ClutchPoints
The Carolina Panthers entered Week 1 with optimism around a new regime led by head coach Dave Canales and hopes for a sophomore leap from quarterback Bryce Young. Instead, they were humbled in a 34-10 blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, a defeat that already raises concerns about the direction of this roster. While Jacksonville is a playoff-caliber team, the Panthers looked overmatched, disorganized, and flat. The responsibility for the collapse falls squarely on a mix of Bryce Young’s continued struggles and a conservative, ineffective offensive game plan from Canales.
Bryce Young was supposed to bounce back from his rocky rookie season with renewed confidence under Canales’ QB-friendly system. Instead, Bryce Young looked eerily similar to the player who floundered in 2023. Young completed just 18 of 35 passes for 154 yards, tossed two interceptions, and failed to engineer any scoring drives beyond a late field goal and one garbage-time touchdown.
While his accuracy has never been in question, Young continues to struggle with field vision and pocket awareness. Multiple times, he locked onto his first read and forced throws into tight coverage. His lone interception came off a telegraphed slant that Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell read like a book. Worse, Young never pushed the ball downfield, finishing with a meager 5.3 yards per attempt. For a quarterback drafted first overall to inject life into this offense, those numbers are not just disappointing—they’re alarming.
If Young’s execution was poor, the coaching staff didn’t do much to help him. Canales emphasized a quick-game passing attack and predictable shotgun runs that allowed Jacksonville’s defense to sit on routes and crowd the line. There was little creativity in motion, play-action, or designed shots downfield. The result: Carolina managed only 265 total yards while converting just 3 of 12 third downs.
Dave Canales appeared reluctant to take risks. He leaned on a run-first mindset against a defensive front that stuffed everything between the tackles. Chuba Hubbard and newly acquired Rico Dowdle combined for only 69 yards on 19 carries. Meanwhile, Young rolled out of the pocket to gain 40 yards of his own, trying to make something out of nothing against a surprisingly stout Jaguars defense.
This start is particularly concerning because Carolina has bet their entire rebuild on Young’s development. The offensive line, one of the most criticized units from last year, again faltered in protection, and no receiver outside of rookie Tetairoa McMillan—which only offered flashes—threatened Jacksonville’s secondary. That lack of support leaves Young with razor-thin margins for error, yet his own indecision only compounds the offensive stagnation.
Canales now faces a critical choice. He cannot simply manage the game and hope Young figures things out over time. He must install a system that makes life easier—simplifying progressions, incorporating run-pass options, and scheming open throws to instill rhythm and confidence. Without that, this offense is destined to remain stuck in neutral.
While much...
