[Westside]

CINCINNATI -- The Bengals on Friday fired offensive coordinator Ken Zampese following the team's lackluster 0-2 start, marking the first time in the 50-year history of the organization that a coordinator has been fired during the season.

The Bengals said quarterbacks coach Bill Lazor will immediately assume coordinator duties in place of Zampese, who was with the Bengals for 15 seasons; he started as their quarterbacks coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator last season.

"Ken Zampese has done a tremendous job for us for my 15 years here, and I have the utmost respect for Ken as a person and as a coach," coach Marvin Lewis said in a statement. "But I feel it best for the football team to breathe new life into the offense, and that's why I am making the change.

"Bill Lazor has great experience in the league and as a coordinator, and I feel Bill can progress our offense the way we need. We have a lot of talent on offense, and we need to keep working to take full advantage of the personnel we have."


Ken Zampese took over as offensive coordinator in 2016, and the Bengals' scoring offense plummeted from seventh in the NFL to 24th last season. The team was averaging only 4.5 points per game in two games this season. Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports
Cincinnati has gotten off to one of the worst offensive starts in team history. The Bengals are the first team to fail to score a touchdown in their first two games at home since the Philadelphia Eagles in 1939.

The Bengals' scoring offense dropped from seventh overall in 2015, with Hue Jackson as the offensive coordinator, to 24th under Zampese in 2016.

The Bengals opened the season with a 20-0 loss to the Baltimore Ravens followed by Thursday night's 13-9 loss to the Houston Texans.

Lewis had said earlier Friday that he would keep any personnel changes private.

"We're not getting the results we need to get," Lewis said.

Lewis said the team was frustrated after scoring only nine total points in the first two games. Star wide receiver A.J. Green was one player who voiced frustration, particularly in not seeing the ball when the Bengals were trailing in the final quarter against the Texans.

Said Green: "I don't control the playcalling. I just go out there and run the play."

Lazor, in his 12th season as an NFL coach, is in his second season with Cincinnati after previous stops in Washington, Seattle, Philadelphia and Miami.

It is the second consecutive season in which an NFL offensive coordinator has been fired after a Thursday night loss in Week 2. Last year, the Buffalo Bills fired Greg Roman after a loss to the Jets.

When asked if he thought the Bengals offense had been in a rut for the past two seasons, Green said the lack of scoring said a lot.

"We're not scoring," Green said. "If you look at it like that, then, yes, we're not scoring."

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/20714...-0-2-start

[Don Draper]

I've been a Bengals fan for over 40 years. I think you can place blame a lot of places, but firing the OC after an 0-2 start is probably just using him as a scapegoat to keep fans happy. If anything, they need to hire a real GM and continue to build this team. They have some good players, they just need to improve the offensive line and help protect the Big Red Machine AKA Andy Dalton.

[RunItUpTheGut]

This will accomplish nothing.

Fire Lewis.
For the GM.
Then trade Dalton before his value completely sinks and go after a proven qb

[Spirit100]

The Bengals are not a very good football team this year. Until fans quit attending games we will be stuck with the same mediocre crap.

Lewis needs to go, retire, or just fade away. Cut some nice checks in the off season for a solid free agents to meet immediate needs and i agree with unloading Dalton. One of the worst telegraphing QBs in the game.

[pjdoug]

I stopped watching this garbage last year

[E's Army]

Bengals continue to draft and sign low character players.

[E's Army]

I can see Paul Brown telling Mike Brown "when I get home I am going to smack your mother in the mouth. There is no way you are the fruit of my loins."