North Charlotte Today

Football teams often thrive on routine, but sometimes adjustments are necessary to accommodate personal commitments. With Christmas falling midweek, Panthers head coach Dave Canales has altered the team's schedule to allow players time with their families while preparing for Sunday's game against the Buccaneers.

The usual day off on Tuesday is moved to Wednesday, with practice scheduled a day earlier. "We'll get right to our Wednesday mode tomorrow, which will be Tuesday and Christmas Eve," Canales explained. "On Christmas Day, the players will have their normal day off... then we'll hop right back to it on Thursday."

Following their fourth win of the season in a 36-30 overtime victory against the Cardinals, Canales emphasized maintaining focus on football. Reviewing game footage allowed him to celebrate successes and address areas needing improvement. "Just great to be in another battle all the way to overtime... a full team win," he noted.

Roster changes are underway as defensive end Jonathan Harris was released for future moves. The team needs depth at inside linebacker and may need running back Mike Boone on the 53-man roster if they plan to use him again this season. "We've got to make a bunch of those important decisions going into this week," Canales said.

Injuries continue to impact the team with Miles Sanders still on injured reserve and center Cade Mays recovering from illness. Rookie wideout Xavier Legette is progressing well after missing Sunday's game due to a groin injury.

Quarterback Bryce Young impressed with his mobility and resilience under pressure during Sunday's game. Canales praised Young's ability in delivering an accurate pass despite facing an unblocked blitzer: "He's shown courage in the pocket."

Rookie linebacker Jacoby Windmon made history as the first player penalized for a "hip-drop" tackle during Sunday's game, though Canales disagreed with the call after reviewing footage: "I thought it was a clean open field tackle."

The penalty led to a Cardinals touchdown three plays later, narrowing their deficit.