Takeaways from Carolina Panthers' uninspiring win over the Jets

The Carolina Panthers are over .500 for the first time in what feels like ages. They got a fortunate scheduling bump with the New York Jets, who were winless coming in, on the schedule after two straight wins. It was an ugly affair, though, but a win is a win. Here's what we learned.

Dave Canales is too set in his ways

We've seen it far too often: Dave Canales doesn't like making huge adjustments. He likes to do what he believes will work, and he's willing to keep trying until it does. He started Chuba Hubbard and gave him way more touches, even though Rico Dowdle was outdoing Hubbard when he got the ball. This was after Dowdle had back-to-back 200+ scrimmage yard days.

Even as the game went on, it was so clear that Hubbard should've been the bellcow, but Canales didn't make the switch until far too late. He also seemed to coach not to lose today, and it almost came back to bite him. He even, with a chance to salt the clock away and kneel it out, went with Hubbard over Dowdle inexplicably. The defense routinely bailed him out for some questionable decisions.

Xavier Legette's future isn't decided yet

At times, it has genuinely looked like Xavier Legette could not be a functional NFL wide receiver. It looked like he was Jonathan Mingo 2.0. We still have a ways to go before he's a legit weapon, but today was a good day for him. His touchdown on the scramble drill was the result of, finally, some chemistry between him and Bryce Young.

The Panthers have a legit return man

Aside from a bad muff in the win over the Atlanta Falcons, Trevor Etienne has been solid as a returner. Today, he was special. He forced missed tackles, picked up crucial yards, and was successful virtually every time. That was important in a game in which the offense struggled to move the ball.

Ejiro Evero had a solid day

Ejiro Evero's defense has performed much better as of late. Now, this Jets offense is so bad that a college defense probably could've stopped them, but still. Evero dialed up some really nice blitzes that helped put the brakes on brewing Jets drives. It also helps that the pass-rush, which was partly Evero's calls, came alive. They had a ton of sacks, including two from Derrick Brown. To his credit, Evero was very aggressive all day, which was the smart thing to do with New York's offense.

Secondary returned to form

Jaycee Horn picks it off with one hand!

CARvsNYJ on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/P0BaDcU6CS
— NFL (@NFL) October 19, 2025

Speaking of solid days, the secondary was much better today. Yes, it was just Tyrod Taylor and Justin Fields without Garrett Wilson, but after being picked on two weeks in a row, the performance was nice. Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson were both pretty great on the day, with Horn recording his second and third interceptions this season.

Injuries hamper good vibes

Sure, the Panthers got the win, but at what cost? Bryce Young suffered an ankle injury late in the third quarter, and he did not return for the rest of the game. Maybe it was more cautionary than anything, but that's a problematic injury going forward. Xavier Legette also got banged up a little, so the offense's health is something to monitor.

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