Panthers news: Orlovsky blasts 'putrid' defense after Week 1 clash vs. Bears
The Carolina Panthers suffered a truly historic embarrassment to start the 2026 season. Carolina got smacked around by Chicago , allowing a whopping 59 points in their season opener. One national analyst was not shy about criticizing Carolina’s defense after such a pitiful showing. ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky absolutely ripped into the Panthers’ defense […] The post Panthers news: Orlovsky blasts…
The Carolina Panthers suffered a historic embarrassment in their Week 1 clash against the Chicago Bears, allowing an alarming 59 points. ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky was not shy about criticizing the Panthers' defense, describing it as "putrid" and repeatedly pointing out "blown coverage because of motion" and "lost contain." The Panthers gave up 552 total yards and three turnovers, providing the Bears with ample scoring opportunities.
Orlovsky expanded on his criticism, stating that NFL defenses struggled to handle motion throughout the 2026 season, adding that this performance might be the worst he's seen in years. While other teams may have faced similar issues, Carolina suffered the most significant embarrassment. However, the Panthers' offense performed reasonably well, and there's hope for improvement in the upcoming Weeks. The Panthers are set to face the Atlanta Falcons in a crucial NFC South matchup on September 20th.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
