LOVELAND MAGAZINE

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Since 2004

Tag: Zac Taylor

  • Can the Cincinnati Bengals Salvage Their Season?

    Can the Cincinnati Bengals Salvage Their Season?

    by Chris Ball

    Loveland, Ohio –

    After the Bengals dug themselves into a 1-4 hole to start the season, everyone knew that it would take grit, determination, and focus to lift the team out. Back-to-back games against two struggling opponents helped propel Cincinnati to within one game of .500. But even in those wins, something looked off about the offense.

    Joe Burrow and company scored 30 more points in three straight games in weeks three through five. In each of those contests they had more than 350 yards and put up over 400 against both Washington and Baltimore. The only thing missing was complimentary performances by the Bengalsā€™ defenders.

    The return of defensive tackles BJ Hill and Sheldon Rankins certainly addressed that lack of production. Lou Anarumoā€™s players needed confidence, and they played like they had plenty of it against the Giants and Browns. The hope was that playing better against admittedly inferior offenses might lead to a positive change of some kind moving forward.

    But Sundayā€™s matchup against the Eagles made it crystal clear that the Bengals defense is not ready to contend against any of the even remotely competent competition. And what was worse, Zac Taylor and the Bengalsā€™ offense continued their lack of mediocre play and also failed to meet the moment in a game that this team could ill-afford to lose. But then again, when you played as poorly as Cincinnati did to start this year, they are all must-win games going forward.

    The Bengals Defense Takes a Step Backwards

    After their first bit of success at stopping the run last week against the Browns, Saquon Barkley carved them up like a Thanksgiving turkey. He and the Eagles ploughed their way to 161 rush yards, the fourth time this year Cincinnati has allowed over 150 yards on the ground.

    Jalen Hurts had so much time to throw the football that he could have taken some additional time to check out his stock portfolio. Against a line that was porous in giving up pressure and quarterback hits, Trey Hendrickson and company not only managed zero sacks, but they didnā€™t even register a quarterback hit. It was a stunning indictment against a line that was finally healthy and looking to prove it had the chops to be a factor.

    All in all, Philadelphia pummeled the Bengals to the tune of 397 total yards and 37 points. Though it would have been nice to give the defense the benefit of the doubt, their performance on Sunday makes it nearly impossible to do as the season continues. Itā€™s hard not to paint them as an extreme liability that will force Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense to carry this team in their remaining games.

    Has Zac Taylor Broken the Bengals Offense?

    There comes a time in every coachā€™s tenure when he has to be honest with himself if times get tough. To his credit this past week, Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski acknowledged how poorly his offense was performing under his leadership. He did what a leader does, and stepped aside from his play calling duties for Ken Dorsey because that was what gave the team a better chance to succeed. And lo and behold the following week his Browns pulled off a win from the cellar, taking down the Baltimore Ravens.

    Joe Burrow is healthy, as is Jaā€™Marr Chase. The offensive line, a malady for years, is playing better and protecting their franchise quarterback. And yet here we are, watching this team, with all its weapons, go backwards on fourth and a yard, and put up less than 300 yards of offense in back-to-back games. For as bad as the fourth down call may have been, the play that preceded it might have been worse.

    Watching Nick Siriani and the Eagles instantly line up and take advantage of fourth and short situations with such success is all the more galling because it comes from a simple ā€œtush pushā€ concept that isnā€™t hard to scheme or understand. And yet Zac Taylor, with all of the weapons, speed, and power available to him, canā€™t scheme up a play that has the prayer of a clean napkin at a barbeque festival.

    How many weeks will the front office allow a Ferrari of an offense to perform like a Ford Fiesta? It is apparent that the Bengals defense is not going to magically unlock any hidden talent and begin to be counted on to limit their opponents to less than 25 points. This makes a functioning offense not only preferable, but a requirement to have any chance at all. It puts a great deal of pressure on Joe and company but it is the reality that we are now living in given the disaster we now are facing under Lou Anarumoā€™s watch.

    In terms of yards per game, the Bengals still have to face the likes of Tennessee (#1 overall), Los Angeles (#9 overall), Pittsburgh twice (#6 overall) and Denver (#3 overall). These are teams whose offenses are still good enough to run circles around Cincinnati and so there are real questions as to whether Taylor has the ability to help this offense find the form it had earlier this year. Unfortunately, the offense is trending away from the explosiveness and effectiveness that it showed previously.

    Weā€™ve all seen the magic that Joe Burrow and Jaā€™Marr Chase have managed to show on the field week in and week out. Their talent and ability are not the problem. And yet this offense is nowhere near where it needs to be. Itā€™s fair to ask where the deficiencies rest, and as the head coach and the one who draws up the plays that are supposed to unlock the potential of this offense, Zac Taylor must either improve drastically or step aside from those responsibilities.

    What is the Future Like for the 2024 Bengals?

