Cincinnati Bengals: Winners and losers from Week 8 loss to Jets

Jessie Bates, Cincinnati Bengals (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Jessie Bates, Cincinnati Bengals (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
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Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals
Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Loser: Zac Taylor

Give credit where credit is due or in this case, give criticism where it’s due. I praised Zac Taylor last week for what he was able to do against the Ravens but this week it didn’t even look like he had a game plan entering this matchup.

These are the kind of games the Bengals have to win now. They’re not slouches anymore — at least I don’t think they are — and that’s why losing to the Jets is absolutely inexcusable. Had the Ravens game not happened yet, this would have been the kind of game to lose Taylor his job.

I still think Taylor has done a decent job with this team this year but games like these can’t happen under his watch. Not if this team wants to be taken seriously.

Loser: Chidobe Awuzie

This was a rough outing for the free-agent cornerback, which is a shame because he had been doing a very nice job for the Bengals up until this point. Awuzie allowed the touchdown pass to Braxton Berrios and also missed a tackle on a key Michael Carter run.

Hopefully, this is just one bad game for the Bengals corner. He’ll be looking to turn the page on this one.

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