4 major observations from Andy Dalton's performance at the Seahawks in Week 3
By Dean Jones
Andy Dalton's strong connection
It didn't take long to realize which player Andy Dalton was going to rely upon heavily to move the chains in this one. While D.J. Chark had some splash moments and Miles Sanders got his share of targets, Adam Thielen was the main man.
The Carolina Panthers haven't had much to shout about offensively this season. Thielen has been one of the few bright spots despite some unfair criticism, but this was his best performance by a considerable margin since joining the team and he had Dalton to thank.
Whenever the Panthers needed a gain on third down or other key moments, Dalton went to Thielen more often than not. The pair's chemistry was right on point, taking advantage of a suspect Seattle Seahawks secondary to provide a level of assurance not seen within Carolina's passing attack so far this season.
Thielen eventually finished with 11 receptions from 14 targets for 145 receiving yards and one touchdown. Had it not been for countless penalties as the offensive line struggled to cope with the atmosphere around them at Lumen Field, these numbers could have risen considerably.
The next challenge - especially from Thielen's point of view - is getting the same cohesion with Bryce Young over the rest of 2023. Because even though Dalton gave a good account of himself, the Panthers are going to throw their prized possession right back in at the deep end against the Minnesota Vikings if he gets medical clearance.