CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor took a glance around the emptying locker room following a postgame radio interview on Sunday and offered those remaining some quick words of encouragement.
The Bengals, who lost to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, remain winless in Taylor's first season as coach.
He talked to wide receiver Tyler Boyd, stopped for an exchange with quarterback Andy Dalton near the showers and even made a quick visit to see A.J. Green, the team’s star wide receiver who has missed the whole season with an injury.
Those brief interactions were important in the context of the team’s latest setback. Taylor wanted to encourage his players as they continue to figure out how to reverse the team’s worst start to a season since 2008. At a time when many things aren’t working for Taylor and the Bengals, a sense of togetherness still permeates a locker room trying to win again.
“We’re 0-5, and we’re going to take a lot of shots right now,” Taylor said Monday. “That comes with the territory. We have to make sure that doesn’t seep into the minds of everyone in this building. Let’s close that off, listen to each other and know that each of us can do a better job.”
As the Bengals get ready for Sunday’s divisional game against the Baltimore Ravens (3-2), the areas for improvement are abundant. Cincinnati is 28th in offensive yards per play and 29th in defensive yards per play. When it comes to red zone efficiency, the Bengals are next-to-last, which is a big reason for the Week 5 loss to the previous winless Cardinals.
Bengals safety Shawn Williams, a team captain who has battled through different injuries the last two weeks to finish games, said staying locked in at practice through the early slump hasn’t been difficult. However, it hasn’t been easy, either.
“It’s just frustrating that we keep having the ouctomes that we’re having,” Williams said after Sunday’s loss. “We’re putting the work in. But right now, it’s just not happening for us.”
To compound the problem, in two of the last three weeks, Cincinnati has allowed the game-winning score in the final two minutes. Dating back to last season, the end of Marvin Lewis’ 16-year coaching run, the Bengals have dropped 12 of their last 13 games.
But according to Bengals veteran defensive end Carlos Dunlap, last year’s funk that led to Lewis’ departure hasn’t seeped into this season, even if the results are the same.
“Guys are still coming in ready to work trying to figure out how to fix the problems,” Dunlap said. “Still got good energy, good vibes. Guys are still getting to know each other, getting to know how coaches call things, getting the flow of everything. These are new experiences for everyone.”
And like the rest of the players, Taylor is still getting the hang of things, too. After Cincinnati’s offense went 19 drives between touchdowns, Taylor said he needs to improve as a playcaller. But in terms of handling those duties and being the head coach, the 36-year-old said he’s felt a rhythm when it comes to doing both tasks.
“Everyone has to do it a little differently because your staff is built differently,” Taylor said. “I’m always open to taking advice where I can get it. I feel comfortable with where we’re at.”
But as losses continue to pile up, questions will abound about everything about the Bengals -- from the front office to the coaching staff to the quality of the 53-man roster. That isn’t lost on Taylor and the team, who are examining everything in order to find that first victory of the year
“We all make sure that we’re accountable, and no one has an ego that’s too big to where we’re not willing to change,” Taylor said. “If ever we identify a problem we can fix, we’re willing to do it.”