Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was an absolute disaster in 2019. Next season, with a rookie quarterback by his side, will be his best chance at NFL redemption.
It took all of two games two quash the hopes of Cincinnati Bengals fans. After a game where so much promise was offered in a Week 1 loss at Seattle, an absolute implosion in Week 2 at home against San Francisco cast the dye.
This was a team with issues.
This was a team Zac Taylor was Ill-equipped to coach.
The good feelz of a Week 17 win against an in-state rival will dull the pain. What it won’t do is hide how disastrous 2019 was for the Bengals. Say what you will, but 2020 will be a make-it or break-it kind of season for Taylor. He needs a reset, perhaps more than anyone. With the top pick in the NFL Draft, one where LSU quarterback Joe Burrow is available for an Ohio homecoming, Taylor gets his chance.
Fortunately for Taylor, he’s had some first-hand knowledge of what to do with a young quarterback. His first call should be to Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and then LA quarterback Jared Goff. Even though the Rams missed the playoffs this season, the Los Angeles template is a good one to look to and see how it can help the Bengals get Burrow ready.
Moving from 2-14 to anything better will be a heavy lift. The Bengals will get offensive lineman Jonah Williams back from an injury that kept him on the sidelines for his rookie season. Also, running back Joe Mixon looks to have found the kind of form that makes him the centerpiece of a Taylor offense. If, and it’s a big IF, they can solve the A.J. Green situation, a rookie quarterback could inherit some workable tools for success.
Worth noting, this is the Bengals we speak of.
Either way, Zac Taylor has an opportunity to get this right. 2-14 won’t be acceptable again. Drafting Burrow won’t fix everything, but for a team who became an NFL afterthought, it’s a good start to putting out a dumpster fire.