Week 14 looks like one of those games the Cincinnati Bengals could have won in impressive fashion had rookie passer Joe Burrow been under center.
Instead, onlookers will get Brandon Allen against the returning Andy Dalton, starter for the Dallas Cowboys. It’s such a strange matchup even oddsmakers out of Las Vegas don’t know what to do with it.
On paper, those Cowboys are 3-9 and have won just once dating back through Week 6. Dalton hasn’t exactly been on fire over seven games, throwing for 1,155 yards and seven touchdowns against six interceptions.
Dallas’ defense is a major weak point too, as Dak Prescott’s strong play was the only thing masking historical ineptitude. The unit has generated just 22 sacks and allows a league-worst 32.8 points per game.
But with Brandon Allen under center, the Cincinnati offense has mightily struggled, including a pair of games with less than 200 yards of total offense in each.
Making matters worse, the offensive line is in further shambles after the injury to left tackle Jonah Williams, meaning rookie Hakeem Adeniji will start on the left side.
Which is a shame because the offensive struggles rule the narrative and override what has actually been a pretty strong defensive performance as of late — headed up by elite safety Jessie Bates, who might just be the best in the NFL. Granted, the competition has been the greatest in recent weeks, but Dalton and the Cowboys didn’t pose the biggest threat, either.
Instead, this one might just come down to better veteran quarterback play. And as Bengals fans know, Dalton can do that in droves, even if it isn’t pretty and heavily reliant on those around him. He’ll have Ezekiel Elliott and a host of others to lean on as he seeks out his revenge while making it clear he isn’t thrilled with how things ended.
While a loss will be a boon in draft positioning, it probably won’t be a pretty one and will cast more doubt on the future of the coaching staff.
Prediction: Cowboys 23, Bengals 20
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