The Cincinnati Bengals have been one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL this season.
Despite entering the season with Super Bowl expectations, the Bengals are a pathetic 1-4 through five weeks, with their most recent loss coming at the hands of their divisional rival, the Baltimore Ravens. The Bengals had the opportunity to seal the deal in overtime against the Ravens. Cincinnati had the ball in position to score, needing only a field goal to win.
However, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor elected not to be aggressive in trying to get yards to make a potential field goal attempt easier, instead electing to run the ball three straight times. This resulted in Bengals kicker Evan McPherson having to settle for a 53-yard field goal attempt.
McPherson missed the attempt and the Ravens received the ball, scoring a field goal of their own after a long run down the field by Derrick Henry. After the game, Bengals star wide receiver Tee Higgins talked about the Bengals’ decision to play it safe and settle for a long field goal.
“Personally, I think we should have gone a little bit more aggressive in the first and second downs just to try to get Evan in better field goal range,” Higgins said, per ESPN’s Ben Baby.
Bengals WRs Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase on the lack of aggression by the offense in overtime, pic.twitter.com/mY9UZOszv4
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) October 6, 2024
“You know he makes those from that deep. I’m not putting it on him at all, you know what I’m saying. So it’s a team effort, we lost as a team, but we could have did a better job at putting him in better field goal range to make it an easier kick.”
The loss was a brutal gut check to a team that is watching their playoff and Super Bowl chances fade by the week.
With the players speaking out against the coaching decisions so openly, it’ll be interesting to see if Taylor survives the season.
