Cincinnati Bengals' Andy Dalton Is Showing the Makings of a Great QB

I have to admit, despite an overwhelming enthusiasm about Andy Dalton during the buildup to the draft, when Cincinnati actually went ahead and picked him, I was unsure whether or not he was a long-term solution. 

Four games into the 2011 season, it is still far too early to assess his on-field ability. However, the things we have seen from Dalton in these four matchups, have showed the rookie QB to be a fierce competitor with a lot of potential.

If you were ever unfortunate enough to catch a Carson Palmer press conference or interview, you will have seen very little in terms of insight into his thought process on-field and will feel like you are watching a naughty school kid being told off for 15 minutes. If there was one overlying criticism about Palmer outweighing all of the rest, it was his passion and his drive. From Palmer's current status, you can see just how much those aforementioned traits influence him.

The intention of this article isn't to bash Carson Palmer, rather to show via contrast just how much of an improvement Andy Dalton is. If there is one thing that stands out to me about Dalton through these four games, it's his composure, professionalism and his passion.

Down 17-3 in the third quarter against Buffalo, a lot of us thought there was no way back after a dismal first-half performance. However, Dalton rallied the Bengals, targeting the likes of Jermaine Gresham and A.J. Green to great success.

There were two plays in this one where Dalton really caught my eye. First, the HB draw that saw Dalton acquire his first rushing TD in the NFL. What impressed me about this play was Dalton's speed on the run and his agility when guys started getting in the way. Dalton ducked and weaved his way into the end zone, and didn't look uncomfortable doing so. He's an intelligent QB and he recognizes when using his feet is the best option.

Second, on 3rd-and-3 with under a minute to go, Dalton made for the edge with a sideline dive to secure the first down. It was a gutsy move, and it worked. What I loved about this play was Dalton's ability to get it done. He is not a fragile QB who is confined to the pocket; instead, Dalton is willing to go the extra mile and put himself in the line of fire to get those crucial yards. While the Bengals would have gone for it on fourth down had Dalton not converted, you have to like that he took the burden of that play at such a pivotal moment.

Yes, it's still early days, and Dalton could well turn around and Curtis Painter the hell out of the rest of the season, but right now he is showing all the signs of a great QB in the making. There's a lot of veteran guys out there who wouldn't have had the poise to lead their team from 17-3 down to a 23-20 victory in the second half—and to do so as a rookie made it all the more impressive.

I hate to repeat myself, but you really can't overstate the importance of having a passionate character guy like Dalton under center—especially on a team like the Bengals, whose previous QB is refusing to play for them. The Bengals need someone to light a fire under them, to keep them motivated and to keep them disciplined. Dalton is all of those things and a whole lot more.

Yes, he makes errors and throws up some ducks sometimes, but after all, he is a rookie. The issues with Dalton's game can be ironed out. When you start a rookie QB in this league, you're not looking for him to make all of the throws, put up big points and have little in the way of interceptions. Rather, a rookie campaign can be deemed a success if your guy under center shows enough smarts, character and willingness to do everything he can to improve his game week in and week out, all of which Dalton is all too ready to do.