Ben BabyNov 3, 2025, 05:52 PM ET
- Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN's NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor's degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
CINCINNATI -- Bengals coach Zac Taylor took exception to comments made by running back Chase Brown following Sunday's loss to the Chicago Bears, saying Monday that it was better left unsaid.
After the 47-42 loss at Paycor Stadium. Brown spoke about "not turning on each other" before giving an extended response that was viewed as criticism of the team's defense.
On Monday, Taylor said he hoped Brown's comments will be a one-time occurrence.
"That's not how we want to react," Taylor said. "And one of our best players, one our most high-character players, I think in a moment of frustration, said that. I don't expect that to happen again."
The whole interaction was a byproduct of the team's second late-game defeat in as many weeks. After a one-point loss to the previously winless New York Jets in Week 8, the Bengals lost to Chicago after surrendering a touchdown with 17 seconds remaining.
Cincinnati had scored 15 points in 49 seconds to take a one-point lead.
According to ESPN Research, it was the second time since the 1966 Jets that a team scored 38 points or more in back-to-back weeks and lost. The Bengals (3-6) finished Week 9 with the worst defense in the NFL in several statistical categories.
Many starting defensive players declined to speak to reporters after the game, leaving Brown and a few others as options to answer questions.
"Just don't turn on each other," Brown said when asked about preventing tensions building between the offense and the defense ahead of the bye week. "We know how they can play. They played really well at the start of the season. They did. And they were carrying us on their back."
But as his answer extended, he lamented the inability for the Bengals to finish the game with one final defensive stop.
"Now that [the offense] is stepping up, we gotta play complimentary football," Brown said. "We put the ball in the end zone and go up a point at the end. Finish the f---ing game. Just end it. Like, that's it. That's what we need to do - just end the f---ing game. Make them [give] us the ball back, let us f---ing go to '22 Victory' and let's end the game. That's how I feel."
For Taylor, those feelings were a touch too strong. The the seventh-year coach said he preferred how star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase handled a similar question.
"I'm going to keep pointing at the offense," Chase said after the game. "I can't point at the defense."
On Monday, several defensive players, including safety Jordan Battle, safety Geno Stone, cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt and defensive end Trey Hendrickson, spoke at length about the need to improve.
Battle, for one understood where Brown was coming from as an offensive player.
"They score 42 points, they should expect to win a game," Battle said. "We should expect to win a game. That's the standard. We should go out there, be able to hold the offense to one or two stops. That's all it is."
In referencing Brown's frustration, Taylor said exception is taken to such comments when the players making them are also not doing everything they can to help the team win. Brown had a key third-down drop that forced the Bengals to settle for a field goal. Taylor also cited a miscommunication error from Brown that took points off the board.
"I love to Chase to death," Taylor said. "That's part of my conversation with him -- 'This is a little bit outside of you.'"
