Three Thoughts on the Bengals' Future, Zac Taylor and the Rest of the Coaching Staff
CINCINNATI — The Bengals are flying high after Monday's win over the Steelers. Not only did they snap a five-game losing streak, but they beat Pittsburgh for the first time since 2015.
There's been plenty of discussion about how the victory impacts Zac Taylor's future.
Here are three thoughts on the Bengals' win over the Steelers, the final two weeks of the season and the state of the organization.
Zac Has Plenty to Prove
Taylor might've cooled his seat with Monday night's win, but he needs to show he can get that effort out of his guys on a consistent basis.
Plenty of teams can catch the Steelers off guard for one week. The same goes for the Titans, who the Bengals beat in Week 8.
If Taylor is going to right the ship in Cincinnati, then he needs to show consistency.
That doesn't mean win the final two games of the year, but he needs to have a good showing on the road in Houston.
Winning back-to-back games for the first time would be huge for the public perception of Taylor and the overall the direction of this franchise.
Taylor's next road win will be his first. He's 0-14-1 away from Paul Brown Stadium. Houston may be a bad team, but he desperately needs a road win.
The Bengals' offense was averaging 8.6 points-per-game in their last five contests before Monday night's win over the Steelers.
There's no reason why they shouldn't have a quality outing against a shorthanded Texans' defense.
Consistency is key. Taylor slayed the Steelers in primetime. Will he have his team ready to go against a weak defense on the road?
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Lou's Time to Shine
Speaking of having a lot to prove, Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo could be coaching for his job over the next two weeks.
Cincinnati's defense has been much better in recent weeks. They've held their opponents to 20 or fewer points in four of their last five games. The one time they didn't was in Week 14 against Dallas when the Bengals' offense had three first half turnovers.
Unfortunately for Anarumo, his unit hasn't faced many above average quarterbacks.
The Bengals held Alex Smith in check, before containing Colt McCoy in the second half against the Giants, rookie Tua Tagovailoa and Ben Roethlisberger, who's a shell of his former self.
If the defense can contain Deshaun Watson on Sunday and hold Lamar Jackson in check to end the season, then parting ways with Anarumo is going to be tough.
On the flip side, if they lay an egg over the next two games, then he becomes an easy "fall guy" with Taylor likely returning for a third season.
Nothing is Guaranteed
Taylor may be back next year, especially after Monday's win over Pittsburgh, but nothing is guaranteed.
History tells us that the Bengals' front office is still evaluating the entire coaching staff.
If the Bengals get crushed by the Texans and Jackson runs wild in the season finale, then this organization could still part ways with Taylor.
The second-year head coach has a lot to prove. He can't expect to be back just because his team beat the Steelers for the first time since 2015.
Mike Brown believes a strong finish is important. He brought Marvin Lewis back in 2018 because they ended the 2017 season with back-to-back wins over Detroit and Baltimore.
If Taylor can find a way to win two of three down the stretch or win-out, then it would solidify his future.
If the Bengals are blown out on Sunday against the Texans, then he could be shown the door at the end of the season.
It may not be likely, but Monday's win over the Steelers was one of the least likely outcomes of the entire NFL season.
Anything can happen. It's up to Taylor to prove himself over the next two weeks, not only to return for a third season, but to give fans a real reason to be optimistic about his chances of becoming a quality NFL head coach.
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