South Charlotte Today

CHARLOTTE — Dave Canales, head coach of the Panthers, attempted to lighten the mood on a rainy Wednesday practice session with a joke. "Great practice in the rain," Canales quipped, adding, "I promised the guys it will not be raining in Vegas when we go out there...as we're playing indoors."

Despite the heavy rainfall during Wednesday's practice in Charlotte, conditions are expected to be vastly different for their upcoming game in Las Vegas, where clear skies and high temperatures are forecasted. However, as Canales noted, the Raiders' dome stadium will mitigate any weather concerns.

The Panthers amplified crowd noise during practice this week to simulate the atmosphere they will face over the weekend. Canales was pleased with his team's focus and intensity, despite some veterans taking time off and practicing without full pads. "That's two Wednesdays in a row, just holding the guys up to a standard and then holding each other up to a standard of how we practice," he said.

Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton is set to play his 175th career game and make his 168th start on Sunday. Receiver Adam Thielen highlighted Dalton's extensive experience: "I mean, he's played a lot of football in this league, big games, you know, and a lot of experience."

Running back Miles Sanders echoed Thielen's sentiments regarding Dalton's leadership. "Everybody's breaking the huddle confident knowing what they got to do. And that's the perks of having a veteran quarterback in the huddle," Sanders stated.

This week marks Dalton’s first time taking first-team reps under Canales' offense. His presence has been consistent throughout practices and games alike. Thielen expressed admiration for Dalton: "A lot of respect and a lot of love for him."

On Sunday, tackle Taylor Moton will face Maxx Crosby, one of the league's top pass rushers. The last encounter between Moton and Crosby was during the 2020 season opener when Crosby managed two pressures but no sacks against Moton. The two have also faced each other twice during their college careers.

Moton acknowledged Crosby’s athleticism and technical skills: "He's got a lot of great attributes that I'm taking a week to study and be at my best for Andy (Dalton) and the rest of the offense."

Dalton has previously faced Crosby twice without being sacked by him. Despite previous success against Crosby’s defense, Dalton remains cautious: "It's kind of a relentless effort," he said about facing Crosby again.