Report: Patriots scout was being filmed, not filming Bengals from press box

FOXBORO, MA - OCTOBER 16: Andy Dalton #14 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs in a touchdown against the New England Patriots during the game at Gillette Stadium on October 16, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

FOXBORO, MA - OCTOBER 16: Andy Dalton #14 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs in a touchdown against the New England Patriots during the game at Gillette Stadium on October 16, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said Monday the NFL is investigating whether the New England Patriots had an employee videotaping the Cincinnati Bengals’ play calls from the press box during Sunday’s game in Cleveland.

Cincinnati (1-12) suffered a 27-19 loss to the Browns on Sunday and hosts New England (10-3) on Sunday.

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“I’m aware there was an incident, but I know the league is investigating it, so I’ve got no comment,” Taylor said Monday when asked if he had a reaction to the allegation.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that a Patriots scout was being filmed while working in the press box for a team feature. The video crew was credentialed to shoot in the press box and the Browns PR person was aware, Schefter reported.

New England has been investigated for questionable tactics before, including “Spygate,” when the Patriots were disciplined by the league for videotaping the New York Jets’ defensive coaches’ signals from an unauthorized location during a game in 2007. There also was “Deflategate,” a controversy involving the allegation that Tom Brady ordered the deliberate deflation of footballs used in the Patriots’ AFC Championship win over Indianapolis during the 2014-15 playoffs.

Taylor last faced the Patriots in the Super Bowl to end the 2018 season, when he served as the Los Angeles Rams’ quarterbacks coach, but he said Monday the Bengals are treating them as “just another opponent.”

“They’ve obviously had a lot of success, but you just have to really look at what they’ve done this year and attack this opponent and not worry about all the achievements they had years ago, last year even,” Taylor said. “We have to look at what we face this week and what gives us the best chance to win. You can’t worry about all the things that come with the Patriots.”

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