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This is the Fix the Cincinnati Bengals Need...

Originally posted on TWSN | By Garret Staples | Last updated Oct 6, 2026 8:00 AM ET

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This is the Fix the Cincinnati Bengals Need…

The Cincinnati Bengals are coming off back-to-back painful losses in Pittsburgh and at home against Jacksonville. In both games, the offense has been missing an identity. The running game has to at least complement Joe Burrow and the passing game to keep defenses honest. Right now the running game for the Bengals does not strike fear in any defense currently.

Chase Brown had 13 carries for 61 yards. To be frank Chase Brown, size-wise, is a great 3^rd down running back, but the Bengals lack a push-the-pile running back that can get you 2 to 3 tough yards on the ground to move the chains for 1^st downs. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars Chase Brown 9 carries for 10 yards, averaging 1.1 yards. Stats like that on the ground cause defenses not to even respect the Bengals’ running game, focusing on teeing off on Joe Burrow sitting in a predictable Shotgun formation.

Run plays from Shotgun are easy to defend. There’s no element of surprise in running draw plays. The Bengals made an emphasis in protecting Burrow during the offseason and training camp, installing formations where Burrow is operating from under center where play action pass is available and misdirection with multiple options running the ball counters, traps, off tackle are available, making it harder for defenses to key on the Bengals anemic running game. The Bengals need to look for a running back on the waiver wire, in free agency, or even a trade to bolster the backfield and get stronger.

i think today was the worst first month-of-the-year rushing performance the bengals have had in the last 5 seasons that couldn’t use a qb injury as a possible excuse.

epa and success rate per @SumerSports pic.twitter.com/qjnAAwnCny
— John Sheeran (@John__Sheeran) October 5, 2026

Should Zac Taylor Give Up Play Calling?

Let’s address the elephant in the room: Bengals head coach Zac Taylor needs to give up play-calling duties

I am at the point where I would like to see a full head coaching staff change, but for a constellation, I need Bengals head coach Zac Taylor to be relieved of play-calling duties. Hand the play-calling duties over to the offensive coordinator, Dan Pitcher.

During the offseason, Zac Taylor was defiant, mentioning his offense got the Bengals to the Super Bowl in 2021. What Zac fails to understand is that it did not win the Championship Game, and defensive coordinators have caught on to Taylor’s playbook and playcalling. Burrow has become a sitting duck in the Shotgun formation that has caused injuries to miss significant time. This team is loaded with talent, but Taylor is not the leader of men to get the best out of this team. A head coach’s personality trickles down to the team, and in big games like an AFC North Division rivalry game going to Pittsburgh.

Taylor does not prepare his team mentally to play with an edge. Guys on this team are too nice, and that has to change for the Bengals to maximize their roster to win a Super Bowl. Even against Jacksonville.

You felt the Bengals had the better offense and skill players, but schematically the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach, Liam Coen was going to be the better play caller and put Trevor Lawrence in advantageous situations for the Jaguars offense to score and thrive instead of Burrow and the offense winning in spite of Taylor’s play-calling deficiencies. Why shaking up the offense and letting Pitcher become the play caller is a must to break predictable tendencies.

This article first appeared on TWSN and was syndicated with permission.

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