What Dave Canales said about Bryce Young’s future and Denver’s attempt to run up score

The final score came out to 28-14, but rarely did it feel that close on Sunday.

The Carolina Panthers, now losers of five straight, played all the hits on Sunday afternoon at Empower Field at Mile High. They sprung Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix to a career day, turned the ball over twice on Denver’s side of the field and saw a steady flow of offensive operational issues.

Dave Canales is now 1-7 as a head coach and 0-3 with Bryce Young as quarterback. The offensive playcaller answered to the team’s listless loss and to the future of the team’s 2023 No. 1 overall pick — as well as to a flurry of other topics, including if he felt Broncos coach Sean Payton was attempting to run up the score late in the game.

Here are the highlights from his postgame press conference.

Dave Canales opening statement

“We looked like a good offense on the first drive. And then, we just go, I don’t know what it was, seven or eight possessions before we get our next first down. Trying to find a rhythm. Trying to find a run game against a really good defense. And so just trying to iron some of those things. A lot of communication stuff that we gotta iron out in terms of me getting the play call in earlier for Bryce, Bryce handling the information, getting it to our guys so we can get lined up and assess what the defense is doing, so something we gotta do there.

“And defensively, it was just big plays. In the second quarter, it was a bunch of big plays that got out, just some assignment stuff. I gotta watch the film to see specifically what the breakdowns of it were before I can give you a lot of information. But certainly some big plays that got out on us, mixed in with some forced punts, mixed in with a better day against the run. But we certainly just have to continue to just attack those things.

“Third down was another big one today. And just taking those opportunities to try to continue these drives offensively and get them off the field from a defensive standpoint.”

On offense looking a bit timid with Bryce Young

“(We’re) just trying to find a rhythm. Just trying to find things I know he can throw with confidence. We mixed some different actions in there. But it was a part of our game plan. This is a good team, good rush with sound coverage and mentality to pressure you and do those things. So trying to give him answers to do those things.

“And we came out and took a couple shots in the second half, and had some near misses. He connected on a few of them down the field on a couple of different spots. It’s his first time back out there, and he was able to just keep working through some of the issues and compete to find completions out there.”

Who’s starting at QB next week?

“We will look at all the information, we will look at Andy’s health over the next couple of days. And we’ll make that decision and we’ll have an answer for you in the next couple of days.”

On Bryce Young’s performance in general

“I thought he had some excellent drives. I thought he had some excellent throws in there. The offense will be the first to tell you there were some things all across the board in the run game and the pass game. We’re just asking Bryce to do his one part of it, and I thought he did a pretty good job of that today.”

Rationale behind fake punt from deep in own territory

“For me, it was just about competing, trying to find an opportunity. We had something on them where they were kind of taking off with their back turned. We had an opportunity on the play, and it just didn’t work out. We missed the throw, we had Sam (Franklin) right there. But for me, it’s about competing. We have to just try to find an edge.”

On drive right before the end of the first half

“I think it’s just, you know, you just face adversity. And so you try to get them to just bounce back when things don’t work perfectly, particularly on a two-minute drive. It’s great to start off with a completion or do something like that. But would love to try to double down and get the ball coming out of the half, and it didn’t work out for us.”

Offense’s delay of game penalties and operational issues

“It just mounted up on us. Getting the play in as quickly as possible. Bryce handling the information, making sure the guys have it with enough time to get out there, find their splits, get the protection, all those things. So I think it’s just collectively, Bryce and I gotta do a better job just communicating, making sure we get those things going.”

On Broncos coach Sean Payton’s double-pass on fourth-and-2 with the game already out of hand

“They’re just competing. I don’t what else to tell you about it. He’s competing to try to make sure they can stay on the field, run the clock out and end the game in that situation. And if that happens to be the call that was set up there, that’s their decision to make.”

Did that contribute to players’ frustration at the end?

“I think they were a little bit frustrated, but at the same time, we gotta put ourselves in better position by playing well throughout the whole game. So I never really think about it and fault the other coaches for just competing for whatever we’re giving them, or whatever we’re seeing.”

More on Andy Dalton’s right thumb injury

“I think it’s just a rest thing, but there a bunch of things he’s doing to try to get back.”