Has Zac lost the locker room

[Brownshoe]

Do you think Zac lost the whole locker room, or just the defense? It seems like there has been some offensive players calling out Dunlap, but does that mean they're against Zac? I don't think Taylor will go anywhere unless the locker room revolts against him (at least until the end of the season). I honestly think we'll see the answer at the bye.

[QueenCity]

Just the defense... for the most part the offense has given us winnable games.

This is what happens when the FO gets too attached to aging vets. Our defense was in way worse shape than just the linebackers.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Losing Dunlap doesn't mean losing the lockerroom.

[schroomytunes]

To me it's the ego's of the aging or overpaid vets on defense!!! They aren't wanting to admit that they are pretty much at the end of their careers!!

[Yojimbo]

I mean we had this thread with a poll two weeks ago and it was a resounding yes.

http://thebengalsboard.com/Thread-Will-Zac-Lose-The-Locker-Room

Hilarious that the only thing that had changed since then is two more loses and a veteran player going out of his mind try to get out of this shit show and now people are on Zac Turner’s side.

[Nicomo Cosca]

They might actually unite against Dunlap’s bs lol

[Murdock2420]

Gio and Burrow both openly are on Taylor's side and they are two captains, so that should speak pretty loudly around the locker room.

Mixon, Boyd and Pratt have been against the way Dunlap is handling his business.

I don't think he has lost the locker room at all. The noise seems to be coming from older players who aren't getting reps or aren't performing.

My guess is you'll hear even less then before from A.J. after two weeks in a row of solid stats.

[cincyfan429]

(10-26-2020, 12:30 AM)Brownshoe Wrote: Do you think Zac lost the whole locker room, or just the defense? It seems like there has been some offensive players calling out Dunlap, but does that mean they're against Zac? I don't think Taylor will go anywhere unless the locker room revolts against him (at least until the end of the season). I honestly think we'll see the answer at the bye.

Everyone thinks Dunlap is angry at Zac because the Bengals are loosing. He's calling out Zac and angry because he isn't playing. Dunlap is a veteran who believes he should be on the field more to help the team, and for some reason he isn't getting playing time this year. Sure he lost a step but I think he is still there best option.

[Murdock2420]

Fun Fact, if he has lost it, I do believe it can be found at 1 Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH 45202.

[Bengalholic]

(10-26-2020, 12:44 AM)cincyfan429 Wrote: Everyone thinks Dunlap is angry at Zac because the Bengals are loosing. He's calling out Zac and angry because he isn't playing. Dunlap is a veteran who believes he should be on the field more to help the team, and for some reason he isn't getting playing time this year. Sure he lost a step but I think he is still there best option.

Some people are acting like the only option Carlos had was to become a malcontent and sulk in his own self pity because he got demoted. Unfortunately, that's the path he chose to take, but he also could have just worked his ass off to try and get his spot back and prove the coaches wrong. Hell, even if he didn't want to go that route and just wanted out, he could have kept it off social media and just let his agent deal with it behind the scenes.

He literally chose the worst way to handle the situation, which is disappointing because I wouldn't have guessed that from him.

[*bengalfan74*]

(10-26-2020, 01:01 AM)Bengalholic Wrote: Some people are acting like the only option Carlos had was to become a malcontent and sulk in his own self pity because he got demoted. Unfortunately, that's the path he chose to take, but he also could have also just worked his ass off to try and get his spot back and prove the coaches wrong. Hell, even if he didn't want to go that route and just wanted out, he could have kept it off social media and just let his agent deal with it behind the scenes.

He literally chose the worst way to handle the situation, which is disappointing because I wouldn't have guessed that from him.

Exactly

And what makes it even worse is his play on the field isn’t screaming I need to play all dem snaps.

[Bengalholic]

(10-26-2020, 01:32 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Exactly

And what makes it even worse is his play on the field isn’t screaming I need to play all dem snaps.

Yeah, that's the thing that makes it even worse, IMO. When you're calling out the team and complaining you should be the starter, you better have the play to back that claim up. This season, Carlos simply doesn't. 

