Joe Burrow & Zac Taylor React to Cincinnati Bengals Week 3 LOSS
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00:00Yeah, that was a tough one, so we didn't get the win.
00:06Is there anything particular that frustrates you about how that went?
00:10No.
00:12I don't think Conor should go inside the office.
00:15There's not a lot of rooms, right?
00:18No, it was just a private conversation with Zach.
00:20At 0-3, what are the odds, you could say, for you guys to make the postseason?
00:27Definitely not in your favor, but before you can even talk about that,
00:30I assume the focus is to get a win next week in Carolina.
00:34As the leader of this team, obviously I know you guys played well on offense,
00:38but how do you get this locker room in a feeling that the season isn't over
00:45and carrying the momentum you guys had on offense into next week?
00:49We just come back to work on Wednesday, come in tomorrow, watch the tape,
00:53improve the things that we can improve, come back on Wednesday
00:56and have a great practice, bring great energy, and try to get better.
00:59That's all you can do.
01:000-3, obviously, not very good, not where we want to be.
01:06So we just got to come back on Wednesday, try to get better.
01:08How disappointing is it, not just going 0-3,
01:11but two teams that really drafted the top three last year, you had them at home.
01:16Does that add to any of the frustration about the start and how they could win?
01:20No game is easy.
01:23I mean, they played great on offense today.
01:25Jayden played unbelievable.
01:28We had our opportunities and didn't cash in on them.
01:33So that's been the common denominator from the first three weeks.
01:40We've had opportunities and didn't cash in on those.
01:44So whatever we got to do to get better this week so we can come back on Sunday
01:50and execute in the spots and get better in the spots that we need to
01:54is what we're going to do.
01:55How do you feel about that overall tonight?
01:58You know, we played really well.
02:00You know, we stalled out on some drives in the first half.
02:02That's really what it came down to.
02:03We just got to get seven in those situations in a game like that.
02:07Can you put your finger on why y'all couldn't get to the end zone in the second quarter?
02:12There was a sack.
02:15I missed Zach on a scramble on second down.
02:19I think we probably would have got the first.
02:22It was a two off the top of my head without watching the tape.
02:26Did you go into this game paying extra attention to the fact that you guys
02:30were down a couple of key players on your defensive line
02:33and maybe approached it in a we're going to have to score a lot of points,
02:36maybe even more than we typically would because of what we're dealing with
02:39on the defensive side of the ball?
02:41No, I wouldn't say I approached it that way.
02:43That's, you know, I go into every game ready to adapt to what I need to do
02:50to go and win the game.
02:54We felt pretty early what kind of game it was going to be.
02:59For the most part, we answered.
03:02That second quarter, I think there were two drives there
03:05where we could have come up with seven, and we came up with one drive.
03:08We came up with none, and one drive we came up with three.
03:11So that's an 11-point swing right there.
03:15You got a long way to go.
03:35I mean, yeah, of course I'm watching him.
03:38You know, he played great.
03:40I told him that after the game.
03:42You know, credit to him, big-time performance.
03:45You know, credit to them.
03:46They played unbelievable.
03:48We didn't quite match their level of execution.
04:00Yeah, we were pretty consistent all day.
04:04Not to get into specifics of the conversation,
04:06but why did you feel the need to have that conversation with Zach
04:09immediately as it was off the field?
04:11It was a very positive conversation.
04:14We're not happy with where we're at.
04:18But by no means is the season over.
04:21We're 0-3.
04:22There's 14 left to play.
04:27We just have to continue to get better
04:28and, you know, see where the cards fall in the next, you know,
04:34ten weeks, whenever the bye is.
04:37So we just got to go into this week preparing to get better
04:42and trying to get a win.
04:45That's all you can do.
04:46Was that your idea?
04:47Was that Zach's idea?
04:49Mutual.
04:50How did you feel physically?
04:52I felt great.
04:53Do you find yourself maybe needing to do anything different
04:56from a leadership style when you're 0-3,
04:59heading into a must-win game next week?
05:02It'll be some critical thinking that I'll have to do
05:07to see what kind of leader I want to be going forward
05:10and what I feel like the team needs for me going forward.
05:13Self-confidence in your defense?
05:15Yeah, of course.
05:17We got the players.
05:19You know, I'm not sure what happened tonight.
05:24I know we got great coaches,
05:26and we got really good players that are willing to improve
05:30and take coaching.
