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They say a quarterback can change a franchise's trajectory for a season. Bryce Young, the Carolina Panthers' No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, was supposed to be that difference-maker. But after 19 starts, he was benched in favor of veteran backup Andy Dalton.
Dalton did on Sunday what Young has only accomplished twice in his young career—win a game in the NFL—leading the Panthers to a 36-22 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. That result only fueled the decision for Young's further benching. Dalton, now 36 years old, will be making his second consecutive start next week against the team that drafted him, the Cincinnati Bengals.
Was this an abrupt move from new Panthers head coach Dave Canales? Maybe. Maybe not. Young was just entering his second year, and he was still part of what was considered the worst team in football. Did he really get a fair chance?
Dave Canales had to make a change to save his job
There's no such thing as a fair shake in the Panthers organization, owned by David Tepper—the most impatient, irritable owner in the league. Since Tepper bought the team in 2018, the Panthers have recorded the worst record in the NFL (31-70).
Tepper and the Panthers are now on their sixth head coach, including interims, in six years. Some, like Frank Reich, barely had time to set up their login information on their computers before being shown the door—Reich was fired after just 11 games.
“You look at coaches: Steve Wilks, Frank Reich, Matt Rhule. On and on, he’s run them all off. He’s making the decisions. He has got to listen to his football people and quit playing fantasy football,” former Super Bowl winning head coach with the Dallas Cowboys Jimmy Johnson said (via The Athletic).
Knowing Tepper's history, Canales likely felt pressure to make a quick change to save his job. Enter Dalton, the Panthers’ new starting quarterback, for now. But does this shift mean the Panthers are headed in a new direction and now a potential playoff team?
Not so fast.
Andy Dalton and the Panthers faced the Raiders
There weren’t many better opponents for Dalton’s first start of the season than the Las Vegas Raiders, a team still figuring things out under interim coach Antonio Pierce. Even though the Raiders shocked the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2, the verdict is still out on Pierce's leadership.
Much like the Panthers, the Raiders are also dealing with quarterback uncertainty. Both Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell saw playing time on Sunday, with Minshew taking most of the snaps. That and the Raiders' lack of a run game (55 yards) gave Dalton and the Panthers’ offense plenty of opportunities to take the field.
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Dalton completed 26 of 37 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns, looking like his old self. But it was just one game against a team projected to win 6.5 games this season. Let’s not overreact just yet.
Panthers still in a tough NFC South
Through the first three weeks of the season, the NFC South is looking more competitive than expected. The New Orleans Saints are 2-1, having blown out their first two opponents, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are also 2-1 and seem poised to defend their division title.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons, though 1-2, were a preseason favorite to win the division and appear much improved. So where does that leave the Panthers? Probably in a tough spot. Even in a competitive division, the Panthers will need to face three strong teams twice each this season. Dalton will have to string together more performances like his one against the Raiders to keep Carolina in the mix.
Andy Dalton hasn’t recorded a winning season since 2015
Dalton hasn’t always played for the best teams, but he hasn’t always been the best quarterback, either. Having played in 171 games, starting in 164 of those, has a record of 84-78-2 as a starter, this will be Dalton's 14th NFL season. However, the last time Dalton posted a winning record as a starter was back in 2015, when he went 10-3 with the Cincinnati Bengals. Since then, he has posted progressively worse records, with his best season coming in 2017, when he went 7-9.
Additionally, Dalton has been a turnover machine throughout his career, with 144 interceptions and 50 fumbles. Are we really supposed to believe that now, at 36 years old in his 14th season, he’ll suddenly change?
Andy Dalton has just four playoff appearances
Even if the Panthers somehow sneak into the playoffs, Dalton doesn’t have the best playoff track record. He’s made the postseason just four times (2011-2014), all in Wild Card games with the Bengals. He’s 0-4 in those games, with a passer rating of 57.8, 878 yards, one touchdown, and six interceptions.
Panthers still lack playmakers
Last Sunday, wide receiver Diontae Johnson had a big day with eight receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown, while Chuba Hubbard tallied 169 yards from scrimmage with a touchdown. The Panthers also have rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette. While this is promising, the team still doesn’t have enough weapons to be an explosive offense. Making matters worse, veteran receiver Adam Thielen was just placed on injured reserve.
Dalton will need reliable playmakers as the season continues, especially if the Panthers hope to compete for a playoff spot. Right now, Carolina lacks enough pieces to make that a realistic goal.
