09-15-2026, 04:30 PM -
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7595009...-panthers/
..........Since 2023 when Evero was hired as Frank Reich’s defensive coordinator, the Panthers have allowed 40 or more points eight times, more than anyone in the league. The Dallas Cowboys have given up 40-plus seven times over that span.
Canales said the Panthers have enough talent to be a successful defense. He also continues to support Evero, who — along with his defensive staff — was retained after Canales was hired in 2024.
“I like our system. I like our scheme. I’ve seen this scheme work at a high level, and I’ve seen us work in this scheme at a high level,” Canales said. “We need to find that week in and week out. All of us are disappointed with how it played out, but this is the work we have.”
This is the second time in three years that the Panthers’ defense has had a rough Week 1. The New Orleans Saints blew out Carolina 47-10 in Canales’ first game in 2024. The Derek Carr-led Saints finished with 379 yards, a drop in the bucket compared to what Bears coach Ben Johnson and Williams were able to do Sunday.
“Players and coaches alike gotta be better,” defensive lineman Bobby Brown said Monday. “Players didn’t execute all the time. Coach E already told us he didn’t get us in the best call all the time.”
Canales thought the defense played hard but not smart against the Bears, a sentiment shared by defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who took responsibility for his two penalties that led directly to 14 points for the Bears.
Evero’s scheme relies heavily on two-high safeties and disguised coverages meant to confuse quarterbacks as they look for pre-snap tells. But against the run, the front seven has to be disciplined in its gaps because of the deep alignment of the safeties.
Chicago had several running plays where its backs reached the second level of the defense untouched and with a full head of steam. The most glaring example came on Kyle Monangai’s 61-yard touchdown run, when he burst into an open hole and eluded the diving tackle attempts of safety Nick Scott and Chau Smith-Wade.
Dave Canales and the defense didn't make excuses after the loss. "We've gotta perform, and we have to do better," newcomer Devin Lloyd said.
“The way that we employ the safeties, the way we move our secondary around, it keeps offenses guessing,” Canales said. “It does put pressure on the front and the safeties show up from depth to fit into the gaps. But we’ve gotta be really connected on that front seven to make sure that a lot of the runs are getting bottlenecked into alleys and our guys can show up.”
Compounding matters was the Panthers’ inability to keep Williams in the pocket, which has been a chore for nearly every team that’s faced him. Outside linebacker Princely Umanmielen, who started in place of the injured Pat Jones, lost containment on Williams’ 9-yard touchdown in the first quarter, the first of two scoring scrambles for the No. 1 pick from 2024.
“I think I rushed pretty well,” said Umanmielen, who had one of the Panthers’ two sacks on Williams. “Some of those I plays I had (where) I pushed the pocket pretty well, I would say I pushed it great. But a quarterback like Caleb Williams, it’s hard. He’s very athletic. He’s very gifted. A lot of other quarterbacks in the NFL wouldn’t have made those type of plays.”
Evero last week said Williams has “magic to him,” almost like a “sixth sense” for knowing when pass rushers are around him. That proved prophetic when Williams time and again escaped danger and extended plays, rushing 10 times for 65 yards and the two TDs.
Bobby Brown, who had an interception negated by an offsides penalty on Derrick Brown, said the Panthers could have been better staying in their rush lanes.
“He made the plays that he should have made, that he’s good at making, that he’s known for making,” Brown said. “But we also gave him a few.”
Evero’s two-high shell look is designed to limit explosive plays. (Kidding...right???) But Williams’ second TD run — a 29-yarder — was one of eight plays for Chicago of at least 22 yards. Three of the Bears’ four longest plays were runs.
Canales said the guys up front can’t let backs get through the first line of defense unimpeded.
"When you look at those point-of-attack plays that safeties have or that corners have out in space, out in the field, all of a sudden it’s an open-field tackling drill,” he said. “We’re not fitting things up, and we don’t make the backs check their feet and have to bounce something or slow down so we can all get there in a timely fashion. That all starts up front. That all starts with the proper fit.”
Brown, who played for the Los Angeles Rams when Evero was an assistant coach, agreed that the front four could have been more disruptive. “When I was at L.A., the biggest thing was we lived in the backfield,” he said. “I don’t think we was in the backfield at all yesterday. I don’t know if we had too many (tackles for loss) other than sacks.”
Besides the sacks, linebacker Bobby Okereke and outside linebacker Trevis Gipson had the Panthers’ only other TFLs.
While no one liked the result, Umanmielen said seeing Williams early should help the Panthers in the long run.
“Like we have Lamar Jackson coming up (in November),” he said. “I think having this challenge Week 1 is really gonna help us going into how we play these next quarterbacks these upcoming games.”