05:31So just like any game, when you don't play great,
05:42you're going to learn from your mistakes and get better,
05:44and that's all you can do.
05:45How do you think T looked tonight, Joe?
05:47T looked good.
05:48He made some big plays for us on third down,
05:51and he's just getting his feet back under him,
05:53so he's going to continue to improve.
05:54Was it good to get that connection with Javar going
05:57in those deep balls with Kwon?
05:58I think you saw 21, especially with the single high.
06:00I mean, how good was that?
06:01Was that going to be for you all going forward?
06:03Yeah, we caught a couple into single high covers today.
06:09You know, based on today,
06:10I'm not sure how much more we're going to see of that.
06:12You know, I think we caught it two times,
06:13and we scored two touchdowns,
06:14so we'll see if teams continue to do that.
06:18I hope they do.
06:20We're going to continue to, you know,
06:22try to take advantage of our opportunities.
06:24What did you think when you saw that pre-snap?
06:26I don't think we've seen that a ton
06:27when you all get in that part of the field.
06:29What did you think of the pre-snap when they choked one?
06:32Yeah, I mean, I liked the calls we had into it.
06:35We executed on them, so that was exciting to see.
06:40You know, we'll watch the tape and see
06:43some of those red zone opportunities
06:45that we could have had.
06:46I mean, they were doubling them like Calvin Johnson
06:49down there, so we got to find some plays
06:54to still get him the ball in those situations.
06:57We can't just let a team take him away like that.
07:02And so I think, you know, going forward,
07:04just finding some more plays to get him involved like that.
07:07The ball to Yoshi on fourth down,
07:09the ball to Yoshi on fourth down for the touchdown,
07:11did he run like a similar, was that a similar run?
07:14You can't see it, but he kind of reversed.
07:16A little double move, yeah.
07:18Not exactly the look we were looking for
07:20in that situation, but we made it work.
07:24A lot of your football career has been about you
07:28overcoming adversity and odds
07:30when they're stacked against you.
07:31You seem to take pride in being able to do that.
07:34So how do you feel about that challenge
07:36and knowing that the odds are definitely stacked against you,
07:39but it's an opportunity for you
07:41to once again overcome a situation?
07:44Yeah, exciting opportunity.
07:45Just like every season is.
07:51You know, there's going to be some big games
07:52down the stretch that we're going to have to step up for.
07:54We haven't played any division opponents yet.
07:58Steelers are 3-0.
08:00Other teams are 1-2.
08:01We're 0-3.
08:03And we play all six of those games still coming up.
08:06So we're by no means out of it.
08:10But, you know, playoffs and winning the division
08:14is the furthest thing from my mind.
08:18We just got to get better this week.
08:20We didn't envision ourselves in this spot, but here we are.
08:23So we got to own it.
08:25We've got to take accountability in all areas.
08:27You know, I knew that that was going to be
08:31a difficult football team.
08:32I saw what they did last week on offense.
08:34They scored on every possession last week.
08:35They scored on every possession this week.
08:37And so I knew that was a dangerous team,
08:39and they were ready for us,
08:41and they made more plays than we did today.
08:43You got to give them a ton of credit.
08:44They dictated the flow of the game,
08:47and we just couldn't do enough to create a turnover,
08:50make a play for ourselves, and go win the game.
08:53Zach, were you surprised or disappointed
08:54in how the defense played?
08:56You know, it's a good offense.
08:58We got to get stops.
08:59You know, and we never really put them
09:00in a third-along situation until that last one.
09:03That was really the first time
09:04that we put them behind the chains.
09:06And so when they can dictate the tempo,
09:08which they did, they were on the ball.
09:09They dictated the tempo.
09:11They kept themselves in really manageable situations.
09:14I thought their quarterback played great.
09:15Two incompletions.
09:17Made a lot of plays with his feet.
09:18You know, so it was a difficult challenge,
09:20and obviously it wasn't enough from us today.
09:21Oftentimes, Zach, you guys make adjustments,
09:24especially after halftime.
09:25What adjustments could you not make?
09:28You know, it's a tough start to start the half.
09:30You know, we felt good coming out of half.
09:32We gave up a big kickoff return,
09:34put them right down there, and then again,
09:35there was just kind of one play in each drive
09:38that we just needed to make that stop.
09:39There was one situation where we had them
09:41behind the sticks, and there was some tackling
09:44in the perimeter.
