How many more games will the Cincinnati Bengals drop to what fans and analysts alike are calling poor play-calling by head coach Zac Taylor? In their recent loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Taylor took full responsibility for a crucial fourth-down decision many feel set up the Bengals for failure.
Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow, who played a solid game with 26 of 37 completions for 234 yards, even led the Bengals to an early 2-yard TD pass to Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals managed to keep a lead through the first half, but as the game moved into the third quarter, Jalen Hurts and the Eagles shifted gears, pushing Philadelphia to a 24-17 win.
Former NFL GM Michael Lombardi didn’t hold back on his criticism, arguing the Bengals have both a coaching and “toughness” problem. According to Lombardi, Taylor hasn’t built the right mindset for his team, instead leaning too much on Burrow to carry the load.
On the GM Shuffle podcast, co-host Patrick Meagher suggested that Taylor “owes Joe Burrow an apology,” and Lombardi agreed, even questioning Taylor’s ability to adapt, “Zac, at what point don’t you realize that either you change, or you don’t?”
Lombardi took it a step further by recalling how Sean Payton had to adapt his own play-calling with Drew Brees, realizing the importance of balancing the offense to avoid putting excessive pressure on his quarterback. In contrast, Taylor’s approach against the Eagles relied almost entirely on Burrow’s arm, resulting in a weak 58 rushing yards compared to Philadelphia’s 161.
The Bengals’ sole rushing touchdown came from a 4-yard run by Chase Brown, underscoring the team’s struggles on the ground. Lombardi asked a question many fans might be thinking: why can’t the Bengals adopt a more balanced strategy like the Lions with Jared Goff, who recently threw for just 85 yards yet saw his team put up 52 points?
After the game, Taylor openly admitted his play-calling missteps. Reflecting on the controversial fourth-and-one play, he acknowledged, “That’s 100% on me… Got to give us a better answer.” While he defended the aggressive call to go for it, he conceded that a different play might have set the Bengals up for success.
With three games in a row scoring fewer than 21 points, Cincinnati now finds itself slipping down the standings at 3-5. If Taylor doesn’t make adjustments soon, this season could spiral further, leaving Burrow and the Bengals watching the playoffs from the sidelines.
