Why Dalton Is Better Than Palmer

In a word, pocket presence (I guess that's two words).

It seems so long ago when we used to call Palmer elite that I barely remember that player. I recall him moving around better in the pocket and even showing some straight-line speed once he decided to run with it, but all of that seemed to die after Kimo Von Oelhoffen obliterated his knee and destroyed his confidence. Since that fateful moment, Carson has been sacked 130 times and suffered through many injuries and pains. From '06-10, he never gained back the instinctual third eye needed to avoid sacks, turnovers, injury and ultimately losses. Any comfort in the pocket was, and still is, a very tenuous sense of safety for him. When things get hairy, most times his eyes come off the receivers and he goes down for a loss on the play; escape ability is not on his scouting report.

That isn't to say the man is completely devoid of such skills. As hard-edged as we Bengal fans might be toward old No. 9, he is still an adequate NFL quarterback. I think Raider Nation got a little tipsy from the kool-aid when the native son first returned to California—they were positively bathing in the stuff—but his arrival did instill a heavy dose of credibility to Oakland's season once Jason Campbell went down.

Since his donning of a silver helmet, though, Carson has been fair at best. Sure, he's in a new system with new receivers a new offensive line and so on, but watching him play, he's the same quarterback as last year. I think fans on both sides of the trade wondered aloud if the change of scenery would kick-start the magic for him again; if Palmer really was the shackled phoenix waiting for another chance to burn, or just another QB in the later portion of an okay career. He still makes some good throws and occasionally surprises me with his play-making ability, but he also still frequently has his what-were-you-thinking moments and has not yet led his new team to a comfortable position within their division.

On the other hand, the force is strong with Andy Dalton. When the pocket breaks down behind him he can feel it. It isn't something that can be taught—you either have it or you don't—and Red's got it. His calmness has guided an offense through seas that should have been stormier for a rookie Bengal quarterback. His play has been nowhere near perfect—he must improve on his accuracy—but his intangibles are what excites the onlookers.

What I like so much is his balance between playing wily yet careful football. He plays with a backyard style, allowing his instincts to guide him into the right position to make a play, but then if he isn't satisfied with the coverage he sees as he moves around, he lofts the ball out of bounds and lives another day. His game-management skills are more consistent and trustworthy than are Palmer's and he knows his limitations on his throws.

As for his throws, I feel that while Palmer can throw farther, Dalton can throw faster. Dalton's delivery is shorter and he can really zing it on close-range throws. His deep balls are not yet amazing—Jeff Blake remains the best in that category in Bengal lore—but he gets a lot of help by his tall and supremely talented outside receivers (mostly AJ Green) when he just hucks it up there for them.

I also like his leadership skills more. While Carson always said the right things, from the outside, he never seemed to embrace the one-of-the-guys mentality. There was Mike Brown, Marvin Lewis, Carson Palmer and everyone else. The Bengals may have thrust this persona on the guy and demanded he conduct himself as more than just another player, but Dalton goes about his business in a humble and unassuming way. He shrugs off the negative and laughs easily. He's comfortable around large groups of fans; he's big when he needs to be and small when he needs to be, and that's not easy for everyone. The city loves him, the media loves him, and his future is solid gold as of now.

It wouldn't be fair to omit the fact that Dalton is playing under a much more sensible playcaller than what Carson was subjected to for his entire Bengal tenure. Perhaps Jay Gruden could have revived No. 9's career and put up the same kind of wins, but Hue Jackson had a sterling reputation as a playcaller before Palmer arrived. Once Carson was a Raider, Hue said he would install some Bengal stuff in the playbook to ease the transition, but I think that has been part of the problem for CP3. The old Bratkowski way never came to any success, yet Oakland looks like Bengal West with the likes of Palmer, Jackson, Chuck Bresnahan and even T.J. Houshmanzadeh. Once Chad Ochocinco hits the market again would anyone be surprised to see him as a Raider? I think Rudi Johnson is available too if they're interested.

When Palmer "retired" and Dalton was drafted, we figured it would take some time to get back to watching a competitive quarterback in Stripes, but the kid dazzled from the get-go. By Week 14, Dalton underwent a winning streak, a losing streak, some squeak-out wins and heartbreak losses. He has displayed a ton of heart, poise and composure, a stronger arm than most had thought, solid mobility, and most importantly, innate pocket presence.

