The problem is clear it’s a roster issue not a coaching issue. Their defense was one of the better defenses in football in 2021 in 2022. Take a look at the players they brought in through free agents through those years and the players they drafted and developed Compared to what they’ve done the last two years. It’s night and day. You cannot have a good defense without having the players on the roster. Lou has given us a track record to have a good defense when he has the players. Biggest FA signings: 2024- Stone / Rankings 2023 Nick Scott / Pratt (lost Bates & Vonn) 2022 BJ Hill, Apple 2021 Trey, Hilton, Awuzie, Larry O., Mike Daniels 2020 DJ Reader, Waynes , Josh Bynes 2021/2022 you had the players & the coach. Without the players you can’t win.
@@AS-sp2vz You are right its a roster issue. But who oversees those roster issues and makes the decisions. Its Tobin, Taylor and for the defense its Anarumo. Mike Brown is just cheap and so he handcuffs the staff to a degree. His cheapness let some really good players walk in their prime. Plus, look at the drafts. where is the young talent? Granted we got Burrow, Chase, Higgins and Mims and i think chase Brown will be very good. But our Oline and Dline drafting has been utter caca. You build teams on the lines. We are not strong there and thats why this team is soft as a pillow.
Ok cut Joe burrow change is needed. You see how that makes no sense. Taylor is in charge of the offense, fire Lou and every single one of our defensive players
@@Brickwilliams lol what you said makes no sense. No one said anything about Joe Burrow. Zac is the head coach so he’s accountable for the entire team, not just the offense. I’m not saying he’s the only one to blame. I actually think this is more of an organizational issue, but we know no one in the front office is going. Duke Tobin is basically part of the Brown family. So a change needs to happen. Just because Zac calls the plays does not entitle him to credit for the offense’s successes this year. We see numerous times a game where Joe gets pressure and/or the play breaks down and he and his receivers improvise. So yeah, I give more credit to the players there than the coaches. If anything, the surge in offensive output from last year to this year can also be attributed to Pitcher becoming the OC. Where’s his love, if you’re going to defend Zac? He may not *call* the plays during the game but he has tons of input in designing them during the week. And I think Zac has failed plenty of times in those in-game decisions. It’s not all on Zac, but I absolutely think they could do much better. And yes, of course, I’d let Lou go too. But that’s a given. When you fire your HC, usually a whole new staff comes with the new HC.
@@no2_j I mean if they can do better than obviously I’m for that but it’s not like Zac is a bad coach like everyone is saying and we shouldn’t fire him for just anybody, our defensive personnel and kicker costed us this season. Need to genuinely replace 80% of our defense, everybody outside of Hendrickson, Wilson, bj, and maybe a couple others, as many as we can replace they are all atrocious
Change is needed? Take you all night to think that one up? The kind of change this franchise does is "spare change" the kind that jingles in our pockets. They define change as flip flopping from the practice squad.
Absolutely not. The ownership doesn’t give a rip about the fans. They care about being profitable. People should stop buying swag and going to games. Hit ‘em in the pockets.
Zac, Lou and Duke Tobin need to be gone. People will say bullshit like "real fans will stick by the team!". We have have a GENERATIONAL player base right now besides our secondary and d-line. If you think being angry at squandering their youth and talent with these shit ass clown show coaches is being a bad fan, you're the problem and we don't want you here.
@@okayconnnor Facts 💯💯💯 start with Duke , Frank , Zack all of need to go !! There atrocious at their job and have been for years !!! Enough is enough !!!
Short memories! Marvin Lewis could not even win a playoff game. Lou is good, but not in are division. We need linebackers not safeties. You can't go up against the biggest rb's in the league with a defensive full of safeties. Small safeties at that
Can them all with Duke Tobin, Katie and Troy Blackburn included. Zac Taylor is what he is at this point. He didnt get them to the superbowl with his decisions, the team got him there with talent all over the place.
Considering the Front Office & Coaching Staff have wasted an entire season with JoeyB. Katie won't fire herself, so at a minimum fire the coaching staff and bring in a headcoach that has atleast one Ring. Preferably 6
The front office has brought in some good talent - Joe, Ja'Marr, and Trey, just to name a few. Maybe the front office does need to be replaced. I don't know. The whole front office certainly did not treat Andrew Whitworth very well. Whit would have stayed here with the Bengals if they had treated him better! That makes me angry. Mike was on board to keep Whit, no one else was. There is a video about Whit's trade. I think having the WHOLE front office on the same page would be a huge step in the right direction.
@ Yes, they brought in a few good players. But, I think that is the exception. Overall the team is in a much worse state than the previous few years based on their assessment of talent.
@@Horsemom121anyone with a brain would’ve drafted Joe and Ja’Marr I don’t think they should get much credit for that more so than for not blowing those easy decisions
let's not forget the defense being very bad last year despite dj reader still being on the team and dj reader just wasn't the same. the downfall really started when jessie bates left 2 years ago. tbh, I saw it as a big deal but not as much as I should have. jessie bates alone would be making this secondary be playing way better than what it has been doing the past 2 seasons. imagine if we had jessie bates the past 2 seasons instead of nick scott/geno stone.
Keeping in mind the have Burrow for 5 more years, and not a day more. The answer is Yes! Clean house. Start a rebuild and maybe you get 3 seasons with as legit contender before he's gone.
I love Zac, he is a great guy, he is not the right person to lead this team. They have a chance to get Ben Johnson, go all out to get a top notch offensive mind. If he can do what he is doing with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jared Goff, imagine what he could do with Burrow and Chase.
@JamesSmith-jv4go no they need to maximize their strength, you can always find a good DC, you need a HC that will get the most out of their greatest assets
He’s in way over his Head !! He’s never been fitted to be a Head Coach in the NFL !! He’s bad at everything . Bad game management skills , bad schemes , no fire 🔥, no grit , just soft and this team is super soft a direct reflection on the Head Coach !!
Fire all of the defense coaches, fire the OL coach, and let Dan Pitcher do the playcalling just to see how he does. I would also consider completely revamping their scouting department.
