(Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

NBC probably isn’t doing the Cincinnati Bengals any favors.

With the 9-4-1 Cincinnati Bengals already slated for a primetime matchup in tonight’s Monday Night Football game versus the Denver Broncos, the team found out last night that their crucial Week 17 AFC North matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers was being moved to primetime next Sunday on NBC.

While some teams may relish two national spotlights to close out the regular season, Dalton’s recent history in primetime may have the Bengals wishing the network had picked another game to flex next week. Cincinnati could still make the playoffs with two losses to end the year, although they’ll need either the Ravens or Chargers to lose in Week 17 if that happens.

Here are Dalton’s statistics from his seven career primetime games since his 2011 rookie year, all of which took place during the regular season. While he has also struggled in three playoff appearances, each of those games kicked off during the afternoon.

Primetime Dalton

W-L: 2-5
Passes completed/attempted: 154-263
Completion percentage: 58.5%
Yards per game: 212.3
Touchdowns: 6
Interceptions: 7
QB Rating: 70.93

Afternoon (non-playoff) Dalton

W-L: 37-17-1
Passes completed/attempted: 1103-1785
Completion percentage: 61.8%
Yards per game: 234.2
Touchdowns: 89
Interceptions: 56
QB Rating: 87.19

The good thing about history? It’s in the past. If Dalton can perform well in these two showcase games, his primetime struggles will no longer be part of the discussion the next time he plays under the lights.

Unless it happens to be the team’s first playoff game.

That’s a whole other conversation the franchise would love to stop having at some point during the Marvin Lewis era.