Zac Taylor Falls Short of a Tall Order in Superbowl 53
![ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 03: <> during Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 03, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 03: <> during Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on February 03, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Fstripehype-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2017-2F07-2F1127221283-850x560-def0c1899d9660160230a87a71480e09.jpg)
Zac Taylor had a chance to put his mentoring skills on display for the entire league. He fell well short of this task.
Jared Goff’s 19/38, 229 yards and one interception performance in Superbowl 53 do not reflect well on Cincinnati’s head coach in waiting Zac Taylor. Goff was frequently overwhelmed with disguised coverages and was unable to get in any sort of rhythm all night long. Rams receivers rarely got open, and the defensive zones often sat directly in some of the Rams route trees, signaling that they were not fooled by the Rams passing scheme.
This is not to say that Zac Taylor had a role in the overall flow of the offense. He can only be responsible for Goff’s performance, which is where the problem lies. Goff was horrible all night, making poor decisions and missing receivers who were legitimately open. On the Ram’s last push for a touchdown, Goff was completely flustered by an all-out blitz and threw a panicky interception to Stephon Gillmore.
Taylor’s product of the entire 2018-19 season failed to show up in the biggest moment. Obviously, Taylor should not receive all of the blame for the offenses’ and Goff’s struggles. However, it is disappointing for Bengals fans who were excited to talk about their next head coach at Superbowl parties, pointing out how well Goff was doing and how that was due to the tutelage of Taylor.
Nonetheless, Bengals fans can finally begin to prepare for the announcement from the team confirming that Taylor is the next head coach. As Cincinnati will finally name their new coach, the team can begin the process of completing the staff, discuss free agents, and prepare for the NFL Draft.
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