    There was a lot of buzz about the Bengals making a deep playoff run in 2024 or maybe even making it back to the Super Bowl. But those who are honest with themselves after what theyā€™ve seen so far this year can only shake their heads when hearing such talk now. We are eight games into this year and have seen what this team has and what its players can do. There are likely no surprise turnarounds in store for the defense who have no more players to count on to return, and no indication that they have any signs of life to rush the passer or contain any team with an offensive pulse.

    The hope, then, is the same hope that Bengals fans are all too familiar with: putting faith in Joe Burrow to carry this team as far as he can. Itā€™s unfair in this day and age given the athletic pass rushers that stand ready to demolish quarterbacks who drop back too frequently, or the opportunistic defensive backs who can pick off any pass that is remotely close. But unfortunately, there is no other real path to success apart from what Burrow can manage.

    For as much as the future may look bright for Chase Brown, there is no actual track record that he can have sustained success to put a game on his back like Barkley did on Sunday. The offensive line and the run scheme in general just seem uncapable of gashing big plays on a consistent basis. And the defense is going to leak like a sieve from this point forward.

    Put simply, we can only go as far as Joe Burrowā€™s arm can take us. And if he cannot manage such a herculean effort essentially on his own, itā€™s absolutely understandable. That is because heā€™s been failed by so many around him. From the front office who refuse to sign players, to the personnel department who simply cannot draft key players on defense, to his coaches who cannot put together a game plan to put him in a position to succeed.

     

    ———————-

    Hey readersā€¦ have an opinion about sports? How about a topic youā€™d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

    We would love to hear from our readers, and we thank you for your support and engagement.

    Also, don’t forget to follow us at The Loveland Sports Desk at the below links:

    For Facebook, click here.

    For X, click here.

    For Instagram, click here.Ā 

    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coachā€™s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • New Episode: The Queen City Sports Podcast by Chris Ball & Mark Raines

    New Episode: The Queen City Sports Podcast by Chris Ball & Mark Raines

    by Chris Ball

    Loveland, Ohio – With their victory over the Cleveland Browns, the Bengals are within one game of .500. But they face a very tough test this week against a Philadelphia Eagles team that is playing much better than Cincinnati’s recent opponents. On this week’s episode of the Queen City Sports Podcast, Chris and Mark break down exactly what the Bengals need to do to keep their momentum rolling this Sunday, because it’s a must-win game. The guys also hit on the Bearcats’ big win versus Arizona State and a titanic matchup this weekend against Deion Sanders’ Colorado team. And Bearcat basketball is almost back! Mark gives us the latest from their scrimmage against Ohio State. To wrap it up, Chris discusses the real possibly that if he loses to Michigan State this weekend, the Wolverines’ head coach Sherrone Moore might not make it out of this season with his job.

     

    Have a listen and don’t forget to leave your comments and feedback!

    _______________________

    Hey readersā€¦ have an opinion about sports? How about a topic youā€™d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

    We would love to hear from our readers, and we thank you for your support and engagement.

    Also, don’t forget to follow us at The Loveland Sports Desk at the below links:

    For Facebook, click here.

    For X, click here.

    For Instagram, click here.Ā 

    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coachā€™s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • New Episode: The Queen City Sports Podcast by Chris Ball & Mark Raines

    New Episode: The Queen City Sports Podcast by Chris Ball & Mark Raines

    by Chris Ball

    Loveland, Ohio – You’re in luck, as the Queen City Sports Podcast has arrived a day early! The Bengals played in primetime last week, and Joe Burrow scampered for a 47-yard touchdown to open up the scoring against the New York Giants. But things got a little rockier for the offense after that before the final minutes when Chase Brown iced it for a 17-7 victory. Chris and Mark discuss what Sunday night’s performance means for the team going forward and whether the defense has finally turned a corner now that their line is fully healthy. The guys also talk about the Bearcats’ big road win against UCF and whether the Michigan Wolverines can slow down Illinois’ potent passing attack, and if Jack Tuttle is up to the task of making Michigan’s passing game a factor.

     

    Have a listen and don’t forget to leave your comments and feedback!

    _______________________

    Hey readersā€¦ have an opinion about sports? How about a topic youā€™d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

    We would love to hear from our readers, and we thank you for your support and engagement.

    Also, don’t forget to follow us at The Loveland Sports Desk at the below links:

    For Facebook, click here.

    For X, click here.

    For Instagram, click here.Ā 

    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coachā€™s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • Joe Burrow Is Having a MVP Season – The Bengals Cannot Let It Go to Waste

    Joe Burrow Is Having a MVP Season – The Bengals Cannot Let It Go to Waste

    by Chris Ball

    Loveland, Ohio – Bengals fans have had to watch in agony as two of Joe Burrowā€™s seasons came to terrible ends due to injuries. In 2020 it was several torn knee ligaments against Washington in week 11. Last year it was yet another week 11 injury, this time a season-ending ligament tear in his wrist. But if there is one thing that the Bengals quarterback knows how to do, it is battle back to be even better.

