Patriots Rival Will Face Backup Quarterback During Tight AFC East Race

The New England Patriots enter Week 8 one win ahead of the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East standings. While they play rookie Dillon Gabriel and the Cleveland Browns, the Bills will instead oppose a veteran quarterback.

The Carolina Panthers listed Bryce Young as doubtful on Friday’s injury report after missing his third straight practice with an ankle injury. Despite that designation, the Panthers have reportedly already decided their Week 8 starter.

Andy Dalton will start Sunday’s game against the Bills regardless of Young’s status, per The Athletic’s Joe Person.

Young suffered a high ankle sprain in the second half of last Sunday’s 13-6 win over the New York Jets. Carolina won’t take any chances with its former No. 1 pick, instead giving Dalton his first start of the season.

Dalton, who turns 38 next Wednesday, has an 87.5 quarterback rating over 15 seasons. He led the Panthers to one win in five starts after the Panthers controversially benched Young last season.

Still, the quarterback change isn’t necessarily awful news for Patriots fans hoping for a Panthers upset.

Young has remained inconsistent in his third season, averaging just 5.8 yards per pass attempt with an 84.4 quarterback rating. The 24-year-old amassed 150 passing yards and a touchdown in a Week 4 blowout loss at New England.

Meanwhile, Dalton is a capable understudy who ranks 26th on the all-time leaderboard with 39,618 career passing yards. Bills fans will remember him fondly, as the former second-round pick helped secure a 2017 playoff spot for Buffalo by leading the Cincinnati Bengals to a win over the Baltimore Ravens in the final week.

Sunday’s game between the Bills and Panthers starts at 1 p.m. ET on Fox.