Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor Hoping To Do Something in Week 2 That He's Never Done

The Bengals are 1-0 for the first time since 2021. Taylor has never won a Week 2 game.

Aug 18, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor looks on from the sidelines against the Washington Commanders during the first half at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — Zac Taylor is hoping to do something on Sunday that he's never done as head coach of the Bengals: win in Week 2.

Taylor is 0-6 in Week 2 since becoming head coach of the Bengals in 2019. He lost to the 49ers at home in his first season, then the Bengals went up to Cleveland and lost in Joe Burrow's first ever road game in 2020.

They went to Chicago in 2021 and were underwhelming in a loss to the Bears. Burrow wasn't himself in 2022 due to an appendectomy and the Bengals fell short to the Cowboys in Dallas. The Ravens came to town and won in 2023 and Cincinnati lost 26-25 in Kansas City last year.

"Zero awareness," Taylor said bluntly when asked about his 0-6 record in Week 2.

A big part of the Bengals' slow starts are due to their inability to win in the second week of the season. Taylor is 2-5 in season openers and 0-6 in Week 2.

What would a Week 2 win mean for him and the Bengals?

"I just want to be 2-0. I know I haven’t been 2-0 since I've been here. That I can tell you," Taylor said. "That part (being 0-6 in Week 2) doesn't matter. Our team each week has focused on really central things, starting with week 1. Same type of focus for Week 2. So big picture-wise, that doesn’t concern us. What concerns us is starting out 1-0 at home and that puts our best foot forward for all the things we want to do in our division. Just keep it a lot simpler than the things that are probably more fun to talk about. In our rooms, it’s as simple as that."

The Bengals play the Jaguars on Sunday at 1 p.m. They're hoping to start 2-0 for the first time since 2018.

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