10-19-2015, 12:24 PM
(10-19-2015, 12:10 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I'm not ready to make that declaration, but isn't it getting close to that point? Palmer was in the elite discussion after that 9 game streak (last 3 games of 2004 + first 6 of 2005).
Dalton is enjoying a similar streak right now. So at what point can we legitimately have that discussion?
I think he could be in the discussion during the offseason depending on what happens over the next 10 or so games.
He could solidify his status with another year or two of similar performance.
Much like Carson, there will be some people putting him in the category prematurely. It all depends on the person discussing it. For example, Matt Ryan wasn't a consensus elite QB after 2012, Matthew Stafford wasn't a consensus elite QB after 2011, hell, some people still refuse to call Philip Rivers elite.
What Andy is doing right now can easily launch him into the top of the busy tier right under the future Hall of Famers. It is a long debate about whether the Rivers, Roethlisbergers, and Ryans of the world deserve the "e word" title or not.
IMO, saying "Carson was a top 5 QB at one point" is much different than saying "Carson was elite". I believe there can be any given number of elite players at a position, it's not just the top X percentage of guys that automatically get that special title. Playing like an elite player for a year or so is one thing, but being an elite player at your position needs some amount of sustained success. It's all semantics, but some people are more reluctant than others to throw "elite" around when discussing athletes.
