The worst loss in the Cincinnati Bengals’ history came at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings, 48-10, on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium. The men in stripes looked disinterested from the jump and were clearly overwhelmed as head coach Zac Taylor was outcoached in every facet possible. Jake Browning also struggled early on, as he could never get into a rhythm, largely due to an anemic running game that couldn’t gain traction for the third week in a row. The offensive line was consistently being pushed back at the point of attack, leading to a rough day for everyone involved. It only gets tougher from here with a matchup with the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football next week. If Taylor and his staff can’t put together a better rushing scheme, it’s going to be a very long year in Cincinnati.
Running Game Woes Continue to Plague the Cincinnati Bengals
Chasing Yards
Third-year running back Chase Brown has been off to a shaky start with the loss of Burrow and an offensive line that is putrid in run blocking, as he only has 93 yards rushing on 47 carries for an ugly 2.0 ypc. Taylor has tried to get him going in spurts, but his style of offense is built for Joe Burrow, and now everyone’s trying to put a square peg in a round hole. It’s no time for finger-pointing, though, as noted by Taylor after the game, “We’re going to have to make a lot of corrections from (today), but we’re going to have to be ready to move on. We’re on a big stage next week, and we’re going to get a chance to redeem ourselves if we can handle things the right way.”
Changes in Attitudes
Since Taylor arrived in 2020, the running game has been his biggest Achilles heel, with rankings of 25th, 24th, 23rd, 29th, 31st, 30th, and currently last in the NFL to prove it. It’s an area that he needs to lean on more, but simply can’t due to the scheme not matching the offensive line’s strengths. This is crushing to Browning, who needs more help from everyone involved. Rookie Tahj Brooks may get more playing time against the Broncos to see what he can do, in hopes of providing a jolt to the offense.
Long September
It’s a week-to-week league, and there are 14 more opportunities for all parties involved. This loss will only define the 2025 Bengals if the team lets it. The fact of the matter is that changes need to be made to the state of the offense. If Taylor can’t improve his side of the ball with the playmakers he has, it will be a long September and much more with his job on the line and new leadership for Burrow in 2026.
Main Photo: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
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