One of the biggest problems this team has had all year is consistency. Their performance is up and down from week to week and even half to half. The good news is that they are up right now. The question is if it is a "peak" like they have hit a couple of other times this year just to see them flop back to earth, or is it a "plateau" level that they can maintain for a few weeks.
This team has the talent to play with just about any team in the league. If they have the coaching to keep them at a high level every week we can make it all the way through the AFC. Then you will really be hearing me signing Taylors praises.
We don't have to "wait for next year". We have spent $145 million on veteran free agents so we don't have to wait for draft picks to develop. We have had unusually good luck with injuries this year. Despite what some people claim injuries have a lot to do with what teams win. At the most important position on the team we have an elite player in Joe Burrow. And since I don't believe in jinxes I will point out that when Ickey Woods was running us to a Super Bowl we were all talking about his possible Hall-of-Fame career. None of us ever imagined he would have less than 500 yards over the rest of his career.
We need to strike while the iron is hot. I'm praying Zac is the coach that can keep his team performing at their best on a consistent basis.
We need a plateau instead of a peak.
You said this team had playoff talent. I disagree. The Center? Right Tackle? Right Guard? Dallas let Awuzie go? He’s played much better ? Coaches or culture play into that? How about picking up B J Hill for Price and his year? How about Reader? How about Ojungobi? He was let go how about his year? How about wise enough to draft Evan McPherson fifth? Chicken or the egg? It appears a lot of free agents have had great years? How about Uzomah’s year? Where’d that come from? How about Mixon’s year? Pollard help that? Everybody NOW thinks our talent is great???? No way they thought that at the start of the season. What’s happened is a lot of players have had their best years. Lou Anarumo’s defense has played from outset of preseason much better than anticipated. Of course free agency played a role. I think it’s funny how all of a sudden we’ve got great talent when nobody thought that before the season. The culture changed and players started playing for each other. That’s what happens when a head coach has a plan and it permeates throughout the staff and team.
https://www.bengals.com/news/zac-taylor-penning-a-season-worthy-of-nfl-coach-of-the-year-discussion
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Romo “ so impressed with Zac ...1 of the best in the NFL… they are just fundamentally sound. Taylor the best winning % in the Playoffs of current coaches. Joe Burrow” Zac is the best head coach in the NFL & that gives me a lot of confidence." Taylor led the Bengals to their first playoff win since 1990, ending the longest active drought in the four major North American sports, en and appeared in Super Bowl LVI, the first since 1988.
