are we supposed to care?

[Cincyfan78]

he was obviously still in rehab mode when we started the season. it's tough though. I mean, he wants to play, but he was obviously not ready. if the coach benches the billion dollar man and starts browning instead and we lose, buh buy coach.

Yeah - it's a tough call, but it's what you get paid to do. If Burrow had gotten wrecked in game 1 or 2, same situation...I'd rather sit the guy than watch him get torn a part...but that's just me.

Or - if you know he's compromised - maybe don't have him drop back a nearly combined 75 times in the 1st two games....gotta plan better than that offensively...and this is where my major gripes with Taylor land. I don't trust Taylor to consistently do what is best for the offense to get the most out of them.

I'll keep saying it, because I feel like this statement is true. No one gets less out of more than Taylor on an offense that has Burrow, Chase, Higgins.

 

[cincygrad]

It's hard in the midst to be objective - but overall - this year wasn't a total loss. When you consider Burrow wasn't Burrow for at least 4 games, then was lost in game 10...Higgins and Chase missing games, and Higgins having a ROUGH contract year, and the defense wasn't what it was as it added basically 4 new starters all in the secondary and returned 1 guy from a torn ACL, and other manner of issues...you're right...this team still won 8 games...several of them with a backup QB when still in the hunt for the playoffs.

Just goes to show you that maybe this team is still better than we all likely give them credit for...imagine a year like this, hardest schedule, but with a healthy Burrow? Or a defense that grows in the 2ndary much faster...suddenly looking at 11-12-13 potential wins. As it is, they'll likely get a small break next year getting the last place team in the divisions they play while returning nearly everyone needed healthy.

I think it's testament to the larger program that Taylor has built in Cincinnati. They have been fairly intentional in adding the right type of player that displays maturity and leadership potential. It would have been easy for this team to fingerpoint and go into the tank at several different junctures this season, but they didn't..... They revinted what they do and they had some success in what they were able to patch together. Those might sound like moral victories, but if this is what a season looks like when nothing goes right, I think I will take it. It's ironic becuase in the 2021 season our team did not have near the same talent and experience as the team we had (when healthy) in 2023. But, we had an insane amount of injury luck that season and things broke for us with our schedule that year. This year we had every reason to have high hopes and things starting falling apart on the third day of camp. Even if we fall somewhere in the middle of good fortune for next season that will likely put us in the mix as a contender in the AFC.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Yeah - it's a tough call, but it's what you get paid to do. If Burrow had gotten wrecked in game 1 or 2, same situation...I'd rather sit the guy than watch him get torn a part...but that's just me.

Or - if you know he's compromised - maybe don't have him drop back a nearly combined 75 times in the 1st two games....gotta plan better than that offensively...and this is where my major gripes with Taylor land. I don't trust Taylor to consistently do what is best for the offense to get the most out of them.

I'll keep saying it, because I feel like this statement is true. No one gets less out of more than Taylor on an offense that has Burrow, Chase, Higgins.

I know, I feel like we should be tearing teams apart like the Kurt Warner Rams super bowl run.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I know, I feel like we should be tearing teams apart like the Kurt Warner Rams super bowl run.

Like the Ravens are doing to teams right now?

 

[Vitamike]

Two years removed from the Superbowl, who's in the better spot, your Bengals, or our Rams?

Just wondering what you all think...

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Two years removed from the Superbowl, who's in the better spot, your Bengals, or our Rams?

Just wondering what you all think...

Because our QB is younger and locked up for the next 6-7 years, my assumption is us, but only based on that. Have to keep developing your/our own talent and not throw so much money at FA and put yourselves or ourselves in financial hell.

 

[cincygrad]

Two years removed from the Superbowl, who's in the better spot, your Bengals, or our Rams?

Just wondering what you all think...

I admire what the Rams have been able to do. Most of us (I think) assumed they would be in complete jail given their cap situation and all of those years without draft picks. They play tons of young players and now they've made a playoff push - Long before expected. All that said, Stafford, Donald and Cupp are all older players. At some point they'll need a QB which will be the most important piece. I don't think I would be a homer to say that the Bengals are in better shape - They have Burrow and Chase with their prime years in front of them. They've shown some promise from young draft picks but definitely need to show more. But honestly, as I've mentioned in other posts, the fact that they won 8 games this year with Burrow being a non-factor in all but 4 or 5 of them, and against a brutal schedule, shows you how solid the foundation of this team is.

So, I'll say Bengals.

 

[BKBroiler9000]

Yeah - it's a tough call, but it's what you get paid to do. If Burrow had gotten wrecked in game 1 or 2, same situation...I'd rather sit the guy than watch him get torn a part...but that's just me.

Or - if you know he's compromised - maybe don't have him drop back a nearly combined 75 times in the 1st two games....gotta plan better than that offensively...and this is where my major gripes with Taylor land. I don't trust Taylor to consistently do what is best for the offense to get the most out of them.

I'll keep saying it, because I feel like this statement is true. No one gets less out of more than Taylor on an offense that has Burrow, Chase, Higgins.

This is where I’m torn on Zac Taylor.

Its clear the man can coach. Obviously having a talent like Burrow at QB and studs like Chase and Tee helps. The Bengals have a winning culture and integrity in place that never existed under Marvin. Or any other regime if we are being honest. These guys care. They play hard every week. The team didn’t crater after losing their franchise QB. Stayed in playoff contention until the final week. With the toughest schedule in the NFL. With injuries everywhere.

