Bengals HC Zac Taylor conference call (9.15.20)
Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor:
On how exciting the matchup between both teams can be in the coming years with two No. 1 overall picks at QB between QB Baker Mayfield and Bengals QB Joe Burrow:
“I honestly have not thought too much about that. It is a short week, and it will be Joe’s second game. There are a lot of things that we have to get him prepared for. I have a ton of respect for (QB) Baker (Mayfield). Like you said, it is a division that is full of great quarterbacks to be quite frank with you, and there are going to be exciting battles in any divisional matchup. We are excited to get this one underway.”
On the impact Burrow has had in the meeting rooms and at practice:
“He has had a terrific effect way, just he goes about his work and the urgency that he has, the expectations he sets for himself and holds himself to that high standard. It has been good. Our whole team has risen to that challenge, and he has been a really good leader for us.”
On Burrow putting the team in a position to win and if that impacted his credibility with his teammates:
“It was expected from his teammates. He has earned tons of credibility, just the way he has worked since he has been here. I think just to show what kind of a response he has, he had a turnover on the screen in the high red zone. We were down three points in the middle of the fourth quarter. We had a ton of momentum. Threw an interception and bounced back the next drive with two and a half minutes left and led us all the way down the field with no timeouts and got us out of the 3-yard line, potentially with two or three plays to get off. Obviously, we had the OPI and so that backed us up and we had to kick the goal. He put us in a position to win that game. It was in response to a turnover that he had that he was disappointed about. He moved onto the next play, and that was really encouraging for everyone to see, and the guys really rallied behind him.”
On the impact Bengals WR A.J. Green has made since returning:
“It is great to have him back. He has a big impact when he is on the field. You just feel his presence. You feel him come off the ball. You know the DBs feel his presence, too. He still has good speed to run by people and make plays down the field. Obviously, if the balls within his catch radius, he is going to come down with it. To have a weapon like A.J. in the fold is a huge deal for us.”
On if he has noticed how much Burrow’s teammates enjoy playing with him:
“There is no question. Some guys just have the natural intangibles with that guys gravitate to, and they do not have to try to be somebody they are not. They just naturally have it. You see that with Baker, and you see that with Joe. When you have one like that, it is pretty special.”
On the tandem of RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt:
“They have a really good scheme. We have a tremendous amount of respect for their coaching staff. A lot of us have worked with and played with those guys or are related to a lot of the guys on staff. They put their guys in good position. Obviously, Baltimore is tough test right out the gate. They are a good football team. You see a lot of positive things. When we watched that tape, it was not the score that was presented. We see a lot of things that we have to get prepared for because they really do have a lot of weapons on offense, and they have a really good scheme to go along with it.”
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