Roethlisberger Vs. Dalton: Who's Your Starter? (Xtreme Commentary)

Andy Dalton recently received a new deal and it has come with much criticism.  Bengals fans are excited:  they finally have some consistency at the quarterback position and Dalton has led them to the playoffs each year.  Steelers fans are laughing:  how can you pay a guy that hasn't won you a playoff game yet?  NFL fans are mixed:  some say it was a great move for the Bengals due to the stability, some wonder what he has done exactly to warrant this type of contract.  

I have not hid the fact that I believe that Dalton did not deserve this kind of contract.  While he has led his team to the playoffs, he has been detrimental to his team in those games.  I made the following tweet in regards to the contract:  "So they gave Dalton $$ when he ranks 23rd in QBR and is 0-3 in the playoffs? #BengalsDontEarnTheirStripes".  After receiving feedback and stats that Dalton has put up the numbers to deserve the contract, I had to ask social media (albeit mostly Steelers fan) what they thought:  "Who would you rather have as your QB:  Roethlisberger or Dalton?"  Here were some of the responses:

"big ben he has won under pressure dalton has done nothing when it counts"

"This isn't a real question"

"Big Ben. And it's not even close."

"the one who wins super bowls......"

"Obviously his account has been hacked."

"Easiest question of the day"

Just the kind of answers I thought I'd get.  Who wouldn't want Big Ben as their QB over the unproven Dalton?  Oh yes, the age thing.  Ben is 32 and has been in the league since 2004.  That MUST mean that Dalton has more potential than Ben.  Potentially more years because he is younger?  Yes.  Potentially more years because of productivity?  Not so fast.

The duration of a QB's career isn't based on potential (just ask Vince Young).  The number of years a quarterback gets to remain as the starter is based on productivity, which essentially computes to wins and losses.  Can a bad quarterback win a lot of games?  Sure.  I know that wins and loses aren't the only stat to look at, but they are a huge one.  Let's take a journey down stats lane:
First three seasons:
Categories that Ben wins:  completion percentage, INTs (fewer), QB rating, regular season wins, playoff wins, Super Bowl wins, Rookie of the Year.
Categories that Dalton wins:  yards, TDs, rushing yards, rushing TDs, fumbles (fewer), playoff appearances, playoff losses.

Now let's look past just the raw stats:  BR7 set the rookie record for the most comeback wins (5) and most game winning drives (6).  He also had the most game winning drives and comeback wins in his first seven seasons when compared to his peers.  THOSE are the kind of numbers that keep a QB in his starting role.  When the game is on the line, it doesn't matter how many TDs or INTs were thrown earlier in the game;  it comes down to the final drive.  Now people always want to play the "Well if" game:  "Well if Ben wouldn't have thrown that interception in the 3rd we wouldn't have needed the final drive...".  Bogus.  It's hard enough to survive the pressure cooker at the end of the game, and it's only amplified when one must clear his mind of previous faults.  When the game has been on the line, Ben has been able to deliver.  Dalton?  0-3 in the playoffs.  Stats can't buy those wins.

Ben is a winner.    It doesn't have to always look pretty, it just has to get done.  The answer IS a no brainer:  Ben is the superior quarterback to Dalton (in the first 3 seasons and currently) and I sure am glad that he is wearing the black and gold.

Dubs, I'm glad to see you brought this Twitter debate to the forum.

The way I see it, this discussion can be framed in two ways:

1. Is Dalton worth the money he received?
2. Is Dalton a better QB than Ben?

The simple answers to those questions are Yes and No (at least not as of now). As always, I can't respond properly in 25 words or less, and I don't have time right now to type out my thoughts. I'll come back to this discussion later.

Big Red is no, nor ever will be, Big Ben.

Andy Dalton is a young Tony Romo. Not as mobile but chokes in the important games. If you look at his contract by today's standards he's not being paid as an elite QB. Only a fraction is guaranteed 13 mil of 90. Is he worth it? I'll answer this with a question. Who else do they have even close? Obviously to them he is but I personally don't think he is. I'd take Ben anyday. There's only 1 or 2 QB's in the league I'd have to think about. One is Aaron Rodgers and maybe, I said maybe, Brees. Peyton may be the best ever but we took him down in the playoffs a few years ago and Brady would insist we change our colors to the Pink and Gold.  I wouldn't want Brady if he played for free and they lowered tickets prices.Let's forget I even mentioned him.

