Stephen A. Smith has called for the Cincinnati Bengals to replace Zac Taylor after their 22-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars dropped them to 2-2. Smith argued Tuesday that Joe Burrow is being asked to carry too much of the offense.
The ESPN personality’s criticism came after Burrow threw for 428 yards against Jacksonville, completing 39 of 54 attempts with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. Burrow also rushed for a touchdown, but Cincinnati could not turn his production into victory.
Smith’s argument centers on Cincinnati’s lack of balance. During “First Take,” he pointed to the Bengals’ struggling rushing attack and said the team needs a new head coach. His comments put fresh pressure on Taylor after another disappointing result.
Smith delivers a blunt verdict
Smith made his position unmistakable during Tuesday’s broadcast, saying the Bengals need a new head coach. His criticism focused on Taylor’s responsibility for an offense that has increasingly depended on Burrow’s passing ability.
The analyst specifically cited Cincinnati’s league standing in rushing attempts, rushing offense and yards per attempt. His argument was that the Bengals have become too dependent on Burrow throwing the football whenever the offense needs to rescue a game.
That criticism arrives with Cincinnati sitting at 2-2 rather than facing an obviously lost season. The Bengals have time to change their trajectory, but Smith believes the problems reflect deeper coaching issues that cannot be solved simply by better quarterback play.
Burrow produced big numbers in defeat
Burrow’s performance against Jacksonville makes the debate more complicated. The Bengals quarterback threw for 428 yards and 2 touchdowns, yet his 2 interceptions prevented Cincinnati from completing a fourth-quarter comeback.
The Bengals trailed 22-10 before finally cutting the deficit to 5 points with less than 4 minutes remaining. Cincinnati regained possession with 1:56 left but could not reach the end zone before Jacksonville secured the victory.
Burrow’s workload also illustrated Smith’s concern. He attempted 54 passes while Cincinnati’s running game produced only 23 yards, leaving the quarterback responsible for most of the offensive production against a Jacksonville defense that repeatedly created difficult situations.
The rushing attack has become a problem
Cincinnati’s inability to run effectively has emerged as one of the clearest issues surrounding Taylor. The Bengals finished the Jaguars game with only 23 rushing yards, making it difficult to create balance against an aggressive defense.
The lack of ground production has increased the pressure on Burrow and the passing game. While Burrow is capable of carrying a heavy workload, repeatedly asking him to win through the air creates additional opportunities for turnovers and defensive adjustments.
Smith sees that imbalance as evidence of a larger coaching problem. His position is that Cincinnati has enough offensive talent to build a more dependable attack and should not need Burrow to post extraordinary passing numbers every week.
Injuries made the loss even harder
The Bengals also lost Ja’Marr Chase during the Jacksonville game after the star receiver suffered a concussion. Chase had 3 catches for 27 yards before leaving, adding another challenge to an offense already struggling to find consistency.
Tee Higgins delivered an outstanding performance despite the defeat, recording 11 receptions for 157 yards. However, Higgins also suffered an adductor injury late in the game and is considered day-to-day, according to reporting after the loss.
Those injuries complicate any immediate evaluation of Taylor. Cincinnati entered the season expecting its receiving group to be one of the team’s greatest strengths, and losing either Chase or Higgins limits the options available to Burrow and the coaching staff.
Taylor still has a strong Cincinnati résumé
Taylor’s tenure cannot be evaluated solely through the Bengals’ current record. He guided Cincinnati to Super Bowl LVI in the 2021 season, giving the franchise its first Super Bowl appearance since 1988.
The Bengals also returned to the AFC Championship Game following the 2022 season. Those achievements established Taylor as the coach who helped transform Cincinnati from a struggling franchise into a legitimate postseason contender.
However, the expectations have changed since those playoff runs. Cincinnati has failed to return to the postseason in the three seasons since the 2022 campaign, while injuries and inconsistent team performance have continued to complicate the organization’s efforts to remain among the AFC’s top teams.
Cincinnati already backed Taylor
The Bengals made their position clear before the 2026 season by retaining Taylor despite a 6-11 record in 2025. Owner Mike Brown said the organization believed Taylor and personnel executive Duke Tobin remained the right leaders for the team.
That decision followed a third straight season without a playoff appearance. Cincinnati nevertheless chose continuity, pointing to Taylor’s previous success and the belief that the existing leadership could return the franchise to championship contention.
That background matters when considering Smith’s demand. Firing Taylor only four games into the season would represent a dramatic reversal from the organization’s offseason decision and would require Cincinnati to believe the current problems cannot be corrected.
Burrow’s response adds a twist to the debate
After the Jacksonville loss, Joe Burrow responded to Cincinnati’s rushing struggles by suggesting the Bengals throw more. He expressed confidence in the passing attack and the protection he was receiving.
Burrow clarified that position on October 7, acknowledging that his immediate postgame response had been emotional. He said the offense needs balance and that the running game had not been good enough against Jacksonville.
His comments leave Cincinnati with a challenge that extends beyond choosing between running and passing. The Bengals must improve their ground game while continuing to make effective use of Burrow’s strengths.
The next games could shape Taylor’s future
The Bengals now turn their attention to Week 5, when they will travel to face the Miami Dolphins. The matchup provides Cincinnati with an immediate opportunity to respond after consecutive losses to Pittsburgh and Jacksonville.
Taylor remains the Bengals’ head coach, and there is no indication that the organization has decided to make the coaching change Smith advocated. Cincinnati’s immediate priority is improving while managing injuries to key offensive players.
Fun fact: Stephen A. Smith attended the Fashion Institute of Technology for a year before earning a basketball scholarship to Winston-Salem State University.
TL;DR
- Stephen A. Smith called for the Bengals to replace Zac Taylor after the 22-17 loss to Jacksonville.
- Cincinnati fell to 2-2 despite Joe Burrow throwing for 428 yards.
- The Bengals managed only 23 rushing yards against the Jaguars.
- Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both suffered injuries during the game.
- Cincinnati retained Taylor for 2026 despite missing the playoffs for 3 straight seasons.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
