157 Yards

[BengalChris]

(12-19-2016, 03:47 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: Just wondering where the Andy Dalton little drummer boys are? Do we put any of yesterdays loss on our QB? Or do we have some excuses?

Andy is an above average QB most of the time. But his performances in big games leave a lot to be desired. And I am not sold he can get us over the hump.

Little tidbit from the Bengals homepage. Dalton was 25th in the league in 4th quarter passer rating going into the Steelers game. And put up a 47.9 yesterday.

Unless he has a couple more 157 yard games he should break the 4,000 yard mark this year. For only the 2nd time in his career. And he will be lucky to get 20 passing TDs.

It is not impossible to improve on Dalton like some around here seem to think. Absolutely things could be worse at QB. But we could also do better.

51.4
44.7
67.0
63.4
What are those? Dalton's QB rating in his playoff games.

Give a lot of QBs one of the best WRs in the game and one of the best TEs in the game and one of the best defenses. And they too will win games.

Dalton is solid and has a favorable contract. But what if he isn't the answer? AJ McCarron won the games he was supposed to win last year. And almost beat the eventual Super Bowl champs at their house and barely lost a playoff game that we should have won. We have a good team. A top QB would dominate with this team around him (and a non-shitbag head coach).

After the 2014 season I was very willing for the team to explore an upgrade at QB if things didn't turn around with Dalton. But they did in 2015.

Yesterday's game reminded me of the game against Denver last year where McCarron lead the team to a nice first half lead only for the offense to shut down in the second half and we eventually lost in overtime.

Good, well prepared coaches know how to adjust during a game. Our coaches have a long history of weak second halfs against good opponents and we keep asking, "where are the adjustments?"

As for Dalton's play this year, if you factor in the horrid OL play for the first 10 or 11 games I'm surprised Dalton's numbers are as good as they are.

We still can't run block with any consistency and it doesn't matter who is at RB. Bernard, Hill or Burkhead. Yes Burkhead did ok yesterday, but if the past is any measure that won't last as teams will figure out what the Bengals are doing when Burkhead is in there and they'll counter it and that will be that. Remember that Bernard was having his worst year as a pro before he was injured, so can't really say Hill is the weak spot there. We passed on Bell and Lacy and took Bernard instead 4 years ago and that's what we did.

We've got plenty holes and even if Dalton isn't a top 5 QB, QB is one of our better manned positions on team. So I don't see any reason for us to move on from Dalton. Spending a high pick on a QB would prevent us from spending one on a much weaker position. We need OL help in the middle and at LT (Whit is going to have to hang it up at some point and Og has only shown he can't do it). We need a pass rusher and a LB or two and maybe a Center. I'm not convinced Bodine won't start off next year in a slump and take 11 games again to learn his job all over again in 2017.

Not making any excuses for anyone. There are changes needed and not just with the players. I really do believe that Dalton and Hill and Bernard would have great years with the right HC and I also think we can win in the playoffs with these guys. Burfict and Adam Jones would also benefit from a HC who just doesn't put up with the on the field crap.