Zac Taylor issues fun challenge for Bengals fans attending matchup vs. Vikings
Head coach Zac Taylor and the Cincinnati Bengals know who their quarterback will be Saturday. They'll also be playing at home in front of thousands of their own fans.That's two luxuries the Minnesota Vikings do not have, and playing on the road with what could be one of two quarterbacks is a recipe for trouble […]
Head coach Zac Taylor and the Cincinnati Bengals know who their quarterback will be Saturday. They'll also be playing at home in front of thousands of their own fans.
That's two luxuries the Minnesota Vikings do not have, and playing on the road with what could be one of two quarterbacks is a recipe for trouble in a hostile environment.
Taylor knows this, and sent a message to Bengals fans attending Saturday's game:
"It's critical in a December game like this with a team coming on the road against us that third downs in particular, that's where the communication is really stressed," Taylor said. "I do challenge our fans—we got outstanding fans—to drink one more drink and rush into the stadium and be as loud as you can humanly possibly be when Minnesota's offense is out there."
You heard the man. Knock back those tailgate beverages and prepare your vocal cords.
How loud does Taylor want it to be? Loud enough that a fan can't hear another fan sitting a few seats away. That's roughly equivalent to what the quarterback is dealing with when talking to his linemen right before the snap of the ball.
"If the person three seats down from you in the row can't hear you, then you're doing a good job," Taylor explained. "That's essentially what the quarterback is dealing with as he's trying to communicate with the tackle, make the last second communication to the receiver. If they can't hear him, they can't make that check.
"That is a critical element that we get this home field advantage. We're not playing on the road this week. If we were playing in Minnesota, it would be a real problem. So Minnesota is here, let's make it a real problem for them."
The Vikings are coming off a 3-0 victory in which they played both Josh Dobbs and Nick Mullens under center. Dobbs was benched after being sacked five times by the Las Vegas Raiders, and head coach Kevin O'Connell has been noncommittal as to who will start vs. Cincinnati.
Whomever it is better have good hearing.
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