What sense does it make to tie up 15% of your salary cap with not the best player on your team? AJ Green is the one who should be signing the 6 year extension. He makes Dalton look better than he actually is not the other way around.

solardave wrote:

Brady would insist we change our colors to the Pink and Gold.  

  That definitely earns you a Rep point.

solardave wrote:

I wouldn't want Brady if he played for free and they lowered tickets prices.Let's forget I even mentioned him.

I have a friend who has always HATED Ray Lewis more than almost anything else in life. Hate probably isn't a strong enough word. But I've told him, and I honestly believe it, that if Ray Lewis played for the Steelers, he'd own a No. 52 jersey. There's no doubt in my mind. Likewise, if Tom Brady played for the Steelers and Ben played for the Patriots*, we'd be defending Brady and making fun of the "rapist." It really is all about perspective.

Steelerella wrote:

What sense does it make to tie up 15% of your salary cap with not the best player on your team? AJ Green is the one who should be signing the 6 year extension. He makes Dalton look better than he actually is not the other way around.

Good to see you again, Steelerella.

I get what you're saying, but it's always easier to replace a receiver than a quarterback. Think of all the good receivers we've had since 2004 (including Ward) ... is there one we would have kept over Ben? Right now, Steeler Nation is in love with Antonio Brown, but if we could keep only him or Ben, who would we choose?

Green is a great receiver, but he's not Calvin Johnson. He's not a once-in-a-generation receiver ... he can be replaced. When you have what you think is a franchise quarterback, he has to be your top priority.
------------------

OK, sooner or later I'll get around to answering the two questions I asked in my earlier post.

I know some Steelers fans who aren't Big on Ben (get it?) but they can respect what he has done for the team. I'm with Wally where you can give blame where it's due, but you also have to give credit where credit is due. You can play shoulda/coulda/woulda all damn day, but at the end of the day it's the WHAT IS that matters. If Ben crippled under pressure and didn't lead us to win the games in the regular season, we wouldn't have even had a chance to be in the playoffs.

Dalton has crippled under pressure. Ben has 2 Super Bowl rings and the potential to get a few more before he is done. That's the thing about the Steelers: we can have an off year and bounce back pretty quickly. Once this hot streak by the Bengals is over, it will take them a few years to bounce back. Mark it down.

Quote :

Mark it down.

MARKED!!!!


What was the question again?  Ohh yeah.  I'd take Ben over Dalton in a New York minute.

The one thing I particularly like about Ben is that he can extend plays like no other (which also contributes to his sacks).  Ben is also good under pressure (i.e. last drive of Super Bowl 43).  I don't think there is a QB in the league I'd rather have at this moment besides Ben.  As a matter of fact, the only two QB's I'd even consider would be Rodgers and possibly Kaepernick, but not over Ben.  I say Kaepernick as I think this kid has a lot of potential that has yet to be revealed.  He is scary when he runs the ball.

Andy Dalton? That readheaded scrub shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence as Ben Roethlisberger.

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

Andy Dalton? That readheaded scrub shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence as Ben Roethlisberger.

I'm going to have to agree. Ben is the best QB in the AFC North and has been for some time now.

JonM229 wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

Andy Dalton? That readheaded scrub shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence as Ben Roethlisberger.

I'm going to have to agree.  Ben is the best QB in the AFC North and has been for some time now.

JonM229 wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

Andy Dalton? That readheaded scrub shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence as Ben Roethlisberger.

I'm going to have to agree.  Ben is the best QB in the AFC North and has been for some time now.

How can that be when the best QB in the whole NFL plays for the Ravens?  


You callin' John Harbaugh a liar, son?

Buddha Bus wrote:

JonM229 wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

Andy Dalton? That readheaded scrub shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence as Ben Roethlisberger.

I'm going to have to agree.  Ben is the best QB in the AFC North and has been for some time now.

How can that be when the best QB in the whole NFL plays for the Ravens?  


You callin' John Harbaugh a liar, son?

We all know that John Harbaugh's greatest strength is being the team's top cheerleader.

(Insert more male cheerleader jokes here)

Buddha Bus wrote:

JonM229 wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

Andy Dalton? That readheaded scrub shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence as Ben Roethlisberger.

I'm going to have to agree.  Ben is the best QB in the AFC North and has been for some time now.

How can that be when the best QB in the whole NFL plays for the Ravens?  


You callin' John Harbaugh a liar, son?

I know. I can't believe Jon doesn't see Joe's eliteness!