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The Ryan Finley experiment did not last very long in Cincinnati.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor says that Andy Dalton will be returning to his role as starting quarterback when Cincinnati takes on the New York Jets next Sunday.
“We just want a win, and that veteran presence he has will certainly be helpful,” said Taylor.
Finley supplanted Dalton as the starter in Week 10, but things did not go very well for the rookie. He threw for 474 yards, a couple of touchdowns and a pair of interceptions while completing just 47.1 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 62.1 through three starts.
Most recently, the rookie went 12-for-26 with 192 yards and a touchdown in the Bengals' Week 12 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Taylor specified that he thinks Finley has a bright future in Cincy, but obviously, Taylor and Co. think that Dalton currently gives the Bengals the best chance to win, and it's hard to argue with that.
Dalton started the first eight games of 2019 for Cincinnati, throwing for 2,252 yards, nine touchdowns, and eight picks while completing 60.4 percent of his passes and registering a passer rating of 79.2.
Clearly, Dalton was far from great during that stretch, but he still played a heck of a lot better than Finley did in his three starts.
The Bengals dropped to 0-11 on the season this past weekend are looking to avoid becoming only the second team in NFL history to go 0-16. The first club to achieve that dubious distinction was the 2008 Detroit Lions.