4 major observations from Andy Dalton's performance at the Seahawks in Week 3
By Dean Jones
Andy Dalton's outstanding first half
Lumen Field is not for the faint of heart. It's loud, and intimidating, causing significant complications to any team not fully prepared. Therefore, it helps if you have a composed quarterback capable of blocking out the noise and focusing fully on the task at hand.
That's exactly what Andy Dalton provided the Carolina Panthers. He's not seen much action of late and was barely utilized in the preseason, but the TCU product didn't skip a beat and coped remarkably well against a defense that had absolutely no respect for the wide receiving unit in the first half.
There isn't much Dalton hasn't seen throughout his storied career. This is something he put to good use, taking what the defense gave him, evading pressure despite not being as mobile as he once was, and keeping the chains moving in key situations.
The first-half stats spoke for themselves. Simply put, this was the exact stability the Panthers were seeking with offensive confidence low and Carolina needing a spark from somewhere.
- 63.64% completion
- 158 passing yards
- 1 TD
- 0 INTs
- 100.2 passer rating (ESPN)
- 2 sacks against
Perhaps more impressive was Dalton's ability to find his receivers with pressure right in his face. Again, this is the benefit of having a veteran presence at the quarterback spot who knows what's coming long before it arrives.