Panthers HC Dave Canales was asked if he wanted to build Bryce Young’s confidence by playing him late in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Bears.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young was on clean-up duty in Week 5.
The tail end of Sunday’s 36-10 loss to the Chicago Bears gave us our first look at Young since his benching from three weeks ago. He temporarily got the reins back from starter Andy Dalton with just over four minutes remaining in the game, leading the Panthers on a nine-play, 64-yard drive on their final possession.
Following the defeat, head coach Dave Canales was asked if we wanted to build Young’s confidence by playing him against some of Chicago’s backup defenders in the waning moments of the blowout.
“That really wasn’t the thought,” Canales replied. “It really goes back to just some injuries that we had. Really getting Andy out of there, protecting him in that situation and then giving Bryce a chance to get out there and play football.”
Carolina’s offensive line saw a couple of their hog mollies go down. Both center Austin Corbett and right tackle Taylor Moton, who hadn’t missed an offensive snap since 2019, made early exits from the contest.
Young completed four of his seven passing attempts for 58 yards. He also picked up an 8-yard gain on a scramble.
In just a few weeks, Panthers QB Andy Dalton has gone from a backup to an exciting starter with nothing to lose.
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales had himself a difficult decision to make under center following his team’s 26-3 defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2. Would he keep rolling with struggling second-year passer Bryce Young or see what 14th-year veteran Andy Dalton could do?
Well, he chose the latter—giving the 36-year-old another opportunity to run an NFL offense. And now, in the final season of his two-year pact with Carolina, Dalton is making the most of it.
Canales’ choice has undoubtedly proven to be the correct one. That was evident right from the jump in Carolina’s 36-22 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, when Dalton became the very first quarterback of the 2024 season to pass for both 300 yards and three touchdowns in a single game—and in his very first start, no less.
The Panthers offense displayed a semblance of a vertical passing game for the first time in years. That also allowed Canales to establish the run as a play-caller with running back Chuba Hubbard, who now has two consecutive games of at least 100 rushing yards.
Heading into this weekend’s game against the Chicago Bears, Dalton has been playing as well as any quarterback in the NFL. According to Next Gen Stats, he has recorded has the second-most yards (331) on quick throws (under 2.5 seconds). And this is translating on the game film with Dalton, who is getting to outlets quickly and providing fast answers against pressure.
Furthermore, Dalton has done a great job of manipulating defenses with his eyes and allowing deeper route concepts to come open. He has played on time and in rhythm, which is how Canales wants to run his offense.
On a grander scheme, Dalton’s early performance is an exciting instance of a quarterback letting it loose with nothing to lose. He’s in the final year of his contract and his career isn’t exactly guaranteed to continue past 2024.
And that’s dangerous.
Dalton’s vibes are even translating in losses. The Panthers may not have knocked off the Cincinnati Bengals in his second start in Week 4, but they remained competitive—a big step forward for a team that didn’t have a prayer of climbing out of the smallest holes just last season.
Although some fans will want to see Young back in the saddle at some point, the Panthers are Andy Dalton’s team until it isn’t. He is the starting quarterback, and is actually giving this team a chance to win.
Canales and general manager Dan Morgan have zero interest in how good their draft positioning for next April is at this time. Their main focus, of course, is to stack up victories and establish their culture for a franchise that desperately needs one.
So as long as Dalton keeps shooting, get used to seeing red under center in 2024.
Panthers QB Andy Dalton has defeated 29 of the NFL’s 32 teams over his 14-year career. He can make it 30 on Sunday.
There are only three NFL teams that haven’t felt the fiery wrath of the “Red Rifle.” But that very short list can be cut down to two on Sunday.
Carolina Panthers starting quarterback Andy Dalton spoke with reporters ahead of his team’s Week 5 visit to see the Chicago Bears. The 36-year-old veteran was asked about returning to the “Windy City,” where he spent one of his 14 pro seasons.
“Yeah, it’ll be fun to be back,” he said on Wednesday. “For me, I think the biggest thing is Chicago is one of the teams that I haven’t beat in my career. There’s only a couple of them, I think there’s three left—and unfortunately, one of them’s the Carolina Panthers, so I’m not gonna be able to do that. But, yeah, Chicago and Dallas, another team that I played for is another one that I haven’t beat.”
Dalton is currently 0-for-2 in his career against the Bears. He and the Cincinnati Bengals took a 24-21 loss to Chicago in 2013 and a 33-7 beatdown in 2017.