There needs to be scouting department to then revamp. We don't draft well with our coaches serving as scouts (unless we coach the senior bowl) or like now, have an off-season that started monday
you can't look at these players and say they are bad enough individually that a coach has no choice but for them to be not just bad, but historically bad. Maybe if coached well they could be slightly below average instead of one of the worst bengals defenses of all time.
@@JFTB-i8y The one constant over recent years has been Lou, and Lou also coached one of the best defenses the Bengals have ever had. I doubt he forgot how to coach. I think in this case he can only work with the tools provided to him. You could get the best coach in the world to coach me, and I'd be carted off to the hospital on the first play!
I GOT NEWS 4 YA , THE MECHANICS ALWAYS ALWAYS PICKS HIS OWN TOOLS. ASK ANY DAMN GOOD MECHANICS. IF U GOT THE WRONG TOOLS IT'S UR DAMN FAULT. ACCOUNTABLITY WITH THE HEAD IS WHERE THIS SHIT START. OH BY THE WAY A GOOD MECHANIC CAN TAKE SOME OF THE RUSTY TOOLS AND MAKE UR CAR WORK. IVE SEEN DEM DO IT. I LOVE THAT JOE IS HOLDING PPL ACCOUNTABLE. BUT NO MORE OF THIS BLEEDING. HOLD DEM DAMN COACHES ACCOUNTABLE. THIS IS A TEAM WITH SUPERBOWL ASPIRATIONS AND THEY NEED COACHES TO HANDLE THEM AS SUCH
Have to rebuild the defense,new coaches on that side of the ball. The same can be said with Frank Pollack and the need to rebuild the interior of the line. The Bengals will not have any issues hiring coordinator or DB coach’s,they will spend big on that side of the ball in FA next year. As far as Zach Taylor,he will have to learn how to draft and develop a Tight End,running back,number two receiver behind Jamarr. Then the O line coach and rebuilt crew will have to develop Matt Lee,then draft a LG along with a RG and develop them. If Zac Taylor can get the Bengals ready to play week 1,address the O line issues,have a power RB to complement Joe,with a solid TE the offense will be just fine. I want to see Joe Burrow,Jamarr Chase,Trey Hendrickson step up as captains motivating pumping up players as they come off the field. We need more juice on that sideline,these last 5 games mean a lot to where this team will go.
A 6 member scouting team will not cut it every play we drafted after Joe and chase have been busts and the only reason we got them is because they were everywhere and very obviously a great pick the scouting team with only 6 members will have it hard to find people like Patrick Mahomes that come from a college that isn’t that good
@@Tom-h9e I would have believed that 5 years ago but there does seem to be a change in things I’ve been surprised about. A new practice dome. A new workout facility and locker room. Making moves in free agency. Maybe they’ll surprise us again and get an experienced coach. I’ve wondered if the changes are from the next generation as they take over control.
Hey, BIG Bengals fan here! I’m subscribing to your channel because I love the team and I want to see y’all hit 50k, but I do hope your content improves. You had one major point in this video: The conversation about the future of the Bengals has to start with head coaching. This is a great point, but it felt like the whole video was you just finding different ways to reiterate the same message. I would appreciate either more substance or shortening the length of the video. Maybe less frequent uploads would help with having more to say?
If we have learned anything. Mike brown. Doesn’t want to move on from a coach. I’ve seen 3 head coaches in my lifetime. We will have Zac for a long time.
Mike will move on from a coach, we had Dave shula after sam wyche, Bruce coslet, dick labeau, Marvin now Zac. We had plenty coaches... It's just Marvin lasted longer
No one is getting fired. The Bengals are not a serious franchise. They're a cash cow that pays whether they win or not, and that's all Mike Brown cares about. 40 year fan here. Newbs, get out while you can unless you just enjoy sad Sundays.
The Cincinnati Bengals was mentioned on a national news channel. Fox News on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 during the show, The Five, mentioned the Cincinnati Bengals offensive play calling. Dana Perino, a member of the Five, said “Imagine if the Bengals watched all the tapes from their last season (2024) and said it wasn’t so bad we’ll run the same plays next year.” To make a point of how some cities are being badly run. Her point is - the Bengals and cities (Chicago) are calling bad plays!
I do believe the direction we go in the off season is pivotal. I think the front office loves consistency with the head coach being the same but they better make the right choice. We have a once in a generational qb in his prime. We half to make the right decision.
Zac does some things that I don't agree with, but not cause for firing. Ditto for coaches. Need to start in the front office. It is a Bengal tradition to: 1. Let players go because they cost too much...they play for years for other teams...Zeitler is still playing in the NFL. 2. With few exceptions, they cannot neither evaluate or develop OL's, or D players. Ogbuehi is on the Jets roster...starting? 3. Spend little time or money on scouts, to better find talent, not to rely on Kuyper and Scechter The current regime is intent on keeping things stable without changing. Those days are gone.Ergo, Bengals are doomed to stay a second tier team, and waste careers like Burrow, Chase, Hendrickson, et al.
