Should Zac Taylor give up play-calling duties to shore up Bengals defense?

5 hours ago7 min read

The Cincinnati Bengals find themselves in a familiar, gut-wrenching tailspin, a narrative that feels ripped from the darkest chapters of their recent history. Following a soul-crushing Week 8 loss to the Jets, any flicker of hope was systematically dismantled by a defensive unit that imploded with the game on the line, surrendering a game-winning touchdown to the Bears with a mere 17 seconds remaining.The stark numbers tell a damning story: after giving up 39 points to a struggling New York offense, Al Golden’s defense somehow regressed, allowing a staggering 47 points on their own home turf. This isn't just a bad stretch; it's a systemic failure that demands radical introspection.For years, the chorus from the fanbase and pundits alike has called for head coach Zac Taylor to relinquish his offensive play-calling duties, a plea typically born from offensive dry spells and sluggish seasonal starts. The reality, however, is more nuanced.Taylor’s offensive process has never been a solitary endeavor; it’s a collaborative effort involving his staff and, crucially, his quarterback, with Joe Burrow historically granted significant audible freedom. To Taylor's credit, this structure has proven resilient, capable of pulling the offense out of funks even in Burrow's absence, a testament to a system that, for all its streaky nature, has a proven ceiling.The current crisis, however, renders that old debate almost obsolete. The offense, now helmed by the surprisingly effective Joe Flacco, is not the problem.In Flacco's four starts, the unit is averaging a robust 32. 8 points per game, with the veteran quarterback posting an admirable 11:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio.The inexplicable truth is that in those four high-scoring affairs, the Bengals are a dismal 1-3. The reason is unequivocally the defense.We are witnessing a complete breakdown in fundamentals: poor angles, abysmal tackling, and a defensive line routinely blown off the ball. The opportunistic identity that once defined this group has vanished, evidenced by a failure to force a single turnover in the last two losses.This is where the conversation must pivot. The call for Taylor to hand off play-calling, even temporarily, should now be solely about freeing him to perform his primary duty as head coach: overseeing all facets of the team and plugging the most glaring holes in the dam.For an offensive-minded coach and former quarterback, this means getting his hands dirty with the ailing defense. His involvement could range from direct, one-on-one player meetings to diagnose locker room issues, to more substantive interventions in scheme preference and player usage should they conflict with Golden's philosophy.The counter-argument, of course, points to a deeper talent or development deficit, a long-term organizational cancer that can't be cured mid-season. But that's a surrender the Bengals cannot afford.The team's current 3-6 standing is eerily reminiscent of the 2018 campaign that spelled the end for Marvin Lewis. The bye week presents a critical inflection point, a moment that demands Cincinnati’s notorious patience be blended with tangible, urgent action. Almost nothing should be off the table, because continuing on this path isn't just a lost season; it's an indictment of the entire football operation.

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