Cincinnati Bengals Coach Comments on Game Stoppage
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor commented on a game stoppage that occurred after Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett broke the NFL's single-season sacks record against the Bengals.
Garrett secured his 23rd sack of the season against quarterback Joe Burrow, resulting in a 5-yard loss. This event occurred with 5:16 remaining in the game, at which point the Browns held a 17-12 lead.
Details of the Stoppage
Taylor stated that game officials briefly paused the contest to allow Garrett and his teammates to celebrate the record-breaking achievement. He expressed that he was not informed in a pre-game meeting that such a stoppage would take place.
According to Taylor, the Bengals were attempting to execute a hurry-up offense immediately following the sack. However, the umpire held the ball, preventing the team from proceeding with their tempo play. Taylor reported that officials communicated that the decision to stop the game was made by the officiating crew.
Game Outcome
Following the stoppage, the Bengals subsequently took the lead on their next possession. The game concluded with a 49-yard field goal by Andre Szmyt as time expired, resulting in a loss for the Bengals. Both the Bengals and the Browns had been eliminated from postseason contention prior to this game.