The Carolina Panthers couldn’t have started their season off any worse. The Panthers’ first offensive play of the game was an interception, making it clear that work needs to be done in getting second-year quarterback Bryce Young to play like he did in college again. The defense also performed poorly, allowing the New Orleans Saints to score 47 points. So what went wrong for the Panthers?
Recapping The Panthers’ Season Opener
Quarterback Woes
Young failed to convince anybody that he improved over the offseason, receiving a quarterback rating of 32.8, which is a career low for him. He threw two interceptions and only completed 13 passes for 161 yards. He only rushed four times for 12 yards but did get the Panthers a touchdown.
Young didn’t play well by any standards, which resulted in poor performances all around by the team. Both of Young’s interceptions were poorly executed passes to Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen, respectively. He was also sacked four times, a problem that plagued the offense last season.
In order for the Panthers to be successful this season, they’ll need better performances from Young and they’ll need them soon. His passing accuracy needs to get better, especially considering he has top targets downfield. Young also needs to work on his running game, which could be key in picking up more yards.
Defensive Issues
There were issues on both sides of the ball for the Panthers in their first game. The defense allowed 47 points, a stat that they’ll want to forget. They didn’t force any turnovers and only had one sack.
The Panthers’ defense let Derek Carr throw for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Alvin Kamara also had a good day, with 83 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards. The Panthers struggled to contain this explosive offense, which had multiple long plays that the defense was unable to prevent. The Saints’ first big play came on a long pass to Rashid Shaheed for a 59-yard touchdown. The Panthers looked out of sorts trying to catch Shaheed, who eventually found the endzone.
Another significant issue comes in the form of an injury to defense tackle Derrick Brown. Brown is the top tackle for the Panthers and had an outstanding season in 2023, where he produced 103 tackles, the most for any defensive lineman in a season. He suffered a meniscus injury which will require surgery and may potentially be season-ending.
If there was one good thing for the Panthers’ defense, it came in stopping wide receiver Chris Olave. He was held to only 11 yards and was only targeted twice in the game. Olave was a standout player for the Saints in the 2023 season and will hope for better games ahead.
Hopes For Week Two
The Panthers play the Los Angeles Chargers in week 2 and will hope for a better result. The Chargers won their first matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, 22-10. The Panthers’ defense will want to limit Justin Herbert‘s rushing and throwing, as he is a valuable dual threat. They’ll also want to contain running back J.K. Dobbins, who had a tremendous second half against the Raiders. He racked up 135 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Young will need a better performance from his first outing. The Chargers defense allowed Gardner Minshew to throw 257 yards and one touchdown, plus an interception. Head coach Dave Canales will hope that Young can find his targets against the Chargers and use his legs to run in open situations. Overall, Young needs a big game to show his abilities are still up to NFL standards.
Main Image: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
