Bengals Beat: Logan Wilson Explains Why Bengals Players Love Playing For Zac Taylor

CINCINNATI — It seemed like an afterthought when Zac Taylor made an impromptu addendum to his press conference last Friday.

He wanted to clear the air about his linebacker Logan Wilson. Through staff members giving him the heads up, Taylor became aware of the sensational headline treatment and threats that Wilson and his family were subjected to following the Thursday night game that resulted in injuries to Mark Andrews, Lamar Jackson and Odell Beckham Jr.

He left no doubt how ridiculous he felt the national narrative was surrounding his embattled linebacker, calling the accusations of dirty play as “reckless”.

On Wednesday, Wilson expressed his appreciation for Taylor.

“Yeah, when I saw him say that, I really appreciated that,” Wilson said. “I think that just speaks volumes of of the guy and the coach that he is, and why guys love him so much and love playing for him, because sometimes coaches really wouldn’t go out of their way. It wasn’t like he was asked about it. It was at the end of the conference that he kind of went out of his way to say that and I think, like I said, that speaks volumes and that’s why I love playing for him.”

As for the reckless behavior that fanned the flames of hate pouring toward him and his family, Wilson could do little but shrug his shoulders.

“It is what it is. It’s kind of the world we live in right now and some of it was obviously very unnecessary and coming at me and my family for really for no reason,” Wilson said. “I wasn’t playing the game dirty. I never wish any harm on any player ever go against. I play my heart out every game play my butt off and sometimes those injuries happen.

“It is what it is. But you know, I wish people would notice I was one of the first people on my knees when Mark went down because you never want that to happen there guy, especially to him. He’s a good dude. I never wish anything upon him like that.”

Wilson has been accused of using the “hip-drop tackle” technique, where the ball carrier is hauled down from the lower legs or hip, essentially stopping them in their tracks and then twisting the carrier and landing with full body force on the lower leg.

Andrews suffered a significant ankle sprain and injury while Lamar Jackson avoided serious injury on a similar play by the sidelines in the first quarter.

“I honestly wasn’t even sure of what a hip drop tackle was prior to that bring being brought to my attention after the game,” Wilson said. “I guess it’s something that they’re looking at doing but it’s hard in the position when you’re trying to come from behind trying to just find a way to bring him down. It’s not like Mark Andrews is a small human. You know what I mean?”

If the NFL outlaws it, it would make the life of every NFL defensive player exponentially harder.

“So you’re just trying to find a way to bring the guy down and unfortunately, that’s what happened,” Wilson added. “And like I said, I’d never wish it upon them, and obviously whatever they decide to do with hip drop tackles going forward. But it would make it a lot harder if that’s what they decide to do.”

Wilson and the Bengals have their own house to get in order, starting Sunday against Pittsburgh. The Bengals have allowed 25 explosive plays in their last two games combined. That’s lots of poor tackling and coverage.

“I mean we’re confident in what we can do,” Wilson said. “We’re just focused on the present at this point, learning from those mistakes in the past trying to be have good gap integrity, stay in your gaps, in your fit. Let the guys around you do their job and just do your part your 1/11 on each and every play and guys need to keep understanding that. I think that just going to continue to get better. That’s all.”

Quiet confidence:

Jake Browning repeated again this week that his track record in high school and college mean something to him, if no one else. He won a California high school championship in 2014, throwing 91 touchdown passes for Folsom High. Three years later, he led the Washington Huskies to the College Football Playoff, losing to Alabama in the Peach Bowl and finishing sixth in the Heisman voting. He set records for yards passing and touchdowns at Washington and a Pac-12 title in 2018. This is a quarterback many forget who threw 43 touchdowns and just nine interceptions for Washington in 2016.

“I would say every level that I played in I’ve won, and so there’s something to be said about that,” Browning said of his job now that he’s replacing Joe Burrow. “There were years in college where I was throwing a bunch. There were years in college where I was managing run checks when we became more of a running team. I’ve always been called sneaky athletic.”

Browning demonstrated that athleticism in the final two preseason games against Atlanta and Washington. It’s that athleticism that won him the backup job over Trevor Siemian. Now it’s the “sneaky” Browning who hopes to lead the Bengals on another late-season surge.

“I’m not sure where the sneaky part is coming in,” Browning said. “But I think that’s always been a joke is to always under-promise over-deliver on athleticism and you’ll always be sneaky athletic. But to me, (I’ve) always been accurate, never been afraid to air it out and have always had a little bit to my game as far as scrambling.”

Browning certainly doesn’t seem overwhelmed by facing the Steelers defense, led by T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.

“I’m not really thinking about a lot of that stuff. It’s kind of a boring sound scripted answer but pretty focused on just making sure I do my job right, we get in and out of the huddle fast,” Browning said. “I go through my reads get my checks right and get to the next play and play well.”

“I think a lot of their stuff just starts with the front four. I mean the two guys on the edge and the two interior guys. We know Larry (Ogunjobi) and everybody knows TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith, and Cam Hayward’s been there for what feels like forever. And they’ve always played at a very high level, and I think they kind of set the tone really for the whole team, just creating so many negative plays, causing a lot of turnovers, rushing quarterbacks into their reads.

“And so I think that’s that’s really where it starts is is not letting them completely take over the game. That’s hard, They’re really good players. And I think I said this a couple days ago, but it feels like the Steelers have been good on defense for like 70 years, and it’s just another really tough defense. But I think it really starts with their front four. They do a great job.”

Turkey Day Notes:

Andrei Iosivas returned to full participation in Thursday’s practice while DJ Reader returned from an illness. Sam Hubbard was again limited with an ankle injury but the hope is that he will be able to go Sunday. The Bengals have lost both games in his absence as the Texans and Ravens took advantage of his absence on the edge to gash the run defense. The biggest concern is Cam Taylor-Britt missing his second straight game with a quad injury. The Bengals face the possibility of starting rookie DJ Turner and Chido Awuzie, who played the entirety of the second half of the loss in Baltimore.