Chicago Bears: 3 Losers from Week 2 vs the Bengals

Chicago Bears Loser No. 3: Andy Dalton

To start off, Andy Dalton looked solid again yesterday. While on the Field, he was making the throws and was accurate to every part of the field. He still was throwing short to medium passes, but he seemed a bit more comfortable than he did in Week 1.

Dalton even showed some mobility, escaping for two ten-plus yard runs. Unfortunately, one of those runs resulted in a knee injury that has just been reported as a bone bruise. So why has Dalton been labeled a “loser” after Week 2?

With everyone calling for Justin Fields to be the starter, Dalton is on a short leash, even if Matt Nagy tells him otherwise. It has been reported by ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson that if healthy he will remain the starter, but that is in question after getting to see Fields in action on a larger scale.

The rookie was not particularly good yesterday, but he showed what he can do in terms of arm talent and mobility. The coaches have gotten a taste of the prized young quarterback, as well as the fans. At this point, it really feels like the Andy Dalton clock is already running out.

Dalton has not played poorly in either of the last two weeks, but he has not been good enough to continue to warrant starting him. Plus, his non-contact injury on one of his scrambles reminds us that he is not built for that kind of play. Sure he can escape the pocket, but he is an older quarterback who should not be running unless he has to.

Coming out of a game twice due to injuries is never going to help the case of a player on such a short leash. With fans and most likely some coaches calling for the offense to be handed over to Justin Fields, Andy Dalton just has not done enough to hold his place as the starter. He has not been bad by any means, but he will have to be better in the flow of the offense in order to keep his spot.

There were a lot of positives and negatives to take away from the win over the Bengals. The Chicago Bears have a lot to improve on still, and these players will have to step up after not performing well in Week 2.