(03-05-2017, 04:51 PM)BigSeph Wrote: 1) He lost 1 fumble when he was strip sacked after 2 seconds.  In the pouring rain.  The pick was a wounded duck, thrown in the pouring rain w/ no gloves.  Rookie mistake.

2) Roethlisberger "sucked" most of the game too, and could easily have had a fumble (Burfict sack) and an INT (the one that hit Rey in the face in the redzone).  But he's a veteran and didn't take many chances with the ball.

3) How many 4th quarter drives to put the Bengals ahead has Andy Dalton led in the playoffs?

4) You can't win games if you don't play.

He had the Bengals ahead @ Denver in a primetime game, they lost.  Eifert dropped a pass that hit him in the hands wide open on a big 3rd down, AJ Green quit on a route that would have been a TD late in the 4th.  Burfict got a stupid 15-yard penalty in OT.

Like I said, you put Tom Brady on this team with a coach like Marvin and players like Burfict and Jones and WRs and TEs quitting on routes and dropping passes that hit them in the hands and see what happens.  Tom Brady would lose his mind and scream at every single one of them, and guess what?  He'd lose the same games because he can't catch passes and he can't play defense.

You guys pin all this on AJM with zero context whatsoever, giving every other player a pass for their stupid bonehead plays and only remembering the result.  Context matters - if an offense puts up 60 points and loses because the defense allows 63, I don't see how you downplay what the QB did.

But you guys find a way, consistently.  Your post is a perfect synopsis of how it goes -you bring up all negatives and even when you admit a positive (he led a couple 4th quarter drives) you have to throw in an insult at the end (after sucking most of the game).

And then you imply that because AJM didn't win games, he's not a "winner."

He didn't drop passes, he didn't lose 2 fumbles in the playoff game, he didn't quit on routes, he didn't get stupid 15-yard penalties.  And he's not perfect either, he made mistakes.  But I and many others see a great deal of potential in AJM as a starting QB in the NFL, including other teams asking about him now, and the Bengals themselves who are unwilling to let him go for less than a 2nd.

They know what you have.  I know what you have.  Too bad the "fans" of this organization have no clue.  And it's because it takes more than a QB to win football games - the players you give a pass when it comes to context around AJM's losses, they share just as much if not more blame than AJM himself.

If Hill doesn't fumble, if Hue calls better plays, if Marvin calls for QB kneels, if Burfict or Jones had a few extra brain cells, if Whit blocks Jones for more than 2 seconds flat, you and everyone else looks at AJM a completely different way.

If Eifert doesn't drop a wide open 3rd down pass, if AJ Green doesn't quit on a route, if Burfict doesn't get yet another stupid 15-yard penalty in OT, you and everyone else looks at AJM a completely different way.

Win as a team, lose as a team.  But try to have a little context in your critiques.

AJM's not the greatest QB in the NFL, but he's good enough to be a starter.  Did he make mistakes when he played?  Absolutely.  Bad throws?  Yep.  Fumbled too much?  Sure.  Didn't get the ball out fast enough?  Absolutely.

But what QB in their 5th start in a rain game vs the Steelers defense is going to have perfect grip on the ball, make perfect reads, and have a snap-to-throw time of < 2 seconds?

None.  Not even the best QB in the world.

I like Andy Dalton. I liked Carson Palmer. I respected Jon Kitna. None of those three men, great as they are in their own way, ever had the Bengals ahead in the fourth quarter of a playoff game. Only AJ McCarron has done this -- and he's not going anywhere. He'll push Andy Dalton in the offseason just like he did in 2015.

(03-05-2017, 06:34 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: I like Andy Dalton.  I liked Carson Palmer.  I respected Jon Kitna.  None of those three men, great as they are in their own way, ever had the Bengals ahead in the fourth quarter of a playoff game.  Only AJ McCarron has done this -- and he's not going anywhere.  He'll push Andy Dalton in the offseason just like he did in 2015.

