NFC Notes: Derek Carr, Andy Dalton, Bryce Young, Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Falcons

Atlanta came back and defeated the Eagles thanks to a late 70-yard game-winning drive. Falcons HC Raheem Morris credited QB Kirk Cousins for stepping up and delivering in the game’s biggest plays.

“Today he went out and played important in the biggest moments, in the biggest times,” Morris said, via Grant Gordon of NFL.com. “And those are the things you want to have happen when you get a chance to go out there and get wins. It was great to see with Kirk Cousins.”

Cousins spoke on what the first win for this group means and how they can build on it going forward.

“Coming from behind. Finding a way on the road in a tough environment against a good football team,” Cousins added. “That builds resolve, builds some grit, builds some character that we’re gonna have to lean on as the year goes on. This is how NFL football is. We’ve got to kind of get used to this and get comfortable in this because that’s how these games tend to go. The more we can be battle-tested and have these moments, I think it will set us up well for what’s coming down the road.”

Panthers

The Panthers decided to bench QB Bryce Young in favor of QB Andy Dalton ahead of their Week 3 matchup against the Raiders. Carolina HC Dave Canales took ownership of the decision and believes Dalton gives them the best chance to win this week. 

“A lot of factors that go into it for this decision. And, ultimately, just kind of landed on my shoulder to be able to make the best decision for our group to give us our best chance to win this week,” Canales said, via the team’s YouTube. “And we focus on the weeks, we focus on the challenge at hand. We feel like Andy gives us our best chance to meet the challenge.”

“This was my decision. This is our football team. This is trying to win on a weekly basis. And while it’s my decision, I gather information from the people that are critical to making these kinds of decisions. But this is something I felt like gives us our chance to take a step forward in our play style and to be able to compete this week against a really good Raiders team.”

Although Young will likely get another chance, Canales wouldn’t give insight into when that might happen. 

“I don’t want to get into timelines. I just know Andy gives us our best chance to win right now.”

Saints

The Saints are off to a 2-0 start after a dominant 44-19 win on the road against the Cowboys. New Orleans HC Dennis Allen praised QB Derek Carr and explained how the coaching staff has taken some responsibility to make Carr’s life easier.

“He’s in a great spot,” Allen said, via SI.com’s Albert Breer. “He’s really comfortable with what he’s being asked to do. He knows he doesn’t have to do everything. There have been so many times in his career where it’s all been on his shoulders, how he plays, getting everybody in the right play call, the right checks, the right protections, the right everything. We’ve put a little bit more of the pressure on us as coaches to put the proper game plan together and free him up to play the game.”

“I think you see when he’s protected and he’s got clean pockets to throw from, he’s pretty f—ing good.”

Allen also cited OC Klint Kubiak’s history with successes and failures as a reason he was a great fit.

“I knew that he was smart. I knew that he had a championship pedigree. He had done it before. That was part of what I was looking for. The thing that kind of separated him a little bit was he’s done it, and so he’s been through that fire. He’s experienced some success with it. He’s experienced some failures with it. I think that’s huge for a young guy, to learn what works, what doesn’t work. Being with Kyle Shanahan for a year, I think Kyle is one of the better play-callers in our league. It’s a combination of a lot of things.”

Regarding first-round OT Taliese Fuaga, Allen was impressed with his composure through his first two NFL games.

“I see a guy that doesn’t get flustered, doesn’t let too much bother him,” Allen says. “He’s very mature for being a rookie. He’s a guy that, hell, he hardly didn’t even practice this week. He prepared. He knew the game plan. I thought overall he executed pretty good. I think Trevor Penning, for everybody wanting to write him off, I think he’s done a solid job over on the right side. There’s a good front that we faced.”