Canales examining both truths from the second half rally and last drive
On this “Tell the Truth Monday,” Canales is looking back at the tape from the Panthers’ 27-22 loss to the Cardinals on Sunday, and uncovering both encouraging and sobering truths.
For starters, the encouraging. The Panthers fought back from a 27-3 second-half deficit. The offense scored three unanswered touchdowns, while the defense picked off Kyler Murray to get the ball back, and special teams recovered an onside kick—a rare feat since the new rules went into effect last season.
It was a full team rally, featuring all three phases of the game, and spearheaded by the quarterback.
“I think it’s just a collective thing. I think it’s—you know, Bryce Young represents kind of the belief of the whole team, that we’ll finish. We’re going to finish. We’re not going to quit. We’re going to keep fighting and scrapping,” praised Canales of his team on Monday.
“And I look at that second half and and I see three phases of the team playing really good football, outside of really one drive for the opening drive of the second half for the defense, and I saw a full team play together in all three phases, and it took all three to fight us back to give us a chance to win the game there at the last drive.”
The last drive fell short, something that will be examined below. But the fight to get to that point is what the Panthers know they can carry forward.
“I’d love to see that drive be finished as well, but with all the challenges of the day, you know, it was just Bryce coming back to me, we’re checking in. OK, I got these next couple things I’m thinking about right before the series, and he’s got the same look in his face and he’s ready to go attack, and that’s what I love about him.”