    Burrow returned in 2021 to throw for over 4600 yards and guide the team to their first Super Bowl in decades, which they were one play away from winning. He led the NFL in completion percentage (70.4%) and yards per attempt (8.9). Cincinnati was 10-6 that year and Burrow won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.

    But his comeback tour in 2024 is even more awe-inspiring. He leads the league in touchdown passes (12) and quarterback rating (113.6) and heā€™s second in completion percentage (72.3). Burrow is also excelling at throwing the ball downfield as he also is front of the pack when it comes to passes of over 40 yards.

    Itā€™s a testament to how well both Tee Higgins and Jaā€™Marr Chase are playing in that Burrow is also the highest graded quarterback on passes over 10 yards. He boasts a 94.9 rating on such throws:

    Thereā€™s little doubt that Burrow is seeing the field better than at any point in his career. But there are other components to it. He has the best-performing offensive line that Cincinnati has seen in recent memory. He has fully healthy weapons on the outside in Chase and Higgins. The Bengalsā€™ running game is more consistent and explosive than in prior years.

    Take all of that and you get a Bengals team that is 7th in total offense and 6th in yards per play. The one thing that Joe Burrow does not have, to all of our sorrow, is a serviceable defense. As you can see from the chart below, the Bengals are near the top of the league in offensive expected points added. On the other hand, their defense is near the bottom in that same metric.

    Cincinnati is 26th in yards per game allowed (365.4), 18th in passing allowed (214.0) and 30th in rushing allowed (151.4). They are fourth worst in the NFL in scoring percentage, in that their opponents score points on almost 50 percent of their drives. By contrast, in 2022 the Bengals had the 7th best defense in yards per game, on route to 12 regular season wins.

    What it all seems to add up to is a giant missed opportunity. The 2024 Cincinnati Bengals have a bevy of offensive weapons. They are young, they are healthy, they are talented, and they are absolutely motivated. The effort, focus, and execution is present at every level: blocking, running, tackling, and receiving.

    But without a defense to back them up, Cincinnatiā€™s offense can only do so much to win shootout after shootout. When a game comes down to who has the ball last, sometimes you just donā€™t have enough firepower to get the job done. It was what we all saw on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. Joe Burrow was amazing, Jaā€™Marr Chase was electric, and Tee Higgins hauled in first down catch after first down catch.

    Burrow has talked previously about how he has to be ā€œperfectā€ in order to win games. While thatā€™s a near impossible task for any NFL player, especially at the quarterback position, itā€™s unfortunate to say that heā€™s not far off in his messaging. With a defense as porous as Cincinnati has at the moment, nearly flawless games (like the one we saw against the Ravens) arenā€™t even good enough to come away with a victory, as patently unfair as that is.

    In the NFL, where windows of success can slam shut so quickly, it is absolutely criminal to waste a MVP year from Joe Burrow simply because a defense fails to show up game in and game out.

    That being said, there is a chance for the defense to play better and gain confidence. Before the Bengals head to Baltimore in week 10 for a rematch against the Ravens, they face the Giants (20th in yards per game), Browns (dead last at 32nd), and Raiders (24th). They also square off against the Eagles who have the 8th rated offense, but who are reeling at the moment. Those are legitimate chances to turn the defense around and find success, which Lou Anarumo can hopefully build upon before facing Baltimore again. The season is not over yet, and Trey Hendrickson, Cam Taylor-Britt, and the rest of the Bengalsā€™ defense can make that very clear by making a statement, starting with Sunday Night Football against Daniel Jones and the New York Giants.

    If Joe Burrow can come back from prior struggles to set the league on fire, why canā€™t the Bengalsā€™ defense?

    ———————-

    Hey readersā€¦ have an opinion about sports? How about a topic youā€™d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

    We would love to hear from our readers, and we thank you for your support and engagement.

    Also, don’t forget to follow us at The Loveland Sports Desk at the below links:

    For Facebook, click here.

    For X, click here.

    For Instagram, click here.Ā 

    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coachā€™s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • New Episode: The Queen City Sports Podcast by Chris Ball & Mark Raines

    New Episode: The Queen City Sports Podcast by Chris Ball & Mark Raines

    by Chris Ball

    Loveland, Ohio – What role did Zac Taylor’s play calling have in the Bengals’ heartbreaking loss this past week against the Baltimore Ravens? Chris and Mark discuss how the Bengals abandoning Joe Burrow and their passing attack at the most crucial moment of the game impacted its end. The guys also discuss what the Bearcats can expect when they take on UCF this weekend, and how Michigan’s quarterback woes may be improving, but their play at the position is far from adequate. The Bearcats basketball squad is also in the top 15, at least by the evaluation of one key prognosticator. Finally, Chris and Mark talk about the Reds’ recent hiring of veteran manager Terry Francona and the impact it will have on the 2025 season.

     

    Have a listen and don’t forget to leave your comments and feedback!

    _______________________

    Hey readersā€¦ have an opinion about sports? How about a topic youā€™d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

    We would love to hear from our readers, and we thank you for your support and engagement.

