America’s Guide to Watching Browns-Bengals
November 5, 2015Royals GM says Indians pitching staff prepared them to face the Mets
November 5, 2015He’s still fun to make fun of, what with the ginger mane and the crushing interceptions and the playoff losses and all, but Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton may not be the source of comedy that he once was. The Red Rifle has the Bengals at 7-0 and is playing the best football of his career. Like, easily the best football of his career. Just ask him.
“Yeah, I feel like this is the best that I have played, and I feel like I have gotten better every year since I have been in the league,” Dalton said Monday. “Just have to keep pushing for that consistency.”
That consistency has eluded Dalton over his four years in the NFL, especially in the postseason. He has put up some gaudy regular-season numbers — including 33 touchdowns and nearly 4,300 yards in 2013 — but he has yet to come through for the Bengals in the playoffs. Cincinnati has been bounced in the first round each of the past four years. Dalton threw for a total of one touchdown and four interceptions in those games. Dalton has led the Bengals to a 47-23-1 record (including this season) since he was drafted out of TCU. No matter; his playoff defeats have largely rendered him a punchline.
This year, however, the Red Rifle has been shooting straighter than ever. Consider that through seven games this season — all victories — Dalton has completed 66.2 percent of his passes (career high); is averaging 8.6 yards per attempt, 13.0 yards per completion, and 284.6 yards per game (all career highs); has a 1.7 percent interception rate and 3.8 percent sack rate (both career lows); and the highest quarterback rating and QBR of his career. He led fourth-quarter comebacks in three of Cincinnati’s wins this year. He has never had more than four such victories in a season.
Dalton has completed 66.2 percent of his passes and is averaging 8.6 yards per attempt, 13.0 yards per completion, and 284.6 yards per game, all career highs
Dalton has completed 66.2 percent of his passes and is averaging 8.6 yards per attempt, 13.0 yards per completion, and 284.6 yards per game, all career highs
His play in 2015 stands out compared to seasons past, and Dalton compares favorably to the rest of the league’s signal-callers. He ranks in the top 10 in the NFL in passing yards, touchdowns, touchdown percentage, yards per attempt, interception rate, and sack rate, and he’s 11th in completion percentage. Only Atlanta’s Matt Ryan has led more fourth-quarter comebacks.
Browns head coach Mike Pettine has taken note of Dalton’s play. He has been especially impressed by the quarterback’s accuracy.
“He seems much more comfortable in what they are doing,” said Pettine of Dalton. “He is very decisive with his reads and when he throws the ball, he has been accurate. When you are evaluating quarterbacks, right up there at the top of the list is accuracy. That is one thing that jumps off the tape is that is he throwing the ball much more accurate this year than maybe he was a year ago.”
Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis, meanwhile, attributes much of Dalton’s improved play to his supporting cast.
“I really believe the people around Andy, the players around Andy, have done an excellent job,” Lewis said Monday. “That is part of his makeup is he is pretty consistent all the time in how he done things. Literally, the other guys around him have made his job so much easier because he can count on them being where they belong all the time. In order to play quarterback, you need that. You don’t want to be in a situation where you are holding onto the football wondering if guys are going to get to the right spot. He pretty much knows how things are going to work and the guys he can count on and the guys being where they belong all the time.”
Dalton has leaned heavily on star wide receiver A.J. Green, as has been the case since both entered the league. The Bengals took Green with the No. 4 overall pick in 2011; they took Dalton at No. 35 in that same draft. Green went over 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first four seasons, and is on track to do so again this year. Through seven games, the Georgia product has a 46 catches for 649 yards (both team highs) and 4 touchdowns. Browns cornerback Joe Haden has played Green well dating back to their days at Florida and Georgia, respectively, but Haden will miss the Thursday night tilt, as will safety Donte Whitner. Haden’s absence could mean even more balls going Green’s way.
“A.J.’s such a good player,” said Dalton. “Anytime that we have the chance to get him the ball, we’re going to do it. He’s playing like we know he can play. He’s one of the best receivers in the NFL.”
364 days ago, the Browns shocked the Bengals in Cincinnati. Dalton played one of the worst games that quarterback can play. He completed just 10-of-33 passes for a grand total of 86 yards. He threw zero touchdowns and three interceptions. He was sacked twice. Jason Campbell came in for mop-up duty as the Browns won, 24-3. The Bengals will be looking to flip the script this time around. (Though one could argue that they already got their revenge in last year’s return game.)
“We didn’t play very well as a football team that night,” Marvin Lewis said. “The quarterback gets the brunt of it. Last year, we lost the football game here and we have to do better this time around.”
7 Comments
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Chris Johnson is on the Indians, not the Browns.
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