The Panthers’ 2024 season got off to an ugly start with last week’s 47-10 loss to the division-rival Saints.
But Carolina has a chance to get back on track this weekend with the team’s home opener against the Chargers.
While quarterback Bryce Young struggled last week, throwing an interception on his first passing attempt, veteran receiver Adam Thielen said the offensive issues certainly were not all on the young signal-caller.
“I don’t think that’s just a Bryce thing. I think that’s all of us,” Thielen told reporters on Wednesday. “First game back — games are just different. You can do all the preseason, you can do all the OTAs, training camp — all that is great and all that gives you an idea of what a game looks like. But games are just different. So, it was great to get out there, feel that game-like energy, and passion, crowd noise, everything — just to kind of get that one behind us.
“Obviously, not the result [we wanted], but good to get that out, and now we can just go play football and be who we want to be, who we are, and show individuality who we can be. That’s not just a Bryce thing — that’s all of us. Those are kind of first-game nerves, first game whatever — a little rust, whatever. We all individually have to kind of figure out a way to get better this week and put that one behind us.”
One way to do that, Thielen said, is for the Panthers to get off to a faster start on Sunday.
"[T]hat doesn’t necessarily mean you have to just score 30 points in the first half,” Thielen said. “It means that you’ve got to go get some first downs. You’ve got to make a couple of big plays. You’ve got to do some of the little things right that just give you some confidence, momentum, give the offense some short third-down opportunities — that you just start to build this confidence, demeanor, and momentum that can go toward you.”
Young finished Week 1 13-of-30 for 161 yards with a pair of interceptions. Thielen led the team with 49 yards on three catches.