Zac Taylor can't let Joe Burrow fall on the sword for Bengals just yet

We're through the first three weeks of the NFL season, and you could have sworn the Cincinnati Bengals would have won a game by now. Staring at an 0-3 start, Cincinnati has already fallen to the New England Patriots, the Kansas City Chiefs and now the Washington Commanders in succession. To make things even more maddening, every loss the Bengals have suffered was by only one score.

After losing a game at home in which there were no punts or turnovers for the first time since 1940, star quarterback Joe Burrow said he needed to look internally and reflect on being a better leader. To be frank, I feel like he is already superb at that. Burrow is the type of quarterback whose cool, calm and collected demeanor tends to galvanize his teammates wherever he plays. That is why he is an NFL superstar.

However, falling at home to his LSU and Heisman Trophy fraternity brother Jayden Daniels' upstart Commanders team is a bit of a referendum on the players, coaches and organization backing Burrow up. Over the past few winters, you lose key pieces like Jessie Bates III, Tyler Boyd and Brian Callahan, and here we are. It's why Super Bowl windows are only open for so long. The Bengals missed theirs.

Rather than let Burrow fall on the sword, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor needs to own this start more.

If Taylor is going to be praised for winning with Burrow, he must take the heat for losing with Burrow.

Zac Taylor needs to stop Joe Burrow from beating himself over losses

For as much fun as the Bengals have been at times since drafting Burrow No. 1 overall out of LSU way back in 2020, I feel like they are at a critical point of introspection. Are they here to stay or are they going to have to reinvent themselves for a bit? We know that octogenarian owner Mike Brown hates to spend money, but his never-ending frugal ways have gotten in the way of this team being great.

Callahan leaving was different. Like his father Bill, who coached Taylor at Nebraska, he was always destined to be a head coach. The Tennessee Titans are varying shades of terrible now, but I think he can have success in Nashville if he gets the right quarterback. Taylor's kid brother Press is having a miserable time as Doug Pederson's offensive coordinator in Jacksonville. The Jaguars are also 0-3.

Meanwhile, this rough start may be what inevitably prevents Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo from ever getting a legitimate shot to run his own team. The Arizona Cardinals picked former Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon over him two years ago. A season and three games later, I think Arizona made a wise decision. But again, this all comes back to Taylor.

It has been quite the come-up for Taylor in the coaching profession, but now is when he has to lead.