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| Cincinnati Bengals |
By Jacob Sorenson
Andy Dalton
has received his fair share of criticism over his short tenure in the NFL. The
young TCU star struck the NFL with his fire red hair and a highly impressive
start as he made the Pro Bowl in his first year in the league. His first year
seemed to set a high bar and Cincinnati has advanced to a franchise record 4
playoff appearances in a row. The critical issue behind the 4 playoff
appearances in a row, not a single playoff win. The Bengals have scored no more
than 13 points in any of their wildcard playoff games against the Texans twice,
Chargers, and Colts. The combined 43 points they have scored over a 4 game
period is the lowest among all NFL teams in previous four playoff appearances.
This dismaying statistic has led
many to question the growth potential of the Bengals quarterback. Some have
even claimed that he has maxed out his potential and it’s time for the Bengals
to move on. These 4 year playoff appearances and playoff losses is not room for
panic quite yet however. The streaky Bengals are 6-0 this season for the first
time since 1988, which happens to be the last time they reached the super bowl.
ESPN power rankings currently hold them in fifth place behind only the
Patriots, Packers, Broncos, and Cardinals.
Deemed to have the league’s
toughest schedule the Bengals still have much to prove. Based on percentages
this very well could be the best year for Cincinnati. On par for a 14 win
season those two losses would pit them at number one in the division and grant
them the long elusive first round bye to the divisional playoffs. Even if the
Bengals merely match the team best 12-4 record set during both of their super
bowl seasons, this Bengals team would still go down in Ohio sports lore
forever, but where does all of this recent success come from?
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| Andy Dalton |
Dalton in this his fifth season
in the NFL has seemed to find a rhythm which has not been seen from him before.
His league topping 14 touchdowns and 2 interceptions more than double offensive
production from last season. His efficiency ratings lead the NFL with a
personal best 84.2 QBR or Quarterback Rating. For the first time in his career
his name is being mentioned among top league quarterbacks including Tom Brady
and Aaron Rodgers as possible MVP candidates.
All of the credit for the
Bengals success cannot be attributed to only Andy Dalton However. While they
are very grateful to have consistent offensive production for the first time in
who knows how long, the Bengals defense has come up big with late game stops
including that against the Seahawks which led to the overtime win. Also key set
pieces in the offensive lineup have allowed Dalton to settle in the pocket,
while not forgetting his ability to be the mobile threat he has always been.
Tight End Tyler Eifert, and running back Giovani Bernard have opened up the
offense so well that the balance is almost unpredictable. Bernard who took over
for an injured Jeremy Hill at the beginning of the year has continued to
receive the ball even with Hill back in the starting lineup. Besides the
running game, with a talented mix like Marvin Jones, A.J. Green, and Mohamed
Sanu, Dalton is not lacking offensive targets.
These Bengals are for real
folks. Not only do their statistics show it, but a seemingly united locker room
demonstrates it all the more. Watch them on Sunday and you will notice, it cant
be overlooked. This cohesive Cincinnati team has a lot to look forward to, and
if this success continues, their first playoff win in over two decades and a
super bowl may be in the wings. For now let’s just enjoy their success one game
at a time and keep cheering Dalton for MVP, while not forgetting who really got
him there.
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| Andy Dalton outruns Steelers defender |
Post Addendum: The bengals are now 7-0 for the first time in team history after capping their 16-10 come from behind win against the Steelers on Sunday. Andy Dalton overcame 2 interceptions passing for 231 yards and a touchdown. The bengals defense however seemed to be the biggest game changer as they forced 3 interceptions and held the Steelers to 356 yards of total offense. The steelers uniforms may as well be the ugliest uniforms of the year, but I am certain that had nothing to do with the loss.
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