    Also, don’t forget to follow us at The Loveland Sports Desk at the below links:

    For Facebook, click here.

    For X, click here.

    For Instagram, click here.Ā 

    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coachā€™s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • The Bengals Have A Win: How Do They Keep the Momentum Now?

    The Bengals Have A Win: How Do They Keep the Momentum Now?

    by Chris Ball

    Loveland, Ohio – The Bengals made their way into the win column for the first time in the 2024 season with a win last week against the Carolina Panthers. Joe Burrow continued to impress, throwing for 232 yards and a pair of touchdowns. But Burrow wasnā€™t the only offensive player that stood out.

    Chase Brown May Be RB1 Material

    The other component of a healthy Bengals offense that the front office sought to improve was the running game. After parting ways with longtime running back Joe Mixon, the Bengals 2024 backfield would look very different. Cincinnati split carries in the early part of this year between Zack Moss and Chase Brown, but the Panthers game showed that perhaps the Brown, the second-year back out of Illinois, might have the inside edge on the RB1 spot. And itā€™s not without cause.

    Brown averaged 5.3 yards per carry on 15 attempts against Carolina. He scored twice as well, and his vision and explosiveness were on display plenty on Sunday. Brown has a rushing success rate of 65.5% and is generating 0.25 EPA per rush attempt. He also leads the NFL in yards per carry. When paired with a healthy Joe Burrow and a full stable of clutch receivers, itā€™s one of the more complete offenses in the league.

    The Offensive Line Shined Again

    The offensive line gave him a clean pocket and did not allow a sack. This was the first time Joe Burrow has not been sacked in a game since week three of 2021. Overall they allowed just five pressures on 32 dropbacks which was the lowest such rate since week five of 2022. Keeping Burrow healthy was the main priority in signing Orlando Brown Jr. and drafting Amarius Mims. So far the men blocking up front for the Bengals have meet, and exceeded expectations. The combination of a competent offensive line and a healthy quarterback is exactly what Bengals fans have been waiting for ever since they saw Burrow sacked a league-high 51 times in 2021.

     

    The Bengals Secondary and Pass Rush Struggle Again

    Though the Bengals offense may be complete, the defense has plenty of missing pieces, as was evident yet again this past week. The defense allowed 375 total yards, with 155 of those coming on the ground. Cincinnati has given up 145.5 yards per game on the ground, 25th in the NFL, and that trend did not improve as Chuba Hubbard slashed his way to his second straight 100-yard game of the season to the tune of 5.8 yards per carry.

    Although the Bengals limited Andy Dalton to less than the 319 yards he amassed the prior week against the Raiders, the pass defense was far from dominant. Cam Taylor-Britt played so poorly he was benched. For the season heā€™s been targeted 15 times, allowing nine catches for 191 yards and two touchdowns, and on Sunday he looked overmatched. The Bengals had no sacks yet again and only managed two quarterback hits.

    How May Play Out Against the Baltimore Ravens

    The Bengals get precious little time to bask in their first victory of the year. This Sunday they welcome the Baltimore Ravens (2-2) into Paycor Stadium. The Ravens have played a very difficult schedule so far with games against the Chiefs, Cowboys and Bills. They lost a stinker against the Raiders but won their next two games afterwards. Baltimore looked very good against a solid Buffalo team, and its those Ravens that the Bengals will have to beat in order to keep the momentum going and to keep their postseason dreams alive.

    Offensively, Chase Brown coming into his own could not have happened at a better time. The Ravens are first in the NFL in rush defense, allowing a miniscule 57.8 yards per game. This is 18 yards per game less than the next-best team, the Minnesota Vikings. The duo of Brown and Moss, and the physicality of the offensive line, will face their toughest test of the year by far. In order to continue the balanced offensive attack and relieve pressure on the passing game, the Bengalsā€™ backs must continue their impressive streak. If Brown finds the same sort of success heā€™s had against the Ravens, itā€™s time to declare him the unquestioned starter.

    It’s no secret that Burrow is both focused and determined, and he will have plenty of opportunities to put up good numbers this week. For all the success the Ravens have had stopping the run, theyā€™ve allowed 257 yards per game through the air. This is the fourth-worst in the league. Patrick Mahomes threw for 291 yards against them and Dak Prescott had 379 yards. To be fair their secondary looked much better against Buffalo, limiting Josh Allen to just 180 through the air. But the fact remains that Baltimoreā€™s secondary is vulnerable and it is something the Bengals can exploit.

    If they do, though, it may turn into a shootout very quickly. The Ravens average an astonishing 220 yards on the ground each game. This is 46 yards more than the next highest. The Bengals cannot survive in this game if they do not find a way to vastly improve against the run. But what makes Baltimore so dangerous is that they can devastate opposing teams through the power run game with Derrick Henry or the speed of Lamar Jackson or even Justice Hill.

