Carolina Panthers - The Recap (Week #1)

The Carolina Panthers fell to the Atlanta Falcons 24-10 in week one of the 2023 NFL Season. The Panthers left us with multiple reasons to be both frustrated and optimistic moving forward, so let’s get into it.

Our offense was up and down throughout the day, but we showed some promise. The Panthers had 281 yards of total offense, with 154 on the ground and 127 through the air. Our offensive scheme appeared creative and exciting at times, which is what Panthers fans have been longing for. However, the story of the day comes down to our three offensive turnovers–with 2 interceptions and 1 fumble–which significantly altered the outcome of the game. Bryce Young made some strong plays, but he showed that he’s not perfect.. We showed our inexperience as an offense with a series of miscommunications and errors as well. Our staff is entirely fresh and our skill positions are all new, so it’s going to take time to get rolling.

On the defensive side of the ball, we had a strong day, given the cards that we were dealt. We demonstrated the ability to get to the quarterback and shut down the Falcons offense at times, but we were put into some difficult situations following our offensive turnovers; in fact, 17 out of the Falcons’ 24 points came off turnovers. It’s imperative to give our defense some grace when evaluating their performance versus the Falcons. We can’t expect them to be perfect and compensate for offensive inefficiencies. While we were put into some hard positions, there’s definitely room to improve. We had some missed tackles and coverage issues which led to Falcons breakthroughs as well. However, our defensive staff is also brand new, and it will take some time to get firing on all cylinders.

Brian Burns came to play on Sunday, racking up 7 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 1 tackle for loss.

It is evident that Burns is ready to enter the conversation as one of the premier all-around pass rushers in the entire NFL. On Sunday, he proved his worth to this Carolina Panthers defense, solidifying that we must get the contract situation sorted as soon as possible.

Jaycee Horn exited the game early with a hamstring injury versus the Falcons. Horn’s injury puts added strain on our already weak cornerback room. However, the ‘injury-prone’ narrative needs to stop. Injuries are incredibly unpredictable and unfortunate, and Jaycee has done everything he can to protect his body and remain healthy. Jaycee Horn is one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL, so our fans need to come together to best support his recovery process.

Bryce Young’s debut did not go quite as expected, but he showed the capability to make high-level reads and see the field. Unfortunately, his two interceptions came from seemingly-identical decisions. We have to be patient with Bryce. It is without a doubt going to take some time for him to adjust to the NFL game, and we have to trust that our staff will put him in the best positions to succeed.

Overall, it is evident that we have work to do. It is hard not to be frustrated by the loss–especially for a season which carries so much hope for the future–but we as fans need to be graceful. We are operating with an entirely new staff, many of whom have never worked together. Similarly, our offense is fully revamped, with new players at almost every single skill position. Our offensive and defensive schemes have also shifted from last year, so it is going to take this team some time. Our team is young, our staff is strong, and our roster is talented. Carolina Panthers fans should hold this team to a high standard with the acknowledgement that growth takes time.