Andy Dalton in his past 5 seasons, has had the tendency to make dumb plays. Let's be brutally honest. His confidence lacked at times, and he was easily shaken out of any rhythm. Dalton has to take it one game at a time. Not get ahead of himself, just let the game come to him. Dalton is doing his job, and doing it very well. And for Cincinnati, and the fans, it's very cool.

Dalton has never looked better than he has over the season. With 3 games of 300 YDs or more. And his 71.4 QBR is a career best, he is looking every piece of the part the Bengals have wanted since they drafted him in 2011. There has to be some credit given to Dalton for keeping his head on his shoulders in the 4th quarters this year, where he has been superb with 69% passing in the pressure quarter. Over the last few years he would have made the bonehead plays that the fans would have erupted for a beheading about.

The Bengals have more than paid their dues. They have had some seasons, where they could have put any QB in the league on the field with their teams and they wouldn't have done well.

It's amazing how good Dalton has shown he is capable of, when he actually has targets to get the ball to. A top ended running game with Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill to balance out the offense, and a very solid defense, that's 5th in the NFL for ppg with just under 17ppg. With Giovani Bernard, who should be the main back, they have a dual threat, who can bring defense up into the box, and he can catch the ball as good as any other RB out of the backfield as well. This season, he seems to have gotten it all together. The running game opens up his ability as a QB. It allows him to do what he does well. His game has picked up tremendously. It is very possible he has finally stepped it up. His arm throwing velocity and his accuracy have both looked much better. 66% on the year, which is 6th among QBs with 250 or more pass attempts. He has been putting up points on the scoreboard all sorts of way, running the ball in, putting it in the end zone, he has actually been accountable for more TDs than the entire Detroit Lions TD total. Not too bad, when you consider some of the playmakers they have on their squad. Dalton alone has passed for 18 already on this season.

At this point, the Bengals, cannot worry about the playoffs. It's still only in the middle part of the season, but they have to feel pretty good as where their 28yr old QB is taking them. Now though, with the Bengals looking like they could be a playoff favorite. Everyone will watch on his performance there. His record in the playoffs, has not been good, going 0-4. And he has played horrible, with 1 TD to 6 picks, he has never been worse. Many often times look at him as the perennial choker artist.

The fans approval has not always been kind to Dalton. They have booed him on numerous occasions. They tend to get into this mindset of having low expectations of Dalton. He has been to the Pro Bowl 2014. When he made it to the Pro Bowl, with a career low 19 TDs, the crowd reacted very poorly because many of the NFL fans didn't believe he deserved to be there. Andy Dalton, the "mediocre QB" is starting to surpass some of the greats, like Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, has his time come full circle, 5 years in? Dalton as that same mediocre QB, who has led his teams to a 6-0 record over the first 6 games of the season. He has gotten them a combined record of 14-9-1 over the 1st 6 games of the season, over the last 4 years. He needs to keep it up with consistency to have nonbelievers begin to trust The Red Rifle.

I think he is a good QB, I've always felt he was a good QB. I don't think he's ever going to be a Joe Montana, Tom Brady, or Aaron Rodgers. But those guys are not the norm. They are genuine exceptions. The majority of QBs are good or maybe even slightly below average. There re, what, 5 QBs that would be considered top tier guys? Andy is right in the conversation with them, currently, or right below. I would bet 20 or more teams in the NFL would take him right now if available. One thing is for sure, if he keeps going in this direction, he will surely elevate his status to be considered one heck of a QB.

Written by TonyK of 10StarPicks.com
 

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