AJ McCarron healthy, hoping to push Andy Dalton

[combatbengal]

This guy is wanting to compete for the starting role and push Dalton. We now have Pryor as well. Dalton has all the tools and weapons that he needs for a successful season and playoff wins. No more excuses! O line would be strong, our RB's are awesome, TE is back from injury, WR corp is much healthier, and def will be solid!

[UK Bengal]

apparently McCarron is overthrowing denarius moore on long routes thanks to new mechanics. Its not inconceivable that if he shows this off during camp and preseason and if Dalton pulls a last 4 seasons then he could be given the nod for 2016 and Dalton gets cut/traded.

[Scottishbengal]

Is there much of a difference between Dalton and McCarron in terms of QB "style" ?? What I'm alluding to is that they are both reputed to be "game managers" rather than strong-arm QBs.

I think Pryor with his scrambling ability may offer a different dimension as a QB , but not sure if it'd be significant enough to challenge for starter or back-up role though.

Bring on the season .... can't wait !!

UK Bengal - you all organised for your Stateside trip ???

[UK Bengal]

cancelled until next year had to spend on home improvements first.

[HoosierCat]

Bummer. But I know the feeling. Every time I turn around some piece of the house needs repair or replacement. I swear once the kid movers out I am going to sell the place and buy one of these:

/>http://gizmodo.com/you-can-take-this-little-wind-and-solar-powered-home-an-1706538003

...and move into Army's backyard.

[ArmyBengal]

Bummer. But I know the feeling. Every time I turn around some piece of the house needs repair or replacement. I swear once the kid movers out I am going to sell the place and buy one of these:

...and move into Army's backyard.

I'm going through the household repair list as well.

Yesterday it was the dishwasher and last weekend both my lawn mower and leaf blower told me to f*ck off.

The costs haven't been brutal, but that crap adds up quick.

In regards to occupying space in my backyard, you will have to compete with the new awesome swing set the kids have and the weekend games of cornhole.

That being said, if you bring the beer, i'm in !!!

Anyone without young kids want to take a guess at the cost of one of those awesome swing sets ?? Not like it use to be when I had my teeter totter.

Of course we also had to fence in the backyard as well (thanks to Mrs. ArmyBengal) and the costs are non stop.

Did I mention you bringing beer ??

I'll let you play on the slide.

Wait, what was this thread about ???

[HoosierCat]

More good reports on McCarron to cheer up the Dalton haters:

/>http://www.cincyjungle.com/2015/6/7/8742839/wallace-gilberry-on-aj-mccarron-the-kid-is-doing-awesome

[ArmyBengal]

I'm hopeful to see McCarron really come on and make it tough on Dalton. All fans should want that from any player on the roster.

That being said, there's zero chance Dalton doesn't start every game this season minus an injury. ZERO.

If they fail in the playoffs (assuming they get there, which I think they do) maybe the seat is hotter for Dalton in 2016.

However, I still don't think another playoff failure will result in Dalton being given the boot.

Everyone loves the backup QB.

[gregcook68]

I'm hopeful to see McCarron really come on and make it tough on Dalton. All fans should want that from any player on the roster.

That being said, there's zero chance Dalton doesn't start every game this season minus an injury. ZERO.

If they fail in the playoffs (assuming they get there, which I think they do) maybe the seat is hotter for Dalton in 2016.

However, I still don't think another playoff failure will result in Dalton being given the boot.

Everyone loves the backup QB.

In all honesty, last year's playoff game, was twofold, it was their best chance, ASSUMING Atkins was back in form, and Jones, Eifert, and Burfict didn't go down for the season, however it ended up as their worst shot of the 4 years with all the players that were sitting for that game.

With what they drafted this year, and IF Atkins, Burfict, Jones, Eifert, and MJ can return to form, and they don't lose 3 key players for the season, they have as good of a shot at the AFC title than anyone else does.

[redsbengalsbucks]

I'm hopeful to see McCarron really come on and make it tough on Dalton. All fans should want that from any player on the roster.

That being said, there's zero chance Dalton doesn't start every game this season minus an injury. ZERO.

