How Carson Palmer Saved the Bengals

When Carson Palmer decided this offseason he was done with the Bengals and temporarily retired, he left the team with no legitimate QB in the middle of the NFL lockout. The Bengals could not trade for a veteran QB such as Kevin Kolb or Donovan McNabb, so they were forced to draft a QB. They chose Andy Dalton in the second round to lead their franchise, and the TCU product didn’t back down from the challenge. He came in with the poise of a 10-year veteran, and led the Bengals to 9 wins. The most amazing fact is that the Bengals actually trailed for 446:05 minutes this year, which was 46% of the minutes played. Despite trailing nearly half of the time he was on the field, Dalton led the Bengals to 4 fourth quarter comebacks while throwing 20 TD’s and 13 interceptions, while Palmer went 4-5 in 9 starts with the Raiders, including 13 TD’s and 16 interceptions. Dalton finished the year with only 15 turnovers in 16 starts, while Palmer had 17 turnovers in only 10 games and 9 starts. While Palmer was integrated into the Raider’s offense midseason, he is an 8 year NFL veteran, who has played for Raider’s Head Coach Hue Jackson, so there was a lot of familiarity there.

> Find Cincinnati Bengals hats & Merchandise online through Pro Football Fans for all your team gear!

Andy Dalton didn’t get started in the NFL until July because of the lockout, and yet was still able to perform at the level that earned him 1st alternate in the Pro Bowl. While Palmer was a crucial part of reviving football in Cincinnati and gave the Bengals 7 good years, including two playoff berths, it was becoming clear that Palmer was regressing and his replacement would be needed soon. His demand for a trade made that happen much quicker than it would normally have, mostly due to the fact that he was still owed $50 million, and Mike Brown will get every penny he can out of a player before its time to move on. It was even more evident in Oakland this year that Palmer has further regressed, and now instead of worrying about if and when the Bengals would turn to a new QB, they now have their franchise QB. And the Bengals are in the playoffs, while Palmer sits in his California home.
Who Dey!!!

By Jason Marcum
ProFootball-fans.com Cincinnati Bengals Correspondent