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Below expectations: He has not been dealt a great hand, but Zac Taylor has four wins in 27 games as an NFL head coach. The Bengals are 0-12 in one-score games over the last two seasons. Cincinnati was mostly competitive with Joe Burrow, but it's still unclear where exactly Taylor is giving them an edge.

Without Joe Burrow, they showed some fight against the Giants. That's a good sign for a young team.

For Cincinnati fans desperately seeking silver linings as this season winds down, watch emergent third-year FS Jessie Bates III blossom.

Most important game remaining: Week 14 vs. Dallas

For the second straight year, December is all about losing for the Bengals. Cincinnati and Dallas are in the mix for the No. 3 draft pick. While the Bengals are indeed trying to win, a loss will likely clinch the rights to select the best player in the 2021 draft not named Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields. That means potentially taking Oregon's Penei Sewell, a dominant tackle who could fortify the edge and protect Joe Burrow for years to come. While another loss might be a lot for Zac Taylor and the Bengals to stomach, nobody said rebuilding was going to be fun. -- Ben Baby

The Bengals began life without Joe Burrow with a commendable effort, but they'll need Brandon Allen to be better if they're going to find another win before the end of the season. Allen's fourth career start went pretty much as one might expect: He finished 17 of 29 for 136 yards with one touchdown, one interception and one lost fumble in the 19-17 loss. The Bengals scored their first touchdown on a 103-yard kickoff return by Brandon Wilson, and Allen didn't find his way inside the Giants' 20-yard line until the final minutes of the game. Burrow, meanwhile, was scheduled to undergo reconstructive surgery on his left knee this week. He's expected to make a full recovery with the hope he's under center again for Week 1 of 2021.