Since Palmer has begun to play football again, he has displayed everything he was last year: a turnover machine who does not excel at improvising and consequently has trouble winning games.

I'll take the ginger, please.


Mojokong—and I still can't believe what they traded for him.

Carson's Debut: Raid or Shine

Alright, now that Carson Palmer been delivered by a silver chariot to Oakland and got everybody jazzed up with Super Bowl talk, it's time to look at the day-to-day part of the job, and specifically his first game on Sunday.

It's true that he's donned a Raider helmet and red practice jersey, and reports indicate that his arm still works and he has even made a few football throws. There should be two types of throws he should start with in practice this week: the screen pass and the deep ball.

As good as Carson is at reading defenses and changing stuff at the line, Hue Jackson should reinforce the basics before moving too far ahead with thick playbook pages. I know that there are a lot of similarities and familiarities with the systems the two men have worked together in before, but it's still new to Carson and will take time to learn the finer details nonetheless. The Raider offense is perhaps the most unique in football with its collective skill set, and is able to gadget-play a defense into confusion and fatigued resignation by the end of the game. Even when Jason Campbell was at his healthiest, he wasn't necessarily airing it out on his opponents this year; Hue and his staff have used creativity to move the ball down field. With all the speed around him, Carson should learn to rely on his skill players to make the play, rather than try to force the impossible to happen.

The Raiders screen well. Jacoby Ford and Darren McFadden are open-field phenoms, ready to explode when fully charged. DMC is a one-of-a-kind type of runner that charges through running lanes no one else even knew were there. Ford is just a flat out burner that takes big hits but gets up from most. Tight end Kevin Boss has been a pleasant addition to the offense and can couple with the agile fullback, Marcel Reece, as a heavier screen combination (if only Reece could get healthy that is). I've even seen the big rumbler Michael Bush pick up nice yards on screens. The Raiders have the components to be a successful short passing game, predicated on delays, draws, and screens.

Of course, you can't go short forever. Eventually even the dumbest defenders will get the gist at some point and creep up. That's when Mr. Palmer should just throw it down the sideline for another specialized tandem, receivers Darirus Heyward-Bey and Denarius Moore. DHB has blossomed this season and looks like a developing Ochocinco-type with his sideline work and clutch catches (and number). Moore has seized his opportunity made possible by injury to other players, and is making a name for himself with his deep-threat ability. Carson can throw long, but his long-pass accuracy has been an issue for him since his elbow problems in 2008. With the duel threat of a short screen game, and a capable vertical game, Palmer's assignments could be reduced to a bare-bones passing attack: screen or bomb.

Be afraid.

As for the Chiefs, Tamba Hali is the man Carson should meditate on before facing him Sunday. KC has only five sacks as a team, but Hali has four of them, and he's a physical specimen that gives offensive tackles headaches. A rather legitimate knock on Palmer is his pocket presence—he doesn't sense pressure well—and when he's knocked down and sacked, he panics and the offense suffers as a result. After giving up big draft picks to land Palmer, protecting him should become the short-term obsession of this franchise and it starts this week against Hali.

One weird quirk about Palmer is that he seems to play best when he's trying a frantic comeback attempt. If you're down 13 points in the fourth quarter and your defense helps him out, Carson will usually make the game at least interesting by the end. But if you're ahead with under four minutes left, just run the ball because he's prone to throw a costly pick in that scenario. Of course, you don't want to play from behind in games, but Hue and the skill players must take pressure off of Carson once attaining a lead. The Raiders have been good at this so far in their first six games, but you don't want Palmer flinging it around when trying to preserve the win. Don't get cute, is what I'm saying.

So now, we all get to watch the grand experiment unfold. Was Carson really a star quarterback shackled by an inept organization in Cincinnati, or is he just a guy destined for a mediocre career? Can Hue Jackson repair him into the Six-Million Dollar Man? Does he have the technology? Will Bengal fans rage inside but stay cool on the outside if the Raiders take the league by storm? Will Oakland fans toss garbage in his yard if Carson fails them? Stay tuned.

I think this is a tough game for the Raiders. I think there is simply too much change and hype swirling around the team right now. KC is coming off of a bye, they've beaten two bad teams in a row to resuscitate their season, and they're relatively healthy. I think the Raiders and Carson will grow into one another over the course of the season, but the love fest will tone down a few notches after this week.

Chiefs 20, Raiders 13

Mojokong—be gentle with him, Oakland.