NFL History: 50 greatest quarterback-wide receiver tandems in NFL history

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 27: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions celebrates with teammate Calvin Johnson #81 after a first quarter touchdown the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field on October 27, 2013 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /

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Andy Dalton and A.J. Green (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

The 22nd greatest quarterback-wide receiver duo in NFL history: Andy Dalton & A.J. Green

You can laugh and point all you want but the combination of Andy Dalton and A.J. Green should receive a lot more respect. It was clear from the very beginning that the pair had a special connection.

After coming into the league in the same year, Dalton with the 35th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and Green as the number four selection, the Cincinnati Bengals enjoyed years upon years of success. In six of his first seven seasons with the squad, Green was a consistently great player, breaking through the thousand yard several times over. With seasons of 1,426 yards and 1,350 – Green made defensive coordinators pull their hair out each and every night.

As for Dalton, he oftentimes finds himself as the main source of criticism nowadays. But before you destroy him for being a mediocre quarterback now, when he was smack dab in the middle of his prime, Dalton was an elite player. For seven consecutive seasons, Dalton threw for at least 3,000 yards. He also recorded two seasons of at least 4,000 yards as well.

The Bengals may have failed to make it out of the opening round of the playoffs during their nine seasons together but that isn’t entirely their fault. The Bengals were a dysfunctional franchise and not even the combination of Dalton and Green could change that.

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