    Coming into this week the Bengals front five has the lowest overall pressure rate allowed in the NFL. But they will be sorely tested, both in running the football and protecting Joe Burrow. Baltimore’s defense averages over 3 sacks per game, and they will be looking to stifle Cincinnati’s passing attack on Sunday.

    ———————-

    Hey readersā€¦ have an opinion about sports? How about a topic youā€™d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

    We would love to hear from our readers, and we thank you for your support and engagement.

    Also, don’t forget to follow us at The Loveland Sports Desk at the below links:

    For Facebook, click here.

    For X, click here.

    For Instagram, click here.Ā 

    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coachā€™s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • Three Important Takeaways from the Bengals Close Loss to the Chiefs

    Three Important Takeaways from the Bengals Close Loss to the Chiefs

    by Chris Ball

    Loveland, Ohio – Though the Bengals fell 26-25 against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday it was a heartbreaking loss. As seems to happen so often against Kansas City, that loss came after yet another questionable call that benefited Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. This time it was a pass interference penalty on the Bengalsā€™ rookie defensive back Daijahn Anthony that gave Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker an opportunity to nail a 51-yard game winner as the clock expired. But as heartbreaking a defeat as the game represented, there were at least three positive takeaways to come out of it.

    One ā€“ Joe Burrow Is Back to Form

    After the loss to the New England Patriots there were rumblings from others, mostly outside of Bengals fandom, that Joe Burrow might not be as effective after his wrist injury last year. The Bengalsā€™ quarterback put those questions to bed this past week. He went 23-36 for 258 yards with two touchdowns, outplaying Mahomes in the process. He looked more confident in the pocket and was able to push the ball downfield, something he did not attempt to do much against the Patriots.

    With Burrow not playing snice November of last year, it was reasonable to expect some rust in his return to game action in 2024. While that rust showed itself week one, itā€™s equally apparent that Burrow is getting into the flow of the game and is ready to carry this team in the most difficult of situations, just as he did at Arrowhead on Sunday.

    Two – The Bengals Pass Defense Answered the Call

    The Bengalsā€™ secondary, led by Cam-Taylor Britt and Dax Hill limited Patrick Mahomes to just 151 yards on Sunday. It was the fewest yards the Chiefsā€™ quarterback has thrown for since October of 2019 where he threw for just 76 yards before being injured just before halftime. They intercepted Mahomes twice, including one of the prettiest interceptions you might ever see from Taylor-Britt:

    Cincinnati clamped down on the Chiefsā€™ passing game despite the fact that they got almost no pressure on Mahomes outside of Trey Hendrickson. Cincinnatiā€™s defensive end continues to be a terror on opposing quarterbacks and he was the highest-graded Bengal in week one:

    Unfortunately, the others on the Bengalsā€™ defensive line have not played up to anything close to Hendricksā€™ level this year. The hope is that when the team gets former top pick Myles Murphy back from injury and that he can continue the progress that he showed towards the end of last year.

    Mike Gesicki Has Revitalized The Bengals’ Tight End Situation

    Gesickiā€™s touchdown against the Patriots should have counted. But the Bengalsā€™ tight end didnā€™t dwell on the past when he took the field against Kansas City. He hauled in seven catches for 91 yards. Although he didnā€™t score, his 37-yard reception early on really opened things up for Burrow and the offense. His 91 yards was the fourth-best performance in his career. The Bengals struggled to get much of anything out of the tight end position last year, but the progression of Gesicki and rookie Erick All (who had four receptions of his own on Sunday) bring a lot of promise to the position this season.

    ———————-

    Hey readersā€¦ have an opinion about sports? How about a topic youā€™d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

    We would love to hear from our readers, and we thank you for your support and engagement.

    Also, don’t forget to follow us at The Loveland Sports Desk at the below links:

    For Facebook, click here.

    For X, click here.

    For Instagram, click here.Ā 

    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coachā€™s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • The Bengals Fall in Shocking Week One Loss to the New England Patriots

    The Bengals Fall in Shocking Week One Loss to the New England Patriots

    by Chris Ball

    Loveland, Ohio – The hallmark of great teams is that they identify their problems and do all they can to at least fix them, or perhaps even turn them into strengths. But for the Cincinnati Bengals, Sundayā€™s loss to the New England Patriots made it painfully clear that they have many of the same problems that plagued them in 2023. The Patriots came into Paycor Stadium and exposed Cincinnatiā€™s flaws on their way to a 16-10 victory.

    The Bengals had the seventh-worse run defense in 2023. They allowed 2,145 yards at a clip of 4.7 yards per carry. It was a major flaw that only got worse after the departure of DJ Reader to the Lions. Though the team signed Sheldon Rankins, but his primary specialty is rushing the passer. The hope was that drafting Kris Jenkins out of Michigan might help in that department, but he was inactive against the Patriots due to injury. Essentially the Bengals banked on their existing players finding a way to be more effective in stopping the run.

    And that bet failed to pay any dividends on Sunday.