None of those men had a defense that held the opponent to 15 points deep into the 4th quarter.

McCarron led the offense to 16 points. Kitna led his offense to 17 points. Palmer led his offense to 14 points (should've been 20). Dalton averaged just over 10 points.

Kitna, Palmer and Dalton all could've scored more points (via FG's) had their defense kept it closer. Instead, they mostly had to go for TD's because the game was out of hand.

Respectfully disagree that Mac is "pushing" Dalton. Dalton's status is cemented. He's viewed as the franchise guy by the folks that matter.

(03-05-2017, 09:31 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Respectfully disagree that Mac is "pushing" Dalton. Dalton's status is cemented. He's viewed as the franchise guy by the folks that matter.

No argument from me! I'm just saying some friendly training camp competition helps everyone improve.

I feel like the Bengals should walk out of this FA period and draft and be back on track.

A lot of this would be dependent on trading AJM

This draft is deep, very deep.. We need OL, LB, DE and could get all 3, 3 new starters, in the first 42 picks if he's dealt.

(03-05-2017, 10:09 PM)OrangeLacroix Wrote: I feel like the Bengals should walk out of this FA period and draft and be back on track.

A lot of this would be dependent on trading AJM

This draft is deep, very deep..   We need OL, LB, DE and could get all 3, 3 new starters, in the first 42 picks if he's dealt.

I think we would have to have an amazing draft to be "back on track". We need to get a new C and start looking for a solid OT. I think that our receiving core will be good enough next year if we resign LaFell. I think Boyd and Core are going to have pretty good years. I see a LOT of potential in both of them. My main concern is pressure on the QB on both sides of the ball. If we get a solid OT in the 2nd round and then pickup someone like Mangold in FA. I think that would help our offense a lot. I think we should draft a DE in the first and maybe S or LB in the 3rd.

(03-05-2017, 11:12 PM)Brownshoe Wrote: I think we would have to have an amazing draft to be "back on track". We need to get a new C and start looking for a solid OT. I think that our receiving core will be good enough next year if we resign LaFell. I think Boyd and Core are going to have pretty good years. I see a LOT of potential in both of them. My main concern is pressure on the QB on both sides of the ball. If we get a solid OT in the 2nd round and then pickup someone like Mangold in FA. I think that would help our offense a lot. I think we should draft a DE in the first and maybe S or LB in the 3rd.

Do you know of any OT's we should be looking at in the 2nd round?

I only know of a few around the mid rounds like Taylor Moton. This definately needs to be a thought.

If we could get a good DE in the first, OT in the 2nd and Center in the 2nd or 3rd depending on a AJM trade we could be back on track.

(03-06-2017, 02:52 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Do you know of any OT's we should be looking at in the 2nd round?

I only know of a few around the mid rounds like Taylor Moton. This definately needs to be a thought.

If we could get a good DE in the first, OT in the 2nd and Center in the 2nd or 3rd depending on a AJM trade we could be back on track.

The only good OT I see us getting in the 2nd is if Ramcyzk falls to us due to him having surgery in the off-season.

(03-06-2017, 04:58 PM)Brownshoe Wrote: The only good OT I see us getting in the 2nd is if Ramcyzk falls to us due to him having surgery in the off-season.

Good one. We wouldn't need him to start immediately either if Whit is back.

But i am getting worried about Whit being back again now, tomorrow he gets to meet with other teams.

(03-05-2017, 05:18 AM)BigSeph Wrote: Looks like the AJM haters are still at it, all this time after a playoff game from the 2015 season....

AJM didn't get knocked unconscious and fumble, Gio did.

AJM didn't drop an INT on the 5-yard line that hit him in the face, Vinnie Rey did.

AJM didn't fumble the ball away with the lead, Hill did.

AJM didn't get a 15-yard targeting penalty, Burfict did.

AJM didn't get a 15-yard unsportsmanlike for yapping with Porter, Jones did.

