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Pete Carroll expects Panthers offense to look 'a little bit different' without Bryce Young

DSprofileby:Dustin Schutte09/23/23

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pete carroll
Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Panthers offense took a big hit, with Bryce Young ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Seahawks. Carolina will send veteran quarterback Andy Dalton onto the field, and Seattle head coach Pete Carroll believes their offense is going to look a little different.

Young suffered an ankle injury in Carolina’s 20-17 loss to the Saints in Week 2. That puts Dalton back into the spotlight for Sunday’s contest.

“We’ve seen him and knew him well.” Carroll said of Dalton, per Pro Football Talk. “[We] respect him, [and] all that for all of the obvious reasons. It changed maybe somewhat, they were going to get more of a runner out of the young guy, playing out there. This will be a little bit different in that regard, but I’m sure they’re going to [have] the same offense. They’ve got a great style and scheme that they’re doing and I’m sure that they wouldn’t leave that.”

Dalton is in his 13th NFL season but his first with Carolina. He started 14 games a season ago while in New Orleans but Sunday will mark his first start with the Panthers.

The loss of Young is obviously a tough blow, but Dalton should provide Carolina with some stability while the rookie is sidelined. He’s a three-time Pro Bowl selection and owns an 83-77-2 record as a starting quarterback in the league.

Last season, Dalton threw for 2,871 yards and 18 touchdowns with nine interceptions while leading the Saints to a 6-8 record in his 14 starts. He owns a 3-1 record against the Carroll-coached Seahawks.

Andy Dalton starting in place of Bryce Young

Obviously, Dalton didn’t want to see the team’s starter suffer an injury. But he did admit that practice and preparation has been a little more enjoyable this week knowing he’s getting the start.

“For me? Obviously. Absolutely. Absolutely,” Dalton said, per USA Today. “It’s always nice because . . . I’ve had a certain way of operating, like, my whole career. And I think when you go from starting to being the backup, that’s one of the things that you miss.

“Scout team’s one thing. You’re lookin’ at a card and you’re runnin’ the other team’s offense. But when you get a chance to kinda take ownership of what you’re doing and to know how you want it to look and how you want it to feel and you actually get to execute it, that’s what makes football fun.”

Can Dalton lead Carolina to their first win of the 2023 season on Sunday?