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NFL analyst knocks Panthers for preseason struggles with poor grade

The Carolina Panthers haven't had the greatest preseason, casting doubt on their performance to start the regular season.
Jeremy Brener|
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young during pregame warmups against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young during pregame warmups against the Pittsburgh Steelers. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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The Carolina Panthers are done with the preseason, setting their sights on Week 1's matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

CBS Sports writer Tyler Sullivan wasn't a fan of the Panthers preseason, giving the team a "C" in his preseason report card.

"Being kept out of the win column won't solely drive your grade down here, but the fact that Carolina struggled to get to double-digit points is something to file away," Sullivan wrote.

"They scored 10 points in both Week 1 and Week 3 of the preseason, and sandwiched a three-point outing in Week 2. Bryce Young started the opener against the Bills and, after a three-and-out on the opening possession, orchestrated a nine-play, 73-yard touchdown drive that culminated in the quarterback completing a five-yard pass to Jalen Coker in the end zone.

"However, alarm bells started to faintly go off in the last showing from Young this preseason, where he didn't complete either of his two passes against Houston in Week 2 and was sacked once as the offense punted on his lone two drives. On a more positive note, rookie wide receiver Tet McMillan and rookie safety Lathan Ransom both flashed at various points."

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young warms up before playing against the Houston Texans
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young warms up before playing against the Houston Texans. | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Panthers could have shown more in the preseason, giving them more confidence after their breakthroughs at the end of the 2024 campaign. However, that didn't end up being the case.

The preseason shouldn't produce too many red flags, but the Panthers need a strong two weeks of practice after the 53-man roster cuts going into the season opener.

Week 1 for the Panthers is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 7 at 1 p.m. ET against the Jaguars at EverBank Stadium.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young rushes against the Houston Texans
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young rushes against the Houston Texans. | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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