Either way, Dalton has experienced whatever is about to happen, whether it was Seattle in 2023, the win in Las Vegas last year, or anything similar.
"I've been in this situation multiple times," he said. "I've kind of experienced a lot of different circumstances in this league, so obviously that's one that I can look at. But like I said, from the preparation standpoint, nothing's really changing."
The team, on the other hand, has changed and become more stable in every way than when he last started last season, before a thumb injury in a Week 8 car wreck got Young back in the lineup.
"Obviously, what we've been able to do the last several weeks, and I think we're playing with a ton of confidence," Dalton said. "So at that point we were still searching, now I feel like there's some momentum with what we've been able to do, and at this point it's like we just got to keep playing like we know we can play, keep playing with the confidence, let it go on Sundays.
"I mean, obviously, last year was the first year with the staff and the system and everything, and then now we kind of know what to expect, what we're doing, and then you add pieces to it. I think the best thing that Dave has done is that he stuck to the process. Exactly what he was saying, even after some of these losses that we've had, it's like the process hasn't changed. We know what it takes. We know what we're capable of, and the preparation is still going to be there.
"So I think that's the biggest thing, is once you have the process down, you stick to it and then you can go out there and just play on Sunday."
Or not play. Either way. The process is the same.