Stephen A. Smith went scorched earth on Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor over his Joe Burrow Decision.

Former All-Pro center Jason Kelce would've pulled Burrow from the game.

The quarterback played 24 snaps in Monday's win over the Commanders, expressing satisfaction with protection and Cincinnati's efficient running game.

Bengals fans held their breath as quarterback Joe Burrow was brought down violently twice during preseason action against the Commanders.

Aug 18, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley (82) catches a touchdown pass as Washington Commanders cornerback Bobby Price (37) defends during the second quarter at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Burrow’s preference comes through in the answer. It’s “great” to get the deals done early, like the Bengals did with Higgins and Chase. And while the NFL is a deadline-driven business, the deadline when a player is holding in shouldn’t be Week 1. It should be tied to the practical deadline for getting the player ready to go for Week 1.

"Well Jake Browning, he comes in now," Troy Aikman said during the broadcast. "He takes over. Oh, excuse me. No Burrow, he's back in."