Bengals fans can't comprehend this bizarre Joe Burrow sack vs. Commanders
Joe Burrow energizes Cincinnati Bengals fans with his zany outfits but Pro Bowl caliber play. His own fanbase couldn't comprehend one bizarre moment involving him, though. Occurring during the first half against the Washington Commanders Monday.
Burrow earned first team reps in the second NFL Preseason contest for Cincy. The Commanders swarmed at the QB right away, forcing him to take off running.
The AFC champion QB, however, ran circles then backward behind his offensive line protection. He ultimately took this sack near the end zone.
But that wasn't the only cringe moment for Bengals fans involving their beloved QB1. Even NFL insider for Ari Meirov requested that Zac Taylor and Cincy yanks Burrow — following a near-similar sack.
Burrow eventually gave way to Jake Browning before the first half ended. But the critics came out in full force.
Fans rip Bengals and Joe Burrow for first half struggles
Fans took to X to lay into Burrow for his first half issues.
'Throw the ball away and quit holding it like it's fourth down and the game is on the line,' one fan said on X (formerly Twitter).
Another fan joked how the Bengals' QB1 was doing too much.
'Burrow playing like it's a playoff game, down by seven with two minutes left and he's trying to tie the game to go to overtime,' that fan shared.
Even a Baltimore Ravens fan account trolled Burrow — saying how he tried to be Lamar Jackson but failed miserably.
Burrow walked into the Monday Night contest sparking preseason hype. Jon Gruden anointed Burrow his Most Valuable Player pick back on Friday. Burrow was even compared to Joe Montana by an unnamed head coach who spoke to The Athletic.
Burrow managed to fire one touchdown pass. Knifing this ball to Charlie Jones in the back of the end zone.
Burrow still finished 9-of-14 for only 62 yards. And the infamous sacks that caused fans to explode online.
Related: Joe Burrow drops telling hint about Trey Hendrickson contract saga
Related: Joe Burrow gives blunt verdict on Bengals performance vs. Commanders
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NFL rookie stock up, stock down: Giants QB Jaxson Dart shines in preseason
Week 2 of the 2025 NFL preseason is in the books. Another exhibition matchup's allowed for more tape and information for players across the league but especially rookies. This is the first time they're getting NFL action beyond training camp practices and lining up against players they'll see on Sundays this season. Preseason performance isn't a direct indication of how a rookie will perform in the regular season; look no further than Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who recorded four drops in the 2021 NFL preseason yet went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year in the regular season. Even with exceptions like that, it's still important to take stock of how the 2025 rookie class is performing in their first weeks of NFL action. This was widely viewed as a rookie class with depth at certain positions and early-round picks who could contribute early on for their teams. Here are five rookies whose stock is up after Week 2 and five whose stock is down after another exhibition game. Stock up New York Giants QB Jaxson Dart Dart made his NFL debut with a solid showing against the Buffalo Bills. The Ole Miss product completed 12 of 19 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown but had an even better showing a week later at home against the Jets. Dart looked like the best rookie passer of the week. He shook off an incompletion and sack on his first two dropbacks to finish the day 14 of 16 passing for 137 yards and two touchdowns, one passing and one rushing. The Giants punted on his first drive of the game but scored on the ensuing three drives with two touchdowns and a field goal. Dart was a surprise first-round pick in April but he's showing well so far. New England Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson Henderson entered the preseason with plenty of hype and delivered on his first touch in an NFL game. He took the opening kickoff of the Patriots' preseason opener against Washington 100 yards for a touchdown. Henderson has just five carries on offense in the preseason but he's averaging 7.6 yards per carry. That's exactly the kind of explosiveness the Patriots offense needs and a good reason why Henderson is shooting up fantasy football draft boards. Detroit Lions WR Isaac TeSlaa Detroit traded up for TeSlaa in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft in a surprising move. The Arkansas product had plenty of traits but little production in the SEC with 897 yards and five touchdowns over two years with the Razorbacks. TeSlaa's size (6-4 and 217 pounds) gives him the frame to be a solid blocker and that's shown up in training camp already. He's been just as impressive as a receiver with an outstanding catch against the Miami Dolphins for a touchdown in the red zone. There's little doubt he'll be a key piece in the Lions wide receiver group behind All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. Baltimore Ravens LB Jay Higgins IV Higgins had a standout college career at Iowa. He led the FBS in tackles in 2023, earned two first-team All-Big Ten honors and was the conference linebacker of the year in 2024. He went undrafted in April, though, likely due to his poor testing numbers and size (6-foot, 224 pounds) at the NFL combine. He's been one of the best linebackers in the NFL during the preseason, both by the eye test and Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades. In the opener against the Indianapolis Colts, Higgins showed out in pass rush, run defense and coverage assignments. His high motor kept him involved in all scenarios. Higgins got his first career sack against the Cowboys a week later and forced a fumble on Dallas quarterback Will Grier by timing his punch perfectly. Even on one of the better defenses in the league, Higgins should earn a spot for the 53-man roster. Tampa Bay Buccaneers CB Jacob Parrish Two rookie defensive backs have tallied three pass break ups in the