The Panthers’ defense has already taken heat for what happened on the ground against Chicago, but there’s another issue that may be just as aggravating: quarterbacks are escaping and turning broken plays into real damage.
That showed up in Week 1 when Caleb Williams ran 10 times for 65 yards and two touchdowns against Carolina, including a 29-yard score. Then Deshaun Watson followed the same script Sunday, carrying the ball 11 times for 45 yards. Together, that’s 110 rushing yards from the two quarterbacks in two games.
What makes it so frustrating is how quickly those plays seem to flip. Carolina gets pressure, the pocket starts to close, and the play looks finished. Then the quarterback slips out, and suddenly the defense is chasing from behind.
The Panthers have been better overall since the opener. After giving up 59 points to Chicago, they allowed three against Atlanta and 21 against Cleveland. That’s 24 points across the last two games, a clear step up from Week 1.
Still, the quarterback runs keep hanging around. Williams did it in the opener, Watson did it again in Week 3, and that kind of tape gets around fast. If opposing quarterbacks can run, there’s no reason teams won’t keep testing Carolina that way.
A spy could be part of the answer. So could a different approach to rushing the passer. That’s a job for Ejiro Evero, not a guessing game from the outside.
What’s clear is that Carolina can’t keep letting quarterbacks turn pressure into chunk plays. Until that changes, opponents will keep going back to the same idea.
In Other News...
Bryce Young Suddenly Has A New Panthers Safety Valve
The Panthers are trying to steady things after a 1-2 start and a loss to Cleveland, and the timing is not exactly ideal. With starting cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson now on injured reserve and left guard Damien Lewis expected to miss time with an elbow injury, Carolina is dealing with injuries on both sides of the ball while trying to keep Bryce Young moving forward after a promising first few weeks.
One reason the offense has looked more equipped to help him has been the growing role of the tight ends, with Darren Waller getting more involved than Carolina has typically leaned on in recent seasons. Young has thrown for 939 yards and seven touchdowns so far, and the expanded use of tight ends gives the quarterback another outlet as the Panthers try to protect a young offense that is still searching for consistency. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Suddenly Have One More Option As Lions Availability Questions Grow
The Panthers got a little healthier on Thursday, and the timing matters with Detroit coming to town. Wide receiver Jalen Coker, who has been working through a quadriceps injury, was upgraded to limited participation, giving Carolina at least another possibility on a depth chart that has been watched closely all week. He is listed as questionable, but the move was still part of a broader uptick in practice activity for the group.
Monroe Freeling, Chuba Hubbard, Princely Umanmielen and Darren Waller also improved their practice status, while Nick Scott and Devin Lloyd are on track to return after full sessions. For a Panthers team trying to sort out its game-day options, the injury report now offers a little more flexibility, even if the final call on Coker still leaves something to monitor before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Face A Real Odell Beckham Jr. Debate After Latest Exit
Odell Beckham Jr. is back on the market after the New York Giants moved on from him following three games without a catch, and that instantly pushes his name into the kind of conversation teams with receiver concerns cannot ignore. For Carolina, the fit is easy to understand on paper: the Panthers could use more depth at wideout, and a veteran with Beckhams profile would at least bring proven presence to a room that could use another established option.
Carolina has not confirmed any workout or signing, which is where the discussion stays for now. Still, the possibility alone makes for an interesting decision point, because adding Beckham would not just be about filling a roster spot, but about weighing whether the Panthers want to chase upside and experience at a position that remains under scrutiny. [Read more 🡒]