CINCINNATI -- Andy Dalton got it right on his third try.
The Cincinnati Bengals' rookie quarterback had his first good moments during a 24-13 preseason victory over the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night. He threw his first touchdown pass and looked like he was up to the challenge of moving the offense.
It's exactly what he wanted after two tough outings.
"We needed this for our confidence," Dalton said. "We always knew what we were capable of. It's great to go out and perform well."
Dalton struggled in the first two preseason games, throwing three interceptions while compiling a minuscule 30.9 passer rating. Against the Detroit Lions and New York Jets, he looked like a jittery rookie.
Facing the lowly Panthers, Dalton completed 11 of 17 passes for 130 yards and one touchdown for an impressive rating of 107.5. His most impressive drive was his last. After the Bengals took the ball at their 26-yard line with 51 seconds left before halftime, Dalton completed four consecutive short passes to three different receivers, driving his team into position for Mike Nugent's 55-yard field goal.
"He really just settled down and played at ease," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "On the drive before halftime (for) the field goal, I thought he was excellent. He handled that situation very, very well."
It was a glimpse of why the Bengals decided to draft Dalton out of TCU in the second round of the April draft. They needed someone to immediately replace franchise quarterback Carson Palmer, who decided he'd rather retire than play another game for one of the NFL's least-successful franchises. Cincinnati has just two winning records in the last 20 years.
Rather than have a veteran quarterback operate new coordinator Jay Gruden's offense for a year while Dalton learned from the sideline, Bengals owner Mike Brown decided to let him start right away, knowing there would be a lot of growing pains.
The first two preseason games were painful.
Dalton's first preseason pass was underthrown and intercepted. He led the offense to only one touchdown in four quarters during a 34-3 drubbing in Detroit -- the most lopsided preseason loss in franchise history -- and a 27-7 loss in New York against the Jets.
The Bengals' first touchdown drive was typical. They went 80 yards in 15 plays, using 8 minutes and 22 seconds. Running back Cedric Benson carried the ball on 11 of the 15 plays, picking up 52 yards. He also caught a pass for 15 yards.
That made it easy for Dalton, who had only one turnover -- a fumble on a botched handoff.
"The way we were able to move the ball up and down the field in the first half was great," Dalton said. "It shows what this offense is capable of."
It will be much different when the season starts and defenses start throwing new things at the young quarterback and his inexperienced group of receivers. Rookie A.J. Green is the top receiver. Slot receiver Jordan Shipley and tight end Jermaine Gresham are entering their second NFL seasons.
Green scored his first preseason touchdown against the Pantherson a 40-yard catch in the second quarter, a good moment for the first-round pick who also had struggled in his first two games.
"It never concerned me," Green said. "This is a whole new offense with a rookie quarterback and a couple young guys on the outside."
And, finally, something to feel good about.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
