Stephen A. Smith: Bengals Need New Coach — Blasts Zac Taylor After Loss

Stephen A. Smith arrived at “First Take” on Tuesday with a Yankees loss, a Cowboys win, and no patience left for Zac Taylor.

“The Bengals need a new head coach,” Smith said. “Y’all wanna be nice about it? I don’t feel like it.”

His argument: Joe Burrow gets plenty of scrutiny, while the man running the team escapes too much of it. Smith’s frustration centered on an offense he believes asks Burrow to solve too many problems, and he cited Cincinnati’s rankings of 31st in rushing attempts, 31st in rushing offense, and 27th in yards per attempt during the segment.

“My point is, it’s all about Joe Burrow and him throwing the football. That’s what saves the day,” he said.

The rant comes as the Bengals sit at 2–2, but there is no confirmation of any actual coaching change or internal team discussion. Smith’s demand is exactly that — a demand, not a report.

THE LOSS THAT SET IT OFF

The loss that set off Smith’s rant came Sunday, when Cincinnati fell 22–17 to the Jacksonville Jaguars and dropped to 2–2.

Joe Burrow threw for 428 yards, completing 39 of 54 attempts with one passing touchdown and two interceptions. He also scored a rushing touchdown in the defeat.

The stat line was as gaudy as the result was frustrating. Burrow topped 400 yards through the air, moved the ball repeatedly, and still walked off with a loss after two costly picks.

Cincinnati managed just 23 rushing yards against Jacksonville, leaving the passing game responsible for nearly all of its offensive production. That imbalance is exactly the kind of thing Smith pointed to when he cited the Bengals’ league-worst rushing numbers during his Tuesday segment.