Foxborough, Mass. – This could be the ultimate test of patience for the owner of Carolina Panthers, David Tepper.
The defeat of 42-13 on Sunday against the Patriots of New England was a complete failure of the team, so much that the coach Dave Canales took full responsibility for the collapse that left Carolina with a 1-3 file.
“When this happens in all the phases, I am the common denominator,” said Canales after falling at 6-15 since Tepper hired her during the 2024 off-season.
The whole promise that the panthers showed a week earlier in a 30-0 victory over the Falcons of Atlanta disappeared roughly when Marcus Jones of New England had to return to return an 87 yards for an 87 yards for a touch in the first quarter and an advance of 7-6.
From there, it was an avalanche of bad games which had the patriots (2-2) leading 42-6 before a touchdown from the end of the panthers by the tight winger Mitchell Evans.
It was so bad that Canales, who took responsibility for losses in the past, was particularly difficult with himself.
“I have to make sure I push guys the right way,” he said. “I have to assess what we do, how we work, how we prepare our guys. I felt confident about this part, but we do not get the results. ”
Tepper must assess whether the blame is the branches and members of its staff, and if it is worth making a change. In 2021, the autumn guy in season was the attacking coordinator Joe Brady, who was dismissed after a 5-7 start to the season. Brady has become a successful attacking coordinator with the Buffalo Bills.
The last time that Tepper estimated that a change was necessary at the top of the season was 2023 when he went from the veteran coach Frank Reich after a 1-10 start to his first year in Carolina.
In 2022, he pulled Matt Rhule with a 1-4 file in his third season, finishing 11-27 in total. Before that, he dismissed Ron will rive at 5-7 in 2019 a year after spending 7-9 in the first season of Tepper as owner.
It was three head coaches in five seasons.
Tepper, however, stayed with Canales after a 5-12 file last season as a recruit chief coach. There has never been an indication to make a change.
But if the panthers cannot put themselves on the right track, it is just to wonder how much Patience Tepper will show with his coach and his staff.
“I have to look at this myself. Put ourselves our guys in the best situation to succeed in each phase?” Said Canales. “I have to make sure we have these conversations and continue to progress our football. ”
The unit of the special teams of the Panthers abandoned 167 yards of return to Jones clearance, which resulted in a touch and almost a second if he had not been stumbled by the bettor Sam Martin.
It is the seventh rod with more launching covers in a game authorized by a player in the last 25 seasons.
All of this occurred a week after Carolina looked like one of the best NFL special team units.
The defense that eliminated Falcons last week allowed the quarter Drake Maye to take 14 out of 17 for 203 yards and two affected, plus a precipitated score.
The Caroline Quarterrier, Bryce Young, had no turnover for the second consecutive week, but it was a large part of the day outside, in particular with regard to the recruiter Tetairoa McMillan (3 catches, 8 targets, 40 yards).
But as bad as the Panthers players have occurred, none have blamed Canales.
“It’s on me,” said Young. “It is on everyone in this locker room. We talked about it afterwards. We all take responsibility. We must all look in the mirror. We must all understand what we can do better. It is certainly not on one person. It is all we must be better. ”
The Jaycee Horn corner half agreed.
“He can’t come and play,” he said about Canales. “We must be ready to play the three phases, and we [weren’t]. We had an excellent week of practice. That doesn’t mean you’re going to play well on Sunday. You must introduce yourself and do it.
“And it’s not on him. ”
The upcoming program is favorable to Caroline to repair things. The Panthers welcome the dolphins of Miami in difficulty (0-3) and the Cowboys of Dallas (1-2-1) before going to New York to face the jets (0-3).
So what could change? It will not be the game game. Canales says it doesn’t give up this.
“I think I am the right person to be able to push our concepts and our plans forward,” he added.
Canales also said that he did not plan “for the moment” to make changes to his staff.
This is why it will test the patience to do. If he really believes that the organization is under construction, he will leave things quiet.
This is what the former owner of Caroline, Jerry Richardson, did after a start of 1-3 for the 2013 season. This team won eight consecutive and 11 of his last last.
But the panthers have shown no sign on Sunday that a turnaround like this is possible.
“For me, this game is a matter of consistency,” said Canales. “Can we still play good football? I was not that. This is something we have to look at and make sure we do the right steps. ”
