Even NFL games that wind up being decided by 20 points or more usually come down to a handful of plays. Such was the case for the Carolina Panthers in their Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears, wherein they made several big mistakes defensively that put them on the ropes against an elite scoring offense.
Perhaps the most surprising error from the 59-37 defeat came from the team's best player, defensive tackle Derrick Brown. With the game tied at 31 apiece on a second-and-20 from the Panthers' 21-yard line, Brown hit quarterback Caleb Williams after a throw—resulting in a huge penalty that eventually led to a Bears touchdown.
Here's the replay:
Good to see Caleb actually get a roughing the passer call pic.twitter.com/Gcyntmllnm
— Depressed Bears Fan (@DepBearsFan) September 13, 2026
This is admittedly a pretty
soft penalty—and every week, you'll see quarterbacks take worse hits after a release that wind up not getting flagged. Still, Brown knows better, and this play has been named one of Week 1's worst gaffes by Tyler Sullivan at CBS Sports:
Faced with a second-and-20 situation from the Panthers 21-yard line, Caleb Williams was pressured and threw an incomplete pass. Instead of it being third-and-20 with a possible field goal looming, Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown needlessly hit Williams on that second-down throw.
It is what it is, and the Panthers aren't talented enough to get away with the kinds of mistakes they made this week. As a result, they allowed the most points in franchise history as the Bears lit up the field at Bank of America Stadium for 552 yards and eight touchdowns.
Playing a clean game against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2 will be the best way to get the taste out of their mouths.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers star's costly penalty among NFL's biggest gaffes of Week 1
