The Carolina Panthers made the playoffs for the first time in eight years despite a poor offensive performance in 2025. But in order for the team to stay in the playoffs, their performance must improve, and quickly.
Saturday’s wild-card game will be a rematch of Week 13, the Panthers’ 31-28 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. While Carolina’s defense forced three timely turnovers from quarterback and MVP candidate Matthew Stafford, it was the offense that allowed them to survive this shocking upset.
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Head coach Dave Canales called it a great game. He rushed the ball 35 times between running backs Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard, setting the stage for an opportunistic passing attack.
That allowed quarterback Bryce Young to put together his most efficient performance of the season. He completed 15 of 20 passes for 206 yards, averaging a career-high 10.3 yards per attempt, while also scoring three touchdowns.
Yet this sparkling performance was closer to an anomaly than the current state of this campaign. Canales has been inconsistent as a playmaker for much of the season, and Young has been inconsistent as a playmaker.
The offense has been rocky — whether it’s their weak commitment to offense, questionable situational play, or just a lack of real hits. Carolina ranks 27th in the NFL in total yards per game (295.6), 27th in points per game (18.3), 25th in third-down conversion rate (36.1%) and 24th in red zone efficiency (53.3%).
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So what would have happened if Stafford hadn’t dropped the ball like he did in the first meeting? What if the Rams, the league’s No. 1 offensive team, have a smoother season this time?
Well, that means both Canales and Young have to step up. If they don’t shake off the inconsistency, the duo will likely exit quickly in the Panthers’ first playoff appearance.
Like it or not, playoff games build reputations — especially of head coaches and quarterbacks. How Canales and Young perform on Saturday, especially if they disappoint, will determine the offseason discussion leading into Week 1 of 2026.
For Canales, he must prove he is exactly who owner David Tepper hired him to be – an effective leader and offensive playmaker. For Young, he must prove that he is exactly what teams expect him to be – a dynamic playmaker who can tear apart defenses with his accuracy, evasion and handling ability.
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This isn’t really a make-or-break fight for Canales and Young, as this could be just the beginning of Canaro’s continued success. But it will be an important game to watch and could give us a hint of what to expect next season and beyond.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: For Dave Canales, Bryce Young, Saturday’s playoff game could be more important than you think
