Panthers: Is This Still a Rebuild — or Just a Full-Blown Collapse?

Panthers HC, Dave Canales

Where do we even start with this team? In a previous article, I said this team will drag you through the mud time and time again and Sunday's performance might have been the messiest display of football I've ever witnessed. How can a roster with so many of the right pieces still look so disjointed? It's like they have the entire puzzle in front of them but can't figure out how to put it together.

What kind of curse has hovered over this franchise since 2015? Since David Tepper took over ownership in 2018, the team has compiled a dismal 37-83 record. What does that even say about the direction of this organization? Who do we blame at this point?

Who’s To Blame

The play-calling on Sunday was completely baffling. Who runs it up the middle on 3rd and 15 not once, but multiple times? The answer: Dave Canales. And honestly, it’s no surprise. He’s made it clear from day one that he would be the one calling plays. But that’s exactly what’s concerning. If Canales doesn’t trust offensive coordinator Brad Idzik to handle play-calling duties and this is the best we’re going to get from him then this entire offensive experiment was doomed from the start. To put it plainly: Dave’s play-calling has been nothing short of atrocious.

Or do we shift the blame to Bryce Young, the third-year quarterback who’s yet to find his footing in the NFL? Let’s be real: the odds haven’t exactly been in his favor. Since entering the league, it feels like the universe has been working against him. He’s now on his third head coach with the Panthers, Frank Reich, Chris Tabor (interim), and now Dave Canales. That’s essentially a new system, a new philosophy, and a new relationship to build every year, not exactly ideal for a young quarterback’s development.

But even with all that context, it’s hard to ignore the on-field struggles. Missed throws, overthrown receivers, and broken timing plagued the offense on Sunday. The Panthers crossed midfield on nearly every possession yet managed just 13 points, a stat line made worse by a slew of missed field goals. It's a frustrating combination of poor execution and squandered opportunities.

Maybe it’s time to point the finger at the defense and special teams. Their performance on Sunday was nothing short of embarrassing, especially when you compare it to how well they held up against the Falcons just a week prior. That same unit that kept Atlanta in check couldn’t even manage to limit a New England offense that had looked lifeless all season. It was a complete night-and-day difference, and honestly, I’m struggling to understand what changed in just seven days. The drop-off was dramatic, and it cost the team dearly.

Someone make it make sense!  

This article completely contradicts everything I wrote last week. I didn’t think it was possible for a team that shocked the world in Week 3 to show up in Week 4 looking like they forgot how to play football. And at this point, it’s not even about winning every game, it’s about not getting blown out every other Sunday. So where do we go from here? Do we start over... again? Frankly, I’m getting whiplash from how often this franchise resets. But maybe this is what Carolina football has become, a never-ending cycle of instability and underperformance.

If this current trajectory holds, David Tepper is going to face a tough decision before the season ends: Dave Canales or Bryce Young. One of them won’t be here long-term. Tepper once said he wouldn’t settle for mediocrity when he took over this franchise what feels like 84 years ago.

Well, congratulations, sir you have settled for something far worse.

Images: Charlotte Observer