The Cincinnati Bengals are sitting at 10-5 now and have locked up the AFC North title. One of the main question marks over the last couple years has been whether or not quarterback Andy Dalton is the type of guy that can lead them to a championship. Dalton has given critics a few reasons to doubt him with his inconsistent play, but he appears to be turning into a championship caliber quarterback as the season moves along.
Through 15 starts with the Bengals this season, Dalton has thrown for 4,015 yards and 31 touchdowns, but has also thrown 16 interceptions. Dalton has had an issue with interceptions throughout his career, and it comes from his gunslinger mentality. His nickname is “The Red Rifle” and he looks to make plays at all times which lead to his turnover problems.
All that being said, he has shown this season that he’s capable of leading the Bengals to big wins. Cincinnati has a lot of big, athletic options for Dalton to throw the football to, which makes his job easier. Having a guy like A.J. Green at 6’4″ and 207 pounds that he can lob the football up to when he needs a play is something that not many other NFL quarterbacks have at their disposal.
The question comes down to, does Andy Dalton do enough to be a Super Bowl winning quarterback? One word to answer that question is a simple, yes. He’s got a very strong arm and is improving in his decision making as he gains more experience, and has all the targets necessary to make plays for him. Cincinnati has a very solid rushing attack as well which will continue to take more pressure from Dalton’s shoulders.
Cincinnati may not be the most feared team in the AFC, but they are a legitimate Super Bowl contender this season. Their defense is very good and the offense is getting better as the season continues moving on.
Evan Massey is a Staff Writer for The Inscriber. Follow Evan on Twitter at @Massey_Evan.