Cat Scratch Reader
The 3-2 Carolina Panthers have looked just about every level of good and bad that a team can look in just five short weeks. The 2025 season was supposed to be a breakout season for Bryce Young and a building opportunity for second year head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan. Instead, we got whatever this is.
The team’s Week 6 match up against the Dallas Cowboys looks to be a real challenge for a Panthers team with no consistency in its record. Anything from a big win to a competitive loss could hold the team together for another week or two. A big loss, even though most of us expect that to be the result, could send confidence in the team, both from within the building and within the fanbase, spiraling back into the dirt.
Right now, 55% of fans are confident in the direction of the team. That feels about right to me. I’d probably say I’m 55% confident in the direction of the team.
Young is obviously the biggest question mark for the current future of the franchise, though he is losing supporters by the week. His mistakes and otherwise uninspiring play have been one of the few consistencies this team has known in 2025. Still, the future of the team can be bright, in a distant future sort of way, even if quarterback is a question that they’ll have to answer again.
Our own Eric Buchanan made a great point earlier this week that this year’s rookie class is looking outstanding so far. The fourth quarter scoring drive that gave the Panthers their first lead against the Miami Dolphins last week was keyed by the contributions of three rookies not named Tetairoa McMillan. Props to Jimmy Horn Jr, Mitchell Evans, and Trevor Etienne. UDFA cornerback Corey Thornton, Lathan Ransom, Nic Scourton, and Princely Umanmielen also contributed significant snaps and big plays as rookies on defense.
The moral of the story is that there might be something here in Charlotte, even if the Panthers aren’t going anywhere outside of Charlotte yet. What do we do with that in the meantime? The only real answer is take the wins as they come. There is still an outside shot this team could overachieve their way in to a wild card spot, since the NFL hands those out like candy now. More likely, they’re going to end up with a low to middling draft pick and we’re going to have to content ourselves with the wins and big plays they made along the way.