..........Since 2023 when Evero was hired as Frank Reich’s defensive coordinator, the Panthers have allowed 40 or more points eight times, more than anyone in the league. The Dallas Cowboys have given up 40-plus seven times over that span.
Canales said the Panthers have enough talent to be a successful defense. He also continues to support Evero, who — along with his defensive staff — was retained after Canales was hired in 2024.
“I like our system. I like our scheme. I’ve seen this scheme work at a high level, and I’ve seen us work in this scheme at a high level,” Canales said. “We need to find that week in and week out. All of us are disappointed with how it played out, but this is the work we have.”
This is the second time in three years that the Panthers’ defense has had a rough Week 1. The New Orleans Saints blew out Carolina 47-10 in Canales’ first game in 2024. The Derek Carr-led Saints finished with 379 yards, a drop in the bucket compared to what Bears coach Ben Johnson and Williams were able to do Sunday.
“Players and coaches alike gotta be better,” defensive lineman Bobby Brown said Monday. “Players didn’t execute all the time. Coach E already told us he didn’t get us in the best call all the time.”
Canales thought the defense played hard but not smart against the Bears, a sentiment shared by defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who took responsibility for his two penalties that led directly to 14 points for the Bears.
Evero’s scheme relies heavily on two-high safeties and disguised coverages meant to confuse quarterbacks as they look for pre-snap tells. But against the run, the front seven has to be disciplined in its gaps because of the deep alignment of the safeties.
Chicago had several running plays where its backs reached the second level of the defense untouched and with a full head of steam. The most glaring example came on Kyle Monangai’s 61-yard touchdown run, when he burst into an open hole and eluded the diving tackle attempts of safety Nick Scott and Chau Smith-Wade.
Dave Canales and the defense didn't make excuses after the loss. "We've gotta perform, and we have to do better," newcomer Devin Lloyd said.
“The way that we employ the safeties, the way we move our secondary around, it keeps offenses guessing,” Canales said. “It does put pressure on the front and the safeties show up from depth to fit into the gaps. But we’ve gotta be really connected on that front seven to make sure that a lot of the runs are getting bottlenecked into alleys and our guys can show up.”
Compounding matters was the Panthers’ inability to keep Williams in the pocket, which has been a chore for nearly every team that’s faced him. Outside linebacker Princely Umanmielen, who started in place of the injured Pat Jones, lost containment on Williams’ 9-yard touchdown in the first quarter, the first of two scoring scrambles for the No. 1 pick from 2024.
“I think I rushed pretty well,” said Umanmielen, who had one of the Panthers’ two sacks on Williams. “Some of those I plays I had (where) I pushed the pocket pretty well, I would say I pushed it great. But a quarterback like Caleb Williams, it’s hard. He’s very athletic. He’s very gifted. A lot of other quarterbacks in the NFL wouldn’t have made those type of plays.”
Evero last week said Williams has “magic to him,” almost like a “sixth sense” for knowing when pass rushers are around him. That proved prophetic when Williams time and again escaped danger and extended plays, rushing 10 times for 65 yards and the two TDs.
Bobby Brown, who had an interception negated by an offsides penalty on Derrick Brown, said the Panthers could have been better staying in their rush lanes.
“He made the plays that he should have made, that he’s good at making, that he’s known for making,” Brown said. “But we also gave him a few.”
Evero’s two-high shell look is designed to limit explosive plays. (Kidding...right???) But Williams’ second TD run — a 29-yarder — was one of eight plays for Chicago of at least 22 yards. Three of the Bears’ four longest plays were runs.
Canales said the guys up front can’t let backs get through the first line of defense unimpeded.
"When you look at those point-of-attack plays that safeties have or that corners have out in space, out in the field, all of a sudden it’s an open-field tackling drill,” he said. “We’re not fitting things up, and we don’t make the backs check their feet and have to bounce something or slow down so we can all get there in a timely fashion. That all starts up front. That all starts with the proper fit.”
Brown, who played for the Los Angeles Rams when Evero was an assistant coach, agreed that the front four could have been more disruptive. “When I was at L.A., the biggest thing was we lived in the backfield,” he said. “I don’t think we was in the backfield at all yesterday. I don’t know if we had too many (tackles for loss) other than sacks.”
Besides the sacks, linebacker Bobby Okereke and outside linebacker Trevis Gipson had the Panthers’ only other TFLs.
While no one liked the result, Umanmielen said seeing Williams early should help the Panthers in the long run.
“Like we have Lamar Jackson coming up (in November),” he said. “I think having this challenge Week 1 is really gonna help us going into how we play these next quarterbacks these upcoming games.”
