How Liam Coen Saw Jaguars' Toughness Show Up vs. Panthers

Entering Week 1, there was excitement and curiosity as to what the new-look Jacksonville Jaguars could show in their opening game against the Carolina Panthers. With a new head coach and front office, and systems that players were still learning from the spring, the unknown was a scary thing to ponder on until it wasn't.

Not only did the Jaguars defeat the Panthers, they squashed them, 26-10, in an incredible effort from a 200-yard day from the rushing offense and a great defensive effort led by Foyesade Oluokun and Eric Murray. The physicality and toughness were on display Sunday, as Jaguars head coach discussed Monday afternoon, a little over 24 hours post-game.

Coen explains how the team's DNA showed up in Week 1

Jacksonville played more physically on both sides of the ball than they had in recent years, some would argue, since the Doug Marrone era in 2017. The trenches won the day as expected, and the Panthers failed to match the Jaguars in this regard. When asked if his team showed the type of toughness he was looking for throughout the summer into Week 1, coach Liam Coen said that it 'definitely' showed up against Carolina.

“Yeah, it definitely showed up," Coen explained. "It’s nice to know a lot of the things we’ve been preaching since we arrived did show up yesterday."

Coen Jag — Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales and Carolina Panthers head coach Liam Coen met at the center of the field after the game between the Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium Sunday September 7, 2025. Jaguars defeated the Panthers 26-10. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While far from perfect, the Jaguars first-year head coach can now focus on what they need to fix on both sides of the ball. Penalties were an issue for the home team, with 11 of them for 93 yards compared to Carolina's four for 35 yards.

"Was it perfect by any means? No but to start week one off physically the way we did, now it gives us a great opportunity with showing that, displaying that, getting the win, now it allows us to continue to coach hard and to fix some of the issues that we had, clean up the details but when you can start there and say, guys, look, if this is going to be part of our DNA, for it to show up in Week 1 matters," Coen explained.

For Coen, Week 1 is significant for him and his team. "It does matter because a lot of the things that you're preaching did show up," he said. "Whereas if it wouldn't have or didn't, it just becomes a little bit harder."

The physicality will be needed for a key matchup against the Baltimore Ravens next week. That and the toughness that the Jaguars displayed against Carolina are criucal in an early season matchup with a Super Bowl contending franchse.

"The players are kind of like, well, really?" Coen said. "Are we really going to listen to all this? And so it just helps with the team with our whole buy-in of everything that we're trying to do and we know to go win games in this league where we would like to be able to continue to go, we're going to have to be able to do that on both sides of the ball, really in all three phases.”

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