09:45Certainly, that's got to improve.
09:48But it's a disappointing way to lose.
09:51As you watched defensively,
09:53how much did you feel like the lack of pass rush
09:56was really opening things up for what Jaden
09:58and Washington were doing?
09:59Yeah, it's, you know, when you've got
10:00an athletic quarterback that can make plays
10:02with his feet, it's tough.
10:05You know, it's similar to some guys
10:06that we play in our division in terms of
10:08how he can beat you that way.
10:09And, you know, again, we didn't do enough
10:12to affect him today.
10:13When you look at the defense,
10:14does it start right now with stopping the run?
10:17I think there were some tackles on the perimeter.
10:19I think we had a chance to get the ball carried down
10:21on some quick screens, some perimeter bubbles,
10:23and things like that.
10:24So you can call those run plays.
10:26It's really just an extended handoff
10:27out there at the perimeter.
10:28I thought there were some opportunities
10:29to put them in a second and 10, second and 11,
10:31get them to a good third down,
10:32and they made those plays, and we didn't.
10:34And so, again, we take a lot of pride in that stuff.
10:37I know our defense does,
10:38and we've got to get back to work
10:40and do a better job next week.
10:42Cam Taylor-Brick made some headlines
10:44with his comments about the commander's offense
10:46and saying it was a nice college offense.
10:49Did you have an issue with that?
10:51Do you feel like those are...
10:52That's not what we do.
10:53That's not what we do.
10:54We praise our own team, praise the other team.
10:57We don't need to take shots like that.
10:59That team hasn't punted in two weeks.
11:01They've scored on every single possession
11:03in the last two weeks.
11:05So, I've got a tremendous amount of respect
11:07for what they're doing over there.
11:09I've known Cliff a long time.
11:11I knew, paired with that quarterback,
11:12this was going to be a very dangerous offense
11:14to play against, and they've proven that.
11:16Was that a conversation you had with Cam?
11:18That's between us.
11:19It looks like you and Joe went to the coach's office.
11:22Did y'all have a conversation after this, or no?
11:25Just immediately after all,
11:26because he can go straight to the locker room
11:27and win, right?
11:28No.
11:29Do you fear Trent Brown's injury
11:30could be a long-term?
11:31It doesn't look good.
11:33Were there struggles getting the right personnel
11:35on the field on defense in the goal line situation?
11:37There were some substitutions they had.
11:39We're just trying to match the substitutions,
11:41and there was one in particular where we struggled.
11:44Is there anything particularly frustrating,
11:46not only just being 0-3,
11:47but two of those losses that you've taken?
11:49Yeah, I think we have to create our own opportunities.
11:53When you lose three one-score games,
11:56no one's going to give you anything.
11:58And so, again, there's no gift we're expecting to receive.
12:01We have to go take it.
12:02And we haven't done enough,
12:05really dictating the tempo of the game collectively,
12:08offense, defense, and special teams.
12:10There hasn't been one unit that's dominated
12:12to really take the pressure off the other unit.
12:14And so this falls on everybody.
12:16And it's frustrating.
12:18It's a kick in the gut when you put in all this work
12:21in the offseason training camp,
12:22and you feel really good about the team,
12:23and you start out 0-3.
12:25But, again, that is what we are right now.
12:28And I told these guys,
12:30we've got to find a way to get a win next Sunday,
12:32and we'll get this thing moving in the right direction.
12:34But right now, there's a lot of frustration, I know,
12:36from the people that are supporting us.
12:39And we're frustrated with ourselves
12:40that we haven't found a way to win yet,
12:42and we've just got to figure that out.
12:43But no one's going to point fingers,
12:46put ourselves in a hole that I firmly believe
12:48we can dig ourselves out of.
12:49And I'm excited to watch and see how this team responds.
12:52The one thing the offense struggled with
12:55was in the red zone.
12:56What did you see in the red zone?
12:58You know, we kind of wasted a possession.
13:00We thought there might have been a fumble,
13:02so we rushed the ball one time,
13:03and then we were in a screen on the second down play,
13:05and the corner blitzed and blew it up.
13:07So that's the one that kind of kills me there
13:12because we just had two plays that didn't get us yardage,
13:14and I felt like the other drives, we were pretty efficient.
13:17So, you know, that was a tough one.
13:19We needed seven points there, and we only got three.