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In a recent interview, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson talked up Andy Dalton and A.J. Green as the NFL's best quarterback-wide receiver duo. That seems a bit ridiculous on the surface given that most people don't consider Dalton as one of the NFL's best quarterbacks, but let's at least take a look at Jackson's argument. From CBS Sports:
"I think they're the best in the game in my opinion," Jackson said. "I know people will fight that and say differently, but I've watched these guys and these guys have grown. They came in together. They started off hot, they're still hot. Every year statistically, they've gotten better."
Green is certainly a talented wide receiver, and Dalton has won a lot of games as a starting quarterback in the NFL. But the very best QB-WR duo in the NFL? Simply from an overall talent standpoint, I don't think that's the case.
Actually, I think the argument is much stronger for the Detroit Lions' duo of Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. Stafford has thrown for 90 touchdowns and nearly 15,000 yards over the last three seasons, and Johnson has accounted for 33 touchdowns and more than 5,000 yards in that time. Stafford definitely needs to be a more consistent quarterback going forward, and Johnson has had some issues with drops, but the talent is there, as is the production.
Interestingly enough, it seems that football fans in general think the Lions have the best QB-WR duo. In a poll about this very topic on Pro Football Talk, Stafford and Johnson are leading the way with 33% of the vote. The Denver Broncos' Peyton Manning and Demaryius Thomas are second at 28%, and they're followed by the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson and the Chicago Bears' Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall. Dalton and Green are next in line, putting them in fifth place.
Where do you think Stafford and Johnson rank when it comes to the NFL's best QB-WR duos?