4 Carolina Panthers who could see reduced playing time in Week 9 vs. Saints
By Luke Gray
Dave Canales' cute play-calling
As the weeks roll on, and the Carolina Panthers' losses accumulate, the pressure slowly turns up on head coach Dave Canales. This is the never-ending cycle attached to coaches who join this moribund franchise.
Should Canales be on the hot seat after just eight games as an NFL head coach? No. However, with the track record of team owner David Tepper when it comes to firing coaches, nothing would surprise fans at this point.
But one thing that Canales deserves criticism for is his play-calling. And none more so than at the Denver Broncos in Week 8.
As some expected with second-year Bryce Young back in the lineup, it was a conservative approach from Canales against a top-five Broncos defense. It seemed until the final drive of the game that the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator was hesitant to let the No. 1 pick in 2023 throw deep at any point.
One of the plays that drew the ire of fans was the fourth down call early in the contest. With a little under five minutes to go in the second quarter, the Panthers had a 4th-and-2 on their 48-yard line. Canales elected to go for it, which was the right call with Carolina having nothing to play for other than pride.
The ensuing play call was putrid. A run-pass option with Chuba Hubbard led to Young pitching the ball to Miles Sanders. The Broncos' defense swarmed the veteran running back, who was tackled for a loss and a turnover on downs.
Canales gets too cute with his play-calling in short-yard situations. One can only wonder if the pressure of being both a first-year head coach and play-caller is weighing on him.
There’s no indication offensive coordinator Brad Idzik will be giving play-calling duties. But if the Panthers' offense continues to stagnate, it’s something to monitor.
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