Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales fired defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and pass-game coordinator Jonathan Cooley following their loss to the Green Bay Packers.
And while it's hard to blame Canales for making a change, the decision could put even more pressure on him if Carolina's struggles continue.
Canales explained that the decision came after weeks of evaluating the defense. The situation was also discussed with general manager Dan Morgan, executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis, and team owner David Tepper.
Dave Canales will ne next under fire if Carolina Panthers don't improve
But he made one thing very clear.
"Ultimately, this is my decision. This falls squarely under the responsibilities of the head coach," Canales said.
That becomes even more interesting when injuries have certainly played a role in the Panthers' struggles, especially in the secondary. Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson Sr., and Akayleb Evans have landed on injured reserve, and Will Lee III also injured his hamstring on Thursday Night Football.
How much blame can really fall on Evero is still to be determined. But Canales clearly believes the defense should be performing better with the players available.
Now he's betting Todd Wash can get more out of that same group.
The problem? Carolina doesn't have much time to figure things out.
Canales is essentially betting that a new defensive coordinator can help save a season that hasn't gone according to plan.
Carolina Panthers are betting that Ejiro Evero was their biggest problem
If Wash improves the defense and Carolina gets back on track, Canales will deserve credit for recognizing the problem and making a difficult decision before it was too late.
But if the Panthers continue giving up points and losing games, the criticism will naturally shift toward the head coach who made the change.
And it's worth remembering that Evero was hardly working with a completely healthy defense. Those issues won't go away just because somebody else is calling plays.
Canales also has to get his own offense back on track. Firing Evero might address one of Carolina's biggest weaknesses, but it doesn't solve the problems on the other side of the ball.
There's currently no confirmed indication that Canales' job is in jeopardy. Still, the decision puts his leadership and judgment under greater scrutiny.
The Panthers will have extra preparation time before hosting the Denver Broncos, giving Wash a chance to make adjustments before his first game calling the defense.
With 10 games remaining, Carolina still has enough time to turn things around.
But Canales has now made his move. He's changed the defensive leadership, publicly taken responsibility for the decision, and made it clear he believes this roster can perform better.
If the results don't follow, the next round of questions will be directed at him.
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