Zac Taylor Is Finding A Path Through His Past Flaws
Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Well, sometimes you just have to admit when you’re wrong, and after a Cincinnati Bengals win, I will gladly eat a little crow. Still, maybe, just maybe, I can have a side of “I told you so,” as a treat.
Let’s get it out of the way: Congrats to my beloved Bengals on their first win of the season and welcome back to the “One Game At A Time” part of the season. It’s a little risky to start 1-3, but yes, I do feel like the season is going to turn around with Joe Burrow playing like we know he can.
But here’s the part where I have to eat crow. Credit where it’s due, Zac Taylor has called some great football these past three weeks. That’s not something I’m used to saying, I’ve probably been the captain of the USS ZT Haters for the past couple of years. But what he’s shown over the past three weeks is very intriguing.
After that Week 1 embarrassment against the New England Patriots, I was all over the coach right then. My biggest complaint from that game was that Zack Moss was averaging damn near five yards per carry, and that the best drive of Week 1 came when he heavily used his running game. But then he abandoned the ground game altogether, and boom, the Bengals were 0-1.
Since that game, the newly formed two-headed monster with Moss and Chase Brown has averaged a combined 23.6 carries and 102 yards per game (4.6 yards per attempt). Now look, I get it, those aren’t incredible rushing stats, but compared to last year, when the Bengals averaged 89.8 yards per game? It looks a lot better. And if you’ve been watching, that improved running game has opened up for opportunity for the Blonde Haired Bandit to flourish.
We’re seeing Burrow throwing way more downfield passes now that opponents need to respect the run. There’s even a hint of balance! Taylor has called 89 runs to Joe Burrow’s 134 passes. Handing off the ball on 39.9% of the plays may not seem like the most well-rounded offense, but it’s still up from a 38.4% run rate last year. Even a slight shift toward a 50/50 split is exactly what this offense needs, and don’t let the 1-3 record fool you, the offense is clicking. I’m going to have to shift my focus to Lou Anarumo if this keeps up.
But wait! There’s more! Remember when Taylor had no idea how to use his tight ends? Well, waiter, I’d like some more of that fine crow. This year’s tight end core (Mike Gesicki, Erick All Jr., Drew Sample, and Tanner Hudson) have a combined 33 receptions with Gesicki and All combining for 27 of those catches. Those top two TEs are Nos. 2 and 3 on the team in receptions behind Ja’Marr Chase!
While neither of them have touched the end zone yet (well except for one the NFL took away from Gesicki), having that middle-of-the-field presence is now allowing room for those deep balls, as well as more space for Moss and Brown when they get their dump-off passes. Even Andrei Iosivas is eating now! This is what happens when you utilize the TE position. Over a third of Burrow’s completions are to a tight end, and that stat makes my mouth water.
So yes, I understand the Bengals are 1-3 and that the defense has been awful, to put it lightly. There’s a long road ahead of them to get back into the mix, and like many of you, I’m scared to death of Derrick Henry coming into Paycor Stadium this coming Sunday. But all that said, I’m loving what I’m seeing from Taylor and his playcalling for the first time in a long time. He’s not putting the entire world on Burrow’s shoulders, and now opposing defenses have to actually watch tape instead of just saying, “OK, just guard Tee Higgins and Chase, and we’ll win.”
To Zac Taylor directly, what else can I say but: I’m sorry, and good job?
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