If they fail in the playoffs (assuming they get there, which I think they do) maybe the seat is hotter for Dalton in 2016.

However, I still don't think another playoff failure will result in Dalton being given the boot.

Everyone loves the backup QB.

I'd rather see Pryor turn it on and make it tough on AJ to keep the #2 QB spot. AJ is a Dalton clone, with about the same upside. Pryor brings a much different set of tools to the QB spot and a mobile back-up QB seems to fill in for a couple of games better than a clone, most of the time.

[ArmyBengal]

I'm hopeful to see McCarron really come on and make it tough on Dalton. All fans should want that from any player on the roster.

That being said, there's zero chance Dalton doesn't start every game this season minus an injury. ZERO.

If they fail in the playoffs (assuming they get there, which I think they do) maybe the seat is hotter for Dalton in 2016.

However, I still don't think another playoff failure will result in Dalton being given the boot.

Everyone loves the backup QB.

In all honesty, last year's playoff game, was twofold, it was their best chance, ASSUMING Atkins was back in form, and Jones, Eifert, and Burfict didn't go down for the season, however it ended up as their worst shot of the 4 years with all the players that were sitting for that game.

With what they drafted this year, and IF Atkins, Burfict, Jones, Eifert, and MJ can return to form, and they don't lose 3 key players for the season, they have as good of a shot at the AFC title than anyone else does.

I think it's twofold from the perspective of while Dalton hasn't come close to performing in the playoffs the way he has in the regular season, neither has the defense. Injuries hit us at the wrong time last year and the depth finally took a big sh*t on them, but there has to be accountability on both sides of the ball. Again, no excuses for one Mr. Dalton during those playoff losses.

[ArmyBengal]

I'm hopeful to see McCarron really come on and make it tough on Dalton. All fans should want that from any player on the roster.

That being said, there's zero chance Dalton doesn't start every game this season minus an injury. ZERO.

If they fail in the playoffs (assuming they get there, which I think they do) maybe the seat is hotter for Dalton in 2016.

However, I still don't think another playoff failure will result in Dalton being given the boot.

Everyone loves the backup QB.

I'd rather see Pryor turn it on and make it tough on AJ to keep the #2 QB spot. AJ is a Dalton clone, with about the same upside. Pryor brings a much different set of tools to the QB spot and a mobile back-up QB seems to fill in for a couple of games better than a clone, most of the time.

Yeah, no one is going to attempt to compare the rushing exploits of the two QB's while in college.

Pryor certainly has that aspect that can't be denied and made good on his rushing chances in Oakland as well.

That being said, his passing chances in Oakland left a lot to be desired.

Should he overcome those, who knows ??

[gregcook68]

I'm hopeful to see McCarron really come on and make it tough on Dalton. All fans should want that from any player on the roster.

That being said, there's zero chance Dalton doesn't start every game this season minus an injury. ZERO.

If they fail in the playoffs (assuming they get there, which I think they do) maybe the seat is hotter for Dalton in 2016.

However, I still don't think another playoff failure will result in Dalton being given the boot.

Everyone loves the backup QB.

In all honesty, last year's playoff game, was twofold, it was their best chance, ASSUMING Atkins was back in form, and Jones, Eifert, and Burfict didn't go down for the season, however it ended up as their worst shot of the 4 years with all the players that were sitting for that game.

With what they drafted this year, and IF Atkins, Burfict, Jones, Eifert, and MJ can return to form, and they don't lose 3 key players for the season, they have as good of a shot at the AFC title than anyone else does.

I think it's twofold from the perspective of while Dalton hasn't come close to performing in the playoffs the way he has in the regular season, neither has the defense. Injuries hit us at the wrong time last year and the depth finally took a big sh*t on them, but there has to be accountability on both sides of the ball. Again, no excuses for one Mr. Dalton during those playoff losses.

Point being last year was a fluke and cannot be compared from an offensive standpoint to the other 3 years, because of what the QB had to work with.

Outside of Brady, I don't see anyone performing well versus the Colts last year. Colts D knew it and was able to shut down the running game as well.

