Panthers 'remain a mess' going into Week 3, interior OL named biggest weakness

Brad Gagnon of Beacher Report listed every NFL team’s biggest problem heading into Week 3. Two of those clubs have obviously already taken the field as the Buffalo Bills knocked off the Miami Dolphins, 31-21, on Thursday night. Sean McDermott’s squad jumped to 3-0, while the ‘Fins fell to 0-3.

Speaking of opening the season with three straight losses, that’s exactly what the Carolina Panthers will be looking to avoid on Sunday in their home opener for 2025. Dave Canales’ club has had few positive moments in back-to-back losses to the Jaguars (26-10) and Cardinals (27-22). They host the division-rival Atlanta Falcons, who come off a solid 22-6 victory at Minnesota in which the team’s traditionally-dormant pass rush racked up six sacks of Vikings’ signal-caller J.J. McCarthy.

Speaking of protecting your quarterback, that may be a tall task for Canales’s club on Sunday. Hence, Gagnon’s focus for the Panthers’ problem area this week is the interior of their offensive front.

Sep 7, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Carolina Panthers center Austin Corbett (63) and guard Damien Lewis (68) call out blocking assignments against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

“Pick your spot on offense,” explained Gagon, “or even defense. In Week 1, we highlighted “support for Bryce Young” in this exercise, and that's still a problem. In Week 2, we focused on Young's major issues regardless of support in the team's season-opening loss.”

“Now,” added Gagnon, “we’re back to that support after the third-year quarterback put up an impressive second-half performance in a Week 2 loss to the Cardinals. Losing starting interior offensive linemen Austin Corbett (knee) and Robert Hunt (biceps) is a huge blow.”

Panthers will be minus two starters on the offensive line this Sunday

In their first two outings, Carolina had totaled only 162 yards on the ground, and averaged only 303.5 total yards per game. The Panthers’ offense has reached the end zone only four times (zero rushing), while Young has committed all five of the team’s turnovers. Now the line is down its starting center (Corbett) and starting right guard (Hunt), the latter a Pro Bowler in 2024.

Still, Gagnon adds this perspective when it comes to the club’s numerous problems. “It says a lot about the state of this team that there's no chance to mention a pass rush that has just one sack and five total pressures in two games. The Panthers remain a mess.”

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