Postgame Press Conference: Zac Taylor Reacts to Bengals' Brutal Loss to Bears

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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Zac Taylor (0:19)

Yeah, just, I can't believe it. Can't believe it. Being is right there, and then we just, we don't find a way to get it done. And when again, we just gotta make one play, just one play. And some of these losses turn to the wins. And so again, we just gotta, as coaches, we gotta spend this week finding a way, finding a way to help everybody and get it done. Because this is, it's sick. It's sick to lose like that. It's sick.

That's what happened. So we gotta own it. And we gotta keep finding ways to improve and keep finding ways to find a win. These last two weeks, it hasn't happened.

SPEAKER_3 (0:56)

Zac, are you surprised, frustrated, angry, whatever?

Zac Taylor (1:02)

Well, we gotta find a way to get them fixed. We are. I mean, we're like crazy. We're trying to do everything we can to get it done.

And so, again, that's not because of a lack of work, lack of effort, lack of trying to cover every single stone to get it done. But it is tough. This has just been the result that we're dealing with.

SPEAKER_4 (1:21)

Is there anything you feel the defense has been missing?

Zac Taylor (1:25)

We just got to find a way to make a play get off the field. I mean, it's no turnovers today, you know. And this is a team that's, you know, they're going to finish plus two in the turnover battle today, Chicago is. And that's where all their wins have come from. And so, you lose the game by five points, they're plus two in the turnovers, they've been plus three, but they've been plus four, they've been plus three, a lot of their wins. And so, kind of more of the same for that.

SPEAKER_6 (1:45)

Zac, it's a tough game.

Zac Taylor (1:46)

Plus three today, I guess, is what they were.

SPEAKER_5 (1:47)

Sorry, Zac. Tough game to play at the nine-yard line there.

SPEAKER_6 (1:50)

Were you thinking about possibly trying to force them into their final timeout?

Zac Taylor (1:53)

We ran the ball. I mean, that's what we did on the first play. Ran the ball. So, you get cute, and you force them to do that, and then you have no points, and then the game's over. So, we just trust our guys to get out there and make a play, and that's just the way it goes.

SPEAKER_3 (2:08)

Is it as simple as bringing Colston down after he makes that catch there, just someone tackling him?

Zac Taylor (2:12)

Yeah. Get them on the ground. Force them into a tough field goal. You know, at that point, once the play has been completed, make them execute, and again, we just didn't get them on the ground, score a touchdown, game over.

SPEAKER_3 (2:24)

How far has it been around?

SPEAKER_6 (2:25)

It's come back like that about 15 or 20 points, like I meant, 42

Zac Taylor (2:29)

I mean, the Houston game a couple of years ago, it was very similar. We were right there a couple of years ago.

So, it's a tough one to stomach, but the result is the result. And so, again, I feel sick right now, but all we can do is pick ourselves up and keep fighting, and that's the beauty of being in this profession and being in this locker room is we see what we're made of. We're going to keep fighting. We know there's going to be pretty loud noise out there. Criticism, it's deserved when we're the record we are and the results we've had. We're going to keep showing our character and keep fighting and find a way to lead these guys and find a way to make some plays and get some wins and keep this season alive. That's what we're going to do.

SPEAKER_3 (3:14)

Can it be fixed on defense?

Zac Taylor (3:16)

We're going to find a way. We're going to do everything we can to find a way. I think it's impossible for me to say yes or no. We're going to try everything we can. So we'll just keep working at it.

SPEAKER_7 (3:23)

You scored 38 points last week, 42 this week. Most would say in the NFL, that's more than enough points to win a game. How do you manage the locker room in not having the offensive players feel any sort of resentment?