All AJM did was ring up a 97.1 regular season rating (even with all those sacks) and throw what should have been a game-winning TD pass, in Cincy, vs the Steelers, in the rain, in a playoff game, and because this team is full of undisciplined choke artists it canceled out what a clutch winner put on a golden platter for this franchise.

Yeah it was a rain game.  Yeah it was low scoring.  Yeah AJM lost a fumble because Jarvis Jones collapsed the pocket and swatted his arm in < 2.3 seconds.  So what.

He had a chance to throw the whole team under the bus after he put them in position to win and the Bengals, as always, with this coach, with these bonehead players (that you all love, while downplaying the work of winners) found a way to choke.  He had a chance to put salt in the wound of all the haters and "fans" with orange pubic hairs in their teeth and at least take credit for putting the team up late.

He didn't.


The reason this team will continue to lose and choke in the playoffs is because neither the front office nor the fans can recognize or hold onto winners.  You don't need a whole team of them, but put Burfict and Pacman on the Patriots in 2015 and Belichick would refuse to play them for being undisciplined.  Put Tom Brady on an offense whose RBs fumble it away twice in a playoff game vs. Roethlisberger who takes care of the ball and he won't win either.

Boo hoo, AJM averaged 3 sacks/game to start his NFL career.  Andy Dalton averaged 2.56 sacks/game last year and he's been in the league a long time.

If Jeremy Hill holds onto the ball or if Marvin calls QB kneels instead of dive plays, the entire conversation and perspective on AJM would be 100% different in Bengal-land.  You would respect him for getting that playoff W over the Steelers in Cincy.

As it stands you disrespect him because of the failures of the TEAM, even though he was big enough not to throw shade on his teammates and coaches who threw the game away.

Yeah some of you need to go back and rewatch that film alright.............

Sounds awfully "excusey" to me....

(03-05-2017, 04:51 PM)BigSeph Wrote: 1) He lost 1 fumble when he was strip sacked after 2 seconds.  In the pouring rain.  The pick was a wounded duck, thrown in the pouring rain w/ no gloves.  Rookie mistake.

2) Roethlisberger "sucked" most of the game too, and could easily have had a fumble (Burfict sack) and an INT (the one that hit Rey in the face in the redzone).  But he's a veteran and didn't take many chances with the ball.

3) How many 4th quarter drives to put the Bengals ahead has Andy Dalton led in the playoffs?

4) You can't win games if you don't play.

He had the Bengals ahead @ Denver in a primetime game, they lost.  Eifert dropped a pass that hit him in the hands wide open on a big 3rd down, AJ Green quit on a route that would have been a TD late in the 4th.  Burfict got a stupid 15-yard penalty in OT.

Like I said, you put Tom Brady on this team with a coach like Marvin and players like Burfict and Jones and WRs and TEs quitting on routes and dropping passes that hit them in the hands and see what happens.  Tom Brady would lose his mind and scream at every single one of them, and guess what?  He'd lose the same games because he can't catch passes and he can't play defense.

You guys pin all this on AJM with zero context whatsoever, giving every other player a pass for their stupid bonehead plays and only remembering the result.  Context matters - if an offense puts up 60 points and loses because the defense allows 63, I don't see how you downplay what the QB did.

But you guys find a way, consistently.  Your post is a perfect synopsis of how it goes -you bring up all negatives and even when you admit a positive (he led a couple 4th quarter drives) you have to throw in an insult at the end (after sucking most of the game).

And then you imply that because AJM didn't win games, he's not a "winner."

He didn't drop passes, he didn't lose 2 fumbles in the playoff game, he didn't quit on routes, he didn't get stupid 15-yard penalties.  And he's not perfect either, he made mistakes.  But I and many others see a great deal of potential in AJM as a starting QB in the NFL, including other teams asking about him now, and the Bengals themselves who are unwilling to let him go for less than a 2nd.

They know what you have.  I know what you have.  Too bad the "fans" of this organization have no clue.  And it's because it takes more than a QB to win football games - the players you give a pass when it comes to context around AJM's losses, they share just as much if not more blame than AJM himself.