[HoosierCat]

Colts D knew it and was able to shut down the running game as well.

I'm not so sure about that. The Colts defense didn't shut down the Bengals' run game, another injury did. Jeremy Hill hurt his ankle on the second Cincy drive (the one that resulted in him going in for the team's only TD). On the first two Bengals drives, Hill piled up 36 yards (and a TD) on 8 carries, a very good 4.5-yard average. But he would get just one more carry (for 1 yard) the rest of the first half. After halftime they tried again but he managed just 4 carries for 10 yards.

Not surprisingly, the two drives with a healthy Hill were the two longest of the day (41 and 74 yards), resulted in 7 of their 10 points and 45% of their total net yards for the whole game. Equally unsurprisingly, Dalton was at his most efficient on those two drives, going 4 for 6 for 50 yards (almost a third of his total yards for the day) and averaging 12.5 yards a completion versus 7.5 yards a completion the rest of the way.

I know: small sample size & no guarantee that the Colts wouldn't have eventually stymied Hill too, but it sure looks like Jeremy going down was the real backbreaker against the Colts.

[gregcook68]

Colts D knew it and was able to shut down the running game as well.

I'm not so sure about that. The Colts defense didn't shut down the Bengals' run game, another injury did. Jeremy Hill hurt his ankle on the second Cincy drive (the one that resulted in him going in for the team's only TD). On the first two Bengals drives, Hill piled up 36 yards (and a TD) on 8 carries, a very good 4.5-yard average. But he would get just one more carry (for 1 yard) the rest of the first half. After halftime they tried again but he managed just 4 carries for 10 yards.

Not surprisingly, the two drives with a healthy Hill were the two longest of the day (41 and 74 yards), resulted in 7 of their 10 points and 45% of their total net yards for the whole game. Equally unsurprisingly, Dalton was at his most efficient on those two drives, going 4 for 6 for 50 yards (almost a third of his total yards for the day) and averaging 12.5 yards a completion versus 7.5 yards a completion the rest of the way.

I know: small sample size & no guarantee that the Colts wouldn't have eventually stymied Hill too, but it sure looks like Jeremy going down was the real backbreaker against the Colts.

Good point. I had forgotten all about Hill's injury. That left an even more pathetic offense!

[ShulaSteakhouse]

A little more McCarron stuff:

"The NFL piece explores the dynamics of Dalton's contract as well: He makes $96m over the life of the deal, which is essentially year-to-year. Having never won a playoff game and being in the bottom ten in nearly every statistical efficiency category may mean the McCarron era arrives sooner rather than later."

http://www.rollbamaroll.com/2015/6/21/8820095/a-j-mccarron-making-moves-in-cincinnati

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000498117/article/aj-mccarron-can-be-startingquality-qb-for-bengals

I am looking forward to seeing him play in preseason.

Anything that points to the hopeful end of the Dalton era is fine by me.

[redsbengalsbucks]

Dalton would have to have some really bad games or an injury for McCarron to sniff the field. I don't see it in the cards for him, Dalton has been an above average QB and has a lot more weapons this season than last. Most likely this is the season that puts an end to most of the Dalton hate, but at least McCarron gives the team a viable backup that has some upside.

Maybe I'm wrong and the Bledsoe - Brady thing happens again, where a good QB gets injured only to have his late round backup take his job convincingly. I don't expect it, even if McCarron gets a start or two due to injury, we will see Dalton back ASAP.

[GapControl]

Bledsoe was much better than Dalton

[HoosierCat]

Bledsoe was much better than Dalton

No, he wasn't.

[redsbengalsbucks]

Bledsoe was much better than Dalton

I'd say about the same, above average QB.

[HoosierCat]

I'd say Dalton is clearly better than Drew, but it's an interesting comparison. Bledsoe has a career rating of 77.1, which trails Andy's 85.2. The 88.8 Dalton put up in 2013 is better than any year of Drew's, and Bledsoe had just 5 winning seasons (out of 14) as a starter, a feat Andy will probably match this year.

All that said, Bledsoe has three things Dalton doesn't: 3 playoff wins (in 6 games). However, a closer look shows that Drew, like Andy, generally played poorly in the postseason. The difference is that he was rescued by his defense.

