The Panthers offense set a low bar for improvement by failing to pick up a first down in three drives during their preseason opener and they cleared it on Friday night.
Quarterback Bryce Young played two drives and the team picked up six first downs before running back Jonathon Brooks ran for a one-yard touchdown to cap their night early in the second quarter. Head coach Dave Canales cautioned against reading too much into any preseason performance, but said “it does build confidence” in what they’re capable of doing in the regular season.
“That was a great improvement,” Canales said, via the team’s website. “Really like seeing the run game go, and once that starts rolling, it just makes everything exactly how we want it on the offensive side, gives us options and some better [downs and distances], but I was really proud of the group in terms of just playing clean ball; five penalties, pretty clean day.”
The Panthers will wrap up the preseason against Houston next Friday and then turn their attention toward a Week 1 date with the Bears that will provide a truer barometer of where they stand as they try to defend their NFC South title.