Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis has insisted that he still has faith in quarterback Andy Dalton.
Dalton fell apart in the playoffs for a third consecutive year on Sunday, committing three turnovers as the Bengals were once again eliminated from the post-season at the first time of asking, this time courtesy of a 27-10 defeat at the hands of the San Diego Chargers.
However, it was a different story in the regular season where Dalton became just the second player after Peyton Manning to pass for more than 3,000 yards in each of his first three years in the NFL.
"We ask him to do a lot. We're comparing him to guys that have been in the league for a long time, and he's doing a lot. Some of them didn't play [as early as] when he played," Lewis told reporters.
"We'll continue to win big games. But we're asking a lot out of him. There's no doubt about it. I believe in his abilities, I believe in his makeup, I believe in his maturity.
"And I believe in his ability to let the last play go and move on to the next play. That's probably one of his best attributes of all."
Dalton has lost all three of his playoff matches since entering the NFL, throwing six interceptions and just one touchdown.
