January 13, 201610 yr If some team is willing to give up multiple first round, or a bunch of early round picks to get AJ, why would you not trade him? Money that's the bottom line with Mike Brown. Imo Brown is more likely to get rid of Dalton and his big contract than trade a very cheap McCarron.
January 13, 201610 yr Money that's the bottom line with Mike Brown. Imo Brown is more likely to get rid of Dalton and his big contract than trade a very cheap McCarron. When it comes to money and putting a team together, I am not sure how people can try to use the Mike Brown is cheap stuff anymore. Mike Brown has went out and spent plenty of money to make sure we keep the talented players we have here, especially our best players. Gone are the days of our best players leaving because of him not wanting to spend the money. That narrative has been gone for awhile now. With that said if Dalton didn't have the year he did this year, which was a top 5 QB year. Then they very well could have decided to trade Dalton, especially after McCarron proved he probably will end up being a very good starting QB. Because it would have made sense to trade Dalton to free up money to sign all the free agents we have. However with Dalton having the year he did this year, that won't happen.
January 13, 201610 yr If I were the Bengals, I would see what a team in need of a QB, like Houston, would be willing to give up for McCarron.
January 13, 201610 yr If I were the Bengals, I would see what a team in need of a QB, like Houston, would be willing to give up for McCarron. IMO the only way I trade him is if a team would give up a 1st rounder. There are already enough bad starting QBs in the league, so that means the quality backups in the league are just horrible. Dalton just had a career year, but is coming off an injury and is about to lose his OC, a guy that really was able to push Dalton. So it would be interesting to see if Dalton still stays at his top 5 QB level, or if he goes back down to the middle of the pack QB he was for his first four years. That is why I wouldn't trade McCarron yet, unless you are getting a 1st rounder in return.
January 13, 201610 yr AD is better, no doubt and probably always will be. With that said to say we would have won with AD is just not true, maybe but still 50/50. The Steelers played it pretty close to he vest protecting the lead and knowing AJ wasn't going to score a lot of points. Who knows what would have happened in a shootout, which probably would have happened with AD.
January 13, 201610 yr AD is better, no doubt and probably always will be. With that said to say we would have won with AD is just not true, maybe but still 50/50. The Steelers played it pretty close to he vest protecting the lead and knowing AJ wasn't going to score a lot of points. Who knows what would have happened in a shootout, which probably would have happened with AD. I still don't get how people think with Dalton we would have scored a lot more. Dalton has two good games against the Steelers in his career. As good as Dalton was this year, he and the offense wasn't great agaisnt the Steelers. In a game in perfect weather and conditions and played at 1 oclock the Bengals still only scored 16 points in the first game with Dalton this year. So I don't get the whole we score a lot more with Dalton when in perfect playing conditions he also only put up 16 points against them too. It just comes down to this, as bad as the Steelers defense is against most teams. When they play the Bengals they match up well with their zone blitzes and have always put pressure on Dalton and now McCarron and why our offense even with Dalton has not done well against them. As for Dalton being better that he is. As for Dalton always being better that is debatable. McCarron in his second year in only 5 starts can be debated to have looked better than Dalton did in his second year especially in pressure moments. Dalton by year 5 though was definitely playing as a top 5 qb.
January 13, 201610 yr I will add this I am not saying I rather have McCarron starting. Before this season I was saying start McCarron. However Dalton completely proved me wrong and at this point is definitely the better QB. I do think McCarron is going to be very good and possibly even better than Dalton, because I do think McCarron in year 2 looked better than Dalton in year 2. However in terms of who gives this team the best chance to win right now, it is definitely Dalton. I am just saying offensively I am not sure how others can say we score a lot more with Dalton against Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh basically shut down our offense the first game this year too, and it took a Shawn Williams interception with 5 minutes to go to set up the offense to get the winning touchdown to get to 16 points and that was in perfect weather. We have no idea how they would have done with Dalton and based off the one game he did play against the Steelers, its hard to say they score a lot more than the 16 he had the first game, when it was raining this whole game.
January 13, 201610 yr Saying McCarron looked better than Dalton in year 2 is not a fair comparison... In Dalton's 2nd year... The OC Gruden was also in "his" second year coaching in the NFL (where Hue has been in the league forever)... AJ Green was in his second year... I can't remember if they even had Jones and Sanu, but if so, they were rookies. Eiffert wasn't there, Gio wasn't there, Hill wasn't there, Hewitt wasn't there, etc. So, it's also easy to argue that McCarron had more "help" from more experienced teammates and a more experienced OC than Dalton had. All that said, AJ did very well IMO... But I don't think he personally played better than Dalton in year 2 and I know (as you've agreed) he's not currently on Dalton's level.