Listen to Joe Burrow. To become consistently competitive in the AFC North, the Cincinnati Bengals must tailor their strategies to dominate divisional opponents-Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland. Here’s how they can evolve: 1. Strengthen the Trenches • Offensive Line: The AFC North is known for physical defenses. To counter Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt, Cleveland’s Myles Garrett, and Baltimore’s blitz-heavy schemes, the Bengals must build a dominant, durable offensive line. Prioritize pass protection for Joe Burrow while enabling a strong run game to neutralize the aggressive pass rush. • Defensive Line: Invest in stopping the run and pressuring opposing quarterbacks. Cleveland’s Nick Chubb, Pittsburgh’s balanced offense, and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson thrive on ground gains. Dominance in the trenches is key to disrupting their rhythm. 2. Game-Specific Schemes • Baltimore Ravens: Focus on containing Lamar Jackson by employing athletic linebackers and safeties who can shadow him while maintaining zone discipline. Keep the secondary prepared for deep shots to complement a stout run defense. • Pittsburgh Steelers: Exploit their offensive weaknesses. Generate consistent pressure on their quarterback while utilizing quick passing plays to neutralize their pass rush. • Cleveland Browns: Control the clock to limit Nick Chubb’s opportunities. On defense, double-team Garrett and ensure Burrow releases the ball quickly to avoid sacks and turnovers. 3. Depth and Durability • AFC North games are physical and injury-prone. Build a deeper roster, especially on both lines and at skill positions, to withstand the wear and tear of these divisional battles. 4. Run Game Balance • Commit to a balanced offensive attack. A strong running game not only complements Joe Burrow but also controls the clock, wears down defenses, and keeps divisional offenses off the field. 5. Elite Defense • While the Bengals’ offense gets the spotlight, they need a top-tier defense to succeed in the AFC North. Invest in a lockdown secondary to counter Pittsburgh’s wide receivers, Cleveland’s play-action threats, and Baltimore’s evolving passing game. 6. Special Teams Excellence • Close games in the AFC North often come down to special teams. Ensure the kicking game remains reliable and prioritize field position battles through effective punting and kick coverage. 7. Mental Toughness and Execution • The AFC North thrives on gritty, physical play. Develop a “next play” mentality for grinding out wins in tough weather, hostile environments, and close games. Minimize penalties and turnovers that can cost divisional wins. 8. Matchup-Based Drafting and Free Agency • Focus on acquiring players specifically suited to beating AFC North opponents. Look for gritty, high-character players who excel in physical matchups and thrive in cold-weather games. 9. Playoff Mentality Year-Round • Treat every divisional game like a playoff game. Winning the AFC North consistently sets the stage for deeper playoff runs and credibility against the rest of the NFL. By building a foundation for dominance within the division, the Bengals can establish themselves as perennial contenders in the AFC and beyond. It all starts with the road through Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland.
I'm tired of Zac taking responsibility. If he really means that and he's responsible this many times, over and over and over, then he should save us from having to fire him and simply resign. I mean really. If words mean things, then him taking responsibility over and over and over and over and over and over again, means that he's admitting that he's not the guy.
There is no doubt in any NFL fan's mind Taylor is TERRIBLE. The talent and change of culture when Joe arrived is why they won. Taylor is a bad coach, and is in WAY over his head. Send a less than college coach to the Bengals and this is what we have now.... Vrabel's out there, Gruden's out there. Chargers dug up a great coach. Texans got a great coach out of nowhere. Dolphins recognized a great coach when the seen him. Rams, Vikings.... Zac's not cut out for this, 100% is not HC coaching material.
Really like how he framed this - I definitely think ZT is fourth in the AFCN if we're ranking HCs and that's a pretty good indicator that we don't have the right guy. And he's right also about the front office. Does anyone really think that Tobin would lead any other org in the NFL if the Bengals let him go? Not with his track record. He's gotta go for starters, then go from there.
I don't think it's the coach's fault at all. Even the greatest coach of all time isn't perfect. I guarantee you the Browns are presented with players the coaches would like to get. The Browns have the final say on how much money can be spent and who they get. There's no explanation for playing Geno Stoned over the other safeties though (In game) The coaches work around guys that don't pick up the playbook as quickly it takes time and they have to work around all that. They know they don't have the greatest players on defense that's why they don't bring the blitz as much. Everyone leaves here and plays good somewhere else so that says a lot. Look at how good Marvin Lewis was with the Ravens.
Zac needs to go. But, we all know Mike Brown won’t fire him until his contract is up. Burrow will waste away and probably go to another team once his contract is up.
Fire Tobin and Taylor... Hire BB... Let him decide who to keep on Coaching staff. If Lou Leaves he will go to Ravens as their DC and make Burrow's like hell for 2 games a year with Hamilton their talent to work with.
We already know the answer to these questions. Unfortunately, we also know that the Bengals are very unlikely to do the right thing in terms of moving closer to a championship. Just how I feel right now.
Dang Rapien,, solid CBT.. well done.. thought you were a “homer”… let’s get an identity! And develop what being a Bengal means! When you talk about what being a bengal is….we have been soft and gadgets for “way tooo long “
Zach Taylor continues to get out coached by rookie coaches all the time Mike Thomasson had worse teams and out coached him.Zack so many times and his career as a coach lost in his own division that sucks. Question do you think Zach can win us A Championship 😮 No so invest in a Super Bowl winning caliber coach and staff
The Super Bowl window has slammed shut. This is a Carson Palmer era all over again. Burrow will be physically depleted by the end of his contract but hopefully gets a chance to go to a winning organization.
The 4-2-5 alignment Lou plays is not working, they can't cover, and they can't rush the passer (except Hendrickson). Even if the defense breaks through the opponent's offensive line, they are unable to catch or tackle: Lamar, Russel, Patrick, or any mobile quarterback. They are out-manned at the point of attack by any team with a fullback and tight end. The safeties are old and slow and so is Mike Hilson at slot corner. They only have two linebackers and rarely blitz. Frankly, this defense does nothing well.
Man when you say it out loud with the coaches in division it does make you think a tad differently…. He’s 3rd best in the division at best. I like Zac but idk if he has the tenacity to get out the most of all players.. think he could be a better coach as an OC , Asst HC or something. Wonder how much it take to get Tomlin back here in Cincy? Missed the golden opportunity with Jim Harbaugh which been great in same division as brother!! how much for Vrabel? Those high energy , intense but relatable type guys is what we need imo..
We dont have an offensive problem, we clearly have a defensive problem. Taylor isnt the problem. Players dont get fired. They can be sat, traded or whatever. I like Lou but its time for him to go.
Without looking at the defense. This team is 1-7 in one score games and in almost all of them the OFFENSE has had the ball to either win or tie the game. Zac has CONTINUOUSLY, not just this year but in every year he’s coached, not put the team in winning positions because he’s not capable of doing so. And NOW he doesn’t have Lou and the defense to bail him out. This season is a culmination of the pure incompetence of Zac Taylor. These things were always there. But the team was significantly better. Look at our team this year and the Steelers. That team DOES NOT have a top 5/10 roster in the nfl. What they do have is a top 3 coach. That’s the difference.
