Bengals’ Dalton out for season with thumb injury
CINCINNATI >> Andy Dalton is out for the rest of the season with an injured thumb on his passing hand, another significant blow to a Bengals team that has fallen apart in the past month.
Dalton reached for a fumbled ball and had someone land on his right hand during a 35-20 rout by the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Cincinnati’s fifth loss in its past six games.
Just like that, a season that started with so much promise has turned into a nosedive .
Cincinnati (5-6) is without its quarterback or much hope that things will get much better down the stretch. The Bengals put Dalton on injured reserve after he had more tests and medical opinions Monday about the best way to get the thumb healed.
Coach Marvin Lewis said Dalton’s thumb is expected to be healed before the start of offseason workouts.
It’s the same thumb that Dalton broke while making a tackle on an interception return against the Steelers in 2015. He missed the last three regular-season games and an 18-16 loss to the Steelers in a first-round playoff game at Paul Brown Stadium.
Jeff Driskel will start for the Bengals the rest of the way, getting his first chance to lead the team in his third NFL season. The Bengals claimed quarterback Tom Savage off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers as a backup on Monday.
“The more you get out there and the more you play well, the more confidence you are going to get in yourself and the people around you,” Driskel said Monday.
Dalton completed 62 percent of his passes for 2,566 yards with 21 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a passer rating of 89.6, the third-highest of his eight-year career.
Even with Dalton, the Bengals weren’t doing much except losing.
After a 4-1 start that boosted them atop the AFC North, the Bengals have lost five of six and fallen to third place. It’s their worst stretch since 2016, when they went 1-5-1 over the middle of the schedule and finished 6-9-1, ending their streak of five straight playoff appearances.
After Dalton got hurt on Sunday, Driskel came in and threw his first career touchdown pass and ran for another as the Browns went conservative with a big lead. Cleveland threw the ball only four times in the second half and played softer on defense. Driskel was 17 of 29 for 155 yards.
Jets’ McCown has sore thumb, Darnold uncertain to practice
NEW YORK >> Josh McCown might be in for at least one more start for the New York Jets.
The 39-year-old quarterback banged his hand on a helmet, causing a cut during New York’s 27-13 loss to New England on Sunday. He had a heavy wrap on his hand as he left the locker room, but it isn’t expected to keep him out of practice Wednesday.
“It’s doing better,” McCown said during a conference call Monday. “There’s still some soreness or whatnot, but feeling better.”
McCown made his second straight start and went 26 of 45 for 276 yards and a touchdown with one interception in place of rookie Sam Darnold, who has been sidelined with a foot strain. The injury could keep the No. 3 overall pick sidelined for another week, but coach Todd Bowles said it’s too early to tell whether Darnold might skip another practice.
“I’m not sure yet,” Bowles said. “He’s getting better, so we’ll see on Wednesday.”
Darnold has not played or participated in team drills since injuring his foot at Miami on Nov. 4. Davis Webb has served as McCown’s backup in New York’s past two games.
The Jets, who have lost five straight, play at Tennessee on Sunday. If Darnold sits out against the Titans, there’s hope he might be able to return for New York’s road game at Buffalo on Dec. 9.
Browns’ Mayfield calls former coach Hue Jackson ‘fake’
CLEVELAND >> Apparently, beating Hue Jackson on the field wasn’t enough for Baker Mayfield.
A day after throwing four touchdown passes in a 35-20 win over Cincinnati and then rejecting a postgame hug from his former coach, Mayfield called Jackson “fake” as the Browns rookie quarterback fended off criticism of his behavior.
Mayfield was upset with comments made about him by ESPN’s Damien Woody, who said the QB was acting childish and hypocritical for saying Jackson should not have joined the Bengals’ staff after he was fired last month in Cleveland.
“Baker Mayfield needs to grow up,” said Woody, who played in the NFL for eight years. “This is pro football, you’re dealing with grown men. What I found funny about this whole thing, Baker Mayfield, didn’t he go from Texas Tech to Oklahoma? Two teams in the Big 12. You went from one rival to another in the same conference.”
Mayfield walked on at Texas Tech before transferring.
He shot back at Woody with an Instagram comment, saying the announcer’s take was “not even comparable” and then took another crack at Jackson.
“I didn’t lose 30+ games be fake and then do that . I wasn’t gonna have a scholarship. Good try though buddy.”
Following Sunday’s game, Mayfield, who began the season as Tyrod Taylor’s backup before an injury moved him into the starting lineup, said he didn’t feel the need to interact with Jackson. The pair did shake hands.
“I didn’t feel like talking,” Mayfield said, adding he was motivated by Jackson leaving for the Bengals. “Left Cleveland, goes down to Cincinnati, I don’t know. It’s just somebody that was in our locker room, asking for us to play for him, and then goes to a different team we play twice a year.”
Jackson went 3-36-1 in two-plus seasons before he was fired by the Browns. He was always complimentary of Mayfield, who never complained — at least publicly — about beginning his NFL career in a backup role.
While interim Browns coach Gregg Williams refused Monday to discuss whether his players were motivated by Jackson, Mayfield is certain to be asked about it Wednesday when the Browns return to practice.