Dalton Debilitated

What a horrible two days for Cincinnati sports fans. On Sunday, my beloved Cincinnati Bengals not only lost to their AFC North division rival the Pittsburgh Steelers, but they also lost quarterback Andy Dalton for a few weeks due to a fractured thumb. As if that was not bad enough, Rob Manfred, the commissioner of Major League Baseball, announced on Monday that he would not lift the ban from baseball on Cincinnati Reds legend Pete Rose thus essentially nullifying any hope that the “Hit King” might one day take his rightful place in the hallowed halls of Cooperstown. So why am I talking about these two topics?

With next week being the week of Christmas, I will be uploading two blog posts this week. Each will discuss either the Dalton injury or the continuation of Rose’s ban from baseball. Not jovial topics for Cincinnati sports fans during the “most wonderful time of the year,” but topics important enough to warrant discussion from me. This post is about the injury to Andy Dalton and how it affects my beloved Cincinnati Bengals.

Unless you are not a Bengals fan or have been living under a rock, then odds are you already know that Dalton fractured his thumb on Sunday when attempting to make a tackle after an interception. It was a freak play that had me go from anger over the pick in the red zone to anguish after seeing Dalton walking back to the locker room. When he returned to the field, he was no longer in his football gear and had a big cast on his right arm. The injury was later reported to be a fractured thumb that thankfully will not require surgery. According to reports, Dalton’s status is week to week and if all goes well, he could play again as early as the regular season finale against the Baltimore Ravens

What does this mean for the Bengals until then? It means that AJ McCarron will be the starting quarterback until Dalton recovers. McCarron had a prolific college career as the starting quarterback for the University of Alabama. He led the Crimson Tide to multiple national championships and had it not been for uncertainty about his NFL career due to a shoulder injury, he could have been drafted higher than he was by the Bengals and might have been on a different team. Thankfully he is a member of the Bengals, and despite looking like a true rookie quarterback when he entered the game against the Steelers, he still made some really good throws and appears to have the potential to help hold the team over until Dalton returns.

While Dalton’s injury is a devastating blow to what is a great Bengals team, it is not the end of the world. Dalton was having a career year before the injury, and should he return in time for the playoffs, I would expect him to continue playing at the new level he has reached this season. McCarron has looked good during the limited times he has seen actual NFL action, and I believe that he will help lead the Bengals to a division clinching win and a berth in the postseason. Who Dey Nation has to keep the faith and get off the ledge. The season is far from over, and I still believe in my Bengals.

Who Dey!