‘I Am Going to be Here for a Long Time’ -Andy Dalton MMQB Interview

[oldschooler]

‘I Am Going to be Here for a Long Time’

 

Andy Dalton on his contract extention, the art of the quarterback sneak, searching for his first playoff win (and second and third), and the biggest difference now that Hue Jackson is the Bengals’ offensive coordinator

 

 

CINCINNATI — It’s getting cold in The Queen City, but the Bengals turned up the heat last weekend with a 27-24 victory over the Ravens to take sole possession of first place in the AFC North. After the team’s Thursday morning walk-through practice, The MMQB caught up with quarterback Andy Dalton, who last Sunday capped an 80-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to top the division rival. The fourth-year pro, who was awarded with a $115 million contract extension this offseason, has been the face of the franchise’s highs and lows the past few seasons. As he donned a white Bengals baseball cap, he made clear that he’s keeping his focus looking forward.

VRENTAS: What’s the secret to a successful quarterback sneak? You seem to have it down.

DALTON: Do whatever you can to keep your legs moving. That’s just what it comes down to. It’s really more the guys up front than me. Whenever we call it, we have been successful. The way the Ravens lined up [on the game-winning touchdown], I thought it was going to be a good look. After getting the snap, I had the initial surge, and then everybody came in and gave me a good push at the end. Got in. But as soon as we lined up, I thought it was going to work.

VRENTAS: We’re now three years removed from the 2011 draft. You and Colin Kaepernick were taken with picks 35 and 36 and have been to the playoffs. Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder were taken eight, 10, 12 that year. Ever wonder why they haven’t had the same success?

DALTON: It’s all about coming into a good situation. Colin and I both came to good places that kind of fit us well. You always kind of wonder, What would it have been like if things would have been different in that first round? If either Colin or I had gone there, what would have happened? But I wasn’t too worried about it. You always hear, “You want to get drafted as high as you can.” But it’s not how high you get drafted, it’s about going to the right place, and that’s definitely what happened for me.

VRENTAS: What did scouts miss about TCU quarterback Andy Dalton?

DALTON: When you get into the draft, height is one thing. And you see some of these bigger conference guys tend to go earlier. It’s just part of it. Obviously I felt like I could play with anybody, any of those guys.

VRENTAS: How was this offseason for you after losing to San Diego in the playoffs?


DALTON: You had an opportunity, and you didn’t take advantage of it, so it was tough. But you have to move past it. The best thing that we can do is get back to the playoffs and win a playoff game, so we can put all that other stuff behind us, those three losses before. That’s the goal of this team: get back to the playoffs and be playing our best once we are there. And it’s not just about one playoff win. That’s the one thing everybody talks about, “Yeah, they haven’t won in the playoffs.” But if you win one game and lose the next, you are sitting at home just like you are if you lose the first one. The goal is to really make a run at it.
VRENTAS: Do you think it’s fair that many people judge you more for the three playoff losses rather than all of the regular season wins?

DALTON: That’s the one thing I haven’t done yet, is to win in the playoffs, so they have the right to say it. But there are a lot of really good quarterbacks in this league that didn’t start off winning a bunch of playoff games. You even look at Peyton [Manning], he’s a guy who didn’t win his first three playoff games. You go back and look at guys, and you see what they did, and I feel like I am right there with everybody. I still feel like I have had a lot of success here.

VRENTAS: What’s the biggest difference between playing for Hue Jackson, your new offensive coordinator, versus Jay Gruden, your old one?

DALTON: Their styles. They way they are. Hue is more aggressive, in your face. He lets his point be known, whereas Jay is more laidback. That’s the biggest difference. With Hue and I, as soon as he got the job, we have had a good relationship. There’s a lot of give and take there, a lot of asking what I like. His big thing is about doing everything quick, whether it is the speed of your drop, the way you run routes, whatever it might be. The way his offense is, and the way you practice, it’s about the drop, getting back quickly, and seeing the field as quickly as you can. He has definitely pushed me to be a better player.

VRENTAS: Has Hue’s in-your-face approach rubbed off on you at all?

DALTON: There are times when I speak up a little bit more. I am still me, but in certain situations that go on in games, whether it be an important drive that we’ve got to have, or if things aren’t going the way we don’t want them to, I’ll say something. At that point late in the Ravens game, I was just telling everybody, I have confidence that we are going to go down there and score. And it worked.

VRENTAS: Has your confidence changed since the organization invested in you, literally, this offseason?

