Bengals HC Zac Taylor (12.8.19)
Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor:
Opening statement:
“Frustrating loss for us. We felt like we came out and we started fast like we wanted to; we just didn’t finish the right way. Normally we’re a pretty disciplined team and some penalties, especially in the first half, really set us back. To the ones that we could control, whether we weren’t playing the rules or losing our tempo, it set us back and put us in a tough spot. That part was frustrating for us. Those are things that are uncharacteristic of what we’ve done over the course of the season, so that was frustrating. But again, we’ve got to do a better job of controlling things we can control. [We have to] be disciplined. You know, they got us on third down, on both sides of the ball we were not good enough on third down. Really that’s kind of what the game boiled down to.”
On the reasons for the inefficiency on third downs:
“You can probably point to about everything. It just wasn’t our day on third down. It was difficult for us.”
On going for it on 4th down instead of going for the field goal with 7:30 left:
“We were down 8. We felt like we were in range there where we need to score the 8 points and get us back on track. If we didn’t get it, we were going to have them backed up and get a stop there, which we didn’t end up doing that. It felt good on the 4th down call. We ended up getting to a draw. We have a five-man box. We should walk into the end zone. We have to do a better job of executing there.”
On whether a draw was called on the 4th down play:
“We had two plays called there. That’s the play that we wanted to get to. We should have walked in.”
On 4th and 2, and QB Andy Dalton getting sacked:
“That was a play where we were trying to get on the ball quick and catch them in a main coverage, and have someone free in the flap, potentially. We didn’t, so we ended up taking a sack there that set us back.”
On the officials stopping the game:
“They stopped the game because they were changing the downs. It was unclear to us what was happening.”
On going up-tempo for the first down:
“It was a 3rd and 1, that we thought was a 1st and goal. It ended up going to 3rd and 1, and then we converted it. But we were very unclear on what was happening.”
On the tackling in the second half, especially with the runs:
“That’s really at the end of the game when teams start heating up, that’s where they heat up in the run game. They had the 60-yard run. That really hurt us. We had a couple missed tackles outside of that. I thought for a lot of the game we did a good job of controlling the run, but we can’t give up that one big play. That got them all the way down inside the whatever it was – five, 10-yard line, right out the half. That’s a tough way to start.”
On winning the rushing battle and the turnover battle, but the 3rd down and red zone struggles being the difference;
“You’re exactly right. It was a game we felt like we had good control over. We just didn’t execute in those key situations. That’s what the game comes down to.”
On whether coaches have been told that pass interference has changed since more calls are being overturned:
“You’re saying it’s unclear? You said it.”
On being animated on WR John Ross III’s hold on HB Joe Mixon’s run:
“Yes.”
On play-calling in the red zone with HB Joe Mixon:
“We felt like we had a good plan. We spent a lot of time on that red zone package and felt good about those plays giving us a chance there. We just didn’t do a good enough job.”
On growing frustration with the red zone:
“We felt like we had done a better job with it as of late, in the times that we were down there. In this game, we were very poor inside there. We felt like we had some good opportunities and didn’t capitalize on them.”
On HB Joe Mixon’s performance:
“I was really happy with the run game. They were helping us in the play actions as well. Again, this came down to not 1st and 2nd down. It was 3rd down and the red zone that got us. I thought the 1st and 2nd down and the run game, we executed how we planned to.”
On whether he wanted a draw on the 4th down play and what he saw:
“Yes. Five-man box. Two safeties. Five-man box. Again we should walk in.”
On the 3rd down play being exactly the scenario he wanted:
“(Dalton) checked to that. That was all on him. Seeing a good look and taking advantage. It was good to see from Andy (Dalton) there.”
On WR Auden Tate being the best red zone weapon and being out of the drive:
“Next man up. We’re used to that kind of stuff. Adjusting on the fly. He’s a good red zone target for us, but we have other guys ready to step up. We just have to do a better job of executing to get points on the board.”
On the 1st and goal and goal at the 2-yard line where Dalton got sacked:
“There are a lot of options there on 1st and goal from the two. We are not anticipating a sack, but that’s football. That’s the way it goes. We can’t second-guess ourselves there. We felt good about the position we would be in. They did a good job covering it. Unfortunately, we were in a 2nd and long. That’s life.”
On Tate’s injury status:
“I don’t [know the status]. I just knew he wasn’t going to be available to come back in the game.”
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