Bengals head coach Zac Taylor has never taken as much heat as he has in the aftermath of the Bengals’ 48-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. It feels like he’s become a polarizing figure in the Cincinnati
sports scene. When the Bengals win, he gets marginalized credit. But when the Bengals lose, he gets all the blame.
Here’s the thing about Zac Taylor, and this may be stating the obvious: He’s a great leader and culture builder. The Bengals locker room has been lauded for its positivity, leadership, and strong culture for the last seven seasons. That stuff is hard to come by in the NFL, and Taylor’s relentless positivity through the Bengals’ struggles in his first two seasons as head coach is a big reason why the Bengals got to Super Bowl LVI in just Taylor’s third season.
The downside is that Taylor is severely limited as an offensive-minded coach and schemer. Most notably, he hasn’t evolved as much as other head coaches, including his former boss, Sean McVay. He’s undergone some evolution, but not nearly enough, like McVay and other great head coaches in the NFL.
When Taylor has had his full offense healthy, he’s done some really good things. Yes, most of it is due to Joe Burrow being one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but Taylor has also made significant contributions to it. He’s flourished in key situations, leaning on the strengths of the Bengals in recent seasons. That’s a product of the culture and belief that has been established in the locker room, and Taylor is a big part of that.
Cincinnati has won before with Taylor. Heck, they were less than two minutes away from bringing the first Lombardi Trophy to the Queen City. There’s a saying from Paul Brown that “Winning makes believers in us all.” Taylor has responded well when the Bengals have faced adversity over the last four seasons. They’ll need another response, in a big way, on Monday Night Football this week in Denver against the Broncos.
This game feels like the season for the Bengals. It may feel like even more than that. There’s no way around either of those feelings.
With that, let’s take a look at Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, four other key players to watch, keys to the game, and score prediction for this week’s Monday Night Football showdown.
Quarterback: No. 10: Bo Nix — 6-2, 217 lbs. 2nd Season (Oregon)
There was a lot of skepticism surrounding Nix when he came out of Oregon in the 2024 NFL Draft. However, he could not have landed in a better situation. Being paired with Sean Payton was the best thing that could have happened to Nix, but it’s much more than that.
The Broncos’ defense bought Nix time to develop as a quarterback, and playing behind an elite offensive line also helped. When the Broncos came to play the Bengals in Week 17 last season, Nix looked the part of a franchise quarterback. He threw two game-tying touchdowns in the fourth quarter that were incredible throws. That’s when you knew the Broncos had their quarterback.
In college, Nix started 61 games at Auburn and Oregon and threw for over 15,000 yards and 100 touchdowns. He was the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2023, setting an NCAA single-season record for completion percentage at 77.4 percent. He also set the Oregon single-season record for completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns.
Four Players to Watch on the Broncos
1. No. 2: Cornerback, Patrick Surtain II — 6-2, 202 lbs. Alabama
The NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Surtain, has had an excellent start to his NFL career. Surtain has had double-digit passes defensed in each of his first four seasons, and those have been a big part of him being named a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time Pro Bowler.
Surtain has a pass defensed in each of the Broncos’ three games, along with 13 tackles. Being named Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 made him just the seventh cornerback in NFL history to win the award. He was also named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2020 at Alabama, on a Crimson Tide team that won the national championship.
Patrick’s father, Patrick Surtain II, played 11 NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins and was a three-time Pro Bowler.
2. No. 15: Linebacker, Nik Bonitto — 6-3, 240 lbs. Oklahoma
Bonitto is coming off his Pro Bowl berth in 2024, where he had 13.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, 24 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.
The Broncos have a talented group of players on their defensive front. Bonitto is one of the enforcers of it.
3. No. 27: Running Back, J.K. Dobbins — 5-10, 212 lbs. Ohio State
Dobbins has always had the potential. If he can stay healthy, Dobbins can add another dimension to a Broncos offense that’s ready to be amongst the NFL’s elite.
The sixth-year running back out of Ohio State, Dobbins, has rushed for three touchdowns this season with 222 yards on 41 carries.
4. No. 14: Wide Receiver, Courtland Sutton — 6-4, 216 lbs. SMU
Denver took a gamble on signing Sutton to a contract extension this offseason. But he’s coming off a 1,000-yard season, and Sutton had 10 touchdowns in 2023.
It’s been since 2019 since Sutton has been a Pro Bowler, but that could be changing this season. He already has 13 receptions for 185 yards and two touchdowns.
At SMU, Sutton was a Second-Team All-American as a redshirt junior.
Head Coach: Sean Payton (3rd season, 19-18; 18th Season Overall, 171-107) — 61 years old
There is no question Sean Payton is one of the best head coaches of his generation. When he ultimately decides to retire, he will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At least, he should be.
Payton’s offensive mind is one of the best in the NFL today and in league history. The offenses he and quarterback Drew Brees orchestrated with the New Orleans Saints are among the most prolific in NFL history. What may be misunderstood is that those Saints offenses never had a dominant No. 1 wide receiver, except for Michael Thomas. In the early years of Payton’s tenure in New Orleans, the Saints didn’t have a bona fide No. 1 wide receiver or one of the NFL’s best running backs. However, what the Saints’ offense did have was a group of versatile skill players who could stress any opposing defense, especially with a quarterback like Drew Brees.
