Bengals’ playoff hopes rest on Driskel’s shoulders
CINCINNATI — A.J. Green has a collection of stories about quarterback Jeff Driskel’s athletic exploits, such as the way he can dribble between his legs and dunk.
Or outrun teammates. Or play multiple positions in practice.
Green suggested that Driskel might be the best all-around athlete on the Bengals.
“Nice,” Driskel said in response. “But I don’t know about that.”
Everybody will find out about Driskel on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium when he makes his first career start against the Denver Broncos (5-6), a matchup of teams headed in opposite directions as the final month of the season approaches.
The third-year veteran is filling in the rest of the way after Andy Dalton injured the thumb on his passing hand.
The reeling Bengals (5-6) have lost five of six because of significant injuries and breakdowns on offense, defense and special teams. They got steamrolled at home by the lowly Cleveland Browns last Sunday, with Dalton hurting his thumb while trying to recover a fumble.
It’s up to the backup quarterback to keep the Bengals’ slim hopes alive.
“Jeff is the most athletic guy on our team,” said Green, who expects to play Sunday after missing three games with a toe injury. “He’s a guy who can play any position, has a strong arm, very smart. My job is to go out there and make his job easy.”
Although the teams have identical records, they’re on different trajectories.
The Broncos are coming off a 23-22 win over the Chargers in Los Angeles and a 24-17 home victory over the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers. They seemed all but eliminated after a 3-6 Quarterback Jeff Driskel, making his first career start Sunday against the Broncos, will try to pull the Bengals out of a slide that has seen them lose five of their past six games.
start, but have been given a second — and final — chance to salvage their season.
A win on Sunday is mandatory for a team that’s starting
to feel it can still accomplish big things.
“You kind of want guys to walk with their chest out, right?” Broncos receiver
Emmanuel Sanders said. “But at the same time, you’ve got to have perspective. There’s a difference between confidence and arrogance.”