Bengals OG Clint Boling has a torn ACL

Indications following Sunday's game was that Clint Boling had suffered a "significant" injury, vaguely hinting that Cincinnati's starting left guard was lost for the year. It was only a matter of confirmation at this stage. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis confirmed on Monday that Boling had suffered a torn ACL and will be out for the rest of the season.

Boling departed the game with over three minutes remaining in the first quarter. Anthony Collins, who had replaced Andre Smith as the starting right tackle (at least for this game), slid to left tackle while Andrew Whitworth moved inside to left guard. Smith came into the game and played his customary right tackle position.

It wouldn't be outside the realm of one's imagination to suggest that Cincinnati maintains this configuration for the rest of the year with Kevin Zeitler returning this week against the Indianapolis Colts.

Cincinnati has Trevor Robinson and Tanner Hawkinson as backup guards, along with Mike Pollak now that Zeitler will be back this week, so I don't imagine that they'll address the position in free agency -- at the very least, they could use Boling's spot on the 53-man roster for fullback Chris Pressley, who is already practicing after being on the team's PUP list earlier.

Boling will become the ninth player on Cincinnati's Injured Reserve list, but the first one from their offense.