The Carolina Panthers have been a walking enigma this season.
Head coach Dave Canales stated that the franchise is still trying to find the right balance and has made some encouraging progress through 10 games. However, getting complacent before their clash against the New Orleans Saints was a critical error that got mercifully exposed.
It's been a rollercoaster for fans. Everyone thinks that the sky is falling, but the Panthers remain in contention for the NFC South title. But with a daunting upcoming schedule and two pivotal division outings versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers down the stretch, it could legitimately go either way.
Carolina Panthers are too unpredictable to inspire confidence down the stretch
Eric Edholm from NFL.com agrees. He's still trying to figure out who the Panthers are 10 games into the campaign. The analyst also thought time could be running out if Canales wants his squad to make the playoffs.
"If anyone has a good read on exactly what kind of a team Carolina is, please drop me a line. I’d love to know. Because it has become obvious that these Panthers require a broader scope than drilling down on what happens to them each week. Time is starting to run out with this inconsistency in Carolina, even with the Panthers sitting only a game and a half out of the last playoff spot."Eric Edholm
This is a fair assessment. The Panthers are too up and down for anyone to predict anything with any absolute confidence. They're capable of matching anybody when firing on all cylinders. But when one area falls by the wayside, it doesn't take long for the cracks to show.
There is more hard work ahead. This is only the second season of Canales and general manager Dan Morgan's long-term plan. Taking the rough with the smooth is crucial, but everything seems to be proceeding as expected for now.
Morgan and Canales still have some riddles to solve, starting with whether third-year quarterback Bryce Young can be their franchise-caliber presence under center. But this was never going to be the Washington Commanders of 2024 or the New England Patriots this season. The Panthers chose a methodical approach to building a contender, and after so many rash gambles under previous regimes, it was the right call.
It's a steep learning curve. It's a step-by-step process. But if the Panthers can figure things out a little quicker, they could potentially make some noise at the business end of the campaign.
Whether they can accomplish this feat or not is another matter.