Red Flags For Each NFL Wildcard Playoff Team

Oct 19, 2014; Landover, MD, USA; Tennessee Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt throws a red challenge flag onto the field to challenge a call against the Washington Redskins in the first quarter at FedEx Field. The Redskins won 19-17. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

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Dec 22, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) looks on from the bench in the first half against the Denver Broncos at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

Andy Dalton, will you please stand up.

This red flag is really quite simple. It’s Andy Dalton’s game to win or lose.

Andy Dalton remains an enigma. A second round pick by the Bengals in 2011, much responsibility has been placed on his shoulders. Dalton has shown flashes of development, complimented by times when the pressure was clearly too much to handle. His regular season stats showed good development through his first three years as a starter, but he’s regressed badly in 2014.

Dalton steadily increased his yards and touchdowns in each of his first three years as a starter, but this year he went backward. He had 104 fewer attempts this season than in 2013, and he went from 33 to 19 TDs. Most disturbingly, however, he’s increased his interception rate each year as starter. In 2011 he threw interceptions on 2.5% of his passes. This year, Dalton’s interception rate was 3.5%, ranking near the bottom of the league.

Andy Dalton still led his team to 10 wins and a playoff berth … and along the way, had the second most game-winning drives in the league (4). This will be Dalton’s 4th appearance in the playoffs.

He’s 0-3 so far. This game will go a long way toward determining if Cincinnati will trust him to take them to playoff glory in the future.

For Andy Dalton, the future is now. There may not be another chance.

Next: It's Andrew Luck and ... who else?

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