Quick slant: bring on the Panthers preseason
Preseason?
While the NFL finally got around to releasing their regular season schedule in May, preseason schedules were finalized last week.
I cannot wait to watch the Carolina Panthers play their preseason games in August against AFC East sans the Miami Dolphins.
Yes - I’m fully aware that the Panthers have not even completed their offseason program and that their mandatory minicamp begins Tuesday.
Why am I so interested in the Panthers during the preseason in 2024? The easy answer is because the Panthers were horrid in 2023.
The Panthers began and ended their 2023 campaign in the same fashion, by getting shut out.
After reports said the Panthers had a solid showing against the New York Jets in joint practices, they were destroyed 27-0 in their first preseason game. It was the first time the Panthers were shut out in a preseason game since 2000. Bryce Young got hit three times and sacked once in just 11 snaps. In total, the Panthers QBs took eight hits and five sacks.
Nobody envisioned the nightmare that followed playing out as it did. The signs were there though. For starters, the head coach at the time said they didn’t game plan as they didn’t want to show too much.
The offensive line coach had a closed-door meeting with his unit after the first preseason game. The offensive line was a sieve during the entire season, a trend that was evident in game one.
Nobody expects a coaching staff to show their entire hand during the opening quarter of the first preseason game - especially with a first time head coach. However, I’d expect the Panthers to play with more purpose this August to avoid stepping off another campaign on the wrong foot.