If Hill doesn't fumble, if Hue calls better plays, if Marvin calls for QB kneels, if Burfict or Jones had a few extra brain cells, if Whit blocks Jones for more than 2 seconds flat, you and everyone else looks at AJM a completely different way.

If Eifert doesn't drop a wide open 3rd down pass, if AJ Green doesn't quit on a route, if Burfict doesn't get yet another stupid 15-yard penalty in OT, you and everyone else looks at AJM a completely different way.

Win as a team, lose as a team.  But try to have a little context in your critiques.

AJM's not the greatest QB in the NFL, but he's good enough to be a starter.  Did he make mistakes when he played?  Absolutely.  Bad throws?  Yep.  Fumbled too much?  Sure.  Didn't get the ball out fast enough?  Absolutely.

But what QB in their 5th start in a rain game vs the Steelers defense is going to have perfect grip on the ball, make perfect reads, and have a snap-to-throw time of < 2 seconds?

None.  Not even the best QB in the world.

....a bunch more excuses.....

(03-06-2017, 06:03 PM)Wyche Wrote: ....a bunch more excuses.....

Context.

There's a difference.

The guys trying to pin losses on a QB with a 97.1 rating and a 106.8 preseason rating this year are making excuses for the rest of the team, and using AJM as a convenient scapegoat.

I'm just pointing out that AJM had very little to do with that playoff loss in the grand scheme of things, and did enough to win the game.

Hill and Pacman are the 2 that deserve most of the blame - not the guy who drove the team down and put them ahead with less than 2 mins to go in the 4th.

With 1:36 to play, the Bengals had 1st and 10 at the Steelers 26 yard line thanks to a Tez INT.

McCarron didn't "lose" that game.

(03-06-2017, 07:36 PM)BigSeph Wrote: Context.

There's a difference.

The guys trying to pin losses on a QB with a 97.1 rating and a 106.8 preseason rating this year are making excuses for the rest of the team, and using AJM as a convenient scapegoat.

I'm just pointing out that AJM had very little to do with that playoff loss in the grand scheme of things, and did enough to win the game.

Hill and Pacman are the 2 that deserve most of the blame - not the guy who drove the team down and put them ahead with less than 2 mins to go in the 4th.

With 1:36 to play, the Bengals had 1st and 10 at the Steelers 26 yard line thanks to a Tez INT.

McCarron didn't "lose" that game.

Hill and the oline are the reason we drove down and took the lead, not McCarron.  The running game went Beast Mode after the cheap shot to Gio.  AJM didn't drive the team.  The OC properly utilized the effectiveness of the running game at that point to call a PA and capitalize on it.  Sanu could have been under center and it would have been the same result.

(03-06-2017, 07:36 PM)BigSeph Wrote: Context.

There's a difference.

The guys trying to pin losses on a QB with a 97.1 rating and a 106.8 preseason rating this year are making excuses for the rest of the team, and using AJM as a convenient scapegoat.

I'm just pointing out that AJM had very little to do with that playoff loss in the grand scheme of things, and did enough to win the game.

Hill and Pacman are the 2 that deserve most of the blame - not the guy who drove the team down and put them ahead with less than 2 mins to go in the 4th.

With 1:36 to play, the Bengals had 1st and 10 at the Steelers 26 yard line thanks to a Tez INT.

McCarron didn't "lose" that game.

You're making an argument against something no one has said. I don't think anyone is making a scapegoat out of Mac. Certainly not me because I feel he suffered from the same problem (coaching) that every other QB has dealt with. 

I think people (myself included) are just sick of the hero talk about that performance by McCarron. That was the best defensive performance we've seen by a Marvin team in the playoffs...by a long shot. Putting up 16 points (with plenty of help) doesn't make Mac a hero. 

Dalton, Palmer or Kitna all could've put up that point total with the defense forcing multiple turnovers and short fields...a benefit that was never afforded to any of them. 

