In a stunning turn of events, Andy Dalton wasted no time in repaying Dave Canales, the Carolina Panthers coach, for his daring decision. Dalton’s performance was nothing short of spectacular, as he racked up 319 yards and three touchdowns on 26-of-37 passing, leading the Panthers to a total of 437 yards. This 14-year veteran made history by being the first quarterback this season to throw for at least 300 yards with three touchdowns.
“It felt great,” Dalton shared in a postgame news conference. “Obviously for me to get the opportunity to be out there and for it to go the way it did, couldn’t have drawn it up any better. … We never slowed down. And that was the fun part about it. We didn’t just put one drive together. We did it the whole game.”
Dalton got off to a blazing start, orchestrating a 70-yard drive on a nine-play opening series. He finished that drive by connecting with running back Chuba Hubbard for a 9-yard touchdown, marking the Panthers’ first touchdown on the opening drive of a game since 2022. He continued his dominance by throwing two more touchdown passes in the second quarter, one to Diontae Johnson for 5 yards and another to Adam Thielen for 31 yards.
“The whole thing revolves around that,” Canales explained in a postgame news conference. “Both offensively and defensively, the story was third down. We did a better job, so we could play our kind of ball.”
Dalton’s performance was nothing short of remarkable, and his impact on the game was undeniable. With his stellar play, he not only rewarded Canales’ faith in him but also delivered a much-needed win for the Panthers. This game will surely go down in history as one of Dalton’s best performances, showcasing his talent and experience on the field. The Panthers’ offense finally found its rhythm, and Dalton was at the center of it all, leading them to a memorable victory.
