Stephen A. Smith isn’t one to not speak his mind, and this time, he’s got Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor in his sights. In a segment of ESPN’s “First Take,” Smith tore into Taylor following the Bengals’ 34-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11, especially since Ja’Marr Chase hinted at some frustration with the play-calling.
Smith gave the Bengals’ wide receiver the benefit of the doubt while suggesting that Taylor needs to be looked into for the team’s sluggish starts each season, especially given the Bengals’ consistent September struggles.
Stephen A. Smith Dissects Bengals Situation Between Zac Taylor and Ja’Marr Chase
Smith started by appreciating Chase, calling him something special. Regarding Taylor, though, Smith feels he needs to be investigated for Cincinnati’s lack of early-season preparedness that isn’t just bad luck — it’s a red flag.
“They’ve been struggling, and their coach, as I said, needs to be investigated because they never show up in the month of September. Never.”
Smith talked about how the Bengals seem to dig themselves into a hole every year and struggle to claw their way out. In his opinion, Taylor and his coaching staff need to be better prepared.
“They put themselves in these holes in this particular time they can’t get out of it. I don’t know what the hell Zac Taylor and his coaching staff be doing in the offseason to prepare themselves for the season,” quoted Smith.
This criticism follows Chase’s own comments after the defeat at SoFi Stadium, in which he pointed reporters toward the coaching staff for answers about the team’s play-calling. Chase didn’t exactly throw Taylor under the bus, but his frustration went viral in a video after the Bengals’ loss on Sunday Night Football.
After the game, when asked about the offensive decisions, Chase said, “I don’t know, ask Zac, ask the coaches. Don’t ask me.” He added, “I play football on the field. I don’t call plays for us, you know? So, 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
It’s hard to ignore Chase’s perspective, a player who leads the NFL with 73 receptions, 1,056 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns. The 24-year-old former LSU athlete is focused on performing on the field, but he’s hinting at a disconnect between the team’s talent and its strategic direction.
Meanwhile, Taylor has held his stand, claiming that no big changes are necessary.
“Why would you make a big wholesale change?” he told the Cincinnati Enquirer, pointing to the fact that the team’s losses have come down to one play in close games.
However, for many like Smith, that kind of complacency isn’t going to cut it. The Bengals have too much talent in Chase and Joe Burrow to fall short of playoff contention. Looking at Pro Football Network’s proprietary OFF+ metric, the Bengals currently rank 10th in the league with a B- grade. That puts them behind teams like the Packers, 49ers, and Chiefs. Here is what PFN had to say following Week 11.
“The Bengals dropped three straight games to open the season and gave away a Week 5 contest with the Ravens. But they’ve won three of five since and are to be labeled as a threat on any given Sunday thanks to their explosive talent on the offensive side of the ball, something we saw in Week 10 as they pushed the dominant Ravens to the brink.
Through 11 weeks, Cincinnati ranks fifth in pass success rate as Joe Burrow is pacing for a career-high touchdown total. He’s been nothing short of great despite a run game that hasn’t been very supportive (27th in success rate).
This team made an effort at the trade deadline to rectify that by acquiring Khalil Herbert and his 4.8 career yards per carry average. If this team can survive November, a late-season run could be in the cards — this offense can score 30 points on any defense in the NFL.”