5 major observations from Andy Dalton's performance at the Bears in Week 5
By Dean Jones
Andy Dalton couldn't generate momentum
There was a big difference between Andy Dalton and the Carolina Panthers in Week 5 compared to his previous two starts. They couldn't generate any early momentum and the signal-caller suffered accordingly.
Dalton made a fast start at the Las Vegas Raiders and against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Chicago Bears were much better prepared with two games of film to study the veteran and how he runs Carolina's offense. They were predictable schematically and there weren't many times when the quarterback displayed any level of comfort in the pocket.
It is what it is. The Panthers made their bed when they decided to bench Bryce Young. Dalton was not leading them to the Super Bowl. He provides more stability, but he's also extremely limited without a lead.
Just how many of those the Panthers will have over their remaining 12 games remains to be seen. Based on this outing, it's going to be a long few months before another pivotal offseason in 2025.
Carolina Panthers cannot go away from Andy Dalton
After two straight losses and arguably Andy Dalton's worst performance since becoming the starter, there will be obvious speculation in the media about whether the Panthers should go back to Bryce Young. That is not an option - not yet, anyway.
Dave Canales took Young out of the firing line for a reason. He wanted the former No. 1 pick to take a breath and develop without the spotlight glaring. Dalton was only going to provide immediate relief. It's not the long-term plan - nobody knows what that is right now.
Dalton should be under center in Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons and beyond. This is not going to be a quick fix for the Panthers. They are going to lose a lot more games than they win this season, that's the hard truth of the matter.
Putting Young in harm's way only jeopardizes his long-term outlook further. There are no such expectations for the veteran, who's got a couple of years left before walking away from the gridiron entirely.
The Panthers have a better chance of salvaging something from the campaign with Dalton. That might not be much, but it'll be something for Canales to hang his hat on amid the ongoing doom and gloom around the organization.
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