Six days after the Carolina Panthers benched the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the decision paid off as the Panthers earned their first win of the season behind veteran Andy Dalton.
Out of the gate, the Panthers simply operated at a different level with Dalton as their quarterback. The Panthers marched down the field and scored on their opening drive of the game, giving themselves an early start.
With Dalton’s lead, the Panthers put up 437 total yards of offense. Dalton completed 26-37 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen, and Chuba Hubbard on touchdown passes.
After the Panthers scored a combined 13 points during their first two games with Bryce Young at quarterback, the Panthers scored 36 in a win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. The Panthers had not scored 30 points in a game since the day before Christmas last year.
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For the first time all season, the Panthers offense not only looked competent, but explosive. Carolina did go up against a Raiders defense that has allowed over 300 yards of offense in each of their first three games after facing two tough defenses in the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers, but this certainly looked like an entirely different offense with Dalton at the helm.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales did not originally plan to bench Young following Carolina’s loss to the Chargers last week, but Canales opted to make the controversial move when he reviewed the film and determined it was the best move for the team.
Canales knew benching Young was a tough decision, but one that brought the team a win which will ultimately boost morale.
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The Panthers have not permanently moved on from Young, but it was clear that they were not playing nearly at the level they wanted through the first two weeks with him under center.
At the end of the day, Canales is a first-year head coach working for a Panthers organization that has recently had a short lease on head coaches. Canales was not part of the organization when they drafted Young, and if the Panthers didn’t start winning, he might not have the chance to prove himself or get another opportunity next season.
Canales could also lose the locker room or their culture if they did not get the win, which would not help him either.
After earning their first win of the season, the Panthers will now look ahead to their Week 4 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
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