For a head coach, the toughest test isn’t a Super Bowl defeat, but motivating a locker room when there’s nothing left to play for. That’s the challenge the Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor now faces head-on. After a 24-0 shutout defeat against the Ravens and ahead of the Miami Dolphins game this weekend, HC Taylor targeted the frustration about the team while expressing the will to move on instead of surrendering.

“I feel everyone’s frustration. I feel the same frustration,” Taylor said via Kelsey Conway of Cincinnati Enquirer. “And we want to finish the season on a really strong note. That’s important to me.”

Sunday’s loss marked a definitive end to any hopes of a postseason, but it is now official: it is going to be a second 10-loss season since 2019. As a historical mark, it means a bit more to Taylor. Gliding on the hopes of a title run, the start of a new year will focus on criticisms, arguably the most intense aspect of his coaching.

The most striking thing in Taylor’s response was his insistence on not changing the identity that led him through the difficult times in the past. From the lessons gathered in the dark days of the 2019 and 2020 seasons, where they had only six victories as a total in the entire season, Taylor emphasized the importance of consistency in leadership.

“A lot of people, when things aren’t great, they want you to change who you are and your personality,” the Bengals’ head coach said. “And that’s one thing I refuse to do.”

In the initial stages of his leadership, the virtue of patience kept being tested due to mounting losses and the lack of progress at a reasonable rate. He remained firm in his conviction that his system would work out in the end. His conviction was further reinforced when the Bengals won the Super Bowl in 2021 and made it to the AFC Championship Game in the very next season.

Those highs, Taylor is convinced, are on the same foundation that is leading him through this situation. Being above the emotional roller coaster is the key that has become essential for Taylor’s coaching style at the professional league level.

This is not what Taylor had in mind for his team in mid-December, but that’s what they find themselves facing. His contract is set through the 2026 season. While assessment of the entire season will have to be held until the offseason, the current emphasis is on preparing for the upcoming matchup against Miami.

There was one major decision that Taylor made based on this very approach.

Zac Taylor’s decision about Joe Burrow

Despite a season that is tanking, Taylor confirmed that the franchise quarterback, Joe Burrow, would remain in the playing lineup for the rest of the season. Taylor announced that Burrow would start games in the last three regular-season games.

According to Taylor, the Bengals did not even consider sitting Burrow down despite struggling during the return from his injury.

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“We want to win,” said Taylor in response to a question about how the team decided to play Burrow.

Burrow has participated in three games ever since his return due to a turf toe injury requiring surgery following week 2. It was already his third stint at injured reserve, after he faced 2020 and 2023 season-ending injuries.

Clearly, his point of return demanded an enormous amount of effort, as he returned just 10 weeks after surgery. However, he has struggled to gain momentum since his return.

“I think this is one of the worst games I’ve played,” he said. “I’m honest with myself and my play. I hold myself to a high standard, and today didn’t come close.”

It’s particularly difficult given his stats, ranking joint-third lowest of all week 15 starters according to Total QBR. Nevertheless, his admission of guilt, according to Taylor, impressed him much.