With offense in flux, the Panthers need stronger defense

TROY HULL | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn celebrates after intercepting a pass against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 16 at Bank of America Stadium. After two weeks, Carolina (0-2) is 31st in defense.

With most of the attention focused on the Carolina Panthers’ faltering offense and switch at quarterback, the defense may need the most improvement – fast.

Despite last season’s NFL-worst 2-15 record, the Panthers yielded 293.9 yards per game, the league’s fourth-best mark. But through two outings this season, the defense struggled nearly as much as the offense.

Quarterback troubles aside, a series of preseason pundits predicted the Panthers’ defense, which enters Sunday allowing an average of 36.5 points per game, could regress after losing several key starters last offseason. They were correct, but few expected it would enter Week 3 ranked 31st in rushing yards allowed (199.5).

“Obviously the past couple of weeks, especially last week, we didn’t get the results we wanted and there’s a little bit of disappointment from that,” defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero said Thursday via Panthers.com. “I’m optimistic looking forward.”

Evero certainly doesn’t want to look back on the past two weeks.

During the Panthers’ season-opening 47-10 loss at New Orleans, the Saints converted on their opening nine possessions, beginning with a 59-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr to Rashid Shaheed, on the fifth play of the season.

The Los Angeles Chargers’ physical, run-first approach last week appeared to take advantage of a unit playing its first game since Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown suffered a season-ending injury. The Chargers wore down Carolina’s defense by converting 9-of-16 third-down situations and forcing the Panthers to remain on the field for over 36 minutes.

Entering 2024, some NFL insiders anticipated the Panthers’ offense, which generated a league-low 265.3 yards per game last season, would improve under new coach Dave Canales and second-year quarterback Bryce Young.

It hasn’t happened.

After two season-opening losses, low-lighted by Young’s zero touchdown passes, three interceptions and engineering a last-ranked offense, Canales on Monday announced Andy Dalton would draw the Week 3 start at the Las Vegas Raiders.

Will Dalton, a three-time Pro Bowler, jumpstart the long-stagnant offense?

Will the defense begin to live up to its preseason promise?

‘We trust the coaches’

Evero spoke of adjustments the Panthers (0-2) made in practices prior to meeting the Raiders (1-1), who rallied to top the Baltimore Ravens, 26-23, last week. He also will have new puzzle pieces to play with.

“It really doesn’t matter, the results of the past two weeks,” Evero said. “At the end of the day, it’s about getting the best 11 out there.”

The Panthers on Thursday signed two outside linebackers, including a familiar face returning in a different scenario. A 2021 sixth-round draft pick, Tarron Jackson was added to the 53-man roster, effectively replacing Eku Leota, who was waived Tuesday and re-signed to the practice squad two days later. The Panthers could go with a new edge rotation Sunday. In two games, D.J. Johnson collected his first half-sack and forced fumble but notched a combined 57.7 Pro Football Focus grade. Veteran Charles Harris debuted Sunday and participated in 34 snaps without collecting a tackle.

Defensive tackle Shy Tuttle injured his foot against the Chargers and did not participate in Thursday’s practice. The Panthers fielded four healthy defensive linemen (Jayden Peevy, LaBryan Ray, A'Shawn Robinson and Nick Thurman), with T.J. Smith and DeShawn Williams on the practice squad.

One of the few players to appear during Monday’s open locker room session, safety Nick Scott said he was confident Canales made the right quarterback call.

“We trust the coaches in the decisions they make,” Scott said. “We’re going to keep trying to put the offense in the best position possible.”

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