The New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen named veteran backup quarterback Andy Dalton as the team’s starter for a third consecutive week as Jameis Winston continues to battle injuries.

Dalton, 34, has gone 1-1 as the Saints starter, throwing for 236 yards and a touchdown Oct. 2 in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings on in London, then guiding a victory over the Seattle Seahawks last week with 187 yards, one TD and an interception.

Winston has struggled in recent weeks with back and ankle injuries. He did return to practice this week but has been listed as limited.

Sunday’s game will pit the Saints at home against Dalton’s former team, the Cincinnati Bengals. The TCU product was a second-round draft pick by the Bengals in 2011.

Over nine seasons at Cincinnati, Dalton was 78-70-2 as a starter, completing 62.3 percent of his passes with 228 touchdowns and 136 interceptions. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2016.

Dalton is now with his third team in three seasons, playing for the Dallas Cowboys in 2021, one year after he saw time with the Chicago Bears. In 17 starts over the past three seasons, Dalton has gone 8-9.

Saints players who did not practice on Thursday included wide receivers Deonte Harty (foot), Jarvis Landry (ankle) and Michael Thomas (foot), as well as cornerback Marshon Lattimore (abdomen) and defensive end Payton Turner (chest).

–Field Level Media