Panthers HC Dave Canales isn’t wavering on QB discussion with Andy Dalton, Bryce Young
Dave Canales won’t change his mind on the Carolina Panthers’ starting quarterback job this week.
The Panthers head coach didn’t waver on his words from Sunday when asked about a potential change on Monday. Andy Dalton is the starting quarterback and Bryce Young is the backup in Week 8 as the Panthers prepare to face the Denver Broncos on the road.
“This is about Andy Dalton,” Canales said. “This is about playing the Broncos. This is about taking strides with our group that we have. And that’s really where the focus is, and that’s about all I can give you.”
The latest on the Panthers’ starting QB position
The Panthers are currently on a four-game losing streak with Dalton under center. He has thrown six interceptions in those four defeats.
Yet Canales isn’t considering a change at the top spot, even as Young has played mop-up duty in two of the blowout losses.
“If you look at the collection of the games he’s played, there’s been some really good situational passing that has come out of it,” Canales said about Dalton. “We’ve had some explosive plays come out of it. The offense has run smoothly for the most part. And I’d love for us as a group, Andy included, to find a way to finish. And yesterday we didn’t have a shot to finish, the game got out of hand so quickly. But the week before, that’s where we were headed. But now we have to address just fundamental execution, breaking the huddle, lining up properly, finishing the play.”
Dalton has a 82.0 passer rating on the season. He’s completing 66.3% of his passes for 989 yards, seven touchdowns and the six picks, which two of those interceptions — including a pick-six — coming in Sunday’s 40-7 meltdown in Landover, Maryland.
By comparison, Young has thrown for 299 yards and three interceptions on a 56.9% completion percentage. His passer rating currently sits at 49.5.
The elephant in the room: Young’s trade potential
Canales was asked about Young’s trade prospects with him taking a backseat to Dalton.
The head coach said he wouldn’t deal with hypotheticals.
“Completely sensitive to the questions,” Canales said. “And they’re not unfounded or unbased. But from my perspective, I’m trying to get a team to continue to take strides and take steps, and that’s where my focus has to be. It has to be on getting Andy to play his best football with this group. A group that has showed promises, and then a group that has shown some struggles. So it’s, ‘What are those struggles, and what can I do as a coach to put ourselves in the best situations?’ So that’s really where I can focus my energy.”
Still, Canales acknowledged that he continues to have conversations with GM Dan Morgan and EVP of Football Operations Brandt Tilis about the direction of the roster.
Right now, that direction is pointing toward Dalton — the team’s 36-year-old quarterback — in Week 8.
“Andy’s playing this week, and that’s really where our focus is at,” Canales said. “And all those other conversations are all hypothetical conversations that definitely Dan and Brandt know that we have to have. But right now, we’re focused on playing the Broncos, and focused on Andy to take another step in terms of getting us back to good football.”
Quick hits
▪ RB Raheem Blackshear, who suffered a dislocated shoulder on Sunday, is considered day-to-day, according to Canales. Blackshear leads the league with 23 kick returns and 589 return yards. He has already reached career highs in both marks as teams are kicking off to the Panthers at a consistent rate because of scoring.
▪ Entering Monday, the Panthers have the 28th-ranked offense in the NFL with 281.6 yards per game. The unit ranks 23rd in rushing yards average (109.0) and 27th in passing yards average (172.6). Dalton and Young’s collective interception rate percentage (3.98%) ranks 30th in the league among the 32 teams.
▪ The Panthers have the 31st-ranked defense in regards to average yards allowed (385.7). The unit is ranked last against the run in yards allowed (162.1) and 26th in passing yards allowed (223.6). The group’s sack percentage rate (3.52%) ranks second-to-last in the league. The defense also has the second-to-last third-down conversion allowance percentage (47.67%).
▪ Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard entered Week 7 with the third-highest rushing total in the league (485 yards). He now ranks fifth in the league with 537 rushing yards. He has already eclipsed all of his totals for the 2022 season, which was noted for its run-heavy prowess under then-interim head coach Steve Wilks in the second half of the campaign.
▪ Kicker Eddy Piñeiro had a 29-game field-goal attempt streak ended against Washington on Sunday. He had attempted a field goal in every game that he was active for since Week 9 of the 2022 season. He did, though, make his long extra-point attempt against the Commanders. It was his lowest point output (one) as a Panther.
▪ For a second consecutive game, undrafted rookie WR Jalen Coker received more work and more targets than 2023 second-round pick Jonathan Mingo. Coker played 22 snaps on offense, while Mingo played 11. Mingo was held without a catch or a target, while Coker caught one pass for 10 yards.
