Is Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales the right coach to lead them out of this rebuilding stage?
Is Bryce Young the right quarterback?
Does the NFL franchise have the correct defensive personnel to run a 3-4 base defense?
The questions continue to mount.
More aggressive play calling could help answer some of those questions.
Down 21-6 in the second quarter Sunday at Gillette Stadium, Carolina Canales called for a running play after a first-down false start on tight end Tommy Tremble. Running back Chuba Hubbard gained zero yards. On second down, quarterback Bryce Young attempted a low-percentage pass to wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. It fell incomplete. On third-and-15, Canales called for a Rico Dowdle run, which gained two yards. On fourth down, Sam Martin’s punt led to Patriots punt returner Marcus Jones creating his second big play.
Four plays later, the Patriots went up 28-6.
Things only got worse for the Panthers (1-3), suffering a 42-13 loss.
Canales did not like what developed after a strong start.
“When it’s a full team effort like this, I have to look at myself,” he said during a post-game press conference, via Panthers.com. “The collective execution, when it happens in all phases, I’m the common dominator. I have to take responsibility for that.”
The Panthers fell to 3-17 on the road since 2023.
X (Twitter) users responded to the Week 4 matchup at Gillette Stadium …
Panthers at Patriots. Big one for both teams. @kstone06 and I will have updates throughout the afternoon. As always, join us for the Patriots Pulse Post Game Show after the game. @TheRealJonLyons, Kevin and I will recap the game on X, Facebook, Twitch and our YouTube page. pic.twitter.com/rDU7QppnSM
— New England Football Journal ®
(@newftbj) September 28, 2025
The last time the teams met …
Last time the patriots played the panthers was in 2021 when they won 24-6.
Mac Jones
Damian Harris
Hunter Henry
JC JacksonAll had touchdowns.
JC had two interceptions while Jamie Collins had one and Judon had a sack
One of the pats teams of all time
— Rob (@rob_thibeault) September 27, 2025
Massachusetts native and actor Mark Wahlberg made his pregame prediction Sunday …
Mark Wahlberg says the #Patriots will beat the #Panthers by at least 17 points today live on @twitch.#PlayDirtyMovie is coming to @primevideo on October 1.@amazonmgmstudio pic.twitter.com/VzGQLxGL28
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 28, 2025
Former Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart listed his pregame keys …
Keys to a Panther win over the patriots.
-Pressure on Drake May
-Early completions for Bryce young
-Clean Communication with play calls!
-Defensive run fits!
-win turnover takeaway battle#KeepPounding— Jonathan Stewart (@Jonathanstewar1) September 28, 2025
Wahlberg was right, but he drastically undersold the preview …
Keep. Going. pic.twitter.com/IgkDLhHSFm
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 28, 2025
Things looked different at the start. The Panthers opened with an in-your-face drive, capped by tight end Tommy Tremble’s TD catch …
What a view
: Fox pic.twitter.com/JeXaiaoCuL
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) September 28, 2025
Fooling the Panthers into believing he would call for a fair catch and then escaping the grasp of reserve cornerback Akayleb Evans, Jones returned the punt 87 yards for a momentum-stealing score. The Panthers folded after this effort …
this is what stopped Panthers 55 unanswered points?? THIS??pic.twitter.com/6KovWiuTo9
— Blande (@JustBlande) September 28, 2025
NFL Hometown Hero?
Going up 14-6 in the first half, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye paid homage to his childhood hero, Cam Newton …
Drake Maye did Cam Newton’s TD celly against the Panthers
pic.twitter.com/RwPYKX1NoS
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 28, 2025
Maye, a native of Huntersville, N.C., and former Myers Park High standout, grew up a Panthers fan …
Tag a Panthers fan to ruin their day. pic.twitter.com/Apn1vxRWR2
— Boston Cream
(@itsbostoncream) September 28, 2025
Playing the power game, TreVeyon Henderson bulled his way into the end zone at 5:48 of the second quarter, giving the Patriots a 21-6 lead. It was the rookie’s first TD …
First @NFL TD for @TreVeyonH4
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 28, 2025
Will Jones ever live down the fact he failed to return his second punt for a TD because of a lunging arm-tackle by punter Sam Martin …
MORE @MarcusJonesocho MAGIC
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 28, 2025
Patriots’ Antonio Gibson smashed his way into the end zone with 1:57 remaining in the first half …
Antonio Gibson smashing thru
pic.twitter.com/BqLCcBtVd2— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 28, 2025
Questionable defense led to the Panthers falling behind, 35-6. As Hutner Henry outran cornerback Jaycee Horn down sideline, Chau Smith-Wade didn’t attempt to tackle or push Henry out of bounds. The second-year player attempted a punch out …
lemme just sneak right by pic.twitter.com/j3zkxcWSMG
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 28, 2025
The Patriots piled it on, going up 42-6 after Maye hit Mack Hollins for a 4-yard scoring pass …
MAYE TO MACK@DrakeMaye2
@mackhollins
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 28, 2025
Rookie tight end Mitchell Evans halted the Patriots’ scoring barrage with his first professional TD …
Evans for the TD
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) September 28, 2025
Final score: Patriots 42, Panthers 13 …
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 28, 2025
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