Andy Dalton must take advantage of depleted Falcons defense
Andy Dalton came up empty against the Panthers last week, but he needs to lead the Bengals over a different NFC South team this week.
The list of NFL quarterbacks with at least eight touchdown passes on the season through three games is pretty short. Andy Dalton is perhaps the most surprising name on that list. He’ll need to add to that total on Sunday to get the Bengals back to .500.
In truth, Dalton was one of the hottest quarterbacks in football until he ran into the Panthers defense last week. He threw four interceptions at Carolina which ruined his hot start. It also cost his team a chance to improve to 2-1 on the season.
His matchup against the Falcons this week gives him an opportunity to make up for last week’s failures. Atlanta’s defense comes into this matchup as one of the most banged up units in the NFL. The team put Ricardo Allen on IR this week which means they now have three defensive starters on the shelf for the entire season. Allen joins Keanu Neal and Deion Jones on that unfortunate list. The Falcons’ loss should turn into the Bengals gain on Sunday.
Being forced to play backups at all three spots should be a real boost for Dalton’s chances of having a big day in Atlanta. Of course, the uncertain status of A.J. Green for the game could play a factor. If he’s able to play, it makes this an excellent matchup for Dalton. Even if he doesn’t, he still has an opportunity to have a big day.
The emergence of Tyler Boyd as a valuable target last week means the Bengals offense can survive a week or two without Green. His ability to work the middle of the field can present the Falcons defense with serious problems. That’s where the loss of Neal and Jones hurts them most. Atlanta doesn’t have playmakers in the middle of the field who can stop Boyd from getting loose for big gains after the catch.
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Ultimately, the Bengals need Dalton to play one of his best games if they’re going to beat the Falcons on the road. If he turns the ball over like he did last week this game might get out of hand for Cincinnati. A 1-3 start could portend the end of Marvin Lewis’ time with the Bengals. This is a really big game for Dalton and the franchise.