Zac Taylor sends clear message to Bengals fans regarding crucial game against Denver

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor sent a clear message to Cincinnati fans regarding the crucial Week 17 showdown between the Bengals and Broncos: He wants them to bring the noise.

The Bengals will host the Broncos in Week 17 in a game that suddenly has major playoff implications. The two teams are competing for one of the final spots in the AFC, and the outcome of the contrest will go a long way towards determining which team makes the cut.

For the Bengals, they need to win out, they need the Broncos to lose out, and they also need both the Colts and Dolphins to lose one of their final two games. Meanwhile, the Broncos control their own destiny, so if they win their final two games, they're in.

Zac Taylor calls on Bengals fans to create a hostile environment for Bo Nix, Broncos

So, for the Bengals, the game against the Broncos is a playoff game for all intents and purposes. It also might be the closest that Bengals fans get to postseason football this year, so Taylor wants to see them take advantage of it.

"They show up. They support. They're loud," Taylor said of Bengals fans after Cincinnati's 24-6 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. "They give us that extra boost... We're counting on that crowd to show up next Saturday and be as loud as ever and make this a tough environment for a rookie quarterback and a team coming in here, and give our guys the confidence and energy we need to find this win."

We can count on Bengals fans to heed coach's call to action. They have shown up loud and proud all year despite the team's struggles, and there's no reason to expect that to change for the biggest game of the season. In fact, a win over the Broncos to keep their playoff hopes alive would be a nice way for the Bengals to thank their fans for the continued support.

The battle between the Bengals and Broncos will take place on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET.