There’s plenty of blame to go around.
From Super Bowl to Toilet Bowl, all of this has been done in the span of eight games.
The Cincinnati Bengals entered the season with Super Bowl aspirations. Anything short would be a failure.
After Sunday’s embarrassing performance against the Philadelphia Eagles, a loss that kept the Bengals winless in their once-impenetrable home venue, it’s just about time to break out the toilet paper.
And it’s time to start pointing fingers at those who are most responsible for Cincinnati’s disappointing 3-5 start.
4. The Players
Let’s be perfectly honest here. As much as I would like to pin the blame on the coaching staff, everything has to begin and end with the players. Defensive lapses have plagued each and every game, wins and losses. Sometimes, the Bengals were able to overcome them. Most times, though, they could not.
Defensive pass interference directly resulted in the loss to Kansas City. Missed tackles spelled doom against New England and Washington. Cincinnati held Baltimore’s Derrick Henry in check for four quarters before his 51-yard run in overtime handed the Ravens the victory.
In the loss to Philadelphia, it was the Bengals’ failure to pick up a single yard on two straight tries that turned the tide.
3. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo
Lou Anarumo was once on everybody’s list as a future head coach. Things have changed quickly. A defense that was once among the league’s best, and known for its “bend but don’t break” mentality, now is having a hard time getting out of its own way.
The third-and-16 conversion on the Eagles’ game-tying touchdown drive at the end of the first half Sunday is a perfect witness to what this season has been. Cincinnati’s non-existent pass rush gave wide receiver A.J. Brown time to find the open space in a zone behind cornerback Cam Taylor Britt.
Or, look at quarterback Jalen Hurts’ go-ahead 45-yard touchdown bomb to wide receiver DeVonta Smith, who out-wrestled safety Jordan Battle in the end zone. Battle had good coverage but did not get his head turned around.
Of course, this is just the latest example of a defense that has had more excuses than results. For the first several weeks, it was injuries that kept the defense from performing up to par. But now that everyone is healthy (for the most part) there are no more excuses. Just reality. And reality is not going to be kind to this defense.
This is a defense that was hand-selected by Anarumo. But it’s not working. Older players look old. Top picks are not developing. Breakdowns happen all over the field. Execution is just not there.
There is no one waiting in the wings and no indication that management has any intention of doing anything to help.
2. Duke Tobin
The official title is Director of Player Personnel, but Tobin is the de facto General Manager the Bengals have never had. But everything runs through Mike Brown and Katie Blackburn. And, when it comes to mid-season trades, everything is nothing.
November 1, 1972. That was the last time the Cincinnati Bengals made a mid-season trade. The Bengals picked up wide receiver Charlie Joiner and linebacker Ron Pritchard from the Houston Oilers in exchange for running backs Paul Robinson and Fred Willis. Pritchard started 46 games for Cincinnati, while Joiner spent three seasons with the Bengals before being traded to the Chargers, where he played 11 seasons and made three Pro Bowls.
Right or wrong, Tobin is a man who trusts in his coaches and pretty much rubber stamps their player personnel decisions. Maybe part of that is the fact that Cincinnati has the NFL’s smallest scouting department. But it has become increasingly obvious that whatever he is doing is not working. Something has to give.
1. Zac Taylor
And that something has to be the man at the top, Zac Taylor. Of course, if the Bengals manage to turn this all around and win seven of their next nine games, as quarterback Joe Burrow has suggested they will probably need to do in order to make the playoffs, Taylor will be seen as a genius and columns like this will fade into obscurity.
Frankly, I hope that is exactly what happens. But I doubt it.
The defensive line, with the exception of Trey Hendrickson, is old and slow. The lack of a pass rush against the Eagles proved that to be the case. The young secondary just can’t seem to get it together for any length of time. And the veterans who were brought in to provide a steadying hand have all but disappeared.
Cincinnati’s offensive line is the best that Taylor has ever had, but he has no idea how to take advantage of their skill set. He all but refuses to run the ball, even though running backs Zack Moss and Chase Brown, at one point this season, were listed among the most efficient tandem in the league.
Instead, Taylor allows his star quarterback, the most important cog in the offensive machine, to endure constant pressure. There are no secrets in the Bengals’ arsenal, no surprises. When you face Cincinnati, Burrow is going to throw the ball. Take that away or slow it down, and you win.
Case in point. Late in the third quarter with the Bengals trailing 24-17, Cincinnati faced a third-and-one at its own 39-yard-line. Taylor sent in Moss, and everyone on both sides knew he was going to run the ball. He got stopped for no gain.
On fourth down, Taylor called a bubble screen to receiver Ja’Marr Chase, a play call that fooled absolutely no one. Chase had no chance and was dropped for no gain.
Don’t get me wrong. There are some great players on the Bengals’ roster. But until they find someone who understands exactly how to use them, things are not likely to get better.
Who do you blame the most? Sound off in the comments!
