The Panthers lost their first game of the season, 26-10, on the road to the Jacksonville Jaguars. By Scott Fowler
Jaycee Horn hauled in an incredible interception.
Rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald converted his only field goal attempt.
And that’s pretty much the list of positives to draw from the Carolina Panthers’ 26-10 loss on the road to the Jacksonville Jaguars to open their 2025 NFL season.
The Panthers did not pick up where they left off in their 2024 season, despite what last year’s 5-12 record might suggest. They regressed. The Panthers finished their final four contests 2-2 in 2024, the final of which was a Bryce Young-Steph Curry crossover episode that made Sunday in Jacksonville all the more painful.
Young finished the day 18 of 35 for 154 yards and one touchdown. In the middle of that production was two interceptions and a lost fumble, which contributed to a passer rating of 49.
The Panthers only mustered 10 points. The first came when there was still hope, a 48-yard field goal to punctuate a 13-play, 41-yard drive on their first possession. The rest of the Panthers’ possessions drained any color from the film: Young interception, punt, Young fumble, turnover on downs, punt, turnover on downs (4th and 1 from the 5-yard line), punt, turnover on downs ... and then a futile 27-yard receiving touchdown courtesy of Chuba Hubbard.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young fumbles the ball on a run as Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun makes the hit on Sunday, September 7, 2025 at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
The defense wasn’t better, but by a matter of degrees. Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. ran for 143 yards — buoyed by a 71-yard run in the second quarter — and the team gave up 200 rushing yards. Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence finished 19 of 31 for 178 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
The Panthers were somehow 8-of-15 on third down, but 0-for-2 on fourth and 0-for-1 in the red zone.
What made this game worse for Carolina? It was exceptionally long, thanks to an 76-minute lightning delay that split up the second quarter.
Head coach Dave Canales answered to all this in his postgame press conference. Here are the highlights — from communication issues between center Austin Corbett and Young, to the consequential fourth-and-1 failure to start the second half and more.
Aug 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales talks with an official during the first quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina USA TODAY NETWORK
Dave Canales opening statement
“All right. That’s a picture of where we’re at right now. Obviously not good enough. The turnovers. The explosive plays. I thought our tackling was not great. We had a couple plays that were stopped, essentially, for nothing. And we let them get through to the second level. I think anytime you have four turnovers in a game, you give an offense with a bunch of weapons more opportunities. This is the outcome. This is what happens.
“I’m proud of the guys for finishing. I’m proud of them for continuing to play. But they know as well as I know that that’s not good enough. But it was a good chance to look them in the eye and say, ‘Look,’ this is where we are at right now. And we gotta look at the tape. We gotta grow from this. We have to take care of the basic things that we’ve been working on. And just take a next step this week. But certainly disappointed in how we played today, especially with the things we emphasized.”
Evaluating the play call on important fourth-and-1
“We just liked our matchup. Felt like we had a good concept right there. And it didn’t work out. But that was a situation where it was a play that we know. Wanted to put our guys in a comfortable position, with good answers for it, and we didn’t execute.”
Canales’ heated discussion with Bryce Young after that fourth-down failure
“I‘m never gonna share that stuff publicly. I think that’s just something that he and I will work through and talk about. His frustration wasn’t directed me in that. We were just talking about we gotta keep playing ball. ...
“I think it was just a frustrating day in general. So I think there are a lot of guys who would come up and tell you they wish they could do better.”
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young walks away as the referees signal Jacksonville Jaguars’ ball after Young fumbled the ball on a run on Sunday, September 7, 2025 at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
On the team’s snapping issues
“I think we really just gotta figure out calming down the cadence part. And getting everybody sorted out in the protection. Gotta give credit to the Jags. I thought they did a pretty good job of presenting some issues with pressures. We had some success against what they did. They got us a few times. They chose a very aggressive approach. But we had a plan for it, and I think it’s just making sure that we get the whole rhythm and organization from the center and everybody else. Getting on the same page, and being ready to go.”
