Dave Canales was not happy with his squad after their preseason dud against the Buffalo Bills. The head coach holds his players to a higher standard these days, and they didn't come close to meeting it.
And now, Canales is expecting the right response when the Panthers take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in their first joint practice this offseason.
Canales wants to see the tempo, intensity, and the Panthers' brand of football shine through. He believes that getting the chance to hit other people will serve them well, and he expects big things from this group as they look to put the sour taste of their loss in Buffalo behind them.
Dave Canales lays out expectations before Carolina Panthers' joint practice in Jacksonville
Make no mistake; the message should be heard loud and clear by every single player taking to the practice field. And Canales should also get plenty of answers throughout the session.
"Just what I've been seeing every day in practice here, the physicality to show up, our style of football, that's been the standard, that's what it's looked like.
"I just want to see that consistency to happen in the practice. The competition will elevate some, getting new fresh faces to go against, different schemes, different style of fronts, different style of offenses, those types of things, but just seeing our guys execute and play with our type of physicality."
Joint practices are a more controlled setting than the preseason, but they still matter. There is personal pride at stake for everyone. It's another taste of legitimate NFL competition, offering Carolina the perfect opportunity to lay down a marker.
Anything less will not be tolerated.
Canales and general manager Dan Morgan are still in the assessment phase. They will have a good idea of what the large majority of their 53-man roster will look like after final cuts, but plans can change quickly. And after Carolina's front-office leader voiced his displeasure at the performance versus Buffalo, he'll also have this practice circled.
The Panthers have a real shot to successfully defend their NFC South championship if everything comes together. That hasn't changed.
They have injuries, but what team doesn't? It's next-man-up, and after failing to meet the levels expected against the Bills — from top to bottom across the roster — it would be surprising if there wasn't an extra spring in their step.
Jacksonville will not be rolling over, so it promises to be a good test of quality and character.
The AFC South club won its division with a 13-4 record last season, the first under head coach Liam Coen. They've lost a few influential figures, including new Panthers linebacker Devin Lloyd, but the Jaguars will be eager to build on the most positive campaign they've put together in years.
Canales will have his squad ready to meet fire with fire. And after fluffing their lines in Buffalo, the response will tell Morgan all he needs to know.
High stakes, indeed.
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