Dave Canales admits to being stubborn on Carolina Panthers opening drive in week 4

Matt Alquiza | Oct 2, 2024

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Dave Canales and the Carolina Panthers couldn't have scripted a better opening to their week four matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Two Chuba Hubbard runs softened up the Bengals defense enough to allow Diontae Johnson to get loose over the top for a 39-yard gain. A couple of short completions mixed in with a few Hubbard carries gave the Panthers a goal-to-go situation before most of the crowd had even found their seats. Unfortunately, the good vibes of that opening drive fell to the wayside.

Goal-to-go failure

Carolina, from the two yard line, went: run for one yard, incompletion, run for no gain, run for no gain. After draining nearly six minutes off the clock and moving the ball at will against a porous Bengals defense, the Panthers came up empty. It's impossible to know if Carolina would have pulled out a week four victory to even up their record at 2-2 if they convert that goal-to-go situation, but the complexion of the game surely would have been different if they were able to find pay dirt on their opening drive.

On this week's episode of "Panthers' Huddle," a weekly video interview featuring Dave Canales, Kristen Balboni, and franchise legend Thomas Davis, Canales dove into his early-game red zone play calling.

"It was a statement. We're inside the five. We pride ourselves on being able to run the ball. I know our guys will get that done the next time. I can help by mixing some of the calls. I was being stubborn, just trying to get us that good effort run, that attitude run in there, and it didn't work out."

Canales aggressive play-calling is welcomed. The Panthers have historically employed old-school, cautious head coaches that would leave points on the table by punting or kicking field goals in situations where aggression could change the game. Yes, Canales' bold call to attempt to score a touchdown on fourth down left points on the table, but six is greater than three and I'm willing to give a head coach with a dominant run game the benefit of the doubt on most of those decisions.

Thomas Davis chimes in

Thomas Davis also agreed with Canales' decision. "Coach, I'll be the first to say, that I absolutely love the aggressive calls. Talking about going for it on fourth and one, from the one, that allows the defense to get in the position to shorten the field. You can even take advantage of that defensively."

Davis' perspective is important. Fourth down discourse is a hot topic, but 99.9% of it revolves around the offense's success or failure. Rarely do pundits talk about how the defense can make up for the offense's inability to convert on fourth downs deep in enemy territory.

Football is a great sport because it is truly a wholistic team game. When the offense fails, the defense is there to pick them up. When the defense gives up points, the offense can answer. When the head coach makes a mistake, he has a cast of assistants to pick up the pieces.

Canales' aggression will continue, and it should. Carolina is going to be at a talent disadvantage in most of their matchups going forward, The rookie head coach described his aggressive nature as "a relentless pursuit to find a competitive edge however we can." That is the way a head coach should speak and think, and as each day passes, it seems as if Carolina nailed this offseason's head coaching hire.

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