    Rhamondre Stevenson and the Patriots punished Cincinnati to the tune of 170 yards on 39 carries for a 4.4 yards per carry average. Those yards hurt the worst in the first half and then again to seal the game in the fourth quarter. Time and again Stevenson, and even journeyman quarterback Jacoby Brissett broke tackles and frustrated the Bengals defense on their way to tough yards and big first downs.

    The Patriots had the seventh-worst rushing attack last year and only averaged 3.9 yards per carry and a paltry nine touchdowns. And yet, the Bengals looked overmatched in every phase of the running game on defense. They were blown off of the ball bullied on numerous occasions.

    It bodes ill for future games against the likes of the Baltimore Ravens. They rushed for 185 yards on 32 carries in their loss against the Chiefs this week. Lamar Jackson accounted for 122 of those yards and is a much more dynamic athlete than Brissett, who had 32 yards of his own (for a 4.6 average) against the Bengals this week.

    The first game of the year clearly demonstrated that the Bengalsā€™ weakness against the run hasnā€™t been addressed. Itā€™s fair to say itā€™s unclear exactly what the plan might be to improve in that area apart from simply hoping that the defense finds ways to play better or perhaps develop a scheme to limit the damage on that front.

    It is a tale as old as time. The Bengals show up the first week of the season utterly unprepared and Zac Taylor makes excuses as to why it continues to happen. The Bengals are 1-10 in weeks one-two since Taylor has become the head coach for Cincinnati. This is yet another concerning aspect of this team that continues into 2024 without any signs of being addressed.

    Whether it was Charlie Jonesā€™ fumble on a punt return or Tanner Hudsonā€™s inexplicable fumble holding the ball out for anyone to take, there were plenty of instances on Sunday that made it clear this team was firing on less than all cylinders. While the players have to make plays on the field, the overall composure and tempo of a team is tied directly to the preparation and readiness instilled by the game plan put in place by the head coach going into a game. Those aspects were sorely lacking in Sundayā€™s game.

    Perhaps the most questionable of all of Zac Taylorā€™s decisions came with just 2:56 to play in the fourth quarter. It was fourth and 5 when Taylor chose not to trust in his franchise quarterback but punt the ball away to the Patriots and trust in his defense to get a stop. That defense promptly allowed the Patriots to run all over them to put the game out of reach, rather than give Joe Burrow or Jaā€™Marr Chase a chance to make a special play and come back to win the game.

     

    For once in what seemed like a long while, injuries werenā€™t the major holdup that prevented the Bengals from having a successful offseason. Burrow, Chase, Higgins, and many others were physically healthy and able to have a complete camp and preseason together to focus on 2024. But while the physical health might have been there, there were plenty of other issues that robbed this team of the necessary reps during the summer. Whether it was Higginsā€™ dissatisfaction with his lack of a big contract or Chaseā€™s desire for his own mega-deal, there was never a feeling that the Bengalsā€™ most explosive and important players were on the same page so that they would be ready to start the season off strong. And that is what we saw on Sunday, a disjointed team that looked out of sync and unprepared to win a game against a team they should have handled comfortably.

    Another major flaw in this team was their inability to run the football. One of the few rushing defenses worse than the Patriots was the Bengalsā€™ last year. They managed just 1,527 yards at 4.0 yards per carry, the second worst rush offense in the league. They replaced Joe Mixon with Zach Moss and hoped that Chase Brown could step up to be a dynamic back.

    On Sunday the Bengals ran the ball well, at least statistically. While Cincinnati was able to manage 4.4 yards per carry, they only mustered 70 total yards on the ground. The Bengals offense operated in fits and starts overall and turnovers certainly did not help them gain any real momentum. The run game was certainly a victim of that.

    Like it or not, the Bengals will go only so far as Joe Burrow will take them. Cincinnati fans were understandably excited to see their franchise quarterback on the field for the first time since November of last year. While it was good to see Burrowā€™s accuracy on display, he took no chances down the field and kept it vanilla. He averaged just 5.7 yards per completion and had 164 yards passing on 21 completions.

    Whether it was the play calling by Taylor and new offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher (who has plenty of questions of his own to face after this game), Burrowā€™s rustiness, or even his lingering injury, Bengals fans are fair to have some trepidation about their all-pro quarterback, epically given that he had a full and healthy offseason to prepare for this game. What is most perplexing is that Burrow put up such low numbers while facing so little pressure:

    There isnā€™t any way to sugar coat things. The Bengals head to Arrowhead next week to take on the Kansas City Chiefs. The defending Super Bowl champions are fresh off a close but impressive win against a very good Ravens team. That have a good running back in Isiah Pacheco and a dynamic quarterback in Patrick Mahomes. If the Chiefs are allowed to run the ball with impunity, then it makes Mahomes all the more deadly in the passing game. The Bengals have a lot of work to do before next Sunday, and this loss against the Patriots clearly demonstrated that if they don’t fix those issues, things could get very ugly very quickly.

    ———————-

    Hey readersā€¦ have an opinion about sports? How about a topic youā€™d like to see written about in Loveland Magazine or a thought about one of our articles?

