Taylor, Bengals know there is still plenty of room for improvement despite 1-0 start

CINCINNATI (AP) — Zac Taylor was still pleased on Monday after Cincinnati's 33-27 victory over Tampa Bay.

Yet for as well as the Bengals played in the opener, the eighth-year coach pointed out there was still plenty of room for improvement.

“The objective isn’t to be your best team Week 1, it’s to be your best team at the end of the season. So I just want to see that process continue to improve for us as we get ready for Houston,” he said.

Taylor and the Bengals are also aware that fast starts aren't always an indicator of success, and that things can come undone very quickly. Cincinnati won its first two games last season, but then dropped eight of nine when Joe Burrow suffered a turf toe injury in Week 2.

The defense, which made four huge additions during the offseason, forced four turnovers, generated a 38.9% pressure rate and sacked the Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield four times despite having a blitz rate of 11.1%, tied for second lowest in Week 1.

“We didn’t go into the game thinking it’d be a low blitz rate. It’s the way it materialized,” defensive coordinator Al Golden said on Monday. “Our four-man rush was hitting. We moved that route. That was a good job by the staff to move that way. That’s encouraging if you can cover with seven, rush four and hit someone like him (Mayfield).”

Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, the Bengals' biggest addition, didn't have a tackle or a sack, but did open things up for others to sack Mayfield.

The one area Golden definitely wants to clean up is third down after Tampa Bay was 5 of 10.

“Everybody knows there is a lot of room to improve. First games are hard. We saw a lot of different looks yesterday we didn’t prepare the guys for. I think they handled it well,” Golden said.

Cincinnati's defense doesn't get a rest when it comes to facing challenging quarterbacks. It faces CJ Stroud and Houston on the road this week, followed by Aaron Rodgers at Pittsburgh in Week 3 and hosting Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence in Week 4.

“We've got some tough challenges but they do too,” Dexter Lawrence said.

The offensive line had a solid all-around game. Tackle Amarius Mims and guard Dalton Risner did not allow a sack or quarterback pressure. Both were matched up against Tampa Bay edge rusher and first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr.

Burrow's pick-6s. The seventh-year franchise quarterback has thrown a league-high four since the start of last season, including Sunday when Tampa Bay linebacker Josiah Trotter jumped a hitch route intended for Andrei Iosivas and returned it 38 yards to get the Bucs within a touchdown.

Tight end Mike Gesicki had five receptions for 78 yards, including a touchdown during the first quarter to give the Bengals a 14-3 lead.

Defensive tackle Jonathan Allen was called for two of the four defensive offside penalties.

Taylor said the Bengals came out of the game with no significant injuries.

30 — Field goals from 50 yards or more made by Evan McPherson since joining the Bengals in 2021, tied for fifth most in the league in that span. Nine have been from at least 55 yards.

The Bengals head to Houston on Sunday. They have dropped four of their past five against the Texans, including 30-27 in 2023.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here