Bengals' Star Quarterback Draws Fire for Dangerous Play

As the football world weighs in on the debate over whether quarterbacks should see the field during preseason games, one play by Joe Burrow had fans holding their breath. The Cincinnati Bengals' standout quarterback faced three defenders during a precarious moment, raising alarm among supporters.

In a road victory over Washington, Burrow attempted to evade a pass rush but ended up being sacked, making many question if his limited preseason play was worth the risk. "Probably don’t want to see Joe Burrow doing this in a preseason game... or in any game, for that matter," tweeted Ari Meirov from The 33rd Team.

Coaches Split on Preseason Strategy

Different teams have varying philosophies on how much exposure their quarterbacks should have during preseason. While NFL stars like Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, and Lamar Jackson have played zero snaps, Burrow has averaged roughly a quarter of play to prepare for the regular season. This approach stems from Cincinnati's previous struggles, having lost their first two games in both of the last two seasons.

During the preseason opener and again in Monday night’s game, Burrow played a total of five series, impressively completing 18 of 24 passes for three touchdowns. His stats were solid, but that fateful play exposed the inherent risks.

A Close Call for Burrow

On a critical 3rd-and-12 play at his own 17-yard line, with the game tied at 7-7, Burrow's attempt to dodge a defender led to a hard hit by three Washington players. Even announcer Joe Buck reacted in disbelief, urging him to protect himself: "Go down, Joe, it’s August." Supporting these concerns, coach Zac Taylor admitted he didn’t like seeing his quarterback take such a hit.

Despite completing 9 of 14 passes for 62 yards and one touchdown, Burrow himself labeled the sack a "bad sack" during his in-game interview with ESPN. Taylor emphasized the importance of preseason as a learning experience for Burrow, saying, "It’s one of those things for him... he’s out there learning what he can and can’t do."