    Just need to vent and get out your frustration about the Reds, Bengals, or any other sports issues?

    Feel free to share with an email to lovelandmagazinesports@gmail.com!

    We would love to hear from our readers, and we thank you for your support and engagement.

    Also, don’t forget to follow us at The Loveland Sports Desk at the below links:

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    Christopher Ball is a longtime Loveland resident and an attorney. He graduated from Loveland High School in 2003 and was a member of the football team before going on to become a coachā€™s assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He has been following and rooting for the Reds and Bengals since the early 1990s and has been through the many ups and downs that fandom has wrought over the years.

  • Official statements from Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, and NFL

    Official statements from Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, and NFL

    Photo by Cincinnati Bengals

    7:36 AM – Tuesday, January 3, 2023

    Up-dated at 8:38 AM with this Buffalo Bills Statement

    The Buffalo Bills issued the following statement at 1:48 am on Damar Hamlin’s condition.

    Photo by Buffalo Bills

    “Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in the Buffalo Bills’ game versus the Cincinnati Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”

    Hamlin’s injury took place at the 5:58 mark of the first quarter. The game was postponed by the NFL after Hamlin received medical attention on the field.

    The team and all of the sports world continue to pray for his recovery. Get well soon Damar!

    Statement: Cincinnati Bengals

    The Bills at Bengals game has been suspended until further notice. We will provide more details as they are available.

    From Bengals.com:

    The Bengals’ Monday night game against the Bills at Paycor Stadium was postponed when Bills safety Damar Hamlin was taken from the field in critical condition.

    Hamlin went down with 5:58 left in the first quarter when he tackled Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins after what appeared to be routine a 13-yard gain. He got up and then suddenly collapsed.

    NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Hamlin received immediate medical attention on the field by team and independent medical staff and local paramedics. He was then transported to University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

    “Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills,” Goodell said in the statement. “We will provide more information as it becomes available. The NFL has been in constant communication with the NFL Players Association, which is in agreement with postponing the game.”

    A pall quickly fell over the most anticipated Monday Night Football game in recent memory that was not only taking place before a national television audience but in front of an overflow crowd thought to be the biggest crowd in Paycor history.

    Hamlin, 24, is a second-year player from the University of Pittsburgh.

    In a midnight media conference call, Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations, said the decision to postpone the game came after the head coaches, Zac Taylor of the Bengals and Sean McDermott of the Bills, met with their teams back in the locker rooms.

    “It was fluid and things were changing by the minute. The emotions you can imagine in both locker rooms,” said Vincent, who along with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith were patched into conversations with the coaches and head referee Shawn Smith.

    “I commend both of those coaches. Tough situation to go back and look at 53 men in the locker room to just try and calm people down. It was obvious on the phone with them that emotions were extremely high. It was a very volatile situation and I think the coaches, they led tonight. They led their locker rooms.”

    Vincent said there was no thought of resuming the game after a five-minute delay.

    “Five-minute warmup never crossed my mind, personally. And I was the one,” Vincent said, “that was communicating with the Commissioner. We never, frankly, it never crossed our mind to talk about warming up to resume play. That’s ridiculous. That’s insensitive. And that’s not a place that we should ever be in.”

    Jeff Miller, NFL executive vice president of communications, public affairs & policy, said there has been no thought about how the league plans to address the unprecedented postponement when it comes to a future date. It won’t be Tuesday. The Bills planned to fly home Monday night, although the league said some of Hamlin’s teammates stayed behind to be with him.

    “That’s not the consideration right now,” Miller said. “Our concern is for the player and his well-being. At the appropriate time, I’m sure that we’ll have a conversation around the next steps regarding the game.”

    The Official Statement from the NFL:

    Tonight’s Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game has been postponed after Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin collapsed, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced.

    Hamlin received immediate medical attention on the field by team and independent medical staff and local paramedics. He was then transported to a local hospital where he is in critical condition.

    Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills. We will provide more information as it becomes available.

    The NFL has been in constant communication with the NFL Players Association which is in agreement with postponing the game.

    The NFL Network:

    Bills safety Damar Hamlin in critical condition after suffering cardiac arrest; Buffalo-Cincinnati game postponed

    Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, 24, suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Bills announced early Tuesday morning. He is currently sedated and in critical condition.

    With just over six minutes remaining in the first quarter Monday night, Hamlin tackled Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins after a 13-yard catch. Hamlin got to his feet, then collapsed backward. Hamlin received CPR while on the field. According to the Bills, his heartbeat was restored on the field before he was transported in an ambulance to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for further testing and treatment.

    After initially suspending play, the NFL announced the game had been postponed.

    “Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bills,” the NFL said in a statement on Monday. “We will provide more information as it becomes available. The NFL has been in constant communication with the NFL Players Association which is in agreement with postponing the game.”

    The NFLPA said it had been in touch with both teams and the league, and is focused on Hamlin’s “health and well-being.”

