The grass is green, the sky is blue and Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales confirmed 36-year-old veteran Andy Dalton will be the team’s starter for the second week in a row in Week 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals, via CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones.
Dalton helped lead the Panthers to their first win of the season in Week 3, a 36-22 road win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The 14-point victory marked the second-largest win in the third game of the season after losing their first two games by 23 or more points. Dalton also became the first quarterback in the 2024 season to have 300-plus passing yards (319) and three-plus passing touchdowns (three) in a game. He also became only the third quarterback in Panthers history with over 300 yards and multiple passing touchdowns in consecutive starts. He totaled 361 yards and two touchdowns on 34-of-58 passing in a 37-27 loss in Week 3 last season at the Seattle Seahawks.
His two 300-yard passing games in his two Panthers starts are more than 2023 first overall pick Bryce Young produced in 18 starts (one).
The Panthers hosting the Bengals will serve as a revenge game of sorts for Dalton. Cincy drafted him in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of TCU, and all three of his career Pro Bowl nods came as the Bengals starting quarterback. His 204 touchdown passes in nine seasons with the Bengals are quietly the most in franchise history. They released him in the 2020 offseason before drafting Joe Burrow first overall out of LSU.