Zac Taylor isn’t spending Week 2 worrying about a long injury list, and he’s especially relieved Joe Burrow came out of that sideline collision against Tampa Bay on Sunday without a problem.
Taylor spoke with reporters before Wednesday’s first practice and addressed the hit Burrow took while fighting for a first down. The Bengals coach made it clear he’s not about to talk Burrow out of using his legs when the moment calls for it.
"That's what he's proven to us: he's willing to use his legs to get us everything we can and put us in a great scoring position with a quarterback draw at the end of the half, that's the weapon he's got," Taylor said. "I'm not gonna second-guess every decision he makes.
That's easy to do, but he understands the moments. When he needs to do it, when he needs to get down, when he needs to fight for that extra yardage, and that was the situation where he did that.
Taylor also pointed to the bigger picture after Cincinnati’s strong start in Week 1, saying the team handled the opener with the kind of energy and confidence he wanted to see. He said the early advantage mattered, but he’s keeping the focus on steady growth rather than treating one game like a finished product.
“Yeah, I think just week one, there's so many unknowns in every way imaginable," Taylor said on Monday. "And so just for a team to come out and start the game the way that we did, getting up 21-3 at one point, I think is big to capitalize on the confidence that we had coming in. And there's a lot of things that we can learn from, but just overall I was proud of the effort, proud of the enthusiasm the guys played with, the confidence they played with.
"And then the objective isn't to be your best team week one. It's to be your best team at the end of the season. So I just want to see that process continue to improve for us as we get ready for Houston.”
He said after reviewing the tape that he was pleased with what he saw overall.
The Texans’ linebacker group is dealing with major injury issues, and more on that is available elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Boye Mafe stood out in a defensive line rotation that topped out at 37 snaps, a setup that could help keep players fresh while still letting everyone contribute early in the season. Taylor’s message was clear: keep the workload manageable, let the production spread around, and keep building.
In Other News...
Joe Burrow Just Put Bengals Fans On Injury Alert Again
Joe Burrow was back on the practice field Wednesday, but only in a very limited capacity, and the scene did little to quiet Bengals fans already watching his health closely. He was not involved in significant throwing and appeared to be wearing a shoulder brace, another reminder that Cincinnati is managing its franchise quarterback carefully as it heads into a game that matters for keeping momentum intact.
Burrow later said he is dealing with some back tightness, though he still plans to play against the Houston Texans on Sunday. The Bengals are expected to put out an injury report later in the week, which should give a clearer picture of how concerned they are, but for now the storyline is less about whether Burrow will suit up and more about how close to full strength he actually is when he does. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Just Learned They Can't Keep Winning With This JaMarr Chase Problem
The Bengals opened the season with a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the postgame conversation quickly turned to how little the passing game featured JaMarr Chase. Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher acknowledged the ball did not go to Chase enough, even after a game in which the receiver was held to two catches on four targets. Pitcher called Chase the best receiver in the world and said he was one of the first players he spoke with after the final whistle.
For Cincinnati, it is less a crisis than a reminder of how much the offense wants to run through its top playmaker. The Bengals expect to lean on Chase more going forward, starting with next weeks matchup against the Houston Texans, and the challenge now is turning that intention into a more consistent part of the game plan. If the opener was any indication, they already know this is not the kind of imbalance they can afford to let linger. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Owner Just Put Cincinnati In A Different Spotlight
Cincinnati has plenty of football reasons to stay in the spotlight, but the latest Forbes 400 list gives the city a broader kind of attention. Bengals owner Mike Brown and his family landed at No. 224 with an estimated net worth of $7.6 billion, putting them in the company of some of the countrys wealthiest names and reminding everyone that the teams ownership runs far beyond the bounds of the NFL.
The list also gives Cincinnati a little extra star power outside the sports world. Medpace CEO August Troendle checks in at No. 396 with a net worth of $4.4 billion, while filmmaker Steven Spielberg, who was born in Cincinnati, is ranked No. 216 with a net worth of nearly $8 billion. For Bengals fans, it is a curious kind of civic bragging right, one that stretches from the stadium to boardrooms and Hollywood credits. [Read more 🡒]