Panthers Confidence Meter: Can Carolina's Defense Bounce Back Against Falcons?

Carolina's defense couldn't have started the season much worse, but how much confidence should we have that things will change against Atlanta?

Aug 21, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Elijah Garcia (96) celebrates a tackle for loss during the third quarter of the preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There really isn't any way to sugarcoat what happened to the Carolina Panthers' defense in Week 1. Chicago put up 59 points, 552 yards of offense, and ran for 291 yards. It was about as bad a start as this defense could have had.

Now the question becomes how much confidence should we have in them heading into Sunday's game against Atlanta?

My Confidence Level: 4 out of 10

Jan 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Isaiah Simmons (27) reacts with cornerback Robert Rochell (33) after making a tackle in the first quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It is hard to overlook what happened against Chicago. It was about as bad a start as one could ever imagine. Giving up 59 points was bad. However, I’m not ready to totally give up on this team after just one game.

I believe there are plenty of corrections that need to be made, but there is enough talent on this side of the ball that all is not lost. My confidence level would probably be higher if Bijan Robinson wasn’t waiting in the wings. After watching D’Andre Swift rush for 157 yards, you can only imagine that Atlanta will try to test Carolina early and often.

If those corrections haven't been made, then it could make for a long day for this defense. Atlanta watched the same game we did. I would expect them to give Robinson the ball and keep giving it to him until Carolina proves they can stop it.

At the same time, I don't expect Carolina to give up 59 points every week. Maybe Chicago was just one of those games where everything went wrong. We really don't know yet, and that's why Sunday is so important for this defense.

For my confidence level to go up, I don't need Carolina to completely shut Atlanta down. I just need to see something different. Don't give up huge runs, make the tackles that are there, and find a way to get off the field.

This defense has heard about last Sunday all week. They know how bad it looked, and they know everyone is questioning them right now. At this point, there really isn't much more to say about it.

Now go show us something different.

For now, I'm staying at a 4 out of 10. I still think there is enough talent on this defense to turn things around. After what I saw against Chicago though, they're going to have to prove it to me first.