4 burning Carolina Panthers fan questions entering Week 4 vs. the Bengals
By Ricky Raines
Apologies?
When are you guys going to apologize to Carolina Panthers fans for your ridiculous backing of (Bryce) Young over (C.J.) Stroud, and Young over (Andy) Dalton? When will you admit you were wrong? – Jaghy Benson
Thanks for the question, Jaghy. Wouldn’t it be terrific if we all could see into the future to contextualize full situations that nobody foresaw and avoid catastrophic events? I’d personally love that.
A lot of people among the fanbase and around the media are running a victory lap and demanding justice when the situation still lacks a tangible resolution. But I will concede this point to you, and any other readers who feel wronged by objective analysis and film study; Andy Dalton is the right player to be starting at quarterback for this Carolina Panthers football team right now.
There’s a high likelihood that the Bryce Young era in Carolina could already be over. And hindsight always makes decisions easier. I never thought an All-Star coaching staff would look as pedestrian as the 2023 coaches led by Frank Reich did. All those decades of NFL experience and Super Bowl rings walking the halls of the big building on South Mint Street - relegated to one of the worst seasons of football in the organization's three-decade history.
A talented and confident player was torn apart like the finale segment of Shark Week. Placing too much on an over-drafted rookie wide receiver’s plate. Shuffling around nearly 20 different arrangements of offensive linemen - none of which provide any semblance of consistent protection. A defense that lifted opposing ground attacks like Rafiki did little Simba.
I apologize for being wrong about those basic failures. I do hope you understand that even though we shamefully supported the players on the team that we root for, we did not influence the team’s decision-making process, which was reportedly conflicted depending on who you listen to.
To have your gripes heard by those folks? You’ll have to yell towards a much higher tower. And it might take a little longer.