How could another Week 1 blowout happen?
“I wish I could tell you (what the disconnect was). We’re all disappointed. Felt really good about the work we put in. It did not show up today. And that’s something that I was able to talk to the group about. Guys, ‘We know what we have in this room.’ But it just comes down to finish. Finishing plays. Finishing drives when we get our red zone opportunities. Stopping them when they get down there. It really just comes down to that. It’s a part of our game that we have to pride ourselves on. That’s the growth that we have.”
Locker room emotions
“Honestly, disappointed. But at the same time, there’s a look of surprise a little bit for the guys. Because they know what kind of group we have in there. And this was not up to the standard of our expectations for how we play. But the guys are pretty focused on, ‘All right, we get back to work.’ These are words coming from the players. ... We have to take the lessons and grow and flip the switch.”
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young stands on the field waiting to embrace his teammates following the team’s 26-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, September 7, 2025 at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
Message to Panthers fans
“We’re just going to get back to work. Fix the things. Watch the film. Grow. And just continue to advance our football.”
On the team’s defensive issues
“Gotta look at it. I think some of it is tackling. Just fundamentals of football. And also opportunities. We turned the ball over (three times). ... You give them more opportunities, and then we start to expose ourselves. And that’s part of playing complementary football. We gotta be able to take care of the ball on offense and then we gotta be able to get off the field on defense.”
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1), center, rushes for yards against Carolina Panthers safety Nick Scott (21), left, and safety Tre'von Moehrig (7) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Panthers 26-10. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Unio USA TODAY NETWORK
How weather delay affected the Panthers
“Both teams had to go in for the weather delay. We talked to the guys, worked through some adjustments, with the amount of film and things that we had. Got their bodies right and ready to go and come out. And again, it was a little bit more of the same.”
Should Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette have made the plays they dropped?
“Absolutely. Looking for those guys to just finish the plays, to execute. I’m excited for this group that we have. I’m excited for what I saw for the couple of drives that we put together, to see the guys win and get open, and make their plays. But we gotta make all the ones that you’re supposed to make. That’s the sign of consistency. That’s the sign of maturity. To continue to grow and make those plays.
“We’re counting on them to do that. We’ll keep giving them opps. That’s what we’re going to. These are the guys we have. We love them. I’m fired up for this group. But at the same time, they’ll be the first ones to tell you, ‘I gotta make that play.’ And that’s really what I want us to just grasp. The consistency that it takes to be really good: you make all the ones you’re supposed to make and some of the special ones every once in a while.”
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, left, catches a pass from quarterback Bryce Young as the Jacksonville Jaguars closes in during action on Sunday, September 7, 2025 at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars defeated the Panthers 26-10. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
What Canales told his quarterback postgame
“Just go back to work. Really, to Bryce, to the whole group: We have to look in the mirror. This is where we’re at today. The film’s the truth. This is where we’re at. Do we have the character to keep pushing forward, to keep better in our fundamentals.”
Status on defensive lineman Turk Wharton, who exited the game early
“Evaluating him for a hamstring, so we’re going to get an MRI on that. We’ll have more information. But we had to shut him down for the game.”
Yosh Nijman on replacing starting left tackle Ickey Ekwonu
“I thought he had a solid day. For the most part, really no issues. He got beat a couple times, which Josh Hines-Allen is a fantastic player. But I think he did a solid job filling in there, especially being able to run the ball, being able to throw the ball when we had to. ... Really proud of what we did today.”
Team adequately prepared?
“I believe so. I thought we had a great camp. I thought we had a fantastic amount of work. I think the fitness of the group was excellent. When I looked out there, we were finishing the game, playing hard still.
“So to me, the physical readiness was there. I have to look at myself and say, ‘OK how did we not prepare these guys to be able to finish the way we wanted to?’ I have to look at that.”