Perspective

[THE PISTONS]

LA Rams assistant QB coach Liam Coen named UK's new OC/QB coach.
Former Rams QB coach Zac Taylor was named head coach of the NFL #Bengals.

— Lance McAlister (@LanceMcAlister) December 15, 2020

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[THE PISTONS]

I feel like Zac is destined to be a qb coach or D2 HC.

[MileHighGrowler]

(12-15-2020, 11:18 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I feel like Zac is destined to be a qb coach or D2 HC.

I feel like Zac is destined to move to Iowa to sell life insurance.  And in about 10 years, everyone will forget who he was and he can coach Pop Warner.

[Tony]

I'm so sick of hearing about Zack. Makes you want it over even more...

[Bengalstripes9]

(12-15-2020, 11:19 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: I feel like Zac is destined to move to Iowa to sell life insurance.  And in about 10 years, everyone will forget who he was and he can coach Pop Warner.

He's a great salesman, I'll give him that much.

[THE PISTONS]

(12-16-2020, 12:57 AM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: He's a great salesman, I'll give him that much.

Is he? I think McVay was the salesman. The Bengals wanted McVay and saw Zac was young and worked for him and projected McVays qualities on Zac.

ie They saw what they wanted.

[TecmoBengals]

I can see the interview now. Zac: "Getting to a Super Bowl is about building a culture of winning in the locker room. I know what that takes." Sold! Brown family & Tobin ask no further questions as they bought into the empty rhetoric.

[*SHRacerX*]

(12-16-2020, 10:15 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: I can see the interview now. Zac: "Getting to a Super Bowl is about building a culture of winning in the locker room. I was know what that takes." Sold! Brown family & Tobin ask no further questions as they bought into the empty rhetoric.

True.  While I like that part of his MO, he doesn't seem to have the football IQ outside of designing some good routes that take too long to develop.

I think the game that frustrated me the most was the first Ravens game.  He NEVER had a screen called once when they were blitzing every down.  He let Burrow get killed and had no answer at all.  If you aren't a good HC, at least be good at ONE THING, and I thought that was supposed to be offense.  

[XenoMorph]

(12-16-2020, 12:57 AM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: He's a great conman, I'll give him that much.

fixed it

[masonbengals fan]

Hope it works out better for the Wildcats than it has for the Bengals.

[*ochocincos*]

(12-16-2020, 10:01 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Is he? I think McVay was the salesman. The Bengals wanted McVay and saw Zac was young and worked for him and projected McVays qualities on Zac.

ie They saw what they wanted.

Even fans got excited back in early 2019 when Taylor would talk about his vision.
So yes, Zac is a salesperson.
Unfortunately, Zac hasn't been good turning that vision into reality. He's really just the idea guy. He needs a Steve Wozniak.

[THE PISTONS]

(12-16-2020, 10:30 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: True.  While I like that part of his MO, he doesn't seem to have the football IQ outside of designing some good routes that take too long to develop.

I think the game that frustrated me the most was the first Ravens game.  He NEVER had a screen called once when they were blitzing every down.  He let Burrow get killed and had no answer at all.  If you aren't a good HC, at least be good at ONE THING, and I thought that was supposed to be offense.  

Yes...ie there are some fundamental moves you do to counter what the opponent does, and he didn't know what those were.

The Dolphins game and the Tee Higgins interview where the Dolphins went Cover 2 and it totally threw them off was telling too.

Then, you have the abysmal performance in the 3rd quarters. Like 46 some points all year, with like 17 coming against Jax. That screams, I don't know how to counter the opponent.

The weird thing is, someone with insight would give up playcalling. Let Callahan call plays. And maybe that saves his HC job. But, he keeps insisting on calling plays too.

[THE PISTONS]

(12-16-2020, 11:59 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Even fans got excited back in early 2019 when Taylor would talk about his vision.
So yes, Zac is a salesperson.
Unfortunately, Zac hasn't been good turning that vision into reality. He's really just the idea guy. He needs a Steve Wozniak.

I feel like inexperienced people don't know what they don't know. Everyone thinks they'll get that management job or HC job and turn around the perennial struggling company or team. The reality is, there's a lot of things wrong and coming in and doing the same things as the last coach does, but worse in this case won't do it.

