Zac Taylor hints at the Bengals switching things up later in the offseason to try and solve their most notorious problem
The question has been asked several times already this offseason and will be asked several more times to come. How can the Cincinnati Bengals avoid another slow start to the season? The answer may be found in making sure the slow start happens earlier, specifically in the preseason. Taylor addressed the topic Monday morning at the […]
The question has been asked several times already this offseason and will be asked several more times to come. How can the Cincinnati Bengals avoid another slow start to the season?
The answer may be found in making sure the slow start happens earlier, specifically in the preseason. Taylor addressed the topic Monday morning at the NFL Annual Meeting, stating an expectation for his starters to play more in August.
"I see our guys playing more in the preseason this year than we have in the past," Taylor said to reporters.
This has been a talking point for the past few years in Cincinnati. The last time the Bengals have won a game in the first two weeks of the regular season was back in 2021. They're 0-8 since. Many have pointed to the work directly leading up to those weeks as the source of the problem.
In that time, the Bengals have not gone out of their way to play starters in the preseason. The defense will usually get a drive or two for a game, but the offense especially receives virtually no work together on the field during the three exhibitions in August.
Joe Burrow, like he typically is, was a major factor in all of this. Burrow dealt with injuries in past offseasons and his availability during the preseason was either non-existent or extremely risky during those years. This changed ever so slightly last year because Burrow was finally able to play. As a result, the Bengals gave him and the starters on offense one drive in the preseason opener. The starters went back to the sidelines a week later.
Without Burrow, Taylor and the coaching staff didn't want the rest of the starting offense getting work without a backup in at quarterback. Instead of just one drive together, it sounds like we're going to see much more of Burrow and the 1s on offense.
The defense absolutely needs to play more together in the preseason. The unit was among the worst in the league last year and cohesiveness is greatly needed now that five new coaches including defensive coordinator Al Golden is running that side of the ball.
Outside of the Burrow variable, Taylor's Bengals have been hesitant to play starters in August to avoid unnecessary injuries leading up to the games that matter. That strategy holds water so long as the team is ready to play when September rolls around, and that has not proven to be the case over the last three years.
Taylor doesn't really have a choice but to switch things up, which means we'll see more out of the Bengals' best players in the preseason.
Final four questions about the Cincinnati Bengals exiting free agency with the NFL Draft quickly approaching
The Bengals need answers before long.
