Andy Dalton to replace Aaron Rodgers in Pro Bowl

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton will replace Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the Pro Bowl.

Andy Dalton is one of the most inconsistent starting quarterbacks in the NFL, but he will be heading to the Pro Bowl after it was announced today that Aaron Rodgers will bow out due to the calf injury that he has been dealing with.

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This isn’t the type of move that will increase excitement about the Pro Bowl. Dalton will be playing in his second career Pro Bowl, and he once again failed to deliver for his team in the playoffs. He has been well-documented for having turnover issues, and he hasn’t looked anything close to being a Super Bowl caliber quarterback throughout his career.

Dalton finished the regular season throwing for 3,398 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. Those numbers aren’t even close to being satisfactory, and he has yet to show any major improvements from his rookie season.

It is too bad that Rodgers’ injury will prevent him from playing in the Pro Bowl, but after the debacle in Seattle this weekend, it’s not a surprise that he’s even less motivated to play than he already was.

There was one thing that Dalton improved in this past season, and that was his completion percentage. He set a career-high at 64.2 percent, but the touchdown to interception ratio is still a major concern. Cincinnati has surrounded him with a solid defense, stud young running back, and of course a dynamic group of receivers.

At this point in time, there is a good possibility that Dalton will be playing for his job next season. The Bengals cannot afford to sit around and hope that he can find himself, and they have given him everything that he needs to make a playoff run. Most quarterbacks would excel with A.J. Green, Jeremy Hill, Mohamed Sanu, and the defense that the Bengals have.

Obviously the defense wasn’t as good this season as they were last, but they still weren’t a pushover defense either. There were some injuries that occurred, and there are some holes that need filled as well.

All of that being said, Dalton leading the Bengals’ to the 21st ranked passing offense in the NFL isn’t acceptable. He needs to improve next season in order to remain the starting quarterback. If he doesn’t, the Bengals should begin looking around for a new option at quarterback and move on from the past four seasons of wasted time.

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