Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker hit a last-second field goal to beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2. Zac Taylor's squad is now 0-2 for the third consecutive season. After the heartbreaking defeat, Taylor gave the Bengals credit for their solid performance when speaking to the media. Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Inquirer posted part of his press conference on her social media account.
“Our team played hard, really proud of the way they fought. Put ourselves in some really good situations in both halves. Defense giving us takeaways was critical. So it's just disappointing that we lost, it's an emotional loss for us,” the Bengals coach said. “But at the same time, I like where our team's mental state is at right now. How we fought on the road against a really good team, I'm confident we're gonna be able to bounce back the right way and get ourselves in better shape going into Week 3.”
The Bengals thought that they had the game sealed after a fourth-down stop. Safety Daijahn Anthony had broken up a pass intended for Rashee Rice that they thought ended the game. The officials called pass interference, which gave the Chiefs a first down in field goal range.
Joe Burrow and the Bengals lost in Week 1 to the New England Patriots. While this was a better performance than the stunning upset, they face an uphill battle to make the playoffs.
Zac Taylor, Bengals must get off schneid
History is not on the Bengals' side for the remainder of the season. Since the playoffs expanded in 2020, only two teams who have started 0-2 have made the playoffs. The 2022 Bengals and 2023 Texans are the two out of 32 0-2 teams to make the dance. The Ravens also starting 0-2 will help them, as the AFC North will likely go to one of those two teams.
Both of those teams started their march to the playoffs by winning in Week 3. The Bengals host the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football next week and must win that game to keep their playoff hopes alive. Jayden Daniels won his first game in the NFL with a win over the New York Giants on Sunday.
The Bengals defense held up well against the Chiefs' offense. While they did lose the game because of a penalty, Cam Taylor-Britt's ridiculous interception gave the Bengals a great chance to win before a Kansas City defensive touchdown. If their defense continues that level of play, Cincinnati should have no problem containing Jayden Daniels.
The key to making the playoffs for the Bengals is dominating division games. The Browns are 1-1 and the Steelers have the early lead at 2-0 in the vaunted AFC North. If they can win four or five of their six division games, this 0-2 start will feel like ancient history.
This losing streak comes after a brutal 2023 season ended without a playoff appearance. The Bengals were plagued by injuries, specifically to Joe Burrow, and finished 9-8. After last year's 0-2 start, the Bengals did win in Week 3 but proceeded to lose and fall to 1-3. Getting off this schneid and winning multiple games in a row is key for the Cincinnati Bengals.