Dave Canales didn’t spend Sunday night pointing fingers at the officials, even after a call that swung the Panthers’ loss to the Browns.
Carolina had Cleveland on the ropes late in the fourth quarter, leading 18-13 with 2:29 left when the game turned on a roughing-the-passer penalty against linebacker Bobby Okereke. The flag came on second-and-15 from the Panthers’ 29-yard line, right after Deshaun Watson’s throw was intercepted by cornerback Akayleb Evans. Instead of a drive-killing takeaway, the penalty erased the turnover and kept the Browns alive.
That possession ended with Watson finding tight end Harold Fannin Jr. for the touchdown that decided the game.
Afterward, Canales was asked what he saw on the disputed play.
"I saw him get hit in the head by somebody's hands," he told reporters after the game. "I don't know who that was, but we can't do that.
We go lower on the quarterback when the ball's in the air. You have to make that decision right at the end to either put your hands on the quarterback or not.
And we made the wrong decision in that case and extended the drive and then he was able to create a little extra time on the scramble play-which is something he can do well."
The Panthers had already seen a similar problem in Week 1 against Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears: a defense that couldn’t quite finish the job against a quarterback who can extend plays. Watson did the same thing here, using his legs to keep the Browns’ final march alive before the score to Fannin.
Carolina still had two more shots to salvage the result after that drive. The Panthers couldn’t get it done, going on to turn the ball over on downs and then throwing an interception to safety Ronnie Hickman.
In Other News...
Panthers Leave Week 3 With One Problem They Can't Ignore
The Panthers Week 3 loss in Cleveland was the kind of game that leaves a lingering concern beyond the final score. Bryce Young spent much of the afternoon under duress, taking three sacks as Carolinas offense never quite found its footing against a Browns front that made protection a constant issue. Add in the injuries that hit key pieces like wide receiver Jalen Coker and cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson, and the margin for error got even thinner.
Carolinas defense had chances to keep the game within reach, but Deshaun Watsons late touchdown pass while scrambling was the sort of play that can swing a close contest and underline what was missing for the Panthers. The bigger issue, though, is hard to miss after a 21-18 loss: if the line cant give Young cleaner pockets and the injury list keeps growing, the offense will have a hard time sustaining anything week to week. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Loss Exposed An Offensive Problem Fans Wont Ignore
A rough afternoon against Cleveland put Carolinas offense under the microscope, and not just because Bryce Young was forced to deal with steady pressure. The run game never gave the Panthers much relief, and the combined effect of those issues made it harder for the offense to find any rhythm, especially with injuries also thinning out key spots across the roster.
What stood out most was how little confidence the Panthers seemed to have in leaning on the ground game when the game tightened up. For a group that spent the offseason trying to upgrade its protection and stabilize the offense, the lack of push up front was hard to miss, and it leaves a familiar question hanging over how this unit is supposed to hold up when the pressure rises. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Loss Exposed Two Problems Fans Cant Ignore Before Detroit
The Panthers 21-18 loss to Cleveland in Week 3 did more than drop Carolina to its second defeat of the season. It also put a sharper spotlight on the parts of the roster that have to hold up better before Detroit comes to town, with Pro Football Focus singling out Damien Lewis as the top offensive performer and Tyrel Dodson as the best defensive player on the day.
The uncomfortable part for Carolina is where the lower grades landed. Several offensive linemen and safeties were near the bottom of the list, which lines up with the kind of uneven play that can quietly sink a close game. Before the Lions arrive, the Panthers have a clear film session waiting for them, and the bigger question is whether those weak spots can be cleaned up quickly enough to matter. [Read more 🡒]