Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoosier Red
Quarterbacks who I believe had a better season than Dalton.
Aaron Rodgers
Peyton Manning
Robert Griffin III
Russell Wilson
Matt Ryan
Tom Brady
Ben Roethlisberger
Drew Brees
Matt Schaub
Tony Romo
Philip Rivers
Joe Flacco
Eli Manning
Cam Newton
Andrew Luck
Josh Freeman
Matthew Stafford
I'd argue each of these guys put up a better season than Dalton. Can you knock two or three of the list? Sure. But at best you're arguing that he's a very middle of the pack quarterback.
Can he improve? Sure. But ask how many of these guys he's likely to move past next year, or the year after that?
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Dalton has two years in the NFL. Other than the often repeated lack of arm strength (generally subjective) criterion, does anyone have anything objective to show why he won't improve? Let's just use the list above for QBs that have been around for 2 years or more
None of the following QBs proved their ablity to be the reason for a win (and not just be part of a team that won) in their first two years in the NFL:
Aaron Rodgers (carried a clipboard)
Tom Brady less than 190 yards per game after 2 years in the league (Yes Tom Brady... even though he won a superbowl, it was not because of him which is also true for the early performance of...
Ben Roethlisberger - 52-43 TD to INT ratio after 3 years, averaged less than 200 yards per game
Drew Brees (There is a reason they drafted Rivers after 2 years of Brees)
Matt Schaub - still carrying a clipboard after 2 years
Eli Manning - was being labeled a huge bust by Giants fans, like a 70 QB rating after 2 years, less than 200 yards a game, 30-26 TD to INT ratio
Matt Stafford - abyssmal 19-21 TD to INT ratio, QB rating around 70
Josh Freeman - 51-46 TD to INT ratio after 3 years
Tony Romo - nothing but clipboard duty 2 years in
Philip Rivers - clipboard duty first 2 years
Joe Flacco - Rating very close to Daltons after 2 years
That leaves the following QBs with objective stats to prove future potential after their second (or first) year in the NFL:
Peyton Manning (1st overall draft pick)
Cam Newton (1st overall draft pick)
Matt Ryan (3rd overall draft pick)
Andrew Luck (1st overall draft pick)
Robert Griffin III (2nd overall draft pick)
To sum up:
1. After 2 years in the NFL MOST QBs, even those that are eventual hall of famers, are still huge question marks.
2. If you want to avoid #1, then you have to draft your QB in one of the first three picks overall... a position I never want the bengals to be in again.
3. Folks that look use their subjective view to conclude that his arm strength makes it so he will be mediocre at best as an NFL QB probably have had that view since before he was drafted, and nothing less than consecutive SB victories or a Brees like statistical explosion will ever change their minds.
4. Andy Dalton is the Bengals QB for the forseeable future. Absent a huge reversion to a 4-12 season, we will not ever be in a position to draft a QB that has better objective odds of rising to the level of top 10 in the NFL. Nor are sure-fire Franchise QBs available on the FA or trade market. Brees and Manning are the only two i can think of in the past 15 years, and both were huge injury risks at the time.
5. Arguing over whether or not he is or is not the QB to take the team over the top is a fruitless exercise... we simply do not have the ability to find a replacement that objectivly provides more potential.
6. i agree with those who say build around him... if you feel he is a game manager, great. Use the cap savings (A game manager will never demand the cap space of a game winner) and the early draft pick to raise the defense to a top three. In terms of results, I would be totally fine being a ravens fan for the last 15 years... over a decade of annual contention, a SB victory and another potential championship? That sounds like nirvana for all but 2 or 3 NFL fandoms.
Brisco