Tom Coughlin questioned if he could win here. Yet, a guy like Zac likely talked up how he could turn it around.

As you all see, talent on the roster doesn't matter because of horrible coaching. Adding Burrow, Tee, and some of these other guys we added would make most teams much better.

I feel like Burrow's confidence or whatever you want to call it overestimates his ability to succeed here. He's going to need good coaches like any player does to succeed. Unless, you're a Lebron James that can tell guys where to go on the court and basically freelance your way to a championship. It's rate guys are at that level. Lebron is the only example I can think of. And Lebron was great since HS. Burrow had some years of struggle in college until he got in the right system and then blossomed. He needs that system here.

[XenoMorph]

(12-16-2020, 12:04 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I feel like inexperienced people don't know what they don't know. Everyone thinks they'll get that management job or HC job and turn around the perennial struggling company or team. The reality is, there's a lot of things wrong and coming in and doing the same things as the last coach does, but worse in this case won't do it.

Tom Coughlin questioned if he could win here. Yet, a guy like Zac likely talked up how he could turn it around.

As you all see, talent on the roster doesn't matter because of horrible coaching. Adding Burrow, Tee, and some of these other guys we added would make most teams much better.

I feel like Burrow's confidence or whatever you want to call it overestimates his ability to succeed here. He's going to need good coaches like any player does to succeed. Unless, you're a Lebron James that can tell guys where to go on the court and basically freelance your way to a championship. It's rate guys are at that level. Lebron is the only example I can think of. And Lebron was great since HS. Burrow had some years of struggle in college until he got in the right system and then blossomed. He needs that system here.

Id like to reunite Joe Brady and Burrow...  i dont think that is possible outside of a HC spot  (unless assistant HC is considered an upgrade over OC etc...)

[*bengalfan74*]

(12-16-2020, 12:00 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Yes...ie there are some fundamental moves you do to counter what the opponent does, and he didn't know what those were.

The Dolphins game and the Tee Higgins interview where the Dolphins went Cover 2 and it totally threw them off was telling too.

Then, you have the abysmal performance in the 3rd quarters. Like 46 some points all year, with like 17 coming against Jax. That screams, I don't know how to counter the opponent.

The weird thing is, someone with insight would give up playcalling. Let Callahan call plays. And maybe that saves his HC job. But, he keeps insisting on calling plays too.

If he would have gave it up late last year or early this year he could have chalked it up to "oh we're taking a new direction blah, blah"

He's to far in now, he'd be admitting he's a total failure.

[masonbengals fan]

(12-16-2020, 12:59 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: If he would have gave it up late last year or early this year he could have chalked it up to "oh we're taking a new direction blah, blah"

He's to far in now, he'd be admitting he's a total failure.

Not sure how much more obvious it could get to anybody including Zac

[*SHRacerX*]

(12-16-2020, 12:00 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Yes...ie there are some fundamental moves you do to counter what the opponent does, and he didn't know what those were.

The Dolphins game and the Tee Higgins interview where the Dolphins went Cover 2 and it totally threw them off was telling too.

Then, you have the abysmal performance in the 3rd quarters. Like 46 some points all year, with like 17 coming against Jax. That screams, I don't know how to counter the opponent.

The weird thing is, someone with insight would give up playcalling. Let Callahan call plays. And maybe that saves his HC job. But, he keeps insisting on calling plays too.

I think you nailed this.  His end of year interview will include this in his plan to change things to improve next year's performance.  He didn't want to do it mid-year, because with this roster as it stands (especially with Burrow out), they would still likely not show any difference in performance.  

[*ochocincos*]

(12-16-2020, 12:04 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I feel like inexperienced people don't know what they don't know. Everyone thinks they'll get that management job or HC job and turn around the perennial struggling company or team. The reality is, there's a lot of things wrong and coming in and doing the same things as the last coach does, but worse in this case won't do it.

Tom Coughlin questioned if he could win here. Yet, a guy like Zac likely talked up how he could turn it around.

As you all see, talent on the roster doesn't matter because of horrible coaching. Adding Burrow, Tee, and some of these other guys we added would make most teams much better.