On offense its the scheme too much passing not enough running plays. Which causes the qb to get hit more often than other qbs. Falls on ZAC. Other than that keep the OC way better than when cally was there. Defense id fire him ASAP cause thats way too much points to give up every game. Hes been missing on all his free agents. Stone, Scott, Bell. Pollack should be fired also overstayed for too long. Come to taylor id fire him. He never has his team ready for how many seasons now. Always playing from behind when the season starts. FIRE TAYLOR, LOU, AND POLLACK
Oh and duke tobin. Only guy worth keeping is the OC. Dan Pitcher. Joe Brady might be coming in. Then vrabel on defensive end. we can only dream for change
Meh don't sit on the fence. The Bengals problems this year are coaching coaching coaching. It's unfathomable they have a losing record. There's a realistic argument that they should have at least 11 wins already. This has to be the most frustrating worst Bengals season of all time from what it should have been. Biggest under achievers. Fire somebody.
when I became a bengals fan in the 80s it was ownership. the 90s was terrible. it was ownership. it's still ownership. bengals ownership has always been BRUTAL. they have never cared about winning first. its ALWAYS been about power and money. never, ever has been about the players or the team. I am exhausted with this 50 year problem. its ownership.
The real problem is how some players make astronomical salaries while other talented players look elsewhere to get pay raises themselves . Pro football is a game SECOND and a business FIRST
Questions that need to be answered by Zac: Why does the team always start slow, and what are you going to do differently from every other prior year to change that? Why is the team doing so poorly (horribly) within the division, and how are you going to fix that? Lou needs to be asked why the defense has been so horrible and what he will do differently to fix it. Frank already should have been fired. And the GM is obviously not getting the job done, the rookies/second-years are good but not great, and we haven't replaced great players that we've let go.
i love zac and lou and pollack BUT they went SB, AFC championship, winning record but missing playoffs, now probably losing record. I know the bengals wont bring in an old school coach like Belichick but i think hed have this team -as it is- contending. we dont need a new roster, a new front office wont happen, just has to be new approach in new system
My thought is this, if the front office thinks it’s Zac than they should fire him, but if they don’t then that means that they think that he is good head coach with bad talent, that means that this would be dukes fault meaning you fire him that decision is up to the front office
I have no problem with firing those that need it. Zac appears to lack a couple qualities needed in a head coach. Getting a little fire in his gut for one thing. A failure to inspire. Just a few years ago. These same guys were celebrated around the league, and Mike Brown was a treasured patriarch. Something is clearly broken here.
Zac Taylor is like a General who has been given the most exquisite war materiel and then wrings his hands, saying "Oh lawdy lawdy, land sakes and holy mackserel. How in the wonders am is I do works this apparatuses here?"
Honestly, the real conversation needs to be about scouting, GM, ownership and player pay/development
Jesse Bates comes to mind..
The problem is clear it’s a roster issue not a coaching issue. Their defense was one of the better defenses in football in 2021 in 2022. Take a look at the players they brought in through free agents through those years and the players they drafted and developed Compared to what they’ve done the last two years. It’s night and day. You cannot have a good defense without having the players on the roster. Lou has given us a track record to have a good defense when he has the players.
Biggest FA signings:
2024- Stone / Rankings
2023 Nick Scott / Pratt (lost Bates & Vonn)
2022 BJ Hill, Apple
2021 Trey, Hilton, Awuzie, Larry O., Mike Daniels
2020 DJ Reader, Waynes , Josh Bynes
2021/2022 you had the players & the coach. Without the players you can’t win.
@@AS-sp2vz You are right its a roster issue. But who oversees those roster issues and makes the decisions. Its Tobin, Taylor and for the defense its Anarumo. Mike Brown is just cheap and so he handcuffs the staff to a degree. His cheapness let some really good players walk in their prime. Plus, look at the drafts. where is the young talent? Granted we got Burrow, Chase, Higgins and Mims and i think chase Brown will be very good. But our Oline and Dline drafting has been utter caca. You build teams on the lines. We are not strong there and thats why this team is soft as a pillow.
Yes, change is needed
Ok cut Joe burrow change is needed. You see how that makes no sense. Taylor is in charge of the offense, fire Lou and every single one of our defensive players
@@Brickwilliams yeah so fire Zac Taylor or take play calling away from him, and fire Lou because that D is horrible
@@Brickwilliams lol what you said makes no sense. No one said anything about Joe Burrow. Zac is the head coach so he’s accountable for the entire team, not just the offense. I’m not saying he’s the only one to blame. I actually think this is more of an organizational issue, but we know no one in the front office is going. Duke Tobin is basically part of the Brown family.
So a change needs to happen. Just because Zac calls the plays does not entitle him to credit for the offense’s successes this year. We see numerous times a game where Joe gets pressure and/or the play breaks down and he and his receivers improvise. So yeah, I give more credit to the players there than the coaches. If anything, the surge in offensive output from last year to this year can also be attributed to Pitcher becoming the OC. Where’s his love, if you’re going to defend Zac? He may not *call* the plays during the game but he has tons of input in designing them during the week. And I think Zac has failed plenty of times in those in-game decisions.
It’s not all on Zac, but I absolutely think they could do much better. And yes, of course, I’d let Lou go too. But that’s a given. When you fire your HC, usually a whole new staff comes with the new HC.
@@no2_j I mean if they can do better than obviously I’m for that but it’s not like Zac is a bad coach like everyone is saying and we shouldn’t fire him for just anybody, our defensive personnel and kicker costed us this season. Need to genuinely replace 80% of our defense, everybody outside of Hendrickson, Wilson, bj, and maybe a couple others, as many as we can replace they are all atrocious
Change is needed? Take you all night to think that one up? The kind of change this franchise does is "spare change" the kind that jingles in our pockets. They define change as flip flopping from the practice squad.
Change is needed, but does anyone expect the owner of this franchise to actually pull the trigger I seriously doubt it.
No
Nope he’s not paying two head coaches at the same time
Absolutely not. The ownership doesn’t give a rip about the fans. They care about being profitable. People should stop buying swag and going to games. Hit ‘em in the pockets.
