Heading into this game, the plan was to have the starters play three series. But after reviewing the practice tape from the joint session on Thursday, in conjunction with how the first two drives on Saturday went, there wasn't as much of a need according to Canales.
"I just wanted them to go out and earn another series," explained Canales. "And I just really felt like, you know, with giving him two shots to do it and it not coming up, I wasn't going to just put him back out there to kind of say, hey, let's just play some more football. That kind of paired with we got great work two days ago, and I just kind of looked at it that way."
There is a grain of salt to be taken here. This was a preseason game, where the rules are a little like Whose Line Is It Anyways—the points don't matter—and a games worth of judgement is being put on six plays.
But from top to bottom, this was an offensive performance that the Panthers know doesn't meet their standards; granted, nothing ever should.
"I mean we try to get better every day," said receiver Hunter Renfrow. "You ask me in mid-November if this offense is where it needs to be, it's probably not, right? You have to keep getting better and keep building on the little things. So, yeah, I'm excited because I see them practice every day. See those guys making plays and excited just to be a part of it."