08-28-2018, 01:03 PM
(08-28-2018, 10:44 AM)I_C_DeadPeople Wrote: You guys have way too much confidence in a pass first offense run by Dalton. He needs a solid run game to be successful and if we do not have one they will simply take away the pass. Teams have always looked to get pressure on Dalton as he is less accurate so with no run game it will be all out pass rush and press coverage. They will dare him to throw with accuracy.
Our OL will be our undoing this season again. Remember when Zeitler signed for $10M with the Browns everyone said that was crazy money, now that is the standard for a very good guard. He should have been resigned at that time.
And another item of note, we only pay Dalton I think $14M per year but a lot of other teams are paying their QB's $20M or more now - so how is it they can do that, be under the capo and win? For all the cap talk around here, what would our situation be if we had to pay our QB over $20M per year?
I actually do have confidence in Dalton leading THIS offense if it becomes more pass oriented. Statistical studies show that an NFL starting QB's prime years are from age 26 to 31. So when Dalton began to enter his prime in 2015, he put up the best numbers of his career before the thumb injury sidelined him for the end of the season and would have been a legitimate MVP candidate.
Then comes 2016. Marvin Jones and Sanu walked via free agency. AJ played just 6 games. Eifert played half a season. So for the majority of the year they had no receivers who could create separation, and it showed as the O-line gave up 41 sacks after giving up just 20 the year before. Hard to throw the football if there is no one to throw it to.
Then 2017. Worst O-line in the league. Worst running game in the league. Mid-season change at offensive coordinator. No Eifert. Boyd inactive for several games (for whatever reason). Ross can't get on the field. Defenses take away AJ and the team is no threat offensively.
What should have been two of Dalton's prime years got erased by poor offensive line play, injuries, and a poor hire as offensive coordinator, and he STILL threw for 43 TD's and 20 INT's the last two seasons, solid numbers when you consider all the things that happened around him.
I'm guessing we will see numbers much closer to the 2015 season when you consider AJ is still AJ, Ross' speed opposite AJ has to be accounted for, Boyd is much better than he was the last two years (almost non-existent last year until the end of the season), Eifert is one of the top TE threats in the league, and Mixon and Gio are two of the better receivers out of the backfield you will find with an offensive coordinator who appears to be willing to use them in that capacity by splitting them out and getting them matched up on linebackers.
If the O-Line gives Dalton time (obviously it will be better than last year), and the weapons stay healthy, Dalton is primed for a big year in my opinion.
