After finishing an NFL-worst 2-15 last season, the Carolina Panthers knew their 2023 results couldn’t be repeated again. Team owner David Tepper hired former Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan to take over GM duties. Morgan then hired Dave Canales as head coach.
Then, the Panthers spent $355 million upgrading their roster over the offseason. Judging off their Week 1 47-10 thrashing by the New Orleans Saints, Carolina hasn’t taken a drastic step forward. So, what went wrong in the Panthers’ season opener? Coach Canales took most of the blame, but he also suggested Bryce Young made some mistakes too.
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Dave Canales shoulders blame, while pointing finger at Bryce Young
Everything seemingly went wrong for the Carolina Panthers in Week 1. The blame can’t be put on just one person. Yet, the two people who will receive the most criticism are Dave Canales and Bryce Young. That’s just how it works when you’re the leaders.
When Coach Canales had his chance to address the media, he didn’t hesitate to admit the fault was his. Yet, interestingly, he also pointed the finger at his second-year quarterback on at least one occasion.
“[H]onestly, it’s on the coaching staff. It’s on us. We sat there like we were sitting ducks. We didn’t do enough to put our guys — to give them simpler solutions in some of those. This is one of the best third-down pressure packages that you’re going to go against. We saw it Week 1. We’ve been against it before. We had a plan. [Dennis Allen] had counters. We got out coached in that regard. I take that personal.
“There was one that Bryce could have seen, and he could have flipped the protection. He’s been fantastic doing that. That’s the only one I would say that he could have really fixed the problem. [The Saints] gave us issues with what they did. We need to do better than that. That’s coaching.”
Dave Canales on Carolina Panthers in Week 1
Ultimately, Canales said Young’s footwork and discipline were “there.” But he also admitted the former No. 1 overall pick “missed a couple of throws.” He chalked those moments up to still building chemistry with his teammates.
We’ll see if the Panthers’ home game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2 yields better results.
Related: 10 worst NFL Week 1 performances from Sunday, including the New York Giants