7 hot but sensible takes about Cincinnati Bengals' first 5 games of 2026 season

The Cincinnati Bengals are off to a solid, not spectacular 3-2 start to the 2026 season through five games. Amid their Week 6 bye, it's hard not to lament some of the missed opportunities

Even Sunday's 31-24 win over the Miami Dolphins was a little ugly. While it got them on the right side of .500, the Bengals made so many silly errors. They were undisciplined too often fitting the run, and the Dolphins racked up well over 200 yards on the ground.

There's a lot to clean up during the Bengals' idle time. Let's hope Zac Taylor has the wherewithal to know how to do that. He has adjusted well in years past when Joe Burrow has gotten injured. If he can't pull the rabbit out of the hat again with a healthy Burrow and a better roster than years past on defense in particular, Taylor could be in trouble.

It's time to be bold but honest about where the Bengals are at entering their Week 6 bye

1. This is not a team that can contend for a Super Bowl (right now). Good thing there's a long way to go. The Bengals are allowing five yards per carry. They can't run the ball consistently or well enough to sit on a lead if they do have one. Running the ball and stopping the run are frequent hallmarks of championship teams. Joe Burrow can only manifest and do so much; same goes for Dexter Lawrence in setting the tone on defense.

2. Chase Brown should be benched or traded. Because Samaje Perine is objectively better. He just is. you can't convince me otherwise. I didn't realize how bad Brown was at shedding contact. It was more of a whisper in the background last year. Now, it's almost like he's playing less confident or something. Weird vibes. Going from a surefire extension candidate to the trade block is quite the downturn for Brown's stock. His lost fumble in Week 5 may have been a turning point.

3. Shemar Stewart needs a trial run to play out the string. If Cashius Howell and his short arms are gonna continue to do little to nothing, why not give Stewart more opportunities? He was the higher draft pick. He's an extra season down the road. Shemar could be a fun, freak-athlete change-up to throw at the Ravens in Baltimore in Week 7.

If he can't hack it against Cincinnati's despised AFC North rival, and is ineffective the next game against the lowly Titans, so be it. Send him back to the bench. Let's just see what we have here, though. Stewart has played only 17 snaps on defense thus far. Come on! Let him loose a little!

4. The Bobby Wagner dream must stay alive. I'm just not into Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. carrying the torch the rest of the way on their own. Yes, they've both improved. No, they're not better than an admittedly aging NFL legend who can fit the run with the best players to ever do it. Not holding my breath that Jack Kiser can be That Dude.

5. Amarius Mims has arrived as an elite right tackle, and that's about to create major complications. The better Mims keeps playing, the more likely he is to command a lucrative contract extension next offseason. I don't know how you don't pay the man. Like right away. No slow-playing or low-balling from the front office on this one, please. Wishful thinking but a man can dream.

6. Dohnte Meyers is good enough to send the Bengals back to predominant 11 personnel sets. Remember those days of Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd? Yeah. That's how much i think of Meyers. Not that he's all-around as good as Boyd, but he's undeniably more explosive and elusive after the catch, if not quite as shorthanded.

This under center thing clearly isn't working for Cincinnati's offense, particularly the struggling running game. Give me more one back, one tight end, and three wide receiver sets. And I realize Mike Gesicki is sort of the WR3 as is, but Meyers needs designed touches and schemed up targets. He's a tremendous slot guy who can also play outside. My man has wheels.

The whole going under center more initiative is not working. Won't it be fun when the Bengals' run game is magically fixed post-bye, Brown starts balling out and this is all a mood point!?

7. If I had to make a judgment call right this second re: the season-end review, Zac Taylor would be fired. I don't think Zac is a bad coach at all. I just wonder whether or not he brings anything truly unique or exotic to the table. Is he a dynamic leader? Does he elevate the Bengals' program? I'm not so sure on either of those accounts.

So who's the answer? Duh. Brian Flores as head coach. He comes over from the Vikings and brings Josh McCown with him as his offensive coordinator.

Flores can coach him some defense, I tell ya. And McCown has been in so many offensive systems that he'd know exactly how to put Burrow in the best positions to succeed, with a Shanahan/McVay-style system influence courtesy of working under Kevin O'Connell in Minnesota.

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