24-year old QB Andy Dalton would have been the Rookie of the Year in the NFL if it weren’t for the land and air show put on by Cam Newton in Carolina.  But, Dalton led his team to a 9-7 record (56.3%) and the playoffs….which Cam Newton is going to be watching on T.V.  Dalton played in 16 games (all starts) for the Bengals this year and he completed 300 of 516 passes (58.1%) for 3,398 yards with 20 TD passes and 13 INTs (80.4 QB Rating.  He also has carried the ball 37 times for 152 yards (4.1 ypc) with 1 TD run this year.  The Bengals are going to need Andy Dalton to play well if they are going to advance in the playoffs.

28-year old Bruce Gradkowski didn’t play much, but he did help the Bengals beat the Browns in Cleveland in the opening game of the 2011 season.  Gradkowski played in 2 games (0 starts) for the Bengals last year and he completed 8 of 18 passes (44.4%) for 109 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT (59.7 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 3 times for 1 yard (0.3 ypc) this year.  Gradkowski has now played in 34 games (20 starts) in his NFL career and he has completed 370 of 698 passes (53%) for 3,992 yards with 21 TD passes and 24 INTs (65.8 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 82 times for 333 yards (4.1 ypc) in his NFL career so far.  Gradkowski is 6-14 (30%) as a starting QB in the NFL.  The Bengals better pray for Andy Dalton’s health, because they can’t win in the playoffs with Gradkowski at QB.

“Draft experts” were lamenting the fact that Andy Dalton had red hair, which would exclude him from being a good NFL QB….at least that was what was said on draft night on ESPN.  Boy, where they wrong.  Dalton has played in 13 games for the Bengals so far this year and he has completed 245 of 415 passes (59%) for 2,833 yards with 18 TD passes and 12 INTs (82.1 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 26 times for 89 yards (3.4 ypc) with 1 TD run so far this year.  Dalton does not pass as much as Cam Newton does, but Dalton has 3 more TDs and 4 less interceptions than Newton does so far this year.  I’m thinking that Dalton could wind up being the best QB in the 2011 draft class when all of the players’ careers are over.

The Bengals don’t call on 27-year old RB Brian Leonard too much, but when they do, he always seems to make a big play.  Leonard has played in all 12 games for the Bengals so far this year and he has carried the ball 17 times for 85 yards (5.0 ypc).  He also has caught 20 passes for 191 yards (9.6 avg) so far this year for the Bengals.  Leonard has now played in 37 games in his first three years with the Bengals and he has carried the ball 53 times for 230 yards (4.3 ypc).  He has also caught 70 passes for 545 yards (7.8 avg) with 1 TD grab with the Bengals.  Brian Leonard is the Bengals’ secret weapon and he is the perfect #3 RB.

23-year old DT Geno Atkins has really played solid football so far this year for the Bengals.  Atkins has played in 12 games for the Bengals so far this year and he has 34 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 3 tackles for a loss, 1 fumble recovery and 3 passes defensed.  It seems like he’s always in the opposing backfield.  Atkins has now played in 28 games in his first two years with the Bengals and he has 50 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 4 tackles for a loss, 1 fumble recovery and 4 passes defensed.  The Bengals hope that Atkins continues to be a force in the middle of the field for them the rest of this year and in the future.

With Terrell Owens and Chad Ocho Cinco out of the picture this year, the Bengals need one of their young WRs to step up.  25-year old Jerome Simpson has been that guy for the Bengals.  In Simpson’s first two years with the Bengals, he played in 11 games in which he caught 21 passes for 299 yards (14.2 avg) with 3 TD grabs.  Simpson has played in 11 games this year already for he Bengals and he has caught 36 passes for 577 yards (16.0 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  The Bengals need Simpson to finish strong to help them make the playoffs.

24-year old rookie QB Andy Dalton is still playing solid football for the Bengals.  He has only had one game that was a real stinker this year and that was against the 49ers, a game in which the Bengals lost 13-8.  Dalton has played in 10 games for the Bengals so far this year and he has completed 197 of 332 passes (59.3%) for 2,239 yards with 15 TD passes and 12 INTs (79.6 QB Rating).  Dalton has also carried the ball 17 times for 58 yards (3.4 ypc) with 1 TD run so far this year.  The Bengals need Andy Dalton to continue playing well if they are going to get into the playoffs this year.  They are only 1 game behind the Steelers and Ravens in the AFC North.

28-year old safety Reggie Nelson is having by far the best year of his NFL career in 2011.  Nelson has played in 9 games for the Bengals so far this year and he has 55 tackles, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception (he returned it 75 yards for a TD), 6 passes defensed and 1 tackle for a loss.  He has now played in 25 games in his first two years with the Bengals and he has 109 tackles, 13 passes defensed, 3 interceptions (one returned for a TD), 1 sack, 4 forced fumbles and 1 tackle for a loss.  Nelson is playing like the player the Jaguars thought they were getting when they drafted him in the first round a few years ago.  The Bengals need him to keep up the good work, especially since they have lost CB Leon Hall for the year.

No one thought the Bengals would even win five games in 2011, except for 53-year old head coach Marvin Lewis and the players and coaches of the Bengals.  The Bengals are tied with the Ravens atop of the AFC North with a 6-2 record this year.  The Bengals are now 66-69-1 (48.9%) in his first 9 years under Marvin Lewis.  The Bengals have really improved on the defensive side of the ball this year, which is Lewis’ specialty.  The Bengals have the #4 ranked defense in the NFL right now as they are only giving up 301.3 yards per game so far this year.  The Bengals have also done a great job with the young skill players offensively as Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are having breakout rookie seasons.

WR Brandon Tate has been downright solid for the Bengals this year.  He has returned 18 kickoffs for 452 yards (25.1 avg) and 24 punts for 295 yards (12.3 avg) with 1 TD return so far this year.  Tate was a shrewd pickup off waivers from the Patriots before the 2011 season started.  CB Nate Clements (1 kickoff return for 4 yards) and CB Pac Man Jones (1 punt return for 63 yards) have also pitched in so far this year.  The Bengals have returned 19 kickoffs for 456 yards (24.0 avg) and 25 punts for 358 yards (14.3 avg) with 1 TD return this year, which is outstanding.  They need these guys to continue giving the offense solid starting position.

It was looking pretty awful in the pre-season as far as the Bengals’ passing game was going.  But, when the regular season started, the kids have stepped up.  Rookie A.J. Green is everything the Bengals thought he would be, and more so far this year.  Green has caught 29 passes for 453 yards (15.6 avg) with 4 TD grabs in 2011.  He is going to be a true #1 WR for the Bengals.  Jerome Simpson might be a bone head off of the field, but he has played well so far this year.  Simpson has caught 22 passes for 353 yards (16.0 avg) so far this year.  Andre Caldwell has been a decent #3 WR for the Bengals, but he doesn’t get down the field much.  Caldwell has caught 17 passes for 142 yards (8.4 avg) with 1 TD grab so far in 2011.  Andrew Hawkins is the #4 WR for the Bengals and he has caught 5 passes for 56 yards (11.2 avg) so far this year.  The Bengals hope this crew keeps up the good work.