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Bengals HC needs to embrace change for team to be successful

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor shouts to an official after a play in the first quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bengals HC Zac Taylor needs to embrace change for team to be successful

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Nov 18, 2024 2:59 PM ET

The Cincinnati Bengals have had six one-possession losses this season. Their bye week seems like a fantastic time to adjust, but head coach Zac Taylor isn't doing that.

"I think we all watch the game, and we can just see it's coming down to one play in every single game," Taylor said Sunday after a 34-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, per Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "So why would would you make a big wholesale change? That, to me, is just panic. That's not what we're about. We believe in what we're doing."

Bengals star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase may disagree. He seemingly called out the coaching staff following Sunday's loss.

"I don't know," Chase said when asked how the team can win more close games, via Olivia Ray of WLWT-TV in Cincinnati. "Ask Zac, ask the coaches. Don't ask me. That's not my job... I play football on the field. I don't call plays for us. I can't really do nothing."

Frustrations boil over postgame - here's a snippet of Ja'Marr Chase in the locker room.

"He knows to make those kicks. That's why we pay him those bucks, to make those kicks."

"I don't know. Ask Zac, ask the coaches. Don't ask me. That's not my job...I play football on the… pic.twitter.com/lKgwI16ttP
— Olivia Ray (@OliviaRayTV) November 18, 2024

The Bengals (4-7) can attribute some close losses to bad luck. However, they could've avoided them if they made changes earlier this season.

Kicker Evan McPherson — who signed a three-year, $14M contract extension this offseason — has made a career-low 71.4 percent of his field-goal attempts in 11 games. The 25-year-old has missed an extra point or field goal in five of the Bengals' seven losses. He botched two field goals against the Chargers.

Perhaps Taylor and his staff should've considered adding another kicker to the practice squad or active roster to see if it helped McPherson get his act together.

This game remains tied with 1:48 left!

: #CINvsLAC on NBC/Peacock
: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/bEZk7XYMyQ
— NFL (@NFL) November 18, 2024

The Bengals have offensive and defensive holes. Cincinnati ranks 28th in the league in points allowed (26.9) and 27th in rushing yards (91.5).

These issues have wasted fantastic seasons from Chase and quarterback Joe Burrow. Through 11 games, the star wideout leads the NFL in receptions (73), receiving yards (1,056) and TD catches (12). Burrow, meanwhile, is first in passing yards (3,028) and TD passes (27).

As of Monday, NFL.com gives the Bengals a 10 percent chance to make the playoffs. Taylor may insist they're on the verge of a turnaround, but that's difficult to believe.

The HC should reevaluate his plans. The Bengals clearly need some changes to keep their playoff hopes afloat.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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