Same ol’ Panthers: A poor performance by Bryce Young and run D, another Week 1 loss

[raleigh-panther]

Excerpts from Joe person 

Sept. 7, 2025Updated 6:51 pm PDT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For six weeks, players and coaches spoke optimistically about how the offseason additions and the growth and development during training camp would make things different this year.

And then the Carolina Panthers went out and did what they usually do in Week 1: put out a pitiful performance that will make it hard for the fan base to believe in this coaching staff and roster.
 

Yes, it’s just one game and they have 16 more to show 2025 will be different from 2024, 2023 and every other year since 2017, which is the last time this franchise made the postseason.

But that argument would be easier to swallow if it weren’t for the fact that the two things that dogged the Panthers for much of last season reared their ugly heads again in Sunday’s listless 26-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars: a porous run defense and another shoddy start for Bryce Young.

Year 3 for the No. 1 pick began just like the first two — with too many turnovers and not nearly enough plays to convince you that Young is the clear, long-term answer at quarterback.

Young led just one touchdown drive in all three Week 1 losses; the Panthers mustered 10 points in each while being outscored by a combined 97-30. With a three-turnover day against the Jaguars, here’s the ugly running score of Young in Week 1: seven turnovers, three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) and three games with passer ratings of 49 or lower.

All the turnovers and empty possessions sent Young past his boiling point on the first drive of the second half. With Canales going with an empty set on fourth-and-1 from the Jags’ 5, Young failed to find any open receivers and threw the ball away. Young stalked to the sideline and slammed his helmet to the ground after Canales tried to talk to him.

Neither Young nor Canales would share the source of Young’s frustrations, other than to say it wasn’t directed at Canales. “Definitely could do a better job of body language there,” Young said. “It’s on me. But just competing. That’s all.”

It was a curious play call from Canales, given Chuba Hubbard’s physical running style and the fact that the Panthers invested heavily in people-moving guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis last season. Canales said he liked the matchup and the concept in the five-receiver alignmenT

Young threw two interceptions and lost a fumble at the end of a 7-yard scramble when he didn’t slide. That has been a recurring issue for Young, who has said it doesn’t come naturally because he didn’t play baseball.

The offensive struggles didn’t fall entirely on Young. The youthful receiving group managed just one catch longer than 20 yards — a 21-yarder to Tetairoa McMillan — in its first game following Adam Thielen’s trade to the Minnesota Vikings. But McMillan tried unsuccessfully to make a one-handed grab on a nice Young throw in the end zone, and Xavier Legette missed out on a chunk play when he didn’t get a second foot inbounds.

“We’re gonna keep giving them opps. That’s just what we’re gonna do. These are the guys we have. We love ’em, and I’m fired up for this group,” Canales said. “But they’ll be the first ones to come up here and tell you, ‘I’ve gotta make that play.’”

Legette, who struggled with drops as a rookie, confirmed Canales’ assessment.

“Anytime the ball’s in the air, those plays, they’ve gotta be made,” he said. “I’ve just gotta do a better (job) realizing where I am on the field, dragging my foot. Get better at those things.”
The Panthers have a laundry list of things they need to improve. Put the run defense at or near the top, like it was last year when Carolina became the first team since 1980 to give up 3,000 rushing yards in a season.

The Panthers are on that pace again after Jacksonville gouged them for 200 yards on 32 carries, good for a robust 6.3-yard average. A third of it came on one play: Travis Etienne Jr.’s 71-yard thunderbolt on the Jags’ first offensive possession following a 76-minute weather delay in the second quarter.

With several defensive linemen failing to shed blocks and safety Tre’von Moehrig tripping over teammate D.J. Wonnum, Etienne was quickly into the third level of the defense without being touched. Safety Nick Scott dived at and missed Etienne, who made it to the Panthers’ 20 before linebacker Christian Rozeboom ran him down.

“It’s the hardest tackle to make in football. If you make that tackle, you’re a hero. If you miss that tackle, you’re not. They pay guys to make me miss in the post. I don’t know what to tell you at that point,” Scott said.

“I want to make that tackle more than anybody in the world. But we’ve gotta do everything, starting all the way from the front to the second level. If everybody does their job, it’s a lot easier on everybody else. I’ll never blame anybody. I’m back there. I’ve gotta make it.”

Two plays after Etienne’s career-long run, wideout Brian Thomas Jr. scored on a 9-yard misdirection, and the Jaguars never trailed by fewer than two touchdowns again.

[Dave Gettleman's Shorts]

wait, did Bryce say he not good at sliding because he didn't play "BASEBALL"??

