All Panthers

Bryce Young, Jaycee Horn & Derrick Brown sound the same note on Panthers' loss

Dave Canales accepted that the blowout was his fault, but his players disagree. They can't both be right.
Tim Weaver|
Sep 28, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) walks off of the field after a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Sep 28, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) walks off of the field after a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

In this story:

Carolina Panthers

"Victory has a hundred fathers, but failure is an orphan." So said Sunshine before he got shot up by Jackie Aprile Jr. and his idiot friends - and so might say any Carolina Panthers fan who's been subjected to seven straight years of failures, going on eight.

While there are a whole lot of problems for the Panthers right now - it's not difficult to point out what the most-pressing issue is. When a team fails in all three phases and routinely gets blown out by teams that aren't going to get anywhere near the Super Bowl, the fault is on the head coach. In other words, the Panthers are suffering from a distinct lack of parenthood.

Head coach Dave Canales admitted as much in his post-game press conference, taking the blame for today's 42-13 loss to the Patriots. However, several of his players had a different take, including starting quarterback Bryce Young.

Star cornerback Jaycee Horn sounded a similar note when he was asked who was to blame for Carolina's humiliating defeat.

Defensive tackle Derrick Brown also chimed in on this debate, claiming that if the Panthers want to be a "player-led team" then it doesn't matter what the coaches call.

Unfortunately for Brown, Horn and the rest of the talented athletes on this roster, they're nowhere near getting to be a "player-led team," and they desperately need a coach who can not only motivate and prepare them properly every week, but knows how to adjust when things go wrong.

As of yet Dave Canales has not proven he's capable of doing either one consistently. Aside from a few sharp play-calling games against the Chiefs and the Eagles last season he really hasn't done anything at a level you'd expect from an NFL head coach.

Canales and his players can't both be right - and something's gotta give.

  - Enjoy more free Panthers coverage with Carolina Panthers on SI - 

Studs & duds for the Panthers’ humiliating Week 4 loss to the Patriots

Bryce Young slamming helmet again as Patriots clobber Panthers

Panthers-Giants trade proposal would erase the Brian Burns mistake

ESPN numbers bad news for Chuba Hubbard, Panthers’ run game

Published
Tim Weaver
TIM WEAVER

Tim Weaver has been writing about the NFL since the 2013 season for multiple teams and outlets, including USA Today and The Sporting News. He currently covers the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers for On SI.