Zac Taylor considering playing Bengals’ starters in preseason game vs. Falcons

[Arkansas Bengal]

Kelsey Conway, Cincinnati Enquirer

Mon, Aug 14, 2023, 4:47 PM CDT·3 min read

 

 

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is considering playing his starters in the second preseason game Friday night against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The only starter who started and played in the Bengals’ first exhibition game against the Green Bay Packers was safety Dax Hill.

 

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor observes play in the third quarter during a Week 1 NFL preseason game between the Green Bay Packers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Friday, Aug. 11, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.

“We’ll see…We haven’t nailed it all down yet,” Taylor said on Monday when asked if starters will play.

 

Did resting players lead to Bengals' slow start in 2022?

In recent years, Taylor has opted not to play his starters in the preseason. When the Bengals started 0-2 last season, Taylor’s decision to rest his players was called into question. Several teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs, have played their starting quarterback for a series or two thus far.

It’s unclear if the slow start last year will be a factor in his decision this year. Quarterback Joe Burrow admitted prior to suffering the calf strain that he wanted to play in the preseason. Based off his response and how Taylor answered the same question, if he were healthy, he would likely have played a series or two in a preseason game.

“Yeah, I would,” Burrow said on July 26. “I haven’t had a chance to do that yet I think a series or two would be beneficial.”

Here’s Taylor’s response to the same question:

“Do I see Joe getting starting quarterback reps in the preseason game? I’ve got an idea in my head of how we’ll use the starters,” Taylor said on the same day. “I won’t make any announcement. It can change from week to week, depending on where this team is at. Like I’ve said before, every year will be different. Just because in years past guys haven’t played or because in years past guys have played, that won’t dictate what we’re going to do this year.”

So, with Burrow unable to play, does Taylor still feel the same way about potentially giving starters a chance to play?

 

Are reps needed for Jonah Williams at right tackle?

Cincinnati’s head coach was asked if he needs to see right tackle Jonah Williams play at his new position to feel comfortable putting him out there on Sept. 10 when the Bengals take on the Cleveland Browns.

Taylor said he doesn’t necessarily need to see Williams play in a preseason game but kept the window open.

“We’ll keep considering what we want to do with all of our guys,” Taylor said.

Falcons head coach Arthur Smith confirmed he will play his starters on Friday giving the Bengals an opportunity to see their starters versus Atlanta’s depending on Taylor’s decision.

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/zac-taylor-considering-playing-bengals-214704436.html?src=rss

[|BlackJesus|]

[Le Tigre]

“Needs the reps”

—-John Q Media Squawking Head

 

(kneecap pops out again against 3rd stringer)

 

”Very questionable decision to play him in a meaningless exhibition game”

——John Q Media Squawking Head 

[|BlackJesus|]

[Counterpoint]

 

Whatever they have done the past 2 seasons has worked ... it took the team to the Super Bowl and AFC Championship. 

 

Closer horses have 'slow starts', but that's built into the way they run. By starting slower, they are faster around the last turn as they have preserved more energy for the late push compared to the other horses who have been running their fastest since the opening shot. 

 

Look at the Ravens, who have not lost a Preseason game since 2015 (a meaningless achievement). They go hard starting the first week in August and usually gas out by December, have way more injuries than other teams, and stink it up in the playoffs.

 

If you essentially start the season a month later, you will be one month fresher later in the year in comparison to your opponents.

[gupps]

I'm OK with maybe 1 series, but thats about it.

[UncleEarl]

I’m with Gupps.  Get a series in at the start of the game.  Help get the jitters out.  I get wanting to stay healthy, but guys get hurt in practice too.  A little real game experience is important.  

[Griever]

9 minutes ago, UncleEarl said:

I’m with Gupps.  Get a series in at the start of the game.  Help get the jitters out.  I get wanting to stay healthy, but guys get hurt in practice too.  A little real game experience is important.  

Me three. One series

[dex]

I am on the fence here. As has been pointed out many times, that joint practice with Green Bay was far more grueling than any exhibition game. The various units for both teams were lining up against each other on two separate fields for well over two hours. One of the starters (believe it was Hubbard) said that he got something like 60-70 snaps and was exhausted as a result. The Bengals 1st team defense absolutely dominated the Packers 1st team offense so Anarumo was quite pleased with his unit.

 

OTOH, the Packers 1st team defense also shut down the Bengals offense, making it clear that Cincinnati isn't where they want to be on that side of the ball. Not too surprising without Burrow, but it is still concerning. The offense might need the reps in an exhibition game to see some of the schematic changes on that side of the ball, but again (as always, it seems) they would have to play the preseason game without Burrow. I cringe when I think about these backups QBs throwing errant throws to these stud WRs that put them in danger of big hits.

 

I think I would like to see only the offensive line 1st team and Mixon start, just to see where the running game out of the shotgun is in terms of the new changes. But not the entire starting units on both sides. This is probably a borderline decision for Zac Taylor, nothing clearcut.

[sparky151]

In the days of 4 preseason games, the third was considered the dress rehearsal for the season and most teams would play their starters for at least a half. Then the last game was to see who won the bubble roster spots.

 

With only 3 preseason games now, this would be the week to get the starters some snaps. I'd play them at least a quarter. 

[claptonrocks]

21 minutes ago, sparky151 said:

In the days of 4 preseason games, the third was considered the dress rehearsal for the season and most teams would play their starters for at least a half. Then the last game was to see who won the bubble roster spots.

