Are Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals Doomed?

The Cincinnati Bengals were unlucky enough to score a Thursday Night match up against the always tough Houston Texans this past week. Unfortunately for Cincinnati this early season match up occurred after one of their worst performances as a team in the past half decade in Week 1 of the NFL season. Cincinnati’s star QB Andy Dalton turned the ball over five times on Opening Day and his confidence was clearly shot. Cincinnati would go on to get drubbed again, losing to the Houston Texans in a listless performance that promptly caused the firing of Cincinnati’s offensive coordinator. The Bengals were supposed to come into the 2017 season ready to compete for a title, but will they even win a handful of games this year?

The problem with Cincinnati is simple: QB Andy Dalton is having trouble making anything happen on the field. Cincinnati has only scored 9 total points through the first two games of the season and both contests were played on their home turf. No matter how tough the opposing defense is, and Houston IS tough, a competent NFL team should be able to score more through their first two games of the year. Andy Dalton has been atrocious and hard to watch and the firing of Cincinnati’s offensive coordinator is a clear signal that Dalton is now on the hot seat. With a change at OC suddenly all of the pressure is on Dalton, the Red Rocket, in order to succeed.

The new guy in charge for Cincinnati is Bill Lazor. Lazor is taking over for fired OC Ken Zampese. Zampese had been working with Cincinnati since 2003 as the quarterback coach for the team. If Zampese couldn’t milk something out of Andy Dalton after all of those years together it only makes sense that a change was needed. Still, Bill Lazor comes to Cincinnati after working as the Offensive Coordinator for the Miami Dolphins during their disastrous 2015 season. Lazor comes from the coaching tree of Chip Kelly so there is immediate intrigue regarding what kind of offense Lazor will bring to the field. Unfortunately he will have to do something special, and quick, thanks to his relatively quick turnaround ahead of their next game.

Ultimately Cincinnati is going to rise or fall based on what QB Andy Dalton can do. Dalton, who is being paid like a franchise QB, is going to have to go out and earn the title.