If it seems like starters are playing less in preseason games than ever, it’s because coaches and front offices now view preseason games differently than they ever have.

As one NFC South executive told Between The Hashmarks last week, “joint practices are where you see team building results, and preseason games are for back of the roster competition.”

Jameis Winston started for the Giants on Saturday afternoon, after by all accounts, Jaxson Dart and New York’s offense had its way with the Dolphins’ defense last week during joint practices.

Even Tyler Shough got to wear the headset, with Zach Wilson starting for the Saints after a week of joint practices with the Rams.

Competition was so fierce between the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints two weeks ago featured so many brawls that were so intense that the NFL fined both teams $500,000 for violating the protocols the league set up for those joint practices.

You’d have been hard pressed to see a single Rams starter on the field Saturday against the Saints.

This is the new reality of the NFL preseason where the hard work of preparing your own team is done amid fierce competition on the joint practice field and the games are earmarked to get as much tape on the bottom of the roster as possible to make the best decisions you can come roster cut weekend.

There is still a lot to learn from preseason games, but against the current backdrop, it’s all the more silly that the Commanders would throw Jayden Daniels out there against the Detroit Lions, of all teams, behind a patchwork offensive line.

As the calendar turns another week closer to Week 1, this week’s column dives into how the Cincinnati Bengals changed their entire philosophy this offseason and Joe Burrow is feeling more pressure to deliver, as a result.

Plus, there’s an argument to be made that the Denver Broncos are the team that folks have forgotten but about to be reminded about in a big way, and why the Eagles and Patriots futures are tied moving forward after this summer’s A.J. Brown blockbuster …

Joe Burrow put the Cincinnati Bengals on notice last week.

One of the most gifted quarterbacks in the sport, who has orchestrated six fourth quarter comebacks, nine game winning drives, and led Cincinnati to just the third Super Bowl in franchise history, let his frustrations with the Bengals known for all to hear.

“I’m trying to put it out into the world, I’m trying to manifest it,” a beleaguered Burrow told reporters from the podium. “I’m trying to show our guys that I have and that I want us to have, as an organization, to go and make it happen.”

Injuries have taken a toll on Burrow’s career, but there’s a reason that so many of the league executives we spoke to for our annual survey list him as the MVP candidate not enough folks are talking about, and that he’s often the quarterback mentioned first behind Patrick Mahomes that a general manager or coach would want to build his team around.

Burrow, when he’s on the field, exudes clutchness, his career 68.5% completion percentage and 157 touchdown to 51 interception ratio in 77 career games borders on absurdity.

Yet, the one thing that the former No. 1 overall pick lacks, the tangible measure of success that his promise has yet to deliver, is the Lombardi Trophy Cincinnati lacks.

“This is it,” Burrow said. “I’m trying to instill some urgency and some intensity in everybody, to go and be great every day, and try to go make it happen.”

When a reporter asked Burrow if he feels like it is “now or never,” the quarterback didn’t mince words.

“That’s how I’m treating it,” Burrow responded.

He’s probably right.