Bengals struggle in goal-to-go situations under Zac Taylor, despite their insanely talented offense

The Cincinnati Bengals have the most talented offense in the NFL. With a top-tier quarterback in Joe Burrow and the league’s best wide receiver duo in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, opposing defenses are often left to pick their poison and hope for the best.

So why do they struggle so badly in goal-to-go situations?

An offense with this much talent shouldn’t have trouble punching the ball into the end zone after driving the length of the field. Yes, defenses become more condensed inside the 10-yard line, and there’s less space to operate, but that’s hardly enough to justify ranking 24th in the NFL in goal-to-go efficiency.

And success in those situations matters. According to Warren Sharp, 74% of all rushing touchdowns are scored from inside the 10-yard line, while 55% of all touchdowns come in goal-to-go situations.

The blame doesn’t fall on the players alone. Over the past five seasons, Burrow has been the third-most accurate passer in goal-to-go situations, yet the Bengals rank just 26th in EPA per play (-0.06) and 17th in success rate (44%). With a quarterback that accurate and receivers capable of winning quickly, Cincinnati should be able to spread defenses out and create favorable running lanes near the goal line. Instead, the offense has consistently underperformed in that area.

If the Bengals are serious about making a Super Bowl run, that has to change.

You can’t settle for chip-shot field goals in the postseason and expect to beat the NFL’s best teams. Cincinnati spent the offseason improving the roster and positioning itself for a deep playoff run. But none of those moves will matter as much if the offense continues leaving points on the field.

Whether the defense takes a step forward or not, the Bengals need to turn more of those goal-to-go opportunities into touchdowns. If they’re forced into another season of winning shootouts, the difference between three points and seven could ultimately define how far this team goes.