CINCINNATI -- It's been easy -- convenient, really -- to put all the Cincinnati Bengals' prime-time problems in recent seasons on quarterback Andy Dalton.
But the fact of the matter is, the issues the Bengals have had extend far beyond the quarterback. Sure, he's had his hand in some of the troubles, but the entire team hasn't been good on the national stage the last four seasons.
Heck, they haven't been good in prime time in 12 seasons under coach Marvin Lewis.
There have been wins here and there -- the Bengals hope there will be one more Monday night when they host the Denver Broncos -- but they have been few and far between. Numbers from ESPN Stats & Information support that.
Since 2011, the year Dalton was drafted, the Bengals have gone a combined 2-9 in the playoffs, and on Monday, Thursday and Sunday nights. This season alone, they are 0-2 in prime-time games. Ahead of Thursday night's tilt between the Titans and Jaguars, the Bengals own the third-worst points margin (minus-47) and turnover margin (minus-six) among the 31 teams that have played night-time games this season.
In non-prime-time games this season, Cincinnati has a 9-2-1 record with a plus-69 points margin and plus-four turnover margin.
Before we get too deep into how far beyond Dalton the prime-time woes go, keep this in mind: Since 2011, Dalton has a .250 winning percentage in prime time, tied for second-worst among qualified quarterbacks in that span. Only Minnesota's Christian Ponder has a worse winning percentage (.200).
As you can see in one of the charts, Dalton has been pretty miserable after 7 p.m. But thanks to Stats & Information, we can see that this season, so has the rest of the team:
Cincinnati's rushers are averaging 82.5 yards per game in their two prime-time games (that's the eighth-worst), and 138.3 yards per game in the 12 afternoon games (third-best). The Bengals are one of three teams without a rushing touchdown in prime-time games.
The Bengals' run defense has allowed 195 yards per game (second-most) and four rushing touchdowns in two prime-time games. In the 12 daytime games, the unit is giving up a more modest 113.1 yards per game and 11 touchdowns.
Cincinnati's combined total allowed QBR (85.3) in prime-time games against Tom Brady and Brian Hoyer is fourth-worst in the NFL. In the afternoon, though, they have the seventh-best opposing QBR (44.7). That includes games that have featured Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Andrew Luck, Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger.
As previously mentioned, this isn't all that recent of a phenomenon for the Bengals, either. Historically, Lewis' teams have struggled on Sunday, Monday and Thursday nights. Since Lewis became head coach in 2003, the Bengals are 6-15 in such games. That .286 winning percentage ranks 28th in the NFL in that stretch.
Cincinnati also has a minus-8.4 point margin per game in those 12 seasons that ranks 30th in the league. Only the Bills and Raiders have worse point margins per game in prime time than the Bengals under Lewis.
Since the QBR was first tracked in 2006, Lewis' defenses have allowed an average 70.7 total QBR to opposing quarterbacks in prime-time games. In the daytime, that number dips to 48.2.