him knowing he has the keys."

Jackson looked for ways to empower Dalton. In meetings, Jackson always has asked questions of his players. But instead of spreading the questions around the room as he had in the past, he decided to direct all of his questions to Dalton. If something needed to be explained to the group, Jackson wanted Dalton to do it. "They need to hear him talk and see he is the centerpiece of it all," Jackson said.

John Minchillo/Associated Press

Jackson also appointed Dalton to lead offensive meetings on Thursdays and Fridays. Dalton's assignment would be to preside over a group tape study and point out strengths and weaknesses of the opponent's defense. For about an hour-and-a-half each week, Bengals wide receivers, tight ends, running backs and offensivelinemen would hear exactly what their quarterback was thinking, and they could address any gray areas.

The new entitlement needed to be actualized on grass too. So the coaches expanded Dalton's control at the line of scrimmage. On any play call now, Dalton would be given the freedom to check to another.

"We changed the mindset and the trust," Jackson said. "There is no situation I won't trust him in. I give him the green light to do as he sees."

The way Lewis saw it, Dalton had been uniquely prepared for his new freedom. In the infancy of his NFL career, he had been coached by Jay Gruden. Voted the second-greatest quarterback in Arena Football League history, Gruden taught Dalton with a quarterback's eyes.

Then he was coached by Jackson, the