The Carolina Panthers own the NFL’s worst run defense, and head coach Dave Canales isn’t hiding from it. In fact, he knows exactly how opposing offenses are feeling when they watch film of his team. After giving up a staggering 258 rushing yards on Sunday against the Buccaneers, Canales is fully aware that other teams are practically licking their chops.
An Open Invitation
Canales pulled no punches today, directly addressing the monumental struggles of his run defense. He painted a picture of offensive coordinators across the league gleefully game planning against them. “Collectively, as a group, we have to be locked in to what they’re going to try to do and how they’re going to attack us,” Canales stated. His candor is striking. He admitted that seeing “250 yards on the ground, and that’s got to be appealing” to any offensive-minded coach, acknowledging he’d approach it the same way. It’s a tough truth, but it’s the reality for the Panthers right now.
Packers’ Game Plan Is Clear
The next challenge for the Panthers comes on Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers. While the Packers are known for having the most pass-heavy offense in the NFL, Canales expects their upcoming opponent to shift gears. He anticipates Green Bay will try to exploit the Panthers’ run defense weakness with Josh Jacobs. More than that, Canales sees a double threat: if his team overcompensates by stacking the box to stop the run, the Packers will then look to have Jordan Love beat them deep. Canales’ analysis is stark: “For me, as an offensive-minded coach, I think about that and say, ‘We can set some things up down the field by making sure we have a run game going.’ That would be my approach, so I do expect them to run the ball, and we do exp” his quote ending mid-sentence, but the message is clear.
The Panthers are staring down a Thursday night game where their biggest weakness is practically screaming for attention. Will they be able to lock in and counter what Canales so clearly sees coming? Or will the Packers make good on the invitation, running the ball effectively and then torching them deep? All eyes are on the Panthers’ defense to see if they can somehow stem the tide against a team that Canales himself expects to exploit them.
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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