Overall point being: all 4 QBs have been terrible in the playoffs, but only McCarron got substantial help, which enabled him to get the lead late. He wasn't the hero though...the defense (particularly Tez) should get that credit.

(03-06-2017, 08:27 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: You're making an argument against something no one has said. I don't think anyone is making a scapegoat out of Mac. Certainly not me because I feel he suffered from the same problem (coaching) that every other QB has dealt with. 

I think people (myself included) are just sick of the hero talk about that performance by McCarron. That was the best defensive performance we've seen by a Marvin team in the playoffs...by a long shot. Putting up 16 points (with plenty of help) doesn't make Mac a hero. 

Dalton, Palmer or Kitna all could've put up that point total with the defense forcing multiple turnovers and short fields...a benefit that was never afforded to any of them. 

Overall point being: all 4 QBs have been terrible in the playoffs, but only McCarron got substantial help, which enabled him to get the lead late. He wasn't the hero though...the defense (particularly Tez) should get that credit.

Very well said Shake.

There must be some major bias towards McCarron to even think this way.

McCarron himself would admit he didn't have the best game i am sure.

But that Defense played their asses off, like you said, especially Burfict and gave the Offense and McCarron a chance.

(03-06-2017, 07:42 PM)jfkbengals Wrote: Hill and the oline are the reason we drove down and took the lead, not McCarron.  The running game went Beast Mode after the cheap shot to Gio.  AJM didn't drive the team.  The OC properly utilized the effectiveness of the running game at that point to call a PA and capitalize on it.  Sanu could have been under center and it would have been the same result.

Classic.

I don't know how some of you pass as "fans" of this organization, considering how little you know about football or what transpired on football fields.

Here's the last TD drive of the Steelers/Bengals playoff game-

Quote:

• 1st and 10 at PIT 45
  (3:28 - 4th) (Shotgun) A.McCarron pass short middle to J.Hill to PIT 42 for 3 yards (R.Shazier) [A.Moats].
• 2nd and 7 at PIT 42
  (2:57 - 4th) (Shotgun) A.McCarron pass short left to M.Jones ran ob at PIT 37 for 5 yards.
• 3rd and 2 at PIT 37
  (2:52 - 4th) (Shotgun) A.McCarron pass incomplete short right. (Thrown Away)
• 4th and 2 at PIT 37
  (2:46 - 4th) (Shotgun) A.McCarron pass short middle to M.Jones to PIT 28 for 9 yards (A.Moats).
• 1st and 10 at PIT 28
  (2:15 - 4th) (Shotgun) A.McCarron scrambles left tackle to PIT 25 for 3 yards (S.Tuitt).
• 
  (2:00 - 4th) Two-Minute Warning
• 2nd and 7 at PIT 25
  (2:00 - 4th) (Shotgun) A.McCarron pass incomplete short middle to M.Sanu.
• 3rd and 7 at PIT 25
  (1:50 - 4th) A.J. Green 25 Yd pass from AJ McCarron (Two-Point Run Conversion Failed)
  

Do you see one single Hill run in that list of plays?

Here's the previous 70 yard FG drive-

Quote:

