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It could be all about Andy Dalton again this weekend when the Carolina Panthers meet the Cincinnati Bengals.

Dalton made a smooth transition to a starting role at quarterback for the Panthers, guiding the team to its first win of the season last weekend.

Next, he’ll be tasked with beating his former team Sunday afternoon in Charlotte, N.C.

“It’s always fun to get the opportunity to go against them,” said Dalton, who spent his first nine seasons with Cincinnati after being selected in the second round of the 2011 draft.

Given how the first two weeks went on top of last season for the Panthers (1-2), it’s hard to imagine that they’re entering a game with a better record than the opponent.

But they are, as the Bengals (0-3) are coming off Monday night’s 38-33 loss to the visiting Washington Commanders. Cincinnati’s three defeats have come by a total of 12 points.

Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor said this isn’t the position the team expected to be in, but he isn’t panicking.

“A long season, things can always evolve,” Taylor said. “What we do is make sure we don’t overreact. Let’s really fine-tune how we can actually improve, and not just decide we have to make wholesale changes.”

Dalton replaced 2023 overall No. 1 draft pick Bryce Young as Carolina’s starter last week. He threw three touchdown passes without an interception in a 36-22 victory at Las Vegas.

“This is just one step, and we got to go back to work and just feel the urgency that the whole group has,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said.

Taylor coached Dalton in his first year as Cincinnati’s coach in 2019, and said he appreciated Dalton’s contributions for the Bengals.

“Always been grateful for Andy,” he said. “He led us through a very difficult time. I’m not surprised that he keeps getting opportunities and makes the most of them because of how he prepares and the talent that he has.”

The Bengals have concerns far beyond Dalton.

“A new opportunity for this team to prove themselves,” Taylor said. “This is a very humbling week. There are a lot of ebbs and flows and right now we’re on the downside of that.”

It’s not often Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who has been one of the NFL’s most dynamic quarterbacks in recent years, enters a game overshadowed. Burrow has thrown five touchdowns without an interception but has been sacked eight times this season.

The Bengals need to shore up areas on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

“Offensively, you can’t waste any plays,” Taylor said. “… Defensively, I think things that can be improved is making plays in space when the opportunities are there.”

With a new mindset, Carolina might be able to open a larger playbook based on their first victory.

“We saw more opportunities that allowed guys to play aggressively and just be free and have fun,” Canales said. “We want to continue attacking.”

The Panthers will look for more weapons to complement Dalton after receiver Adam Thielen was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday. He suffered a hamstring injury on a touchdown reception Sunday against the Raiders.

Left guard Damien Lewis (elbow) did not practice Wednesday, nor did defensive end A’Shawn Robinson (knee), defensive tackle Shy Tuttle (foot) and cornerback Lonnie Johnson (hip). Safety Nick Scott (quad) was limited.

The Bengals will be without offensive lineman Trent Brown, who left Monday’s game with a season-ending knee injury. Defensive linemen B.J. Hill (hamstring) and Sheldon Rankins (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday, along with defensive end Trey Hendrickson (illness). Star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (shoulder), who reeled in two touchdown catches on Monday, was limited.

“We have got to make sure they’re in the right place before we get them back,” Taylor said of Hill and Rankins.

If there’s grumbling in Cincinnati, this might be an ideal time for the team’s second road trip of the season.

“The beauty of the pros is we know how to block that out and focus on what’s important,” Taylor said.

The all-time series is tied 3-3-1, with the Bengals winning the last matchup 42-21 at home in 2022.

–Field Level Media