What were some major observations from Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton's performance at the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3?
After another week full of injury problems, Andy Dalton manned the quarterback position in Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks with No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young out with an ankle problem. Not exactly the best news for anyone associated with the Carolina Panthers, but this was exactly why those in power made him a high-priority target in free agency.
Dalton's got a great record against the Seahawks and is experienced enough to slot in at a moment's notice. Of course, some things would need to change schematically, but that was seen as a good thing considering how anemic things have been on offense over the opening fortnight.
This was a tricky spot all things considered. As it turned out, Dalton couldn;t prevent the Panthers from falling to their third-straight loss to begin the 2023 campaign.
With this in mind, here are four major observations from Dalton's performance in Week 3 at Lumen Field.
Andy Dalton's early rhythm
It looked as if the Carolina Panthers made known their intent to get Andy Dalton into an early rhythm right out of the gate. The veteran signal-caller was afforded plenty of early, easy completions to build up confidence during the opening drive, which only resulted in a field goal but was decent enough nonetheless.
Dalton's timing caught the eye in a positive manner. But the Panthers were slowly wilting under severe pressure from the Seattle Seahawks defense and with no established running game to call upon, it wasn't going to get any easier for the former second-round selection as the contest progressed.
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.
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.
Carolina Panthers loss wasn't on Andy Dalton
If someone had said Andy Dalton would throw for 361 passing yards, avoid giving up a turnover, and finish with a passer rating in the high 80s before the game, many would have taken it. But this wasn't good enough to compensate for another late defensive collapse, severe discipline issues on the offensive line, and certain individuals once again failing to meet the required standard.
Dalton's always been adamant he could still be a starter in the NFL despite his advancing years. On the evidence of this showing, he's absolutely right.
Simply put, this demoralizing loss was not on Dalton. He'll take the blame as a leader and the starting quarterback, but there were far more mitigating factors in play when assessing the wreckage of yet another poor performance overall.
There was a lot to like about the way Dalton went about his business. He probably threw the football way more than originally anticipated - a career-high, in fact - but his efficiency was right where it needed to be and one would hard pressed to find an ill-advised throw before watching the All-22.
If this was the first and last time the Carolina Panthers play Dalton this season, he can hold his head high. The bar wasn't exactly high after the opening fortnight, but the offense did look a little better under his leadership.
That's not going to matter - nor should it if Bryce Young is healthy enough to participate in Week 4. But any teams looking for assistance at the quarterback position would be wise to take a closer look at Dalton's performance in this one ahead of making a potential call to Carolina.