Dave Canales' decision-making disappoints disgruntled Carolina Panthers fanbase

The Carolina Panthers were looking to put their Week 1 woes behind them. They never stood a chance.

After a 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints, they were hoping for a confidence boost. A win in their home opener against the Los Angeles Chargers. Unfortunately, the game was tough from the outset. As fans entered Bank of America Stadium, more jerseys from the opposing team were spotted. Nothing new looking at how things have unfolded throughout David Tepper's ownership.

By half-time, the game was lost. The Panthers were booed off the field by a disgruntled fanbase where the scoreboard favored Los Angeles 20-0. It’s not hyperbole to say that every fan is at their wit's end with quarterback Bryce Young.

Carolina Panthers offense is showing no improvement under Dave Canales

Young continued to struggle. Last week, he posted the lowest quarterback rating of his career. This week he made team history, with the fourth fewest passing yards in a game for quarterbacks with a minimum of 25 attempts.

Despite the second-year signal-caller looking more timid and scared to throw the ball down the field than ever, his coach stands by him vehemently.

"Bryce is our quarterback. I’d love to see this thing to continue to take the next steps offensively right now."

- Dave Canales

Dave Canales is holding hope for his guy, but is it the right decision for the team? Wide receivers Adam Thielen and Diontae Johnson were visibly frustrated at the performance of their quarterback, making scenes on the sidelines.

"We’re all frustrated. And it comes down to execution. Every phase. We’re all frustrated. I think that we’re all in the same boat there, we all feel the same way about going back to our work, about controlling the controllables. But definitely it is a frustrating time. The guys are staying together."

- Dave Canales

Fans conjoined with prominent media members chant the importance of putting backup Andy Dalton into the game. Canales is unphased, possibly until it is the mouths he has to feed that feel alienated. He could be on the cusp of a locker room revolt. In an organizational power struggle, he risks being a toxic middle manager maintaining an agenda his players find abysmal.

Only time will tell. Canales said he saw some improvements. Especially, concerning turnovers. “It really just came down to third down again,” he said. The Panthers have converted just two of their 22 third down attempts on the season. A lot needs to change for Carolina before it joins the better class of teams that can move the chains.

The Panthers failed to capitalize on two Justin Herbert turnovers. The Pro Bowl quarterback struggled. Even with a new, highly decorated head coach, Los Angeles reverted to many of the sloppy patterns of the past.

Despite piledriving the Panthers' defensive front most of the day with running back J.K. Dobbins, they left points on the field. Although the Chargers won 26-3, the final score could have been worse.

The Panthers looked scared to push the ball downfield. When asked about his quarterback’s decision to throw the ball short of the sticks on critical third downs, Canales said “Some of it was by design”. His confidence in play-calling is a reflection of the quarterback's viability.

Canales concluded his press conference by saying, “I expected it to take time to become us. To figure out the things that we do well. We’re still in that process.” The optimist has yet to meet his breaking point but feels secure in the fact he has time to figure things out.

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