The Carolina Panthers got their season back on track on Sunday, blowing out the Las Vegas Raiders 36-22 on the road. Of course, it was the Panthers' first game with Andy Dalton starting at quarterback for Bryce Young, who was benched after just two games.
Sunday's win marked a complete reversal from the dismal Panthers offense that we saw over the first two weeks. Young failed to get much of anything going in the first two weeks of his second season, throwing zero touchdowns and four interceptions and managing to get just 13 points on the board.
Dalton looked rejuvenated on Sunday in his first start of the season, fitting the ball into tight windows and pushing it down the field in a way that Young was not able to. In the win, Dalton became the first quarterback this season to throw for 300+ yards and three touchdowns in a game.
Following Dalton's outing, Panthers head coach Dave Canales unsurprisingly confirmed that Dalton would continue to be the starter for Carolina, according to Joe Person of The Athletic.
“Andy's our quarterback. He gives us our best chance to win,” Canales said, per Person.
Dalton will get a shot at revenge in Week 4 when he takes the field against his old team, the Cincinnati Bengals. Dalton played the first nine seasons of his career in Cincinnati and made 133 starts for the franchise.
The move to confirm Dalton's status as the starter was predictable, as Canales and the Panthers have to evaluate the rest of the roster to see what young pieces they can build on. At times, Young was playing so poorly that it was impossible to evaluate the offensive line (which has played pretty well) or the receiving core. With Dalton at the helm, it's clear that the Panthers have the pieces to at least be functional and competitive on that side of the ball.
Follow Us
Subscribe
