Postgame Press Conference: Zac Taylor Reacts to Bengals' 17-16 Win Over Browns in Week 1

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today. Smart choice. Make another smart choice with auto quote explorer to compare rates from multiple car insurance companies all at once. Try it at progressive.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Not available in all states or situations. Prices vary based on how you buy.

Zac Taylor (0:20)

Glad to get a win. I thought the defense did a great job rising up there on the last several possessions of the game. We weren't putting them in great spots, and they just rose up, they got two turnovers. So to be able to win the turnover battle the way that we did, that's a key, key stat in winning week one. Because we knew there was going to be adversity. There's always adversity week one. There's always adversity when we play Cleveland. There's always adversity when we're on the road at Cleveland. It's never simple. And so for our guys, just to find a way to win it there at the end, proud of them. The best outcome of this game was 1-0. Forget about the stats, forget about the score, forget about how it all played out. The best outcome could have been was 1-0, and we're proud of that, and then we'll make some corrections and move forward.

Offensively, you went early in the first round, but you kind of sputtered the rest of the game.

SPEAKER_3 (1:02)

Why couldn't you find that way to have it?

Zac Taylor (1:03)

It's hard, you know, and a lot of times, it's just one play and a drive. If one play drills you, and now you're behind the sticks a little bit, that plays into their hands, and so we had really great efficiency early on, and there's a player there, and there's some things I can do to put us in a better spot, so I think we're all going to be accountable to that on offense. We felt like there was opportunity there that we didn't fully take advantage of. There's opportunities where I could put us in a better position, so I look forward to correcting all that after a win. It's a lot easier. Can you take us through on the straight, Zac? You know, we play action on the first one, and I didn't see exactly how 95 got in there, but he did, and we're trying to account for him on every snap, and he just finds a way to win sometimes. And second play was very similar. You know, I think they played Tampa and they got us, and then the third play, that's a regret that I have, is on the nine-yard line, calling a deeper throw like that. Probably something to just get the ball out of our hands quicker, so we can save some space for the punt, because it was a third and really long in that situation.

SPEAKER_4 (1:59)

What went into the decision to punt it there on the offenses last series, and then your thoughts on DJ's good play?

Zac Taylor (2:04)

On the fourth and one, you're saying? Yeah, it's, you know, our defense is playing really good at that moment, and they missed an extra point, so you know a little bit how they feel in a field goal. So you know, that probably weighs into their decision making a little bit, so I just felt really good about kicking it away and letting our defense go get the win for us. And they did, you know, DJ turned up with a huge pick, and those weren't easy turnovers, you know, JB and DJ, both of those were tough, you know, off tip balls, and they went and got them, and grateful for that.

SPEAKER_5 (2:32)

How much do you feel like Jordan's pick in the third really turned the game around, because you had just come off the drive where they gained four third down diversions on your defense, but then Trey gets a sack and then Jordan gets that pick. How do you feel like that was kind of the starting point?

Zac Taylor (2:45)

Again, week one, the turnover battle is critical, and it comes down to these one score games, and usually you're going to look at the scoreboard and see who won the turnover battle, and that's probably the team that won the one score game. So again, just proud of the way our guys handled that and found a way to get a swing. Good, you know, yeah, I felt good there. We'll obviously watch the tape and evaluate everybody, but I didn't have any issues.

SPEAKER_6 (3:11)

Zac, you had a lot of young players step up today, rookies all continue to go on defense.