[Dave Gettleman's Shorts]

51 minutes ago, raleigh-panther said:

“It’s the hardest tackle to make in football. If you make that tackle, you’re a hero. If you miss that tackle, you’re not. They pay guys to make me miss in the post. I don’t know what to tell you at that point,” Scott said.

The starting free safety for the 2025 Carolina Panthers folks

[X-Clown]

Nick Scott to quote the two bobs from Office Space....

[AggieLean]

 

Legette, who struggled with drops as a rookie, confirmed Canales’ assessment.

“Anytime the ball’s in the air, those plays, they’ve gotta be made,” he said. “I’ve just gotta do a better (job) realizing where I am on the field, dragging my foot. Get better at those things.”

 

Legette isn’t long for this league; atleast as a WR. What he’s speaking on is stuff a receiver shouldn’t have to speak on, or have taught to them at this point in their careers. 
 

I like Legette. He’s got a lot of work to do. He’s so far behind in development. His ceiling at this point is a WR like Devin Funchess, and much more was expected from him with where he was drafted

[mc52beast]

Every year under Tepper it’s the same freaking story: they get you all excited talking about the new draft picks and FA pick-up’s, how the coaches and players have learned from previous years mistakes…

then they go out and kick you square in the nuts. At this point I might just pull back on watching this team self-destruct once again.

[Jon Snow]

1 hour ago, mc52beast said:

Every year under Tepper it’s the same freaking story: they get you all excited talking about the new draft picks and FA pick-up’s, how the coaches and players have learned from previous years mistakes…

then they go out and kick you square in the nuts. At this point I might just pull back on watching this team self-destruct once again.

Only believe what you see and not what they say. I try to watch every ugly play through the season no matter how painful it is to watch because I need to see how deep the rot goes. Brother, let me tell you it runs deeper that a player or two. Its damn near the entire team and FO.

[Jackie Lee]

1 hour ago, Dave Gettleman's Shorts said:

wait, did Bryce say he not good at sliding because he didn't play "BASEBALL"??

Yeah he said that his rookie year so there is no excuse he hasn't practiced it at all. Cam figured it out 

[Jmac]

1 hour ago, mc52beast said:

Every year under Tepper it’s the same freaking story: they get you all excited talking about the new draft picks and FA pick-up’s, how the coaches and players have learned from previous years mistakes…

then they go out and kick you square in the nuts. At this point I might just pull back on watching this team self-destruct once again.

I have learned not to expect much from this organization.

[raleigh-panther]

24 minutes ago, Jon Snow said:

Only believe what you see and not what they say. I try to watch every ugly play through the season no matter how painful it is to watch because I need to see how deep the rot goes. Brother, let me tell you it runs deeper that a player or two. Its damn near the entire team and FO.

You are absolutely right 

there is zero excuse for Sunday.  Zero

truth be told, and we know this, when fitterer went, all the rest including the scouts, should have too and Evero

Otherwise, dirty feet in clean socks 

we all have followed this franchise for a long time, some since the beginning and we know poo when we see it

that goes for the Mr Rodgers HC too   Sure, like Bryce, his good to his momma and all, but that isn’t what this is judged on

[Chaos]

2 hours ago, AggieLean said:

 

 

Legette, who struggled with drops as a rookie, confirmed Canales’ assessment.

“Anytime the ball’s in the air, those plays, they’ve gotta be made,” he said. “I’ve just gotta do a better (job) realizing where I am on the field, dragging my foot. Get better at those things.”

 

Legette isn’t long for this league; atleast as a WR. What he’s speaking on is stuff a receiver shouldn’t have to speak on, or have taught to them at this point in their careers. 
 

I like Legette. He’s got a lot of work to do. He’s so far behind in development. His ceiling at this point is a WR like Devin Funchess, and much more was expected from him with where he was drafted

Man, how happy would I be with a somewhat consistent middling WR like Funch or Donald Lafell right now

[Chief Keek]

Same as it ever was

[CRA]

1 hour ago, Jon Snow said:

Only believe what you see and not what they say. I try to watch every ugly play through the season no matter how painful it is to watch because I need to see how deep the rot goes. Brother, let me tell you it runs deeper that a player or two. Its damn near the entire team and FO.

the people that brought us the Frank Reich clusterfug......are essentially the exact same folks who brought us this era clusterfug.  They just removed Fitterers face. 

[Jon Snow]

Just now, CRA said:

the people that brought us the Frank Reich clusterfug......are essentially the exact same folks who brought us this era clusterfug.  They just removed Fitterers face. 

It started the day the Teppers took over. It's been down hill ever since. I fear it may not have hit the bottom yet.