Andy Dalton facing former team: Here's how Panthers can keep Bengals winless with upset win

Dalton led the Panthers to victory last week after replacing Bryce Young

Andy Dalton had a heroic debut with the Carolina Panthers last week. After the team looked destined for a full season of failure, the veteran came in to save the day, taking over for benched former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young.

The Panthers defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 36-22 and have the 0-3 Cincinnati Bengals up next, with the chance to continue their major turnaround.

For Dalton, this isn't just a chance to lead his team to an upset, it's a reunion with his old squad. The 36-year-old began his career with the Bengals as a second-round draft pick in 2011 and remained there until 2019. 

"It's going to be nice to catch up with them and get to see them," Dalton said, via the Charlotte Observer. "When you see Cincy on the schedule -- I've had it every year except last year. So, it's always fun to get the opportunity to go up against them."

Dalton has faced the Bengals three times in his career, when he played with the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints. He is 2-1 in those games, with the loss coming as a member of the Saints in 2022. 

If you looked at this game ahead of the season, or even one week in, you probably couldn't be convinced that the Panthers could win. The Panthers looked abysmal in all areas and even though the Bengals lost to the underdog New England Patriots in Week 1, that could be credited to the Bengals' history of starting slow, or quarterback Joe Burrow shaking the rust off after missing the end of last season due to injury.

Now three weeks in, and the Bengals haven't looked like they can be trusted as a lock in any game. On paper, the Bengals are the better team and should win this game, but there's a reason games aren't played on paper.

If there was ever an opportunity for Dalton and the Panthers to make a statement, this week in front of their home fans would be it. The Panthers can take advantage of a Bengals defense which, in the words of CBS Sports' own Pete Prisco, hasn't "looked right."

Last week, Dalton became the first quarterback this season to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns. The Bengals defense couldn't handle Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels last week and may have trouble stopping an energized Dalton with something to prove.

The Bengals, who last started 0-3 in 2019, have the pressure on them and while that could fuel them, it could also backfire.