Sportsnaut
The Panthers and Jaguars enter Week 1 with similar missions: prove that their young quarterbacks and new regimes can deliver stability. Both teams have reshaped their rosters and coaching staffs in the past two years, but only one will leave EverBank Stadium on Sunday with momentum. Jacksonville is slightly further along in its development, while Carolina is still searching for traction after trading receiver Adam Thielen and losing a few key pieces to injury.
For the Jaguars, this game is about validating quarterback Trevor Lawrence in a new scheme and unleashing a pass rush that looks like one of the league’s most dangerous. For the Panthers, it’s about protecting Bryce Young long enough to keep the offense afloat and leaning on All-Pro defensive tackle Derrick Brown to wreck Jacksonville’s rhythm. These five players will decide how it unfolds.
Everything for Carolina runs through Young and running back Chuba Hubbard. The Panthers finished dead last in scoring offense last season at 13.6 points per game, and much of that stemmed from protection breakdowns that left Young scrambling without answers. Second-year head coach Dave Canales has installed an offense designed to get the ball out of his hands faster, but that only works if Young stays decisive and accurate.
The complication is that Young will likely take the field without his starting left tackle. Ikem Ekwonu underwent an emergency appendectomy and is doubtful to play, leaving veterans Brady Christensen or Yash Nijman as the next men up. Christensen offers steadier footwork and better pass sets, while Nijman is a stronger run blocker but more natural on the right side. Neither option replicates Ekwonu’s upside, and that mismatch puts even more pressure on Young to play on schedule. If Jacksonville edge rusher Josh Allen consistently wins off that edge, it could turn into a long day for Carolina’s passing game.
The Panthers no longer have Thielen as a safety valve. Instead, they are relying on rookie Tetairoa McMillan, Hunter Renfrow in the slot, second-year receiver Xavier Legette, and veteran David Moore to provide separation. Young’s comfort throwing to Renfrow inside could echo his reliance on Thielen a year ago, but Jacksonville’s corners — Tyson Campbell and Jourdan Lewis — will dare him to win outside.
Why it matters: Young’s average time to throw was 3.05 seconds last year, one of the slowest in the NFL. That cannot happen against Josh Allen and Travon Walker. If Young plays on schedule, Carolina has a shot. If he drifts, Jacksonville could bury him.
No player on either sideline is a bigger wild card. The Jaguars traded up to draft Hunter second overall, and they plan to use him heavily on offense while sprinkling him in on defense. Expect designed touches out of the slot: motion routes, bubble screens, and quick slants that allow him to use his elite acceleration. Jacksonville can script him into the game in ways that make his impact tangible, unlike at corner...