Zac, Lou and Duke Tobin need to be gone. People will say bullshit like "real fans will stick by the team!". We have have a GENERATIONAL player base right now besides our secondary and d-line. If you think being angry at squandering their youth and talent with these shit ass clown show coaches is being a bad fan, you're the problem and we don't want you here.
Nothing wrong with lou he has nobody good but tre yall was loving him last couple of years? Fire zac an duke what I’ve been saying for a while
@@okayconnnor Facts 💯💯💯 start with Duke , Frank , Zack all of need to go !! There atrocious at their job and have been for years !!! Enough is enough !!!
Short memories! Marvin Lewis could not even win a playoff game. Lou is good, but not in are division. We need linebackers not safeties. You can't go up against the biggest rb's in the league with a defensive full of safeties. Small safeties at that
The biggest mistake this year was losing dj reader.
What generational players?? Jamar chase??
Get some damn scouts. Duke tobin and crew need to be held accountable.
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, or Cub Scouts? That is about all you can muster for the price of a team that provides ping pong tables.
Can them all with Duke Tobin, Katie and Troy Blackburn included. Zac Taylor is what he is at this point. He didnt get them to the superbowl with his decisions, the team got him there with talent all over the place.
💯
Frank Pollack is a FOR SURE MUST GO. Just horrendous season after season.
Absolutely
Should’ve been gone years ago
Considering the Front Office & Coaching Staff have wasted an entire season with JoeyB. Katie won't fire herself, so at a minimum fire the coaching staff and bring in a headcoach that has atleast one Ring. Preferably 6
You have a bunch of players with rings. How has that worked out?
FIRE THE ENTIRE DEFENSE!!!
Zac is a qb coach. Probably will have a hard time even finding a coordinator position with any other nfl team.
💯
He only held on to the play calling to add to his resume!
Yes, he needs to go back to Pop Warner.
Bengals were losing long before zak.!!! It's the front office.!!!
Good point
The front office has brought in some good talent - Joe, Ja'Marr, and Trey, just to name a few. Maybe the front office does need to be replaced. I don't know. The whole front office certainly did not treat Andrew Whitworth very well. Whit would have stayed here with the Bengals if they had treated him better! That makes me angry. Mike was on board to keep Whit, no one else was. There is a video about Whit's trade. I think having the WHOLE front office on the same page would be a huge step in the right direction.
@ Yes, they brought in a few good players. But, I think that is the exception. Overall the team is in a much worse state than the previous few years based on their assessment of talent.
I agree@@Horsemom121
@@Horsemom121anyone with a brain would’ve drafted Joe and Ja’Marr I don’t think they should get much credit for that more so than for not blowing those easy decisions
Also Zac Shula is 10-24 inside the division!!
So bad
We will not let Joe Burrow suffer. Get him a actual freaking coach with a actual resume
stop beating around the bush, James. Man up and say you want Zac fired. We all do.
Facts
Why didn't they keep DJ Reader? The defense has been suffering ever since his departure.
Jessie bates leaving started this downtrend really.
Reader is over 30 years old now and often injured, hasn't been a the same player for the Lions he was here
let's not forget the defense being very bad last year despite dj reader still being on the team and dj reader just wasn't the same. the downfall really started when jessie bates left 2 years ago. tbh, I saw it as a big deal but not as much as I should have. jessie bates alone would be making this secondary be playing way better than what it has been doing the past 2 seasons. imagine if we had jessie bates the past 2 seasons instead of nick scott/geno stone.
@@kellyballaro7846 😂 you joking right? Reader was amazing for us
@@Muzzlecrowe-li9kt Reading comprehension issues? I never said he wasn't a great player here, go back and read my post again!
Mike Vrabel an Luke Fickell as defensive coordinator 🙏🏾
Keeping in mind the have Burrow for 5 more years, and not a day more. The answer is Yes! Clean house. Start a rebuild and maybe you get 3 seasons with as legit contender before he's gone.
He won't leave after 5 he will resign with chase
I love Zac, he is a great guy, he is not the right person to lead this team. They have a chance to get Ben Johnson, go all out to get a top notch offensive mind. If he can do what he is doing with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jared Goff, imagine what he could do with Burrow and Chase.
@@patrickheinz8466 they need a defensive head coach not another offensive head coach
@JamesSmith-jv4go no they need to maximize their strength, you can always find a good DC, you need a HC that will get the most out of their greatest assets
@patrickheinz8466 no you can't and Zac is a soft coach that why there call the fluff and go Bengals
RIP Zac
This team's front office is very resistant to change. They always have been. What does that mean? We are in for more suffering.
Zac still believes we are going to the playoffs.😂
I still believe in my guys lol don’t count us out lol smh damn fool
@@jouleonoupshaw8236it’s over… go cowboys! To put us in the top 10 guaranteed 😊
He’s in way over his Head !! He’s never been fitted to be a Head Coach in the NFL !! He’s bad at everything . Bad game management skills , bad schemes , no fire 🔥, no grit , just soft and this team is super soft a direct reflection on the Head Coach !!
@@bengalselite9588 💯
If he has a ps5 or any gaming system then he probably will end up in the playoffs eventually 🤷
Get ready for a 5 year contract extension for Zac Taylor.
Truth 😂
😅
I honestly think the Front office is closer to this decision than to firing him
(And that makes me a sad panda)
😂😂😂
Fire all of the defense coaches, fire the OL coach, and let Dan Pitcher do the playcalling just to see how he does. I would also consider completely revamping their scouting department.
There needs to be scouting department to then revamp. We don't draft well with our coaches serving as scouts (unless we coach the senior bowl) or like now, have an off-season that started monday
I'm with you on the scouting for sure.
Change is needed. Bring in Belichick
Change is needed, Defense and play calling strategy are obvious weaknesses. You can add a OC!!
I don't understand how you blame the mechanic for not fixing your car if the tools he has to work with are sticks and mud. (Just talking defense)
you can't look at these players and say they are bad enough individually that a coach has no choice but for them to be not just bad, but historically bad. Maybe if coached well they could be slightly below average instead of one of the worst bengals defenses of all time.
@@JFTB-i8y The one constant over recent years has been Lou, and Lou also coached one of the best defenses the Bengals have ever had. I doubt he forgot how to coach. I think in this case he can only work with the tools provided to him. You could get the best coach in the world to coach me, and I'd be carted off to the hospital on the first play!
