Are we sure Carolina doesn’t want to go back to Bryce Young for this week??
The Panthers have some momentum offensively after Dave Canales made the switch from last year’s first-overall pick to Bears’ legend Andy Dalton. Granted, they’ve gone up against two defenses that haven’t been great, but Dalton’s Panthers have put up point totals of 36 and 24 in their last two games. Chicago’s defense will by far be the toughest test Dalton has gone up against this season, but still, the Panthers have shown signs of life with the ball since the Red Rifle has taken over.
Defensively, the Bears are coming off a solid performance against an elite offensive coach and a future Hall of Fame quarterback. They’ve been very good at home over the last two seasons, and if that keeps up, it should lead to another win.
Panthers Projected Offensive Lineup
- Quarterback: Andy Dalton
- Running Back: Chuba Hubbard
- Wide Receiver: Diontae Johnson
- Wide Receiver: Xavier Legette
- Wide Receiver: Jonathan Mingo
- Tight End: Tommy Tremble
- Left Tackle: Ikem Ekwonu
- Left Guard: Damien Lewis (Q)
- Center: Austin Corbett
- Right Guard: Robert Hunt
- Right Tackle: Taylor Moton
Bears Projected Defensive Lineup
- Defensive End: Montez Sweat
- Defensive Tackle: Andrew Billings
- Defensive Tackle: Gervon Dexter Sr
- Defensive End: DeMarcus Walker
- Linebacker: T.J. Edwards
- Linebacker: Tremaine Edmunds
- Linebacker: Jack Sanborn
- Cornerback: Jaylon Johnson
- Strong Safety: Jaquan Brisker
- Free Safety: Kevin Byard III
- Cornerback: Tyrique Stevenson
- Nickelback: Kyler Gordon
The Matchup
We saw this coaching matchup at least last season, way back in Week 2 when the Bears had that disastrous performance against the Bucs in Tampa. Dave Canales was Tampa’s offensive coordinator last season before taking the head coaching gig in Carolina.
Baker Mayfield had himself a day in that one, throwing for 317 yards and a touchdown, but that was also against a very different Bears defense. Since that point, Gervon Dexter Sr. has developed into a much better defensive tackle, Montez Sweat is on board as a true edge rusher, Darrell Taylor has been outstanding opposite Sweat, and Tyrique Stevenson has grown significantly as a cornerback on the other side of Jaylon Johnson, who might just be the best in the NFL at that position.
Also, a bunch of the Bucs’ success in that matchup came on the “let’s throw it up to Mike Evans and see what happens” play. But this week for Carolina, Mike Evans isn’t walking through that door. While Andy Dalton has been good, he’s definitely a step back from Baker Mayfield (at least the Bucs’ version of Baker).
The Bears should have the advantage in all three phases of the matchup. Despite spending big money on Robert Hunt, the Panthers have struggled on the offensive line. They rank 30th in Pass Block Win Rate and 27th in Run Block Win Rate, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Chicago should be able to pressure Andy Dalton early and often.
Chuba Hubbard and the ground attack have come along the last two weeks, but that might also be attributed to the two defenses they’ve gone up against. Both the Bengals and Raiders have struggled defensively this season, and Carolina was able to take advantage of that with Hubbard going for over 100 yards in the last two games. However, in the first two games this season against the Saints and Chargers, Hubbard was held to just 78 total yards on the ground.
As for the Panthers wideouts, they’re down Adam Thielen, which hurts. Diontae Johnson is having a solid season, but I’m not so sure he’s a true number one. While Xavier Legette seems like a promising rookie, he’s got some room to grow, and Chicago’s veteran secondary will undoubtedly be a tough matchup for him.
We know the Bears will take away the big play for the most part. Their defense has been great all season, and if Carolina wants to score, they’ll likely have to march down the field on long drives. While Andy Dalton has played well in his two starts, this is by far his toughest matchup since taking over as the starter. I’m not sure Carolina can consistently put together long drives without the Bears forcing them into mistakes.
X-Factor
Don’t let Andy Dalton get comfortable. If Chicago can get to Dalton early and often and throw him off his rhythm and timing, it should be smooth sailing for the defense. However, if Dalton gets comfortable and is able to settle in and mount a few early drives, that’s when he is capable of hitting his ceiling. Get pressure early and force him into mistakes from the start, and I think it will be a big day for the defense. Let him get in a rhythm; it could be a tougher fight than we’d like.