CINCINNATI -- The way Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor saw it, someone on the defense needed to step up as the New York Jets inched closer to a victory. That never happened in a 39-38 defeat on Sunday at Paycor Stadium.
The Jets, winless through seven games under first-year coach Aaron Glenn, mounted a 15-point comeback in the fourth quarter. In the aftermath, Taylor said the loss was "humbling" before calling out the team's defensive players in his postgame news conference.
"I think someone needs to step up and lead the group," Taylor said after the game. "That's what I'm waiting to see -- someone to step up and lead the group and take some accountability over there and get this thing going the right way."
The Bengals (3-5) were on the cusp of getting back to the .500 mark on the season despite the injury to starting quarterback Joe Burrow. Behind veteran Joe Flacco and an imposing rushing attack, Cincinnati led by as many as 14 points with 10:21 remaining in the game. The Jets (1-7) were without quarterback Tyrod Taylor and star wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who were both injured and ruled out ahead of the contest.
But Cincinnati failed to find any answers in the fourth quarter. New York scored touchdowns on its final three drives, including the game-winner with 1:54 left in the game when running back Breece Hall threw the ball to tight end Mason Taylor for a 4-yard touchdown pass. It added to the slew of unfavorable moments for Cincinnati's defense.
The Jets totaled 502 offensive yards for only the fifth time since 2000, according to ESPN Research. The last time it happened was in 2021 against the Bengals, when New York was spearheaded by a career performance from back-up quarterback Mike White. It was also the first time this century the Jets have racked up that many yards and scored 35 points.
The loss left Taylor and the Bengals searching for reasons why a win slipped away from them on Sunday.
"We never got a chance to break that game open like we felt we were capable of," Taylor said.
Defensive issues have been a problem for the Bengals dating back to last season, when Burrow was an MVP finalist but the team failed to make the playoffs. Cincinnati replaced defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo with Al Golden, who was previously an assistant during the team's run to the Super Bowl in the 2021 season. But just three of those starters from that loss to the Los Angeles Rams are still with the team -- defensive tackle BJ Hill, defensive end Trey Hendrickson and linebacker Logan Wilson.
Hendrickson left Sunday's game after he aggravated a hip injury that forced him to miss a week. Wilson spent this third straight game as a reserve and has requested a trade following his diminished role. Hill, who was re-signed this offseason to a 3-year deal worth $33 million, took ownership for filling the void that Taylor referenced after the game.
"I just got to do more on my part," Hill told ESPN. "I got to bring along the guys each and every day."
Safety Geno Stone, who joined the team in 2023 as a free agent, echoed the sentiment of responsibility.
"I'm the oldest guy in the (defensive back) room, so I'll take on that role and make sure we're all right in the back end," Stone said. "But at the end of the day, as a whole defense, everyone has to step up and play better."
Over the years, Cincinnati has invested significant draft capital into its defense. Dating back to 2021, the Bengals have used 11 picks within the top 100 overall selections on that side of the ball.
Flacco, who is in his 18th NFL season, said having young players transform into leaders comes from a consistent work ethic and can be built over time.
"You can definitely learn how to become someone who comes in and works with intention, has detail and passion for what they do," Flacco said. "You can feed off that and learn yourself. And you can become the guy that other guys can look to."
But Sunday's loss left Cincinnati in search of finding those players and also trying to solve one other trend that has persisted. Dating back to the start of last season, the Bengals have blown three second-half leads of 10 or more points and lost. Two of them were leads of 14 or more points, like the one Cincinnati had against the Jets. No team has more such losses in either category, according to ESPN Research.
After the game, Bengals star receiver Ja'Marr Chase said Sunday's game should have been closed out before the Jets could rally. And while Taylor was looking for leaders, Chase was left pondering a question about another lead that slipped away.
"That's a Zac question," he said. "Gotta ask Zac that."
