There’s no quit in the Cincinnati Bengals. The past two games confirmed that Zac Taylor’s message is still resonating in the locker room and team’s publicly stated goal of finishing the season strong weren't unsubstantiated claims.
“These guys deserve it for the work they put in. I see it every day,” Taylor said. “The world doesn't see it because on Sundays we haven't always had games go the way we want, but I get to see it the six other days of the week. We knew that moments like these were coming, and we've just got to continue to build off of it. Winning two games in a row is really insignificant in this NFL, but it is significant for us right now, just everybody seeing what we've been through. It means a lot to these guys and something to build off of.”
The Bengals were 0-19-1 on the road in their last 20 contests away from Paul Brown Stadium entering Sunday. It was the eighth longest winless streak on the road in NFL history. Furthermore, it had been 41 games since the team’s last winning streak. The Bengals are already eliminated from playoff contention and nearing the conclusion of the dog days of the season.
It would’ve been easy for the Bengals to mail it in and coast to the finish line coming off their biggest win of the Taylor era. Yet, the Bengals practiced on Christmas morning when it was a bone-chilling 10-degrees outside in preparation for the Week 16 tilt. The Bengals’ holiday practice in freezing weather was emblematic of their approach in the final weeks of the regular season.
“Just tells you everything you have to know about the character and resolve of this football team,” Taylor said. “We practiced in 10-degree weather on Christmas Day to come down and play a game in Houston. Not one guy, I didn't hear one guy complain about it. They all knew we had to get some work done before we had to come play this big game. Just couldn't be prouder of the work they put here in Week 16. We're out of the playoff hunt. It's easy for guys to check out right now, and we haven't had a single player do it. Just proud to coach these guys.”
Taylor feelings are justified. The Bengals’ mini winning streak should serve as vindication. The Bengals have a 4-10-1 record, but the club is taking steps in the right direction and the players believe in the 37-year-old coach. That’s all one can ask for from a team in the midst of a rebuild.
“I think winning is contagious. You get on a roll, you feel that momentum and guys start believing,” Bengals wide receiver Alex Erickson said. “It's just a testament to staying with it. I know we were really hard on ourselves in film studies and all that. You get victories and you stack them, and that's what it takes to win in this league. Obviously, we are out of contention this year, but it shows a testament to the character we've got in that room.”
Taylor’s overall record of 6-24-1 in two seasons isn’t pretty, but snapping a five-year losing streak to Pittsburgh and ending a two-year win drought on the road in successive weeks is significant. It also serves as validation that the Bengals are steadily improving.
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