Help on the Horizon for the Panthers Heading Into NFC South Championship
The Panthers suffered a costly loss today against the Seahawks. A win today would have secured the NFC South and secured the Panthers' playoff berth. Now the Panthers are in a do-or-die situation. The Panthers beat the Buccaneers in their first game against each other. It is rare for a team to beat the same team twice, especially division rivals. Next will be huge, for both the players and the front office. The Panthers already have some tough questions to answer heading to the offseason, and how this season ends will have a cascading effect for the next few years. Fortunately, a key player is finding his way back from an injury in Week Two.
Robert Hunt has been on injured reserve since Week Two. Hunt sustained a significant bicep injury that required surgery, with the possibility of missing the rest of the season. Hunt has been a substantial addition for the Panthers since they signed him out of free agency in the 2023 offseason. Making him one of the highest-paid guards in the league at the time, he had an immediate impact. In his first season with the Panthers, he made the Pro Bowl, Chuba Hubbard had his first 1,000-yard rushing season, and he helped cut sacks by half. The Panthers have gotten along fine without him, but you can’t replace the production of a player on Hunt’s level.
The Panthers opened up their 21-day practice window, but didn’t activate him this week. Head coach Dave Canales has stated that the team intends to start him off slow and ramp him back to game speed. One would imagine that the Panthers would pull out all the stops for their Week 18 showdown, but if he isn’t ready, he isn’t ready. Hunt is a key piece of the Panthers' future, and if the Panthers move on from Bryce Young, he will be essential to acclimating a new quarterback to the offense. So, while it would be nice to have him for Week 18, there is a scenario where they sit him, or, if the Panthers think they can do it without him, keep him out one more week and have him fresh for the playoffs.
Whether Hunt plays or not does not affect how Young played today. Young played the game of his career and set the Panthers’ single-game passing record without Hunt. Today, Young only had 14 completions for 56 passing yards. 56 passing yards is inexcusable from a former number one overall pick and franchise quarterback. Today’s game can’t be good for where Young stands in the eyes of the front office. In today’s NFL, quarterbacks aren’t given a long leash, and Young is in year three. He has shown flashes of pure brilliance, but they have been few and far between. He has not been anywhere near as consistent as one would expect out of a franchise quarterback. Regardless, he will need to show up next week; his future with the organization is on the line.
Overall, this season has been a significant improvement from last year. The team has fluctuated between over .500 and right at .500 all season. Obviously, an NFC South title and playoff berth would be the cherry on top, putting the Panthers back into a winning culture. The defense has been completely overhauled, and it shows. The team is primed and ready to win the NFC South for years to come. Loaded with young talent and key veterans, Week 18 will be pivotal to the organization's future. I can’t see Canales being fired, considering what he’s done in two years as the head coach. It is far more likely that we see Young on his way out, as the team is only a few pieces away from being put over the top.
