JACKSONVILLE – Jaguars.com senior writer John Oehser each week during the 2023 regular season will speak with a writer or media member covering the Jaguars’ opponent.
Darin Gantt of Panthers.com on the Carolina Panthers’ matchup with the Jaguars at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville Sunday at 1 p.m.
Question: The Panthers are 2-13 with the NFL’s worst record, but they beat the Atlanta Falcons two weeks ago and pushed the Green Bay Packers this past Sunday before losing, 33-30. What’s the state of the Panthers entering Sunday?
Answer: If you look at the last drive of the Atlanta game and then last week, [rookie quarterback] Bryce Young has played his best football over the last five quarters of this season. He has looked a lot sharper. He has looked more in command. He always has been more comfortable in a rhythm situation like two minute or when things are on the move. It’s no secret that the Carolina Panthers’ offense was a struggle for every yard for the first half of the season until 11 weeks. That’s why you get changes like they had when [former Head Coach] Frank Reich was let go 11 games into his first year here. Since then, they kind of stripped things down a bit. They’re playing a little more downhill with their offensive line, which suits the personnel. [Running back] Chuba Hubbard has been running the ball physically and well. That has been a big component of buying Bryce a little time and allowing him to do a little more play-action stuff, which suits him. He has been on the move a little more. In stripping down the offense to its basics, they’ve kind of created a situation where his natural playmaking is able to take root a little more.
Q: Sometimes teams in the Panthers’ situation can feel rudderless. This doesn’t feel that way entering the final two games.
A: Give a lot of credit to [Interim Head Coach] Chris Tabor. Before he got that title, he was one of the best special teams coaches in the league. He has…
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