Why The Bengals Will Return To Form In 2017

Ginger Man

Yes, the offense wasn’t great in the red zone. Sure, you can try to blame it on the leader. Finally, it’s all on his shoulders as the leader. But, through the problems and unforeseen glitches, Andy Dalton had a darn good  year. His numbers didn’t match the stats that he piled up in 2015 before getting injured but he was still steady.

C’mon, man. Give the guy a break. Ken Zampese was Dalton’s third OC in six campaigns as signal caller. Even if the scheme is the same, there are bound to be different philosophies tied to the play calling. What Jay Gruden did was a far cry from what Hue Jackson liked to do. As the season progressed, Dalton and Zampese seemed to get on the same page.

There was also the loss of deep threats Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones. Brandon LaFell finally developed the chemistry with Dalton that fans wanted to see. But, there was still the lack of offensive punch. Tyler Boyd also stepped to the forefront and offered his abilities. But, one training camp with new weapons doesn’t guarantee memories will fade. It takes time to develop a connection with the new toys. Hopefully, the offseason will be a time for them to connect.

Dalton was still able to tie a franchise record. His 4,206 yards linked him with Carson Palmer as the only player to hit the 4,00-yard mark twice. Look for him to come out strong.