The Bengals’ red zone numbers are alarming, and nobody’s talking about it

Writer Dylan Oakley highlights alarming red zone struggles for the Cincinnati Bengals following their 22-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bengals fell to a .500 record after dropping their second straight game. Oakley points out that Cincinnati ranks 23rd in the NFL in red zone touchdown percentage, converting only 50 percent of trips inside the 20-yard line into touchdowns, a sharp decline from finishing third in 2025 and fifth in 2024.

Oakley argues that head coach Zac Taylor and the coaching staff bear the blame for the offensive drop-off rather than quarterback Joe Burrow. In the loss to Jacksonville, Burrow threw for 428 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions without injured receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, while running back Chase Brown was limited to just 10 yards on nine carries.