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The Bengals’ 2016 season will be one to forget. But before we do put it behind us completely, there are some impressive records to acknowledge in reviewing the season.
Andy Dalton had a great year, and Marvin Lewis thinks it was Dalton’s best yet. I’d say his 2015 season was far superior, but it unfortunately ended with a thumb injury that limited him to playing 12 1⁄4 games. This season, Dalton started all 16 games and finished with 364 completions for 4,206 yards, a 64.7% completion percentage, 18 touchdowns, 8 interceptions and a 91.8 passer rating. He also added 184 yards on the ground and 4 rushing touchdowns. His touchdown numbers rank in the bottom half of the league among quarterbacks, but among starting quarterbacks who played 12+ games this season, only eight players (Tom Brady, Dak Prescott, Colin Kaepernick, Sam Bradford, Derek Carr, Tyrod Taylor, Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan) threw less interceptions.
Dalton’s 4,206 passing yards mark his second season with 4,000+ passing yards (4,293 in 2013), and in the process, Dalton joined Carson Palmer as the only quarterbacks in team history with multiple 4,000-yard passing seasons. Palmer only had two seasons with 4,000+ passing yards, so if Dalton can do it again, he’ll break a new record for the Bengals. Dalton is signed with the Bengals through 2020, so he has plenty of time to break that record, but hopefully, it will come next season.
Most Bengals fans were unimpressed with running back Jeremy Hill this season. But, the one thing he’s maintained greatness in is finding the end zone. He had nine rushing touchdowns this season and has at least nine rushing touchdowns in three consecutive seasons, the second-longest streak in Bengals franchise history. Hill also didn’t fumble the ball once this year, and had the most consecutive touches among all running backs in the NFL without a fumble. Hill tied for eighth in rushing touchdowns this season.
Linebacker Vontaze Burfict missed five games this season, three due to suspension and two due to a concussion. But, missing five games didn’t stop him from accumulating his third season with 100+ tackles (101 in 2016, 127 in 2012, 171 in 2013), which is tied for the second-most in franchise history. Burfict ranked 33rd in the league this year in tackles. That’s pretty impressive since he only played in 11 games. Karlos Dansby ranked first on the Bengals in tackles this season with 114, just 13 more than Burfict in five additional games played.
The last record of note among Bengals players this season came from A.J. Green, and isn’t a Bengals record, but an NFL record. Green now has nine career games with at least 150 receiving yards, which is the fourth-most by a player in his first six NFL seasons. Green was also on the verge of making history by recording 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first six NFL seasons. That has only been achieved by Randy Moss. Unfortunately, with 36 yards left before hitting that mark, Green went down with what turned out to be a season-ending grade 2 hamstring tear. He reportedly also had a partially torn tendon.
In a season that was filled with far more bad moments than good, it’s nice to give some recognition to players who deserve it.