Under Zac The Bengals Are 0-2 Four Of His Five Years

[GodFather]

Zac loves to say have patience, calm down it will be fine, but in his 5 years as head coach here he's been 0-2 for four of them. That is pathetic. Today's constant 3-yard dinks by Burrow were obvious with his calf injury and Zac being the play caller should've adjusted accordingly. We have so much talent on the offensive side of the ball, and you see so many other head coaches do so much more with less.

If this team loses next week, it will be a quick season for Cincy. Going way back to 1980, there have been 176 teams to start a season 0-3, with only six of them going on to make the playoffs — a whopping 3.4 percent!

So, Zac better figure something out, because the Burrow injury is tough but don't use it as your excuse. We almost lost to the Ravens last year in the playoffs with a backup QB who got them there. We have a more talented offense.... let's see some innovative play calling and styles for a change to take advantage of the players we have.

[THE PISTONS]

It's not just losing. We've arguably been outplayed on both sides of the ball thoroughly for most of these games.

The punt return made the offense seem more productive than it was.

The defense couldn't stop the run or the pass.

[QueenCity]

It's almost as if the Bengals caught lightening in a bottle and carried it for 2 seasons.... teams have caught up.

Zac Taylor hasn't adjusted and his scheme is easy to figure out. His play calling continues to be questioned year after year... again I'm fine with him as a HC but he needs to give up the playbook.

[THE PISTONS]

(09-17-2023, 11:27 PM)QueenCity Wrote: It's almost as if the Bengals caught lightening in a bottle and carried it for 2 seasons.... teams have caught up.

Zac Taylor hasn't adjusted and his scheme is easy to figure out.  His play calling continues to be questioned year after year... again I'm fine with him as a HC but he needs to give up the playbook.

Yes. The last 2 years weren't about our schemes blowing teams away.

Burrow made good passes and Higgins would catch 50/50 balls and Chase could catch a 12 yard pass and take it 60 yards.

On defense...guys made plays. Be it a timely stop or turnover. And we had experienced safeties that knew where to be.

So far...much of that stuff is missing. And it exposes our coaches and scheme.

[J24]

It also concieds with Burrow not having enough playing time in the preseason.

[THE PISTONS]

(09-17-2023, 11:40 PM)J24 Wrote: It also concieds with Burrow not having enough playing time in the preseason.

IF Burrow was healthy, Zac might not have played him in a game.

[GodFather]

(09-17-2023, 11:04 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: The defense couldn't stop the run or the pass.

Whats going on with this defensive line? Ravens had 2 major lineman, main RB out today and the defensive line couldn't stop a thing. Last week the excuse was Chubb and the weather. Lou's defense did not look the same with Bates and Bell gone today.

[TheFan]

(09-17-2023, 11:50 PM)GodFather Wrote: Whats going on with this defensive line? Ravens had 2 major lineman, main RB out today and the defensive line couldn't stop a thing. Last week the excuse was Chubb and the weather. Lou's defense did not look the same with Bates and Bell gone today.

The Bengals defense struggled to stop the Ravens last year in the playoffs without Jackson. They gave up 364 total yards to Huntley and gave up 415 today. If not for the fumble at the goalie the points really aren't different either. Bell and Bates don't change our completely overpaid Dline from getting dominated. 

[THE PISTONS]

(09-18-2023, 12:27 AM)TheFan Wrote: The Bengals defense struggled to stop the Ravens last year in the playoffs without Jackson. They gave up 364 total yards to Huntley and gave up 415 today. If not for the fumble at the goalie the points really aren't different either. Bell and Bates don't change our completely overpaid Dline from getting dominated. 

Yep. In our playoff runs, our defense bailed the team out with lightning in a bottle plays.

[TheCincinnatiKid]

Yep, his Weeks 1-2 records are really awful, but it is worth pointing out that the franchise QB has had a disrupted preseason in every single one of them.

I think every fan would rather we start slow and finish quick, though the leash will be short if we don't do that this season.

[*ochocincos*]

This 0-2 feels different than last year's 0-2.
With Burrow reaggravating his calf and seeing the performance thus far, I don't feel like the team will perform at the same level or better as the past two years.

Along with Burrow clearly hobbled, some other observations:
- Irv Smith is not anywhere close to as good as Hurst or even Uzomah were
- The DL just isn't quite getting there enough. They get pressure, but not sacks. (Also, Lamar Jackson is a cheat code)
- I don't have the pass rush metrics from BAL game to confirm, but I feel Jonah Williams still is not good enough at RT
- Hopefully Taylor has now learned that not risking your starters getting ANY snaps in preseason can result in a high amount of rust and ultimately losses early on in the regular season.

Bengals now are in the unfortunate era of having to pay for an expensive veteran QB, so it's going to be more challenging to put quality players elsewhere due to cap constraints.
This might be the true test of the Taylor era - Can they draft well enough to get immediate contributions from draft picks rather than having them sit for a year (or more) before needing to play.
Chiefs would have been in a difficult spot last year had they not gotten so much immediate contribution from their draft class.

Luckily, the Bengals have arguably easier games from here to the bye week, so hopefully they can end up 4-2 or 3-3.
Although as much as I would have said the Bengals should be easy favorites against all of the Rams, Titans, Cards, and Seahawks, I don't feel that way right now.

[Nepa]

Bengals are going to have to rise to the occasion once again. I read that since 2020, when the NFL switched to a 14-team playoff format, 23 teams have started 0-2 and only the 2022 Cincinnati Bengals went on to make the playoffs. However, in the history of the NFL, three teams have started 0-2 and won the Super Bowl -- the most recent being in 2007 (New York Giants). I don't know what the odds are on starting 0-3, and I hope to not be looking up those odds after next Monday.

[Brownshoe]

Our schedule gets a bit easier for the next few games, so we are already in a "must win mode". If Burrow is hurt we might be screwed. Might just aim for either a solid RT or WR in the draft next year if Burrow misses games.