Will longevity result in Dalton as best Bengals QB ever?

[wolfkaosaun]

(06-02-2016, 10:41 PM)BengalChris Wrote: You can't compare Dalton to Boomer to Anderson on a pure stat basis or even number of times to the playoffs. And here's why:

1. Defensive rules now make the passing game easier and are designed to allow more yards, completions and TDs.
2. There are two more playoff spots now than there were. The Bengals have gotten to the playoffs 3 times as the 6th seed while Dalton was QB. Under the playoff format from Anderson's and Boomer's days those would not have been playoff teams. So playoff appearances don't count for much when comparing the two eras. Both Anderson and Boomer went further and won more against better teams in the post season.
3. The Bengals defense today and really the last several years has been a better overall defense for a longer period of time than either Anderson or Boomer had.

When you compare Anderson to his contemporaries he's one of the best of his time. Multiple passing titles and MVP. In the years Anderson led the league in passing Fran Tarkington and Ken Stabler took the MVP awards. Anderson had MVP votes in a number of years where he was competing with guys like OJ Simpson, Franco Harris, Terry Bradshaw, Dan Fouts, etc. Anderson held his own and belongs in the HoF.

To really give an idea of how the league has changed, Boomer won the MVP with these stats: 3572 yards, 57.5 completion percent, 28 TD, 14 INT - These are stats of a middle of the road QB these days, yet 28 years ago they were good enough to win an MVP award.

I'm not say Dalton can't become the Bengals best ever QB, but I will say that he's going to have to do more and do it better than he has.

1. Yes you can compare players from different eras. But I only compared them to their peers, not each other. I'm comparing Dalton to how Matt Ryan and Cam Newton played, not how Boomer played years ago. That's the difference. That's how to tell who's done well because you compare them to other players in that era.

2. Back then there were only 14 teams in the conference. So they added more teams meaning more playoff spots. Plus it would have only added 2 more times where Anderson would have made the playoffs if they had a 6 playoff team system. Boomer would have made it to the playoffs only 3 times if they added the 6 team playoff system they have now. So Dalton STILL made the playoffs more than Boomer.

3. How so? They had a top 15 defense from 1987-1989. Top 10 in 1987. Same with the Bengals from 2011-2013. Then it 2014 they had a drop off as well.
Had a top 11 defense from 1974-76. Then again in 1978. Then again in 1980. #1 defense in 1983. So in 6 of Anderson's 15 year career, the defense was in the top 10.
Well, 13 years of him actually starting. So almost half the time he had a top 10 offense as a starting QB.

Yes, Anderson was voted as MVP. But it's not like he won MVP in his first few years. Took him until he was 32 years old to win MVP.

And you can compare Dalton to his peers lately as well. Even in a passing league he's still done some remarkable things others haven't.

In 2013, Dalton ranked 8th in the NFL in passing yards. Ranked 3rd in passing TDs. Set franchise record for passing TDs.


In 2012 he ranked 7th in the NFL in passing TDs. 3rd in the AFC.

Andy Dalton is one of two QBs in NFL history to have thrown over 3,000 yards in his first 5 seasons. The other is Peyton Manning.

Also had 18,000 yards in his first 5 seasons.

In 2015, even though it was cut short, Dalton ranked 28th all time with best QB rating in a season. 8 of his 12 games he had above a 100 QB rating. Sure, you can throw in his game against Pitt at the end but that's hardly fair.

Dalton is just barely behind Drew Brees and Peyton Manning with the most passing TDs within their first 5 years.

Dalton also has the most road wins within his first 5 seasons in the NFL with 25 road wins. 3 more than both Big Ben and Matt Ryan. And he didn't even play the rest of the 2015 season.

I agree that Dalton will have to do better to be considered the greatest Bengals QB. But let's not act like Dalton has done absolutely nothing. Let's be honest. How many people thought we'd make the playoffs in 2011? Some even questioned about 2012.

People were talking about if we should draft Luck after 2011 before the season even started.