According to Steve Reed of the Associated Press,

Charlotte, N.C.

Unfortunately, Andy Dalton’s strong throwing arm was unable to prevent the Carolina Panthers from experiencing yet another loss.

Dalton played well filling in for rookie quarterback Bryce Young and the passing game was more in sync with the 13-year veteran under center, but the Panthers (0-3) struggled to run the ball and had too many self-inflected mistakes in a 37-27 loss at Seattle on Sunday.

Dalton successfully threw 34 out of 58 passes, gaining a total of 361 yards and scoring two touchdowns with zero interceptions. However, Carolina’s ground game only managed to gain 44 yards on 15 carries and the offensive line received eight false start penalties.

Dalton expressed difficulty playing in a one-dimensional manner, which was the case for our team. We struggled to establish a successful running game and faced setbacks such as penalties, which forced us to rely heavily on passing.

The Panthers’ coach, Frank Reich, described the penalties as “pathetic” and “unacceptable.”

Reich stated, “It’s as if we have never played in a loud environment before. We were aware it was going to happen and we prepared for it all week.”

Dalton appeared to have better accuracy when throwing the ball compared to Young.

However, he faced a lower-ranked pass defense in the league, unlike Young who did not have this advantage in games against Atlanta and New Orleans.

Reich has stated that the top pick will resume his starting role once he is fully recovered and able to play. It was anticipated that Young would be out for 1-2 weeks, but there is a possibility that he may be able to return this Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Carolina Panthers’ offensive line was expected to be a strong point, but injuries have led to issues with defending against passes, and now there are also penalties arising.

Austin Corbett, a guard for the Panthers, will not return until at least Week 5 due to his ongoing recovery from a torn ACL in the previous season. Another guard, Brady Christensen, will not be playing for the rest of the season due to a torn biceps. As a result, the team has been forced to rely on young players Cade Mays and Chandler Zavala. Tackles Ickey Ekwonu and Taylor Moton have also not been performing as well as expected.

WHAT’S WORKING

Adam Thielen and Dalton had excellent rapport. The experienced pair, with a combined 24 years of NFL experience, connected 11 times for 145 yards and a touchdown. Thielen demonstrated his strong route-running abilities and quickness in what was his top performance with the Panthers.

WHAT NEEDS HELP

The Panthers struggled to stop Kenneth Walker III, who scored two touchdowns and gained 97 yards. Despite the Seahawks’ 146 rushing yards and 4.4 average carry, Carolina’s defense was missing inside linebacker Shaq Thompson. The Panthers are struggling with their gap defense and tackling, resulting in an average of 136.7 rushing yards allowed per game, ranking them 28th in the league as of Monday night’s games.

STOCK UP

DJ Chark, who was sidelined for the first game due to a hamstring injury and had limited playing time in Week 2, made a significant contribution to the Panthers’ passing offense on Sunday. He recorded four catches for 86 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown reception from Dalton. Chark remains optimistic about the team’s future success, stating, “We have the talent, we just haven’t been able to put it all together as a group yet. Once we do, I believe it will have a domino effect.”

STOCK DOWN

Ekwonu, drafted sixth in the 2022 NFL draft, seems to be declining in performance. He received four false start penalties on Sunday and has been struggling with protecting the quarterback. When asked about his struggles, Ekwonu attributed them to a lack of focus and not paying attention to the small details, specifically the cadence. He acknowledged that regardless of the situation, it is important to focus on the cadence and admitted that he failed to do so.

INJURIES

The Panthers were missing key players Thompson and Jaycee Horn on defense due to a broken leg and hamstring injury, respectively. Additionally, inside linebacker Frankie Luvu, cornerback CJ Henderson, and safety Xavier Woods were all forced to leave the game due to injuries. Rookie wide receiver Jonathan Mingo also suffered a concussion on Sunday.

KEY NUMBER

Eddy Pineiro’s record of making consecutive field goals was broken on Sunday when he was unable to score from 55 yards.

NEXT STEPS

On Sunday, Thielen will play against his previous team as the Panthers welcome the Vikings.

Source: wralsportsfan.com