Closing games is becoming a huge hurdle for Zac Taylor to overcome

Zac Taylor simply can’t catch a break. As soon as his team seems on the verge of an impressive performance, it all falls apart.

In the season opener, a ticky-tacky offensive pass interference against A.J. Green ruined what would have been a thrilling comeback victory for rookie QB Joe Burrow in his first ever NFL game. Things were clicking against the Indianapolis Colts, as the team raced to a 21-0 lead in barely over a quarter. But then the wheels came off the defense, and they ended up losing 31-27. Finally, last week against the Cleveland Browns, Burrow had his biggest game yet, throwing for over 400 yards, 3 touchdowns, and rushing for another TD. He put the team up with a little over a minute left, yet they still lost.

So what’s missing? Why can’t the Bengals close? The easy answer is coaching. But Taylor has suggested that there’s a long learning process to winning, and he’s a young coach with a roster that’s been largely revamped.

This week, the Bengals face the Tennessee Titans, one of the best teams in the fourth quarter, and a team that impressed en route to an AFC Championship performance last season. They are well-coached by Mike Vrabel, who has only one more year of experience than Taylor. We were joined by former Titan Denard Walker, who discussed with us what makes the Titans to successful and how far the Bengals are from finding similar success.

You can watch our analysis and Denard’s takes here:

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