His first playoff win came in 1996 against the Steelers. Drew was a Daltonian 14/24/164 with 1 TD and 2 picks. However, Curtis Martin ran for 166 yards and 3 TDs and the NE defense held Pitt to 3 points.

His second win came a week later against Jacksonville. Again, Bledsoe was unimpressive: 20/33/178, no TDs, 1 pick. But again, the NE defense held Jax to just two field goals. A week later, Bledsoe would throw 4 interceptions in a 14-point Super Bowl loss to Green Bay.

Drew's last playoff win would come in 1997 against Miami. Once more, he was meh: 16/32/139 and a TD. And once again, the D came through, holding the Fins to just 3 points.

So to sum up, in Bledsoe's 3 postseason wins, his defenses allowed a total of 12 points in 12 quarters. Andy's postseason record would probably include at least 3 playoff wins by now if our D were that good. But Bledsoe was never able to elevate his game to get a win when the D wasn't playing lights out in the postseason. So far, Dalton has struggled to do that as well.

[ArmyBengal]

"Being in the bottom 10 in nearly every statistical efficiency category"

I'm not here to simply defend Dalton, but what exactly is the point of the above ??

The only "efficiency" category, depending on definition is passer rating/efficiency and yes, he was bottom 10 for sure. Right above Cam Newton.

When looking at every other statistical category, he was not in the bottom 10 of any of them with the exception of INT's thrown, but no QB is not alone in that aspect.

While Dalton certainly has room to improve, I hate articles that simply go after a guy and sling crap.

Also, anyone thinking McCarron is going to take the starters spot from Dalton is dreaming.

I also can't wait to see him play in the preseason, but that doesn't come along with the thoughts Dalton won't be here in 2016 as the starter barring injury.

Anyone wanting Dalton to leave would be better suited to root for a change in coaching rather than thinking another player is going to beat him out.

[HoosierCat]

I also can't wait to see him play in the preseason, but that doesn't come along with the thoughts Dalton won't be here in 2016 as the starter barring injury.

Anyone wanting Dalton to leave would be better suited to root for a change in coaching rather than thinking another player is going to beat him out.

Pretty much. Look at history: let's say the Bengals had a QB who over the past four seasons missed 12 games, averaged more than one pick per game when he did play and hadn't posted a season rating higher than 86.7. Over that time the QB had gone 21-31 as a starter and lost his only playoff game by 10 points (and it wasn't that close). Time for a new QB? Not in Cincy, where the organization pulled out all the stops to try and woo Carson Palmer back in 2011 after posting those numbers in 2007-10.

Short of a total implosion or that coaching change, Andy will be QB in Cincy for a long time to come.

[gregcook68]

"Being in the bottom 10 in nearly every statistical efficiency category"

I'm not here to simply defend Dalton, but what exactly is the point of the above ??

The only "efficiency" category, depending on definition is passer rating/efficiency and yes, he was bottom 10 for sure. Right above Cam Newton.

When looking at every other statistical category, he was not in the bottom 10 of any of them with the exception of INT's thrown, but no QB is not alone in that aspect.

While Dalton certainly has room to improve, I hate articles that simply go after a guy and sling crap.

Also, anyone thinking McCarron is going to take the starters spot from Dalton is dreaming.

I also can't wait to see him play in the preseason, but that doesn't come along with the thoughts Dalton won't be here in 2016 as the starter barring injury.

Anyone wanting Dalton to leave would be better suited to root for a change in coaching rather than thinking another player is going to beat him out.

Couldn't agree more.

Myself, I followed scores in the 90s, and hoped they won. I didn't go out of my way to watch any games, but to piss and moan for 10 years about how bad they were was counter productive for me.

[HoosierCat]

I will cop to pissing and moaning copiously throughout the Nineties. But in my defense, there were some really crappy teams (and even crappier behavior on the part of the front office) to piss and moan about. Suffice it to say that the Bengals today are a lot more enjoyable.

I can still be reflexively cynical and negative about the club, but it's more out of nostalgia than anything else.