The criticism surrounding Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales has gotten awfully quiet lately, and it's not hard to see why.
After their Week 6 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, the Panthers are now 3-2, with three wins in their last four games.
Do you remember what Canales walked into when he took the Panthers job?
Dave Canales has stuck to his principles, and it's helped the Carolina Panthers grow
Carolina was coming off an ugly 2-15 season in 2023, had fired Frank Reich after just 11 games, and already had some big questions surrounding quarterback Bryce Young after a pretty disappointing rookie year.
Sure, his first year didn't silence the doubters, either. The Panthers went 5-12, and Canales even benched Young after just two games.
At that point, there were legitimate reasons to wonder whether Carolina had made another mistake.
Almost no one is wondering whether Young or Canales are the right guys anymore.
Maybe the most encouraging part of Canales' development as a head coach has been his willingness to adjust his own responsibilities.
During the offseason, Canales handed play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, a decision that allowed him to spend more time overseeing the entire team. And the early returns have been encouraging.
Carolina Panthers' faith in Brad Idzik and Ejiro Evero is reaping rewards
The Panthers scored 34 points against the Atlanta Falcons, then 32 against the Detroit Lions. Even in Sunday's win over Philadelphia, Carolina finished with 399 total yards despite an inconsistent passing performance and numerous penalties.
There's also something to be said about Canales sticking with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero through some pretty ugly stretches.
Carolina's defense was historically bad in 2024, allowing 534 points. Things have improved since, with the Panthers' defense holding Atlanta to three points in Week 3 and Philadelphia to 14.
Of course, Canales still has plenty to prove.
Carolina is only five games into the season, and the Panthers haven't suddenly become Super Bowl contenders. But look at where this franchise was when he arrived compared to where it stands today.
Young looks like a legitimate starting quarterback. Carolina has already won a division title. The offense is producing, and the Panthers are starting to beat opponents they would've struggled to compete with just a few years ago.
The Panthers still have a long season ahead, and Canales will undoubtedly face more criticism when things go wrong.
For now, though, the results are doing plenty of talking.
And the people who questioned whether he was the right hire are running out of reasons to complain.
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