Very few coaches could win games against solid teams with Jake Browning and bunch of spare TEs like the Bengals did. Zac seemed to adjust to Burrow not being there and ran the offense he was hired to. The run game was serviceable. Multiple personnel sets. Play action. It worked for a few weeks before crumbling.

My question is. Why can’t they do these things with Burrow out there? Why does the offense overachieve with backups and underachieve with elite talent? Is it Taylor’s play calling? Is it Callahan. Are they cowtowing too much to Burrow and what he likes to run? What gives.

 

[DanBengalfan]

This is where I’m torn on Zac Taylor.

Its clear the man can coach. Obviously having a talent like Burrow at QB and studs like Chase and Tee helps. The Bengals have a winning culture and integrity in place that never existed under Marvin. Or any other regime if we are being honest. These guys care. They play hard every week. The team didn’t crater after losing their franchise QB. Stayed in playoff contention until the final week. With the toughest schedule in the NFL. With injuries everywhere.

Very few coaches could win games against solid teams with Jake Browning and bunch of spare TEs like the Bengals did. Zac seemed to adjust to Burrow not being there and ran the offense he was hired to. The run game was serviceable. Multiple personnel sets. Play action. It worked for a few weeks before crumbling.

My question is. Why can’t they do these things with Burrow out there? Why does the offense overachieve with backups and underachieve with elite talent? Is it Taylor’s play calling? Is it Callahan. Are they cowtowing too much to Burrow and what he likes to run? What gives.

Burrow can call his own plays to an extent.

the injuries pretty much took most of his steam

 

[alf8478]

This is where I’m torn on Zac Taylor.

Its clear the man can coach. Obviously having a talent like Burrow at QB and studs like Chase and Tee helps. The Bengals have a winning culture and integrity in place that never existed under Marvin. Or any other regime if we are being honest. These guys care. They play hard every week. The team didn’t crater after losing their franchise QB. Stayed in playoff contention until the final week. With the toughest schedule in the NFL. With injuries everywhere.

Very few coaches could win games against solid teams with Jake Browning and bunch of spare TEs like the Bengals did. Zac seemed to adjust to Burrow not being there and ran the offense he was hired to. The run game was serviceable. Multiple personnel sets. Play action. It worked for a few weeks before crumbling.

My question is. Why can’t they do these things with Burrow out there? Why does the offense overachieve with backups and underachieve with elite talent? Is it Taylor’s play calling? Is it Callahan. Are they cowtowing too much to Burrow and what he likes to run? What gives.

And, with the exception of the steeler game (who are always a bad matchup) and the end of the chiefs game, the o line seemed to be much more competent and confident with Browning than Burrow.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Two years removed from the Superbowl, who's in the better spot, your Bengals, or our Rams?

Just wondering what you all think...

Rams seem to be dismantled. we may be soon.

 

[cincygrad]

And, with the exception of the steeler game (who are always a bad matchup) and the end of the chiefs game, the o line seemed to be much more competent and confident with Browning than Burrow.

I think it would be easy to make the argument that Burrow makes the line look bad from time to time. He's said it himself - He doesn't think sacks are always the worst outcome. He also prefers being in shotgun the entire game and is happy to play in empty. It puts your line in a tough spot. I hope they can find a happy medium with him. I think the same thing started limiting Aaron Rodgers over the years - An insistence on running only one kind of offense can put the rest of your team in a bad place.

 

[BKBroiler9000]

Coaches coach. Players play. As great as it is having a generational talent at QB, letting them hold the franchise hostage doesn’t work either.

Aaron Rodgers is the perfect example. All time great player. Held the Packers hostage with his insistence on running “his” offense. Went to the Jets. Demanded they sign “his” WRs and hire his drinking buddy to call plays. How’d that work out?

Look at the Packers now post Rodgers…
Turns out Matt LaFleur can coach some offense when he can actually run his offense. Jordan Love quietly 2nd in the league in TDs his first year as a starter and the GB back in the playoffs.

The Bengals need versatility and balance on offense. This isn’t LSU anymore. Empty set 5 wides is holding the entire offense back. Burrow is amazing. But there’s no reason he can’t play more under center and run more play action. Taylor needs to structure an offense around what’s best for the team. Not just for #9.

 

[cincygrad]

Coaches coach. Players play. As great as it is having a generational talent at QB, letting them hold the franchise hostage doesn’t work either.

Aaron Rodgers is the perfect example. All time great player. Held the Packers hostage with his insistence on running “his” offense. Went to the Jets. Demanded they sign “his” WRs and hire his drinking buddy to call plays. How’d that work out?

Look at the Packers now post Rodgers…
Turns out Matt LaFleur can coach some offense when he can actually run his offense. Jordan Love quietly 2nd in the league in TDs his first year as a starter and the GB back in the playoffs.

The Bengals need versatility and balance on offense. This isn’t LSU anymore. Empty set 5 wides is holding the entire offense back. Burrow is amazing. But there’s no reason he can’t play more under center and run more play action. Taylor needs to structure an offense around what’s best for the team. Not just for #9.

Yeah.... I should also say that the calf injury this year might have necessitated some of the issues. Most of the beat writers talked about all the under center and playaction stuff that was noticeable during spring OTAs and the early days of training camp. The Bengals were definitely becoming more multiple in midseason after Burrow healed a bit. Hopefully it comes together.