What If McCarron wins the 1st playoff game?

[Essex Johnson]

(12-17-2015, 01:05 PM)C0de_M0nkey Wrote: Sticking with AJ McCarron after the organization's first playoff win in my lifetime while Andy is banged up is not the same as benching Andy Dalton.

if Andy is banged up.. you play AJ, if Andy is healthy you play Andy.. but you release who starts till weekend.. make the opposing team prep for both.

[Captain Happy Pants]

This is a tough question. If AJ carries the team on his back to win their first playoff game, then keep him in. If he has an OK game and we win despite some mistakes, put Andy back in. AJ would have to LIGHTS OUT in order to keep him in.

[JADefense]

(12-17-2015, 07:56 AM)C0de_M0nkey Wrote: San Francisco nearly won two super bowls by sticking with the hot hand. Andy is having a good year but you can't bench the guy who gave you your first playoff win in over 20 years for an 0-4 playoff qb, period. If the Bengals go to a super bowl and a championship with AJ like the 49ers did with Kaepernick will you still say that Andy deserves to start over him?

You're simply wrong.

Sorry to be blunt.

[Captain Happy Pants]

This guy has faith in AJ.  

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000603680/article/aj-mccarron-can-carry-the-bengals-as-far-as-they-need-him-to

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(12-17-2015, 08:53 AM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: I'm only 25.. no excuse for not knowing great football lore :)

Yup.....I wasn't around either back then....but I loved me some NFL Films.

[Shake n Blake]

(12-17-2015, 03:57 PM)BritishBengal Wrote: Until he wins a playoff game the media and fans will place a caveat on anything Andy does. Dalton himself knows this. He's had a fantastic year, but he also had his worst games on the big stage, as he has done since he got into the league. 

In AJ the Bengals have a QB that played well on the highest possible stage in college. While I do feel McCarron fever has reached a bit of an odd level on the boards since Andy went down, I do understand it. AJ represents a bit of an unknown. He may well be a career backup and play like a 5th rounder. But in the back of the mind, until he proves otherwise, there will always be that what if. What if the 'experts' got it wrong. What if he was more crucial to the 'Bama success than people had given him credit for.

If it was someone like we have had in the past at backup, a Jason Campbell or Gradkowski, then I don't think there would be this level of intrigue. Also the TD McCarron threw to Green last week was about as good as any deep ball Dalton has thrown in terms of spiral, timing and placement. He's an interesting prospect.

Playoff failure is a Cincinnati Bengal problem, not just an Andy Dalton problem. Guys like Geno, Dunlap, Tez, Nelson, AJ Green, Gio Bernard and the o-line - leaders of the team - have all been invisible. Yet, unlike with Dalton, people still get excited when they dominate the regular season. Ill be very interested to see how McCarron handles a playoff game, should he start. 3 QBs have failed in the playoffs for Marv.

As for the spotlight, I guess you don't think the prime-time games against the Browns and Cards count? He was great in both of those. People sure counted the prime-time Browns game last year.

Btw, that deep ball from AJ to AJ suprised me. It was good. That said, it's complete BS to say that was "as deep as any Dalton has made". Dalton has made many more impressive throws this year alone. He's certainly thrown it deeper many times as well.

[*bengalfan74*]

Whenever Dalton is 100% healthy and able he'll be the starter.

The only way I could see this not being the case is if McCarron just absolutely lights it up over the next 3 games posting top level QB numbers in every game blah blah.

My money is on Dalton making it back and being the starter.

[basballguy]

Let's be honest...MCcaron is a winner. All he has known his whole life is winning...he's pretty much Bo Callahan 2.0.

[Nizoj]

This is Andy's team and if he is healthy enough to play at the level he did all season he's in. There are two caveats:

If Andy is having issues with his throws/ ball handling while trying to rush back and AJ is playing very well

OR

AJ had played like the greatest QB of all time. I'm talking 6 touchdowns a game, unimaginable completion percentage, perfectly placed passes every time, perfect game management and leadership then you can't really take the guy out. Good problem to have, extremely doubtful that it actually occurs.

[XenoMorph]

(12-18-2015, 02:45 AM)basballguy Wrote: Let's be honest...MCcaron is a winner. All he has known his whole life is winning...he's pretty much Bo Callahan 2.0.

So are most the players when they get to the NFL

[Shake n Blake]

(12-18-2015, 01:12 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: So are most the players when they get to the NFL

I think basballguy is being sarcastic. Either way, Dalton has been winning his whole life, and that includes the NFL (50-26-1). Hopefully McCarron can get to 1-0.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

It all depends now doesn't it?

I voted for Dalton but if McCarron is playing great you got to stay with the hot hand.

I don't think McCarron will play that great, i hope he does though of course. 

No favoritism here, i don't care how we get to the SB, just get there.

[*Nately120*]

If McCarron wins the first Bengals playoff game in 25 years and we bench him for a guy with a broken thumb and 1 TD to 8 turnovers in the playoffs Dalton had better win, or we will never hear the end of it. I mean NEVER. Then again, there is an entire thread of people saying they would trade or bench McCarron if we won the Super Bowl, so there is that.

[Aquapod770]

(12-18-2015, 02:45 AM)basballguy Wrote: Let's be honest...MCcaron is a winner.  All he has known his whole life is winning...he's pretty much Bo Callahan 2.0.

But does he have no friends too? 

[BigSeph]

Alex Smith is not a good comparison to Andy Dalton, because Alex Smith has a career playoff QB rating of 108.6 and has won a playoff game.

Andy Dalton has a 57.8 QB rating and is winless in the playoffs.

Bledsoe was a more appropriate comparison, because his 54.9 playoff QB rating is right in Andy's wheelhouse. Bledsoe however was able to manage a 3-3 playoff record.

The Bengals are in a rather unique situation. IF McCarron goes undefeated the rest of the way and wins a playoff game, I highly doubt the coaches would plug Dalton back in.

[jeremydc]

No matter the outcome, Dalton will be our starting QB next year.

[Junglejuice]

(12-19-2015, 12:15 AM)jeremydc Wrote: No matter the outcome, Dalton will be our starting QB next year.

This.

If Andy is healthy this year HE WILL PLAY.

If not its McCarron's show til the end of the year.

That is what a back up's job is.

[BengalChris]

I voted why did I bother with this thread!

But, if McCarron plays well and wins a playoff game I believe you have to stick with him while getting Dalton ready to come in if needed. This would make the most sense. If I were the coaches, Dalton would have to show me that he could take snaps, grip the ball well and throw with that hand before I'd even consider inserting him into a game.

[gobobro]

These threads are difficult to get too involved in, because too many variables exist solely in the minds of the responders.

How did McCarron perform in the win?
What is your definition of playing 'well?'
How healthy is Andy?
How prepared can he be for this next playoff game?


People are trying to project AJ's future performance on last week and some preseason time. They say he played well, and he'll be even better with first team reps. I would agree. I would also stipulate defenses will play him better knowing who to prepare for. They'll bring pressure, disguise coverages, try to bait him into the home run throws he likes, etc...

I would be over the moon if he performs at a Dalton level these next few weeks. That would be amazing. More realistically, I'd still be thrilled if he plays like Rex Grossman. If he can hit on some big plays that keep the defense honest, make sure his mistakes aren't pick sixes, and let's the defense and run game carry the load, we can win games... That would be awesome, and is still a Hell of a return on a fifth round backup making his first starts.

[BonnieBengal]

(12-16-2015, 11:51 PM)Sled21 Wrote: The seeming need for grade school nicknames never ceases to amaze me.....

It's not nicknames.  The dang autocorrect automatically changes McCarron to macaroni.