Week 5 Recap:

For the first time this season, we got a chance to see how this Panthers team would respond to coming off of a loss.  It was said when this team was 3-0 that arrogance was a curse.  We saw this Carolina team walk into Dallas and walk out with their first loss in a game that was largely out of reach for the second half.  This was a heat check for one of the youngest rosters in the NFL.  Questions have been raised here about this coaching staff and this past Sunday some of those issues reappeared.  Sunday we saw a Philadelphia Eagles team that appeared overmatched in the first half, go into the locker room, and come out a different team.  Panthers’ fans were subjected to the cheers from droves of Eagles fans scattered throughout the stands as they called back and secured the victory late in the game.  When we start to pick apart this game we see many of the issues fans were concerned with coming into this season.  Offensive Live was and still is an issue on this team.  A reoccurring issue came at LT as even Moton appeared to be uncomfortable try to fill the position.  The belief that all Linemen are interchangeable is true for some, but not a standard.  Your RT will probably be best playing his natural position.  During training camp and preseason, it was reiterated that this OL was not capable of protecting a quarterback like Sam Darnold.  A coach has to coach a player to their strengths, there are qualities of Darnold’s that can allow a team to win, and there are qualities that will give games away.  Sunday was quite possibly the best example of how bad the OL can play and in return draw out the player that was seeing ghost back in a Jets jersey.  These past 2 weeks showed that this offense cannot lean on Darnold if they expect to be victorious.  This statement was magnified in the loss to Philly, a game where the defense forced multiple turnovers only to see Darnold give the ball back.  Both the OL and Darnold struggle to diagnose and handle the Eagles pass rush and this lead to multiple bad throws out of the Panthers’ quarterback.  Turnovers became a critical issue for the Panthers when late in the 4th quarter a blocked punt directly lead to the game-sealing touchdown on a Jalen Hurts run against a gassed Panthers’ defense.  It is no secret that it takes more than a great defense to win games in the NFL.  If a team cannot field a competent offensive consistently it doesn’t matter how great their defense is.  In back-to-back weeks we have seen this offense struggle to deliver even a lackluster effort.  Against Philly, the defense gave a near stellar performance while the offense acted as a counterbalance to their efforts.  When players like Donte Jackson came up with a clutch play and the momentum stabilizing, and on multiple drives, the offense allowed the opportunity to spoil.  This raises the question; will we see more of this?

Head Coach Matt Rhule and Offensive Coordinator Joe Brady should be found front and center when looking for reasons why victory slipped through the team’s hands.  The offense in particular has struggled to produce big plays.  Since Christian McCaffrey was sidelined with a hamstring injury this offense has looked groggy and sluggish.  Either the players on this roster are unable to make the adjustment, mainly Sam Darnold, or the coaching staff has been unwilling to make the adjustment.  It was clear when the trade originally took place Tepper wanted a change at quarterback.  The deep pass inaccuracies of Darnold and offensive schemes have led to a lot of underneath short passes.  Many of these passes are seen going to the running back, and a reason for the large workload that falls on McCaffrey’s shoulders.  Both Rhule and Brady seem content with the play style of the offense, but defenses will not respect the schemes in the same manner without CMC on the field.  The stubbornness that has kept these coaches from shaving down the touches CMC has seen in his time with this coaching staff is mirrored within the handling of the OL unit.  

Can We Just Skip to the End?

Plan and simple the Panthers have been horrible in the third quarter.  This could be the one thing that has remained consistent in every game.  It boggles the mind that the team would play remarkably worse when coming out of the locker room at halftime.  There is a considerable drop in the offenses’ producing in the third quarter, as well four interceptions by Darnold.  The team has not scored a single touchdown in the third quarter this season.  Remarks have been made in previous weeks that there was a lack of adjustments by this team, now after injuries have taken their toll we see these missteps compounded.  The mark of a great coach is the ability to adjust and alter your own schemes based off of the opposition.  The hope of carrying or maintaining a lead in the second half if this team cannot score in the third quarter is the same as filling a bucket with a hole in it.  The drop in yards gained compared to the other quarters, and a 0:4 TD/INT split is a main reason this team fell victim to the comeback of Eagles.  In my eyes, this coaching staff has been dilapidated without their work horseback in the backfield.  When the plays are there to be had downfield it inaccurate passes have gone overthrown.  This offense has only managed three plays that have gone over 40 yards and only one resulted in a touchdown on the play.  The eating up chunks of yardage at a time plays have taken place usually originates from well within Panthers’ territory.  The pressure will be on the coaching staff yet again as McCaffrey was listed out for the third week in a row.  To fans, this comes with some relief as it seems the team is not rushing back CMC, even in this recent skid.  

Cook or Get Cooked

On the same day the news was released that McCaffrey would be inactive in Sunday’s game the Vikings announced Delvin Cook would be returning to the lineup.  Cook represents a challenge and a chance at redemption.  It was in the Dallas game that we saw this defense take on a top running team, and fail to shut them down.  The pair of running backs for the Minnesota Vikings is just as dynamic as the pair in Dallas.  Carolina will have their defensive play caller back in Shaq Thompson this week, still nursing a foot injury.  The MLB was having a breakout season before the injury bug reached out and grabbed him in Dallas.  Jermaine Carter Jr. will be filling in for the veteran Thompson for a second week in a row.  This could be as big a blow as the return of Delvin Cook to the starting lineup.  The likes of Jefferson and Theilen matched up with this Panthers secondary will be the lead attraction for this game, but I feel it will be the run game that is the deciding factor.  When a team knows they can break off a four or five yard run every time there is less risk in airing a pass deep and take a shot with these wide receivers.  It is unlikely that many coverage sacks will take place against the Vikings offense, but Burns and Reddick are capable of capitalizing on passing downs.  A storyline similar to how to play against the Panthers offense, make them one dimensional and put the ball in the hands of the quarterback.  Kirk Cousins has proven to be marginally better than the younger Darnold, none the less Cook is the far greater threat when the ball is in the backfield.  Kirk Cousins is not capable of the mobility that was seen last week out of Jalen Hurts.  If Phil Snow is able to ramp up the pressure that had been on display during this team’s three-game winning streak these Panthers pass rushers could feast on the barbarian quarterback.

It Was Fun While it Lasted

The Panthers time at the top of the NFC South standings was a short lived one.  This does not come as a shock to anyone really.  The winning streak and incredible play by the defense buzzed across the media ways, but now we begin to descend back into reality.  It was not a dream that this defense is a legit force, but in the modern NFL a great defense only gets a team so far.  Tamp Bay came into the season a favorite to repeat as conference winners, the temporary drop to second in the standings gave no concern for worry, and back in first they are.  The Superbowl champs looked in prime form and held off the very Eagles that just left Back of America stadium.  At 5-1 the Buccaneers may not be faced with a threat of second place again this season.  The Panthers currently sit tied with the Saints at 3-2.  If The team that won the NFC South this year was anyone but Tamp it would be a real stunner.