The Carolina Panthers put their fans through what felt like the longest two weeks in franchise history before stepping foot into Allegiant Stadium on Sunday.
Not only had the headline-stealing offense continued to fail, even under a new head coach and play-caller in Dave Canales, but the defense offered very little resistance over the team’s two blowout losses to begin the campaign. Then the headlines kept on souring, as Canales made the tough decision to bench struggling second-year quarterback Bryce Young in favor of veteran Andy Dalton going into Week 3.
So, surely, there wasn’t much a 36-year-old backup could do to revive yet another lost season, right? Wrong.
Despite the doubts, the squad rallied around Dalton and picked up their first victory of the year. And it wasn’t just a victory, it was a statement.
The 14th-year passer was clearly one of the best players on the field in the 36-22 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. He looked sharp and composed, as threw dime after dime on his way to a 319-yard passing output.
He also, unlike Young had during the first two weeks, cashed in on the work of his supporting cast. Dalton reaped the benefits of a sturdy offensive line and revved up the likes of running back Chuba Hubbard and wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who accumulated a career-high 122 receiving yards.
Perhaps we can call it a September miracle for the Panthers, a team seemingly everyone had already written off. And after this performance, where he displayed mastery of Canales’ offense with relative ease, Dalton has locked himself in as the starting quarterback for the foreseeable future.
While questions will still remain about the long-term vision at the position, let’s just take this time to soak in a much-needed win as well as the magic of the “Red Rifle.”
