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Andy Dalton's turning point ... getting booed at celebrity softball game?

Eric Edholm

The Cincinnati Bengals are 4-0 with a chance to convince a lot of doubters wrong. Win these next two games — vs. Seattle Seahawks, at Buffalo Bills before the bye — and the Bengals could start to change minds and win over neutral observers.

The most convincing might have to come on the Andy Dalton front, but time to take notice of what he's done before. At this point, remove the name association with the QB who has an 0-4 playoff record and the Q rating in the Dr. Oz range, and you have to say Dalton is in the MVP race and will remain there with a win over the Seahawks. Entering a make-or-break season, Dalton has been almost all make so far.

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So why has Dalton looked so good so far this season? Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson thinks Dalton getting booed at a celebrity softball game in Cincinnati over the summer was a key tipping point. Seriously.

“I truly believe that was a turning point for Andy,” Jackson told MMQB.com. “I’m not going to tell you it didn't bother him. It did. When you have the success he has had — four seasons in the league, four times in the playoffs — getting booed in your own city, that has to hurt a bit. But he was able to hit one over the fence for a home run. And he flipped the bat. His message was sort of, ‘You might not like me now, but you’re going to love me later.'”

So yes, Bengals fans you had your Howard Beale from "Network" moment this summer and made the most of it.

Or was that Dalton's Beale moment? Every time he has been asked about the booing by the media, Dalton has softly punted, essentially saying it didn't bother him that much. Jackson's comments have us perhaps thinking otherwise.

But really, it's not much different than, say, Tom Brady goes about his business. When Brady is disrespected, he stews over the negativity — privately, seldom in front of the camera eye — and it fuels him to greatness far more often than not. Now, we're not saying Dalton is anywhere near the QB Brady is, but Dalton might be figuring out how best to handle criticism and flip it on its head.

“We see a quarterback who is emerging, who has been through a lot,” said Jackson. “He did everything a quarterback needed to do in the off-season, both physically and mentally, and we have created an environment for him to be as successful as a quarterback can be. I hear what people have said about him. But I see what is on the other side. There are things about him that people do not see. They say he doesn’t have passion. They say he doesn’t have the work ethic. All totally untrue. He has the burning desire to be the best. I see it every day. I’ve really seen it this week.”

Most people won't be convinced until Dalton and the Bengals end their playoff win drought, which is the longest in the NFL. But don't think Sunday isn't important toward getting the ball rolling in that direction.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!