Sep 21, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) against the Tennessee Titans at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 33-7. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Throughout the offseason, Andy Dalton has been under much scrutiny after suffering yet another early playoff loss. The Bengals gave him a new contract and put their faith in him; an incentive-laden deal, which pays based on performance and playoff success. Under Hue Jackson, it seems there is something different about Dalton. He isn’t forcing any throws any longer, he throws only where his guy can get it, and throws the ball away when the situation calls for it. He is playing smart. He’s taking the big plays when they are there, while also maintaining the offense’s tempo. Fans are seeing the development of “Smart Andy.”
Last year, Dalton struggled mightily against blitzes; he threw for a 14:9 touchdown to interception ratio when facing a blitz while completing only 51.8% of his passes under duress. Against the Ravens, we saw the beginnings of Dalton’s transformation. Dalton completed 6/9 passes against the blitz for 118 yards and a touchdown. This is the Andy Dalton Bengals fans have been waiting for since he entered the league. It’s also the Dalton that would be more successful during playoff games. The Ravens game was huge for Dalton beyond his actual performance. After four years, Dalton finally beat the Baltimore Ravens in their own house. Not only that, it was the first time he has not thrown an interception in their stadium as well. The accomplishment is huge for Dalton and signifies he’s a capable quarterback on the road and in a big-time, divisional game.
When facing the Falcons, Dalton continued to his newfound “Smart Andy” skills. After watching game film, it became evident that Dalton put nearly every one of his passes where only his receiver could get it. Facing an all-out blitz against, Dalton stayed poised and threw a dart to Mohammed Sanu, which ended up going for a long touchdown; clearly Dalton’s best throw this year.
He was also resourceful while under duress. When Dalton found himself trapped in the pocket on one particular play, rather than throw it away–which would’ve earned him an intentional grounding penalty–or take a sack, Dalton yelled for Giovani Bernard and pitched him the ball. Bernard subsequently took that pitch for 46 yards.
Dalton’s display of poise and resourcefulness are new and welcomed sights for both fans and the team.
One may say Dalton is doing so well because of the plethora of weapons around him. So far, he has been without wide receiver Marvin Jones and tight end Tyler Eifert. This while Dalton had to play without star receiver A.J. Green when facing the Falcons. How did Dalton respond? He threw for 252 yards, had a quarterback rating of 116.6, and threw no interceptions. In fact, Dalton leads the league in yards per pass attempt with 8.60 and has never completed less than 65.2% of his throws this year. While these are not amazing stats, it’s shows how far Dalton has come. Bengals fans know that Dalton can have a huge game and throw three touchdown passes in numerous games; we’ve seen it. But what we’re seeing now is the evolution of Dalton where instead of playing like “Bad Andy,” he makes the smart throws and doesn’t put his team in poor positions.
Jay Gruden may have brought Andy Dalton along as a passer, but it appears Hue Jackson is pushing him in the best direction for him. He may not have 33 touchdowns like last season, but he may won’t have 20 interceptions either. Turnovers have always plagued Dalton’s career in big games. If he truly has turned the corner, we have arrived in the “Smart Andy” era.