With Andy Dalton set to start for the Saints in Thursday night's game against the Cardinals, the veteran quarterback will get another chance to prove he should remain the starter in New Orleans.
Saints coach Dennis Allen has been noncommittal on whether the team will turn back to Jameis Winston as its starter once healthy. Winston was healthy enough to practice in a limited capacity this week, and he's set to be active as the No. 3 quarterback on Thursday, so the pressure is on Dalton to show he should remain under center.
If Dalton wants to leave an impression, he'll have to do something he's rarely done: Win in prime time.
Dating back to his time with the Bengals, prime time slots and playoff games haven't been kind to Dalton, and his opportunities to change that narrative lately have been few and far between as he's shifted between backup and starter roles.
After more than a decade in the NFL, Dalton has one of the worst prime time records of any quarterback and is still trying to snap a mystifying losing streak.
Here's a look into the numbers behind Dalton's prime-time struggles.
Andy Dalton in prime time games
Dalton is 6-18 overall in prime time slots, which ranks second-worst among all quarterbacks with a large enough sample size this century. Dalton trails only Kerry Collins, who went 5-16 in prime time this century. A loss tonight would bring Dalton closer to Collins, but Collins would still have the "advantage."
Andy Dalton on the road in primetime (via @Bet_Labs):
— Evan Abrams (@EvanHAbrams) October 20, 2022
• 1-12 straight up (lost 11 straight)
• 3-10 against the spread*
*Least profitable QB ATS on the road in primetime over the last 20 years.
Dalton's .250 winning percentage in prime time is dramatically worse than the next quarterback on that list. Ryan Fitzpatrick went 5-10 (.333) in prime time. After that trio, Matthew Stafford (10-18) and Kirk Cousins (10-18) are next.
Cousins' Monday Night Football struggles have been well documented, but he's somewhat made up for them in Thursday and Sunday night slots. Dalton's struggles have been all-around. In fact, Dalton is the only quarterback since the NFL-AFL merger to lose five consecutive prime-time games by at least 17 points.
Andy Dalton in prime time games on the road
The Saints will face the Cardinals in Arizona, which is bad news for Dalton. Dalton has lost 11 consecutive prime time games on the road and is 1-12 overall in road prime time games.
The lone win came when Dalton threw for 127 yards against the Eagles on Dec. 13, 2012. Since that point, he's consistently come up short in these spots on the road.
Arizona has lost 8 in a row at home. Andy Dalton has lost 11 straight prime time starts. This will definitely straighten out the horrible string of #TNF games…
— Connor Clement (@connorclementtv) October 20, 2022
There is one caveat to this streak. Dalton won a standalone Thanksgiving game against the Lions last season, throwing for 317 yards to keep Detroit winless. Though a 12:30 game doesn't qualify as a prime-time matchup, it could be a glimmer of hope for the veteran heading into Arizona.
Andy Dalton in playoff games
The good news for Dalton is that Thursday's game is far from a playoff game. However, the Saints won't be seeing any playoff games this season if they don't start winning soon.
On the NFL's biggest stage, Dalton has flopped, going 0-4. Over four playoff starts with the Bengals, Dalton completed 55.3 percent of passes for 873 yards, 1 touchdown, and 6 interceptions. Cincinnati didn't score more than 13 points in any of those games.
Andy Dalton in 2022
To his credit, Dalton has played fairly well since he replaced the injured Winston in Week 4. Over three starts, the 34-year-old has completed 63.1 percent of passes for 585 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception.
MORE: Why Jameis Winston isn't starting for Saints vs. Cardinals on 'Thursday Night Football' in Week 7
Though it's a small sample size, Dalton's 1.2 percent interception rate would be the best of his career. He's turned over the ball much less than Winston despite a horribly depleted receiving corps that has missed Michael Thomas, Chris Olave, and Jarvis Landry at times this month.
The Saints have also scored 25 points in each of Dalton's starts. That's why, despite a 1-2 record, Thursday's game is more than just a chance for Dalton to get over the hump - it's also a prime opportunity to earn the full-time starting job in New Orleans.
