Zac Taylor realizes an advantage to Bengals entering their bye week earlier than ever before in his tenure
The last time the Cincinnati Bengals had their bye week prior to Week 7 was in 2017, two years before Zac Taylor took over as head coach. It’s not ideal on paper, but Taylor does see a positive in going away at this point on the calendar this year.
The last time the Cincinnati Bengals had their bye week prior to Week 7 was in 2017, two years before Zac Taylor took over as head coach.
The Bengals under Taylor are used to having their week off occur in the middle of the season. Taking a break in Week 6 means there are 12 games to go all in consecutive fashion before, potentially, a postseason run that could include four games.
It’s not ideal on paper, but Taylor does see a positive in going away at this point on the calendar this year.
Zac Taylor’s bye week realization
Cincinnati entered its bye week in winning fashion after defeating the Miami Dolphins, 31-24, on the hottest October game day in the history of Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL.
The Bengals were sweating profusely. Exhaustion was very real after 60 minutes under the sweltering Florida heat. It’s a definite weapon for the home team, even when summer turns to fall.
Taylor could tell his players were feeling it after the game. He should know as he coached in Miami for four years. He was reminded just how impactful the heat can be in the recovery process, and therefore sees the value in having a week off after playing in it.
“I do think the bye hits really well playing after Miami,” Taylor said during Monday’s presser. “I mean, I’ve coached there for four years, never really thought about that, but the the heat really does drain you to where I’m sure it affects you the next week. So I’m happy that it hit for our guys to be able to recover and get that, and then get your legs back under us, and start getting ready for some colder weather, which we’re very familiar with, as the season gets going here.”
Perhaps because he was always on the home staff, Taylor never realized how the visiting team had to operate and get back on their feet after experiencing such a harsh climate. He’s seen it now, and is more than okay with his players using the extra time off to get right.
Upcoming Bengals games
Cincinnati’s next game takes them to the East Coast to play the Baltimore Ravens. The Bengals will then go back home to face the currently winless Tennessee Titans before getting on a transatlantic flight to face the Atlanta Falcons in Madrid, Spain.
After that, you can expect nothing but colder temperatures going forward. Cincinnati survived South Florida’s environment, and has plenty of time to cool off.
