Breathe easy, Cincinnati. Starting quarterback Andy Dalton won't skip a beat after being sidelined with an "arm bruise" minutes into the Bengals' preseason finale against the Indianapolis Colts.
Dalton left Thursday's game -- ultimately won 20-16 by the Colts -- after taking a heavy shot on a first-down incompletion to wide receiver A.J. Green on the Bengals' opening drive.
"I just took a hit on the arm, and my hand got feeling a little numb, sort of like getting hit on your funny bone," Dalton told Joe Reedy of The Cincinnati Enquirer. "It's fine now."
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis told Reedy that Dalton will be ready for the Sept. 10 season opener against the Baltimore Ravens.
"He would have gone right back in this game if it had been the regular season," Lewis said.
Dalton finished 3-of-4 passing for 26 yards on the night. Backup Bruce Gradkowski took over, finishing 12 of 19 for 95 yards and a touchdown. Bengals fans hope it's the last they see of Gradkowski until sometime next August.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
