Did Monday Night's Win Over the Steelers 'Save' Zac Taylor's Job?

Will Taylor get a third-year after the Bengals' 27-17 upset victory over the Steelers?

The Bengals' Monday night win over the Steelers was significant in many ways. 

The players had a sense of urgency, the play calling was better than we’ve seen over the past two years, and they pulled off an upset that shocked the NFL world. 

Cincinnati’s defense flew around the field. They dominated a Ben Roethlisberger-led offense, which hasn't happened much over the past 16 years.

Big Ben looked completely discombobulated. Pittsburgh’s first half of football was summed up with a brutal sequence—punt, punt, fumble, punt, fumble, interception, punt, punt. 

Needless to say, Roethlisberger has seen better days at Paul Brown Stadium.

Now let's get to the question everyone seems to be asking: how does the win impact Zac Taylor's future in Cincinnati? 

I will start this off with a simple truth—Taylor’s job, at least for 2021 was already safe before this game was won. His seat was hot, but not scorching.

Firing a head coach after two seasons is not the Bengals' way. They have a track record of cutting ties with assistants and position coaches before firing the head coach. 

The Bengals promptly fired offensive coordinator Ken Zampese after two games in 2017 after they became the first team since 1939 to start without a touchdown in two home games.

They finished with a 7-9 record. 

Marvin Lewis signed a one-year extension for the following season and the Bengals parted ways with long-time offensive line coach Paul Alexander after 23 years in the organization.

Ten weeks later the Bengals fired defensive coordinator Teryl Austin one day after the team gave up 51 points in a loss to the Saints. 

There were plenty of casualties before the organization and Lewis parted ways, which ultimately happened on Dec. 31, 2018 after the team finished with a 6-10 record.

For many NFL organizations, losing is not tolerated. Freddie Kitchens was sacked in Cleveland in 2019 after going 6-10 in his first year.

Five wins in two seasons would cause most organizations to clean house, but Cincinnati is the exception to that rule, which bodes well for Taylor's future.

Finding ways to compete against and earn wins over Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Cleveland twice a year is paramount to a coach’s longevity in Cincinnati. Coaches are judged on wins, losses, and their ability to develop players.

While the cohesion on the field this week was a breath of fresh air, their success also leads to a simple question: where has this team been all season?

The team’s sense of urgency was unrecognizable. Coaches and players have added motivation under the lights and the Bengals were no exception. Playing in a primetime slot on national television with everybody they’ve ever known watching them work. 

Juju Smith-Schuster’s pregame dance on Cincinnati’s logo gave the Bengals added motivation. Safety Vonn Bell seemed to take particular offense to that and dealt with it between the lines.

Lou Anarumo’s defense looked simple but effective. Players looked confident in their assignments. They started fast and delivered plenty of big hits. 

Jim Turner’s offensive line was handling business against the Steelers in the trenches, while the run game had one of the most productive games of Taylor's tenure. 

They ran the ball 41 times for 152 rushing yards on Monday night. It was the most carries Cincinnati has had since Week 10 of the 2019 season when they ran the ball 40 times against the Baltimore Ravens.

Taylor deserves credit. It was the biggest win of his head coaching career. 

Yes, Pittsburgh resembled an injured poodle in a dogfight, but like most teams at this point in the season, the Bengals are dealing with plenty of injuries as well. They played without Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, DJ Reader, Geno Atkins, Jonah Williams, Trae Waynes and CJ Uzomah. 

That win doesn't qualify as a "job saver," because Taylor's seat might not have been as hot as some thought it was going into Monday night.

The victory did help boost Taylor’s perception amongst the fan base, but as the saying goes, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

The front office can't completely ignore the harsh reality of a 3-10-1 record. 

History tells us there will be casualties. This team is lacking in many areas and changes seem inevitable. 

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