Call it Cynthia Circle Squared when Zac Taylor’s Bengals and Press Taylor's Bears get together for Thursday morning's joint practice at the Kettering Health Practice Fields to be followed by Saturday night's preseason game (7-Cincinnati’s FOX 19) at Paycor Stadium.

"No. Doesn't count," ruled the commissioner who keeps the Taylor Bro Bowl Trophy in Norman, Okla.

Now the commissioner, who is their father, Oklahoma's old safety-captain Sherwood Taylor, is kiddingly wondering if it's time to come up with a smaller preseason version of the cup. The relaxation is palpable.

"This is probably as good as my parents could have asked for," muses Bears offensive coordinator Press Taylor driving into work the other day. "There's not going to be a winner or a loser. We're all together on the same field and no stakes. I think they like that."

It's been brutal for the parents. Three of the games in December, two in November. A tie. An overtime. Last year's 31 fourth-quarter points. So this is a nice, preseason respite.

But, let's face it, when it comes to brothers, there's always upmanship to be had, no matter how small. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor has admitted this week as the older brother coordinating sports of all sorts in the Cynthia Circle cul-de-sac of Norman, there were times he just wanted to punch the fourth-grader Press.

Even last week, Zac called Press in the press box last Saturday night ("I had a question about the practice script") to see if he'd answer, which would draw a fine.

"Definitely an older brother move," Press says.

So, on second thought …

"I'll let you know Saturday evening, if I want it to count or not," Press says.

What does count is that Sherwood Taylor can plan for that elusive Christmas card photo in Cincinnati because everyone is together for the first time in two years. Both sisters, Kathryn and Quincy, are in town with a teeming depth chart of grandkids and their cousins.

Including Press' oldest, his seven-year-old son, who three years ago informed Uncle Zac during his 10-minute visit to their Jacksonville home before a Monday night game that the Jaguars had already defeated the Bengals.

"He loves the Bengals. This is challenging for him because we're having to explain," Press says. "He's like, 'Dad, I thought we liked the Bengals.' I'm like, 'We do like the Bengals, buddy, but not when they play the Bears. We've got to beat them when they play the Bears.'"

They did very famously last year when Press, then the Bears pass game coordinator, saw quarterback Caleb Williams conspire with rookie tight end Colston Loveland to swipe a 49-42 victory here with 17 seconds left on a play the Bengals went into free agency to erase.

The commissioner has yet to update the trophy, but that gave Press a 3-2-1 lead.

Even though new Bengals safety Bryan Cook and cornerback Dax Hill aren't expected to practice or play, it's a terrific early assignment for head coach Zac Taylor's revamped defense against an offense that had their way with them a short time ago.

Although the Bears aren't expected to have running back Kyle Monangai (who rushed for 176 yards against the Bengals), D'Andre Swift is still around coming off his 1,000-yard season in a Bears' running game that is the foundation of head coach Ben Johnson's offense. It supplies an excellent test for the Bengals' new front that has dominated training camp with acquisitions Dexter Lawrence II and Jonathan Allen in the middle and Boye Mafe on the edge.

The Bears are missing playmakers on defense, too, in, cornerbacks Coby Bryant and Kyler Gordon. But the offenses look pretty intact, although the Bears are trying to find a center to replace the retired Drew Dalman on their estimable offensive line.

So the Taylor Bros can have at it with their Xs and Os, Press not only idolized his brother growing up throwing the football as a college quarterback following in his footsteps, but he's taking notes of Zac's work now.

"We've taken a couple of things when they played us. The last couple of years, they've been so good on offense throwing the ball," Press says. "They scored on us last year …  there was a play that we took one of those concepts, and we kind of inserted it though our training camp install. Obviously, they have two ultra-talented receivers, but they do such a good job of moving those guys around based on what defenses they're seeing and things like that within a week.

"That's the most impressive part of their scheme, I'd say. It's just their ability, their flexibility to move those guys around and get them targets, and it seems like it's almost impossible to take those two away based on what they're able to do, moving them and getting them targets. With the quarterback and the two receivers, I think it's pretty hard to duplicate some of the things they do. There's a lot of really good scheme they're running as well that a lot of people want to try to emulate."

The way Sherwood Taylor has always seen it, and he coached them both, their personalities almost match their philosophies. Zac reserved. Press not so much.

"If (Press) got coaching and he didn't like it, he would do his own deal, and if it worked, you're in trouble because he'll do it again," Sherwood says. "Zac followed everything to a tee."

But maybe times are changing.

"Zac has gotten a lot looser with the media," Sherwood says. "I'm surprised at the way he's come out this year and been a lot looser than I've seen him in the past."

His dad asked why Zac was doing a joint practice after not doing one last year. I thought you weren't going to them anymore, Sherwood told him.

"He goes, "No, we can do it with Chicago because we both agree on how we want it done,'" Sherwood says. "So I think it feels safe to be around Ben."

Not to mention one of the "little kids,' who hung around Cynthia looking to play with the big guys.  Press and his two buddies. Now Press has four kids of his own, and they're planning an NFL practice together.

They don't talk as much now during the season. They try to get a text in or a quick call, but nothing like the past couple of weeks.

"You've got to talk to be able to set up the practice periods and kind of logistics of what practice looks like when we're together," Press says.

Ben Johnson, Press' boss, worked for Zac in Miami a decade ago. Should go smoothly. Zac joked that he might want to punch Press pending Saturday's outcome.

The commissioner who doesn't have to score this one doesn't know about that.

"I promise you, they take care of each other." Sherwood Taylor says. "Better not pick on them. They defend each other pretty well."