Once more, the Carolina Panthers failed to score their first win in Week 1, suffering a historic defeat to the Chicago Bears in a high-scoring affair. And there was a lot to unpack.
There are a lot of questions that need to be answered after conceding so many points and yards, despite the numerous additions made on defense. Head coach Dave Canales will have to answer those this week.
There's a lot of emotion from this game. Let's share some instant reactions to the Panthers' Week 1 defeat to the Bears.
9 instant reactions from the Carolina Panthers loss to the Chicago Bears
1. Dan Morgan’s free-agent signings came to play, with edge rusher Jaelan Phillips (one sack, three tackles) and linebackers Devin Lloyd (team-leading 13 tackles) and Bobby Okereke (six tackles) shining brightly. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough for what happened on Sunday…
2. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero has questions that need to be answered after allowing 59 points and 552 total yards at home in the season opener with a historically awful display. The first half would’ve gone much differently had it not been for better discipline from the younger defenders. Instead, the defense looked overwhelmed in the trenches against the Bears, despite how good Caleb Williams was.
3. The run defense was much worse than the passing game, allowing 291 yards, including a hat-trick performance from D’Andre Swift. The worst decision the Panthers made on defense was not dressing big defensive tackle and stout run defender Cam Jackson in favor of TeRah Edwards and Aaron Hall. That should be corrected next week.
4. Bryce Young had a winning performance despite the defense’s underwhelming effort, finishing 23 of 37 for 361 yards and four total touchdowns. This was a much better display than anyone could’ve expected from Young to kick off an important season, making excellent throws all day and showing aggression downfield. It is a step in the right direction.
5. It was good to see Jonathon Brooks back on the field for the first time since December, 2024. The third-year running back caught a 48-yard pass but only finished the day with four carries for 14 yards. Carolina has remained adamant about working him slowly into the lineup while Chuba Hubbard continues to receive a majority of touches at running back.
6. I have to give some big-time credit to Brad Idizik, as the offensive coordinator and first-time play-caller for signaling a great game in all phases, allowing the offense to run efficiently with great play sequencing and consistency down-to-down. If you’re a Panthers fan, you have to feel good about the direction of this unit.
7. It took the Panthers' run game to get going throughout the matchup, and I think this could be a concern in the short-term as they work Brooks more into the game in the coming weeks. A.J. Dillon may not have gotten touches until garbage time, but he may be the answer for the short-yardage issues Carolina had today.
8. If you’re looking for optimism, coach Dave Canales has an offense that can win games, and some of the defensive shortcomings are correctable, even if it may seem hopeless in the moment. The Panthers won’t face the Bears offense every week, and they’ll need the next two weeks against inferior opponents to rebound accordingly, especially against the run.
9. Wide receiver Jalen Coker looked incredible on Sunday with eight catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns. He is as advertised and has become a terrific wideout for the Panthers. If this is a sign of things to come, extending him was a smart call by Carolina’s brass.
Add us as a preferred source on Google