preseason, per PFF: Parrish and Los Angeles Chargers safety R.J. Mickens. Parrish reached that with 29 coverage snaps while Mickens did so in 96. The Kansas State product is expected to start at nickel cornerback for Tampa Bay and is already showing plenty for Buccaneers fans to be excited about. It's not just coverage snaps, either; Parrish had a stop in run defense against the Steelers to force a tackle for loss. Stock down Cleveland Browns QB Dillon Gabriel Cleveland's gone to their rookies for their first two games in the preseason. Gabriel hasn't fared as well, going 13 for 18 passing with 143 yards and two turnovers against the Philadelphia Eagles. That's a tougher opponent than fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders faced in the opener against Carolina but still not a good showing. Cleveland's opting to start the season with 40-year-old Joe Flacco at quarterback. It's not a good sign for Gabriel, who had the leg up in training camp on Sanders. Carolina Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan McMillan has high expectations as a top-10 draft pick at wide receiver. He's dealt with plenty of physicality in training camp as the Panthers coaching staff want him to adjust to the contact he'll face in the NFL. In limited game settings, it hasn't been great from the Arizona product. McMillan's played 30 total snaps through two preseason games, per PFF. On six targets in the passing game, he has as many drops (two) as receptions and just 43 yards. One of those drops came in the end zone against the Browns. McMillan will likely be a focal point of the Panthers' offense in 2025 but may still take some time to get up to speed. New York Jets OT Armand Membou Membou was one of the top tackles in the draft class alongside Will Campbell thanks to his size and impressive athleticism. That made him a plus run blocker and he's shown that well in training camp so far with New York. Pass protection may take more time as he had trouble with speed-to-power rushers at time in college and the Giants' Kayvon Thibodeaux took advantage of that in the Jets-Giants preseason game. Membou rebounded with better reps later on but still ranks as the fifth-worst rookie lineman this preseason in blocking, per PFF grading. Miami Dolphins G Jonah Savaiinaea Miami's offensive line looks much different in 2025 than last season with just one returning starter in center Aaron Brewer. Savaiinaea's played more than the other projected starters in the preseason with mixed results so far. He's allowed four pressures and one sack on 36 pass blocking plays, per PFF. His pass blocking grade (9.5) is the fourth-worst among all rookie offensive linemen this preseason. He's learning a new position at guard after playing tackle at Arizona but that's not promising considering the Dolphins gave up two Day 2 draft picks to move up and select him No. 37 overall. Las Vegas Raiders CB Darien Porter Las Vegas has arguably one of the shakiest cornerback rooms in the league after trading Jakorian Bennett to Philadelphia earlier in training camp. Porter is the team's lone draft pick in the secondary and has struggled in both coverage and run defense. Per PFF, he's logged two missed tackles in 25 run defense snaps and allowed a 100.7 passer rating when targeted on 24 coverage snaps. That's not a promising start for a projected starter in the Raiders' secondary this season who only spent one college season as a full-time starter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL rookie stock up, stock down: Dart shines in preseason Week 2
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Bengals' Burrow endorses Tinsley roster spot after preseason breakout
Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Mitchell Tinsley's roster status remains in limbo, but a stellar preseason and endorsement from Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow could aid his effort. Burrow was among several Bengals players to praise Tinsley after he erupted for five catches for 73 yards and two scores in the Bengals' 31-17 victory over the Commanders on Monday in Landover, Md. Tinsley, who appeared in two games for the Commanders in 2023 and also worked on their practice squad, is among those vying to claim one of 53 spots on the Bengals' final active roster. Based on Burrow's comments and his stellar showing, he has momentum toward that goal. "I sure hope so," Burrow told reporters, when asked if Tinsley will make the roster. Tinsley later said Burrow's comments "meant a lot," but he owed his opportunities to teammates and coaches. NFL rosters must be reduced to 53 players by 4 p.m. EDT Aug. 26. "It means a lot," Tinsley said of Burrow's support. "We are getting to where I feel like I have a lot of goals I want to accomplish. I'm finally getting close to where I want to be." Charlie Jones, Jermaine Burton, Jamoi Mayes, Jordan Moore, Rashod Owens, Kendric Pyror, Cole Burgess, Isaiah Williams are among the other wide receivers behind starters Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Andrei Iosivas on the Bengals' unofficial depth chart. "I told him if he keeps doing that, he's going to have an opportunity to pay with the 1's [first team offense]," Chase said of Tinsley on Monday's ESPN broadcast. "He keeps going and playing his game at the highest level, he is going to be good." Tinsley lined up with Burrow and the first-team offense throughout the first half. His first catch, which went for a 12-yard gain, came off a throw from backup quarterback Jake Browning midway through the second quarter. Tinsley went on to snag respective 23- and 4-yard catches about a minute before halftime. He found the end zone for his first score with about 30 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Browning caught a shotgun snap before stepping back and lofting a pass toward the left corner of the end zone on that play. Tinsley made a terrific adjustment, twisting his body and fighting off cornerback Bobby Price's hands as he pulled in the 13-yard score. Chase screamed in celebration of the effort, but Tinsley wasn't finished. The Bengals got the ball back quickly when linebacker