Cincinnati Bengals: 3 reason Finley should start the rest of the season

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CINCINNATI, OHIO – AUGUST 22: Ryan Finley #5 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs with the ball against the New York Giants at Paul Brown Stadium on August 22, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

The math is certainly simple on this. Both quarterbacks stand to get an eight-game sample of their work for the organization to judge what may come next. Through eight games, veteran starter Andy Dalton had a record of 0-8, now Taylor has a chance to see if his rookie QB can spark the Cincinnati Bengals to something better.

Frankly, it’s fair, all things considered. Ryan Finley should get a shot at eight games to see if he can do better, worse, or the same. Given the team as a whole, it’s really anybody’s guess what happens for the balance of the season.

Finley gets a team that has been every bit as bad as their winless record would indicate. With no rushing game to speak of, misfires in the red zone, and a defense that has forced the Bengals offense to play catch-up, Finley will have his hands full. Dalton, who has respectable numbers, wasn’t able to get Cincinnati past the finish line.

The bet might be that Finley offers a spark, any spark to move the Bengals from the winless column. At 0-8, Cincinnati has little to lose, but a lot to gain by seeing if Finley is a viable starter in the National Football League.