INSIDE SLANT

NFL Team Report - Cincinnati Bengals</h2><br>QB Dalton out, but WR Green in for Bengals<p></p> If the Cincinnati Bengals were teetering on the brink of trouble heading into Week 12, then about three hours after kickoff in their ugly, ugly loss to the Cleveland Browns, they are on the verge of being pushed over the cliff when it comes to their playoff status.<p></p> Now it is Jeff Driskel tasked with the responsibility at quarterback since Andy Dalton was placed on injured reserve with a thumb injury on a play that occurred in typically inept fashion in the 35-20 loss on Sunday.<p></p> Dalton was injured when 275-pound defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah crashed on his thumb attempting to pounce on a loose ball.<p></p> The reason the ball was loose was rookie center Billy Price could not properly execute a snap and Dalton was forced to retrieve the ball to avoid a turnover.<p></p> Driskel was somewhat effective, completing 17 of 29 passes for 155 yards. Driskel connected with Tyler Boyd on a 28-yard touchdown and also rushed for a two-yard TD and his performance was satisfying enough for offensive coordinator Bill Lazor.<p></p> "I was impressed with Jeff and really we've been impressed with him every time he's gone in a game," Lazor said. "He's poised."<p></p> Dalton is the 12th player to land on injured reserve and he finished the season by completing 61.9 percent (226 of 335) passes for 2,566 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.<p></p> If there was good news it was the fact that star receiver A.J. Green declared himself ready to return from a toe injury that cost him the previous three games and made Boyd the No. 1 receiving option.<p></p> "I'm playing," Green said. "I don't care if we're 0-15."<p></p> In theory, the Bengals still remain alive with five games left but the quality of play in recent weeks hardly reflects a team capable of turning things around and going on a big late-season run.<p></p> "I feel like teams play me differently and it's a whole different game when I'm out there," Green said. "I felt like if I was out there we have a better chance."<p></p> Even with Green able to practice, the quality of play diminished and the last three games give off the impression that a promising 4-1 start seems more like it was attained with smoke and mirrors.<p></p> "We're in a tough spot. We're underperforming. There's too many reasons why," defensive end Carlos Dunlap said. "None of us are doing a good enough job. Make sure you emphasize us."<p></p> The schedule is about to get tougher for the Bengals and their situation will get worse if they turn in another disaster at home this week against the 5-6 Denver Broncos, who actually helped out by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers.<p></p> Sunday is the last game of a supposed favorable stretch of six out of eight at home. After the Denver game, the degree of difficulty picks up with road games at the Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland and Pittsburgh sandwiched around a home game with the Oakland Raiders.<p></p> The Bengals can't stop anyone right now and their defense continues to be historically inept even with head coach Marvin Lewis calling the defensive plays for the last two games after terminating first-year defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.<p></p> "I've got to do my job," Lewis said. "I've got to do a better job. I've got to prepare them better. They've got to go out and they've got to execute their jobs better. OK? It rests squarely on me."<p></p> You name it the Bengals did it wrong in their latest loss. They were confounded by numerous four wide receiver sets, committed five false start penalties offensively and 13 overall.<p></p> Various teams have gotten hot to go from under .500 into the playoffs down the stretch and the Bengals are about to find out if they can be the next while their margin of error decreases with every wasted game.<p></p> "It's never too late," cornerback Darqueze Dennard said. "I remember the Giants going 9-7. They got hot at the right time and beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl. We can do that. We just have to get it together now. We have the players to do it. We just have to get players healthy and get the players that are playing motivated to get back to the same goal. We just have to figure things out."<p></p> Dennard's comments are probably a reach at best. If they fail again at their job against Denver, then watching the postseason on television for the third straight season is even more of a reality than it is now.<p></p> SERIES HISTORY: 32nd regular-season meeting. Broncos lead series, 21-10. Cincinnati won last year's meeting in Week 11 when it forced two turnovers in a 20-17 win at Denver. The Bengals won despite allowing Denver to convert 12 of 21 third downs and maintain possession for over 35 minutes, two familiar problems from this season. 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