Dave Canales didn't envisage this start for his Carolina Panthers squad to begin the campaign. The head coach was extremely bullish about his team's chances in 2025, laying down the gauntlet to their rivals by boldly proclaiming that his team was done being a pushover.
So far, that has not come to fruition.
The Panthers are 0-2. Canales can point to their second-half fightback against the Arizona Cardinals as a reason for encouragement, but it's a fact. If Carolina cannot get in the win column this weekend at home to the Atlanta Falcons, the pressure is only going to build.