Barrett Carter intercepted Commanders backup quarterback Sam Hartman on the first play of the next drive. Browning caught the next snap, dropped back in the pocket and unleashed another deep toss to his right. Tinsley completed that play with an excellent leap over cornerback Car'lin Vigers. That strong-handed snatch drew praise from ESPN broadcasters Troy Aikman and Joe Buck. "He has definitely shown that he is going to be on a roster this year," Aikman said of Tinsley. "If not Cincinnati, it'll be somewhere else. But if you're Washington watching this guy, you could say 'we could sure use him with the Terry McLaurin [hold-in/injury] situation." Jones totaled four catches for 32 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown toss from Burrow in the second quarter, for the Bengals. Starting running back Chase Brown scored the Bengals' first touchdown on the first drive of the night. Bengals kicker Evan McPherson added a 54-yard field goal in the final minutes. Burrow completed 9 of 14 passes for 62 yards and a score over three drives. Browning completed 16 of 25 passes for 159 yards and two scores. Desmond Ridder completed his lone attempt for seven yards in the win. Starting quarterback Jayden Daniels scored on a 14-yard run for the Commanders' first score, but was sent to the bench after one drive. Running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt and scored on a 26-yard run in the loss. Veteran kicker Matt Gay added a 27-yard field goal in the third quarter for the Commanders' final points of the night. Tinsley, who joined the Commanders as an undrafted free agent in 2023, signed a reserve/futures contract with the Bengals in February. His resume still needs filled out at the NFL level, as he didn't manage to make a catch during his two games of action as a rookie. He hauled in one of his two targets for three yards in the Bengals' preseason opener, a 34-27 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Aug. 7 in Philadelphia. "All he does is work," Bengals coach Zac Taylor said on the ESPN broadcast. "We made him a captain [Monday] because all he does is work. All he does is do things the way we want them done. He's been out there. He's rewarded himself with the opportunity and he's capitalized on that. It's as simple as that." Multi-year contracts likely cement the roster spots of several Bengals pass catchers, including Chase and Higgins, who signed for a combined $276 million this off-season. Iosivas and Jones, who joined the Bengals in the 2023 NFL Draft, are entering the third season of their four-year rookie deals. Burton, a third-round pick last year, has three years remaining on his pact. He hauled in just four catches for 107 yards during his rookie campaign and is out with an undisclosed injury. Williams, who joined the Bengals off waivers in November, is signed through 2026. Moore, Mayes and Owens signed three-year deals with the Bengals this off-season as undrafted free agents. Burgess and Pryor, who previously spent time on the Bengals practice squad, are on one-year deals. NFL teams often opt to keep backup wide receivers who excel on special teams to allow for more roster flexibility. The Bengals kept six wide receivers on their initial 53-man roster the last two seasons. They kept just five in 2022 and 2021, but entered their 2020 campaign with seven wide receivers. Tinsley led all Bengals wide receivers in offensive snaps (34) against the Commanders. He was in for three (12%) special teams snaps. Jones and Williams were the only wide receivers with more special teams snaps. They totaled four apiece. Jones led Bengals wide receivers in offensive snaps (25) against the Eagles, when starters saw limited action. Burton (19) and Moore (18) also were in for more offensive snaps than Tinsley (17) in that matchup. But Tinsley led Bengals wide receivers in special teams snaps (seven) in the preseason opener. "Baller," Taylor said of Tinsley. "He just works hard. He's become a guy that everybody really respects in the locker room. I don't know that I've ever heard him speak. ... He just goes out there and just works, and we respect that. And again, he created the opportunities for himself. He's done enough in practice to where we wanted to put him in positions to be at the point of attack when he was in the game there, and he rewarded himself with touchdowns and catches and extending drives, and he's someone that's reliable for the quarterbacks in August. "So just proud of him. This is the last team he was with, if I'm not mistaken, so probably a neat situation for him to come back on this field and do what he just did." The Bengals will host the Indianapolis Colts in their preseason finale at 1 p.m. EDT Saturday in Cincinnati. They will take on the Cleveland Browns in their regular-season opener Sept. 7 in Cleveland.


USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Steelers in 'consideration' for standout free agent visit, per report
Steelers fans rejoice, one of the best free agent offensive linemen may be on his way to Pittsburgh. On Tuesday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that G Dalton Risner, who just finished a workout for the Bengals, is considering the Steelers for a potential visit as he decides on his future landing spot. "Free agent guard Dalton Risner, who worked out for the Bengals today, will also visit the Seahawks, per source. Visiting the Steelers also a consideration," Fowler wrote on X. "Wants to take multiple visits before making a decision." Selected by the Broncos with the 41st overall pick in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Risner wasted little time making an impact and was named to the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team in his debut season — which featured a talented ensemble of players such as DE Nick Bosa, DT Dexter Lawrence, RB Josh Jacobs, and more. Risner has 81 games of starting experience from his time with the Broncos and Vikings. At best, he would challenge the Steelers' guards for a starting spot — and at worst, he'd serve as arguably one of the league's best backups. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.