Panthers Must Finally Acknowledge Bryce Young's Strengths for Playoff Success — It's Time for a Scheme Shift
Bryce Young has come in for yet more harsh criticism after the Carolina Panthers blew their massive prime-time opportunity against the San Francisco 49ers. His lackluster outing also fueled more debate among the fan base about whether he was the right quarterback to take this franchise forward.
The Panthers have had a rollercoaster three years with Young under center. Head coach Dave Canales could have brought in his own signal-caller by now, but he trusts the Alabama product. The belief in his capabilities within the locker room hasn't wavered either, so it would be a big surprise if he weren't still under center in 2026.
But for this to work, and it's worth remembering just how much the Panthers invested to get Young into the building, those in power must come to a realization.
Carolina Panthers must start playing to Bryce Young's strengths with the playoffs in sight
Young can play well. He can win. But a strong rushing attack must be established at all times.
Giving running back Rico Dowdle six carries isn't going to cut it. Canales must be stubborn with the ground game to keep defenses honest. After that, Young can do what he does best. This revolves around play-action, deciphering soft spots, and getting the football out quickly, on time, and in a position for his pass-catchers to make plays.
That's the recipe for success with Young. When he's made to force the issue, mistakes arise. And with only one legitimate weapon — first-round rookie Tetairoa McMillan — to depend upon, this has to be the plan of attack moving forward.
When the Panthers have won this season, it's come mainly on the back of Dowdle. Young was sensational against the Atlanta Falcons, as he always is, but he cannot play them every week. Sticking to his strengths, allowing him to manage games effectively, dictate the tempo, and control the clock is the correct course of action. Fans have seen what happens when these strategies aren't implemented all too often.
Perhaps Young will never become the generational No. 1 pick Carolina once had when Cam Newton took the league by storm. But that doesn't mean he cannot have a highly productive career with the Panthers if the scheme fits his style and the supporting cast meets the required standard.
Not everyone can be Newton, Lamar Jackson, or Josh Allen. There are more ways to thrive in the league. And the sooner Canales starts sticking to what clearly works, the better Carolina's chances will be.
Whether this realization arrives is another matter.
The Buffalo Sabres’ Only Hope for Success: Terry Pegula Must Sell the Team for Any Real Change to Happen
“The Sabres' dysfunction starts at the top, and without a change in ownership, this franchise will continue to flounder—Terry Pegula is the root cause of the team’s 14-year playoff drought.”
The Buffalo Sabres find themselves in a situation that feels all too familiar: a bad team that can’t seem to escape its endless cycle of failure. After another humiliating loss, this time a 5-0 defeat to the
Ownership: The Root Cause of Buffalo’s Woes
The chants from frustrated fans in the arena after the game made it clear: they don’t want a new general manager. They don’t want another head coach. They want
Since Pegula took over the Sabres in February 2011, the team has had zero success. The one time the Sabres made the playoffs under his ownership was in 2011, where they were eliminated in the first round. Since then, the Sabres have not qualified for the postseason, marking the
While every other team in the league has managed to reach at least 14 playoff games since 2011—many even more than that—the Sabres remain stuck at zero. Their .454 points percentage
Pegula’s Mismanagement and the Cycle of Failure
During Pegula’s ownership, the Sabres have gone through
The most painful part? Prominent former players have left Buffalo and immediately found success elsewhere, winning Stanley Cups with teams like the Vegas Golden Knights (Eichel), Florida Panthers (Reinhart, Montour), and
A Lack of Commitment to Winning
To make matters worse, Pegula has repeatedly failed to commit to building a competitive team. Despite having multiple holes in the lineup, the Sabres have failed to use their salary cap space effectively. For the second year in a row, the Sabres have more than
A Call for Change
The Buffalo Sabres deserve better than what Pegula has provided. The fanbase deserves a team that can finally compete for a playoff spot, not one that continues to wallow in mediocrity and frustration. The only way for this team to finally turn things around is if
Until that happens, the Buffalo Sabres will continue to be a team that gets stuck in its past, unable to break free from the cycle of failure.
