On Sunday, the Carolina Panthers dropped to 1-4 after a 36-10 loss to the Chicago Bears. The Andy Dalton-led Panthers have seen one bright spot this season: a convincing 36-22 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3. Beyond that, it has been a challenging season for head coach Dave Canales and the team. This latest defeat marks the Panthers’ third loss by 20 or more points, having previously been blown out by the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers. Carolina began the season with Bryce Young, the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, as their starter, but after two dismal offensive showings, they decided to switch to veteran Andy Dalton as the starting quarterback.
This decision initially sparked an offensive surge for the Panthers, but it proved short-lived after a disappointing Week 5 performance against the Bears. Late in the second half of the clearly lost game, Canales opted to bring in the second-year quarterback. Young managed to make one quick highlight play, but the Panthers still fell 36-10. After the game, Canales was asked about the team’s quarterback plans moving forward. He confirmed that they would continue with Andy Dalton as the starter, despite Sunday’s mediocre offensive showing. “Andy is our quarterback,” the first-year head coach stated. Canales acknowledged Young’s “fantastic” play, but the team is sticking with the veteran Dalton. Dalton ended the game with 18 completions on 28 attempts for 136 yards, along with one interception and no touchdowns. It’s clear that the Panthers are facing challenges, and it remains to be seen if they will return to their once-promising franchise QB, Bryce Young.
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