Should Rams Bring Back Former Coach if Disaster Strikes?

While there are many reasons why the Bengals missed the playoffs, but blame always falls on the head coach.

Thus, CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan believes former Rams assistant and Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is currently on the hot seat and predicts he will be fired after this season.

"The Cincinnati Bengals should be in the thick of their Super Bowl window, but instead are wondering if they'll snap their two-year playoff drought," wrote Sullivan. "Part of the team's struggles have been due to injuries, specifically revolving around star quarterback Joe Burrow."

"However, poor starts to the season have also been a key factor, as they own a 2-6 record in their first four games of the season in the last two years combined. That falls directly onto the shoulders of Zac Taylor. The Bengals head coach is entering his seventh season on the job and is 46-52-1 over his tenure. He's coming off back-to-back 9-8 seasons, but those have largely been looked at as disappointing campaigns despite being over .500 because of the high-flying offense."

"Taylor will need to get the Bengals back into the playoffs to keep his job, and it's no sure thing he'll be able to do that. On top of playing in a division with the Baltimore Ravens and the new-look Pittsburgh Steelers with Aaron Rodgers at the helm, the Cincinnati defense has major questions. The team is currently embroiled in contract spats with pass rushers Trey Hendrickson and rookie Shemar Stewart. Hendrickson's situation could ultimately lead to a trade, which would make a defense that allowed 25.5 points per game (tied for the fifth-highest in the NFL) even worse."

"And the offense may not be able to bail them out, either. Last season, the Bengals lost six games despite the offense scoring 25 points. They also lost two games despite a 38-point output from the offense. All of that doesn't exactly bode well for Taylor in what feels like a make-or-break season."

Do I think he's going to be fired? As of right now, no. The Bengals didn't fire Marvin Lewis until he suffered three straight losing seasons. Taylor hasn't had a losing season since 2020.

In fact, these last two seasons prove he's one of the best coaches in the league. In 2023, he pulled off a winning season with Jake Browning starting seven games and despite having one of the worst defenses in the NFL, he pulled off a winning season again.

The Bengals can not afford to retain their defensive stars so the Bengals have had to supplement with their scheme. The scheme got old and new defensive coordinator Al Golden may have one to reignite Cincinnati's D.

Taylor is one of the few coaches in the NFL who can overcome the Bengals' financial issues, and quite frankly, if they do fire him, what coach would want to deal with a team that is struggling to sign Trey Hendrickson to an extension and Shemar Stewart to a rookie deal?

I'm going the opposite way. I think Taylor pulls this out of the fire, not only remaining but receiving an extension after 2025.