Saints Announce Starting QB for Raiders

New Orleans coach Dennis Allen announces his starting quarterback for Week 8 against the Raiders.

New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen announced that Andy Dalton, not Jameis Winston, will be the starting quarterback against the Las Vegas Raiders this Sunday.

Dalton will make his fifth consecutive start for the team. Winston has been out with four broken vertebrae in his lower back, but dressed as the emergency quarterback the last two games.

Dalton, who turns 35 on Saturday, is 1-3 as a starter this season. He’s completed 63.4% of his throws for an average of over 236 yards per outing (946 yards) with 7 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.

Three of those picks came last week against the Cardinals, a game where he also threw for a season-high 361 yards and four touchdowns. Two of Dalton's three interceptions were returned for touchdowns by Arizona.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Andy Dalton (14) throws against the Arizona Cardinals. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans has averaged 31 points and 417 total yards in Dalton's four starts, as opposed to 17 points and 373 total yards in Winston's starts. Dalton has been without receivers Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry in his games, but the Saints have averaged 165 yards per game on the ground in those contests.

Thomas was dressed for Wednesday's practice, according to John Hendrix of the Saints News Network. Landry and injured CB Marshon Lattimore were not spotted. The 2-5 Saints host the 2-4 Raiders on Sunday and are just a game and a half out of first place in the NFC South. 

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