Steve Smith Sr. says he's 'been the voice of reason' around the Carolina Panthers
Tempers are flaring in Carolina. The Panthers got their first win of the 2023 season against Houston with a 15-13 victory on Sunday, but a 1-6 start to the year isn’t what anyone had in mind down in Charlotte. And while fans might be losing their minds, former wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. says he’s been the voice of reason.
Late last week, Smith joined the Pat McAfee Show and was asked about the situation with the Panthers. At the time of the former NFL star’s comments, Carolina was still searching for its first victory of the year.
“Well, the fanbase is irate,” Smith said. “They’re upset. … I’ve been accused of being a homer. Think about this: Right now, in Carolina, I’m kinda the voice of reason, which is shocking. I don’t know how that feels.
“There’s a lot of moving parts, a lot of moving pieces. And they’re gonna have to figure it out and that’s what the season is gonna take. You will know what to expect — a realistic expectation, heading into next year — how the rest of the season really takes a toll.”
Right now, things don’t look great in Charlotte. But there are still 10 games remaining on Carolina’s schedule. If the Panthers can get some sort of momentum and tally a few more wins, maybe the franchise feels a little bit different about the direction it’s heading.
Whether fans will feel the same way? That’s always a tough call.
Bryce Young gets first NFL win with Panthers
It took nearly two full months, but Bryce Young is finally a winner as a starting quarterback in the NFL. The No. 1 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft helped lead Carolina to a 15-13 victory over Houston on Sunday.
Young completed 22-of-31 passes for 235 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. But the heroics came late in the game.
Trailing 13-12 with 6:17 remaining, Young engineered a 15-play, 86-yard drive that set up a game-winning field goal attempt for kicker Eddy Pineiro. He knocked down a 23-yard try as time expired, lifting the Panthers to a win.
Pineiro finished the game making all three of his field goal attempts but failing on the lone PAT.
So, do fans maybe feel a little bit better now that there’s a tally in the win column? Probably not. But 1-6 is still better than 0-7. Take the victories where you can get them.