Williams

Continued from Page 1C then the coaches stop calling his number.

Last week, Mixon averaged a seasonhigh 5.6 yards per carry – more than double his season average going into the Baltimore game – and yet the Bengals mostly ignored him down the stretch. Mixon’s body language hasn't been the best at times when the offense has struggled, but he kept his emotions in check against Baltimore.

Taylor and Burrow have done a fantastic job of creating a positive culture where players and coaches don’t publicly voice their frustrations and point fingers.

It’s not the old Bengals, who were regularly hampered by disgruntled players and off-the-field distractions

“People underestimate his range,” Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said. “One of the things we heard when he got here is, ‘He can’t do this, he can’t do that.’ Well, he can do a lot.”

Taylor was confident in what Bell could bring to the table. When Taylor was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Rams, he faced the Saints three times.Beforeeverygame,heputtogether a scouting report on Bell for the players in Taylor’s position group.

“I’d give the presentation on the (Rams) defensive backs, and I remembered talking a lot about Vonn and how impactful he was as a player,” Taylor said. “(That’s) going back to my assistant receiver (coach) days, and then I am here as a head coach and getting the opportunity to add the guy, you feel like you’ve watched hours and hours of tape.

“When Vonn Bell is out there and available, it’s something you’ve got to talk long and hard about.”

Once the Bengals got the green light to recruit Bell, Livingston said everyone in the building was “full-go” on signing him. The Bengals had opened free agency that year by adding defensive tackle DJ Reader and cornerback Trae Waynes, but the Bengals saved some cap space for the second wave of free agency in during the Marvin Lewis era.

Players have supported and played hard for Taylor, in his fourth season. They haven’t thrown Taylor under the bus for questionable play-calling.

“That’s not what we’re about,” Taylor said. “We want to put our egos aside. We don’t want to ever shift blame. We’re all responsible for the wins and losses, the goodthingsandthebadthings.We’reall in this thing together, and I think that’s what’s important to have a championship-caliber team.”

But the culture is being put to the test amid high expectations, poor play-calling and underperformance. Perhaps the Bengals’offense is actually close to consistently playing well. They could sure help themselves get there by ditching the cutesy play calls in critical situations.

Contact sports columnist Jason Williams by email at jwilliams@enquirer.com and on Twitter @jwilliamscincy case a player like Bell was still on the market.

The Bengals sold Bell on a scheme that would feature Bell’s versatile skill set and his opportunity to set an example by sharing his experiences in the playoffs to a young team. The Bengals also had the No. 1 pick in the draft that year, and all signs pointed toward the Bengals drafting Joe Burrow.

Bell took a chance on the team that was coming off a 2-14 season. On March 25, 2020, Bell signed a three-year deal.

“To his credit, he believed in us,” Livingston said. “Being honest, that was probably not an easy thing to do at that time. That’s never been lost on me. I tell him all the time, he took a chance on us. I’m forever indebted to him for what he has brought to the locker room, my life, our meeting rooms and everything.”

Bell’s attention to detail in his first few months as a Bengal was something that Livingston hadn’t seen before. For three months, the two of them met on Zoom every morning at 7:30.

In their first few meetings, Livingston didn’t ask Bell many football questions. They talked about what drives Bell to be successful and who his most important influences were. They discussed Bell’s learning style and the best ways to get him up to speed.

Then, they dove into the playbook. Duringtheearlystagesofthepandemic, Livingston remembers sitting in front of the refrigerator in his basement breaking down the scheme for the Bengals’ new safety.

Bell picked up the defense fast, and he was voted a team captain before his first regular season game with the Bengals. Since he showed up to the facility to work out before sunrise, Bell set an example for the importance of putting extra work in. Livingston said Bell was a “beacon of light” after Burrow injured his knee. Bell became a player who the coaching staff now goes to for insight on potential free-agent additions, and a player who new teammates rely on to help figure out the franchise and the city of Cincinnati.

“When I got here, I didn’t know a chiropractor or a (physical therapist),”Bengals cornerback Chidobe Awuzie said. “I asked Vonn. He points us all in the right direction.”

According to Anarumo, three plays define Bell’s tenure with the Bengals. All three plays were deep passing attempts to wide receiver Tyreek Hill, the fastest player in the NFL.

In Week 17 last season against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Bengals didn’t execute their coverage in the secondary on a play late in the second quarter. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes wound up and attempted a 70-yard pass to AllPro wide receiver.

“I remember watching Mahomes load up,” Anarumo said, “and then turning my whole body, going ‘Oh my God, who’s down there?’ ”

Bell recognized it, sprinted down the field and broke up a potential gamechanging touchdown. Without that play, the Bengals don’t clinch the AFC North title.

Then in the AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs, Mahomes attempted a deep ball to Hill in overtime. Bell and Bates bracketed Hill and didn’t give him a window to catch the ball. Bates tipped it, and Bell picked it off.

The Chiefs traded Hill to the Miami Dolphins during the offseason. Hill faced the Bengals in Week 4, and he attempted another deep route this year against Cincinnati. Bell started the play near the left sideline, sprinted halfway across the field and jumped in front of Hill to intercept another pass.

“People have said he can’t make that play,” Livingston said. “In all of those moments, against a top receiver who’s going vertical and doing the things that he’s great at, Vonn goes up and comes up with the play.”

Bell is entering the last year of his contract with the Bengals. In his age-27 season, he’s playing the best football of his NFL career.

The Saints virtually used Bell only closetothelineofscrimmageinastrong safety role, but Anarumo has Bell playing all over the field. In Bell’s third year in the system, he’s translating his football IQ into game-changing plays. Through five games, Bell leads the Bengals with three interceptions and four pass breakups.

Bell will enter the free agent market again in March. This time, he’ll have a greater market than he did after the Saints let him go in 2020.

“It’s his contract year, and he’s really playing at a high level,” Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard said. “He’s playing great team defense, and communicating really well. Good things happen to guys who do things the right way.”