Should Panthers HC Dave Canales relinquish offensive play-calling duties?

Carolina Panthers head coach and offensive play-caller Dave Canales seemingly struck some gold in the passing game in his team's 30-27 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11. He helped orchestrate a career day for quarterback Bryce Young, who passed for a franchise record of 448 yards and three touchdowns, while utilizing his top pass catchers to their best abilities.

More gold was awaiting him on Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers—who not only had the NFL's fifth-worst passing defense, but had also amassed a league-low 12 sacks entering Week 12. Plus, a prime-time win under the bright lights could've given the Panthers sole possession of first place in the NFC South.

Instead, we got another letdown performance. Carolina fell to San Francisco, 20-9, in a loss headlined by yet another underwhelming offensive offering.

And while the defeat can be attributed to a few growing pains for this developing team, the disappointing showing falls on the shoulders of Canales.

A week ago, Canales was aggressive—testing fate with the deep ball and calling plays that attacked the intermediate and vertical portions of the field. His approach led to a fantastic display from Young and provided a glimmer of hope for the largely dull passing attack.

The depth of most of the concepts was significant—as they created space for wide receivers and tight ends that opened up run-after-catch opportunities and set up the run in short-yardage situations. This allowed Young to play like the distributor, or point guard, he was selected to be back in 2023.

But on Monday night, those elements felt abandoned.

To be fair, 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh called a heck of a game—whether he was putting multiple bodies in the middle of the field, playing containment on the backside from overload or simulating pressures. Even so, Canales' strategy was certainly a bizarre one.

He missed out on chances to test the 49ers' linebackers, an injury-depleted group, with designated calls to tight ends Ja'Tavion Sanders, Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans. This was also a missed opportunity to get running back Rico Dowdle on the big stage, as he dialed up their bell cow for just six carries on the night.

Canales didn't do his quarterback many favors either. He churned out some questionable play-calling at the goal line, specifically on Young's interception on the bootleg at the 1-yard line in the first quarter and on the two-point attempt in the fourth quarter.

Heading into Week 13, the Panthers sit at 6-6 and are just half a game back of the division-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And to Canales' credit, he's gotten his team to play competitively this season when their backs have been against the wall—something they'll have to do on Sunday against the 9-2 Los Angeles Rams.

Canales, however, might be showing that being both a head coach and a play-caller is too tall a task. While a change is unlikely this deep into the campaign, handing off the duties should be under consideration at some point.

Monday night's loss should not overshadow the progress the Panthers have made under Canales in 2025. But it might prove that a shift in their infrastructure is necessary.

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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Should Panthers HC Dave Canales relinquish play-calling duties?