How did Andy Dalton fare against his old employers?
After a performance that mesmerized and surprised in equal measure during his first start of the 2024 campaign, the Carolina Panthers were hoping for something similar from Andy Dalton in Week 4. There was also the added incentive of getting one over on his old employers for good measure.
Dalton got the start once again at Bank of America Stadium against the Cincinnati Bengals - the team that selected him at No. 35 overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. He's likely the No. 1 for the foreseeable future after head coach Dave Canales took the difficult decision to bench Bryce Young, but the veteran will be taking things one game at a time in pursuit of providing more hope to a fanbase in desperate need of inspiration.
Beating the Bengals would be a good place to start. As it turned out, Dalton wasn't able to build on a remarkable first start of the campaign as the Panthers were undone on home soil once again.
With this in mind, here are five major observations from Dalton's performance at the Bengals in Week 4.
Major observations from Andy Dalton's performance vs. the Bengals
Andy Dalton's poise
It came as no surprise to see Andy Dalton deliver the correct poise under center. This was a big reason why the Carolina Panthers went with him over Bryce Young to potentially save their season. Things weren't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but the veteran signal-caller's demeanor never changed.
Dalton isn't a spritely individual at 36 years old. He's not going to beat anyone running the football or scrambling effectively - that wasn't a big part of the player's game even in his prime. What does stand out is his ability to keep his eyes downfield, realize where the check-down is at all times, and maintain a strong pocket presence both pre and post-snap.
That might not seem like much, but this poise hasn't been evident for large periods in Carolina since Cam Newton was at the peak of his powers. Dalton's been around the game a long time, which is exactly what the Panthers need right now despite the significant investment made in Young before the 2023 NFL Draft.
Andy Dalton's decent first half
Although Andy Dalton was never able to match the heights of his first-half showing at the Las Vegas Raiders, it was a decent enough opening to the contest against the Cincinnati Bengals. The veteran did cough up an interception when a batted pass fell into the hands of former Carolina Panthers safety Vonn Bell. But aside from that, it was relatively pleasing.
Things would have been even better for Dalton had it not been for a couple of critical drops from wide receiver Diontae Johnson, including a potential touchdown grab. The pick was the only blemish, but the former TCU star kept the chains moving, looked to push the football downfield when opportunities arose, and seemed pretty much in control of proceedings with confidence brimming.
Dalton's first-half stats spoke for themselves. Even though the Panthers went into the interval down 21-14.
- 76.19 percent completion
- 134 passing yards
- 1 touchdown
- 1 interception
- 0 sacks against
- 88.2 passer rating (ESPN)
The offense can only do so much. Carolina's defense had no answer for Joe Burrow and the Bengals' offense. This made things more difficult, but the veteran was more of a help than a hindrance, which is always positive.
Andy Dalton's blossoming connection
With veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen going to injured reserve with a hamstring issue, it deprived Andy Dalton of an experienced target that he's already developed chemistry with. However, it allowed for a blossoming relationship to catch the eye.
Xavier Legette is steadily becoming an important piece of Carolina's offensive puzzle. The first-round selection spent plenty of time working with Dalton over the offseason as part of the second-string offense. This seems to be paying off based on the wideout's emergence since the Panthers made their bold quarterback switch.
This was Legette's best performance of his professional career by a considerable margin, and Dalton had a big hand in that. The timing was on point between the pair throughout. Dave Canales also got the former South Carolins star a few carries in the run game to further enhance his influence.
There was one concentration lapse in the third quarter when Legette could have gone for a big gain, but he's still learning his craft. Dalton seems to trust him enough, so it'll be interesting to watch how this pairing flourishes in the coming weeks as the first-year pro continues to evolve.
Andy Dalton kept swinging
The Carolina Panthers defense didn't have a good afternoon at the office. Joe Burrow had his way with Ejiro Evero's unit thanks in no small part to their non-existent pass-rush. They were chasing the contest throughout the second half as a result. That didn't stop Andy Dalton from swinging right until the end.
Dalton remained aggressive, which was imperative for the Panthers to come even within touching distance of the Cincinnati Bengals. While the old Panthers might have rolled over and accepted a heavy defeat, there was no such mindset attached to the 2011 second-round selection under center.
He rolled up his sleeves and showed fearlessness with the pressure building. This was evidenced by his laser to Pro Bowl wide receiver Diontae Johnson that went for a touchdown to close the gap early in the fourth quarter.
There were a few key misses down the stretch, but Dalton deserves credit for making a fight of things. It wasn't enough when push came to shove. However, it's another sign that the Panthers are in good hands with the signal-caller whether Carolina ends up winning many games or not.
Andy Dalton did everything he could
It's hard to envisage anything more Andy Dalton could have done in this one. This is not a good football team right now, but the signal-caller turned the offense into a serviceable operation. Unfortunately, the defense didn't meet expectations and the Carolina Panthers suffered their third defeat in four contests.
The Panthers will move forward with Dalton under center. He easily gives them the best chance to win. Had his young wide receivers not dropped some catchable balls in the second half, the result might have been different. There were also far too many batted passes throughout, which needs to be rectified as a matter of urgency.
Dalton can walk away with his head held high. It was easy to get carried away after last weekend, but it's also worth remembering that the ceiling is low with the aging veteran. He needs everything around him to be almost perfect. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case this time around.
Next up for Dalton and the Panthers is a trip to the Chicago Bears. It's another tough challenge and another of the signal-caller's old teams. Being efficient clearly isn't enough looking at the deficiencies elsewhere. This result was proof positive of that.
