Andy Dalton’s D.C. disaster makes it clear: Bryce Young should play QB for Carolina Panthers in week 8 and beyond

Matt Alquiza | 6 Hours Ago

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The proverbial waves of the Andy Dalton experience were always going to be turbulent. In Sunday's blowout loss to the Washington Commanders, those turbulent waves gave way to a Titanic-like disaster of a performance.

Dalton threw two interceptions on the Panthers first two offensive possessions, the first of which was a mind-boggling decision on a botched screen play that he may have well handed to Dante Fowler Jr. like he was Chuba Hubbard. The Commanders linebacker took Dalton's errant throw back for six, and Washington was up 7-0 before Jayden Daniels and their electric offense even took the field. It never got better. Dalton's final stat line of 11 completions on 19 attempts for 93 yards and two interceptions is the worst of his short Panthers tenure, and it should be the last one he ever records for the franchise.

It's time for Bryce Young to reclaim the starting job.

The case for Bryce Young

Frankly it's the same reasoning that handed Dalton the job in the first place. It can't be any worse, right? The Carolina Panthers were dominated in all three phases of Sunday's loss, so pinning the blame on Dalton would be silly, but the veteran quarterback did his share to compound the poor play of the entire team. A few weeks ago this space made the case for Young to be benched in order to evaluate the Panthers' ancillary pieces that surround the quarterback, and they've had ample time to do so.

The Dionte Johnson trade was a smash hit. The revamped offensive line (even with injuries to two starters) is rock solid. Rookies Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and Ja'Tavion Sanders can play. Evaluation is a 24/7, 365 day task for NFL franchises, but five games of competent Andy Dalton quarterbacking have proven that Carolina's offensive supporting cast is at worst above average.

It's time to find out if Bryce Young can reclaim some of the magic that got him drafted as the number one overall pick in 2023.

If Young comes out and plays poorly? Oh well. This is already (another) lost season for the Panthers, and poor quarterback play has become par for the course for the Queen City's football franchise.

If Young comes out and plays well? Things become much easier for Dan Morgan and Dave Canales in 2025. They get the gang back together on offense and spend every modicum of resource they boast on improving the league's worst defense.

The evaluation era for the Carolina Panthers should continue to march on as the losses mount (again), and it's time to re-evaluate Bryce Young.

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