• 1st and 10 at CIN 13
  (11:11 - 4th) A.McCarron pass short right to J.Hill to CIN 24 for 11 yards (J.Jones).
• 1st and 10 at CIN 24
  (10:34 - 4th) (Shotgun) A.McCarron pass short middle to J.Hill to CIN 37 for 13 yards (L.Timmons).
• 1st and 10 at CIN 37
  (9:51 - 4th) (Shotgun) R.Burkhead left guard to CIN 41 for 4 yards (C.Thomas).
• 2nd and 6 at CIN 41
  (9:17 - 4th) (Shotgun) A.McCarron scrambles left end ran ob at CIN 47 for 6 yards (R.Shazier).
• 1st and 10 at CIN 47
  (8:46 - 4th) (Shotgun) A.McCarron pass incomplete deep middle to T.Eifert.
• 2nd and 10 at CIN 47
  (8:41 - 4th) (Shotgun) A.McCarron scrambles up the middle to CIN 48 for 1 yard (A.Moats).
• 
  (8:00 - 4th) Timeout #1 by CIN at 08:00.
• 3rd and 9 at CIN 48
  (8:00 - 4th) (Shotgun) A.McCarron pass deep left to T.Eifert to PIT 34 for 18 yards (W.Allen).
• 1st and 10 at PIT 34
  (7:34 - 4th) A.McCarron pass short left to A.Green to PIT 25 for 9 yards (W.Gay).
• 2nd and 1 at PIT 25
  (7:06 - 4th) (Shotgun) J.Hill up the middle to PIT 24 for 1 yard (L.Timmons; C.Thomas).
• 1st and 10 at PIT 24
  (6:26 - 4th) (Shotgun) J.Hill right guard to PIT 22 for 2 yards (R.Shazier; A.Moats).
• 2nd and 8 at PIT 22
  (5:57 - 4th) (Shotgun) A.McCarron pass incomplete short right to M.Jones.
• 3rd and 8 at PIT 22
  (5:52 - 4th) (Shotgun) A.McCarron pass short right to R.Burkhead pushed ob at PIT 17 for 5 yards (J.Harrison).
• 4th and 3 at PIT 17
  (5:12 - 4th) Mike Nugent 36 Yd Field Goal
  

Wow, 3 carries for 7 yards.  Really impressive........... 

(03-06-2017, 08:27 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: You're making an argument against something no one has said.  I don't think anyone is making a scapegoat out of Mac. Certainly not me because I feel he suffered from the same problem (coaching) that every other QB has dealt with. 

I think people (myself included) are just sick of the hero talk about that performance by McCarron. That was the best defensive performance we've seen by a Marvin team in the playoffs...by a long shot. Putting up 16 points (with plenty of help) doesn't make Mac a hero. 

Dalton, Palmer or Kitna all could've put up that point total with the defense forcing multiple turnovers and short fields...a benefit that was never afforded to any of them. 

Overall point being: all 4 QBs have been terrible in the playoffs, but only McCarron got substantial help, which enabled him to get the lead late. He wasn't the hero though...the defense (particularly Tez) should get that credit.

I said-

Quote:The guys trying to pin losses on a QB with a 97.1 rating and a 106.8 preseason rating this year are making excuses for the rest of the team, and using AJM as a convenient scapegoat.

In response to -

Quote:I love McCarron as much as the next guy, but he didn't practically win anything. Had he led a single scoring drive in the first 3 qtrs then a FG wouldn't have won that game for Pittsburgh. He did next to nothing in that game. 

Quote:Yea he practically won the game that he basically lost.

Quote:Had Mac led the offense to even 19 points, we would've won. 19 points isn't much to ask. But he's somehow a hero for scoring 16 points? Ok.

Quote:Don't forget that most of the points the Steelers did score were off turnovers, and both of the two TDs the Bengals scored were on drives that started on the Steelers side of the field.

Quote:McCarron and co provided as much for the Steelers as they did for their own team. 

Quote:Btw...McCarron was 2-3 in his games after the Bengals started 10-2 under Dalton. McCarron ain't saving anything. 

Now, some of those ignorant comments were yours.

I was pointing out how a lot of those comments cast blame on AJM when in reality, he did what he needed to do to get the Bengals in a position to kneel out the clock, kick a FG, and close out the game.  He gave them the lead with < 2 minutes to go in the 4th quarter of a playoff game.

And then the defense gave the ball back to the offense, and in typical Bengals fashion, the team found a way to choke even when the QB didn't that day.

(03-06-2017, 11:12 PM)BigSeph Wrote: I said-


In response to -



Now, some of those ignorant comments were yours.