I feel like Burrow's confidence or whatever you want to call it overestimates his ability to succeed here. He's going to need good coaches like any player does to succeed. Unless, you're a Lebron James that can tell guys where to go on the court and basically freelance your way to a championship. It's rate guys are at that level. Lebron is the only example I can think of. And Lebron was great since HS. Burrow had some years of struggle in college until he got in the right system and then blossomed. He needs that system here.

The Bengals were kind of in a tough spot with hiring that year.
They either had to take a chance on someone who hadn't been a HC before or gone after someone who was just "meh" as a HC in the past. Rarely do teams have the opportunity to get a guy as a HC who had won or at least been to a SB before.

When looking back at who the Bengals interviewed, they really didn't have much better candidates to pick from.
The Bengals interviewed 8 candidates:
- Taylor
- Todd Monken (OC - Bucs at time)
- Shane Waldron (pass coordinator - Rams)
- Vance Joseph
- Darrin Simmons
- Eric Bieniemy
- Bill Lazor
- Hue Jackson

Monken became the Browns' OC in 2019 then left to become OC/QB Coach at Georgia.
Bieniemy didn't get hired anywhere else in 2019 and also didn't get hired by anyone in 2020. It didn't help either that Bieniemy has a long rap sheet too for various run-ins with the law.
Waldron is still the passing coordinator for the Rams.
All the other guys were former Bengals coaches who no one really wanted as the next HC.
The only guys with actual HC experience were Joseph and Jackson, both of whom had bad records as HC prior.

[TecmoBengals]

(12-16-2020, 10:30 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: True.  While I like that part of his MO, he doesn't seem to have the football IQ outside of designing some good routes that take too long to develop.

I think the game that frustrated me the most was the first Ravens game.  He NEVER had a screen called once when they were blitzing every down.  He let Burrow get killed and had no answer at all.  If you aren't a good HC, at least be good at ONE THING, and I thought that was supposed to be offense.  

I think Zac has reached a point, where as fans, it's not even worth analyzing such things anymore. "Why won't he call a screen?!?" type stuff is better saved for when there is an actual chance of winning. Zac has returned the Bengals to the 1990s where, as a fan, you're just waiting for the next Bungle moment. 

His post game conferences are worse than typical coach-speak. He spews empty rhetoric and I wonder if he actually believes the positive spin he tries to thrust into his answers. Also, he's not one to usually have himself or his coaches take accountability for loss after loss. Yes, he recently said, "It's on me," but he usually is more apt to point out player mistakes. Zac is not what some think him to be, a leader. He's not a good leader and he's not a good coach. I'm older than Zac & he just strikes me as a young dude not prepared for his profession. He should still be a QB coach somewhere else.

Anyhow /endrant & you're right, he's not good at any one thing.

[THE PISTONS]

(12-16-2020, 02:06 PM)ochocincos Wrote: The Bengals were kind of in a tough spot with hiring that year.
They either had to take a chance on someone who hadn't been a HC before or gone after someone who was just "meh" as a HC in the past. Rarely do teams have the opportunity to get a guy as a HC who had won or at least been to a SB before.

When looking back at who the Bengals interviewed, they really didn't have much better candidates to pick from.
The Bengals interviewed 8 candidates:
- Taylor
- Todd Monken (OC - Bucs at time)
- Shane Waldron (pass coordinator - Rams)
- Vance Joseph
- Darrin Simmons
- Eric Bieniemy
- Bill Lazor
- Hue Jackson

Monken became the Browns' OC in 2019 then left to become OC/QB Coach at Georgia.
Bieniemy didn't get hired anywhere else in 2019 and also didn't get hired by anyone in 2020. It didn't help either that Bieniemy has a long rap sheet too for various run-ins with the law.
Waldron is still the passing coordinator for the Rams.
All the other guys were former Bengals coaches who no one really wanted as the next HC.
The only guys with actual HC experience were Joseph and Jackson, both of whom had bad records as HC prior.

It was a bad list of candidates, but other teams hired good ones. Some teams hire search firms to handle their HC searches. I think that would be a good option here.

It was a weird year for coaching hires. Most of the teams had their guy and you didn't see 2-3 teams compete for a guy.

McDaniels left the Colts at the alter and they ended up with Reich. We just missed on Zac and missed on our list in general. We interviewed way too many guys with ties to the team. Bill Lazor? Really?