What to Make of the Panthers Week Two Loss Against the Cardinals

Tetairoa McMillian is a stud. Through two games, he has solidified himself as the best receiver and possibly the best player on the offense. McMillian had his first 100-yard receiving game with six receptions on 10 targets. No touchdowns yet, but they are sure to come. Moving forward, McMillian should be the primary target and first read. The former Arizona receiver is proving his worth and reinforcing the Panthers' decision to take him with the eighth overall pick. Hunter Renfrow also stepped up massively, securing his position as WR2. Renfrow still has crisp route-running abilities and good bursts of speed when they matter most. 

Bryce Young played a much better game this time around. Not perfect by any means, and he still leaves a lot to be desired, but the improvement is there. The offensive line took a beating, especially in the last drive of the game. Young did not look good on the last drive of the game. He couldn’t get to his reads; he looked panicked and made bad plays. Young will need to get his nerves under control, as the game was still entirely winnable. Young’s intentional grounding play at the end of the game was disastrous. 

Chuba Hubbard continues to shine and be an essential piece of the Panthers' offense. He didn’t get much going on the ground but had five receptions for 39 yards and a touchdown. Hubbard has scored in both games now. He’s become a reliable checkdown target for Young. 

The defense looks a lot better this time around. The run game was kept subdued, only giving up 82 rushing yards across the board this time around. The secondary, led by Jaycee Horn, continues to keep the passing game under control. Tight ends continue to work well against the Panthers' defense, as they were victimized by a much better tight end this time around in Trey McBride. 

Despite the last-minute blunders, this was a step forward for the Panthers. The team looked a lot better as a whole. There is still much to improve upon, but it’s nice to see improvement. Week three is a massive week for Dave Canales and his regime. The Panthers take on division rivals, the Atlanta Falcons. Already 0-2, a loss here could be the final nail in the coffin.