The Cincinnati Bengals were getting incredible production from their quarterback and rookie standout Joe Burrow when he was taken down in Week 11 with a knee injury. With Cincinnati putting all of their hopes and dreams on Burrow, he’s reportedly got embattled head coach Zac Taylor‘s back.
Despite struggles, rookie standout Joe Burrow wants the Bengals to keep Zac Taylor in the building
Through injury, in-fighting, and inability to close football games, Zac Taylor still has a key endorsement. Fortunately for him, it’s the voice that matters most in the organization.
Joe Burrow might’ve lost the last six games of his rookie season to a torn ACL and MCL against the Washington Football Team, but he hasn’t lost faith in his head coach.
“He loves it there and thinks he can win a Super Bowl with them,” a source close to Burrow offered to Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
This reporting doesn’t come as much of a surprise for Bengals fans. All season long, Burrow has heaped praise on the second-year head coach, despite the team’s repeated struggles to win games.
“I do have input in the gameplan. I do have input on the sideline during the games. I think that’s something our coaches do really, really well. They always listen to the players,” Burrow said in an interview with local media before Week 7 match-up.
“Whether they take it to heart and put it in the gameplan or not, sometimes that happens and somethings that doesn’t. But that’s the way it goes. It’s a give and take. I’ve been super happy with the game-planning so far. I think we have a great coaching staff that will get us where we want to be.”
Bad timing of Joe Burrow’s injury put the spotlight on Zac Taylor
Burrow’s injury came right as the Bengals’ offense was clicking. Though they were on the back end of a drubbing from the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10, Burrow was leading an offense averaging 25.5 points in the four games prior to his injury. Burrow was on pace to break Andrew Luck‘s rookie season passing record (4,374 yards) before his knee injury. He compiled 2,688 yards, 13 touchdowns, and completed 65.3% of his passes. He also threw just 5 interceptions in his 11-game rookie campaign.
In the weeks since Burrow’s injury, however, the Bengals’ offense has collapsed. They’re averaging just 12 points and 175.5 total yards of offense in the past two games. Combined with Taylor’s struggles from the prior season, where he coached the Bengals to a 2-14 record, there’s growing frustration from the fanbase and certain members of the locker room.
The Cincinnati Bengals are 2-9-1 and currently hold the third-worst record in the league. It’s hard to imagine the team finding rosier offensive results over the final four weeks. Brandon Allen continues to look shaky and Ryan Finley is worse than bad as a backup.
Taylor’s combined 4-23-1 record in two seasons is terrible. It puts pressure on the Bengals’ organization to have hard conversations in the offseason.
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