The Cincinnati Bengals have much riding on Sunday’s season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and history hasn’t been particularly kind to Zac Taylor in Week 1.
Taylor owns a 2-5 record in season openers since becoming Bengals head coach in 2019, a .286 winning percentage that ranks near the bottom relative to coaches with at least five openers.
Sports Illustrated's Jay Morrison noted that Taylor is tied for 110th among the 130 coaches who have appeared in at least five season-opening games. Former Bengals coach Bruce Coslet also finished 2-5 in openers.
Among current NFL head coaches, only New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel owns a worse winning percentage in season openers. Vrabel dropped to 2-6 after New England’s Week 1 loss to Seattle.
Taylor’s opponent has experienced the opposite trend.
Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles is 6-2 in season openers, while Tampa Bay has won five consecutive Week 1 games. The Buccaneers’ streak is tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the longest active run in the NFL.
Cincinnati hasn’t won consecutive season openers since a three-year streak from 2014 through 2016.
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals’ Zac Taylor carries troubling record into season opener
