After failing to score a touchdown in the first two games of the season, the Cincinnati Bengals have fired offensive coordinator Ken Zampese, subsequently promoting Bill Lazor to the position. The firing comes the afternoon after the Bengals offense scored nine points and lost to the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football. The embarrassing performance and lack of overall production led to ousting of Zampese, a coach who has been with the Bengals since 2003.
Cincinnati Bengals Fire Offensive Coordinator Ken Zampese, Promote Bill Lazor
The Bengals entered the 2017 NFL season looking to improve upon a highly criticized 6-9-1 2016 season. However, the offense was shut out against the Baltimore Ravens in week one as quarterback Andy Dalton threw four interceptions. The running game was no better as the team ran for a combined 77 yards on 22 carries.
A week later, the Bengals offense was not improved against the Texans defense. Dalton evaded throwing an interception, but the offense was still shut out and was forced to kick three field goals on their way to a 13-9 loss.
Zampese has been with the team since 2003, spending 20013 through 2015 as the quarterbacks coaching seeing Jon Kitna, Carson Palmer, and Dalton go through the system. In 2016 Zampese was promoted to offensive coordinator.
Bill Lazor was immediately promoted to offensive coordinator, and will serve the remainder of the season in that position. Lazor was the quarterbacks coach over the 2016 season, brought in after Zampese was promoted.
Previously, Lazor has been an offensive coordinator in the college and the NFL. He served as the University of Buffalo coordinator in 2011 before being hired by the Atlanta Falcons as a quality control coach. Working his way around the NFL, Lazor finally found his coordinator slot for the 2014 and 2015 Miami Dolphins.
Lazor will look to build his resume by taking an 0-2 Bengals team behind Dalton and a slew of running backs, including anticipated rookie Joe Mixon, and turning them into a viable team for the 2017 season.
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