I was pointing out how a lot of those comments cast blame on AJM when in reality, he did what he needed to do to get the Bengals in a position to kneel out the clock, kick a FG, and close out the game.  He gave them the lead with < 2 minutes to go in the 4th quarter of a playoff game.

And then the defense gave the ball back to the offense, and in typical Bengals fashion, the team found a way to choke even when the QB didn't that day.

Not one of those comments is "scapegoating" McCarron for the loss. You seem confused, so let me help. If your obsession was being used as a scapegoat, people would be pinning the loss on him completely. Nobody is doing that. People are just trying in vain to show you why your hero wasn't a hero that day.

This doesn't mean he's THE reason we lost...it just means he wasn't the reason we "almost" won. Fwiw...If I thought Mac was the reason we lost, I'd have no issue letting you know. Btw, it's kinda funny that the McCarron fan who only has a profile to make McCarron comments would question the fandom of anyone else.

The issue here isn't what the Bengals think about AJ McCarron; it's what the rest of the league thinks about him.

Let's get real for a minute, shall we? I happen to think AJ could be a special player but this is based mostly on his college play, not on his professional statistics which aren't all that impressive. Here's the thing: Watching film on AJ McCarron shows inconsistency because for every beautiful throw he made to AJ Green, there's an equally bad throw like the pick he threw to William Gay. I would assume the bad throws would diminish with more playing experience but that wasn't the case with Carson Palmer. I loved to watch Carson zing that ball but he zinged it a lot to Ed Reed.

Back to AJ. He's a fighter and he's a leader, that's for sure. But, if you were a general manager, would you turn your team over to him?

(03-07-2017, 12:41 AM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: The issue here isn't what the Bengals think about AJ McCarron; it's what the rest of the league thinks about him.

Let's get real for a minute, shall we?  I happen to think AJ could be a special player but this is based mostly on his college play, not on his professional statistics which aren't all that impressive.  Here's the thing:  Watching film on AJ McCarron shows inconsistency because for every beautiful throw he made to AJ Green, there's an equally bad throw like the pick he threw to William Gay.  I would assume the bad throws would diminish with more playing experience but that wasn't the case with Carson Palmer.  I loved to watch Carson zing that ball but he zinged it a lot to Ed Reed.

Back to AJ.  He's a fighter and he's a leader, that's for sure.  But, if you were a general manager, would you turn your team over to him?

As a GM, I think I'd look at comparable (or better) options that wouldn't require giving up picks. For example, I think Tyrod Taylor is substantially better than McCarron.

Also, if I were a fan of a QB needy team, I think I'd be more excited about a Taylor or even Jay Cutler than I would be for McCarron...but I'm in the minority that just doesn't think he'll amount to much as a full time starter. I just don't think he has the tools to be a franchise guy. Excellent backup and spot starter though? Definitely. 

Imo, he's a less physically (and mentally) gifted version of Dalton, with more natural leadership qualities. McCarron's arm just isn't NFL starter quality and he seems prone to mental mistakes and hanging in the pocket too long. He could possibly fix those issues...or maybe not like you said. The arm will not get better though and he seems pretty oblivious in the pocket. 

(03-07-2017, 12:41 AM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: The issue here isn't what the Bengals think about AJ McCarron; it's what the rest of the league thinks about him.

Let's get real for a minute, shall we?  I happen to think AJ could be a special player but this is based mostly on his college play, not on his professional statistics which aren't all that impressive.  Here's the thing:  Watching film on AJ McCarron shows inconsistency because for every beautiful throw he made to AJ Green, there's an equally bad throw like the pick he threw to William Gay.  I would assume the bad throws would diminish with more playing experience but that wasn't the case with Carson Palmer.  I loved to watch Carson zing that ball but he zinged it a lot to Ed Reed.

Back to AJ.  He's a fighter and he's a leader, that's for sure.  But, if you were a general manager, would you turn your team over to him?

To me it depends on the Offensive Line, i think McCarron could be really good with a decent OL and some decent weapons.

What is the QB needy team with the best OL is my question?

The Niners?