Zac Taylor hints at change in approach to protect Joe Burrow

Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, CA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor before playing against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor hinted at a change in approach after quarterback Joe Burrow took several hits in Thursday’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens that he felt should have been called penalties.

Taylor told reporters Friday that he needs to fight harder to get flags on late hits against Burrow, both privately and publicly.

“I’ve got to fight harder for Joe to get some of that. because he doesn’t want to do it,” Taylor said, via Ben Baby of ESPN. “He doesn’t want to disrupt from his flow in the game, but that’s just things I got to talk with him about.”

The Bengals were hurt by multiple missed calls late in Thursday’s loss, including a facemask and roughing the passer call that Burrow seemingly fell victim to. After the game, Burrow refused to call out the officiating, saying that he has “never gotten those calls.”

Taylor may agree, but he clearly thinks that something needs to change. Had the roughing the passer call been made, the Bengals could have won Thursday night’s game. It is probably in Taylor’s best interest, as well as that of the Bengals, that he make the case a bit more aggressively. On the other hand, some would say they just want the officiating to get better without anyone having to lobby for it.