'This isn't a character': Bengals' two-win reality no match for Zac Taylor's optimism
CINCINNATI — For a moment, it looked like Zac Taylor’s trademark optimism might have disappeared.
One couldn’t fault the Cincinnati Bengals coach for finally slipping in a bit of cynicism after a fifth straight loss, this one a 30-7 rout by the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 13. Instead, Taylor faintly laughed during his postgame news conference, shook his head and assured his virtual audience that yes, the optimism still existed.
Taylor’s cheery disposition has been unshakable despite a 4-24-1 coaching record in two seasons. It’s a hallmark of not only his coaching style but his overall demeanor.
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That optimism is being tested by reality. Starting with their clash against the Taylor’s penchant for finding the silver lining in anything is a default setting, even during a 2-10-1 campaign and a season-ending knee injury to rookie quarterback Are you ready for some football? Play for FREE and answer questions on the Monday night game every week. Make Your Picks Taylor brought up the missed opportunity to the team to show how close it came. It was another example of the young coach looking for what went right in yet another defeat. Bengals defensive tackle Christian Covington, who was acquired in a trade right before the start of the season, said Taylor’s outlook can be “soothing” and “uplifting” during a year no one thought was going to be this bad. “No matter what the outcomes of our games have been, he’s always been there to be that support, to be that optimistic voice that we need during times of uncertainty and during times of defeat we’ve had to go through,” Covington said. Bengals safety Jessie Bates, a 2018 second-round selection who could be the first Bengals draft pick to make the Pro Bowl since Tyler Eifert (2013), said Taylor’s message in recent weeks has stressed the importance of high-character guys in the locker room. That was a major point of emphasis in Taylor’s first full offseason in Cincinnati. “Unfortunately, that hasn’t equaled into wins because we have good guys in the locker room,” Bates said. “But I think that is a key component about building the right environment around here is having good guys. He just continues to preach how close we really are.” But there comes a point when it’s impossible to overlook reality. As Bates pointed out, good teams are able to overcome struggles and win games. And right now, things look pretty bleak for the Bengals. Taylor has the worst winning percentage of any coach in Bengals history. Cincinnati has played in 15 games decided by eight points or fewer. The Bengals have lost 13 of them — by far the most in the NFL during that span, according to ESPN Stats and Information. Last offseason, the Bengals’ front office shelled out the most money ever in free agency to improve the roster. Defensive tackle Chris Berman and Booger McFarland recap the weekend’s games with extended highlights and analysis. The show will stream live at 7:30 p.m. ET each Sunday during the season and will be available on demand each week until late Wednesday night. Watch on ESPN+ “I think we have a really good thing going,” Burrow said on Oct. 28 of the relationship with Taylor and the offensive coaches. “We’re going to continue to build on it and start winning some games but Zac’s an awesome coach. I’m excited to be with him.” If Taylor does make it to 2021, he will have to find a way to square his optimism with the undeniable results. It’s a process of self-evaluation that requires brutal honesty. “You have to be critical of yourself,” Taylor said. “You have to be critical of some things you really believe in strongly.” But for Taylor, that doesn’t include a bleak outlook. Despite all the defeats and the dread that has surrounded the Bengals for decades, Taylor remains upbeat about the future. Even three more losses to close this season might not be enough to change that. “This isn’t a character,” Taylor said. “This is me.”