The Cincinnati Bengals fell to the Kansas City Chiefs for the third straight time in a thrilling week-two matchup that dropped the Bengals to 0-2.
In an instance that wasn’t a first ahead of recent Chiefs-Bengals matchups, trash talk from Cincinnati players defined the week leading up to the game. Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt caught a great deal of heat on social media for his statements ahead of this edition of Chiefs-Bengals.
Cincinnati Bengals CB Cam Taylor-Britt backed up his trash talk
Taylor-Britt came into the week downplaying the ability of Chiefs rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy. Worthy burst onto the scene with two touchdowns in his NFL debut against the Baltimore Ravens in week one, prompting a question from the media about whether the Bengals would be paying him any special attention.
Taylor-Britt responded by saying in another article from Gridiron Heroics that Worthy was small and not well-rounded as a wide receiver. The former Nebraska Cornhuskers standout cornerback said Worthy, who set the NFL Scouting Combine record with a 4.21-second 40-yard dash, only has straight-line speed.
“Speed,” Cameron-Britt told reporters is what Worthy adds to the Chiefs’ offense. “That’s about it. He can run straight. Run jet sweeps and just run straight.
He can’t do too much else, that’s about it. If you can put hands on him, he’s only 100-something pounds. If you put hands on him, you’ll stop the speed. So, basically, get your hands on him.”
The NFL world, and more specifically Bengals fans who have seen trash talk come back to bite them in past matchups with the Chiefs, chastised Taylor-Britt for his comments via social media.
Despite the perceived hole Taylor-Britt made for himself, he managed to back up his trash talk emphatically. The lockdown corner only allowed Worthy to accrue two receptions and 17 yards. Taylor-Britt also put in a bid as the frontrunner for interception of the year while guarding Worthy.
Taylor-Britt is now graded as the best defensive back in coverage throughout the entire NFL through two weeks. While Taylor-Britt did seem to give up a touchdown to Chiefs WR Rashee Rice, he inexplicably slowed down midway through the play as if he thought there would be safety help over the top.
Taylor-Britt’s three receptions and 52 passing yards allowed in coverage this season are largely inflated by the apparent miscommunication on that play.
Taylor-Britt did back up his trash talk, but the Chiefs ended up victorious in the end. Did his trash talk do enough to inspire other players on the Chiefs outside of Worthy? Just because Taylor-Britt was able to back up his trash talk doesn’t mean everyone on the Bengals was able to do the same on his behalf.
Statements in the media about other players don’t stay confined between the two players in question. They have the ability to inspire, or doom, an entire team.q