[*jason*]

If you've lost the defense, you've lost the team. It's kinda an important phase of the game. It's a bad look when shenanigans are going on on the sidelines with 11 seconds (or whatever) left... Can we finish the game over here gentlemen?

[Essex Johnson]

(10-26-2020, 12:33 AM)QueenCity Wrote: Just the defense... for the most part the offense has given us winnable games.

This is what happens when the FO gets too attached to aging vets. Our defense was in way worse shape than just the linebackers.

Disagree look at our defense you only have 2 players dunlap.and atkins  are veterans, and atkins has played so little and dline has played bad I'm wondering why atkins is not playing.

[Rubekahn29]

(10-26-2020, 12:39 AM)Yojimbo Wrote: I mean we had this thread with a poll two weeks ago and it was a resounding yes.

http://thebengalsboard.com/Thread-Will-Zac-Lose-The-Locker-Room

Hilarious that the only thing that had changed since then is two more loses and a veteran player going out of his mind try to get out of this shit show and now people are on Zac Turner’s side.

Well you've had at least 3 or 4 people come out since then either supporting Zac or rebuking Carlos' actions. I don't think people here are necessarily on ZT side, just seeing the team publicly support him gives me pause to say he's lost them. 

[TJHoushmandzadeh's Shiny Shoes]

(10-26-2020, 02:54 AM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Disagree look at our defense you only have 2 players dunlap.and atkins  are veterans, and atkins has played so little and dline has played bad I'm wondering why atkins is not playing.

Geno has distanced himself from Dunlap.

There's a possibility that Dunlap has gone so far that it's actually united everyone else.

It's probably worth noting that Dunlap wasn't voted a team captain - despite being the longest tenured on the D, despite his contract, despite his speaking up about civil rights, despite his employee 96 shtick. Newcomers Bynes and Bell were, along with Shawn Williams. Williams is probably the one to look for here, his role has diminished under this coaching staff and he's a free agent in the summer.

[Yojimbo]

(10-26-2020, 08:03 AM)Rubekahn29 Wrote: Well you've had at least 3 or 4 people come out since then either supporting Zac or rebuking Carlos' actions. I don't think people here are necessarily on ZT side, just seeing the team publicly support him gives me pause to say he's lost them. 

Coaches don’t have to lose the respect of every single player to lose a locker room. ZT could be here another ten years and average two wins a year and you’ll still have guys on his side.

[Fan_in_Kettering]

(10-26-2020, 02:54 AM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Disagree look at our defense you only have 2 players dunlap.and atkins  are veterans, and atkins has played so little and dline has played bad I'm wondering why atkins is not playing.

My theory is Zac and Lou are trying to eradicate all vestiges of the Marvin Lewis era one position at a time.  Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap were once key players of the Z-Fense under Mike Zimmer but this was many seasons ago.  Neither Geno nor Carlos are young men anymore.  Geno can't get to quarterbacks and Carlos bats down a pass in maybe every third game now and I sort of see Zac and Lou's point:  The orange isn't worth the squeeze.   It's time to move on but the other defensive linemen on the Bengals' roster are awful.

[Gdale_Bengal]

Players are calling out hat old fool Dunlop. Zac hasn’t lost anyone wanna f value yet.

I dont consider Atkins and Dunlop to be of any value this year. Because they aren’t producing

[CJD]

I think he would have lost the locker room had Carlos Dunlap not gone full nuclear.

There are legitimate gripes that the players should (and probably do) have, but once one player went so over the top with his complaints, especially in what is seemingly less a team centric "these coaches aren't doing what's best for the team guys" and more a "mAh PlAyInG tImE!" childish plea for attention, the players had something to rally around; In essence, Dunlap has become the focus rather than the actual problem with the team which is the coaching.

By providing a rallying point to the players, Dunlap has quelled any amount of meaningful outcry or frustration towards the coaches because any such expression now would just be lumped in with Dunlap and, honestly, no one wants to be viewed like him; a selfish crybaby who is putting his snaps ahead of the team.