I GOT NEWS 4 YA , THE MECHANICS ALWAYS ALWAYS PICKS HIS OWN TOOLS. ASK ANY DAMN GOOD MECHANICS. IF U GOT THE WRONG TOOLS IT'S UR DAMN FAULT. ACCOUNTABLITY WITH THE HEAD IS WHERE THIS SHIT START. OH BY THE WAY A GOOD MECHANIC CAN TAKE SOME OF THE RUSTY TOOLS AND MAKE UR CAR WORK. IVE SEEN DEM DO IT. I LOVE THAT JOE IS HOLDING PPL ACCOUNTABLE. BUT NO MORE OF THIS BLEEDING. HOLD DEM DAMN COACHES ACCOUNTABLE. THIS IS A TEAM WITH SUPERBOWL ASPIRATIONS AND THEY NEED COACHES TO HANDLE THEM AS SUCH
It's both the players and the coach but ZT has always shown he is mediocre at best. And yes, many players need fired too.
Wow
Have to rebuild the defense,new coaches on that side of the ball. The same can be said with Frank Pollack and the need to rebuild the interior of the line. The Bengals will not have any issues hiring coordinator or DB coach’s,they will spend big on that side of the ball in FA next year. As far as Zach Taylor,he will have to learn how to draft and develop a Tight End,running back,number two receiver behind Jamarr. Then the O line coach and rebuilt crew will have to develop Matt Lee,then draft a LG along with a RG and develop them. If Zac Taylor can get the Bengals ready to play week 1,address the O line issues,have a power RB to complement Joe,with a solid TE the offense will be just fine. I want to see Joe Burrow,Jamarr Chase,Trey Hendrickson step up as captains motivating pumping up players as they come off the field. We need more juice on that sideline,these last 5 games mean a lot to where this team will go.
A 6 member scouting team will not cut it every play we drafted after Joe and chase have been busts and the only reason we got them is because they were everywhere and very obviously a great pick the scouting team with only 6 members will have it hard to find people like Patrick Mahomes that come from a college that isn’t that good
Buddy spent 12 minutes saying the same thing over and over without actually saying anything at all. Amazing
That’s all he ever does lol
Gotta satisfy that content quota. Utterly vapid. You should try his SI articles.
Great take today.
Who do you get to replace Zac? If you got Belichick I’d do it in a heartbeat otherwise you’re probably getting another Zac.
They won’t hire an experienced head coach. The owner is too cheap,
😂
@@Tom-h9e I would have believed that 5 years ago but there does seem to be a change in things I’ve been surprised about. A new practice dome. A new workout facility and locker room. Making moves in free agency. Maybe they’ll surprise us again and get an experienced coach. I’ve wondered if the changes are from the next generation as they take over control.
Hey, BIG Bengals fan here! I’m subscribing to your channel because I love the team and I want to see y’all hit 50k, but I do hope your content improves.
You had one major point in this video:
The conversation about the future of the Bengals has to start with head coaching.
This is a great point, but it felt like the whole video was you just finding different ways to reiterate the same message. I would appreciate either more substance or shortening the length of the video. Maybe less frequent uploads would help with having more to say?
Yes James! You finally nailed it. Zach is a bum and needs to pack his bags.
Ill say it.. This team would with Marvin Lewis as coach. The team doesn't respond to Zack and he clearly doesn't care about defense at all..
Always a great show, James!!
Absolutely. Agreed with this on LO and glad to hear you expound on it
Wise words James! Good show!
At this point,I find myself rooting for OG Joe Mixon and the Texans to win it all. I’d like to see Joedean and CJ Stroud win it all.
Me too !!!
Lou and Taylor definetly need to get fired
If we have learned anything. Mike brown. Doesn’t want to move on from a coach. I’ve seen 3 head coaches in my lifetime. We will have Zac for a long time.
Mike will move on from a coach, we had Dave shula after sam wyche, Bruce coslet, dick labeau, Marvin now Zac. We had plenty coaches... It's just Marvin lasted longer
@ yeah after his contract is up maybe
Marvin and Mike Brown were genuinely friends that’s why he was there so long
If we want to be different then the Lewis era, fire him before we waste this team
Facts
Lewis didnt win a playoff game in like 20 years? Or was you a fan after they drafted Burrow?
No one is getting fired. The Bengals are not a serious franchise. They're a cash cow that pays whether they win or not, and that's all Mike Brown cares about. 40 year fan here. Newbs, get out while you can unless you just enjoy sad Sundays.
Amen brother! 48 year fan! Same shitfest different year!
Burrow will be asking for a trade in 5 years, if not before!
Bring in Bill B and they win the Superbowl
The Cincinnati Bengals was mentioned on a national news channel. Fox News on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 during the show, The Five, mentioned the Cincinnati Bengals offensive play calling. Dana Perino, a member of the Five, said “Imagine if the Bengals watched all the tapes from their last season (2024) and said it wasn’t so bad we’ll run the same plays next year.” To make a point of how some cities are being badly run. Her point is - the Bengals and cities (Chicago) are calling bad plays!
I do believe the direction we go in the off season is pivotal. I think the front office loves consistency with the head coach being the same but they better make the right choice. We have a once in a generational qb in his prime. We half to make the right decision.
What about Joe Brady. He use to coach Joe B. at LSU?
Zac does some things that I don't agree with, but not cause for firing. Ditto for coaches. Need to start in the front office. It is a Bengal tradition to:
1. Let players go because they cost too much...they play for years for other teams...Zeitler is still playing in the NFL.
2. With few exceptions, they cannot neither evaluate or develop OL's, or D players. Ogbuehi is on the Jets roster...starting?
3. Spend little time or money on scouts, to better find talent, not to rely on Kuyper and Scechter
The current regime is intent on keeping things stable without changing. Those days are gone.Ergo, Bengals are doomed to stay a second tier team, and waste careers like Burrow, Chase, Hendrickson, et al.
Listen to Joe Burrow.
