Why Panthers must not turn back to Bryce Young after ugly loss to Bears
The options for new Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales are already getting thin, and it’s only Week 6 in the NFL. The first-year coach has already replaced his starting quarterback, Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s NFL Draft, with veteran Andy Dalton.
Dalton looks to be a short answer to a long problem. He looked magnificent in his first start of the season against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3. The 36-year-old went 26-for-37 for 319 yards with three touchdowns in the Panthers’ 36-22 win, their only one of the season thus far.
To no one’s surprise, the overreactions came aplenty, with some believing that Dalton could be the problem solver to salvage this season for the Panthers. However, after just three games, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
The competition, for one, has gotten tougher, while the points scored have continued to decrease week by week. Against the Cincinnati Bengals, Dalton was 25-for-40 with 220 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in a 34-24 loss. But against a much tougher Bears defense on Sunday, Dalton’s true colors showed.
The 14-year veteran completed just 18-of-28 pass attempts for 136 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception, while taking three sacks in an absolute pounding by Chicago, 36-10. Ironically, it was Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft—thanks to the Panthers trading the top pick the year before to select Young—who led the Bears to victory.
That’s where the Panthers stand—caught in a maze of poor decisions. Canales, who hopes not to become the fourth coach fired since 2018 by owner David Tepper, now has to find solutions.
Year 1’s are almost never easy for any head coach, especially a rookie head coach. But this season isn’t likely to get any easier for Canales. So, why not make the move back to Young?
The Bryce Young Dilemma: to start or not to start?
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First, it’s worth noting that Canales has already named Dalton the starting quarterback against the 3-2 Atlanta Falcons this Sunday, per Panthers beat writer Sheena Quick. That question was bound to be asked after Dalton’s performance against the Bears, where he was eventually replaced in the final minutes by Young. The former Alabama quarterback went 4-for-7 for 58 yards.
Dalton is the safe answer for Canales, at least for now. With the veteran, he knows what to expect. And at 1-4, there are still potential wins on the table, as the season isn’t a total wash just yet. There’s a fear that going back to Young so soon could be seen as throwing in the towel on the season. After all, the belief as to why Canales so abruptly benched Young in favor of Dalton in the first place was to save the season from getting out of control.
That didn’t change the face that Canales surprised many by benching Young after just two starts this season and 18 overall in his career. If he returns to Young after three starts—four with the upcoming one against Atlanta—it could reveal an uncertain demeanor in the first-year head coach.
No doubt Canales is feeling the pressure, much like previous Panthers coaches. Frank Reich, fired after just 11 games last season, is a recent reminder of how quickly things can go south. How Canales handles his quarterback situation will greatly reflect on his decision-making abilities as a head coach.
More than just a quarterback issue
© Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
It’s not as if quarterback is the only problem Canales needs to solve at this point in the season. Besides the lack of playmakers, with veteran Adam Thielen sidelined with a hamstring injury, the offense has now lost its starting center, Austin Corbett, for the season with a torn biceps.
The Panthers as a whole are ravaged by injuries, particularly on defense. Defensive end Derrick Brown is out for the season, Shaq Thompson is on injured reserve, and Josey Jewell is still dealing with multiple injuries.
At some point, Canales probably goes back to Young, if for no other reason than to see what the he’s made of and if he has improved. But is that even possible with this beat-up roster? Without their starting center, Young would be especially vulnerable.
There are a lot of problems going on in Carolina right now that are simply unsolvable. Flip-flopping on quarterbacks likely won’t change anything.
The post Why Panthers must not turn back to Bryce Young after ugly loss to Bears appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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