Dalton vs Blitz week 2

[NCBengal]

it was a stupid call with 51 seconds on the clock. I hate that moronic shit. I give Marvin defensive credit, but his clock management and TOs suck pretty good

Awful is not even the appropriate word for his game management skills... more like non-existent. I went to get a beer and next thing I know we only have 1 time out left and time still remaining on the clock in the 1ST QUARTER. wtf.

 

[flamingrey]

He wasn't able to manage those games because 1) He folded under pressure, and 2) He had no running game. The defense played below its ability against both San Diego and Houston. Usually one team or the other takes over the lines of scrimmage, both running the ball well and stopping the other team's run. Houston and San Diego both ran it down our throats. That forced the quarterback to be a play maker, and Dalton failed miserably. If we can run the ball and play defense against the run, a game manager is all that's required at qb. So in effect I am saying we haven't yet put the quarterback in the position to manage the game, not that I think Dalton still wouldn't have mismanaged it.

Against SD, the defense gave up 7 points in the first half and 7 points on SD's first drive in the 3rd quarter. The score still being 14-10. The defense did its job and put Dalton in a position where he didn't have to do anything more than manage the game. And he blew it. Unless your expectation is that the defense never allows the Bengals to trail in the playoffs.

Houston was a similar story.

 

[kramer1]

That throw Sanu made was a thing a beauty. One Dalton is completely incapable of making. I laughed.

 

[alf8478]

Against SD, the defense gave up 7 points in the first half and 7 points on SD's first drive in the 3rd quarter. The score still being 14-10. The defense did its job and put Dalton in a position where he didn't have to do anything more than manage the game. And he blew it. Unless your expectation is that the defense never allows the Bengals to trail in the playoffs.

Houston was a similar story.

The first Houston game we were in over our heads. We over-achieved that season. And the game was over after Watt's touchdown going into the half.
The second Houston game, for as bad as it was, if Dalton doesn't overthrow (for a change) AJ in the end zone, we win the game and all of this is moot.
The San Diego game was really, in my opinion, the biggest team breakdown and embarrassing performance.

All that being said, the Dalton led Bengals have only scored 6 points in the 2nd half of all three playoff games. That's what needs to change in order to finally win.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Our defense is imo good enough to beat playoff teams with a good game manager at quarterback. If Dalton doesn't make big mistakes we're as good as anyone else.

I think Dalton has the ability to be better than a game manager, but I agree with Doug. If Dalton had done in the playoff game last year, what he did Sunday, we would have beat SD. Instead we threw 2 or 3 INT's and had a 2 fumbles. You can't win a game turning the ball over 4 to 5 times.

Give him a "reliable" run game, doesn't have to be spectacular, just decent, keep AJ and our TE's healthy, and this offense can score some points.

 

[bengaldoug]

Hill is such an upgrade over the Firm that he makes our running game lethal. Add Hue's run the ball attitude and you'll have a team that can win against anyone, anytime, if Dalton continues to play mistake free football. We already know we have one of the best defenses in the league. If we can run the ball, it does limit the requirement for the quarterback making big plays. Russell Wilson is pretty much a game manager, though a very effective one. I believe we can win that way now, because of our improved running game and the possibility Dalton can become an effective game manager. He's never going to be anything more, and he's not there yet, but he is at least going in the right direction for now. Next week could change everything of course.

 

[flamingrey]

I think one important factor to remember is that our new offense under Hue has only been installed for 2 weeks. There is little game film on it as of now. That will change come playoff time. What the overall effect of that will be is to be seen though.

 

[cincygrad]

I think one important factor to remember is that our new offense under Hue has only been installed for 2 weeks. There is little game film on it as of now. That will change come playoff time. What the overall effect of that will be is to be seen though.

Time will tell. Hopefully Hue will continue to evolve as defenses catch up to him. He does have a track record of getting a lot out of his players and he is leveraging his biggest asset (his o-line) in his approach to the game. So I'm hoping it continues.

 

[DanBengalfan]

he helped Marcel Reece become a fantasy football fill in for Darren McFadden owners.

I'd say he's pretty good.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

That throw Sanu made was a thing a beauty. One Dalton is completely incapable of making. I laughed.

Sanu throws a beautiful spiral on target. He is probably our best backup QB. Dalton has made some good throws and I am glad he has performed much better this year in Hue's offense. But you are right Kramer, Dalton doesn't complete that exact pass very often.

Sanu is now:

3 for 3 for 148 yards and 1 TD (Averaging damn near 50 yards per pass attempt and completion).

Needless to say, he has a perfect passer rating of 158.3.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Sanu dazzled in college with the option package, even taking direct snaps from center.

wouldn't want him to do backup QB unless he was primarily handing the ball off to the rb's
we'd likely be down a few QBs at that point and he'd likely get hurt as well.

 

[Cincyfan78]

When five or more rushers come at Dalton, he is sporting a QBR of 80.2 this season. Last year when teams blitzed him, Dalton's QBR was 51.6 and ranked 20th in the league.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

When five or more rushers come at Dalton, he is sporting a QBR of 80.2 this season. Last year when teams blitzed him, Dalton's QBR was 51.6 and ranked 20th in the league.

Once again, small sample size, but I love the direction this thing is headed in. Maybe with a little financial security and a consistent set of players coming up around him and a OC that understands his strengths and limits, maybe Dalton can get over that hump.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Once again, small sample size, but I love the direction this thing is headed in. Maybe with a little financial security and a consistent set of players coming up around him and a OC that understands his strengths and limits, maybe Dalton can get over that hump.

It is a small sample size, and there are going to be games where he still struggles. Every QB goes through that. The key this year has been, IMO, he has less overall on his shoulders. The routes are set up so that he doesn't have to always make difficult throws in the face of pressure.

Under Gruden Dalton was averaging nearly 40 passing attempts per game last year. Dalton is a solid QB, but he's not a guy that you want throwing the ball that many times, on average.

Under Hue he's down around 30, I think it is...Yes, there will be games he needs to throw more, but in the games he doesn't, Hue has done a great job of not extending him beyond what is needed. With less overall pressure on him through the game, it allows him, again IMO, to focus better when the pressure is on.

His overall awareness seems to have improved in the pocket, as well as standing tall and not wilting in the face of pressure. Also, his 2 big throws were adjustments against the blitz that he called for the extra protection, and having the WR on the same page...those are things that come with playing and experience.

Now, again...2 games doesn't a season make, but it is at least a positive sign. Tenn has been good against the pass this year, so this weekend could be a good test. Especially since they will also see a very similar defense out of Pitt down the road, and we know how Andy has fared against Pitt.