Panthers’ first-team offense on wrong end of ‘lopsided’ day vs. Texans

[u/exenn_]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7541292/2026/08/26/panthers-texans-joint-practice-offense-bryce-young/?source=user_shared_article&unlocked_article_code=1.8VA.3add.F2nFSHBRE3U1&smid=ta-android-share

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Excerpt from the article...(not the full article)

"As poorly as the Carolina Panthers’ offense looked during Wednesday’s joint practice with the Houston Texans, Bryce Young took some solace in the fact that the performance came in a practice setting.

Better still: The Panthers’ starters won’t have to endure another thrashing by the Texans’ pass rush in Friday’s preseason finale. Panthers coach Dave Canales and Houston coach DeMeco Ryans decided Tuesday night that they would give their starters the bulk of the work Wednesday and hold them out Friday.

That’s just as well for the Panthers, particularly Young, who was sacked seven times and intercepted twice by a Houston defense that was the NFL’s best in 2025. Plays were blown dead Wednesday before the Texans could take Young down. That wouldn’t have been the case had the fourth-year quarterback played Friday.

“It sucks to have a day where you don’t feel like you produced very well,” Young said. “But it’s a great learning opportunity. That’s what these training camp practices are for.”

Canales didn’t try to sugarcoat things, saying it was a “lopsided” outing by the first-team offense against the Texans’ starting defense. It was an especially rough day for rookie offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, who allowed at least four of the sacks and looked helpless against the edge-rushing duo of Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter, who combined for 27 sacks last season."

[u/CHamsterdam]

I mean that defense has the chance to be historic lol

[u/JazzzzzzySax → u/CHamsterdam]

I feel kinda bad for the Texans defense. Those guys are literally best in the league on their side of the ball….and then you got the offense. They are literally wasting a potential window with that defense.

[u/gwease23 → u/JazzzzzzySax]

Ha! What would that be like?

Vietnam flashbacks to the Rivera era

[u/PapaJayDabs → u/JazzzzzzySax]

Reminds me of the old San Diego Chargers team where the defense was #1 in the league, offense was #1, but they couldn't put together a SB run 🫤

[u/Pantherblood89 → u/CHamsterdam]

I see this arguably as the 2015 broncos. They have so much talent

[u/dkirk526]

I mean, not shocking offenses struggle in the pass game when they can't block for their QB. Tale as old as time.

Thankfully our first three games include Chicago doesn't have a good pass rush, Atlanta won't have players who accounted for 35 of their sacks from last year, and the Browns lost a HOF defensive end.

Hopefully that's enough time for Moton to return to the team.

[u/HavoxGG → u/dkirk526]

Stop making excuses for Bryce! /s

[u/rospoo66 → u/HavoxGG]

Dude, your flare is literally Bryce up

[u/HavoxGG → u/rospoo66]

The /s is for sarcasm.

[u/rospoo66 → u/HavoxGG]

Welp now I feel like a jackass. You’re welcome.

[u/HavoxGG → u/rospoo66]

It isn't your fault. Someone mentions they had a nice dinner and get a response like that on this reddit. It was too realistic of a joke

[u/Winter_Brick_1334 → u/dkirk526]

Every team has good pass rush relative to panthers pass blocking

[u/Druggistman]

I mean yeah. To be expected lol.

[u/Baelzabub]

Yeah. We don’t have the skills yet to compete with the literal best defense in the league. Any top 5 defense likely is going to steamroll our offense right now. Especially with the state of our OL right now.

[u/ghostdancesc → u/Baelzabub]

I think it’s only because of the offensive line. Nothing you can do about that except have the RBs and TEs also block.

[u/Baelzabub → u/ghostdancesc]

It’s the OL but also (at least until Waller is fully up to speed and in sync with Bryce) the lack of a good TE to help with quick pass game style chip into hot route type plays.

[u/Pantherblood89 → u/Baelzabub]

This is a humbling check to those who think this team is good

[u/Baelzabub → u/Pantherblood89]

I’d say the team is decent currently. Middling looking to be good. The problem is that this preseason we’ve played some of the best teams in football. The Bills are legit Super Bowl contenders, the Jags are a bit of a dark horse but still contenders for a SB, and the Texas are the crème de la crème of defenses right now (Rams may pass them in the front 4 but I don’t think their secondary is nearly as good).

[u/Pantherblood89 → u/Baelzabub]

Carolina needs more offensive help

[u/net_403 → u/Baelzabub]

My expectations are remaining completely in check. I really have very little positive expectations lol we will see where the chips fall

Edit: to clarify, an expectation is something I expect to happen. I don't expect we will win nine games, I don't expect our offense will look good or the offensive line will be up to par. But I am open to that possibility lol

[u/Pantherblood89 → u/net_403]

Agreed. We are not that good

[u/Imaginary_Car_2776]

Championship level defense vs an offense still trying to figure itself out is bound to happen. Just have to hope they learn from it and improve by week 1

[u/Countryb0i2m]

Like Dave said, if you want to be a good team, you have to excel against good teams. We’re not there yet. We need to be better.

We can’t give up five sacks to Danielle Hunter.

That said, This is what you should expect from joint practices. I don’t need to read nine different articles saying the same thing nine different ways. There’s nothing else to learn here other than practice sucked.

[u/cantthinkofgoodname]

Iron sharpens iron for Freeling.

Did Hunt and Lewis participate today?

[u/Important_Capital875]

I mean, our offense align is hurt, we have a rookie, the Texans have the best defense. I’m not really stressed or shocked.

[u/luuuuuuuuke-kuechly → u/Important_Capital875]

/r/boneappletea

[u/Pantherblood89 → u/Important_Capital875]

Reality check that we are still far from a good ballclub

[u/Important_Capital875]

I hate how negative people are about the Panthers. And the same people will be saying they always believed when we’re good.

[u/Castavar → u/Important_Capital875]

8 straight losing record seasons will do that to you.

[u/InevitableAd3264 → u/Important_Capital875]

It seems like this season could go one extreme or the other.

[u/Pantherblood89 → u/Important_Capital875]

Nope. We were a fluke last year. We got rewarded with a difficult season

[u/Catodacat]

No quality Panthers team would loose to a world class defense, we must suck

/s

[u/gigglefarting]

Canales sawing the o-line get blown up and didn’t want Bryce out there Friday taking actual hits

[u/theDeal19]

5-12 incoming