Jaelan Phillips: Giving up 59 points is embarrassing, creates critical moment for Panthers
NBC Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- The Panthers scored 37 points in their first game of the 2026 season but still lost 59-37 to the Bears, marking the highest-scoring Week 1 game in NFL history.
- The Bears' offense dominated the Panthers' defense, exposing significant defensive weaknesses despite the Panthers' high point total.
- Linebacker Jaelan Phillips expressed embarrassment over allowing 59 points but viewed the loss as a critical opportunity for the team to improve defensively.
- The Panthers had allowed the most points in the league in 2024 but showed improvement last year under defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, with recent additions like Phillips and Devin Lloyd aimed at continuing that progress.