DALTON: Since I have been here, I feel like everyone has had confidence in me. Signing the contract was just letting everybody else know the organization has confidence in me. I’m still the starting quarterback. I’m still the guy that is leading this team. Now I just know I am going to be here for a long time.

 

 

 

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/10/31/nfl-andy-dalton-cincinnati-bengals-the-friday-interview/

 

[Jason]

Go is gonna be PO'd.

:lol:

[Slag911]

A sad truth.  I think Andy has really been a bright spot this season and I am so glad they re-signed him to a long term deal.  The alternative of trying to bring in someone else to be successful right away is never a good one.  Although he has broken my heart in the playoffs three times now, I still think he has what it takes to lead the Bengals to the Superbowl.  I am not sure why, but the team just melts as a whole in big games (NE & Indy this year for sure).  That to me is a coaching problem.  For those of you who don't like him, that will never change even if he wins a ring for you.  Flacco in Baltimore has the same whiners and non-believers after he has won the superbowl.  To me, it's more of a personality thing to hate on the quarterback.  I was on the "fire him" bandwagon for awhile mostly because we lost again last year.  But to be honest, he has shown me that he has really been carrying the team for the most part this year on his back.  To refresh your memories, Flacco threw two interceptions this week that allowed for us to win the game.  That stuff just happens in the flow of a game and a QB needs to have the ability fight back against his own mistakes.  IMHO he did that this last week.  I will say that Andy Dalton seems a lot tougher then Carson Palmer ever was mentally.

 

Unfortunately I really don't think this team will get to and win in the playoffs unless they can stop the mental mistakes, pass drops, and defensive meltdowns they have "as a team" in big games.  I had more confidence last year with some of the big wins we had then I do with all the injuries and mistakes I see on Sunday this year. 

 

Pivitol game - next Thursday night.  My prediction:  if they can't get that game won they won't survive the tougher game schedule at the end of the season or ultimately in the payoffs.  We need at least 5 more wins to qualify and they simply won't make it if they lose the winnable games on the schedule.  To be fair to Andy though...how many other QBs would survive the loss of their two starting WRs?  I hope AJ can get back on the field consistently soon.  I don't want to exist in a Bengals world where he's not out there on Sunday helping Andy out.  Our offense looks like the 2014 Carolina Panthers when he's not on the field.              

[happyrid]

A sad truth.  I think Andy has really been a bright spot this season and I am so glad they re-signed him to a long term deal.  The alternative of trying to bring in someone else to be successful right away is never a good one.  Although he has broken my heart in the playoffs three times now, I still think he has what it takes to lead the Bengals to the Superbowl.  I am not sure why, but the team just melts as a whole in big games (NE & Indy this year for sure).  That to me is a coaching problem.  For those of you who don't like him, that will never change even if he wins a ring for you.  Flacco in Baltimore has the same whiners and non-believers after he has won the superbowl.  To me, it's more of a personality thing to hate on the quarterback.  I was on the "fire him" bandwagon for awhile mostly because we lost again last year.  But to be honest, he has shown me that he has really been carrying the team for the most part this year on his back.  To refresh your memories, Flacco threw two interceptions this week that allowed for us to win the game.  That stuff just happens in the flow of a game and a QB needs to have the ability fight back against his own mistakes.  IMHO he did that this last week.  I will say that Andy Dalton seems a lot tougher then Carson Palmer ever was mentally.

 

Unfortunately I really don't think this team will get to and win in the playoffs unless they can stop the mental mistakes, pass drops, and defensive meltdowns they have "as a team" in big games.  I had more confidence last year with some of the big wins we had then I do with all the injuries and mistakes I see on Sunday this year. 

 

Pivitol game - next Thursday night.  My prediction:  if they can't get that game won they won't survive the tougher game schedule at the end of the season or ultimately in the payoffs.  We need at least 5 more wins to qualify and they simply won't make it if they lose the winnable games on the schedule.  To be fair to Andy though...how many other QBs would survive the loss of their two starting WRs?  I hope AJ can get back on the field consistently soon.  I don't want to exist in a Bengals world where he's not out there on Sunday helping Andy out.  Our offense looks like the 2014 Carolina Panthers when he's not on the field.              

 

I am not super confident about this season (though I do think we have a chance to win a game or 2 in the playoffs), but there's a lot of reasons to be confident over the long haul. Andy isn't Peyton Manning or Drew Brees. Not trying to argue that at all. But it is fair to point out that those guys didn't have playoff wins early in their careers either. Dalton and the entire young offense should continue to grow going forward and we should be a factor for a long time.

