NFC South Notes: Kirk Cousins, Bryce Young, Andy Dalton, Falcons, Panthers

Falcons

Falcons QB Kirk Cousins is excited about what the team accomplished on Monday night but added that the team needs to continue building momentum as the season goes on.

“We got to build on what we’ve done Monday night, and now we kind of turned the page,” Cousins said, via PFT. “That’s what it’s all about in this league, is being able to stack games and stack performances and be able to gain momentum from Monday, but also understand that we got to move forward, and we got to build on that. You know, momentum’s a big part of football.”

“I think it’s a balance. I think I’ve seen people who have a game like Monday night, and they start to think they’re better than they are and they lose their edge, and you don’t build on it. Then I’ve seen people who kind of use a positive outcome and a resolve that we had and say [that] we can build on that and create some momentum. So, you can go both ways, and we’re going to find out as we go. I’d like to think that our group’s going to build on the resolve that we had and view the next opportunity as a chance to kind of keep stacking. But we’ve got to go prove that.”

Panthers

Panthers QB Andy Dalton said he was not expecting to be named Carolina’s starting quarterback and was ecstatic to get the news from HC Dave Canales. 

“I definitely wasn’t expecting it,” Dalton said, via Mike Kaye. “But when (Dave Canales) told me, it was like one of those deals where it was like, ‘This is one thing that I’ve been praying for, an opportunity,’ and I’ve got it now.”

Canales likes the experience Dalton brings to their offense and thinks he gives them the best chance to win Week 3 against the Raiders. 

“His resume speaks for itself,” Canales said. “He’s an experienced player, he’s got a lot of football in his history. So, I’m excited for Andy with this opportunity, and I believe he gives us our best chance to win this week.”

Dalton can relate to QB Bryce Young getting benched after two games, pointing out that he was benched after starting his rookie year 0-8 with the Bengals in 2011. 

“I went 0-8 and got benched my last year in Cincy,” Dalton said. “So, it wasn’t the start of my career, but at one point. So, it’s part of it. I can feel for everything that he’s feeling.”

Panthers

Panthers’ veteran WR Adam Thielen said the decision to bench Bryce Young was “tough for everyone” and hopes the quarterback takes it in a positive way. 

“It’s tough for everyone. It’s tough for a competitor, an athlete. But at the end of the day, you can take it one of two ways,” Thielen said. “You can take it in a positive way and show up and sling the ball all over the field like he did today and impress all of us by his character and his leadership.”

Thielen points out Young was voted as team captain by the players and there is still a lot of belief in the second-year quarterback. 

“It wasn’t by chance that he’s a captain of this football team,” Thielen said. “It was not just a hand-it-out C on his jersey. It was a voted-on thing.”

Panthers HC Dave Canales said they are not considering trading Young at this point because he likes their options at quarterback. 

“It’s not something we’re really considering,” Canales said. “We have a great situation with our quarterbacks right now, with guys that have experience. We love where we’re at and we’re all hands on deck.”