After two successful outings at the brand new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the NFL returns to familiar territory in London when the Cincinnati Bengals face the Los Angeles Rams at Wembley on Sunday.
The Bengals enter the clash against the defending NFC champions (4-3) rooted to the bottom of the AFC North with a 0-7 record.
Not only will rookie Bengals head coach Zac Taylor be hoping to earn his first win by getting the better of his former team – who he helped to a Super Bowl appearance last year while part of Sean McVay’s staff – but quarterback Andy Dalton will also be looking to use the trip to rediscover some form after a difficult start to the year.
The 31-year-old is currently enduring his worst season since entering the league in 2011, having thrown just eight touchdowns and as many interceptions during his first seven games.
He arrives in the capital on the back of a torrid display against the Jacksonville Jaguars last weekend, which saw him complete just over half of his passes and turn the ball over three times during the 27-17 defeat.
(Image: SIPA USA/PA Images)
Dalton’s recent dip in form represents a significant change in fortunes for the quarterback – who led the Bengals to the playoffs in each of his first five years in the league and has been selected for three Pro Bowls – leading to increasing speculation over his future with the franchise.
“I’m a big Andy Dalton fan and I think he is a very good quarterback,” former Bengals quarterback and coach Ken Anderson tells Mirror Sport . “I think he’s the right person to lead them forward.
“My opinion might not be shared by some of those in Cincinnati but Andy is a smart quarterback, his arm is good enough and he’s accurate.
“He’s shown what he can do in his first few seasons in the league and although things have taken a downturn since then, I don’t think you can pin that all on him.”
(Image: Bettmann Archive)
Dalton’s current problems have not been helped by other issues across the Bengals’ offence, particularly the offensive line. He has already been sacked 24 times this season, with only Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston on the receiving end of more coming into Week Eight.
Injuries have played a part, with Dalton made to face an imposing Jacksonville defence last week without starting left tackle Andre Smith and right guard John Miller, who missed the game with respective ankle and groin injuries, while Cordy Glenn was also absent due to a one-game suspension.
The Bengals have also been without highly-rated rookie offensive tackle Jonah Williams, the team’s first-round pick in the 2019 Draft, after he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during pre-season minicamp in June.
And Anderson says the importance of having a strong offensive line cannot be underestimated.
(Image: Getty Images)
“The strength of the offensive line impacts everything,” explains 70-year-old Anderson, who spent his entire 16-year playing career with the Bengals and led the franchise to its first Super Bowl in the 1981 season.
“I had a lot of success early in my career – we did very well and went to the playoffs twice in the mid-70s. Then the offensive line started to go down and my career went down too – they were just about ready to run me out of Cincinnati!
“I can’t speak for Andy, but there were times I started seeing ghosts and you get situations where there’s no pressure but you’re expecting it, and other times when you’re looking for pressure instead of focusing on other things.
“I developed a lot of bad mechanics, but when the offensive line solidified after we drafted Hall of Fame left tackle Anthony Munoz in 1980, my mechanics came back and I was able to turn things around.”
(Image: Getty Images)
One positive for Dalton is that star wide receiver AJ Green is on verge making a return to add to the Bengals’ options through the air.
The seven-time Pro Bowler has yet to feature this season after hurting his ankle in training camp and, although an appearance at Wembley looks unlikely, Anderson is confident Green’s return will create more opportunities for Dalton and the rest of the offence.
“AJ Green was always their big-play receiver. If people want to try and take him out the game, it opens things up for everyone else – for the tight ends, as well as Auden Tate and Tyler Boyd,” he says.
“It also takes an extra guy out of the box for the running game – so all of a sudden Joe Mixon can run the ball more effectively.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Although the current indications are that Dalton is not at risk of losing his starting spot to back-up Ryan Finley, recent displays can’t help but raise questions over his future with the franchise beyond the end of the year.
His current deal does not expire until the end of the 2020 season, but the Bengals can cut him at any time without taking a cap hit.
And with next year’s Draft set to offer up a wealth of quarterback talent including Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts, Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert out of Oregon, Cincinnati could have a big decision to make on the direction of their offence.
A spot in the playoffs may already be out of reach for the Bengals, but Dalton’s remaining performances – starting with Sunday’s meeting with the Rams – could prove crucial in determining whether he is still starting for Taylor’s side in 12 months.
(Image: SIPA USA/PA Images)
“I always tell people to be careful what they wish for,” adds Anderson, whose franchise record of 197 passing touchdowns can be eclipsed by Dalton with two scores at Wembley.
“You may not want Dalton as your quarterback but who are you going to find who’s better?
“Good quarterbacks in the NFL are a rare commodity and I think we’ve got a pretty good one – I would like to see him stay.”