To become consistently competitive in the AFC North, the Cincinnati Bengals must tailor their strategies to dominate divisional opponents-Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland. Here’s how they can evolve:
1. Strengthen the Trenches
• Offensive Line: The AFC North is known for physical defenses. To counter Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt, Cleveland’s Myles Garrett, and Baltimore’s blitz-heavy schemes, the Bengals must build a dominant, durable offensive line. Prioritize pass protection for Joe Burrow while enabling a strong run game to neutralize the aggressive pass rush.
• Defensive Line: Invest in stopping the run and pressuring opposing quarterbacks. Cleveland’s Nick Chubb, Pittsburgh’s balanced offense, and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson thrive on ground gains. Dominance in the trenches is key to disrupting their rhythm.
2. Game-Specific Schemes
• Baltimore Ravens: Focus on containing Lamar Jackson by employing athletic linebackers and safeties who can shadow him while maintaining zone discipline. Keep the secondary prepared for deep shots to complement a stout run defense.
• Pittsburgh Steelers: Exploit their offensive weaknesses. Generate consistent pressure on their quarterback while utilizing quick passing plays to neutralize their pass rush.
• Cleveland Browns: Control the clock to limit Nick Chubb’s opportunities. On defense, double-team Garrett and ensure Burrow releases the ball quickly to avoid sacks and turnovers.
3. Depth and Durability
• AFC North games are physical and injury-prone. Build a deeper roster, especially on both lines and at skill positions, to withstand the wear and tear of these divisional battles.
4. Run Game Balance
• Commit to a balanced offensive attack. A strong running game not only complements Joe Burrow but also controls the clock, wears down defenses, and keeps divisional offenses off the field.
5. Elite Defense
• While the Bengals’ offense gets the spotlight, they need a top-tier defense to succeed in the AFC North. Invest in a lockdown secondary to counter Pittsburgh’s wide receivers, Cleveland’s play-action threats, and Baltimore’s evolving passing game.
6. Special Teams Excellence
• Close games in the AFC North often come down to special teams. Ensure the kicking game remains reliable and prioritize field position battles through effective punting and kick coverage.
7. Mental Toughness and Execution
• The AFC North thrives on gritty, physical play. Develop a “next play” mentality for grinding out wins in tough weather, hostile environments, and close games. Minimize penalties and turnovers that can cost divisional wins.
8. Matchup-Based Drafting and Free Agency
• Focus on acquiring players specifically suited to beating AFC North opponents. Look for gritty, high-character players who excel in physical matchups and thrive in cold-weather games.
9. Playoff Mentality Year-Round
• Treat every divisional game like a playoff game. Winning the AFC North consistently sets the stage for deeper playoff runs and credibility against the rest of the NFL.
By building a foundation for dominance within the division, the Bengals can establish themselves as perennial contenders in the AFC and beyond. It all starts with the road through Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland.
I would be much more impressed if either scouts were added, new front office executives, firing Tobin, etc.
Yes. It was needed by the end of last season.
You can't give wrs the kind of cushion that the bengals defense constantly give. They make average quarterbacks look like HOF material
I'm tired of Zac taking responsibility. If he really means that and he's responsible this many times, over and over and over, then he should save us from having to fire him and simply resign. I mean really. If words mean things, then him taking responsibility over and over and over and over and over and over again, means that he's admitting that he's not the guy.
There is no doubt in any NFL fan's mind Taylor is TERRIBLE.
The talent and change of culture when Joe arrived is why they won.
Taylor is a bad coach, and is in WAY over his head. Send a less than college coach to the Bengals and this is what we have now....
Vrabel's out there, Gruden's out there. Chargers dug up a great coach. Texans got a great coach out of nowhere. Dolphins recognized a great coach when the seen him. Rams, Vikings.... Zac's not cut out for this, 100% is not HC coaching material.
James gut feeling if season ended today does Zac get fired?
Really like how he framed this - I definitely think ZT is fourth in the AFCN if we're ranking HCs and that's a pretty good indicator that we don't have the right guy. And he's right also about the front office. Does anyone really think that Tobin would lead any other org in the NFL if the Bengals let him go? Not with his track record. He's gotta go for starters, then go from there.
Mike Vrabel anyone?...yes, please
What has vrabel ever done?
@@paulkimble6223AFC championship appearance, and Divisional appearance with Tannehill as a QB.
I don't think it's the coach's fault at all. Even the greatest coach of all time isn't perfect. I guarantee you the Browns are presented with players the coaches would like to get. The Browns have the final say on how much money can be spent and who they get. There's no explanation for playing Geno Stoned over the other safeties though
(In game) The coaches work around guys that don't pick up the playbook as quickly it takes time and they have to work around all that. They know they don't have the greatest players on defense that's why they don't bring the blitz as much. Everyone leaves here and plays good somewhere else so that says a lot. Look at how good Marvin Lewis was with the Ravens.
ZT needs to go period
Zac needs to go. But, we all know Mike Brown won’t fire him until his contract is up. Burrow will waste away and probably go to another team once his contract is up.
Thank you. I've been asking you to make this video about this topic- Fire Zac.
Hardly anyone is going to defend Zac lol.
Nobody bruh
There’s a ton of fools defending him on here
Fire Tobin and Taylor... Hire BB... Let him decide who to keep on Coaching staff. If Lou Leaves he will go to Ravens as their DC and make Burrow's like hell for 2 games a year with Hamilton their talent to work with.
We already know the answer to these questions. Unfortunately, we also know that the Bengals are very unlikely to do the right thing in terms of moving closer to a championship. Just how I feel right now.
change is needed - but I think we forget Zac calls the plays. Lou calls the defense
the whole coaching staff needs to go
Over the years the Bengals organization has wasted a ton of talent profits over people
I have been saying since last year Zac Taylor AKA Zac Shula should be fired along with Lousy Lou, Frank Pollard! This team has regressed period!!!!
