Ryan Finley to Start at QB for Bengals vs. Steelers with Brandon Allen Injured

Ryan Finley will start at quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals in Monday's Week 15 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with Brandon Allen sidelined by a knee injury.

Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor announced the news Saturday.

Finley, 25, has appeared in four games for the Bengals this season, and he made two pass attempts after replacing Allen in last week's 30-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He's completed 10 of his 19 throws for 75 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in 2020.

The 2019 fourth-round pick out of NC State started three games as a rookie last year. He struggled, posting a 47.1 percent completion rate with two scores and two picks. He added 77 rushing yards on 10 carries.

Allen had taken over the offense in Week 12 after Joe Burrow, the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, suffered season-ending knee injuries the previous week against the New York Giants.

The 28-year-old Arkansas native posted a modest 83.7 passer rating with three touchdowns and two interceptions over the past three weeks. The Bengals lost all three contests by a combined score of 68-31.

Burrow showed a lot of promise in his 10 starts, lending hope the Bengals have found a franchise quarterback, but the team's 2-10-1 record highlights how much work is left upgrading the rest of the roster in order to get the team into playoff, and eventually championship, contention.

Finley is likely competing to show he can serve as Cincinnati's long-term backup behind Burrow. He faces a tough test against the Steelers' second-ranked pass defense (202.2 yards allowed per game), though.

Kevin Hogan or Kyle Shurmur will likely be promoted from the practice squad to fill the backup role Monday.