5 major observations from Andy Dalton's performance at the Bears in Week 5

Andy Dalton's disjointed offense

One of the biggest positives surrounding Andy Dalton's introduction into the starting lineup was how cohesive the offense became instantly. There was more confidence, more conviction, and more presence. That wasn't the case in Week 5 at the Chicago Bears.

Everything looked a little disjointed. There was no rhythm. Dave Canales went away from the ground game when they fell into a deficit, but there were no explosive plays downfield. The constant stream of injuries throughout the contest represented another dark thorn in the team's side en route to their fourth defeat in five contests to start the campaign.

Dalton can only do so much. His outstanding start didn't mask the fact he's an aging veteran past the peak of his powers. Unless everything around the Pro Bowler is on point, it's not hard to see where the complications could emerge.

Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong for the Carolina Panthers. Dalton will do what he can, but things might get worse before they get better unless the offense becomes more efficient consistently.

Andy Dalton was fighting a losing battle

The Panthers are not a good football team. That's not exactly breaking news, but anyone with a half-decent roster to call upon seems to have their way with Dave Canales' men. The Chicago Bears were highly motivated to give wide receiver D.J. Moore some revenge on the franchise that deemed him expendable. It left Andy Dalton fighting a losing battle.

As one established veteran after another went to the sidelines through injury, Dalton's options diminished further. The Bears have a pretty good defensive unit when their tails are up. They made life uncomfortable for the signal-caller through interior pressure and solid coverage. That was a detrimental combination to Carolina's hopes of keeping the offense churning in the face of adversity.

Dalton made a couple of nice throws throughout the game, but they were fleeting moments. His ball to undrafted free agent Jalen Coker was arguably the biggest highlight. Diontae Johnson also made a tremendous catch in the fourth quarter, but his influence wasn't to the standard fans have come to expect.

The result is this one seemed like a foregone conclusion from a long way out. Carolina looked visibly deflated and outmatched. Not even Dalton's Cinderella story could save them this time.