In Denver, the Broncos offense reminds me a lot of those early Payton-led offenses in New Orleans: an accurate quarterback, a versatile group of skill players, and an elite offensive line.
The Broncos needed a reset on the field and in the locker room when Payton was hired prior to the 2023 season. So far, it’s working out. Denver making the Playoffs in 2024 put them ahead of schedule, and this season, they’re looking to immerse themselves in the upper echelon of the AFC.
Even at 1-2, the Broncos still have everything in front of them this season.
Offensive Coordinator: Joe Lombardi (3rd season) — 54 years old
The grandson of the legendary Vince Lombardi, Joe was on Sean Payton’s staff for 11 seasons in New Orleans and helped produce some of the most prolific offenses in NFL history. In addition, Lombardi was a three-year letter-winner at tight end playing for Air Force. He went on to serve a four-year tour of active duty as an Air Force officer. An active contributor to military-supporting initiatives throughout his NFL career, Lombardi was named an NFL Salute to Service Award nominee by the Saints in 2018 and the Chargers in 2021.
In Denver, Lombardi has transformed the Broncos’ offense into one of the most efficient and effective in the NFL. The Broncos are excellent in the red zone offensively, ranking seventh in red zone percentage and fifth in goal-to-go percentage in 2024.
Lombardi was the Chargers’ offensive coordinator from 2021 to 2022, helping Justin Herbert throw for over 5,000 yards in 2021 with 38 touchdowns and nine 300-yard passing games.
In addition to the Chargers, Lombardi has served as an offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions from 2014 to 2015.
Defensive Coordinator: Vance Joseph (3rd season) — 53 years old
A former defensive backs coach for the Bengals from 2014-2015, Joseph’s defense in Denver in 2024 led the NFL with 63 sacks. It’s the latest season of a career that has seen Joseph coach 11 AP All-Pros, 16 Pro Bowlers, and an AP Defensive Player of the Year.
From 2014 to 2015, the Bengals’ defense recorded 41 interceptions and allowed just 36 touchdowns. They also held opposing quarterbacks to the lowest combined passer rating in the NFL at 77.4
Joseph has also served as a defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins. He was also the Broncos’ head coach from 2017 to 2018.
Joseph’s first NFL job was as an assistant defensive backs coach with the San Francisco 49ers.
As a player, Joseph was a member of Colorado’s national championship team in 1990 and played for the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts.
Special Teams Coordinator: Darren Rizzi (1st season) — 55 years old
Rizzi was with the New Orleans Saints from 2019 to 2024, including as their interim head coach for eight games in 2024. He was the Saints’ special teams coordinator from 2019 to 2024, so Payton is familiar with him.
A former college head coach, Rizzi also served as the special teams coordinator for the Miami Dolphins for nine seasons.
Keys to the Game
1. Run the ball. Duh.
Is there another way to explain this? Even the great passing teams of today and in NFL history could run the football. It’s that simple. The Bengals need to run the ball effectively on Monday night, especially with a backup quarterback facing the Broncos’ defense.
2. Find more ways to get the ball to Ja’Marr Chase
This is where scheming and creativity come into play. Try some jet sweeps, pitches out of the backfield, misdirection, screen passes, anything. Ja’Marr Chase has to get the ball early and often in this game. He’s the Bengals’ best player on the field, and he’s probably the best player in this entire game. Chase has to get the ball at least 15 times in this game, if not more.
3. Limit the explosive plays
The Bengals beat the Broncos last year in Cincinnati in a must-win game to keep their playoff hopes alive. However, the Bengals’ defense gave up two explosive touchdowns in the fourth quarter. That cannot happen in Denver on Monday night.
Broncos wide receivers Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims Jr. can take the top off the defense on any given play. Add in tight end Evan Engram’s intermediate pass-catching prowess, and this Broncos offense can move the ball in chunks. Those chunks can result in explosive plays from their offense, which cannot happen on Monday night.
4. Generate pressure on Bo Nix
This is a must on Monday night. The Broncos have an elite offensive line, but the Bengals have to find a way to generate pressure on Bo Nix. It worked against Trevor Lawrence, forcing him to two interceptions against the Jaguars, and it can work again on Monday night. Creating turnovers can be a huge difference-maker for a Bengals team that may be at a disadvantage roster-wise and scheme-wise on Monday night. Generating pressure can force Nix into mistakes and give the Bengals offense shorter fields to move the ball against the Broncos’ defense.
Score Prediction: Broncos 27, Bengals 20
The Bengals are going to respond to adversity. There is too much star power on this team to think that last week’s result is indicative of how this season is going to play out. Two years ago, when Joe Burrow was out, we saw this team really come close to making the Playoffs. This season, there’s still plenty of time to make that happen. Cincinnati is 2-1, and a win Monday night would put them at 3-1 with two massive wins over AFC opponents in Jacksonville and Denver.
However, the Broncos are 1-2 and know they need to win this game to avoid falling further back in the playoff picture. They’re playing at home, and they should come out with a high sense of urgency to right the wrongs of losing their last two games on game-winning field goals.
I think Denver will hold serve at home, but a good showing from the Bengals on both sides of the ball will at least offer some hope that the season isn’t lost and can still be turned around.
