2014, Eifert and Jones missed 33 games between them. Green was banged up to the point that he missed four games and didn't catch a single pass in two others.

There is no question having a healthy, talented array of weapons has been a part of Dalton's transformative season. And Dalton's ability to get them the football at all levels of the field never has been keener. Some of that should be attributed to Dalton's more compact throwing motion, which can be traced to his work with House.

In the summer, Dalton took a course taught by House. Now he is enrolled in continuing education. He speaks with House or Dedeaux every week. The throwing coaches review tape and then discuss his mechanics. They also give him feedback on sportsbathroom television. He caught a glimpse of an old interview with a ginger quarterback from TCU who looked familiar—but not too familiar.

Nick Ut/Associated Press

"I looked again," Lewis said. "I know that guy."

Dalton carries himself differently now than he did then, like a quarterback who is on top. And speaking of what's on top, we're back to his hair.

As we sit in a corner of the bustling Bengals locker room, Dalton is wearing a hooded sweatshirt, hood over his head. A thick tuft of hair sweeps up and out in the front, unwilling to be suppressed. It is very much in contrast to the close-cropped hairstyle he wore in that Good Morning America interview.

His hair became a Halloween costume. Fans come to Bengals games wearing Dalton hairdos. It seems