Shannon Sharpe blasts Dave Canales as Carolina Panthers' slump continues

Dave Canales is getting a head coaching baptism of fire in no uncertain terms. The happy-go-lucky, beacon of positivity that brightened the Carolina Panthers during the offseason is fading fast. A 1-6 start to the campaign will do that, which is bringing questions about the franchise's direction and how they can get out of their current slump.

The Panthers are dealing with significant injury issues right now. They don't have the depth to compensate for this. But even when star quarterback Jayden Daniels and left tackle Brandon Coleman went down for the Washington Commanders, it did nothing to turn the tide.

Experienced quarterback Andy Dalton was once again inconsistent, throwing a pick-six on the opening drive and failing to get anything going. The veteran's honeymoon period has worn off, replaced by more uncertainty and calls to reinstall Bryce Young into the starting lineup once again.

Shannon Sharpe blasts Carolina Panthers after latest embarrassing loss

Shannon Sharpe made his feelings about Canales clear during the latest episode of Nightcap with Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson. The Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end turned media mogul blasted the head coach for placing the blame on Young when there were so many other problems. Now, he believes the chickens have come home to roost.

"For a second there I thought it was all about the quarterback. Hey, Coach Canales, what happened with Andy Dalton? Because you had fans and everybody thinking it was [Bryce] Young. That it was Bryce Young. Y'all got a victory and that's all we needed. That's all we needed. There's nothing good to say now."

- Shannon Sharpe via Nightcap

Scathing and sarcastic in equal measure.

While the defense needs to be held accountable, Canales was brought in as a young offensive-minded coach with proven credentials when it comes to developing quarterbacks. He's failed in that regard so far, and there is nowhere near enough genuine quality across the board to even tread water effectively.

That is deeply concerning. Things are going to get worse before they get better. The Panthers aren't a good team even when everyone is at full strength. Some draft picks are showing signs of life, but general manager Dan Morgan's first free agency group is less stellar aside from the big-money signings of Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis.

No team will get anywhere without a stable presence under center. One only has to look at how Marcus Mariota dissected the Panthers once Daniels went out to see how better prepared the Commanders were. That's on coaching.

Canales isn't the only one to blame, but he carries the can as the top guy.

Taking Young out of the firing line after just two games hinted at panic and self-preservation - astonishing so early into his tenure. He wasn't playing well, but this was a far cry from the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator proudly proclaiming the No. 1 pick in 2023 to be the guy upon taking the job and the lavish praise he gave the signal-caller throughout the offseason.

Pressure is building. This project needs patience, but it's a results business. There's no telling where the Panthers go from here or how many more wins they'll accumulate in 2024. However, it's not looking good.

It's not an easy situation for Canales. The NFL is a ruthless business, so the sooner he gets it together, the better his chances will be.

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