January 13, 201610 yr Saying McCarron looked better than Dalton in year 2 is not a fair comparison... In Dalton's 2nd year... The OC Gruden was also in "his" second year, Green was in his second year... I can't remember if they even had Jones and Sanu, but if so, they were rookies. Eiffert wasn't there, Gio wasn't there, Hill wasn't there, Hewitt wasn't there, etc. So, it's also easy to argue that McCarron had more "help" from more experienced teammates and a more experienced OC than Dalton had. All that said, AJ did very well IMO... But I don't think he personally played better than Dalton in year 2 and I know (as you've agreed) he's not currently on Dalton's level. Dalton in year 2 basically beat teams that they were suppose to beat. Didn't have great numbers, and in the big moments looked very bad. Shoot in the big moments Dalton looked very bad in year 4 still. McCarron in year 2 beat the teams he was suppose to beat. Played two huge prime time games against Denver and Pittsburgh and the moment didn't seem to bother him at all like it did Dalton that year. Even in the playoff game after playing bad most of the game, when he had a chance at the end of the game to make throws to win the game he did it. Dalton when he had a chance to win the game at the end in the playoffs he missed the throws. Everything about Dalton's demeanor looked bad in the big moments his first 4 years. That did seem to change this year though finally. Which you are right in year 2 Dalton had an OC that was in year 2, Green year 2, Jones and Sanu were rookies. However he also had a full year of experience of playing and reading NFL defenses, had already played in a playoff game and had 32 games worth of starts before his second playoff game and yet still didn't look as good in the moment. So I do think I would take McCarron in year 2 over Dalton in year two. Especially if he would have had a chance to have had all the experience Dalton had by year 2. However in terms of who is better for this team right now it is definitely Dalton and that can't be argued.
January 13, 201610 yr Dalton in year 2 basically beat teams that they were suppose to beat. Didn't have great numbers, and in the big moments looked very bad. Shoot in the big moments Dalton looked very bad in year 4 still. McCarron in year 2 beat the teams he was suppose to beat. Played two huge prime time games against Denver and Pittsburgh and the moment didn't seem to bother him at all like it did Dalton that year. Even in the playoff game after playing bad most of the game, when he had a chance at the end of the game to make throws to win the game he did it. Dalton when he had a chance to win the game at the end in the playoffs he missed the throws. Everything about Dalton's demeanor looked bad in the big moments his first 4 years. That did seem to change this year though finally. Which you are right in year 2 Dalton had an OC that was in year 2, Green year 2, Jones and Sanu were rookies. However he also had a full year of experience of playing and reading NFL defenses, had already played in a playoff game and had 32 games worth of starts before his second playoff game and yet still didn't look as good in the moment. So I do think I would take McCarron in year 2 over Dalton in year two. Especially if he would have had a chance to have had all the experience Dalton had by year 2. However in terms of who is better for this team right now it is definitely Dalton and that can't be argued. The "moment" in Denver didn't bother AJ when he had a chance to drive the team to victory and he lost the shotgun snap? Come on FC, the kid did well... But SF and Baltimore were terrible teams... I like McCarron though.
January 13, 201610 yr The "moment" in Denver didn't bother AJ when he had a chance to drive the team to victory and he lost the shotgun snap? Come on FC, the kid did well... But SF and Baltimore were terrible teams... I like McCarron though. Agreed and that is why I said he beat the teams he was suppose to beat. And no I don't think being scared or nervous in the moment is the reason he lost the snap in Denver. He was looking up at the defense and the center snapped it, now he has to make sure he catches it though. At the end of the day a QB has to be able to put bad moments or games behind him correct? With Dalton his first four years, we knew exactly what type of game Dalton was going to have after the first quarter. He was one when he started out bad, usually stayed bad all game. Hence his 2.0 QBR in his 4th season during their prime time game against the Browns. McCarron in his 5th start and 1st playoff start, played overall bad most of the game against the Steelers. However even with all of that when it came time to the 4th quarter and he had to make the throws needed for us to win, he was able to do that. Stuff like that we weren't able to see from Dalton in year two, and honestly all the way up to year 4. Dalton in year 2 was a middle of the road top 15 to 20 starting QB who benefitted from a top 10 defense and won the games he should. Which I think McCarron in year two would have been in the same range. Only difference would be their demeanor in big moments, and is why I would have taken McCarron in year 2 over Dalton in year 2.
January 13, 201610 yr I am not sure what the debate is here, because I agree that Dalton is the best choice for this team to win right now. I was just mainly commenting on how someone said they don't think McCarron will ever be better than Dalton. I do think he has a chance to, and just pointing out how in year 2 with just 5 starts he looked basically the same as Dalton in year two but with a much better demeanor to handle the big moments. That is why I think he has a chance to eventually be better than Dalton, but that doesn't mean right now.
January 13, 201610 yr Agreed and that is why I said he beat the teams he was suppose to beat. And no I don't think being scared or nervous in the moment is the reason he lost the snap in Denver. He was looking up at the defense and the center snapped it, now he has to make sure he catches it though. At the end of the day a QB has to be able to put bad moments or games behind him correct? With Dalton his first four years, we knew exactly what type of game Dalton was going to have after the first quarter. He was one when he started out bad, usually stayed bad all game. Hence his 2.0 QBR in his 4th season during their prime time game against the Browns. McCarron in his 5th start and 1st playoff start, played overall bad most of the game against the Steelers. However even with all of that when it came time to the 4th quarter and he had to make the throws needed for us to win, he was able to do that. Stuff like that we weren't able to see from Dalton in year two, and honestly all the way up to year 4. Dalton in year 2 was a middle of the road top 15 to 20 starting QB who benefitted from a top 10 defense and won the games he should. Which I think McCarron in year two would have been in the same range. Only difference would be their demeanor in big moments, and is why I would have taken McCarron in year 2 over Dalton in year 2. Well, we're splitting hairs... Cause I think we both agree they were both good "average" QB's in year 2... And Dalton is "above average" now. So, agreed... Really no debate.... Although McCarron had the benefit of having Dalton to help in meetings, practice and during the game too... Dalton had Gratkowski. Edited January 13, 201610 yr by footmaster
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