In leading the Cincinnati Bengals to their first 8-0 start in franchise history, quarterback Andy Dalton is on pace to set club records for touchdowns, passing yards, and passer rating. Head Coach Marvin Lewis told The Jim Rome Show that Dalton’s success so far this season has more to do with his teammates than his own improvement.
“The guys around him are doing a much better job of getting their job done, so that Andy continues to play worry free in all situations,” Lewis said. “Obviously that makes his job so much easier, that he can count on everybody being where they belong, to their depths, to their spots, everything will work and fit together correctly, and then he’s done a great job of getting us in and out of the correct plays and directing traffic.”
Lewis said Dalton has improved, but seemed to think the overall narrative of his team in the public eye for their success this season has been due to the quarterback’s individual improvement, when the coach seemed to say there’s only a sliver’s truth to that.
“I will tell you, that’s the flashy talk right now,” Lewis said of outsiders saying Dalton’s improved. “His command of everything continues to grow just like anybody does with experience, but his anticipation on throws, and everything, he’s got that. That’s just a knack that he has. He has a great knack for the spacing of the football field, the anticipation of throws, his ability to slide and move in the pocket, he has made a lot more plays outside the pocket this season thus far for us, and the biggest thing is we want to continue to protect the football, and that’s where he and we have improved from a year ago, and we have to continue that and do better in the second half of the season.”
The head coach also said Dalton’s been helped by a healthy Tyler Eifert. Lewis added that the 25-year-old tight end’s future is very bright.
“He provides a mismatch,” Lewis said. “The sky’s the limit. His ability to understand the defense, to understand coverage to be a line of scrimmage blocker that he is, to be able to be deployed on the flanks and do the things that he does, he does a tremendous job. He can inline puller, inline lead blocker for us. So he’s doing everything.”
The Bengals take on the Houston Texans (3-5) this week at home on Monday Night Football.
