Quick Hits: Slow Start on Offense, Lack of Deep Shots, Preseason Plan + More

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales recaps Sunday's practice in Uptown.

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Sunday morning's practice was a bit of a mixed bag of some good and bad for the Carolina Panthers. Shortly after wrapping things up, head coach Dave Canales fielded questions from the media.

Offense with a slow start today

“Sometime you start a game and one side of the ball is struggling a little bit, the other side may be doing well. The bottom line is, we got to go to the next play, get our stuff right, go to the next drive. We don’t make judgements about the outcome of the game based on what happens in the first drill. Bryce (Young) was able to come down, make a great drive in that two-minute at the end, score a touchdown on the last play - not the way we designed it, but he’s been magnificent with some of those plays off-schedule. But it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. What I’m looking for is the energy to match all phases. The offense and the defense, we’re all going for it. There’s not one side going and the other side’s not. Special teams-wise also.”

Xavier Legette leaving practice

“It’s something in his lower leg. I don’t want to get into any details. We’re just going to evaluate him this afternoon as a precaution and then we’ll go from there. I’ll have more information for you guys.”

Ihmir Smith-Marsette having a nice day

“He’s having a great camp. Certainly, the value that he brings as a returner, he’s dynamic. He’s got touchdown potential. And then as a receiver, just seeing him be able to play inside and outside and consistently come up with plays for us, it’s so good to see. I love where he’s headed.”

Evaluation of Ja’Tavion Sanders working with the ones

“Just a natural football player. Would love to see him to just continue to work on the little things and the technique stuff that Coach McPherson is working with him. But the thing we are seeing from him is just he finds a way to get open and he’s available as a pass catcher. What a great opportunity, it’s that next man up mentality. And as we go through things with Tommy (Tremble) and with Ian (Thomas), you get JT hopping right in there with Bryce (Young) and showing him how he can make himself available.”

If the starters will play in first preseason game

“We’re still working through that. I think the ability to do that all depends on how healthy our groups are. So, we’ll have to evaluate what the numbers look like, knowing we’re going to have to play four quarters.”

Lack of downfield throws

“I think it’s number one, our scheme defensively is fantastic. It’s really hard. This scheme here really maximizes the disguise. They do so many good things that make it hard for you to really know when you’re going to be able to get that shot down the field. So for our quarterbacks it’s about studying our guys and say, this is a look when a shot would be good. I think generally speaking, as far as training camps go, our deep ball production kind of increases the further into camp we get. It really does show up in games. When you’re out here in a practice setting, a lot of the times the secondary play a little bit conservative. In games, they’re more liable to take a shot on a guy or try to cover something where you set up some of those shots. It’s definitely something we just have to bottom line improve on and get opportunities on. I’d love to see more production down the field, yes, but it’s really difficult against our defense right now.”

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