But if he keeps up the impressive play from his first two starts, then the third time could be a charm this weekend. And if it is, he can then set his sights on those Cowboys in Week 15.
When it comes to beating the Panthers, that may be another story for another year. Dalton is set to become a free agent at season’s end, so that prospect isn’t completely off the table.
As of now, however, there are only four quarterbacks who have defeated every team in their NFL careers—Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Tom Brady.
Did the Panthers bottom out in the power rankings following their Week 4 loss to the Bengals?
Unfortunately for the Carolina Panthers, a winning streak was simply not meant to be. After a triumphant victory against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3, the team fell short of knocking off the Cincinnati Bengals in a 34-24 loss this past Sunday.
So, how far did they fall across the power rankings?
Let’s take a look at where the Panthers stand heading into Week 5 . . .
Take: “They head to Chicago this week. Better lock the hotel safes and stadium lockers given the Bears will try to steal a win after already swiping WR DJ Moore and the No. 1 pick of this year’s draft.”
Take: “Once again, benching Bryce Young for Andy Dalton looked like the right decision, as Dalton kept the chains moving all game against the Bengals and played well, even with a tipped-pass interception. He has limited the sacks (zero on Sunday) and helped stretch the field, two things Young was unable to do, which has given receivers such as Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette a chance to showcase their skills to a greater degree. Johnson dropped a would-be TD on the opening drive, but he’s come alive with Dalton under center. The run game also showed more juice, although a leaky Bengals defense was partly responsible for that. Still, the entire operation looks better, even as the Panthers remain in the infancy stages of their rebuild.”
Take (on team’s biggest issue on defense): “Injuries could be the answer here, because LB Shaq Thompson is now out for the rest of the season with a torn Achilles, and the Panthers were already down three starters — DE Derrick Brown (knee), DT Shy Tuttle (foot) and S Jordan Fuller (hamstring). But pressure was a concern heading into the season, and it was magnified Sunday against the Bengals. QB Joe Burrow was pressured on just four of 32 dropbacks, the third-lowest he has faced in his career. Carolina has no one outside of LB Jadeveon Clowney who can consistently get to the QB.”
Take: “The Andy Dalton bump came to a halt because the defense had issues against the Bengals. But the offense is better with Dalton than when Young was in the lineup.”
Take: “The Panthers’ offense still looked viable in Andy Dalton’s second start, despite Sunday’s loss to the Bengals. Carolina won’t win many games but Sunday showed it’ll remain competitive.”
He wasn’t as sharp as he was in Week 3, but Andy Dalton helped lead the way for the Panthers offense once again.
Even in defeat, the Carolina Panthers seem to be getting a bit closer to who they want to be. And now, for a second straight week, their Pro Football Focus grades seem to be indicating who is helping them find that identity.
Here are the best and worst marks from Sunday’s 34-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals:
Best of the offense
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1. QB Andy Dalton: 79.1
2. RB Miles Sanders: 73.4
3. TE Ja’Tavion Sanders: 72.7
4. WR Diontae Johnson: 71.5
5. RB Chuba Hubbard: 69.5
Dalton leads the group after a second-place finish in last week’s 36-22 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. He completed 25 of his 40 throws for 220 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Johnson and Hubbard also starred on offense again. The former reeled in seven passes for 83 yards and a touchdown while the latter rushed for a game-high 104 yards and a score on 18 carries.
Worst of the offense
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22. OL Brady Christensen: 57.5
23. WR Jalen Coker: 56.6
24. WR David Moore: 54.5
25. WR Jonathan Mingo: 52.3
26. TE Tommy Tremble: 45.2
Mingo caught three of his five targets for a combined 24 yards. One of the misses was charged as a drop, his first of the season.
Even in a loss, the Panthers and HC Dave Canales are getting closer to who they want to be.
This Sunday wasn’t nearly as fun as the last one for the Carolina Panthers. But that doesn’t mean the afternoon was a total loss.
Here are three takeaways from Week 4’s 34-24 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals:
Ground game continues to gain traction
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Head coach Dave Canales, months before actually leading the sidelines for Carolina, professed his intent to establish the run. So he should be a happy man when he looks at his running game in the film room tomorrow.
The Panthers put together another productive day on the ground, an effort that resulted in 155 yards and a touchdown on 29 attempts. Running back Chuba Hubbard led the way once again, rushing for 104 yards (his second straight 100-yard game) and the score.
Backup Miles Sanders looked dangerous, too. After averaging just 3.1 yards per carry in the first three outings of the campaign, Sanders bounced around for 32 yards on six takes (5.3 yards per carry).