 

The biggest key will be to keep having good drafts. One or two bad drafts can really hurt your chances of winning. On the other hand, if we have another "home run" type of draft combined with the young talent on hand, we are setup really, really well to take that next step up from sorta contender to true contender.

 

The other factor working in our favor over the long-term is that the 2 dominant teams in the AFC are QB'd by guys in their late 30s so there is going to be a real opportunity in a year or 2 for a couple teams to step into that void at the top of the conference. Us and Indy are probably the 2 teams best positioned to takeover as regulars at the top when Manning/Brady hang them up.

[SnickyCat]

 
I am not super confident about this season (though I do think we have a chance to win a game or 2 in the playoffs), but there's a lot of reasons to be confident over the long haul. Andy isn't Peyton Manning or Drew Brees. Not trying to argue that at all. But it is fair to point out that those guys didn't have playoff wins early in their careers either. Dalton and the entire young offense should continue to grow going forward and we should be a factor for a long time.
 
The biggest key will be to keep having good drafts. One or two bad drafts can really hurt your chances of winning. On the other hand, if we have another "home run" type of draft combined with the young talent on hand, we are setup really, really well to take that next step up from sorta contender to true contender.
 
The other factor working in our favor over the long-term is that the 2 dominant teams in the AFC are QB'd by guys in their late 30s so there is going to be a real opportunity in a year or 2 for a couple teams to step into that void at the top of the conference. Us and Indy are probably the 2 teams best positioned to takeover as regulars at the top when Manning/Brady hang them up.

Good post

[scharm]

Eventually the window closes.    Hopefully the next steps for this franchise are handled within the current season.    However,  to try to repeat or return to the Superbowl after this season or heaven forbid take the next step in getting there pending how this season actually turns out is.....

 

 

Duplicating the contributions found in the free agent market and it may require more $$$$ investment.    They've done well with Newman type guys but how many times can you expect that type of acquisition to pan out and still perform at a division championship level? 

 

The may need to start acquiring a higher quality free agent and in doing so the risk of failure becomes greater.  

[HairOnFire]

The biggest key will be to keep having good drafts. One or two bad drafts can really hurt your chances of winning. On the other hand, if we have another "home run" type of draft combined with the young talent on hand, we are setup really, really well to take that next step up from sorta contender to true contender.

 

Yup.

 

Can't see the Bengals changing they way they operate after proving it works. 

 

That said, injuries have a tendency to scuttle even the most well thought out plan and sometimes even the best drafts are defined not by how much overall talent is added, but how soon it's ready to contribute.

 

I haven't given the coming offseason much thought yet and when it rolls around I'm sure I'll still be the same best player available defensive leaning guy I've always been.

 

But at least one new thing seems certain to happen.

 

More than the open playoff window...straight up need will dictate next years premium picks play sooner and contribute earlier.

[Bleeds Orange]

I am not sure why, but the team just melts as a whole in big games (NE & Indy this year for sure).  That to me is a coaching problem.  

 

This team's collapsing in the playoffs and other "big" games predates Dalton.  I agree that the team has more of a coaching problem than a Dalton problem.  I appreciate what Marvin has done, but it's past time for him to move upstairs and let someone else try to take this team to the next level.  I have no confidence that he ever will (take them to the next level).

[|Bunghole|]

 

I am not super confident about this season (though I do think we have a chance to win a game or 2 in the playoffs), but there's a lot of reasons to be confident over the long haul. Andy isn't Peyton Manning or Drew Brees. Not trying to argue that at all. But it is fair to point out that those guys didn't have playoff wins early in their careers either. Dalton and the entire young offense should continue to grow going forward and we should be a factor for a long time.

 

The biggest key will be to keep having good drafts. One or two bad drafts can really hurt your chances of winning. On the other hand, if we have another "home run" type of draft combined with the young talent on hand, we are setup really, really well to take that next step up from sorta contender to true contender.

 

The other factor working in our favor over the long-term is that the 2 dominant teams in the AFC are QB'd by guys in their late 30s so there is going to be a real opportunity in a year or 2 for a couple teams to step into that void at the top of the conference. Us and Indy are probably the 2 teams best positioned to takeover as regulars at the top when Manning/Brady hang them up.

Jeremy Hill.