    Hamlin was attended to immediately by medical staff, with players from both teams surrounding him, many of them visibly emotional. After Hamlin was taken to the hospital, officials spoke with coaches from both teams. The decision was then made to suspend play, with players and coaches exiting the field to the locker room, before the game was ultimately postponed.

    On a conference call with the media a couple hours after the game’s postponement, NFL executive vice president of personnel Troy Vincent said there was never any conversation about a five-minute warmup period to resume play, as was referenced during the ESPN broadcast.

    “It never crossed our mind to talk about warming up to resume play,” Vincent said. “That’s ridiculous. That’s insensitive.”

    Bills players were scheduled to travel back to Buffalo from Cincinnati on Monday night, with a handful of members from the organization staying back to support Hamlin, Vincent said. Members of the Bengals organization, including head coach Zac Taylor, also went to the hospital to check on Hamlin, NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reported.

    There are currently no plans to resume the Bills-Bengals game and a determination on that will be made at an appropriate time, NFL EVP of communications, public affairs and policy Jeff Miller said on the conference call. The game was halted with six minutes remaining in the first quarter and the Bengals leading, 7-3.

    Since his hospitalization, there has been an outpouring of support to a community fundraiser Hamlin previously established.

    Hamlin was a sixth-round pick of the Bills in the 2021 NFL Draft. He made his first career start in Week 3 of this season after Buffalo safety Micah Hyde sustained a season-ending injury. Hamlin has remained in the starting lineup ever since.

  • Zac Taylor Signs Contract Extension

    Zac Taylor Signs Contract Extension

    Hobson_Geoff

    Geoff Hobson

    Bengals.com Senior Writer

    Three years ago, the day after the Super Bowl, Zac Taylor signed on to coach the Bengals.

    Three days after this Super Bowl, Taylor signed an extension through 2026 before heading to Wednesday’s Washington Park rally honoring his Bengals and their just-miss loss to the Rams in Super Bowl LVI.

    “He’s a good young coach,” said Bengals president Mike Brown, back in his Paul Brown Stadium office handwriting thank you notes to his well-wishers.

    “Zac has come into the league and worked to develop the foundations for a winning program that can be successful over time. The fruits of Zac’s efforts were seen this year, and Zac is well-regarded by our players and coaches. I know the effort and passion Zac brings to the building and to our team, and I am pleased by his approach. And I think the city of Cincinnati sees him the way the players and I do. He’s brought excitement to the town and deserves credit and recognition for that.”

    It was Brown and the city that Taylor acknowledged with game balls after the Bengals won their first playoff in game in 31 years, a thrilling 26-19 Wild Card win in a sea of sound supplied by the largest Paul Brown Stadium crowd ever.

    After linebacker Germaine Pratt’s interception at the Bengals 2 with 12 seconds left, Taylor pointed to Brown’s patience through the 6-25-1 record of his first two seasons. Then he went to Mount Lookout Tavern to hand out some game balls to fans, igniting a playoff tradition. 

    “If I coached in any other organization in football, I probably wouldn’t be here right now in my third year. That’s the truth,” Taylor said.

    The patience paid off when a team that lost 13 one-score games in that stretch became the first team in history to win three straight postseason games by just 13 points.

    And after Taylor began his career unable to win his first 15 road games, he delivered the franchise’s first two road playoff victories.  

    “He’s excelled managing the team. When he first started, he was someone who had dealt with one side of the ball. I think he’s learned to manage the whole thing,” said assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons.

    “It just comes from experience. He has a great way with our players. When he talks to them, it’s heartfelt. It’s to the point, but heartfelt and everybody listens to what he says and they take what he says to heart. It’s well thought out. It’s structured. All the guys that matter are listening. He’s also helped select the right guys to build the foundation and get the culture he wants.”

    220122-Burrow-Joe_dropback

    Mike Brown spent his first years in pro football watching his father, Browns head coach Paul Brown, dominate the game in the 1950s with quarterback Otto Graham. That cemented his belief that the coach and the quarterback are at the top of the list when it comes to winning in the NFL and he’s got faith in the team of Taylor and Joe Burrow.  

    Then as he helped his father build the expansion Bengals, he saw how patience could be a virtue.

    “I watched what he did. He was doing a good job when sometimes the results weren’t what we wanted,” Brown said. “There were reasons for it. Once we got Joe in the harness and some other guys playing the way they can play, we got to the point where we can pretty much play with anybody.”

    It was also not lost on the offensive-minded Brown that the 2021 Bengals scored 444 points in the 16 games the starters played. That was four short of the franchise record set by the iconic 1988 offense. Clearly, he likes the new wave offense Taylor runs. 

    “In this league, if you want to get to where you wish, getting to the Super Bowl, you need a lot of things,” Brown said. “All of those are important. But certain people, and I would be one, would say the most important part is being able to score. These days 30 points is at a level you’re able to win week in and week out. It’s something we’re shooting for in the future. We have the ability to do it if we’re going right. Zac is the reason we can do that. It’s his system. He teaches it effectively and our guys have bought into it.”