4 Major Takeaways From Panthers' Disastrous Opening Loss Against Bears

The Carolina Panthers opened the season Sunday hoping to build off last year's NFC South title. Instead, they walked away with a 59-37 loss to the Chicago Bears in a game where the defense simply could not get off the field.

The frustrating part is the offense actually gave Carolina plenty of chances to win. Bryce Young threw for 361 yards and three touchdowns, Jalen Coker had 138 receiving yards, and the Panthers scored 37 points. Most weeks, that should be enough to give your team a chance, but it wasn't enough against Chicago.

Carolina gave up 552 yards, including 291 on the ground, and Chicago seemed to have an answer every time the Panthers tried to make a run. Add in three turnovers and 11 penalties, and there were plenty of problems that showed up in the season opener.

Here are the biggest takeaways from Carolina's opening loss.

Bryce Young Showed Up in the Opener

Bryce Young was not the problem Sunday. He and Caleb Williams put on a show for much of the afternoon and seemed to answer each other every time one made a play. In the end, Young threw for 361 yards and three touchdowns while leading the Panthers to 37 points. Most of the time, that should be enough to come out with a win. On Sunday, it just wasn't in the cards.

Young also answered a lot of the questions people had about him coming into this season. After the progress he made last year, many wondered if he would continue taking steps forward or take a step back. Young wasn't perfect and did throw an interception, but he looked confident and was able to make plays down the field.

If Sunday was any indication, Young looks ready to build on what he did last season. There is still a long way to go, but this was definitely the type of start Panthers fans wanted to see from their quarterback.

Jalen Coker Looks Ready for a Bigger Role

NFL — Dec 22, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (18) attempts to catch the ball in the end zone as Arizona Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson (34) defends in the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Jalen Coker appears to be the real deal. Last season was not a fluke, and against Chicago, he was almost unstoppable. Coker led the Panthers with eight catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns, including a 51-yard touchdown from Young in the second quarter.

Tetairoa McMillan is definitely the No. 1 option in this offense, but Coker seems to be solidifying himself in that No. 2 spot. This is exactly what the Panthers wanted to see after giving him a contract extension during the offseason. McMillan also had five catches for 75 yards, giving Young two receivers who were able to make plays throughout the afternoon.

The question now is whether this was just a huge opening game for Coker or if this is something we're going to see on a regular basis. Panthers fans have to like what they saw Sunday, and I have a feeling the best is still to come from him.

The Defense Has Some Serious Questions to Answer

Chicago finished with 552 total yards, with 291 of those coming on the ground. That's a recipe for disaster, especially against an offense with as many weapons as the Bears have.

The Panthers couldn't stop the run, and they couldn't consistently get pressure on Williams either. D'Andre Swift rushed for 124 yards and three touchdowns, while Kyle Monangai added another 100 yards and a touchdown. Williams hurt Carolina with his legs as well, rushing for 65 yards and two scores.

The Panthers spent the offseason trying to improve this defense, which is what makes Sunday so frustrating. Chicago converted 10 of its 14 third-down opportunities, and it seemed like every time Carolina had a chance to get off the field, the Bears found a way to keep the drive going.

Now the question is whether this is a personnel problem or if the coaching staff needs to do a better job of putting these players in position. One game isn't enough to answer that question, but giving up 59 points and 552 yards is definitely concerning.

As the season goes on, I believe we're going to find out pretty quickly whether Sunday was just one really bad game or if this defense has a much bigger problem.

Carolina Made Too Many Mistakes

The defense deserves most of the attention after giving up 59 points, but Carolina didn't help itself either. The Panthers committed 11 penalties for 84 yards and turned the ball over three times. When your defense is already having trouble getting stops, you can't make things even harder with penalties and turnovers.

Some of those penalties came at the worst possible times. Carolina had touchdowns wiped off the board, and a Bobby Brown III interception in the end zone was erased because Derrick Brown was offsides. Those are big plays that could have changed the direction of the game.

The good thing is these are mistakes Carolina can clean up. The Panthers aren't going to fix everything that went wrong on defense overnight, but penalties and turnovers are something they can control. You can't give a good team extra chances and expect to win.

There were definitely some positives Sunday, especially with Young, Coker, and the offense. But when you score 37 points and still lose by 22, it's pretty obvious where most of the attention is going to be this week.

The Panthers have plenty to work on before Week 2, and fixing the defense has to be at the top of that list.

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