09-03-2015, 10:15 AM
(09-03-2015, 09:59 AM)PhilHos Wrote: I don't know how you guys can think this. Andy improved every season until last year. And even then, at the beginning of the year, before the injuries started to pile up, he was pretty consistent (and consistently good). Barring injury, I don't see how anyone can think that Dalton will get worse. Remaining inconsistent, sure, but worse? Child please.
Improved his numbers speaking purely of statistics? Sure.
Improved his footwork, ability to handle pressure, erratic decision making, and velocity on intermediate throws? I'm not so sure he improved on all of those weaknesses that he's had his entire career. No QB is perfect, so naturally he's going to have some things listed in his negative column, but what has he really improved on that has impressed you? Let's be honest, though his numbers jumped from 2012 to 2013, he didn't look like some sort of transformed QB like some people around here want to say when they claim "Andy improved each year". If you want to go by stats only, that's the only way the statement is accurate, and that's extremely misleading and not much evidence to anyone outside of the casual football fan.
The team put some playmakers around Andy in 2013 and put him in a position to rack up some volume. It's a positive that Andy was a good enough QB to be able to execute and put up those numbers, I'm not trying to take anything away from him in that regard. Not every QB is going to succeed in that situation, so kudos to him for that. I'm just simply saying that there's much, much more to "he improved" than looking at the stat sheet. His mechanics and decision making looked awfully similar to me from 2011 - 2013. 2014 was the first year I actually saw some different stuff that I was happy to see but it faded as the year went on, and those things happened regardless of injuries.
FWIW, I think Andy will have a career year. His improved mechanics that I saw in the beginning of 2014 will hopefully return along with his weapons from 2013 and Jeremy Hill on top of all of that. Andy is due for a great season on paper, so we shall see.
