The Panthers spent their bye week watching the rest of the league hand out reminders about how quickly a game can slip away.
Carolina head coach Dave Canales said Monday that he went back and studied the late-game blunders from Sunday’s action, using them as teaching material as the Panthers return to work after Week 5.
"None of us can ignore those games. It’s a great opportunity on a bye week to be able to pop on the RedZone, try to see as much as possible," Canales said.
"I had to go back because I’m getting texts from coaches about, ‘Did you see what happened here? Did you see this type of management?
This decision to do this here?’ ... All these things, these are examples that we like to show our guys ...
Just to get the guys snapped back into our decision-making and where we need to go as a unit."
Sunday’s wild finish list included two decisions that drew the heaviest scrutiny. In Philadelphia, Nick Sirianni’s special teams choice after Jake Elliott’s late go-ahead field goal backfired badly. Rather than kick the ball deep for a touchback with less than 10 seconds left against the Jaguars, the Eagles allowed Ameer Abdullah to bring it back 53 yards, setting up Cam Little’s game-winning kick.
Washington also had a chance to escape with a win, but Dan Quinn’s group let it go in overtime against the Giants. After a turnover pushed the Commanders into field-goal range, the clock became the enemy. With no timeouts left, Jayden Daniels couldn’t get the spike off in time, and Washington settled for a 27-27 tie.
Those are exactly the kind of moments Canales wants his team to have in its head as it comes back from the break. The Panthers are 2-2 entering Week 6 and sit alone atop the NFC South after Atlanta’s loss to Baltimore on Sunday night dropped the Falcons to 2-3. Tampa Bay and New Orleans are both 1-4.
Carolina has already taken down the Falcons and Lions, which has put the Panthers in position as the division’s early front-runner. Still, there’s plenty left to sort out, and a road game against the Eagles next Sunday gives them a sharp test right out of the bye.
In Other News...
Panthers Finally Get Two Key Linemen Back In A Crucial Stretch
The Panthers are getting a little healthier at a time when every snap matters, with head coach Dave Canales announcing that defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton and offensive tackle Taylor Moton have been designated to return to practice. Both have been on the shelf for a while, Wharton after neck surgery and Moton because of a blood clot in his lung, so simply getting them back on the field is an important step for a team trying to stabilize both lines.
Now the clock starts on a 21-day window that will determine whether either player makes it back to the 53-man roster before the season moves on without them. Wharton and Moton give Carolina a chance to add depth and experience in two critical spots, but the Panthers still have to navigate the next few weeks carefully, with each player needing to show enough in practice to earn activation rather than remain sidelined for the rest of the year. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Finally Have Injury Hope With One Big Week 6 Catch
For a Panthers team that has spent much of the early season managing injuries as much as matchups, there is finally some encouraging news on the horizon. Coach Dave Canales said wide receiver Jalen Coker is on track to return from a quadriceps injury for Week 6, with the next few practices serving as the final checkpoint. Carolina has stayed in the mix by going 2-2 and sitting atop the NFC South, but getting another piece back in the passing game would give the offense a welcome boost.
There is also movement elsewhere on the roster, with offensive tackle Taylor Moton and defensive lineman Turk Wharton having their practice windows opened. That does not guarantee an immediate return, but it does signal that both players are moving in the right direction as Carolina tries to build some stability entering a pivotal stretch. For a team still trying to piece together its healthiest version, the coming week could matter almost as much for who gets back on the field as for what happens in the standings. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Have A Strange Kicking Problem Fans Can't Ignore
Ryan Fitzgerald has given the Panthers plenty to like on the more difficult side of his job. The rookie kicker has been perfect on field goal attempts this season, handling everything from standard chances to longer-range tries with the kind of steadiness a team wants when games tighten up late.
The odd part is what has come after touchdowns. Fitzgerald has missed three extra point attempts, creating an unusual split that stands out even more because the kicks are supposed to be the routine ones. For Carolina, it is the kind of kicking issue that does not show up in the dramatic highlights, but can still linger in the background every time the offense finds the end zone. [Read more 🡒]