 

With only 3 preseason games now, this would be the week to get the starters some snaps. I'd play them at least a quarter. 

Agree..

Unleash the starters now.

Time to see them as a whole unit

then rest them up for a week before Brown's game..

 

 

 

 

[|BlackJesus|]

40 minutes ago, claptonrocks said:

Unleash the starters now.

 

Can't unleash anything without Burrow. And he's out until the opener. 

[claptonrocks]

Just now, BlackJesus said:

 

Can't unleash anything without Burrow. And he's out until the opener. 

They can perform their duties without JB.

 

[|BlackJesus|]

3 minutes ago, claptonrocks said:

They can perform their duties without JB.

 

Yeah, and Higgins 'duty' will be going across the middle and leaping for a high throw from Semen-ian before getting knee capped and out for the season. 

 

No thanks. 

[claptonrocks]

2 minutes ago, BlackJesus said:

 

Yeah, and Higgins 'duty' will be going across the middle and leaping for a high throw from Semen-ian before getting knee capped and out for the season. 

 

No thanks. 

Agree with our 3 amigos but

the oline.should see action as a unit before game 1 imo..

 

[dex]

14 minutes ago, claptonrocks said:

Agree with our 3 amigos but

the oline.should see action as a unit before game 1 imo..

 

This is my position. I don't want the stud WRs playing in a game with these scattershot backup QBs. But the OL and the RBs need real game work with all of the new PA/PRO emphasis out of the shotgun.

[A Rock]

Sit em.  For all the "look at the slow start last year" talk, people forget.  Burrow won that first game against the Inbreds, twice!  A dramatic last play touchdown to Chase for naught.  An overtime drive into chip shot, field goal range, for naught.  That game was lost when someone checked backup long snapper off the list cause Wilcox did it in high school.  Every little thing can help, and every little thing can hurt.  The inches we need to scratch and claw for are all around us. (From the Al Pacino, Any Given Sunday, speech) Though fictitious, still may favorite football reference 😆

[stryker57]

the scrimmage against GB was just that a scrimmage.. no play clock , with time to set every play /formation however they wanted  etc. so they can  play the 1st teams a series or 2. , i remember last year too.  offense in week 1 looked like a bunch of warner leaguers...  so lets  not kill the defense in week 1 because our offense is trying to figure out how to play and pulls a bunch of 3 and outs.  and lets them play for 45 minutes ... 

 

seriously now , dont be stupid and play everyone a half, and  if their hurt or questionable for gods sake dont play themat all.

but if they are healthy they can play a series or 2. 

[|High School Harry|]

I would like to see the starting O line in there for a couple series each of the last preseason games

against live bodies other than teammates.   Gelling, chemistry, communication and all of that that

was lacking and got us off to a bad start last year.

 

Want to see how much better or worse Mixon is than Evans and Brown.

 

No Tee. No Ja'Marr.

[UncleEarl]

I would hold out Tee due to his contract situation.  Other than that I would like to see all of them play one series. 

[PatternMaster]

I definitely want to see the oline play, that's about it on offense. 

 

On defense, I don't see the need. Let the backups get some PT, it's going to be the most they get all year. 

[Le Tigre]

Way back when, the NFL Preseason was simple practice/scrimmages, with a few “exhibition games” sprinkled in. Not every team even participated in “exhibition games”

 

Then, the league started the “barnstorming” era, when there were as many as 6 exhibition games per team—but almost all being played in non-NFL cities as the true term “exhibition” portends. They made a lot of loot. 
 

This is an old SI article, which gives a flavor of both the NFL love of money at any price, and the later-day players who hated preseason. Clinton Portis’ comment—after he separated his shoulder in an exhibition game, costing him half a season, is interesting:

 

“The preseason should be used to evaluate new talent, the people that are trying to make it,” he says. “And you don’t need but two or three games to evaluate that talent. Just play the guys who are trying to make the team.”

 

https://www.si.com/.amp/nfl/2013/08/22/preseason-history
 

 

[|BlackJesus|]

On 8/15/2023 at 11:14 AM, BlackJesus said:

Look at the Ravens, 

way more injuries than other teams, 

 

I don't intend to be right ... I just am. 

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/ravens/news/baltimore-ravens-training-camp-practice-marlon-humphrey-foot-injury-update-washington-commanders

[stryker57]

so what do you want?

everyone to sit around in bubble wrap until week 1?

hell burrow came up lame in a controlled team practice with no contact.

i guess we need to stop practicing too. 

[|High School Harry|]

I want to see Mixon in the mix with the other running backs behind the same line to see

if and how much better he does.  

[|BlackJesus|]

10 hours ago, stryker57 said:

so what do you want?

everyone to sit around in bubble wrap until week 1?

 

All the starters, yes. They can do film study, schematics, walk throughs with no pads, mental game planning. But there is no need for them to have pads on and taking contact until the week before week 1's game. 

 

 

10 hours ago, stryker57 said:

i guess we need to stop practicing too. 

 

Starters don't need practice right now, they know how to play football. Preseason is for backups and free agents to show they belong on the roster. But the coaches already know that the starters do. 

 

More generally, one year some unconventional coach is going to eliminate contact in NFL practices altogether (even in regular season) and see amazing results -- and then all the others will copy them and wonder why they ever beat up their own players and weakened their own team because of some outdated machismo notion that "toughness" (as in crashing the bodies of your own guys into each other) somehow makes you a better team. When all it does it wear down their bodies.