Panthers Reacts: Winning works wonders on confidence

Sep 25, 2026, 4:00 PM UTCThe Carolina Panthers historically poor defense in their season opener produced an understandable dip in fan confidence. As if plucked by the sturdiest chip that our proverbial gameday spread had to offer, that dip is no more. The Panthers defense dominated the Atlanta Falcons high school-looking offense in Week 2, while their offense kept up the pace and appearance of competence from Week 1. What do we make of that?Panthers fans: Make your pick in the SB Nation app!Take Reacts surveys, create Panthers polls, and see how your answers compare with fellow Cat Scratch Reader fans. Then discuss the results with the Panthers community.Download the SB Nation app on iOS or Android.We make optimism, apparently.It feels like this number is going to flirt with either triple or single digits by the end of the year at the rate things are going. Either the defense continues to gel and Bryce Young remains calm, collected, and willing to push the ball down the field, or the wheels fall off this wagon before the band can even get loaded.Right now we’re in an odd limbo where the team looks great, but it is too early to say that they will actually be great. We need more evidence and against better teams, particularly better defenses, than the Panthers have faced so far. The Cleveland Browns are up next and we can only hope they provide such a test.Panthers fans: Make your pick in the SB Nation app!Take Reacts surveys, create Panthers polls, and see how your answers compare with fellow Cat Scratch Reader fans. Then discuss the results with the Panthers community.Download the SB Nation app on iOS or Android.Checkout FanDuel, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.All of your communities in one place.