Multiple Carolina Panthers’ stars took accountability for the team’s brutal loss to the New England Patriots in week four.
After suffering a huge loss in week four to the New England Patriots on Sunday, the Carolina Panthers made it clear that the rough performance was not only on the coaching staff, but on the team as a whole.
When asked about head coach Dave Canales taking responsibility for the team’s loss on Sunday, quarterback Bryce Young told reporters after the game that the loss was “on us.”
“It’s on us,” Young stated. “It’s on me, it’s on everyone in our locker room. We all take accountability. We all understand what we have to do better in. It’s definitely not all on one person, and it’s on all of us.”
Despite having two solid performances in weeks two and three, the 2023 first-round pick was unable to get his offense going against a stout Patriots offense, completing 18 of his 30 pass attempts for 150 yards and one touchdown. While he was efficient through the air, the Panthers' inability to create momentum on the ground early in the contest put Young in a tough spot to dig his team out of a massive hole.
In addition to Young’s comments, star cornerback Jaycee Horn also made a similar claim to his fellow teammate, telling reporters that all three phases of the team were not ready to play on Sunday.
“[Canales] can’t go out there and play,” Horn said. “We have to come ready to play all three phases, and we [weren’t] able to. Offense wasn’t ready, defense wasn’t ready, special teams weren’t ready.”
While it was clear that the offense could not generate any sparks against New England, it was the defense that played a large role in the disappointing outcome. Patriots’ quarterback Drake Maye did not light up the stat sheet during the contest, throwing for 203 yards and two touchdowns while also tallying a rushing touchdown. The second-year gunslinger benefited from Carolina’s weak pass rush attack, which gave him an ample amount of time to throw within the pocket. Maye completed 82.4 percent of his attempts, despite only throwing the ball 17 times on Sunday.
The final kicker, however, was the Panthers’ rough showing on special teams. After the offense stalled out on their second drive of the game, Patriots’ cornerback and punt returner Marcus Jones gave his team an early 7-6 lead in the first quarter thanks to a 87-yard punt return. While the electric play took place near the beginning of the battle, New England used the touchdown to their advantage and stole the momentum away from Carolina.
Now, the Panthers have a shot at redemption in week five when they take on the Miami Dolphins at home on Sunday. Led by head coach Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins must operate on a short week with the team’s week four contest taking place on Monday night. This becomes the perfect opportunity for the Panthers to get back on track, as Miami’s defense has allowed an average of 32.3 points per game this season.