After a rough preseason opener where the Panthers offense couldn’t even pick up a single first down in three drives, they finally got some serious action going on Friday night. The team cleared that impossibly low bar, putting up six first downs and even finding the end zone, which is a massive relief for anyone watching.
Finally, Some Momentum!
Quarterback Bryce Young was out there for two drives, and this time, the offense actually looked like they knew what they were doing. They racked up six first downs, a major leap from their previous performance. And get this: running back Jonathon Brooks punched it in for a one-yard touchdown early in the second quarter, capping off the night with some real points. Head coach Dave Canales, always cautious, said we shouldn’t read *too* much into preseason, but even he had to admit “it does build confidence” for what they’re capable of doing in the regular season. That’s the kind of energy you want heading into the real games!
Canales Is Pumped On The Run Game
Canales wasn’t holding back on his assessment, calling it “a great improvement.” He was clearly stoked on what he saw, especially from the ground game. “Really like seeing the run game go, and once that starts rolling, it just makes everything exactly how we want it on the offensive side, gives us options and some better [downs and distances],” Canales said, clearly pleased. Plus, the team played a “pretty clean day” with only five penalties, which is huge for avoiding those drive-killing mistakes. Playing clean ball is crucial, and it’s a good sign they’re ironing out the kinks.
So, what’s next for these guys? They’ll wrap up the preseason against Houston next Friday. But the real test, the “truer barometer” as Canales put it, comes in Week 1 against the Bears. That’s when we’ll truly see if this “great improvement” is the real deal as they gear up to defend that NFC South title. Can they keep this momentum rolling into the games that count? We’ll be watching!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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