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          Andy Dalton is the Bengals' starter -- but for how much longer?

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          Cruz: Rams' defense will get after Dalton (1:12)

          Victor Cruz expects the Rams defense to play well and put a lot of pressure on Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton. (1:12)

          • Ben Baby, ESPN Staff WriterOct 25, 2019, 10:00 AM
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              Ben Baby covers the Cincinnati Bengals for ESPN. He joined the company in July 2019. Prior to ESPN, he worked for various newspapers in Texas, most recently at The Dallas Morning News where he covered college sports. He provides daily coverage of the Bengals for ESPN.com, while making appearances on SportsCenter, ESPN's NFL shows and ESPN Radio programs. A native of Grapevine, Texas, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor's degree in journalism. He is an adjunct journalism professor at Southern Methodist University and a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
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          CINCINNATI -- Andy Dalton picked himself off the turf at Paul Brown Stadium and stood alone inside the oversized midfield logo.

          Seconds earlier, Dalton threw his third and final interception in the Cincinnati Bengals’ loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the latest in a seven-game skid to start the season. By the time the quarterback found his footing again and turned around, the play moved past him and he was the last one standing in the middle of the field.

          Dalton’s ninth season in Cincinnati served as an opportunity to show new coach Zac Taylor and the front office why he should be their quarterback of the future. Like everything else surrounding the Bengals in 2019, it hasn’t gone according to plan.

          Going into Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams (4-3) in London, Dalton is in the midst of his worst year. His Total QBR of 38.2 ranks 29th out of 34 qualifying players and is a career low.

          While speculation about Dalton’s future will be a discussion for the foreseeable future, he isn’t in immediate jeopardy of losing the starting job. During his weekly news conference, Dalton said the topic hasn’t even been broached.

          "It hasn’t been spoken in this building," said Dalton, who will be 32 on Tuesday.

          His contract situation -- he's signed through 2020 but could be cut at any time without the Bengals taking a cap hit -- and the direction of the franchise make Dalton’s future a natural talking point. This spring, the Bengals selected North Carolina State’s Ryan Finley in the fourth round of the draft, the highest pick they’ve used on a quarterback since Dalton (second round, 2011). Finley’s strong performance in the preseason helped him earn the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.

          After Dalton’s three-interception game in Sunday's 27-17 loss to the Jaguars, Taylor didn’t want to speculate on a quarterback switch. However, he said that given the winless start, everything is up for evaluation.

          "We can’t have big enough egos to where it’s like, ‘Oh, this player’s been playing this position,’ or, ‘We have to continue to do it this way as a coach,’" Taylor said. "We’ve got to look at everything, and make sure that we’re giving ourselves the best chance to get a win."

          Most of Dalton’s struggles have occurred at the beginning of games. According to NFL Next Gen Stats data, his 50% completion rate in the first quarter is the lowest of any quarterback with a minimum of 25 pass attempts. That rate is 13.8% lower than his expected completion percentage.

          However, the factors surrounding Dalton have worked against him, too.

          Taylor is in his first season as a full-time playcaller in the NFL (he held the role in an interim capacity during the end of Miami’s 2015 season). Dalton is also without two of his top wide receivers, including seven-time Pro Bowler A.J. Green.

          Dalton has been sacked 24 times, a number that already matches or exceeds the total for four of his previous eight seasons. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Dalton is averaging 2.44 seconds per throw, the quickest of any quarterback with a minimum of 100 attempts. And the Bengals’ rushing attack is the worst in the NFL by a wide margin.

          Given the circumstances, Taylor said he was proud of the way Dalton has performed this season.

          "He’s done a good job keeping us afloat," Taylor said. "It has not been easy. We’ve rushed for what we’ve rushed for, so you have a quarterback that’s going to stand back there, knowing he’s going to face a fierce pass rush -- he’s going to stand back there and make some throws."

          Some of those have been exceptional, even in a bad year. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, Dalton has tossed five "dimes" -- completions of 30 or more yards into a tight window. Dalton, New England’s Tom Brady and Dallas’ Dak Prescott are all tied for third in the NFL in that category.

          Dalton’s long-term status will remain unknown for the foreseeable future. The Bengals are projected to have a top-five pick in the 2020 draft, one that could be used on one of the best available quarterbacks.

          There’s a good chance Dalton will have questions to answer about his role with the franchise. Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd understands it. He said that with the Bengals playing this poorly, the finger has to be pointed at somebody. Last year, it was Marvin Lewis, whose 16-year coaching tenure ended at the end of a 6-10 season.

          "Now, I guess it’s Andy," Boyd said. "When Andy’s not here or whenever he’s done playing, it’s going to be on somebody else. Whenever things aren’t going the right way, people tend to try to pick their own solution of what the case may be. They don’t know what it really is inside.

          "We don’t really trip about it. I know Andy don't."