It's almost remarkable how the Carolina Panthers continue to find new lows weekly. That proved to be the case once again at the Chicago Bears, where they were on the back foot immediately and couldn't recover en route to yet another demoralizing defeat.
The Panthers are sitting at 1-4 and staring down the barrel of another lost campaign under David Tepper's ownership. Dave Canales and Dan Morgan are feeling the strain, with the fanbase getting increasingly restless about this supposed retool and how much longer they'll have to experience constant losing.
This was embarrassing. The stream of injuries didn't help their cause, but the game was out of sight before these problems began taking their toll. Carolina is going nowhere fast, rooted to rock bottom, and showing no legitimate signs of life under Canales' guidance.
Looking at their games over the next few weeks, things could get even worse. The Panthers need to find answers, and quickly. Otherwise, the direction of this organization under yet another new regime will come under closer scrutiny.
That's for the future. For now, here are three winners and four losers from Carolina's loss at the Bears in Week 5.
Winners and losers from Carolina Panthers' defeat at the Bears
Loser No. 1
Mike Jackson Sr. - Carolina Panthers CB
This game meant a great deal to D.J. Moore. The wide receiver was stung after being deemed expendable by those in power to secure the No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. This was the first chance he's had to make them pay. Something he managed emphatically to torch the Carolina Panthers throughout.
Moore was relentless, gaining 105 receiving yards and two touchdowns from five receptions. Veteran cornerback Mike Jackson Sr. had no answer for the wideout or anyone else he came up against during his worst performance since joining the Panthers via trade from the Seattle Seahawks.
Jackson looked flustered and incapable of executing his assignments effectively. Hopefully, this is just a blip rather than something more concerning, but it's a situation worth monitoring if nothing else.
Winner No. 1
Jalen Coker - Carolina Panthers WR
Finding positives when the performance is so lackluster can be difficult. The Carolina Panthers didn't cover themselves in glory once again and were fighting a losing battle from a long way out. However, there were a few shining lights amid the chaos that head coach Dave Canales should pinpoint.
Jalen Coker was one of them. The undrafted free-agent wide receiver looked like the team's best option in the passing game. This is an indictment of others, but it cannot be seen as anything other than a plus. It's also much more than the likes of Jonathan Mingo have shown throughout the campaign to date.
Coker brought in all four of his targets for 68 receiving yards, including a beautiful deep sideline grab that was the best moment of Carolina's offensive output in the passing game by a considerable margin. Whether this amounts to further involvement moving forward remains to be seen, but the Panthers have nothing to lose by putting more on his plate at this stage.
The former Holy Cross standout deserves credit for the way he applied himself. Not many on the Panthers could say that after their latest debacle in Week 5.
Loser No. 2
Carolina Panthers defensive line
Losing Derrick Brown for the season after just one game was always going to cause issues for the defensive front. He's the team's best player and one of the few with genuine Pro Bowl-caliber production to speak of. His loss has further exposed a front three that isn't up to the required standard.
Shy Tuttle was back at the nose tackle spot but once again failed to meet even modest expectations. Just why Ejiro Evero is persisting with this failed experiment is anyone's guess, but the Panthers are suffering greatly from not having a genuine anchor capable of clogging up space on the interior.
Veteran free-agent signing A'Shawn Robinson isn't doing enough. He came to the Panthers as a stout run stuffer and isn't meeting this billing as yet. Brown going down was a body blow, but others need to pick up the slack and stop getting run over almost constantly.
This is a weak link to the surprise of nobody. Until they find a way to adjust and rectify these problems, opposing offenses will continue to target them accordingly.
Winner No. 2
Trevin Wallace - Carolina Panthers LB
The Carolina Panthers were dealt a devastating blow at the defensive second level with Shaq Thompson and Josey Jewell both missing in Week 5 against the Chicago Bears. This put rookie linebacker Trevin Wallace front and center for his first start of the campaign.
There weren't many bright spots defensively, but Wallace was one of them. The third-round selection out of Kentucky looked sharp and explosive, getting to the contact point quickly and making his tackles count more often than not. That was an undoubted silver lining on another inept afternoon for the Panthers overall.
Wallace eventually finished the game with 15 tackles, which was a team-high comfortably. Thompson is done for the season, so Wallace should have an important role to play moving forward whether Jewell comes back next weekend or not.
The Panthers are looking for positives any way they can get them after another disastrous start to the campaign. It's just one game, but Wallace looks like a player of promise based on this showing when the chips were down almost immediately.
Loser No. 3
Ja'Tavion Sanders - Carolina Panthers TE
When Tommy Tremble went out with a concussion following a monstrous hit that also resulted in a fumble, it put tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders under the spotlight. This is something fans have been clamoring for following an impressive offseason. However, there is a lot of refinement needed based on this showing.
It was a difficult day for Sanders, who dropped two passes and was also called for a penalty. It's not the end of the world - rookies always go through some growing pains - but it might make the Panthers think twice about getting him prominent involvement against the Atlanta Falcons next weekend with Ian Thomas nearing a return.
This was a step back for Sanders despite bringing in three receptions for 13 receiving yards. It was always going to be a work in progress in Year 1 of his professional career. But the Panthers might not have another option if Thomas needs another week and Tremble enters the league's concussion protocol.
Sanders isn't the finished product by any stretch. This performance was proof positive of that.
Winner No. 3
Chuba Hubbard - Carolina Panthers RB
Why the Carolina Panthers continue to go away from Chuba Hubbard when he's building momentum is anyone's guess. The running back is the one constant amid the chaos, yet head coach Dave Canales seems reluctant to give the former Oklahoma State star a hefty workload. This was exactly the environment to do it, especially considering how he was having his way from the outset.
The Chicago Bears had no answer for Hubbard early on. He torched them for a touchdown and always seemed capable of reaching the second level or beyond. But when the game got away from the Panthers again, Canales resorted to the passing game to no avail.
Hubbard finished the game with 97 rushing yards and a touchdown from just 13 carries. That's 7.5 yards per carry for the mathematicians. It was around five yards for every touch even without the long score.
The Panthers are a poor football team. Hubbard and the offensive line are their real strengths. Making him the focal point whether Jonathon Brooks comes back or not is the only way they'll stay competitive with some tricky games upcoming over the next three weeks.
Loser No. 4
Xavier Woods - Carolina Panthers S
It was not a good day for the Panthers' defense. The Chicago Bears had a plan for the Cover 3 dependent scheme of Ejiro Evero and exploited it accordingly. They were outmatched in the trenches and the secondary was carved open almost at will. Injuries haven't helped, but the concerns before the campaign are rearing their ugly head constantly.
Xavier Woods is held to a higher standard than most. He's one of the team's most experienced performers and produced the goods consistently in difficult circumstances last season. Despite finishing the game with seven tackles, this was not one of his finest efforts.
Woods is technically flawed from a tackling standpoint. He tends to go in with his shoulder first, which is susceptible to getting beaten or giving up penalties. He was also sluggish in coverage support, which didn't do the cornerbacks any favors with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams looking polished with all day to throw en route to the best performance of his professional career.
The former sixth-round selection is good enough to bounce back. Woods wasn't at his best, but the veteran safety wasn't alone during another woeful afternoon at the office.