Bengals News (12/27): Cincinnati trying to trap Jets

‘We just want to win’: Cincinnati Bengals trying to avoid more embarrassing records
“We put so much work in every week, and we come into every game expecting to win. We have confidence in the game plan, and we had a good week of practice. The goal is to win the game, and every one of these losses hurts,” Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert said. “The guys play hard, and they’re still playing for each other. Obviously, now we’re not going to the playoffs, but we are still playing for our teammates. We’re playing for pride. Every one of these defeats hurts.”

Taylor-Made Takes: 'If you’re a competitor in any shape or form, you’re just trying to do everything to win.'
I watched it many times. After the game that night. I watched it the next morning. It’s a tough business. It’s hard because it was a tough environment for the quarterback to play in. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut a little bit.

Randy Bullock's revised approach has made him one of the most accurate kickers in the NFL.
That’s why Bengals kicker Randy Bullock after eight years in the league understands a comprehensive approach is the best method to achieve success. Especially in the world of specialists where they are viewed as either a hero or zero based off of their last kick.

The Bengals host the New York Jets on Sunday, December 1 in Week 13 of the NFL season.
Less than 24 hours after Sunday’s score went final, Taylor announced at his Monday news conference that Andy Dalton will return to the starting QB role this Sunday against the Jets. Dalton, the Bengals’ all-time leader in career passer rating (88.0), 300-yard passing games (27) and winning percentage as a starter (.539; 68-58-2), started the first eight games of the season before moving to a reserve role during Cincinnati’s Week 9 bye. Rookie Ryan Finley, a fourth-round pick of the Bengals in May, started Games 9-11 but failed to find the win column.

Here's why Zac Taylor had to turn back to Andy Dalton as Bengals starting QB
CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Ryan Finley was supposed to get an eight-game audition as Bengals starting quarterback, and head coach Zac Taylor as recently as after Sunday's 16-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers re-affirmed he wanted to stick with the rookie. However, Taylor changed his mind on Monday to go back to veteran Andy Dalton .... and he had to do it.

NFL week 13 odds: Bengals are home underdogs against surging Jets
While the odds are a little friendlier than last week’s 6.5-point line with the Pittsburgh Steelers in town, it’s notable the Bengals are 3.5-point underdogs against the Jets, according to BetMGM.

Will the NY Jets take the 0-11 Bengals lightly? Why they shouldn't
“It’s hard to win an NFL game. Records aside, every game is tough,” Gase said. “I know it’s hard for everyone to believe that but it is, and especially when we’re going to the Bengals stadium, we’re traveling, we’re on the road, they’ve played two teams, extremely tough. … So this is going to be a tough game for us, any time you go on the road in the NFL it’s not easy.”

Cincinnati Bengals: Who are the Bengals’ legitimate building blocks?
Quarterback seems to be the likely outcome there somewhere in the top five. But with a new rookie class inbound and some obvious holes to patch with free agency, the team seems set for significant roster turnover.

Cincinnati Bengals: 7 Round 2020 Mock Draft Version 2.0
There are two classes of thinking when it comes to what the Bengals should do at the top of this year’s draft. On one side you have fans and analysts who believe in the importance of quarterback over everything else. They argue that Cincinnati must take one in the first round. However, there are those who believe Chase Young is a once in a lifetime prospect who can’t be passed on.

Around the League

Hall of Fame reveals 25 semifinalists for Class of 2020
The list also includes four others -- linebacker Carl Banks, running backs Fred Taylor and Ricky Watters, in addition to defensive tackle Bryant Young -- although previously eligible for the Hall of Fame, are semifinalists for the first time. All other players on the 2020 list have been a semifinalist in previous years.

Thomas Davis blames defense for Chargers' losses
"We just haven't figured it out for four quarters. We've played extremely well at times, and other times we've been inconsistent. If we do a better job in certain situations, our record could be much, much better."

Jason Witten: Jerry Jones' criticism 'completely fair'
"Passion, emotion, the energy he brings, that is Line 1 for Mr. Jones, I feel like from my perspective," the tight end said Tuesday, via ESPN. "He wants to win. He expects to win. He feels like he's put a great team together, which he has, and we haven't played to our expectations of where we should be. That's completely fair. I think it's just the raw emotion of it all. He's been around a lot of great football and knows what he wants it to look like."

Steelers starting Devlin Hodges at QB vs. Browns
Hodges replaced Mason Rudolph at halftime of Pittsburgh's narrow victory over the winless Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12 and jumpstarted a lifeless Steelers offense that was operating without running back James Conner, receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and center Maurkice Pouncey. The former practice squad quarterback nicknamed "Duck" completed 5 of 11 passes for 118 yards and a pivotal touchdown pass to James Washington that put Pittsburgh ahead 10-7 and served as the scoring foundation needed to come away with a 16-10 win.