Saints to start Andy Dalton over 'healthy' Jameis Winston in Week 8 against Raiders

New Orleans is sticking with Dalton under center

On Wednesday, New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen announced that Andy Dalton will start at quarterback this Sunday when the Saints host the Las Vegas Raiders. Allen said Jameis Winston is healthy, per NewOrleans.Football, and that this is an "offensive decision" based on how the team has moved the ball in previous weeks.

Dalton has started the previous four contests for the Saints. The 34-year-old has gone 1-3, and has thrown seven touchdowns compared to four interceptions while averaging 236.5 passing yards per game. The Saints are coming off of a 42-34 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on "Thursday Night Football," in which Dalton threw for a season-high 361 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.

While coach Allen maintains that Winston is healthy, the former No. 1 overall pick reportedly suffered multiple fractures in his back just over a month ago. Earlier on Wednesday, NewOrleans.Football reported that Winston is actually not 100 percent healthy. In Winston's three starts this season, he went 1-2 and threw for four touchdowns compared to five interceptions while averaging 286 passing yards per game. It became clear after Week 1 that Winston was not healthy due to the back issue, and New Orleans made the switch to Dalton.

The 2-5 Saints are in last place in the NFC South, but currently have what is statistically the No. 3 overall offense in the league, as this unit records an average of 398.3 yards of total offense per game.