Zac Taylor’s Bengals have lost the most win percentage by kicking in go situations

It’s no secret that the Cincinnati Bengals offense has struggled mightily this year. A lot of that has to do with Joe Burrow’s calf injury and Tee Higgins’ slow start.

Another factor, though, is failing to capitalize on fourth downs. The Bengals have lost the most win percentage points in the league by kicking in go situations.

As you can see, Cincinnati has lost about six percentage points per game by punting the ball away or attempting a field goal. The next worst team is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are around four percent.

But it’s not as simple as going for it on fourth. You have to be able to convert. And the Bengals haven’t done that very well, which partly explains the trend of kicking it away.

The Bengals have one of the lowest Go-For-It rates, but they also have one of the lowest EPAs per play.

So is this all just Taylor playing more conservatively because of Burrow’s calf (and the subsequent slow start)? Not necessarily. The Bengals lost the third most win percentage by kicking in go situations last year and the ninth most in 2021.

Will they get better on fourth downs ahead of facing the offensive juggernaut that is the San Francisco 49ers? Watch our preview to learn more about the matchup:

You can also listen on iTunes or using the player below: