I think I know what might be really hindering this franchise. ( I might be wrong)

[CJD]

(01-02-2019, 06:48 PM)fredtoast Wrote: No that is not how it works

Philip Rivers has been in the NFL since 2004 with zero Super Bowl appearances.  Over that same time Matt Hasselbeck, Rex Grossman, Joe Flacco, Colin Kaepernick, and Nick Foles have all started Super Bowls.

Eli Manning has won more Super Bowls than Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers.

This thread was talking about creating a winning culture and tradition that newly drafted players can get absorbed into and assist in upholding. He went on to say he feels this kind of culture doesn't exist in Cincy due to the lack of success over the years.

The most transformative players in the NFL are QBs. You saw it with Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Eli Manning (despite the fact that you seem to be listing him as...not an elite QB here?), Big Ben as well as many others from the past that created the "tradition" of several franchises today. 

Can the Bengals make the playoffs with Dalton? Yes. Clearly. Can they make the Super Bowl? Perhaps. We haven't seen it yet in several attempts, but that could be blamed on other factors.
But can he be the cornerstone of a winning culture? If that question hasn't been resoundingly answered yet, it's pretty close.

This is all not to say I want to throw Dalton out on the street. I think he is a very good QB that can win if you build around him sufficiently. But if we could get a QB that elevates the players around him rather than the players around him elevating the QB, that could allow us to more readily build our trenches without having to worry about having to keep 2 to 3 elite or highly drafted WRs, an elite TE AND an elite RB just to maintain a league average offense.

Dalton is a good QB that can win us games, and I think he is an above average bridge to our next QB. But I don't believe he is who will lead us to a Super Bowl or change the culture of Cincinnati football.