Panthers Starting to Find Their Identity Under Canales and Evero
It’s been a long, uphill climb for the Panthers this season, but their recent win over the four-time division champion Buccaneers is more than just a tally in the W column - it’s a sign of a team starting to take shape under new leadership.
General Manager Dan Morgan didn’t mince words when talking about what’s changed in Carolina. It starts at the top with head coach Dave Canales and defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who have brought a fresh energy and clear vision to a young roster that’s learning how to compete.
“Canales has done an awesome job with the guys,” Morgan said. “Just letting them be themselves, and also tailoring the scheme to what they do.”
That’s a crucial point. Too often, young teams are forced into rigid systems that don’t fit their personnel.
Canales flipped the script - building around his players, not the other way around.
It’s the same story on defense. Evero has this group playing fast, physical, and with a chip on their shoulder.
Morgan emphasized the culture they’ve built: “We’re a young team. We’re gonna make mistakes, but play hard, play your ass off, and where the chips fall at the end, they’ll fall.”
That mindset has clearly taken root. The Panthers aren’t just playing hard - they’re playing together. And in a league where chemistry can be the difference between a rebuild and a resurgence, that matters.
“We play so hard,” Morgan continued. “I’m rarely gonna watch the tape and be like, ‘Man, this guy’s jogging to the ball, or this guy’s not trying to finish a block.’”
That’s not just coach-speak. That’s a reflection of a team that’s bought in - to the coaching, to the process, and to each other.
“They’re hungry to win. They’re tough.
They’re physical. That’s the brand of football we want to play around here.”
And for the first time in a while, it feels like the Panthers are starting to live up to that identity.
Tyler Shough Emerging as a Bright Spot in New Orleans
Over in New Orleans, the Saints may not be where they hoped to be in the standings, but they’ve found something - or rather, someone - in rookie quarterback Tyler Shough.
Since taking over as the starter, Shough has helped guide the Saints to a 4-3 record after a 1-7 start. That’s not just a statistical improvement - it’s a cultural shift. And while his name is now firmly in the mix for Offensive Rookie of the Year - currently sitting just behind Panthers wideout Tetairoa McMillan - Shough isn’t getting caught up in the buzz.
“That’s obviously a great achievement,” he said. “But I think for us, that can be attained by finishing the season the right way with getting the victory next week and then the week after that. So that’s all I’m focused on right now.”
That kind of tunnel vision has served him well. Shough is completing 66 percent of his passes - a strong mark for any quarterback, let alone a rookie - and he’s doing it with poise and purpose. At 26, he’s a bit older than most first-year QBs, but that maturity is showing up both on the field and in the film room.
“My goal is to put everything on film, so that they feel comfortable with me starting every single game,” Shough said. “My preparation, what’s on film, how I operate in the building, being a leader, being myself - that’s what I care about.”
He’s well aware of the stakes. “At the end of the day, it’s the NFL.
You’re constantly being evaluated, and I understand that. What I put on tape matters.”
That mindset didn’t come out of nowhere. Shough’s journey through college - from Oregon to Texas Tech to Louisville - was filled with its share of ups and downs. But those experiences shaped the quarterback we’re seeing now: confident, prepared, and unshaken by pressure.
“That leveled me out mentally, as far as expectations and the importance of preparation,” he said.
The preparation paid off in a key moment recently - a two-minute drill before halftime where Shough made a heads-up check at the line, calling a completely different play than what was originally dialed up.
“We had multiple alerts, multiple different kinds of things we’re trying to attack, and I just checked to a completely different play,” he said. “We were all on the same page, and it ended up being an explosive [play] and helped flip the field.”
That’s not just a quarterback executing a play - that’s a quarterback taking command of the offense.
For a Saints team that’s still in transition, Shough’s emergence is a silver lining. He’s not just trying to finish the season strong - he’s making a case to be the guy in New Orleans for the long haul.