Despite the loss, which was even missing the road-grading left guard Damien Lewis, the Carolina offense seems to be getting closer to assuming an actual identity.
Defense raises more concerns
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Unfortunately for the Panthers, the opposing ground game didn’t treat them too well.
The Bengals bopped about for 141 yards and two scores on 31 carries. A decent amount of that production can be attributed to the, uh, less-than-stellar fundamentals from the Carolina defense—which struggled to wrap up.
A lack of consistent tackling also gave way to the biggest play of the game, a long touchdown connection in the second quarter between quarterback Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. What should have been about a 15-yard gain became a 63-yard touchdown thanks to a handful of missed tackles.
To add injury to insult, the unit lost two more of their leaders in inside linebackers Shaq Thompson and Josey Jewell. The severity of their injuries are yet to be announced, but a Derrick Brown-less defense really can’t afford any more notable absences.
Are the Panthers getting there?
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Even in defeat, the Panthers picked up a few minor “wins.”
Along with a strong running game, Carolina’s passing attack kept the contest interesting. Quarterback Andy Dalton wasn’t the same guy he was in last week’s triumphant performance, but he was able to push the ball downfield to keep the offense moving.
Dalton finished with 220 passing yards and two touchdowns, with one finding wideout Diontae Johnson and the other finding rookie Xavier Legette for his first NFL score.
The Panthers wrapped up the day with 375 yards of total offense (two more than the Bengals) and seven third-down conversions on 14 tries. That output helped keep them competitive on a scoreboard that once read them a 31-14 deficit.
The Panthers’ hopes for an actual winning streak were scratched on Sunday.
After a triumphant showing in Week 3, the Carolina Panthers fell a bit short of stringing together a winning streak on Sunday.
Here’s everything we know from the team’s Week 4 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals . . .
Final score: Bengals 34, Panthers 24
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Keys to the game
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Poor tackling from the Panthers defense opened up quite a few big-play opportunities for the Bengals. The most lethal instance came around the midway point of the second quarter, when Cincinnati wideout Ja’Marr Chase bounced off multiple would-be tacklers en route to a 63-yard touchdown.
The suboptimal form also leaked onto the ground, where the Bengals rushed for 141 yards and two scores. Second-year running back Chase Brown led the way for Cincinnati with 80 yards and two touchdowns.
Carolina’s ability to establish the run on their end kept them alive. The Panthers grounded and pounded for 155 yards and a touchdown on 29 attempts.
It was over when . . .
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Despite being down 31-14 with under three minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Panthers made a ballgame out of it. Carolina chipped away with a 21-yard touchdown connection between quarterback Andy Dalton and receiver Diontae Johnson, and then a 48-yard field goal from kicker Eddy Piñeiro.
But the Bengals put the comeback on ice, forcing a three-and-out of the Panthers offense with under five minutes left in the game. Cincinnati then proceeded to bleed clock, giving way to a 46-yard field goal from Evan McPherson for a 34-24 lead at the 1:14 mark.
2024 first-round pick Xavier Legette found the NFL end zone for the first time in his career on Sunday.
Just this past week, Carolina Panthers wideout Xavier Legette revealed on the Cleats and Convos with Deebo Samuel podcast that he’d hop on his horse when he scores his first NFL touchdown . . .
Need Xavier Legette in the end zone this week so we get this TD celebration 😆
Well, he delivered quite promptly on that proclamation.
The rookie receiver found the end zone for the first time in his pro career on Sunday, reeling in an 8-yard score from quarterback Andy Dalton. Legette’s touchdown helped knot the Week 4 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals at 14 apiece.
Panthers QB Andy Dalton is a cat of a different breed here in 2024.
The Carolina Panthers picked up their first win of the season in an explosive way last week, thanks to the arm (and quite possibly the hair) of new starting quarterback Andy Dalton. So now, at 1-2, the team will try to continue to strike some hope with the Cincinnati Bengals coming to town.
But before we hit kickoff on Sunday, here are four things to know about this Week 4 matchup . . .
The Dalton Tour ’24
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Whether you consider it the beginning of a reunion tour or a revenge tour, this weekend starts a familiar circuit for Dalton.
The Bengals, of course, selected the Texas Christian University standout in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft. He went on to play nine seasons in Cincinnati, finishing his tenure as a three-time Pro Bowler and the franchise’s second all-time leading passer.
