Last season, the Cincinnati Bengals—and quarterback Andy Dalton most specifically—took significant strides forward in a manner that could threaten to make the team, at least offensively, a perennial threat for the division title, and for a postseason run more broadly speaking.
That pathway was diverted late last season when Dalton suffered what proved to be a season-ending thumb fracture while attempting to tackle Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Stephon Tuitt after he intercepted a screen pass targeted for his running back out of the backfield.
Still, the strides that he made last year are not to be dismissed, as he set a variety of career-high marks, including 66.