11-04-2017, 12:11 PM
Who's to blame? 60/30/10 split between:
60 - Offensive coaching staff and the Head coach for not prioritizing/scouting/selecting proper O-line talent and being too conservative and controlling.
30 - Andy Dalton for being inconsistent and taking on the personality of a head coach who clearly isn't built for today's NFL.
10 - Other players
I find it weird that some of you guys seem to look at Andy Dalton like he's some sort of baby deer or helpless being, barely able to walk, let alone control his own play on a football field and instead are blaming the owner.
Mike Brown has done things the right way since Marvin's reboot in 2011. Not only have the Bengals been looked at like a top tier organization from that point to now, they've have had top tier talent all over the field most of Andy Dalton's career. Top defenses, very good O-line, great weapons at the skill positions. Mike Brown is NOT the cause of the team's on field issues or roster deficiencies in any way, shape, or form. He doesn't solely negotiate contracts any more. He doesn't solely run the draft any more and, frankly, by letting the coaches work on the draft scouting and vetting process he's actually giving them MORE control of who they have to work with. He's stepped way way back. And instead of laying blame where it belongs... Coaching (partially) and players (partially) you go for what would have been a legit gripe in, like, 1996. Why? Because you can't bring yourselves to wrap your heads around the fact that while Andy Dalton is an awesome person he's also turned into a streaky, inconsistent mess on a football field.
- You guys blame the OC? Andy Dalton has had 4 now and, guess what? With the exception of most of 2015 Andy Dalton looks average and is incredibly streaky and inconsistent.
- You blame the head coach. Well, it was the same head coach he had when he was lighting it up in the ONE season he had that was top tier: 2015. More on this at the bottom.
- You blame the owner? He's had the same owner since 2011 and, according to some of you Dalton's been an awesome QB. Blaming the owner doesn't hold water here, either.
How about this narrative for you... At this point, Andy Dalton is an OK quarterback with 1 really good season, 5 ok seasons, and 1 horrible season. His successes and statistics have come from the amazing talent he's had around him most of his career and not because he himself is amazing. He's benefited from great defense, great coaching (I'm sorry, but Gruden, Zimmer, Hue have all gotten HC jobs and multiple assistants have been given great jobs and promotions elsewhere so someone outside of the Bengals thinks these coaches are outstanding.
If the Bengals put an amazing O-line, top shelf WRs, and a great RB around him Andy Dalton will do well most of the time. IF any one of those things isn't there and is stripped away.... We've seen who Andy Dalton is, which is just OK.
I know it sounds like I'm bashing Andy Dalton, but I'm not. I just feel like it's fair to hold him accountable. He's an awesome guy. And, frankly, I would LOVE to see him more willing to make mistakes and be more of a gunslinger - similar to Drew Breese. I actually feel like he would be better suited to that play style rather than this over analyzing, risk minimalizing, super safe, overthinking player. THAT, to me, is on Marvin and Marvin's personality. Dalton might have Stockholm syndrome from Marvin at this point. I want to see more of Andy Dalton from TCU who was going out to conquer the world as an underdog and nothing to lose. Andy has to find it in his personality to break free of the programming he's had under Marvin and speak up for himself and the offense. That's on him as a leader. He has to be a gamer instead of a game manager. He would be great at that!
The O-line has to get fixed before the Bengals become an elite team on the field, yes, but that isn't the only reason there have been struggled, either. They're part of it, but you can't just point to them, either. Even when they've been servicable there have been issues.
60 - Offensive coaching staff and the Head coach for not prioritizing/scouting/selecting proper O-line talent and being too conservative and controlling.
30 - Andy Dalton for being inconsistent and taking on the personality of a head coach who clearly isn't built for today's NFL.
10 - Other players
I find it weird that some of you guys seem to look at Andy Dalton like he's some sort of baby deer or helpless being, barely able to walk, let alone control his own play on a football field and instead are blaming the owner.
Mike Brown has done things the right way since Marvin's reboot in 2011. Not only have the Bengals been looked at like a top tier organization from that point to now, they've have had top tier talent all over the field most of Andy Dalton's career. Top defenses, very good O-line, great weapons at the skill positions. Mike Brown is NOT the cause of the team's on field issues or roster deficiencies in any way, shape, or form. He doesn't solely negotiate contracts any more. He doesn't solely run the draft any more and, frankly, by letting the coaches work on the draft scouting and vetting process he's actually giving them MORE control of who they have to work with. He's stepped way way back. And instead of laying blame where it belongs... Coaching (partially) and players (partially) you go for what would have been a legit gripe in, like, 1996. Why? Because you can't bring yourselves to wrap your heads around the fact that while Andy Dalton is an awesome person he's also turned into a streaky, inconsistent mess on a football field.
- You guys blame the OC? Andy Dalton has had 4 now and, guess what? With the exception of most of 2015 Andy Dalton looks average and is incredibly streaky and inconsistent.
- You blame the head coach. Well, it was the same head coach he had when he was lighting it up in the ONE season he had that was top tier: 2015. More on this at the bottom.
- You blame the owner? He's had the same owner since 2011 and, according to some of you Dalton's been an awesome QB. Blaming the owner doesn't hold water here, either.
How about this narrative for you... At this point, Andy Dalton is an OK quarterback with 1 really good season, 5 ok seasons, and 1 horrible season. His successes and statistics have come from the amazing talent he's had around him most of his career and not because he himself is amazing. He's benefited from great defense, great coaching (I'm sorry, but Gruden, Zimmer, Hue have all gotten HC jobs and multiple assistants have been given great jobs and promotions elsewhere so someone outside of the Bengals thinks these coaches are outstanding.
If the Bengals put an amazing O-line, top shelf WRs, and a great RB around him Andy Dalton will do well most of the time. IF any one of those things isn't there and is stripped away.... We've seen who Andy Dalton is, which is just OK.
I know it sounds like I'm bashing Andy Dalton, but I'm not. I just feel like it's fair to hold him accountable. He's an awesome guy. And, frankly, I would LOVE to see him more willing to make mistakes and be more of a gunslinger - similar to Drew Breese. I actually feel like he would be better suited to that play style rather than this over analyzing, risk minimalizing, super safe, overthinking player. THAT, to me, is on Marvin and Marvin's personality. Dalton might have Stockholm syndrome from Marvin at this point. I want to see more of Andy Dalton from TCU who was going out to conquer the world as an underdog and nothing to lose. Andy has to find it in his personality to break free of the programming he's had under Marvin and speak up for himself and the offense. That's on him as a leader. He has to be a gamer instead of a game manager. He would be great at that!
The O-line has to get fixed before the Bengals become an elite team on the field, yes, but that isn't the only reason there have been struggled, either. They're part of it, but you can't just point to them, either. Even when they've been servicable there have been issues.