Dalton has already started three games against the Bengals following his departure in 2020—throwing for 403 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions and a 100.8 passer rating with a 2-1 record. He’ll look to keep the momentum going as he comes off one of the best outings of his NFL career.
After Sunday, Dalton could be in line to face his other three past employers later on this season. That docket includes the Chicago Bears (Week 5), the New Orleans Saints (Week 9) and the Dallas Cowboys (Week 15).
All tied up
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The Carolina-Cincinnati matchup is a bit of a rarity, as the teams have faced off just seven times. And as of now, the series stands at three wins apiece with a 2014 tie sprinkled in.
That rare result saw the Panthers and Bengals put up 37 points each with Dalton and Cam Newton leading the way for their respective cats.
Comeback cats?
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One of these teams was forecasted to be a Super Bowl contender and the other a contender for the 2025 NFL draft’s No. 1 overall pick. But you couldn’t tell who was who if you put Week 3 into a vacuum.
An AFC favorite a few weeks ago, the Bengals have floundered to an 0-3 start and are staring down the barrel of a historically-perilous 0-4 mark. The Panthers, on the other hand, are 1-2 and gaining a bit of traction.
Either way, both teams’ playoff hopes could be on the line here in Week 4.
Strap in
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While the Carolina defense is still trying to find itself after a handful of key losses, cornerback Jaycee Horn has proved to be a rock-solid constant.
As he’s maintained his health thus far, which has been the biggest obstacle of his four-year NFL career, the former eighth overall pick continues to show that he’s one of the game’s top-tier corners. Just this past week, Horn held three-time First-team All-Pro wideout Davante Adams to just one catch for 15 yards in Carolina’s 36-22 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
He’ll have another premier opponent in Ja’Marr Chase on Sunday, a matchup that could help dictate the outcome of this contest.
Panthers QB Andy Dalton will have the chance to scratch his former team quite deeply on Sunday.
Bank of America Stadium will play host to a rather intriguing cat fight on Sunday.
The 0-3 Cincinnati Bengals, an AFC favorite just a few short weeks ago, are attempting to save their season while the 1-2 Carolina Panthers, who faced very little expectations, have seemingly just revived theirs.
So as the claws get closer to coming out, let’s look at the biggest storylines heading into this Week 4 matchup . . .
Cool Cat
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Carolina’s aforementioned revival was sparked by quarterback Andy Dalton, who made his first start since replacing 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young. The 14th-year veteran kickstarted the offense in a cool and collected performance—as he completed 26 of his 37 throws for 319 yards, three touchdowns and no turnovers.
Dalton’s veteran presence brought some much-needed stability under center, where the 23-year-old Young faltered to begin his sophomore campaign. The Panthers, for the first time since 2022, hit the 400-yard mark while successfully converting five third-down tries—three more than the unit amassed in Young’s two starts combined.
Will Dalton be able to keep the offense and the good vibes going?
Oh! And you may have heard this a time or two over the past few days, but Dalton kinda sorta played for the Bengals earlier in his NFL career. So, yeah, that seems somewhat pertinent as well.
Scratched
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Much of Dalton’s success min Week 3 can be attributed to his offensive line, which has been one of the league’s most reliable in pass protection thus far. (Didn’t think you’d be reading that about a Carolina Panthers offensive line, did you?)
The group, however, will be without starting left guard Damien Lewis—who will sit out due to his UCL tear. Lewis, like his fellow hog mollies, has shined to start the season—as his 80.9 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus ranks sixth amongst all guards.
There’s also a chance that Carolina may not have starting right guard Robert Hunt either. Hunt did not finish practice on Friday due to a hip injury and is listed as questionable.
Second-year lineman and 2024 fourth-round pick Chandler Zavala, like he did for 22 snaps in the Week 3 win, will take over for Lewis. And if Hunt cannot go, the versatile Brady Christensen would be in his stead.
With the offense getting on track behind Dalton and looking to further establish the run behind a hot Chuba Hubbard, Zavala (and perhaps Christensen) must step up to keep the machine moving.
Here, Kitty, Kitty
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If you were told prior to the season that one of these two teams would be winless heading into their Week 4 matchup, we’re willing to bet that you didn’t think it’d be the Bengals.
Well, it is indeed the Bengals—and they’re one loss away from essentially ending their season. There’s only one team in NFL history (the 1992 San Diego Chargers) that made the postseason after starting 0-4, so the situation is extremely dire.
Unbelievably enough, the Panthers have a chance to bury these cats in their backyard on Sunday.
