4 bold Carolina Panthers predictions vs. the Chargers in Week 2
By Luke Gray
Carolina Panthers' ground game dominates for 150-plus rushing yards.
Dave Canales made his intentions clear when he said the Carolina Panthers would be stubborn when it came to running the ball under his leadership. Unfortunately, that didn’t materialize in Week 1.
The Panthers found themselves facing a hefty deficit early on and were forced to throw the ball. One could argue Canales abandoned the run too quickly, but it's clear the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator was eager to get his team back into the game when all hope seemed lost.
Just 58 rushing yards on 20 yards and a putrid 2.9 yards per carry hardly represents a good return. Fans must take the context into account, but significant improvements are needed for the Panthers to become a team to be feared on the ground.
They must establish the run game right out of the gate in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers. This will allow Canales and quarterback Bryce Young to throw the ball less and take more pressure off the signal caller as he finds his feet. That's the most important factor above all else.
The Chargers gave up just 71 rushing yards in Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders. The fact Los Angeles has a stout defense is little surprise for a team coached by Jim Harbaugh - someone overlooked by team owner David Tepper during his search for another head coach earlier this year.
The Panthers must be sharper in their run concepts and execution to breathe life into this offense. Canales cannot afford to fall back into the offense we saw in 2023, which was the worst across the league.
Carolina seems to be suffering from rustiness. There were also some timing issues and a failure to identify pre-snap pressures effectively. This makes Canales' decision to rest the starting options for the majority of preseason an even stronger one.