Dang Rapien,, solid CBT.. well done.. thought you were a “homer”… let’s get an identity! And develop what being a Bengal means! When you talk about what being a bengal is….we have been soft and gadgets for “way tooo long “
After 25 years you would think the fans would be over it by now. The organization is really lucky
Zach Taylor continues to get out coached by rookie coaches all the time Mike Thomasson had worse teams and out coached him.Zack so many times and his career as a coach lost in his own division that sucks. Question do you think Zach can win us A Championship 😮 No so invest in a Super Bowl winning caliber coach and staff
Duke Tolbin needs to be on the hot seat. He is not a good gm so why do the organization continue to allow this guy to keep his job
Curious how many people have ever been fired in the front office…my estimation is zero.
This is correct. Duke Tobin has been "acting GM" since Mike "The Turd" Brown took over in the early 90's.
The Super Bowl window has slammed shut. This is a Carson Palmer era all over again. Burrow will be physically depleted by the end of his contract but hopefully gets a chance to go to a winning organization.
Palmer 0-7 in playoffs or was it Marvins fault? lol
Why doesn’t Lou anarumo do a press conference and answer questions? Russel threw for over 400 yards and almost and like 3/4 of those were yac.
Other coaches have been fired for less. He needs to go
The 4-2-5 alignment Lou plays is not working, they can't cover, and they can't rush the passer (except Hendrickson). Even if the defense breaks through the opponent's offensive line, they are unable to catch or tackle: Lamar, Russel, Patrick, or any mobile quarterback. They are out-manned at the point of attack by any team with a fullback and tight end. The safeties are old and slow and so is Mike Hilson at slot corner. They only have two linebackers and rarely blitz. Frankly, this defense does nothing well.
Man when you say it out loud with the coaches in division it does make you think a tad differently…. He’s 3rd best in the division at best. I like Zac but idk if he has the tenacity to get out the most of all players.. think he could be a better coach as an OC , Asst HC or something. Wonder how much it take to get Tomlin back here in Cincy? Missed the golden opportunity with Jim Harbaugh which been great in same division as brother!! how much for Vrabel? Those high energy , intense but relatable type guys is what we need imo..
We dont have an offensive problem, we clearly have a defensive problem. Taylor isnt the problem. Players dont get fired. They can be sat, traded or whatever. I like Lou but its time for him to go.
😂
We would be #1 seed right now if we got bill last year
The problem is Taylor is an offensive coach the offense is great the defense just sucks ass
Without looking at the defense. This team is 1-7 in one score games and in almost all of them the OFFENSE has had the ball to either win or tie the game. Zac has CONTINUOUSLY, not just this year but in every year he’s coached, not put the team in winning positions because he’s not capable of doing so. And NOW he doesn’t have Lou and the defense to bail him out. This season is a culmination of the pure incompetence of Zac Taylor. These things were always there. But the team was significantly better. Look at our team this year and the Steelers. That team DOES NOT have a top 5/10 roster in the nfl. What they do have is a top 3 coach. That’s the difference.
Remember at the beginning of the year when y’all might have said this was the “most talented bengals roster maybe ever” big ol yikes 😅💀
On offense its the scheme too much passing not enough running plays. Which causes the qb to get hit more often than other qbs. Falls on ZAC. Other than that keep the OC way better than when cally was there. Defense id fire him ASAP cause thats way too much points to give up every game. Hes been missing on all his free agents. Stone, Scott, Bell. Pollack should be fired also overstayed for too long. Come to taylor id fire him. He never has his team ready for how many seasons now. Always playing from behind when the season starts. FIRE TAYLOR, LOU, AND POLLACK
Oh and duke tobin. Only guy worth keeping is the OC. Dan Pitcher. Joe Brady might be coming in. Then vrabel on defensive end. we can only dream for change
Meh don't sit on the fence. The Bengals problems this year are coaching coaching coaching. It's unfathomable they have a losing record. There's a realistic argument that they should have at least 11 wins already. This has to be the most frustrating worst Bengals season of all time from what it should have been. Biggest under achievers. Fire somebody.
when I became a bengals fan in the 80s it was ownership. the 90s was terrible. it was ownership. it's still ownership. bengals ownership has always been BRUTAL. they have never cared about winning first. its ALWAYS been about power and money. never, ever has been about the players or the team. I am exhausted with this 50 year problem. its ownership.
Lou is 1st🏈🏈🏈 maybe just adding an OC and DC consultant 🤔
The real problem is how some players make astronomical salaries while other talented players look elsewhere to get pay raises themselves . Pro football is a game SECOND and a business FIRST
Questions that need to be answered by Zac: Why does the team always start slow, and what are you going to do differently from every other prior year to change that? Why is the team doing so poorly (horribly) within the division, and how are you going to fix that?
Lou needs to be asked why the defense has been so horrible and what he will do differently to fix it. Frank already should have been fired. And the GM is obviously not getting the job done, the rookies/second-years are good but not great, and we haven't replaced great players that we've let go.
i love zac and lou and pollack BUT they went SB, AFC championship, winning record but missing playoffs, now probably losing record. I know the bengals wont bring in an old school coach like Belichick but i think hed have this team -as it is- contending. we dont need a new roster, a new front office wont happen, just has to be new approach in new system
This defense looked like it was lost on the field in a lot of these games
My thought is this, if the front office thinks it’s Zac than they should fire him, but if they don’t then that means that they think that he is good head coach with bad talent, that means that this would be dukes fault meaning you fire him that decision is up to the front office
They need to run this organization more like their rival Steelers do , just look at the current stats
as long as the browns are running this franchise, nothing will change and they will be mediocre until something changes.
💯
Fireeeeeeeee Zack please
We need new everything
FIRE TAYLOR YESTERDAY....
I have no problem with firing those that need it. Zac appears to lack a couple qualities needed in a head coach. Getting a little fire in his gut for one thing. A failure to inspire. Just a few years ago. These same guys were celebrated around the league, and Mike Brown was a treasured patriarch. Something is clearly broken here.
Yes fire Zac. It's not only about this disappointing season it's also the record against the AFC North and how slow we start.
Yes Zac is delusional....he's too positive about the situation. And front office and owners need to look in mirror they caused this
Zac Taylor is like a General who has been given the most exquisite war materiel and then wrings his hands, saying "Oh lawdy lawdy, land sakes and holy mackserel. How in the wonders am is I do works this apparatuses here?"