Cincy Jungle: Was 2015 an outlier season for Andy Dalton?

Cincy Jungle: Was 2015 an outlier season for Andy Dalton?

Andy Dalton’s 2015 season came out of nowhere. When the former TCU quarterback made his way to Cincinnati in the second round of the 2011 Draft, the common consensus was that he was a high floor, low ceiling prospect. And in 2013, after Dalton passed for 4,293 yards, 33 touchdowns and 20 interceptions with 7.3 yards per attempt, most people thought that would be as good as it gets. Dalton had his his perceived ceiling.

The notion was backed up in 2014, when the Bengals quarterback took a step back in terms of passing numbers. Though he posted a career high 64.2 completion percentage, Dalton had a career high interception rate of 3.5. His 19-17 touchdown-to-interception ratio was pretty awful, even considering his offensive line and pass catchers struggled to stay healthy throughout the season.

To me, whether Dalton’s 2015 season was an outlier or a continuing progression for the quarterback comes down to its relation to 2014. If Dalton’s 2014 season wasn’t a major step back from his career year in 2013, his 2015 season is a stepping stone toward his ceiling. If Dalton’s 2014 season was a step back, his 2015 year may be an outlier or his ceiling. …

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