Bengals to preemptively strike early season swoon by playing starters in preseason

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor has implemented a new strategy to combat the team's tendency for slow starts. Over the past few seasons, the Bengals have struggled to win their first four games, often leading to disappointing outcomes. In the past, the team would sit big-name starters through the entire preseason, but this year, Taylor has decided to play starters in the preseason opener.

This change in philosophy was inspired by quarterback Joe Burrow's stellar performance in last year's preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, where he led two touchdown drives and showed promise for the upcoming season. However, Burrow suffered an injury and Jake Browning couldn't replicate his 2023 performance, leading to a 6-11 finish.

Despite this setback, Taylor believes that playing starters in the preseason could provide valuable insight into the team's success. He stated that they will play a little bit, but the extent of their involvement will be determined later. With preseason kicking off on August 13, fans can anticipate seeing Burrow and Chase on the field, with the potential for more action.

While the effectiveness of this approach remains to be seen, Taylor believes it could provide a clearer picture of the team's strengths and weaknesses by mid-August.