Week 1 of the NFL Preseason is underway, and Joe Burrow is already getting sacked.
The Cincinnati Bengals are facing the Detroit Lions, and Zac Taylor decided to play his starters on the opening two drives. Burrow getting hit by defenders in a meaningless game could turn into a big problem.
Emmanuel Acho Calls for Cincinnati Bengals To Remove Joe Burrow From Preseason Game 1
Burrow has faced several injuries over the past few seasons, missing a significant portion of games in 2023 and 2025. The Cincinnati Bengals have a stellar offense, but they haven’t been to the playoffs in three years after tallying back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances at the start of the decade.
They can be a competitive team, but a lot depends on Burrow’s health. With preseason underway and already a sack to his name, calls to keep him out of danger until September emerged on social media, including from former NFL linebacker and current sports analyst Emmanuel Acho.
“In two drives, Joe Burrow has taken a sack and a pressure vs the Lions second team defense… I think we’ve seen enough; let’s get him out the game’, Acho wrote.
In two drives Joe Burrow has taken a sack and a pressure vs the Lions second team defense… I think we’ve seen enough, let’s get him out the game.
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) August 13, 2026
Burrow ultimately left the game midway through the first quarter after playing out the opening drives and leading the Bengals to a field goal. His first pass of the preseason was a 16-yard completion to Ja’Marr Chase, proving they’re already in midseason form.
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The goal for Cincinnati is to finally return to the playoffs. The past three seasons have been big disappointments, with Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Drake Maye, and Lamar Jackson all making it to at least the conference championship, while the Bengals failed to reach the postseason.
The curious aspect is that Zac Taylor remains the head coach for Cincinnati. Despite three seasons of playoff failure, he continues to hold the trust of the front office.
Calls for his firing have mounted since 2024, but Taylor got another chance to lead the team in 2026.
PFN’s QB Impact Metric saw Burrow land at #10 with an 80.0 grade in what was a limited season for the quarterback. He can be among the league’s elite, but he also needs to be healthy for a full season to get Cincinnati back to where it belongs.
