‘I love this scheme.’ Why Dave Canales believes in Panthers’ defense despite struggles

Just about 24 hours after the Panthers put on their worst defensive performance of the year, head coach Dave Canales doubled down on his belief in his team’s 3-4 front.

“I love this scheme,” Canales told reporters Monday. “I know what it looks like when it’s done well. And that’s my hope is to continue to just build on that and to improve on the concepts, look on the things that we did.”

Canales, who’s 4-12 heading into his team’s Week 18 contest against the Atlanta Falcons this weekend, said this after the Panthers gave up 349 yards passing with five touchdowns and 202 yards rushing in their 48-14 loss Sunday to the Buccaneers. It was the lowest point in a season of troughs for this Panthers defense — and conceivably a flash point in which the Panthers could come back to if any substantial defensive changes are made in the offseason.

The Panthers, after all, dwell in the bottom fourth in the NFL in most major defensive categories. Their run defense is especially bad. The Panthers rank last in opponent yards per game (176.9), last in opponent yards per rush (5.1) and 29th out of 32 in opponent rushing touchdowns per game.

The 3-4 base is often linked to having better success against the pass then against the run — what with the math that fewer defensive linemen means a lower likelihood of controlling the line of scrimmage — but it’s difficult to make such a sweeping case without leaving out nuance.

After all, this same system last year, led by returning defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, put together great numbers despite the team’s struggles on offense. The 2023 Panthers were Top 5 in total defense.

Evero’s 3-4 base front at the moment has A’Shawn Robinson, Shy Tuttle and LaBryan Ray as the down linemen; DJ Wonnum and Jadeveon Clowney as the starting outside linebackers; and Josey Jewell and Jacoby Windmon as the inside linebackers. Pro Bowler Derrick Brown sustained a season-ending injury Week 1, and captain linebacker Shaq Thompson sustained a season-ending injury shortly thereafter. On Sunday, against the Bucs — with Jewell and Trevin Wallace and Claudin Cherelus all out — the Panthers had to dig deep into their LB depth chart to put out a team at all.

When asked if Canales anticipated any changes made to the defense ahead of Atlanta on Sunday, the first-year coach remained steadfast, saying that the team is “trying to shore up and attack their run game.”

The coach who admired Evero even before inheriting the head job in January added that he and Evero are “just looking for guys to play good football, fit their gaps, team tackling. We missed some opportunities there. And just find different ways we can attack the offense and try to shore that part up.”

Canales added: “Right now we need to focus on the Falcons and the guys who are here, who are going to bust their butt this week, and to honor that. That calls for all of our attention and focus to be on the Falcons, who are a really good team.”

Bryce Young pressured a ton, but ‘was a stud about it’

Bryce Young wasn’t center stage Sunday. The central focus was on the team’s defensive struggles, and deservedly so.

But upon film review, Canales had a lot of positive things to say about his quarterback.

Young finished 15 of 28 for 208 yards and two touchdowns no turnovers. He played his best football when the game was still close — including a wonderful first drive that was punctuated by an Adam Thielen touchdown — and was unafraid to take chances down the field: He finished the game with an average depth of target of 14.5 yards (his season high), per PFF stats.

“I was calling a little more aggressive style of plays for Bryce, and I feel Bryce could feel that, and so he was looking for those opportunities,” Canales said. “There were a few shots down there, some near-misses that I wish we could have back. We just gotta find a way to make those plays. But I love the aggressive takes, the shots of it. And the flip-side of it is you’re going to live with some second-and-longs, some third downs. ... But I was just looking at those opportunities with some of the matchups we had.”

As the game limped along, of course, his production naturally waned. The defense couldn’t keep the Bucs out of the end zone, shifting the game’s complexion, and the playcalling became more one-dimensional as a result. The offensive line, too, faltered a bit: Young was pressured on more than 68% of his dropbacks, according to Next Gen stats.

If anything, though, all these factors made Young’s performance more impressive to Canales.

“He was a stud about it, and he just kept battling,” Canales said. “They did a great job, whether they were blitzing us or just rushing four with their stunts and some of those things. I feel like the style of the game and the score of it — when we give teams more opportunities, they will start to game you up different. They will start to attack you in different ways. So we kind of brought that on ourselves based on the mode of the game. And Bryce stood in there and kept operating, which I was proud of.”

Big update on running back Miles Sanders

Canales also told reporters on Monday that running back Miles Sanders, who has been on the injured reserve list since late November, has been cleared to play.

The news is welcomed for an offense that needs help at the running back position — after starter Chuba Hubbard went on IR on Saturday and rookie Jonathon Brooks tore his ACL a few weeks prior. Sanders sustained an ankle injury against the Giants in Germany in Week 10.

“Last week he was cleared to be able to play, so really looking forward to him getting back on the field for practice this week,” Canales said, indicating that his 21-day return-to-play window will open this week to potentially make Sanders available for the team’s finale.

Canales clarified that Sanders was cleared late in the week so there “really wasn’t enough time to get him back into the flow of things for this week. But really looking forward to opening that window and getting him back out there.”

Sanders has recorded 38 carries on 139 yards and one touchdown in 10 games played in 2024.

Canales also added that Hubbard will not need surgery for his Grade 2 calf strain.

Quick hits

▪ All healthy Panthers starters will play against Atlanta, Canales confirmed Monday, removing any doubt from the idea that Carolina won’t compete to win on Sunday on the road. The Atlanta Falcons need a win to stay in playoff contention on Sunday as they and the Tampa Bay Bucs fight for the NFC South title.

▪ Cornerback Mike Jackson said he’s never played against a left-handed quarterback before and that he’s excited to go against Falcons rookie Michael Penix. Still, though, Jackson said: “At the end of the day, the routes are still going to be the same. It’s just, everybody says that with a left-handed quarterback, the ball comes out different. The spin on the ball. ... But other than that, it’s still going to be just regular football.”